‘You still here?’ Gina said to Jacob as he finished off a chocolate bar.
‘Yes. Jennifer is working late on everything taken from the scene at Cleevesford Manor. Apparently there’s absolutely loads so they’re all working late. I’m probably going to head home in about half an hour. I just wanted to update the system with everything from today. Rick Elder has been added so I’m nearly done. We’ve tried to contact his sister in Australia to confirm his alibi but the phone was off. It’s first thing in the morning there now. Maybe it’s just a little too early. If I don’t get any joy soon, I’ll contact police over there to see if anyone can help us.’
Gina smiled as she zipped up her laptop bag. ‘Great work. He’s still a person of interest at this point. So far, we can’t confirm his alibi. Even then, it’s not watertight. We may need to look into getting his message and video call data from Facebook if he won’t offer it up, but we don’t have enough evidence to go there yet. Let’s see what the investigations bring but keep him in the forefront of everything for now. O’Connor?’
He stopped mid walk, cup of coffee in hand. ‘Guv.’
‘Please update the board with Rick Elder’s details. The system has been updated. You’ll find everything you need there.’
‘On it now, guv.’
‘Oh, forensics and Holly’s bin. Have they gone?’
‘Yes, about half an hour ago.’
Gina glanced around the room as she fiddled with the buttons on her jacket. There was no sign of Briggs. He must have already left and be getting ready for their chat. A throb filled Gina’s head. On top of the chat-to-come and lack of sleep, she knew she wasn’t going to be good company. She checked her phone again. Nothing at all from Hannah. She tried to call but the phone went straight to voicemail. A lump formed in her throat. Marianne Long would never get through to her daughter again. Gina had to know Hannah was safe with all that had happened. There was something Gina needed to do before heading home, and it couldn’t wait. She punched out a message to Briggs.
Make it nine. Gina.
Briggs would have to wait another half hour.
Gina turned the heating up to full in the car. The May evening was chillier than expected. Maybe it was the tiredness kicking in or the darkness that had fallen that gave her an unsettling feeling in the pit of her stomach. As the car warmed, Gina felt a wash of calm flushing through her body. But there was nothing calm about the evening, not a jot. Hannah hadn’t answered her call. She turned into the dark street and pulled up alongside the Cleevesford Cleaver where Hannah was staying. Only one light was on in the front of the old building. The fact that it had once been a butcher’s many years ago sent a shudder through Gina. She always thought the name was a bit sinister given its history. She remembered her father taking her to a traditional butcher to get their Sunday roasting joint as a child. The smell and sight of death always turned her stomach. Blood, a pig’s head stuffed with apples. The cleaver placed on a bloody metal surface and the sound of the chop as it cracked through bone.
A figure walked across the lit room and leaned on the windowsill. Gina remained in the dark, parked alongside a hedge. There was no way Hannah would see her watching but the thought of being caught didn’t put her at ease. The double-fronted building had some old-style charm with the large bay windows and the heavy burgundy front door. A solid building that would survive everything. Gina glanced up, hoping to catch sight of Gracie; just a quick glance, then she’d go home to face Briggs.
Her body stiffened as she caught sight of the man. A short, sharp dizzy spell made her jerk up in her seat.No, no, no, this can’t be happening.
Chapter Twenty
Slamming the car door closed, she ran to that huge burgundy door and knocked over and over again. The guests normally had a key. Someone had to let her in. She had to warn her daughter.
‘Mum! What on earth are you doing?’ Hannah leaned out of the top window, her face reddening.
‘Let me in.’ Gina pressed her palm against the door, desperate to hurry through.
‘No. Just go home, Mum. I’ll call you tomorrow.’
‘Where’s Gracie.’ The thought of that man being around her granddaughter made her skin crawl. It was bad enough that he was in a room with her daughter. She knew something was wrong between Hannah and her partner, Greg. She had sensed that Hannah had been lying. Had she been with him when Gina had looked after Gracie a few days ago?
‘She’s with her Nanny Hetty. She’s fine.’
Gina was flung back as the main door opened and a man hurried out. She darted in, running to the top of the stairs and banging on the door to Hannah’s room with both hands.
‘I said I’d call you tomorrow,’ Hannah said as she opened the door. ‘What are you doing, spying on me?’
Gina fought to gain her breath back. ‘I wasn’t spying. I tried to call you and I was worried when you didn’t answer. A woman was murdered last night and I guess I panicked. Please let me in, love.’
Hannah let go of the door and ran her fingers through her stark blonde hair.
‘Hello, Detective Inspector.’ Samuel Avery gave her a sickening grin as he placed a hand on Hannah’s back.
‘How dare you. Leave my daughter alone. This man—’
‘This man what, Mum? What? Seriously, I need you to go home and leave me alone. You’re interfering.’ Hannah brushed him away and as she sat on the double bed, the floorboards creaked, shaking the mirrored wardrobe slightly.
‘Does Greg know?’ She stared at her daughter’s eyes, her dilated pupils giving her away. Her speech was very slightly slurred. Gina charged across the room towards Samuel. ‘If you so much as even touch her, I will—’
‘You’ll what?’
