Blood Line

Chapter Four

Anna took a double dose of her sleeping tablets and slept until early morning. The alarm woke her and she again had that feeling of lethargy, not wanting to get out of bed, get dressed or do anything. She felt that this time her mood swing was down to the dead-end case she had been told to investigate by Langton, and remembered her conversation with him the evening before and how he had said to give it one more day. As she turned to look at the time on the alarm clock she saw the picture of her father on the bedside cabinet and her mind rushed back to her childhood. She could see him standing at the foot of her bed and jokingly threatening that she was running late for school and had better be out of bed by the count of three or it was cold bath time. One, she threw the duvet back, two, she jumped out of bed, and by three, she was in the bathroom turning on the shower. As Anna looked at her glass-enclosed power-jet shower she recalled the dreadful avocado green fibreglass bath and matching tiles in the family bathroom. She jumped into the shower and straight back out again. She laughed out loud realising that in her rush she had turned it onto cold and could hear her father’s voice saying, ‘Got you this time, Anna.’

Refreshed she rang Paul to say she would pick him up at the station at eight. Paul was waiting outside the station and when he was in the car Anna told him what Langton had asked her to do.

‘Is that why the early-bird call?’ he yawned. ‘I was out until four a.m.’ Paul was unshaven with dark circles beneath his eyes.

‘Good date, was it?’

‘No, but I went to Fire and danced my socks off and had a few too many vodka shots and slingers – that’s when you knock it back neat.’

‘Hung over?’

‘Yeah, a bit. What was Langton’s reaction?’

Anna told him and he listened without his usual interruption. Anna didn’t add that she felt Langton was simply side-stepping the issue of her heading up a murder enquiry. It felt to her as if he was stringing her along, thinking he was giving her time to get over the death of her fiancé, Ken.

‘Langton’s up to his neck,’ Paul said. ‘You heard about the case he’s on – ex-detective finds his wife and son shredded.’

‘Yes, I know about it. I heard him giving a briefing.’

They arrived at Newton Court in Hounslow where Tina Brooks lived and parked up close to her garage so as not to create any problems for the other tenants. As before, the reception area was open and there was a caretaker polishing the floor. He continued working the machine as they headed for flat two.

‘Nobody at home,’ he said, looking towards them.

Anna showed him her ID and asked if he knew the couple living there.

‘By sight, yeah. I wouldn’t say I know them.’

‘What’s your name?’

‘Jonas Jones, ma’am.’

‘You work here regularly, Jonas?’

‘Two days a week. I clean the reception, stairs, and if the tenant is away I collect their mail for them.’

‘How long have you been working here?’

‘Three years. I do all the owner’s places. He’s got three blocks of flats and I check them all out. The bins sometimes are overflowing and the council don’t collect as regular as they used to.’

‘Have you ever found anything suspicious?’

He wrinkled his nose and said he didn’t know what she meant.

‘Well, anything unusual?’

‘Oh no. Just some tenants tie up their rubbish in black bin liners and if they don’t put them in the bins, dogs or cats or whatever can scavenge and rip them open. You’d be surprised, we got foxes around here. Dunno where they come from, but I’ve seen big bushy-tailed ones.’

‘Are you aware that Mr Alan Rawlins has disappeared?’

‘Who?’

‘The tenant of flat two. He lives with his girlfriend, Tina Brooks.’

‘Oh yeah, I know who you mean. I didn’t know he was missing. Where’s he gone?’

Anna smiled and said they were trying to find out. She then asked for details of the other tenants. The caretaker walked over to a small desk and took out a list of names, saying that as he didn’t do cleaning in individual flats he only saw them on odd occasions. There was an elderly Jewish couple in flat three, flats four and five were Iranians and flat six was a single woman.

‘Could you tell me who owns the building?’

‘You mean the landlord?’

‘Yes, the person that owns this building.’

‘Doesn’t live here.’

‘His name and contact number will do.’

‘He’s Iranian. Owns two or three blocks like this one and only ever comes over a couple of times a year. Prefers to live in his beach-front condo in Morocco.’

‘And his name is . . .?’

‘Mr Desai.’

‘What about flat one?’

‘Mr Phillips, youngish bloke, drives a nice Lotus and works in the City.’

‘Is he at home?’

‘I don’t know. I’ve been polishing the floor. I’ll be here for a while as I’m waitin’ on a delivery for Miss Brooks.’

‘What is it?’

‘She ordered new carpet.’

‘But isn’t the flat rented?’

‘Yes, but they are semi-furnished flats, rented with just the necessary. Tenants can bring in whatever else they need.’

They thanked Jonas and went towards flat one as he turned on his polishing machine again.

‘That’s odd, isn’t it?’ Paul said as he rang the doorbell.

When there was no answer, Anna suggested that Phillips was probably at work, and said they should go from flat to flat to see if there was anyone at home. She too thought it was suspicious about the new carpet, but said nothing.

They got no answer from flats four and five either. When they rang the doorbell of flat six there was the sound of a dog yapping. It continued its noise as they pressed the doorbell twice more before it was inched open.

‘Yes?’ The woman’s face was partly hidden.

‘Miss Jewell?’

‘Yes? What do you want?’

Anna showed her ID and introduced herself and Paul. The door closed, the safety chain was unlinked and the door opened wider.

Miss Jewell was no more than forty, but she was frail and very thin. She held a small terrier under her arm with one hand over its mouth as it gave a throttled growl.

‘Has there been a burglary?’

‘No. Could we just talk to you for a moment?’

Miss Jewell reluctantly led them into a beige-coloured sitting room, which had a lot of shabby furniture unlike Tina Brooks’s sparse flat. It was a smaller place in comparison, more like a studio, and, as it was at the top of the block, it had sloping ceilings.

Anna and Paul sat down as the small bedraggled dog was shut in the kitchen; it yapped for a while and then went quiet.

‘Don’t worry about Trigger, he doesn’t bite, but he’s a wonderful guard dog,’ Miss Jewell said as she perched on the edge of a bright green bucket chair. If she sat back any further her legs would have lifted off the ground. Anna and Paul were seated on a sofa covered with blankets and shawls. They explained briefly why they were there and asked if she knew Alan Rawlins.

‘No. I don’t know anyone living here apart from Mr and Mrs Maisell, they’re in flat three. There’s also two families of Iranians, but I don’t talk to them. They’ve only been here about six months.’

‘What about the tenant in flat one?’

‘I have never spoken to him, but he drives a big yellow car which makes a dreadful noise. I have also complained about the cooking smells from the Iranians. I don’t like to cause trouble, but my little flat stinks of their fried fish or whatever they cook down there.’

‘Do you know Tina Brooks who lives in flat two?’

‘Oh, her? Yes, I’ve met her. She pushed some leaflets through my door about special offers at her hairdressing salon. I never used them; put them straight in the bin.’

‘Tell me what you know about her.’

‘Nothing, really. She’s always quite friendly, but I wouldn’t say I’ve ever had a long conversation with her.’

‘And you never met Alan Rawlins?’

‘Not really. I know she had a chap living with her – I obviously have seen him come and go – but I keep myself to myself, apart from Mr and Mrs Maisell. In fact, I just talked to them earlier as they were going to go shopping and they often get my little things that I need. I am registered partially blind as I have tunnel vision. Basically, what that means is I have no peripheral vision and I can only see straight ahead.’

Anna had heard enough. She glanced at Paul and they both stood up.

‘Just one more thing, Miss Jewell: were the carpets provided when you rented?’

‘Yes, throughout, and all the same colour. I think the owner must have got a deal on them as they are apparently the same in all the flats.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Look, we’re not supposed to have pets, but he’s such a good companion and he never does a naughty inside. I take him out first thing to do his business and there have been no complaints about me having him.’

She gave an odd look and eased herself off the bucket seat. ‘It’s not about me having a pet, is it?’

‘No, not at all. We are looking into the fact that Alan Rawlins has disappeared.’

‘Oh really? I didn’t quite follow what you said earlier. Where’s he gone to?’

Anna smiled, repeating what she had told the caretaker – that they were concerned. Miss Jewell said that she wished she could help.

‘Do you think he’s had an accident, or something like that?’

‘Possibly.’

‘Have you tried the hospitals? He could have been knocked down and got concussion and not remembered anything.’

‘Thank you for your time,’ Anna said, heading out, and Paul followed. As they went into the hall the yapping started up again and Miss Jewell banged on the door and told the dog to shut up.

Anna looked at Paul and said that was a waste of time. He suggested they try Mr and Mrs Maisell as they might have returned from their food shop.

‘Why not,’ Anna agreed.

‘It’s odd, isn’t it, living cheek by jowl and nobody knows anybody else,’ Paul commented.

‘Yeah, but to be honest I don’t know any of my neighbours. Do you know yours?’

‘Not really. In fact, come to think of it, I wouldn’t know them if I fell over them.’

‘There you go.’

They rang Mr and Mrs Maisell’s bell and waited, and were about to turn away when the door was flung open. Mrs Maisell was about four foot five and as wide as she was tall.

‘I was just going to bring them up. Oh sorry, I thought you were Hester from upstairs.’

Anna did the introductions and Mrs Maisell ushered them inside. There were the same beige carpets, but theirs were covered by bright rugs of every shape and size, and the flat was crammed with furniture, paintings and bric-à-brac.

‘Morris? Morris! Can you come out, love?’

Mrs Maisell ushered them into the lounge and it was like an antique shop it was so crammed with furniture.

‘Sit down, dears. MORRIS?’

They heard him before he walked in.

‘Don’t tell me it was that ruddy woman upstairs, we’ve only just got back inside.’

‘It’s the police,’ Mrs Maisell said, wafting her hand as an equally short squat man appeared with a grocery bag. He put it down and looked from Anna to Paul.

‘Has there been an accident?’

‘No, they’re asking about that nice young man from flat two. He’s gone missing.’

‘I wouldn’t mind going missing. We can’t put a foot out of the door without that Miss Jewell coming down to ask us to pick up this or pick up that. She hardly goes out.’

‘Don’t be nasty, dear.’

‘It’s the truth though. And she shouldn’t have that rat of a dog. No pets is part of the lease agreement. In fact, I don’t think the landlord even knows she’s got it.’ Morris squatted down in a large comfortable-looking armchair as his wife scurried to stand beside him.

‘Do you know Mr Rawlins?’ Anna began.

‘Yes, lovely chap. He helped start my car once and gave me a good deal when I took it into his garage. Something was draining the battery.’

‘When did you last see him?’

The Maisells looked at each other and then both gave almost identical frowns.

‘A while back, it must be.’

It was extraordinary as they talked to each other; it was as if Anna and Paul weren’t present. They discussed somebody or other’s wedding and decided that wasn’t the right date. Mrs Maisell eventually said that it had to be a couple of months ago.

‘I was putting rubbish out by the bins and he was coming out to go to work – well, I think he was going to work.’

‘So you never really knew either Tina Brooks or Mr Rawlins?’

‘No, not really.’

‘Can you just try and recall if that last time you saw him he gave any indication that anything was wrong?’

Again the couple conferred with each other and then Mrs Maisell got up and went in a zigzag route across the cluttered room to open a drawer in a small carved mahogany desk. She rifled through it and brought out some flyers from Tina’s salon.

‘She put these through our letterbox, pensioners’ special prices, but I’ve used Audrey for fifteen years.’

‘That’s no use to them, Bea, they don’t want to know about hairdressing. It’s where Alan’s gone – that’s right, isn’t it?’

‘Yes, Mr Maisell.’

‘Well, we can’t help you. I’ve never even set foot in their place, but like I said, he seemed a friendly sort of chap. Wait a moment, I’ve remembered now . . .’

They all looked at Morris expectantly.

‘He used to jog in the morning – you know, run round the block – and I was going to . . .’ He sucked in his breath.

‘I can’t remember where I was going, but I know it was early.’

‘The only time you’ve been out really early was when you went to collect Eileen from the station.’

‘Oh yes, that’s right . . . so when was that, Bea?’

Mrs Maisell got up and did another zigzag around the furniture to the desk and opened another drawer, taking out a diary. She flicked through it and then nodded her head.

‘It was exactly ten weeks ago. She’s his cousin and comes from Israel. She got the train from Heathrow to Paddington, that’s right, isn’t it, Morris?’

‘Correct.’

Anna’s patience was wearing thin.

‘So on this morning you saw Alan, Mr Maisell?’

‘He was doing those stretch exercises – you know, standing facing the wall and bending over to ease up the tendons. It was really early because it was quite dark still and I said to him . . .’

Again everyone hung on his words.

‘I said, “You’re an early bird.’”

‘And?’ Anna wanted to grip him by his throat.

‘He said it takes one to catch one.’

‘Is that it?’ Paul asked, becoming as exasperated as Anna.

‘No. There’s something else. I went to the garage, got my car and, as I was driving out, I saw him and he was kicking the wall, like a karate kick, and next minute he was punching it as if he was really angry about something.’

Mrs Maisell had been thumbing through the diary and she now had something to add.

‘I met Miss Brooks a few weeks back – that’s the last time I’ve actually spoken to her. She was in Asda. The reason I remember is I go there once a month to buy those big bags of all-in-one dog meals. They’re cheaper there than anywhere else – not for us, for her upstairs.’

‘I wait in the car park,’ Morris said, looking disgruntled.

‘I was in the checkout queue and Tina, Miss Brooks, was in the next one, and you know it’s always the same, you get in one line and see the other one moving up faster. I saw her and said to her I should have joined her because she started off behind me and then she was ahead of me and then at the till while I was still waiting. Something was wrong with the woman in front of me; her credit card wasn’t going through.’

Anna felt like screaming. Paul stood up and asked Mrs Maisell why she recalled the incident.

‘She had some big containers of bleach – four of them that were this big.’ She indicated with her hands. ‘I said to her, “I hope you’re not doing tint jobs with those”, like a joke you know, because she’s a hairdresser, and she gave me such a look and then said she needed them for the salon as sometimes hair-dye won’t come out of their overalls.’

‘Did you see any other cleaning liquids in her trolley?’

‘I think she had some carpet cleaner.’

‘Can you give us the exact date this incident occurred?’

‘Yes, it was the sixteenth . . . or was it the seventeenth. Well, it was March and it was one of those days. I do the dog-food run every month. You’d be surprised how much that little dog can eat.’

Anna sat with Paul in her car. Neither had said much, but ideas were forming as they swapped information back and forth.

‘Day or so after Alan goes missing, there’s bleach, carpet cleaner?’

‘Could be for her salon?’ Anna suggested.

‘No, she’d have one of those special cards for business bulk buys.’

‘Then there’s Alan’s early morning run, punching out at the brick wall,’ Anna mused. ‘Doesn’t sound like the same person we’ve been told about.’

‘The new carpet order – why?’ Paul looked at Anna. ‘Kind of spoils the possibility that she bought the bleach to clean up evidence.’

‘Unless she couldn’t get rid of it? Blood and bleach stains are hard to get out of a carpet so she’s now ordered a new one.’

‘Shit, you going down that route, Anna?’

‘Yes, and don’t tell me you’re not thinking the same thing.’

‘Yeah, I am, I am – but we were there at her flat. Did you see any signs of there being a fight or cleaning up? There wasn’t anything that looked out of place.’

‘I could definitely smell bleach.’

Anna started the engine and said they should find out – visit the salon again and check for the bleach. If there was no sign of it they’d return to Tina’s flat. She also wanted to interview Tina’s next-door neighbour, the city slicker with the Lotus.

Feeling a hit of adrenalin kick them into action, they arrived at Tina’s Beauty Salon just after twelve. From the outside it didn’t look too busy and Anna suggested that Paul keep Tina occupied whilst she had a nose around.

Felicity recognised them and told them that Tina was not there, but was expected back early that afternoon.

‘Thank you, Felicity. We just wanted to have a look around, if that’s all right with you?’ In case she didn’t give permission, Anna flashed her ID badge. They both headed past the hairdressing section that had only one client under a dryer and another having a cut and blowdry. Donna was at the sink washing around the bowl with a water jet. She smiled at Anna.

‘Donna, can you show me the kitchen area? I’d like to ask a few questions, and maybe you’d make us a coffee?’

Donna turned off the spray and checked her client under the dryer. Then she led them to the same area behind the screens, and went to the coffee percolator. ‘There’s still some fresh as I just brewed some for myself. As you can see, we’re not busy today.’

‘Tell me, how do you clean up the floor here?’ Anna asked, looking at the black and white lino tiles.

‘We wash it all down, either after work or first thing in the morning.’

‘What do you use? It looks good.’

Donna pointed to a corner cupboard and said that all the equipment was stored in there. She added that she didn’t actually do the sweeping up or mopping – that was down to the juniors. Anna opened the cupboard. There were two large plastic containers of domestic bleach and some polish called Kool Floors, a couple of ragged mops, two brooms, a bucket, and that was about all that fitted into the small corner space. She examined one of the containers of bleach and shook it. It was almost empty and the other one was full.

‘When do you use the bleach?’ she asked, closing the cupboard.

‘Quite often. Sometimes there’re drops of dye, and with wet hair these tiles are difficult to keep spotless. With all the cut hair and the traffic going back and forth it’s often a mess with footprints, and she’s very particular.’

‘Tina?’

‘Yeah. She doesn’t use much bleach because of the smell so that’s done at night after we close.’

‘Where do you get the cleaning equipment from?’

‘Dunno, Tina buys it. Do you want milk and sugar?’

‘Thanks, just black for me with sugar.’

Felicity popped her head around the screens. ‘Can you fit in a blowdry, Donna, no appointment?’

Donna nodded and Felicity disappeared.

‘Where is Tina this morning?’

‘No idea, but I don’t think she has any appointments until this afternoon. We’re always quiet midweek unless it’s specials, half-price, like yesterday. That was pandemonium and we were short-staffed. A junior was off with flu and Kiara wasn’t in.’ Donna fidgeted and then said she should go and check on her client.

Left alone, Paul helped himself to coffee as Anna sipped the rather tepid cup she’d been given.

‘This isn’t fresh,’ she complained.

‘So what?’ Paul snapped, as he had the start of a headache.

‘This bleach is not from Asda,’ Anna said.

He was about to check in the corner cupboard when a striking-looking black girl with a head full of cornrows walked in.

‘Is that coffee fresh?’ she asked.

‘No – Kiara.’ Anna looked at the name on her salon smock.

Kiara gave her a rather haughty look.

‘Who are you? This area is for staff only, you know.’

Anna did the introductions and Kiara started to make up a fresh pot of coffee.

‘Is this to do with Alan?’

‘Yes.’

‘All this is a bit strange, isn’t it? Him taking off like that.’

‘You knew him?’

‘We all knew him, not that we had much to do with him. He’d wait for Tina in the car park sometimes, but he hardly ever came into the salon. He probably felt a bit self-conscious – I think he was shy.’ She laughed.

‘When was the last time you saw him?’

She sat down on one of the pink chairs and crossed her legs.

‘It has to be at least three months ago. He and Tina were having a row, I remember that.’

‘Where?’

‘Out in the car park. I park my car out there and it was after closing so I was on my way home.’

‘Did you hear what they were arguing about?’

‘No.’

‘You didn’t hear anything that was being said between them?’

‘Not really, no. They were sitting in his car, or it’s her car – the VW – and she was shouting, but I was not going to get involved. I just got into my car and drove out.’

‘What was Alan doing?’

‘Sitting there. To be honest I always found them an odd couple – she’s very volatile and she can really have a go at you, know what I mean? But he seemed a bit downcast. It was obvious who the boss was.’

‘They were engaged to be married, weren’t they?’

‘Yeah. Well, she flashed a diamond ring around, and I know she was looking at property to buy.’

Anna placed her half-empty coffee mug down on the table.

‘Do you think that Alan was the type to just walk out on Tina?’

Kiara pulled a face. ‘I dunno.’

‘Did you ever hear anything about there having been someone else he was seeing?’

‘I wouldn’t have liked to be in his shoes if she found out.’

‘Why do you say that?’ Anna asked.

‘Well, like I said before, the lady has a short fuse and I wouldn’t like to be caught on the end of it.’

‘Give me a scenario when you have seen Tina angry.’

Kiara suddenly didn’t want to answer any more questions, shaking her head and backing out.

‘Look, I don’t want to get in the middle of anything here. I know she’s got a temper and we’ve all had to bear the brunt of it sometimes, but she’s good to work for if you treat her right. Ask someone else, okay?’

Kiara left them and Anna helped herself to some of the fresh coffee Kiara had brewed, but not drunk. The next moment they got their own experience of Tina Brooks’s temper. She almost kicked the screen down as she faced them.

‘What the hell is going on here?’ she demanded, hands on hips. ‘Why are you asking my staff about my relationship with Alan? It’s none of their fucking business.’

‘We are just interviewing everyone who might give us some indication as to where he could be.’

‘Anybody working for me would know we kept our life private. I told you this – in fact, I’ve been fucking accommodating to you two whenever you turn up, and from now on if you want to see me again, you ask to do so through my lawyer. Now get out of my salon.’

Anna put her coffee down and Paul drained his mug.

‘Now – I want you out of here now.’

‘You know, Tina, this isn’t the best way—’

The young woman pushed Anna in the chest, interrupting her.

‘It’s my way. I’ve got enough pressure trying to deal with the fact he’s walked out on me. I don’t need this aggravation, I DON’T NEED IT.’

Anna walked out first and Paul followed quickly as they heard a crash of breaking china in the staff room. They both hurried through the salon, passing Donna blowdrying a customer’s hair. She gave them a smile, but wiped it off her face fast as Tina strode after them.

‘You want to talk to any of my staff, you ask me first.’

Anna opened the salon’s door. Felicity at reception looked terrified as Tina told her, ‘You hear me, Felicity? You don’t let anybody in here without my permission – and that includes the police.’

She slammed the door after them so hard, Paul was worried it would shatter the glass.

Anna whistled and then smiled. ‘Mmm, that was nice.’

‘You look as if you are starting to enjoy yourself,’ Paul said.

She laughed. ‘I wouldn’t exactly describe it as enjoyment, more like interesting.’ Paul didn’t say anything, but it was the first time he had heard her laugh properly. It perplexed him, because he had not found the interaction with Tina in any way amusing. On the contrary, it disturbed him.

‘Next port of call?’ Anna said as she started the engine. They were using her Mini rather than a patrol car.

‘City banking company over by Liverpool Street,’ Paul replied promptly.

‘What’s his name?’ Anna asked.

Paul pulled out his notebook and flipped over a page to a name he’d taken down; the occupant of flat one.

‘Michael Phillips.’

The journey took some time from Hounslow and Anna put the radio on. They sat listening to classical music on Radio 3. Paul’s hangover was still resting like a low dull thud so he closed his eyes, hoping it wouldn’t get any worse.

They parked and headed towards an impressive building close to the station. It had taken a while for Anna to get the doorman to allow them to park in the small private parking area. She showed her ID and said she was there on business and he gave her a sticker to place on the windscreen.

By this time Paul had asked a receptionist seated behind a large curved desk to contact Mr Phillips. She placed a call to the company of Aston & Clark Merchant Bankers and at the same time wrote down on two visitor’s cards his name and Anna’s. She slipped them into plastic covers with the phone hooked under her chin, repeating that she had DCI Travis and DS Paul Simms waiting.

‘Mr Phillips is in conference room three. If you go to the fourth floor, his secretary will meet you outside the lift.’

Together Anna and Paul pinned their visitor cards to their lapels and waited by a small gate for it to open and allow them to pass through to the lifts. The security of the company was very obviously a priority and it wasn’t until the receptionist had clicked open the automatic lock that they could pass through.

The glass lift had mirrored panels and thick carpet.

‘This all smells of money to me,’ Paul said, brushing a hand through his hair, looking at himself in the mirror.

‘Well, he must have some if he drives a Lotus, but compared to all this Newton Court is a bit downmarket – and he’s only renting.’

They reached the fourth floor and as the glass door opened to allow them to step out, a pretty blonde girl was waiting.

‘Good morning. I am Sarah, Mr Phillips’s secretary. He’s just finishing a meeting – it shouldn’t be more than a few minutes. Please follow me.’

They were led through a thickly carpeted corridor with numerous closed doors on either side. She reached the end and opened a door to conference room three. This was a corner room with long windows reaching from the floor to the ceiling. The table filled almost the entire space, with tubular steel and leather chairs surrounding it.

‘May I offer coffee or tea?’

‘Yes, thank you,’ Anna said, crossing to look out of the window.

‘Help yourself. There’s also herbal and decaf coffee.’

Sarah walked out, closing the door silently behind her. Paul was making himself a coffee and stuffing his mouth with a fresh croissant.

‘This is all very swish, isn’t it? Do you want herbal or what?’

Anna joined him, looking over the neatly arrayed rows of all the various teas and coffees.

‘I’ll have a Columbia, black.’ She picked up a chocolate digestive biscuit and took another look around the room. There was a stack of notebooks with sharpened pencils beside them with the logo of the company, A & C, entwined in navy blue. She carried her coffee to the table pondering which chair she should take, and decided to sit in the end one facing the door.

‘That’s probably the chairman’s seat,’ Paul said, wading through his second croissant.

Anna sipped the piping hot thick black coffee; it tasted good. Paul drew out a chair midway along the table with his back to the tall windows. After ten minutes and no show of Michael Phillips, Anna was getting impatient. They’d helped themselves to more coffee and biscuits and Paul had also helped himself to a couple of notepads and pencils. Then the door swung open and in strode the over-confident and very handsome Michael Phillips. He first crossed to Anna to shake her hand and then went to Paul.

‘I’m not sure what this is about, but I apologise for keeping you waiting. Have you had coffee or—?’

Anna interrupted his flow, holding up her cup. ‘Yes, thank you.’

He spread his arms, smiling. ‘I sit down, do I?’

Anna was immediately on her guard, not liking his manner. ‘As you wish, Mr Phillips.’

She then introduced herself and Paul, even though it was obvious he knew who they were. He chose a seat almost opposite Paul, but he drew the chair out far enough to cross one leg over his knee.

‘How long have you lived at Newton Court?’ Anna asked.

‘Not that long, actually.’

‘How long?’

‘Eighteen months. It’s a rental property.’

‘Long way for you to come to work here, isn’t it?’

‘Not really. I have only been with this company four months and previously to that I worked in a Barclays Bank not far from Hounslow. I have no intention of staying there much longer, but I had renewed my one-year lease.’

He was very slender, wearing a good grey suit with a pristine white shirt and black tie. He was also, Anna reckoned, about six foot two. He had very piercing dark eyes in a chiselled face, with strong cheekbones. His mouth was thin-lipped, which slightly diminished his handsome appearance, but he had thick glossy black hair parted on one side and had a habit of running his slender fingers through it. As she hadn’t spoken for a while she watched him pat his hair, tossing his head back slightly.

‘What is this about?’

‘You are a tenant and live next door to a Tina Brooks and her partner Alan Rawlins?’

‘Yes.’

‘Are you aware that Mr Rawlins is missing?’

‘Sort of, yes.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Miss Brooks actually knocked on my door a while back asking if Mr Rawlins was with me, though why she would ask me didn’t really make any sense as I hardly knew him.’

‘But you did know him?’

‘I’d pass him going to work and sometimes when I returned. He once asked me about my car and we chatted a bit, but I wouldn’t say I knew him.’

‘What did you make of him?’

‘Make of him? I don’t understand. I’ve just said I hardly even spoke to him.’

‘When was the last time you did that?’

He lolled back in his chair. ‘Erm . . . a few months ago.’

‘What happened on that occasion?’

‘As far as I can recall, I was coming into the block and he was leaving. He said hi or something like that and that’s it.’

‘What about Tina Brooks?’

‘I know they lived together, but that’s all I knew about them.’

‘So you didn’t socialise with them?’

‘No. To be honest, I can’t wait to leave, but it was very useful for me when I was at my previous job in Hounslow. I was working not too far away, but with all the present banking fiasco I was one of the first they let go, so I applied for numerous positions and got lucky here.’

‘What exactly do you do?’

‘Investments.’

Anna tapped her notebook and then gave a smile. ‘You look fit, Mr Phillips. Do you work out?’

‘Yes.’

‘Do you use the same gym as Tina and Alan?’

He nodded and then ran his hand through his hair.

‘I was a member at the local gym, but we have our own here in the basement so I didn’t renew my membership.’

‘So you must have met Tina there?’

‘Yes, she was there on a number of occasions, I think, but like I said I didn’t really know either of them and I used a personal trainer there so I didn’t really mix with anyone else.’

‘Did you ever hear any arguments between them?’

He sighed and shook his head. ‘No. I’m not wall to wall to them but opposite, so even if they had argued I doubt if I’d have heard them. They live in flat two and I am in flat one.’

‘Have you ever seen anything suspicious with regard to them?’

‘No. I leave early and I get back around seven. To be honest, the block is a bit of a dead zone apart from some tenants above; apparently their cooking smells drift upwards. I don’t think I’ve ever even met them. I know there’s a woman with a small yapping dog and a Mr and Mrs Maisell who I’ve bumped into a few times.’

‘But you didn’t know either Tina or Alan well?’

‘No. I’ve already said that I didn’t.’

‘Your flat is the same size as theirs?’

‘Yes.’

‘Quite large for a bachelor, isn’t it?’

‘Not at all. In fact, when I first looked over the place I was with a friend and it was sort of a maybe situation of us moving there together, but it didn’t work out.’

‘Girlfriend?’

‘Yes.’

‘So you’re not engaged?’

‘Been almost caught,’ he grinned, ‘but no, I’m single.’

‘Do you have an ongoing relationship now?’

‘No, actually I don’t. I’m playing the field, as they say.’

‘Did you ever play with Tina Brooks?’

His face tightened. ‘No – and if there is nothing more you need to ask me, I should get back to work.’

Anna stood up and gathered her notebook and pen, which she had not used, and slipped them into her briefcase.

‘What do you think happened to him?’ Phillips asked.

‘Well, we are trying to find out. Thank you for your time. Do you have a card in case we need to contact you again?’

When he stood up he towered above Anna and she reckoned she’d been out by a couple of inches; he was at least six foot four. He handed Anna his business card as he led them back to the lifts and waited until they stepped inside before moving off.

‘What do you think?’ Anna asked Paul, who had not said one word.

‘I dunno. He seemed like an okay bloke, bit of the flash type, but he didn’t come over to me like he was lying.’

‘Did to me,’ she said as they walked out to her car.

‘How do you mean?’

‘Come on – think about it. He’s young and around the same age as Alan and Tina, lives on their doorstep, but never gets friendly, drives a Lotus, and we know Alan’s a mechanic, et cetera, et cetera.’

‘Are you sure you’re not wanting him to be involved, because it didn’t come across to me that he was lying. He was good-looking though, wasn’t he?’

‘Oh please.’

‘In a hetero-very-sexual way.’

‘We’ll go back to the gym and ask them about him.’

‘Then what?’

‘I want our heterosexual neighbour checked out. See if he has ever come to police notice.’

‘He’s obviously earning a packet.’

‘Did you look at his shoes?’ Anna asked.

‘His shoes?’

‘Yes. Case I was on with Langton, we all missed our suspect and let him walk out on us, but Langton suddenly went crazy. It was the guy’s shoes. He came in as a Drug Squad officer and we were all fooled.’

‘What about his shoes?’

‘Handmade by Lobb and probably cost more than my week’s wages. Langton was correct; the guy hoodwinked every one of us.’

‘So Mr Phillips has expensive shoes.’

‘No, that’s just it – they were rundown at the heels. And I didn’t buy his story about why he’s living out in Hounslow in a rented flat if he’s working for that posh firm.’

‘Maybe they’re just comfortable.’

‘I also want to check out his phones, landline and mobiles, see if he lied about not socialising with our Tina Brooks, check if there are any phone calls between them.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘We also get a search warrant for Tina Brooks’s flat.’

‘You won’t get it through without more evidence.’

‘Want to bet? The bleach, carpet cleaner then the new carpet she’s ordered – we’ll get it through. As Langton’s been so keen on us following this up, I’ll get him to back me.’

They drove out of the parking area onto Bishopsgate. Paul was surprised by her newfound energy, unless it was down to the several cups of strong coffee, but Anna was buzzing.

‘This is all getting very interesting, Paul. I know at first I was pissed off, but I’m changing my mind as it’s possible Alan Rawlins isn’t missing: I think he could have been murdered. Pity we don’t have a body, but charges have been brought without one before.’

She gave him a smile and then returned to weaving in and out of the traffic, constantly using the car horn and swearing as they hit a snarl up by Ladbroke Grove. Paul felt very uneasy, and not just because of her erratic driving, although it did make him cringe back in his seat a few times, but rather because of her attitude. Anna seemed pleased about Alan Rawlins possibly being a victim. He himself was not so certain. They still had no real evidence to warrant a full-scale investigation, but he didn’t feel like getting into any kind of disagreement, especially not with a hangover.