‘She can, guv. We’re just waiting for the actual records to come back. We’ve put in a request but, as we know, it takes time.’ O’Connor stopped tapping the pen and Gina’s shoulders relaxed slightly.
‘Keep him up there until we have more than his sister’s word.’
‘Oh, one other thing.’
‘What’s that?’
‘There’s a strawberry gateau in the kitchen. Mrs O made it. Thought we could do with something nice. There’s not a lot left but if you get in quick, there may be a slice for you.’
‘That’s dinner sorted,’ and she meant it. The last thing she’d be doing when she got home would be wasting time preparing food. She needed to soak in the bath and clear her muddled mind. This case was filling every spare brain cell she had. That and her issues with Hannah.
‘Another thing. Anything back from forensics? Have they been keeping you updated?’ She caught Wyre’s gaze.
Wyre opened her emails. ‘Yes. They said that the cigarette butts found at the clearing where Phillip Brighton claims to have seen a man touching himself are still being processed and there are an awful lot of them. No one on file has been flagged up, which means whoever they are, they aren’t on our database. There were so many footprints, forensics don’t know where to start. They are mostly made up of layered partials as the ground was soft and a lot of the gatecrashers had trampled it to get to the cut through. It’s also used by dog walkers and ramblers. It’s a popular route.’
‘Do we have the full names of everyone who attended the actual wedding ceremony in Crete?’
Wyre nodded. ‘Yes, and we’ve crossmatched them to the reception. Everyone at the ceremony attended the wedding reception at Cleevesford Manor.’
‘What we don’t know is who Holly was talking to in the small hours in Crete. Her words were something on the lines of, not being able to keep things to herself any longer. Given that we now know about the pregnancy, I think she may have been referring to that, but who was she talking to? We also can’t be sure if she was talking to someone in front of her or speaking on the phone. There is so much to this case. Right, stay with it. You’re all doing a brilliant job but we need to catch this murderer. Let us not forget how violent a murder this was. One more thing; well, two. Anything come of searching the communal bins behind Holly’s apartment and has someone been through the wedding photos?’
O’Connor smiled. ‘Nothing from the bins and nothing from the photos either.’
‘Right, let’s get back to it. I don’t want this person wandering the streets any longer than needs be. The press are going to be all over this too. One more thing, not a mention of the flower head being placed in Holly’s throat to anyone. Only the killer would know this.’
The conversation amongst everyone picked up a little as the detectives and officers turned back to their screens, getting on with the mass of tasks that lay ahead.
She hurried out to the kitchen, knowing that Avery’s solicitor wouldn’t be long. She had a few minutes to wrap up a piece of cake to eat later.
‘Briggs, you made me jump!’ As she turned on the kitchen light, he was standing there, sipping a coffee. ‘Why are you standing here in the dark?’
‘I’m enjoying the peace. My head hurts and the press are going berserk. I haven’t been off the phone all day. One of the papers has reported using the headline and tagline, “Wedding Night Strangler – A murderer is terrifying the residents of a small Warwickshire town.” A tabloid, of course. It seems our favourite reporter Lyndsey Saunders finally got her promotion and is working for the gutter press. Also, Holly’s case is really touching the public. There’s a lot of fear out there and I get it. Young woman killed in that way. She was just ordinary in every sense. People worry that it will happen to them and I can’t offer them any reassurance at the moment. I just hope there was a really personal motive behind this murder and it won’t be repeated. In the meantime, I’m working on another press statement just to appease the reporters that are metaphorically knocking the door down. So far it’s emails and calls, but I know before long they’ll be camped outside the station. We’re monitoring social media too.’
‘Shall I make you a drink?’
‘You got a double scotch?’
‘If only. I think there would be a few takers out in the incident room.’ She smiled and gazed into his eyes for a few moments before flicking the kettle switch.
‘Thank you for opening up to me the other night. I know you’re not comfortable talking about your past, but it helped me to understand. I hope it helped you.’
She swallowed and stared at the steam bellowing out of the kettle’s spout. It had and it hadn’t. The relinquishing of control gave her an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach, a light churning. ‘I suppose time will tell.’
‘I meant what I said at your mother’s grave. This stays with me and I swear that to be true.’
‘Swear what to be true?’ Jacob stood in the doorway, serious expression plastered over his face. ‘Am I missing a cosy chat?’
Briggs gave a smirk. ‘Don’t be daft. I was just talking about the reporters. They always think we’re holding information back on them and it’s true, they know it, we know it. I think I might explode one day if they don’t stop tying up every line we have. I swear that to be true!’
Jacob burst into a fit of laughter. ‘You should see your face, guv.’
Gina tucked a stray clump of hair behind her ear. ‘It’s been a long day and I can’t see it ending any time soon. I just want Holly’s murderer brought in, that’s all.’ A flutter caught her throat, making her voice a little croaky. She poured the water into the cups. ‘Want one?’
‘Do I ever? Thanks, guv.’ She pulled an extra cup from the cupboard, made him a drink and passed it to him. As Jacob left, her tense body almost crumpled.
Briggs placed his warm hand over her shirtsleeve and gave her a little squeeze. ‘Come on, Harte. Let’s get our minds back on the case. There will be plenty of time to talk after.’
She knew that had been close. Jacob could already see a fondness in the way Briggs looked at her. She didn’t need him to jump to conclusions that were no longer there. Or were they? They may not be ripping each other’s clothes off every night but a thick air of sexual and emotional tension often threatened to expose them to others.
Wyre entered and hurried straight to the boiled kettle. ‘I’m glad that’s hot, I need a caffeine kick. Guv, Samuel Avery’s solicitor has arrived. I showed him to the interview room. He’s waiting for you.’
‘Thanks, Paula. Get onto those witness statements and find me someone who can back up Francesca’s version of events. I know he’ll walk if we can’t find anyone. Don’t worry about the gatecrashers with this case, it was before they arrived. That should eliminate all the people we had leaving the Angel Arms on the CCTV that Avery gave us.’
Wyre made a drink and hurried back out of the kitchen. Briggs began rubbing his temples and half closed his eyes as he caught the glint of light that bounced off the silver kettle.
‘Right, time to grill Avery.’ She smiled at Briggs and turned the light off, leaving him alone in the darkness.