Death Row - Mark Pearson [29]
‘True. But there was no wallet on him.’
‘You saw someone running away.’
‘That’s right. Constable Wilkinson set off in pursuit but couldn’t catch him. I stayed with the victim.’
‘Just as well, by the sounds of it.’
‘I hope so.’ Kate shrugged too. ‘Still touch and go.’
‘But you didn’t get a good look at the assailant?’
‘Just his back as he was running away – he had a hood on, dark clothes …’ Kate held her hands up apologetically.
‘What about on his feet?’
‘Don’t know.’
‘Ethnicity?’
‘Like I say, he was wearing a hooded top.’
‘Height?’
‘Hard to tell from the distance. Not tall. Medium height, I’d say.’
Bennett nodded and threw his cup into the bin. ‘When we know who the vic is, might give us somewhere to start.’
‘Usually helps.’
The detective gave her an appraising look. ‘How about I shout you lunch later, as we’re going to be working together?’
‘No can do, I’m afraid.’
‘Back to the day job, then. What is it, medical centre at the university?’
Kate nodded. ‘That and the odd lecture. But not until next Wednesday. The students have half-terms nowadays, reading weeks.’
‘Not in my day.’
‘Nor mine. Sad to say. Still,’ she smiled, ‘at least the policemen aren’t looking younger.’
‘Ouch. So … lunch?’ Bennett obviously didn’t give up easily.
‘Prior arrangement – sorry.’ Kate smiled again, over Bennett’s shoulder this time, as Jack Delaney came walking down the corridor towards them.
‘Morning, Jack. This is Tony Bennett, the new DI.’
Delaney nodded and held his hand out. ‘Pleasure to meet you,’ he said, his voice clipped, all business.
‘Likewise.’
They shook, the briefest of handshakes. Kate looked at Delaney, sensing his troubled mood. ‘Everything all right, Jack?’
‘Fine as. Why?’
‘You look like someone’s just walked over your grave.’
Delaney smiled humourlessly. ‘Dancing on it, more likely. I’ve just been to visit Peter Garnier.’
Bennett whistled through his teeth. ‘I heard about what happened this morning. Someone took a shot at him.’
‘That’s right. Shame they missed.’
‘How’d anyone know he’d be there?’
‘Good question. Someone leaked it to the press, too.’
‘Someone on the force?’ asked Kate.
‘Exactly.’
‘Why?’
Delaney poured himself a cup of water. ‘Garnier was just telling me people do things for all sorts of reasons. That the universe itself makes no sense and is designed that way. Working here …?’ He shook his head and took a gulp of water. ‘I don’t know, maybe he’s right. There’s no sense to half the fucking things people do to one another, after all. And we’re just here to pick up the pieces, not make sense of any of it.’
Kate look across at him, concerned. ‘What’s going on, Jack? Why did that man want to see you?’
‘I honestly don’t know, Kate.’ Delaney shrugged and looked puzzled as Sally Cartwright came running up the corridor.
‘Sir. You’d better come quick,’ she said in a breathless rush, clearly very agitated.
‘What is it?’
‘A child’s gone missing.’
‘And …?’
‘An eight-year-old boy, sir.’
‘When?’
‘About an hour ago.’
‘An hour. Surely that’s too early to start panicking about—’ DI Bennett started to say before Sally held up her hand, cutting him off.
‘He was taken from Carlton Row, sir. Harrow on the Hill. The same street where Peter Garnier abducted those children all those years ago.’
‘I know where it is, Sally.’
‘From a house just across from where their houses were.’
Kate looked across at Delaney. His gaze was impassive. His dark eyes a mystery to her once more.
Delaney looked at his watch and the action stuck a spike in his heart. ‘The son of a bitch.’
‘What is it, Jack? What the hell is going on?’
‘I have no idea.’ He took his sergeant by the arm. ‘Come on, Sally.’
They strode off down the corridor.
‘Jack!’ Kate called after him but to no effect.
‘You got any idea what that was all about?’ DI Bennett asked her.
‘Not the first thing.’
‘Looks like your lunch might have been cancelled.’ He raised a questioning eyebrow hopefully.
‘Yeah. Nice try.’
She