might. To end your days on a rubbish tip seemed a terrible fate.
It never occurred to him that that was exactly what he had to look forward to himself.
‘Sweet Jesus. Have they found his head?’ DC Golding was subdued even by his standards. ‘Well, what have they got then?’
He listened for a few seconds before replacing the receiver. Then he made his way to the interview room with a heavy heart. This was going to put everyone on a downer. The death of a kid was every Old Bill’s worst nightmare.
He slipped into the interview room and listened to Kate’s interrogation, making sure he wasn’t interrupting it at a crucial point.
Caroline had her solicitor with her, a woman called Angela Puttain. She was an experienced brief and Golding felt glad that at least the woman had some kind of support with her when she was told the bad news. He was actually sorry for her now, even though he still suspected that she was the culprit.
Caroline was crying as she gave her statement.
‘I know what I did was wrong, Miss Burrows, but I was at the end of my tether. Their dad had jogged on. He only gives me money when he remembers. I started escort work last year and it sort of went on to prostitution. I never meant to go on the game, it just sort of happened. I don’t have a sitter for the kids because I never wanted anyone to know what I was doing. People are streetwise where I live and they would have sussed it out quick smart. So I locked the kids in their room with some food and drink and that was that really. They were safe enough. I locked the house up after me and they were always asleep in bed when I left. They didn’t even know I was gone half the time.’ Her voice was low, full of pain and shame.
‘Did you ever give them Valium to make them sleep?’ Kate asked.
Caroline was scandalised at the thought of giving her children drugs. ‘Never! What makes you ask that?’
Kate shook her head. She wondered if this was the new thing with some young mums. Knock the kids out, then if there was a fire or whatever they could sleep peacefully right through it.
Golding took his chance to tap her on the shoulder and ask if he could have a word. As Kate followed him to her office she felt depressed. It was as if all the effluent of the world was parading about as regular people. She wondered what went through the minds of women like Caroline Anderson. If she was earning good wedge - and Kate had never met a tom yet who wasn’t - then she could easily have used a babysitting service.
‘What’ve you got for me?’ she asked the detective tiredly.
Golding looked her in the eye. ‘We have a small pair of trainers from the dump. One still has a foot in it.’
Kate ran her hands through her hair in despair.
‘It’s murder, then? I was hoping we were wasting our time looking over the dump.’
‘I had a feeling we’d find something there,’ he told her. ‘I think she did it. I think her and that Regina are a pair of murdering bitches.’
‘If I were you I’d keep that particular gem of wisdom to yourself. Innocent until proven guilty in this station, mate. Now is there anything else I should know before I go back in to her?’
Golding shook his head. ‘It was a Nike trainer. I’ll keep you posted as to what else turns up. Do you want me to get you some coffee sent in?’
She nodded. ‘Any calls for me?’
He shook his head again. ‘Not a dicky bird.’
Kate watched him as he left the office. David Golding was a strange man. A good officer, he got the job done but he didn’t really mix with the others. In fact, Kate could never remember him talking about anything personal ever.
He was a good-looking man in a boyish, intellectual way. He had the large blue eyes of an innocent that seemed to take in everything at once, and sandy-coloured hair and eyebrows which made him look amiable. However, after even a brief conversation, people were in no doubt as to his strong opinions and his rather aggressive
It never occurred to him that that was exactly what he had to look forward to himself.
‘Sweet Jesus. Have they found his head?’ DC Golding was subdued even by his standards. ‘Well, what have they got then?’
He listened for a few seconds before replacing the receiver. Then he made his way to the interview room with a heavy heart. This was going to put everyone on a downer. The death of a kid was every Old Bill’s worst nightmare.
He slipped into the interview room and listened to Kate’s interrogation, making sure he wasn’t interrupting it at a crucial point.
Caroline had her solicitor with her, a woman called Angela Puttain. She was an experienced brief and Golding felt glad that at least the woman had some kind of support with her when she was told the bad news. He was actually sorry for her now, even though he still suspected that she was the culprit.
Caroline was crying as she gave her statement.
‘I know what I did was wrong, Miss Burrows, but I was at the end of my tether. Their dad had jogged on. He only gives me money when he remembers. I started escort work last year and it sort of went on to prostitution. I never meant to go on the game, it just sort of happened. I don’t have a sitter for the kids because I never wanted anyone to know what I was doing. People are streetwise where I live and they would have sussed it out quick smart. So I locked the kids in their room with some food and drink and that was that really. They were safe enough. I locked the house up after me and they were always asleep in bed when I left. They didn’t even know I was gone half the time.’ Her voice was low, full of pain and shame.
‘Did you ever give them Valium to make them sleep?’ Kate asked.
Caroline was scandalised at the thought of giving her children drugs. ‘Never! What makes you ask that?’
Kate shook her head. She wondered if this was the new thing with some young mums. Knock the kids out, then if there was a fire or whatever they could sleep peacefully right through it.
Golding took his chance to tap her on the shoulder and ask if he could have a word. As Kate followed him to her office she felt depressed. It was as if all the effluent of the world was parading about as regular people. She wondered what went through the minds of women like Caroline Anderson. If she was earning good wedge - and Kate had never met a tom yet who wasn’t - then she could easily have used a babysitting service.
‘What’ve you got for me?’ she asked the detective tiredly.
Golding looked her in the eye. ‘We have a small pair of trainers from the dump. One still has a foot in it.’
Kate ran her hands through her hair in despair.
‘It’s murder, then? I was hoping we were wasting our time looking over the dump.’
‘I had a feeling we’d find something there,’ he told her. ‘I think she did it. I think her and that Regina are a pair of murdering bitches.’
‘If I were you I’d keep that particular gem of wisdom to yourself. Innocent until proven guilty in this station, mate. Now is there anything else I should know before I go back in to her?’
Golding shook his head. ‘It was a Nike trainer. I’ll keep you posted as to what else turns up. Do you want me to get you some coffee sent in?’
She nodded. ‘Any calls for me?’
He shook his head again. ‘Not a dicky bird.’
Kate watched him as he left the office. David Golding was a strange man. A good officer, he got the job done but he didn’t really mix with the others. In fact, Kate could never remember him talking about anything personal ever.
He was a good-looking man in a boyish, intellectual way. He had the large blue eyes of an innocent that seemed to take in everything at once, and sandy-coloured hair and eyebrows which made him look amiable. However, after even a brief conversation, people were in no doubt as to his strong opinions and his rather aggressive
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