he’s a victim’s relative. He could run screaming to the press about police brutality and we need that like a hole in the head.”
“Sir?”
Craig turned towards Jake, half-expecting him to raise his hand. “Yes?”
“If Carragher is a possible next victim then don’t we have to protect him, just in case?”
“It’s a valid point, but it’s just speculation at the moment that there will be any more deaths. All we can do is tell him to take care. Do that please, Jake, but subtly. Remember we haven’t even confirmed that our body is his wife yet.” He turned back to Liam. “Liam, you and Annette lift Warner. Jake will go back to see Carragher and put him on alert. But Jake...”
“Yes, sir?”
“Don’t give him any reason to think he’s a suspect. If there’s any evidence in that house I want it still there, if or when we get a search warrant. Emphasise the concern for his welfare aspect for now. Understood?”
***
Mai stroked the young man’s naked back and he turned towards her and smiled. He wrapped his muscular arms around her waist and pulled her close, feeling his excitement grow. She laughed and pushed him away, nodding at the clock.
“It’s nearly noon. We have to get up.”
He smiled down at her and ran a hand through her poker-straight black hair. He lifted the silky strands, burying his face in them and marvelling at their sheen; his own hair was coarse and dull in comparison. He smiled again and moved in for a kiss. Mai returned it gently then slipped quickly out of bed. They had work to do, and it had to be completed soon.
“Can’t it wait, Mai? Until the trail on the woman goes cold at least.”
Mai shook her head vehemently. “They aren’t stupid. They’ll realise soon and then they’ll come looking for us. Punish the innocent for punishing the guilty; that’s what passes for justice in this country.”
“We have time. They aren’t that good.”
She shook her head again, her black bell of hair swinging around her neck. “We have two days at most. Then we have to leave.” Her voice changed to a command. “Now get up, and don’t make me tell you again.”
***
Liam stared at the school’s modern façade and whistled. It was high tech all right; good to see his taxes were paying for something worthwhile. Annette gestured towards the sports hall, halfway across the recreation ground.
“Pete has to teach P.E. in a wooden hut.” Annette’s husband taught sports in a school near Newtownards. “He would give his right arm for facilities like this.”
“He wouldn’t be much use on the vaulting horse then.”
Liam laughed at his own joke and thanked God Craig wasn’t there to tell him off for being politically incorrect. Annette did it instead.
“Liam, that’s shocking, even for you.”
“OK, OK, don’t start giving me grief. I’ve enough to contend with, with Danni at home.”
Annette didn’t answer, just walked towards the school’s entrance and headed for the Headmaster’s suite. They needed to find out which class Gerry Warner was teaching, so they could wait for him at the end. She verbalised her thoughts and Liam shook his head.
“When we find out which class he’s in, we go in and get him. None of that ‘waiting for class to end’ rubbish. He’s being brought in for interview, not afternoon tea.”
“That’s not necessary and it’ll disrupt the kids.”
Liam raised an eyebrow at Annette disagreeing, “It might not be necessary, Inspector, but it’s what we’re going to do. I want Warner good and scared by the time he reaches High Street. Remember that a woman’s dead and he was with her the night before.”
Annette flushed red at his pulling rank and stormed ahead. By the time they’d reached the Headmaster’s office, the ‘Headmaster’ had morphed into a Headmistress and Annette face had cooled to a dull pink.
The woman that came out to greet them was small and round, with a cheerful expression that said years of recalcitrant
“Sir?”
Craig turned towards Jake, half-expecting him to raise his hand. “Yes?”
“If Carragher is a possible next victim then don’t we have to protect him, just in case?”
“It’s a valid point, but it’s just speculation at the moment that there will be any more deaths. All we can do is tell him to take care. Do that please, Jake, but subtly. Remember we haven’t even confirmed that our body is his wife yet.” He turned back to Liam. “Liam, you and Annette lift Warner. Jake will go back to see Carragher and put him on alert. But Jake...”
“Yes, sir?”
“Don’t give him any reason to think he’s a suspect. If there’s any evidence in that house I want it still there, if or when we get a search warrant. Emphasise the concern for his welfare aspect for now. Understood?”
***
Mai stroked the young man’s naked back and he turned towards her and smiled. He wrapped his muscular arms around her waist and pulled her close, feeling his excitement grow. She laughed and pushed him away, nodding at the clock.
“It’s nearly noon. We have to get up.”
He smiled down at her and ran a hand through her poker-straight black hair. He lifted the silky strands, burying his face in them and marvelling at their sheen; his own hair was coarse and dull in comparison. He smiled again and moved in for a kiss. Mai returned it gently then slipped quickly out of bed. They had work to do, and it had to be completed soon.
“Can’t it wait, Mai? Until the trail on the woman goes cold at least.”
Mai shook her head vehemently. “They aren’t stupid. They’ll realise soon and then they’ll come looking for us. Punish the innocent for punishing the guilty; that’s what passes for justice in this country.”
“We have time. They aren’t that good.”
She shook her head again, her black bell of hair swinging around her neck. “We have two days at most. Then we have to leave.” Her voice changed to a command. “Now get up, and don’t make me tell you again.”
***
Liam stared at the school’s modern façade and whistled. It was high tech all right; good to see his taxes were paying for something worthwhile. Annette gestured towards the sports hall, halfway across the recreation ground.
“Pete has to teach P.E. in a wooden hut.” Annette’s husband taught sports in a school near Newtownards. “He would give his right arm for facilities like this.”
“He wouldn’t be much use on the vaulting horse then.”
Liam laughed at his own joke and thanked God Craig wasn’t there to tell him off for being politically incorrect. Annette did it instead.
“Liam, that’s shocking, even for you.”
“OK, OK, don’t start giving me grief. I’ve enough to contend with, with Danni at home.”
Annette didn’t answer, just walked towards the school’s entrance and headed for the Headmaster’s suite. They needed to find out which class Gerry Warner was teaching, so they could wait for him at the end. She verbalised her thoughts and Liam shook his head.
“When we find out which class he’s in, we go in and get him. None of that ‘waiting for class to end’ rubbish. He’s being brought in for interview, not afternoon tea.”
“That’s not necessary and it’ll disrupt the kids.”
Liam raised an eyebrow at Annette disagreeing, “It might not be necessary, Inspector, but it’s what we’re going to do. I want Warner good and scared by the time he reaches High Street. Remember that a woman’s dead and he was with her the night before.”
Annette flushed red at his pulling rank and stormed ahead. By the time they’d reached the Headmaster’s office, the ‘Headmaster’ had morphed into a Headmistress and Annette face had cooled to a dull pink.
The woman that came out to greet them was small and round, with a cheerful expression that said years of recalcitrant
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