‘Bloody hell, you don’t have to look so dejected,’ said Linh.
‘It’s hard not to, especially when Rob has been working really hard on—’
‘Not being a twat?’
‘Linh!’
‘Where’s the lie?’ Linh asked with a laugh.
‘Rob’s doing better and also, Pellacia has moved on.’
‘With Laura Halifax MP?’ Linh snorted. ‘The poor cow doesn’t realise that she’s only getting a piece of him. It’ll never last.’
Henley bristled. ‘Enough about him. I need to ask a favour. An unofficial request.’
‘What is it?’
Henley removed the memory stick from her pocket. Linh’s facial expressions changed from surprise to stone cold seriousness as Henley explained what Eloise had asked her to do and what Ezra had discovered.
‘Why are you indulging Eloise?’ Linh asked. ‘It’s not good for you. It’s not good for anybody.’
‘I’m regretting saying yes,’ Henley admitted. ‘But I need you to go over the full post-mortem report for Rhimes that Ezra found. We only ever had sight of his death certificate. I’m praying that Ezra made a mistake and that there’s a good reason for the discrepancy.’
‘Ezra make a mistake? Really?’
‘Yeah, I know. It’s unlikely.’
Henley felt a panicked flutter in her chest. This request was another step closer to confirming Rhimes’s murder. She wondered if it was too late to take it all back. To tell Linh to ignore her.
‘Fine. I’ll do it,’ said Linh. ‘Have you told the others? Pellacia, Stanford?’
‘No.’
‘Don’t you think they have a right to know?’
‘They do, but not right now. Only if there’s something to tell them,’ said Henley as the door swung open and Ramouter re-entered the room.
‘What did Anthony have to say?’ Henley asked.
‘He took DNA swabs from Fox-Carnell and there was a match,’ Ramouter explained.
‘Why are you standing there with a face like a slapped arse. A match is good news,’ Linh exclaimed. ‘That means you’ve got a suspect, right?’
Ramouter rubbed his forehead. ‘No, it doesn’t. The DNA retrieved from Fox-Carnell matched DNA samples retrieved from Graham Ashcroft’s clothing and the blood found in the kitchen.’
‘Excuse me,’ Henley said. She stepped towards Ramouter forcing him to look up at her.
‘That’s not all. There was a lot of blood on that kitchen floor and DNA analysis produced matches for three people.’
‘Don’t tell me.’
‘The third DNA profile is a match for Tabitha Ashcroft,’ Ramouter confirmed.
Henley closed her eyes, raised her face and cursed the sky. ‘For fuck’s sake.’
‘I know. I know.’
‘The person who nearly killed Graham Ashcroft is involved in the murder of Fox-Carnell. Shit,’ Henley said. ‘You always said from the beginning that the Ashcrofts’ aggravated burglary was too violent.’
