Gina nodded and smiled. ‘Send someone else to the Co-op.’
‘Yes, count me in.’
‘Great. So, Kapoor, I want you to take in the features of everyone who was at the party on the night of Jade’s murder. I need you to be able to spot them so please take some time to memorise these faces and names. We need to know who is in attendance. That is your main role.’ Gina pointed to the board. ‘O’Connor and Wyre will take you through all you’ll need to know and what else you’ll be looking for. Are you okay with that?’
The tiny young woman nodded and smiled. Gina could tell she was bursting with excitement about being given such an interesting role in the investigation and Gina knew she was ready to take it on. She’d always been attentive, professional and good at her job.
‘The only person we can definitely identify on the guest list is Steven Smithson—’
‘Is that right?’ Briggs asked as he entered. ‘That means I’m coming too. As SIO, I need to be there.’
Gina went to speak but then stopped and sighed. She hadn’t intended to confront Steven, she was going to stay back, direct the team and observe. Now she was going along with a babysitter. It was no use trying to argue with Briggs. It looked like they would be going together. Her phone beeped with a message.
Gina, haven’t heard from you in a while. I miss you and loved our dates. Can we see each other again soon? Rex.
‘Guv, these have just been delivered for you.’ Nick had left his post to bring the embarrassingly large box of chocolates through to her. He left them on the main table and headed back. Neatly tied with a big red bow around them and a little card attached to the front, Gina felt her face begin to redden as Briggs stared at the unwanted gift. Just when she thought Rex had got the hint. She stomped over to the chocolates and forced them into the much smaller bin, grabbing the card at the same time. She could feel the weight of Briggs’s stare on her back and she knew he’d wonder who they were from and why they had been delivered to the station. He’d also wonder why she’d thrown them in the bin. Maybe that hadn’t been her best move.
‘Can we speak in a minute, Harte? Pop through to my office.’ He turned on his heal and left the room.
Wyre, O’Connor and Jacob turned back to their work, trying to relieve her of the embarrassment and Smith broke away from the group with Kapoor and began discussing the evening ahead.
Another message came through.
I was just passing your house. Thought we could do lunch. Can we speak? Rex. XX
Her hands began to shake as she clenched her knuckles. Tension washed over her arms and shoulders and a pain shot through her head. He was now officially giving her a headache, one that could only be cured by his parting from her life. She hastily replied.
Rex. Go home. Leave me alone and don’t contact me again. Stay away from my house.
She stared at the phone, hoping there would be no more messages but true to his form, he replied immediately with a crying emoji. She threw the phone in her pocket. She wasn’t going to indulge him any further and if he came to her house again without an invite she wouldn’t be quite so civilised.
‘These look like good chocolates, guv. They’ve got ganache and hazelnuts in them. Can we have them? It seems such a waste throwing perfectly good chocolates in the bin.’
She nodded. O’Connor fought with the packaging and began chomping on a chocolate.
‘I know you have a lot to do, Jacob, but I want the Ashmores’ neighbour, Colin Wray, brought in for his voluntary interview. Also, Derek Alton, Samantha’s married boyfriend. Contact him and get him here, ASAP. Also, I know Noah Ashmore has been calling. I should have gone back to see him but with all that’s happening, I can’t fit that in too. Can you get someone over there? Keep him updated. Thank you.’ As she headed towards Briggs’s office, she opened the little envelope and pulled out a card. It had a little heart on the front and no messages inside. She shoved it back into her pocket as she knocked on Briggs’s door.
Thirty-Six
‘Gina, I know there’s something going on and I can see it’s affecting you? Take a seat.’
She sat the other side of his desk. ‘Whoa, direct or what?’
‘If it affects your ability to do your work, then I’m going to be direct about it. How else would you expect me to be? Would it be best if you kept your personal life separate from your work life? It really doesn’t look professional.’
‘We know a lot about professional, don’t we?’ she snapped.
‘Touché.’
She linked her slightly quivering fingers in an attempt to disguise her anger and nerves. ‘I didn’t ask for the chocolates or for some man to be bothering me, sir.’
‘Do you want to talk?’
‘No.’ She knew he wasn’t really giving her an option and she could see how it looked, her receiving and angrily binning the chocolates. She nodded, knowing it was in her interest to talk. ‘Okay.’ She inhaled and fanned her face with her hand. ‘I had a couple of dates with someone and he keeps texting me. He sent the flowers and the chocolates. He just thinks he’s in with a chance and I want him to leave me alone. The situation isn’t out of hand.’
Briggs looked at her, unable to speak.
She cleared her throat and looked away.
