Ash and Bone

The first question was hurled almost before Harkin had finished speaking: was it true that Maddy Birch had been sexually assaulted prior to her death?

'Until the post-mortem has been carried out by the Home Office pathologist,' he said, 'any such assumptions are purely speculation.' It was an answer guaranteed to increase such speculation tenfold.

Numerous questions followed about the exact nature of the attack, most of which were either deflected or referred back to the initial statement.

'Given the similarity of circumstances,' asked the reporter from CNN, 'do the police think there is a connection between this murder and that of the woman killed while out jogging in Hackney in February?'

They'd been expecting that one.

'Be assured,' Harkin responded, 'there will be the closest contact with officers conducting that investigation.'

He did think, then, there was a connection?

'As I say, we are exploring that avenue alongside several others.'

'Nobody has yet been charged with the Victoria Park murder, is that correct?'

That was correct.

'And all three men arrested in connection with the murder have since been released?'

That was so.

Harkin sighed. 'If we could concentrate our attentions on the tragic death of Detective Sergeant Birch…'

But the crime correspondent of the Guardian was already on his feet. 'The assistant commissioner alluded to the police operation in which Detective Sergeant Birch was involved, and which resulted in the death of a fellow officer and the fatal shooting by the police of William Grant – I wonder, can he tell us what progress is being made in the inquiry into those events presently being carried out by the Hertfordshire Force?'

'I'm afraid I don't see that has any relevance here.'

'But the inquiry is still ongoing?'

'You have my answer.' Harkin's face was set in stone.

'I think,' the Public Relations officer began, 'if there are no further questions…'

'I have a question for Detective Chief Inspector Shields.' Eyes turned towards the Home Affairs correspondent from the BBC. 'As a woman officer, does this case have a special resonance for you?'

Fuck, Karen said inside her head.

Twenty cameras flashed in her direction.

'As a police officer,' Karen said, 'all cases of this seriousness, especially where the deaths of fellow officers are involved, resonate equally.'

Off to one side, the PR officer nearly wet himself with joy.

'Gentlemen,' said Assistant Commissioner Harkin, rising to his feet. 'Ladies. Thank you for your time.'

***

Seeing Karen Shields approach across the car park in his rear-view mirror, Denison turned the key in the ignition.

'How did it go, ma'am?'

Karen slammed the car door closed. 'Stop ma'aming me and drive the fucking car.'

Not too well, then, Denison thought.

Karen buckled herself in and stared straight ahead. Hendon to Kentish Town, half an hour if they were lucky, three-quarters if not.

Vanessa's commanding officer was waiting for them in reception. 'PC Taylor's in my office. You can talk to her there.'

'Thank you.'

Vanessa jumped to her feet when the door opened. She was wearing her police uniform, the top button of her tunic fastened tight at her neck; there was a slight but unmistakable smell of perspiration in the room.

Awkwardly, Vanessa held out her hand and then, before Karen could respond, let it fall by her side.

Sitting, Karen introduced Denison and herself.

'Maddy Birch,' Karen said, 'you knew her. You've got some information, I believe.'

'Yes. As soon as I heard what had happened – I'm sorry, I still can't believe it – as soon as I heard, I went to my inspector here and asked to be put in touch.'

Karen nodded. 'I'd like to record this conversation. I take it you've no objection?'

'No, of course not.'

Denison placed the pocket recorder on the desk between them and switched it on.

'Very well, then, in your own time.'

Vanessa told them about Maddy's growing fears that she had been watched and followed; her feeling that someone had been inside her flat.

'She didn't report any of this?'

'No.'

'Do you know why?'

Vanessa wriggled a little in her seat. 'It wasn't as if she had any proof. I think she was worried she might not be believed. That people might think she was, you know, imagining things.'

'And you? What did you think?'

'Did I believe her?'

'Yes.'

'Not at first. Not if I'm to be honest, no. Ever since the Grant business, that young officer getting killed, it had really shaken her up. You could tell. I thought maybe it was a reaction to that. Nervous, you know. But then, when she said someone had broken into her flat, I believed her then.'

'And she didn't have any idea who this person – if it was one person – might have been?'

'No, not really'

'You don't seem sure.'

Vanessa fidgeted with her hair. 'Well, there was this one time we were in the pub and Maddy thought she saw someone she knew. Her ex.'

'Ex-husband, lover, what?'

'Husband. Terry.'

'And how did she react?'

'She didn't say anything at first, not to me. But you could tell, yes, she was surprised. Thinking she'd seen him.'

'They weren't in touch?'

'No. Not at all. Quite a while, at least. He'd moved away. North Wales, I think she said.'

'And when she saw him, her reaction, was it just surprise?'

Vanessa took her time, wanting to be clear. 'No. I think it was more than that. More as if she was afraid, you know?'

Mugs of tea sat on a metal tray, untouched. Paper squares of sugar and plastic spoons. Karen noticed the low background hum from the central heating for the first time. Mike Ramsden was up in Lincolnshire talking to Maddy's mother. Where was it? Louth? Surname Birch, she remembered. Maddy must have resumed her own name after the divorce.

'When she told you about her flat being broken into, she didn't say she thought it might have been him? Terry?'

'No. And by then she was saying it probably hadn't been him at all. Just someone who looked a bit like him, that's all.'

'Enough like him to make her afraid.'

'Yes. Yes, I suppose so.'

Karen could feel her nerve ends tightening, a scenario beginning to play out in her mind, and had to will herself not to let it race too far ahead.

'That night, after the pub, you didn't notice anyone hanging around, acting suspiciously at all? Anyone who might have been him?'

'No. I've been thinking about it, but no.' Vanessa looked bereft, on the verge of tears.

'Here.' Karen tore open two packets of sugar and emptied them into one of the mugs of tea. 'Drink some of that.'

'Do I have to?' Vanessa smiling despite everything.

'God, no.' Leaning forward, she switched off the tape. 'Where's the nearest pub?'

'End of the street.'

'How long will it take you to get out of that uniform?'

Pocketing the recorder, Karen got to her feet. 'Paul, get through to the office, have somebody check on Maddy Birch's file. Her married name might be somewhere there and I missed it. And see if you can raise Mike, tell him to give me a call.'

***

Karen bought a vodka and orange for Vanessa, Coke with ice and lemon for herself, tonic water for Denison.

'Paul here's not old enough to drink, anyway,' she said.

Denison blushed.

When Vanessa asked how the investigation was going, Karen shrugged and shook her head. 'Ask me in a couple of days.'