Pop Goes the Weasel - страница 16

‘You’re good, Edina, I’ll give you that.’

Her eyes flitted to the corridor of treatment rooms.

‘What would happen if I walked into one of those treatment rooms right now? Room 3 is in use. If I were to kick it open right now, what would I find? Shall we go and see?’

‘Be my guest. If you have a warrant.’

Edina was no longer even pretending to be friendly. Charlie paused to reconsider her line of attack – this girl was no amateur.

‘Whose boy is that?’ Charlie said, gesturing towards the kitchen.

‘A client’s.’

‘What’s his name?’

A tiny pause, then:

‘Billy.’

‘His real name, Edina. And if you lie to me again, I’m going to arrest you.’

‘Richie.’

‘Call him.’

‘You don’t have to inv-’

‘Call him.’

She hesitated, then:

‘RICHIE.’

‘Yes, mama,’ came the call from the kitchen.

Edina’s eyes fell to the floor.

‘Who’s his father?’ Charlie continued her attack.

Suddenly there were tears in Edina’s eyes.

‘Please don’t involve him or the boy. This is nothing to do with -’

‘Do they have papers?’

Nothing in response.

‘Are they in this country illegally?’

A long pause. Then finally Edina nodded.

‘Please’ was all she could say by way of entreaty.

‘I’m not here to cause you or your boy trouble, but I need to know what Alexia did here. And what happened to her. So either you start talking or I make a phone call. Your choice, Edina.’

There was no choice of course. And Charlie wasn’t surprised by Edina’s answer.

‘Not here. Meet me in the café round the corner in five minutes.’

She hurried off to her son. Charlie breathed a sigh of relief. It was strange to be doing battle once more and suddenly she felt exhausted. She hadn’t expected her first day back to be so gruelling. But she knew that worse was to come. Tonight was her welcome back drinks. Time to face Helen Grace.

For the first time in years, Helen craved a drink. She had seen what it had done to her parents and that had put her off for life, but sometimes she still craved the hit. She was wound tight tonight. The interview with Elaine Matthews had gone badly, as the disgruntled Family Liaison officer had been quick to point out. There was little Helen could have done differently – she had to ask the tough questions – but still she berated herself for upsetting someone who was blameless and distraught. They had had no choice but to leave in the end, having learned nothing of use along the way.

Helen had biked straight from Eileen’s house to the Parrot and Two Chairmen pub, Tony following behind. Situated a couple of blocks from Southampton Central it was the traditional venue for leaving dos and the like. Tonight they were wetting Charlie’s head on her return to work – another stupid tradition. Helen had steeled herself and walked in, Tony trying a bit too hard to be jaunty and relaxed beside her… only to find that Charlie wasn’t there. She was still out on the job and was expected shortly.

The team made small talk but no one knew quite how to play it. Furtive eyes were cast towards the pub entrance, then suddenly there she was. Charlie bounded over towards the group – keen to get this over with? – and as if by magic the crowds seem to part, allowing Charlie a clean run at her superior.

‘Hello, Charlie,’ Helen said. Not exactly inspired, but it would have to do.

‘Boss.’

‘How’s your first day been?’

‘Good. It’s been good.’

‘Good.’

Silence. Mercifully Tony leapt to Helen’s aid:

‘Nicked anyone yet?’

Charlie laughed and shook her head.

‘You’re losing your touch, girl,’ Tony continued. ‘Sanderson, you owe me a fiver.’

The team laughed and slowly they crowded round, patting Charlie on the back, buying her drinks, peppering her with questions. Helen did her best to join in – asking after Steve, her parents – but her heart wasn’t in it. Seizing a suitable moment, she nipped off to the toilets. She needed solitude.

She entered the cubicle and sat down. She felt light-headed and rested her head in her hands. Her temples throbbed, her throat was dry. Charlie had looked surprisingly well – nothing like the broken woman who’d stumbled free from her terrible captivity – but seeing her had been harder than Helen had anticipated. Without her around as a reminder, Helen had settled back into life at the station. With Tony promoted to DS and new blood introduced it had almost been like engaging with a new team. Charlie’s return took her straight back to that time, reminding her of all that she’d lost.