‘I haven’t been there yet. I’ll go there in a minute. It doesn’t matter what it’s like. Hopefully it’ll be warm. But I’ll manage whatever.’
‘Of course. You won’t be in there for long. But, just in case, I dug these out for you and Jeanie contributed.’ Carter handed her a sleeping bag. ‘And a ground mat for putting on the floor. This will do for tonight. Buy what you need tomorrow and expenses will cover it.’ She nodded. ‘The buggy is to have a camera and microphone attached. Here…’ Carter opened a packet and pulled out a toy puppy. ‘The camera’s hidden inside along with a microphone. You need to leave this attached to the rain cover at the top of the buggy and have it pointing forwards; leave the microphone on at all times. When you don’t have the buggy with you, you can clip this camera to your bag or your coat. You have your GPS?’
‘Yeah.’ She touched the pendant around her neck. ‘Robbo had the guys in PTU make me this piece.’ She held it up to show him the Tiger’s eye stone set in onyx.
Carter studied it for a few seconds.
‘That’s really clever. Is it a transmitter?’
‘Yes. But not the only one. I have one in my shoe, one on the phone. I have a radio in there but basically you’re going to hear whatever I say from almost every angle.’
‘Good. Here’s a mobile phone Robbo asked me to give you to use undercover – give out this number.’ He handed her a phone.
She looked at it. Her eyes lit up. ‘Can I keep it afterwards?’
‘No. You can’t. Get yourself a smartphone for Christmas, Ebb. Give out this number and we’ll monitor it. Get in with Danielle’s peer group as fast as you can now and let’s get this man out into the open. Get across to the flat. Take this laptop from work – Robbo’s waiting on the other end. I want you to keep in constant contact with me if you can but at least phone in to me at frequent intervals during the day. The flat’s going to be a safe place to phone from. Now, you ready?’ He handed Archie to her and took out his phone to take some photos. ‘Smile.’
Chapter 36
Ebony caught a minicab back to her flat. She couldn’t be seen to be using a car and she certainly didn’t feel ready to manage a bus with all her things plus a buggy and pretend baby. Ebony didn’t have a car anyway. When she drove she borrowed a police vehicle. She’d never had much call to drive a lot: she’d lived in London all of her adult life and the only time she left it as a child was when she was sent to foster homes or children’s homes outside London. When she lived with her mother they had lived in and on the outskirts of the city.
Ebony got out of the minicab inside the courtyard. It was five o’clock and already looking like night-time. Her eyes scanned her surroundings as she unloaded her things from the minicab. The wind hit her as it found a channel between the tower blocks and rubbish gathered and swarmed, catching on the buggy’s wheels. When she was a kid she’d moved around with her mum and some of the places had been high-rise. The place took on a sound, a light, an atmosphere all of its own. This was one of the older estates.
‘Do you need me to help you?’ The kindly Somalian driver had a face that belied his kind nature; it was so harshly scarred that one side didn’t match the other.
‘No. I’ll be okay thanks.’ She gathered her things together as he drove away.
Ebony knew that the block in front of her was the right one. She had the slip of paper with the address and the keys from the housing association in an envelope in her pocket. She stood for a few seconds gathering her bags and her thoughts then headed towards the main door of the apartment block. The lift was out of order. She began dragging the buggy up six flights of stairs. She bounced it up the first two flights of stairs and then carried it up the remaining four. The pretend Archie doll was safely wrapped away inside her backpack. If anybody had noticed her arrival and the empty buggy she intended to use the ‘aunt’ Carter had suggested, who helped with child-care and who would be bringing Archie later.
Above her was the echo of footsteps on concrete. The noise brought back memories as she climbed upwards. She remembered the sound of kids shouting to one another, running along the walkways that joined the buildings. She hadn’t reckoned on feeling a mixture of uncomfortable nostalgia. She was used to arriving with Carter or another detective to an estate. It was so different on her own. She had to remember this wasn’t her life, this was work, just like it was at other times. Only now she was working alone. She walked along the sixth-floor landing, reading the numbers on the doors. She slipped the key in the lock, turned it and stepped into darkness lit only by the orange light from the landing outside. Her phone went. Someone had jammed leaflets under her door; it wouldn’t open fully.
She walked through the lounge and stood at the window, overlooking other tower blocks and the trails of car lights as rush hour continued. She was grateful for the fact that the housing association had been in and her boiler was working. She had heat in the flat. She phoned Tina as she put the kettle on.
‘I’m working away for a bit, Teen. You can leave me a message on this phone and I’ll be in contact when I can.’
‘Will I see you in work?’
‘No. I don’t think so. Not for a little while anyway. I’m doing a Family Liaison Course out on the North Circular. I’m staying in a motel there.’
‘Is it nice?’
Ebony looked around her. ‘No expense spared. But I’ll be back as soon as I can.’
‘Okay, but I can tell what you’re really saying and it sounds like it’s pants. Well if you need me, Ebb, you call, and stay safe. Wrap up warm. By the way – I think I’ve got a date for Saturday.’
‘Who with?’
‘The one I told you about. That good-looking inspector that’s in MIT 15.’
‘I know the one – you said he always has hot chocolate?’
‘That’s the one. Looks like the Hoff.’
‘He’s married, Teen.’
‘No way.’
‘Zoe told me. He tells everyone he’s separated; everyone except his wife.’
‘Oh God,’ moaned Tina. ‘I knew it was too good to be true. Dan Carter asked me to babysit. I may as well then if my hot date just went up in smoke.’
‘I have to go. Speak later.’
‘Wait – Ebb? What about ordering a turkey?’
‘Let’s have an M&S Christmas ready-meal.’
‘No feckin’ way. Ebony Willis, you’re the limit. I’ve put you down for making a pudding, and it better be a good one. None of that pre-bought shite.’
‘No problem. I found this recipe on the web. It’s a cake in a mug. It takes five minutes in the microwave. Bye, Teen.’ Ebony could hear Tina choke back the expletives on the other end of the phone. She smiled to herself. Ebony closed her phone and put it to one side. The smile on her face disappeared when she thought about another call she really had to make. Her mother would talk about Christmas again. Could Ebony ask them if her mother could come out for Christmas Day? Could she just ask?’ Ebony rubbed her face with her hands and looked at the phone as if her mother was waiting inside it. She looked at the time – six – it was the time for calls. They ate dinner early. Her mother might be sitting by the phone waiting. Ebony finished making herself tea – strong builder’s tea. She sat on the rolled-out ground mat and sleeping bag that Carter had given her; that would have to do for now. The housing association had done some decorating in the flat – they’d stripped out the carpets and there was hardboard down waiting for the new tenant to afford to lay carpet. She pulled the works laptop next to her, switched it on and then realized she’d delayed long enough; she picked up the phone and dialled the number then held it tightly to her ear. She could visualize her mother sitting by the phone: fretting, tutting, scowling at passers-by. Telling people her daughter always let her down. She got through to the switchboard and was put on hold for ten minutes. Then the operator came back on the line to say: