Cambridge Blue - Alison Bruce [106]
‘No idea.’
‘Come on, I said you’d been pretty gullible, and you said . . .’
‘Oh yeah, yeah, I was just saying that working with the Morans would make any sexy stuff between her and the dad more embarrassing, especially as her best mate was shagging his son.’
Goodhew snapped his fingers as he finally got it. ‘No, you didn’t say “sexy”. You said “kinky”.’
‘And?’
Goodhew tapped Bryn’s arm. ‘And we’ve been loitering outside for too long. Time to get in and help us with our enquiries.’
FORTY-ONE
Goodhew accompanied Bryn as far as the main entrance, confident that Bryn wasn’t stupid enough to abscond through the rear door.
He then rang Mel again. ‘One more thing,’ he said without preamble. ‘Marks has the Joanne Reed case notes in his office. I’ll be back shortly, so please get them ready and I’ll grab them on my way past.’
‘OK,’ she said.
‘It’s urgent,’ he added.
‘Fine,’ she replied, probably thinking he was lazy for not doing it himself. He thought he probably was. He had nothing else to add, so he just hung up. Now he’d be arrogant, as well as lazy.
He was still standing at the top of the steps leading into Parkside station as he rang Jackie Moran’s mobile. Looking towards the city centre as he put the phone to his ear, he noticed that her RAV4 was parked in the nearest of the metered bays to his right. He could make out the shape of someone sitting in the driver’s seat, but he couldn’t tell if it was Jackie Moran herself. But then, as the phone began to ring, he saw her step on to the pavement in the same instant as he heard her voice. ‘Thanks for phoning me,’ she said.
‘Stay there,’ he said and hung up.
Today she was wearing navy-blue jodhpurs and a dark-green pullover, making him wonder how often she dressed for anywhere but a visit to the stables. She had a large manila envelope pressed to her chest with her arms wrapped around it, like high school girls held their books in 1950s teen movies.
Two things had altered, though. Firstly she was dogless and secondly, even from a distance, he could see a marked change in her body language. She stood on the path with feet planted squarely and, as he came closer, he saw she had a resolute expression to match her stance.
‘Why the coded message?’ he asked.
‘I didn’t want to be fobbed off with anyone else,’ she replied.
‘Look, it all depends what you’re going to say, but I can’t promise that I will be allowed to deal with it.’
‘I’ve made a decision, and now all I want is some moral support. I think I can trust you?’
‘Sure, but . . .’
She took a deep breath. ‘Don’t spoil it. I want support, not an accomplice.’
‘All I was about to say is that my authority is practically zero. I’m still a junior officer.’
‘Determination outranks rank, you know.’
Goodhew gave a short laugh. ‘Everyone’s a philosopher today. Let’s sit down somewhere, and you can show me what’s in the envelope, and then I’ll either take a statement or stay with you while you repeat it to my superior. Is that suitably supportive?’
‘Absolutely.’ She started to walk towards Parkside station. ‘I think I may as well talk to you inside, as I don’t think this will be quick.’
Mel must have seen him arrive because she was already waiting with Joanne Reed’s case notes. She silently passed them over and he thanked her. He tried to make eye contact, too, but she just turned away again.
Two rooms further along the corridor from Mel’s desk was an unoccupied office containing nothing but two chairs and a small desk, but with a large window overlooking the rear car park. Goodhew decided that it was the ideal place and the window clinched it.
The rear of the desk was set against the wall and they sat along the other side, facing each other. ‘Before we go any further,’ Goodhew began, ‘I need to know something about Joanne Reed.’
Jackie looked towards the ceiling as if trying to recall where she’d heard that name. ‘The girl that disappeared from university?’ She was trying to sound vague or surprised, or both. In fact, she managed neither.
‘Did you know her?’ Goodhew asked.
‘No.’ The answer was of the not-up-for-debate-definitely-not