Page 39 of Her Lips Are Sealed

She bit her lip and counted to three. ‘Not yet, but there have been developments overnight.’

‘That guy who ran away from you and broke his foot? Did he do it?’

She was shocked to hear him say this out loud; how could he know?

‘Who told you about him?’

‘What does it matter, is it him?’

‘We don’t know yet, he’s having an operation this morning so hasn’t been formally interviewed.’

‘But it’s that prick who Rachel thought had stolen from her, yeah?’

‘I can’t say.’

‘Yes, you can.’

‘No, I can’t. Not at this stage.’

He pursed his lips and blew out a long, slow breath. ‘My mate works security at the building site, and he told me that Paul Graham, who we all know because he’s such a loser, kicked a copper in the face who was chasing him and ended up breaking his leg in two places. Your face is a bit of a mess; it didn’t look like that last night when I spoke to you or if it did, I didn’t notice. He’s always been a lowlife, everyone knows that. I couldn’t believe it when I saw he was going into Rachel’s with a key one day.’

Morgan could feel every nerve ending in her body taut with tension the direction this conversation was going in. He hadn’t noticed because he’d been drunk and it was dark. ‘So, you told her about him?’

‘Had to, he tried to rape my friend’s sister back in college. He’s a right sleaze bag and he had a key for her flat. She got him sacked for stealing from her and now she’s dead.’

Morgan was desperate to interview Paul Graham now. Ben probably wouldn’t let her near him and give it to Lucy and Josh, but hopefully she’d be able to watch it from behind the two-way mirrored glass in interview room A. Had Ash also known Paul Graham? She wondered if she’d used the same cleaning firm. It would be another link to both victims if she did.

‘I meant to say last night, I don’t work for Dad anymore. Are you after one of his flats in Coniston? I could put in a good word for you regarding the reference if you’d like.’

She smiled at him. ‘Thanks, Dan, that’s really kind of you. I’ll let you know.’

As they arrived at the hospital Morgan quickly messaged Ben, telling him to ask Ash’s mum if she knew if her daughter used a cleaning firm. Before they were even at the mortuary her phone vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and felt her heart sink.

No cleaners, Ash did it herself.

She sighed. Dan looked at her, but she pushed her phone back in her pocket and didn’t say anything to him.

Susie was waiting for them in reception, her hair was a deep green and blue, it was stunning. Dan was staring at Susie; she was in a pair of blue scrubs that complemented her hair.

‘Hey, Morgan, Declan is waiting for you.’

‘Thanks, Susie, this is Dan Webb. He’s a friend of Rachel Derry.’

Susie nodded. ‘I’m sorry for your loss, it’s very kind of you to do this. It’s not an easy thing to do.’

‘Thanks, I don’t want to do it, but I think I have no choice. Her sister should be here but she refused, which is just like her, so here I am.’

He was staring at Morgan who felt her cheeks begin to burn a little.

‘Just this way.’

Susie led them into the small viewing room that smelled of fresh paint, and the walls were now a soothing sage green colour. The bland sofas were the same, but there were new cushions and a rug which made it look a lot less clinical. The blinds were closed and Morgan glanced at Dan who had resumed his pacing up and down. ‘I’ll go in, just let me know when you’re ready.’

‘I’m ready. I want this over with, so please just open them and get it done.’

‘Of course.’

Susie disappeared and seconds later the blinds were open. Rachel was lying on a steel gurney, covered in a white blanket that accentuated the deep red colour staining her lips.