‘What does she look like?’ Ed repeats.
‘She has a short black crop. Like a pixie cut.’
‘What age?’
‘Young. Thirties.’
‘Do I look as if I have a sister in her thirties?’ I can’t help my tone. I’m so tired of all this. Exhausted by the fear. The constant cycle of adrenaline, wondering what the hell is coming next.
I glance at Gemma, her face dried of the tears now. The headphones back in place.
When, oh when, will all this be over?
‘It’ll be another journalist,’ Ed pipes up. ‘I bet it’s another bloody journalist. Why can’t they just leave us alone?’
With all the coverage ramping up for the final graduation ceremony, I wonder how we’re going to make it through today.
‘She’s still in the corridor.’ The nurse is now talking directly to the guard, tipping her head towards the main door to the unit in the distance. ‘Do you handle this or shall I call hospital security? I’m so, so sorry. I honestly didn’t realise—’
CHAPTER 62
THE PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR
Matthew keeps looking at his watch, willing time to slow down. Mel wants him at Maidstead Cathedral as soon as possible. But it’s tight. He’s dropped Wendy back – they’ll do a debrief later – but everything’s happening all at once.
Half an hour ago, Mel called – clearly feeling the pressure. Sam’s wife Lily has been picked up on the motorway so technically they’re in the clear. All suspects with motives in custody. But Mel’s now worrying they should have cancelled the final cathedral ceremony from the off.
I made the wrong call, didn’t I? It’s too much all in one day.
No, Mel. You’ve done great. We have them all in custody. We did it. We beat the deadline.
But we don’t know which one . . .
Take a breath, Mel. And take it from me. We did OK.
It’s normal to feel like this. Frustrated. Getting the suspects in custody is only ever the beginning. Very few confess. Alex is still denying any harm to Gemma. Insists he’s only interested in his parental rights; swears he had nothing to do with the dolls.
Laura will need to see a doctor before she can be interviewed. Her mother in Canada has meantime confirmed more details; that Laura had been obsessing about the anniversary for months. Researching Ed and his new family on the internet. No one understood why and no one expected her to fly to the UK.
In custody, Laura keeps pleading with staff . . .
You have to help me find my husband. No one will help me. This man who took my husband; he’s not who he says he is . . .
All they have beyond the arrests is a small breakthrough back at the office. The team finally have access to Gemma’s social-media accounts and it looks as if Laura was the one sending her messages. He’s not who he says he is. So that’s more fuel for the interviews once they can get going.
As for Sam’s wife – Lily Blake has been taken straight to hospital. She’s in shock. Mel says she may just be a first-class actor but, no surprise, she claims to know nothing of her husband’s shooting. For now, they can’t risk putting a foot wrong. She too will need the medical all-clear re the pregnancy before any interviews.
Matthew scrapes his hand through his hair and again checks his watch. An hour and a quarter before the cathedral ceremony. He needs to hurry.
The only niggle? They haven’t yet found the gun. But even that’s not unusual.
Right now, Matthew wishes more than anything that he was Mel’s key sergeant so he could lead on all the interviews when they do get going. With his family still down in Cornwall, he’s had quite enough of waiting. The whole case is swirling around his head. He knows exactly what needs to be asked. Of all of them.
He puts his phone to his ear, watching a woman across the car park bashing her fist into the ticket machine. He shakes his head; as if that’s going to end well.
‘Hello, darling. You OK?’
‘We’re fine.’ Sally sounds as if she’s in the middle of something – clattering of crockery in the background. ‘Sorry. Just doing the dishwasher. Any more news?’
‘No change. We’re going to get the ceremony out the way and then we can focus on the interviews.’
‘Oh.’ She pauses. ‘With all the drama, I almost forgot about the wretched ceremony. Surely they’re not still going ahead?’ Sally’s tone has changed. ‘Do you really have to go? I mean – now that it’s sorted. Now they’re all caught.’