Havers didn’t change his expression. “And the nature of your relationship with him?”
“I… well, he….” He closed his eyes for a moment. “We were together. I suppose. A relationship, but not a normal one.”
Another quiet note scribbled down. No judgement in Havers’ face, no comfort either. “And when did you come back into contact with him?”
“About a month ago. He turned up on my doorstep.”
“You weren’t in contact with him while he was serving his sentence at HMP Winchester?”
“No.”
“But he came directly to you following his release?”
Jude shrugged. “I don’t know the timing exactly. I had no idea when he was released. I wasn’t informed. He just… turned up. Unannounced. In my house.” His throat tightened. “Did Iwant him there? No. Of course not. I asked him to leave. He didn’t.”
“So he’s been living at your address on Ashworth Drive for approximately the last month?”
“Yes. Which is why I chose to leave and was sleeping in my car when Warren found me.”
Havers nodded once, switched off the device, and capped his pen. “Thank you, Mr Ellison.”
“Can I see him?”
“Reid?”
“No.” Jude shook his head. “Warren.”
Havers leaned back in his chair. “DS Beckford is undergoing debrief.”
“Why?”
Havers paused. Then finally sighed to deliver the news. “Because he broke protocol.”
Before Jude could respond, Havers’ phone buzzed on the table. He glanced at it, then stood. “Wait here, Mr Ellison.” He signalled to the liaison officer, and they both left.
Silence closed in, broken only by the hum of the fluorescent strip above.
When the door opened again, it was the woman from before. The senior one. Patel. She entered alone, lowered herself into the chair opposite, and folded her hands on the table.
“I imagine you have questions, Mr Ellison.”
“Where’s Warren?” That was the only real question he had. The only one he wanted an answer to anyway.
“DS Beckford is being dealt with.”
“He protected me.”
“Yes. That is his job.”
Jude looked away. “Right.” His stomach twisted and he bit his lip until it stung. “Why?”
Patel tilted her head. “Why what?”
“Why wasIhis job? Why the whole bloody thing?”
Patel inhaled deeply, then leaned forward. “Because we needed to establish whose side you were on.”
Jude cracked a bitter laugh. “You couldn’t have just asked?”
