Richie returned his attention to his sandwich. ‘Nothing. He’s probably part of some old boys’ club.’
Sarah watched as Richie chewed, a faraway look on his face.
‘You’re one of those conspiracy theorists, aren’t you?’ she said, thinking of his interest in the Facebook group. ‘I bet you believe in UFOs.’
Richie laughed. ‘There’s nothing wrong with getting to the truth.’ He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. ‘I just can’t figure out why our DI has taken such a liking to you.’
‘Geez, kick a girl while she’s down, why don’t you?’
‘I don’t mean it like that.’ He scrunched up his sandwich wrapper and threw it in the bin.
‘Not everyone has an angle.’ Sarah returned her glance to the document Richie was putting together post-interview, keen to change the subject. ‘You think CPS will give you a charge?’
‘We’ve got a strong case against Abraham, especially after finding the knife in his room. But find his car, and I think we’ll find Jahmelia – that’s if he hasn’t buried her somewhere already.’
‘She’s still alive,’ Sarah said. ‘At least, for now.’ She shook her head. She couldn’t imagine what Gabby was going through. All day, she’d been texting, and Sarah passed on updates when she could.
‘You sound confident.’ Richie rubbed his beard. A look passed between them. ‘You know something, don’t you?’
Sarah’s gaze flickered around the office. ‘Maybe,’ she said. ‘But I can’t tell you. Not yet. I’ve got a line of communication open and I don’t want to blow it.’
‘With who?’
‘You wouldn’t believe me if I told you. There’s more to this than meets the eye.’
Richie regarded her with interest. ‘Tell me.’
A beat passed between them. Could Sarah trust him? Maybe two heads were better than one. ‘All that stuff … the balaclava that didn’t burn, the knife. The CCTV of Christian’s car. It’s too convenient. Sure, Christian’s a bit of an oddball, but doesn’t that make him the perfect candidate to set up?’
‘I don’t know …’ Richie paused for thought. ‘Seems prima facie to me.’
‘And that doesn’t bother you?’ Sarah said. Not all cases were open and shut.
‘For every argument, there’s a counter-argument,’ Richie replied. ‘Irving was a complete bastard to Christian’s mother and barely acknowledged him as a son … Killing Angelica could have been Christian’s way of getting revenge. You should see the computer games he plays. The guy isn’t right in the head.’
Sarah had been ready to disclose the Word document but his last sentence gave her pause. It wasn’t that long ago people were saying the same thing about her. Having mental health issues didn’t make you a murderer, but it did make people view you through a different lens. She thought her response over.
‘Whoever it is hates me with a passion. You saw the letter on the system, didn’t you? They’re using Blackhall Manor as a tool to get to me. If you dig deep into the Midnight Game you’ll see it’s directed at me. Why choose Blackhall Manor? Why choose a fourteen-year-old girl? And why involve me?’
But Richie was looking at her blankly. He didn’t understand.
Sarah sighed. She wasn’t opening herself up to further ridicule. ‘Just don’t be blinkered to other explanations, that’s all I’m saying.’
‘Alright!’ Richie brushed the crumbs off his desk. ‘I’ll keep an open mind.’ But his gaze lingered, and she could see there was something else on his mind.
‘What is it?’ Sarah said, noticing his expression change.
‘It’s about Blackhall Manor. I’ve been waiting for the right time to tell you.’
‘Now is as good a time as any.’
Richie nodded towards their DI’s old office.
‘The confessional?’ Sarah’s heart skipped a beat in her chest. ‘What’s so important you want to drag me in there?’
‘C’mon,’ Richie said, rising from his desk. Sarah followed him in. The narrow room was lit by a fluorescent light and flanked by walls of files either side. She rubbed her damp palms against the back of her trousers. Whatever this was, it wasn’t good.
Richie’s face was a picture of awkwardness and concern. She was getting to know his expressions and learning to read between the lines. This wasn’t about Christian. This was personal. She watched him clear his throat as he stood with hands on hips.
