All the Rage

Adam Fawley
6 April 2018
09.52

`˜What do you mean, you know?'

Gis looks self-conscious, but only a little and only briefly. More than that, he looks annoyed. And let down.

Shit.

`˜When you first told us about Parrie,' he says, `˜we thought `“ well, I thought `“ that it was possible we were looking at a copycat, in which case we needed to know how much of Parrie's MO someone could have picked up just from reading about the trial.'

Which is exactly what I'd have done, in his place. Only I didn't need to. I was there.

`˜That's when we realized: the defence brief `“ he called her Alexandra.'

`˜She used to shorten it to Sandie back then,' I say, my throat cracking. `˜She doesn't any more.'

I risk a look at Somer. And I can see: she understands that bit, at least. Just as Faith Appleford might understand, if she were here. The overwhelming need to start again. To have a new name, a clean slate. A chance to forget.

`˜You should have told us,' says Ev softly. `˜We'd have been on your side.'

And they aren't now, is that what she means?

I swallow hard.

`˜I'm sorry if anyone feels let down. I know I should have told you before. But I wanted to protect my wife. That's all. Not myself or my poxy career. My wife.'

I turn to Gallagher, and I can see how uncomfortable she is. How much she'd give not to be in this room right now. `˜It's your case now `“ I'm not going to interfere. But I still care about getting this bastard. So if you need me, ask, OK?'

She nods. `˜Yes,' she says. `˜I will.'

* * *

Gislingham watches the door swing shut behind Fawley. And now everyone is looking from him to Gallagher and back again.

So now what? he thinks. It's not that he's unsympathetic `“ he'd have moved heaven and earth to protect Janet, if she'd been in that situation. But all the same `“

`˜Sergeant?' says Gallagher, giving him a meaningful look. She's clearly expecting him to keep calm and carry on regardless of the amount of shit piled in the way.

He sighs inwardly; just his bloody luck. I mean, this Gallagher woman has a good rep, but you never know, not until the crap hits the fan.

`˜Right,' he says, taking a deep breath. `˜Best idea for us is to stick to our knitting. Get this bloody case sorted once and for all.'

He picks up the pen and goes over to the whiteboard. `˜Way I see it, right now we have four possibilities. One: what happened to Faith and Sasha `“ the plastic bag, the cable ties, Faith's ripped hair `“ it has nothing to do with Gavin Parrie and it never did. It's all just one hell of a sodding coincidence.'

Silence. The whole team knows how Fawley feels about coincidences. But this time it's different: this time a coincidence is the one thing that would get the DI off the hook.

`˜Two,' says Gis. `˜The man who attacked Faith and Sasha is the same man who committed the Roadside Rapes, which means the real killer not only managed not to get caught, but not even to get bloody questioned. Which, OK, has happened `“ we all know that.'

`˜Peter fucking Sutcliffe, for starters,' mutters Quinn.

`˜But in that case why did the attacks stop the minute Gavin Parrie was arrested, and where has this other bloke been for the last twenty years?' It must be pretty obvious, just from his tone, what Gislingham thinks about that as a theory. But, frankly, he doesn't give a toss.

He turns to the board again. `˜Number three: Faith and Sasha were attacked by someone who actually knows Parrie `“ someone who's trying to make it look like he was set up for something he didn't do. And the reason all this is happening now is because Parrie's up for parole. And because those Whole Truth people are suddenly poking their noses in. And we all know where that could end up.'

Baxter mumbles something about Making a Murderer, and there's a ripple of agreement.

But Quinn is looking sceptical. `˜That's all a bit convoluted, though, isn't it? Who's going to go to that much trouble to get Parrie off the hook? It's like something off the bloody telly.'

Ev agrees. `˜I could just about buy it if it was just Faith, but Sasha? Assault is one thing, but would someone really commit murder `“ a really brutal murder `“ just to put Parrie in the clear? Not even your own family's going to do that, surely?'

`˜I know blood's thicker than water,' mutters Baxter, `˜but not that bloody thick.'

Gis shrugs. `˜I'm with you, but we still need to take it seriously, at least until we can prove otherwise.'

`˜I'll check who's been visiting him,' says Everett. `˜Where did the boss say he was `“ Wandsworth?'

If Ruth Gallagher registers that `˜boss' she gives no sign. `˜Actually, I have that information,' she says, opening a file. `˜DI Fawley already requested it.'

There's a half-awkward moment as she walks up to Everett and hands her the sheet of paper, and Gis wonders for a second if she's about to take over, but her task done she returns to her place and gives him an encouraging nod.

`˜OK, Ev,' he continues, `˜perhaps you could check where those people were on the days Faith and Sasha were attacked. Just so we can scratch them off our list.'

`˜What about friends? Previous associates?' asks Asante. `˜He could have got a message out to someone via his family `“ it didn't need to be someone who actually visited.'

`˜That sounds like something off the bloody telly too,' says Quinn, rather louder this time.

`˜Let's start by eliminating the nearest and dearest,' says Gislingham firmly. `˜See where that gets us.'

He writes `˜4' on the board, and turns again to face them. `˜Last, but deffo not least, a copycat. Which is why Baxter was checking the transcripts in the first place.'

Baxter looks up. `˜Right, yes. Basically, all the details of the MO are in there `“ the hair, the plaster dust, the cable ties, the plastic bag. And all that was in the press too. It might take a while to dig it all up, given how long ago it was, but I reckon anyone could get their hands on the right info if they were determined enough.'

`˜What about Sasha's boyfriend, Sarge?' says Somer. `˜Are we still looking at him?'

`˜More like looking for him,' says Baxter stolidly. `˜Because I for one am beginning to doubt the bugger even exists.'

`˜Yes,' says Gislingham firmly, glancing at him, `˜we are. Sasha had a half-empty box of condoms that didn't use themselves. Can you stay on that, DC Somer?'

She nods and he looks round the room again. `˜Anything else for now?'

But if there is, no one appears to want to raise it in front of Gallagher.

* * *