‘When did you last see your sister?’ asked Erika.
‘Monday morning. I worked two long shifts and slept at the hospital.’
‘Is it unusual for you not to be in contact?’
‘We’ve been working long shifts in different hospitals. I work across London in Hammersmith and the commute is long.’
Erika went to get her notebook out of her jacket, and then realised she’d left it at home. She caught Maria watching her like a hawk. ‘Can I ask you a couple of questions about Sophia’s health?’
‘Her health?’
‘Did she have surgery on her back to insert a titanium rod?’
Maria narrowed her eyes.
‘Yes… when she was a teenager. She had problems with her spine… between the thoracic vertebrae. Why do you know this?’
Erika felt her heart sink.
‘Maria, please sit down.’
‘No, no, no. Just tell me. What?’
Erika took a deep breath. ‘On Tuesday evening, the body of a young woman was found in the flat opposite yours. Vicky’s sister, Tess, made the discovery just after 8pm, and she wrongly identified the body as Vicky. It was when we did the post-mortem that the error was discovered.’
‘I still don’t understand,’ said Maria, frowning and moving closer to Erika, looking at her intently.
‘The post-mortem identified the young woman we found had a titanium rod in her back, and she’d also had her wisdom teeth removed. Vicky Clarke has never had surgery and she has her wisdom teeth. Both your sister and Vicky look similar.’
‘But you’re still guessing it’s my sister? Yes?’ she said, looking up at Erika, her face contorted in pain.
‘We’ll need you to confirm it’s Sophia, but the medical…’
‘How did she die?’ interrupted Maria.
‘She was stabbed,’ said Erika, not knowing how much detail she should go into.
‘And where was she in the flat?’
‘She was found lying on the sofa bed in the living room.’
‘No. It’s not her. She wouldn’t be there, in that flat, lying in the bed! I’m the only one who can confirm that it’s her and until I do, it’s not her!’ she shouted.
Erika paused for a moment, wishing that Moss was here with her. Moss always knew how to speak to people, and tread that fine line between detective work and empathy.
‘Can I ask if Sophia knew Vicky?’
Maria looked up.
‘Hold on. If you thought it was Vicky Clarke lying there and now it’s my sister, where is Vicky?’
‘We don’t know.’
Maria sank down onto the tiny sofa. Erika got up and filled a glass with water from the tap. She returned and handed it to Maria, who took a long drink. She put the glass down on the table.
‘We know Vicky, as neighbours, not well enough to socialise. When our mother came to stay, she was kind and loaned us an air mattress and some nice bedding. She knew that we worked shifts, and she would often take in parcels for us and leave notes to say that she had them in her flat. Our mother often sends us Bulgarian sweets from home and our favourite magazines,’ she said, indicating the pile by the television.
‘Was Sophia perhaps closer to Vicky, without you realising?’
‘We don’t know it’s Sophia…’ Erika didn’t say anything and watched as Maria pulled a tissue out of her pocket and wiped her eyes. ‘I have to speak to my mother and father.’
Erika’s phone beeped with a text message, and she saw it was Moss, saying she was outside the building. Maria was now on the phone, speaking in Bulgarian, so she slipped out of the flat. Moss was waiting on the other side of the glass, wearing a long thick winter coat.
Erika slipped out of Maria’s flat and went to let Moss in at the main entrance.
‘Hi. Have you read Isaac’s post-mortem report?’ she asked.
‘Yes. I took the briefing this morning for you,’ said Moss. Erika quickly explained that Maria had confirmed Sophia had the titanium rod in her back.
‘We’ll need Maria to make a formal identification,’ said Erika. ‘She’s just on the phone to her parents. Can you take her to the morgue?’
‘Of course,’ said Moss. They came back into the flat, where they found Maria leaning over the kitchen counter letting out a low keening, crying sound like an animal in distress. Moss went over and quietly introduced herself, and put her arm around Maria’s shoulders. Erika watched how Maria warmed to Moss instantly.