Hansen nods. ‘I’m liaising with the Met. But it’s going to be slow-going.’
‘There was something else too,’ says Baxter. ‘Apparently there was a problem with the train the vic was on and it was over an hour late. So he’d clearly intended to get here a lot earlier.’
Gis considers. ‘Not sure how significant that is – apart from the fact that it meant it was much darker by the time he turned up at Wytham.’
‘And the Swanns would have been a lot more spooked,’ says Ev, looking up from her desk, ‘assuming, of course, that they weren’t expecting him.’
‘You said he didn’t come from the Tube,’ says Bradley Carter, ‘but what about adjacent streets – couldn’t he have arrived on foot?’
Gis glances across at him. ‘It’s a pretty pricey area round there. He didn’t look that well-heeled to me.’
‘He might not have lived there,’ says Carter, ‘there are loads of hotels around the station. And some of those are pretty basic.’
Gis nods. ‘OK. Good point. Why don’t you pick up on that?’
Carter looks like all his Christmases have come at once; Gis, on the other hand, may be secretly rather relieved to pack him off to London for a while.
‘What about the backpack and the other stuff?’ he says now, looking round the rest of the team. ‘I’m finding it hard to believe we can’t find any of it.’
‘Me too,’ says Ev. ‘But Barnetson’s a good copper. If he says they did a thorough search, then they did a thorough search.’
Baxter makes a grim face. ‘Maybe the Swanns have a nuclear bunker in their garden.’ People start laughing and he glances round. ‘Hey, it’s not that outlandish – stranger things have happened.’
‘Talking of the Swanns,’ says Ev, holding up her phone and nodding to Gis, ‘Mrs S has arrived downstairs.’
* * *
Adam Fawley
24 October
10.35
Harrison is on the phone when I get there. But he isn’t alone. Ruth Gallagher is with him. My first reaction is suspicion, which my brain tells me is a) ridiculous, but b) natural, given that the last time I was in a room with her it was Interview One and I was on the wrong side of the table. But she didn’t have any choice, faced with the evidence against me, and when Gis came up with something that threw all that in doubt she put her heart into proving him right. You can’t ask for more than that.
She smiles when she sees me, a little more broadly than strictly necessary; evidently we’re both going to bend over backwards to Act Like Nothing Happened. She looks well – a crisp biscuit-coloured suit and a recent haircut. She also has a slight tan, as if she’s just got back from somewhere a lot sunnier than here.
‘Nice to see you, Ruth.’
‘Likewise.’
‘Right,’ says Harrison, putting down his phone, ‘I asked you to drop by, Adam, because you may not be aware that Ruth used to work at South Mercia.’
I turn to her. ‘No, I didn’t know that. Were you on the Rowan case?’
She shakes her head. ‘No, it was before my time. I mean, it was in the ether, of course – everyone knew about it. It was the biggest case South Mercia’d ever had.’
‘I thought it might be helpful,’ interjects Harrison, ‘for you to touch base with Ruth, Adam. Get a heads-up on the lie of the land.’
She glances down at her hands, a tiny smile escaping from the corners of her mouth. I’m obviously not the only bullshit bingo player round here.
‘You knew them? The investigating team?’
She nods. ‘Larry Kearney was my DS for a while. I didn’t know Howard Lucas very well, but he had a good reputation. I’d be surprised if there were any serious problems with the way it was handled.’
‘And Kearney?’
She hesitates, only for a moment, but long enough. ‘He was one of the hardest-working people I’ve ever worked with. Always the first in the office and the last to leave.’
If I was going to damn a fellow officer with faint praise, that’s how I’d do it too. She’ll be saying he had nice handwriting next.
I turn to Harrison. ‘You must have a lot more important things to do, sir – why don’t Ruth and I take this one offline?’
Sorry – I just couldn’t resist. Though I do make sure not to catch Ruth’s eye.
Harrison nods. ‘Absolutely. I’ll leave you both to it.’
‘So what did you really think about Lawrence Kearney?’ I press the button for Americano and turn to face Ruth. ‘I’m seeing him tomorrow so it actually would be quite useful.’
She leans against the machine. ‘Well, let’s just say I don’t see Harrison calling him a blue-sky-thinking game changer any time soon.’
We exchange a smile.
‘On the other hand, one thing he definitely is, is goals-driven. It was always about getting a result.’ Her turn at the machine. ‘But don’t get me wrong, he wouldn’t cut corners to get there. Or ignore evidence. He’s basically one of the good guys. A bit dunderheaded on occasion, but if he’s got to DCI it’ll have been by putting in all the hours God sends. Talking of which, he always was a stickler for rank, so a bit of brown-nosing wouldn’t come amiss. Three-bags-full, sir. You know the drill.’
I laugh. ‘Thanks for the warning – especially as I’m taking Quinn. The only person he deigns to call “sir” is the bloody Chief Constable.’
She makes a face. ‘Gawd, yes. Good idea.’ She picks up her cup. ‘Well you know where I am if you need anything else. And do tell Larry I said hello. Like I said, under all that bluster, he really is one of the good guys.’
* * *
Interview with Richard Swann, conducted at St Aldate’s Police Station, Oxford
24 October 2018, 12.25 p.m.
In attendance, DS C. Gislingham, DC V. Everett, Mr T. Unwin (solicitor)
VE: Just to remind you, Mr Swann, this interview is being recorded, and you are still under caution for murder. Has your solicitor explained what this means?
TU: I have. Several times.
VE: [passes across sheet of paper]
For the tape, I am passing Mr Swann a copy of his statement dated 21st October. Having had time to reflect, is there anything you would like to add or amend?
RS: No.
CG: Now would be the time.
RS: No, I’m quite happy with it as it is.
CG: So you continue to maintain that the shooting at your house three days ago was undertaken in self-defence, and the victim was completely unknown to you?
RS: I do indeed. I’d never seen him before in my life.
CG: Yes, I remember you used exactly that form of words when you were interviewed before. The same phrase also appears in your statement.
RS: And your point is?
CG: My point is that never having seen him before is not necessarily the same as not knowing who he was. I think you’re very well aware of that, and chose your words very carefully.
TU: I’m not sure what you’re getting at, Sergeant.
CG: I suspect your client does. Mr Swann? Or would you prefer I called you Mr Rowan?
RS: [silence]
TU: Richard? What’s he talking about?
RS: I see precious little point in you asking me questions to which you already know the answer.