‘Can I take his name and address, please?’
‘It’s Sully. I don’t know if that’s his real or full name but that’s the name he used on the app and that’s the name I called him all night.’ Tyrone began scrolling down his messages and Wyre was poised to take Sully’s phone number and address.
After he’d finished, Gina stood and walked over to the kitten on the worktop and began stroking it under the chin. ‘She’s beautiful.’
The young man’s frown turned into a slight smile. ‘Which is why I’ve kept my mouth shut. I’m keeping her.’
‘It was mentioned by one of the other tenant’s in this block that the main door is often left on the catch. Have you noticed anything strange or anyone hanging around that shouldn’t be?’
‘Not that I can think of. Although, I came back late one night and saw Vincent gently tapping on Amber’s door. I tried to listen to what was being said from the top of my stairs but they spoke in whispers and he went inside for a couple of minutes. I thought that was weird as it was too late to be fixing anything, but I haven’t seen anything else. The main door bangs at any time, day or night and occasionally one of the others has fallen asleep drunk in the communal areas, but not Amber. I’ve never seen her like that.’
‘Can you remember how long ago it was that you saw Vincent at Amber’s door?’
He stood and grabbed his diary. ‘I remember, I’d handed in an assignment that day, a big one.’ He flicked a few pages and pointed. ‘It was Friday the eighth of January and I think I’d not long come back from the Angel Arms, where I’d met Madison and Alice. I go there most Friday nights. Money’s been a bit tight after the Christmas spend so I didn’t stay out late. I was probably back about ten, latest. It must have been about that time or not long after.’
‘You’ve been really helpful. Now, can you think back to the Angel Arms on Monday the twenty-fifth of January? Madison said she saw someone suspicious on the lane that runs alongside the back of the beer garden. A little later, she said someone stood outside the toilets while she was in a cubicle, then they turned the lights off. Did you see anything that night?’
He scrunched his nose and stared into space. ‘I remember her saying something about the toilets. She thought I was messing around but it wasn’t me. I did pop out to the loo while she was in there… wait… when I was in the men’s, I used the urinal. The cubicle was locked. I was literally in there for half a minute and the cubicle was still locked. I didn’t think about it before now but there hadn’t been any other men in the pub. It was dead, so I don’t know who was in that cubicle.’ He began biting his nails. ‘Poor Madison, I think I joked about what she’d said. Are you saying that whoever was there might have attacked her?’
‘We’re not saying anything at the moment. It’s just a line of enquiry we’re following. Do you recognise this woman?’ Gina held up a photo of PC Kapoor.
‘Yes, she’s a police officer, isn’t she?’
Gina nodded. ‘You’ve met her before?’
‘I saw her on the day Amber’s body was discovered. She was with another officer, asking questions. I spoke to the policeman and I think I saw her heading towards Vincent’s bungalow. Is she the woman who’s missing?’
‘I’m afraid so. If there’s anything else you can tell us that might help, however small, it might mean everything.’ The kitten began chewing on Gina’s sleeve. Patiently, she teased the material from its mouth before patting its soft head.
‘I wish I did know something. I really do.’
‘Here’s my card. If you can think of anything, if you see anything, remember anything, call me straight away.’
He walked over and took the card from her before picking the kitten up and stroking it as he held it to his chest. Its little paw worked its way out of Tyrone’s hold and began to hit his chin. ‘You little minx.’ He kissed it on the head. Looking at Tyrone, she found it hard to imagine that he could be the murderer but until his alibi had been confirmed, he wouldn’t be completely off the list.
‘Thank you.’ Wyre stood and walked over to the door, closely followed by Gina.
‘Can you show yourselves out? I don’t want her to escape. Not until I’ve moved, had her inoculated and microchipped.’
Gina nodded. ‘Of course. You’ve got my number.’
As they left, her phone rang. ‘Jacob, everything okay?’
‘Yes. News on the Collinses. Their car has been flagged up by ANPR. We’ve tracked them to the Bridgnorth area but the trail has run cold. I’d say they’ve headed along the country roads. I’ll keep you updated.’
‘Can you pass me Sully’s address?’ She waited for Wyre to open her pad to the right page and then she read it to Jacob. ‘I need to know if a man called Sully was with Tyrone Heard on Tuesday evening. Let me know what he says.’ She ended the call and they headed off to the back of the apartments ready for a night of watching Vincent Jordan’s bungalow.
As they got into the car, through the trees and shrubs Gina could see his hall light come on and he stood on his doorstep. The spark of a lighter flashed and he puffed out a plume of smoke. ‘Why would he be at Amber’s apartment late at night on the eighth of January? What were they whispering about?’
Wyre shivered as a smattering of sleet hit the windscreen. The drive ahead was blanketed in snow and it was still coming down. ‘We’ve got to get a look in his bungalow. Tonight has to yield something.’
Gina agreed. They just had to work out how that was going to happen but it had to happen soon. Kapoor was being held somewhere and Vincent’s bungalow could easily be the place.
Vincent looked each way, checked his watch and dropped his cigarette to the ground before stamping on it.
‘Who’s he looking for?’ She grabbed the binoculars from the back seat and stared through the trees at Vincent. He checked his watch again before slamming his door.
54
