Jane spoke up. ‘It won’t take me long to get a court order. The Samaritans leader said she’d prepare all the documents relating to Sybil Hastings right away, and that there might be something useful...’
‘I’m the one running this investigation, Tennison! Just do as you’re bloody well told and don’t argue with me,’ Moran barked.
The phone on his desk rang and he picked it up.
‘DCI Moran... I’ve already told you, Fiona, I’m dealing with a double murder and don’t know when I’ll be home... I’m not neglecting you and the baby... I’ll do whatever you need me to do when I get home, but please stop calling me at work.’ Moran put the phone down and sighed, looking crestfallen.
Jane was surprised at Moran’s sudden change in temperament. It was as if he felt guilty about not being there for his wife.
‘Are you OK, sir?’ Jane asked hesitantly.
‘Yes... My wife and I had been trying for children for years and now we have a little boy. He’s our pride and joy, but it’s all a bit of a nightmare. He cries a lot, Fiona is constantly trying to breastfeed him, and he doesn’t sleep well. Poor Fiona is exhausted all the time. I want to be there for her, but I can’t just drop everything and bugger off home every time she rings.’
Jane smiled. ‘It must take its toll on you as well, sir. Maybe DI Gibbs could run the investigation for a few days while you take some time off and—’
Moran frowned. ‘Time off? I’ve got a double murder investigation to run. I’m not having people think I can’t cope.’
Jane realized she’d offended Moran’s male pride and, under the circumstances, thought she should try and be a bit sympathetic.
‘My sister’s just had a baby boy and she and her husband are finding it really difficult as well. My mum says newborns are hard work, but it gets easier. What’s your son’s name?’
‘Arthur. He’s six weeks old now. He’s lovely and we’re so lucky to have him. It’s the shitty nappies I can’t stand. Fiona insists on using the toweling ones instead of disposables — they’re not very absorbent and the poo leaks out the sides. Sorry, Tennison, I’m sure you don’t want to hear all about dirty nappies.’
‘To be honest, having children is not high on my list of priorities...’
Moran smiled. ‘Probably best, if you want a long career and further promotion in the police service.’
Jane didn’t reply. She knew it was rare for a policewoman to return to work after having a child, and many male officers still thought a mother’s place was in the home. As she turned to leave, Moran spoke again.
‘One other thing: DCS Blake is coming over to see me. He’s still pissed off with you and Gibbs about the way in which you handled Andrew Hastings, so you might want to keep out of his way.’
‘Does Blake know Andrew Hastings well?’
Moran nodded. ‘Hastings’ wife told Gibbs they were in the same Masonic lodge and play golf together a lot.’
Jane frowned. ‘So he must know Sybil Hastings as well?’
‘Yes?’
‘Surely there’s a conflict of interest, if Blake is so close to Andrew Hastings and he also knew the victim?’
Moran looked displeased. ‘You should keep your opinions and thoughts to yourself, Tennison. It’s not your place to question the rights and wrongs of Blake’s involvement...’
‘I’m just concerned that Blake’s close relationship with Andrew Hastings might hinder the investigation.’
Moran pointed his finger at Jane and raised his voice. ‘Blake’s a seasoned senior detective and knows what he’s doing. The fact he knows Andrew Hastings might actually help the investigation. If Hastings is involved in any way, Blake is better placed than us to know if he is lying or hiding something.’
‘I didn’t mean anything derogatory, sir, I was just thinking about the investigation—’
Moran interrupted her. ‘Blake is a lot older and wiser than you, so don’t go questioning his relationships with members of the public. As I recall, you screwed up a big Vice Squad operation due to personal feelings towards a young Colombian girl. Then there was that Natalie Wilde woman you befriended, who turned out to be a bloody IRA sleeper. Those incidents totally screwed any chance you ever had of getting on the Flying Squad, and that’s why the Dip Squad didn’t keep you on either. You don’t know how close you were to getting kicked back into uniform — for the rest of your career!’
Jane was shocked at Moran’s verbal attack. She was surprised he even knew about the Regina Hernandez and Natalie Wilde incidences, which had happened nearly three years ago. Even if the phone calls from his wife were making him irritable, Jane felt Moran was being a bit harsh.
‘I know I’ve made mistakes, sir, but I have learnt from them. I’ve never taken people on face value since then, or got emotionally involved in a case. As for coming off the Dip Squad, DCI Church told me at the time he couldn’t keep me on due to financial restrictions and he had to cut his numbers down on the team.’
‘Church lied. He had a soft spot for you and didn’t want to hurt your feelings. If it was me, I’d have told you straight and got you back in uniform directing bloody traffic. Now go and check the house-to-house files.’ His manner made Jane feel even more offended and upset.
Biting back a further comment, she left Moran’s office, closing the door firmly behind her.
As Gibbs drove back to the station, he couldn’t stop thinking about the fact that Andrew Hastings had lied to his wife about where he was on Friday evening. There was a good chance he was seeing another woman, and Gibbs considered the possibility that Andrew Hastings had been involved in his mother’s death, and that maybe the unknown victim was his mistress. It would be interesting to hear what Hastings would say when asked directly by Moran about his whereabouts on Friday evening. If Hastings claimed that he was at the golf dinner, then DCS Blake’s own words, relayed to the major, would prove that he was a liar.
Gibbs smiled to himself at the thought of Andrew Hastings squirming in an interview. He sat back in the driving seat and thought of Jo Hastings. He couldn’t get her out of his mind because he found her incredibly sexy and was certain that she had been coming on to him.
Gibbs stopped at the traffic lights by Camberwell Green. It suddenly struck him that it was strange that Blake hadn’t told Moran he was playing golf with Andrew Hastings on the Friday, or that Hastings had gone home before the dinner because one of his children was unwell. Stranger still was the fact that, as an experienced detective, Blake would know that Hastings would be considered a suspect until he could be eliminated from the inquiry. Therefore his exact movements would be crucially important and would need to be corroborated. As the lights changed to green, Gibbs cut in front of the car beside him and turned right into Denmark Hill, towards King’s College Hospital. It was time Andrew Hastings was confronted about his whereabouts on Friday night.
As Gibbs approached the main hospital reception area, he caught sight of Jo Hastings leaving, on her own. It was clear from the look on her face that she was upset. Although Gibbs called out to her, she didn’t see him and climbed into her Mercedes station wagon. Gibbs ran up to the car door and could see she had been crying.
‘Jo, have you just been to see your husband?’ he asked.
‘Yes. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him you’d come to the house and I pretended I knew nothing about his mother’s murder. He told me about finding her body, saying how rude and incompetent you and some woman detective were. He also said the body of a younger woman was found near to his mother’s — is that right?’