Dishonour by Helen Black Page A

prints on that can. Yasmeen’s and your client’s.’
    ‘That only means he touched the can, not that he put the drugs inside it.’
    DI Bell licked his lips. ‘We obtained a warrant to search your client’s school locker and guess what we found?’
    Lilly watched Bell open his drawer and pull out a clear evidence bag. Inside were two small boxes. Even before Bell put them on the table between them, Lilly could read the word ‘OxyContin’. Her heart sank.
    ‘When were you going to tell me about this?’ she asked. ‘Or were you going to spring it on us in the interview?’
    DI Bell dazzled Lilly with the whiteness of his smile. ‘I’m telling you now.’
    ‘Because I’m warning you,’ Lilly pointed at him, ‘I will bring a halt to it if you try any more tricks like this.’
    Bell narrowed his eyes but didn’t reply.
    ‘And think about it,’ said Lilly. ‘If Raffy was guilty, why wouldn’t he cover his tracks, throw the packets away? Why on earth would he put them in his locker?’
    DI Bell’s eyes were two dark slits. ‘Who knows what goes on in someone’s mind after they’ve murdered their sister?’
    Raffy sat upright in his chair and stared at the wall. Lilly wondered if he was frightened. He certainly was not prepared to show it.
    ‘The police believe you killed Yasmeen,’ she said.
    He didn’t look at her. ‘I’d worked that out myself.’
    Lilly glanced at Anwar, who had agreed to attend as his brother’s appropriate adult. Anwar seemed much more frightened than his younger brother and chewed his bottom lip.
    Lilly took a deep breath. ‘They say you put Perocet and OxyContin in her drink.’
    ‘Is that right?’ said Raffy, his eyes locked on the wall behind her.
    ‘Do you know anything about those drugs?’
    ‘Nope.’
    ‘The police searched your school locker,’ she said.
    Raffy’s eyes darted to Lilly, then returned to their spot behind her. ‘And?’
    ‘And they found packets of those drugs.’
    Raffy shrugged. ‘Planted.’
    Lilly nodded. It was not unheard of for the police conveniently to find evidence, but it was not as common as her clients would have her believe.
    ‘Right then, let’s do it.’ Lilly stood to let herself out.
    ‘Is that it?’ asked Raffy. ‘Is that all you’ve got to say?’
    ‘What were you expecting?’ Lilly’s hand hovered on the door handle. ‘A preprepared statement?’
    Raffy grimaced. ‘Some advice might be helpful.’
    ‘You don’t seem to want my help, Raffy.’
    The boy gave a low snort in his throat.
    ‘Just keep your answers short, say as little aspossible.’ She opened the door. ‘Don’t give them any ammunition.’
    The interview room was silent as DI Bell ensured the video equipment was working. He was deliberately checking and rechecking the plug, the leads, the angle of the camera, letting the tension ratchet. Certainly Lilly could feel the terror emanating from Anwar but the old police tactic wasn’t working on Raffy, whose every pore radiated unalloyed resentment.
    ‘OK then,’ said DI Bell, and took his seat.
    Raffy lifted his chin and stared at the ceiling.
    DI Bell placed his suit jacket on the back of his chair. In just his shirt Lilly could see how slight the man was, his frame almost boyish. Still he puffed out his chest like a robin, enjoying his position.
    He cleared his throat. ‘For the sake of the tape let me introduce myself as DI Bell. Also present is Miss Valentine, the suspect’s solicitor.’
    ‘Correct,’ Lilly nodded.
    ‘We also have Anwar Khan, the suspect’s brother, acting as his appropriate adult,’ said DI Bell.
    Anwar mumbled something.
    ‘I’m sorry,’ said DI Bell, ‘you’ll have to speak up.’
    ‘Sorry,’ Anwar coughed, ‘sorry.’
    Lilly passed him a glass of water, which he gulped loudly.
    ‘Thank you,’ he whispered. ‘It’s just that I’ve never been in a police station before and I’m very nervous.’
    ‘That’s perfectly understandable,’ said DI Bell. ‘Take