‘Did you tell her-about arsenic?’
‘No, all I know is that arsenic is a heavy metal, but I don’t know which compounds are most lethal or anything, or what they taste like.’
‘She wanted to know that?’
‘Yeah. So I told her about Dr Ringland. He’s one of our chemistry lecturers, and arsenic is his research area.’
‘Did she contact him?’
‘I’ve no idea.’
‘Where can I find him?’
He told her, and supplied the number of Tina Flowers’ flat. Kathy left him sitting in the kitchen.
•
The student flats in Stamford Street were seething, as if someone had poked a stick in an ants’ nest; people were running out the door with hair and scarves flying, late for ten o’clock lectures. Kathy checked in at the office and was told how to find Tina Flowers’ room on the fourth floor. It was part of a self-catering apartment of six single rooms sharing a lounge, kitchen and bathroom. One of the other residents of the apartment was in the lounge, ironing clothes. Her name was Jummai, she said, a student from Nigeria. She showed Kathy the door to Tina’s room, which she knocked on, waited, then opened. Inside Kathy glimpsed a chaos of crumpled clothes, towels, unmade bed, shoes, CDs and books. The doors of the wardrobe, chairs and table formed improvised drying racks for underwear.
Jummai smiled. ‘Tina is not tidy,’ she said. ‘I think she may have gone to a nine o’clock lecture. She’ll probably be back soon.’
She seemed very shy, and Kathy chatted to her about her studies, and what life was like in the apartment, trying to put her at ease.
‘Do you know a friend of Tina’s called Marion Summers? This is her picture. She lived in this building until three months ago, and I understand she visited Tina here recently.’
Jummai examined the photo. ‘Yes, I do remember her. She is very attractive. She’s not in trouble, is she?’
‘I know she went to a party with Tina not long ago. Were you there?’
Jummai’s face dropped. ‘Oh, you are looking for drugs.’
‘No, no, it isn’t that. I’m afraid Marion died on Tuesday, Jummai. I’m looking into the circumstances.’
The girl looked shocked, and wary. ‘That is very sad.’
‘Yes, very. I have to find out as much as I can about her. Can you help me at all? Did you go out with her and Tina?’
‘No. I go to church, Tina goes to parties, as you say. She returns late at night and disturbs everyone. She borrows things and doesn’t return them. She eats other people’s food and doesn’t replace it. I don’t mean to sound unkind, but that’s the way it is.’
‘I see. How about Marion?’
‘I don’t know… She seemed to be more serious. She dressed well and spoke softly. I think she was helping Tina with her work. I heard them discussing an essay. And money.’
‘Money?’
‘Tina always wants to borrow money.’
At that the door to the corridor flew open, there was a muffled curse, and then a dishevelled figure, loaded with several heavy bags, stormed in.
‘Ah, Tina!’ Jummai said.
‘Yeah, what? I can’t give you your skirt back yet, Jummai, so piss off.’
Jummai rolled her eyes at Kathy. ‘There is a police officer here to see you, Tina.’
‘What?’ She peered at Kathy. ‘Hang on, I need a pee.’ She dropped her bags and disappeared through another door.
She took her time, and when she came back she had a surly set to her face, as if preparing to deny everything. Kathy showed her ID, speculating on what she’d flushed down the toilet. ‘Let’s take a seat, Tina. I’m calling about your friend Marion, Marion Summers. Have you seen the news?’
This wasn’t what the girl was expecting, and she cautiously shook her head.
‘It’s been in the papers. Marion was taken ill on Tuesday, and died in hospital later that day.’
The girl did a double take, then looked horrified. She had a pale, elfin face, exaggerated by the dark make-up on her lips and eyes, and cropped black hair. Out of the corner of her eye, Kathy noticed Jummai observing Tina’s distress with some satisfaction.
‘Any chance of a cup of tea or coffee, Jummai?’ she asked.
‘Oh… yes, all right.’
‘I can’t believe this,’ Tina whispered. ‘I spoke to her on Tuesday morning.’
‘Did she sound all right then?’
‘Yes, fine. She said she’d call me later in the week. What happened?’
‘It appears that she was poisoned. We don’t yet know how it happened.’
Tina gave a choking sound and put a hand to her mouth.
‘You all right? You want a glass of water?’
The girl shook her head, said hoarsely, ‘I don’t understand. Where was this?’
‘At the London Library, where she was working. She had some lunch in the square outside, then came in and collapsed. There was nothing anyone could do. Were you close friends, Tina?’
She hunched forward in the chair, staring at her fingernails, bitten to the quick. ‘Yes.’
‘Can you tell me about her?’ Kathy spoke gently. ‘It would help me. Do you mind?’
Tina said nothing at first, then whispered, ‘She saved me. Last October, when uni came back, I just couldn’t deal with things any more. I was standing in front of the student noticeboard in the department, trying to decide whether to jump in the river or go home and cut my wrists…’
Kathy had already spotted the pink scars on the girl’s pale forearm.
‘Then this voice behind me said, “Interested?” It was Marion. She pointed to a notice she’d put up, offering paid research work. I don’t know why I said yes. It was the last thing I wanted really, but there was something about her. We went and had a coffee, and she told me what she was doing. She wasn’t like me at all-she was very organised and disciplined, whereas I’m the opposite. But it felt like we were. .. sisters. Later on we discovered that our lives had been quite similar. I mean, like broken homes, stuffed-up families. Marion tried harder than me to keep in touch with her mum, but she’s useless. Have you spoken to her?’
‘Yes.’
‘Did she ask if she’d get any money out of it?’
‘Something like that.’
‘That’d be right. Anyway…’ Tina shrugged herself upright and looked around. ‘What do you care?’
‘I went through a bad time when I was about the same age as you, Tina.’
‘Yeah? What happened?’
‘I became a cop.’
‘Oh.’ She played with her fingers, twisting them together. ‘Well, maybe you’re like her. She was so strong. She knew exactly what she wanted.’
‘And that was?’
‘To be independent, not to rely on anyone, to be able to live her own life.’
‘That usually takes money.’
‘That’s why she was working so hard.’
‘With her studies?’
‘And her paid job.’
‘What was that?’
‘She was some kind of research assistant to someone. So what with that and her university work, she had more than she could cope with. That’s why she was looking for someone to help her.’
‘It must have paid pretty well, this other job, if she could afford to employ help.’
‘Yeah, she said they were pretty well heeled. And impatient.’
‘Someone at the university?’
‘I don’t know, she never said.’
‘So did you see each other socially? Meet her other friends?’
Tina shook her head. ‘I don’t think she had many friends. At least, she didn’t talk about them.’
‘What about a boyfriend?’
‘Do you know who it was?’
‘I was hoping you could tell me.’
Tina shook her head. ‘She never let on.’
Kathy bit her lip with frustration. ‘You say you and Marion were good friends, but you don’t know who she worked for or who her boyfriend was?’
Tina just shrugged.
‘But you knew there was someone?’
‘She had a new ring one time. It looked expensive, and when I asked her she said an admirer had given it to her for her birthday. She was teasing me.’
‘Where did Marion move to, Tina?’
‘I don’t know that either.’ She saw the expression on Kathy’s face and protested, ‘No, it’s true. There were a lot of things she kept private.’