Dead of Winter

Chapter 37

After the meeting Harding went to Davidson’s office.

‘Can I have a word?’

‘Of course.’

She closed the door behind her. ‘I had dinner with Martingale last night.’

Davidson felt bitter betrayal well up in the pit of his stomach. He wasn’t sure whether it was because he had been sidelined or whether he still wanted Harding and he knew that dinner meant dessert.

‘Congratulations. . and?’

Harding sat down. She knew he’d be irritated but she had more important things on her mind. It wasn’t even as if the night had been any good. ‘He seems to be perfectly at ease with the new investigation, hopeful of a better outcome this time.’ Davidson looked away towards the window. He took that as a criticism. His face had become gaunt in the last few days. His eyes were dark-rimmed. ‘He isn’t so keen on being visited at his house. He’s a very private person.’

‘I know. . I have warned Carter to be discreet; but, after all, I am doing what you suggested: handing it over to someone who I know will keep it transparent.’

‘He wants me to keep him personally informed of the investigation.’

Davidson looked at her curiously. ‘As in?’

She stared back. ‘I think he was implying that he’d like me to supply him with inside information.’

‘Bloody cheek.’

‘Yeah. I know.’ She smiled. ‘Don’t worry, John. I’m not that wet behind the ears. I can spot a bribe even when it’s disguised inside a trip to his house in South Africa, a new CT scanner and enough flowers to fill a crematorium.’

‘Why would he need to?’

‘You know him better than me, John. You’ve been to more corporate dinners with him. You tell me? My guess is he’s a control freak. He wants to be one step ahead: hates surprises. Hates being out of control. I think we both need to keep our distance from him, John. We don’t want to be seen to be giving preferential treatment.’

‘I don’t intend to give him anything but what he deserves: respect and consideration. None of this can be easy for him.’

Harding looked at him incredulously, with a hint of pity as she shook her head. ‘Don’t, John. There’ll be other opportunities. . retirement-wise. Other boards to sit on.’

‘I’m not thinking about that,’ he snapped back.

‘Of course you are.’

Ebony came back from the canteen and went back to her desk. She looked across at Jeanie. Jeanie wasn’t looking good. She’d gone down with the pre-Christmas mini-flu that was going round the office. Her eyes were glassy, her face flushed. Ebony saw Carter disappearing in the direction of Davidson’s office in the corridor outside.

‘You alright, Jeanie?’

‘Yeah. . I’ll survive.

‘Where’s Carter going?’

Jeanie raised her eyebrow in the direction of Davidson’s office. ‘Results from Sonny’s post-mortem are back.’

Carter stood alone in Davidson’s office.

‘Sonny was killed by drowning but he was unconscious at the time. No sign of him struggling. There is a swelling to the side of the head which has the shape of someone’s knuckles in it. There are distinctive scars on the knuckles.’

‘Trevor Bishop is pretty sure we’ll be able to match it to someone’s fist if we get a suspect. He has ketamine and diazepam in his bloods not to mention a large amount of cocaine present in the urine in his bladder. Someone would have had to make sure he was going to sleep for a long time. His wallet was still there but no house keys.’ Davidson handed Carter a slip of paper with a hint of amusement in his eyes. ‘His mother had an address for him.’

Carter looked at it and read it.

‘Result, sir.’ Carter looked up at Davidson and grinned.

‘Yes, the deeds show the flat belongs to Digger Cain.’ said Davidson. ‘Sandford’s on his way round to the flat now.’

‘Okay, sir. I’ll swing by the flat on the way to see Digger, sir.’

‘Has Robbo got any further tracing Tanya’s last movements when she left Cain’s?’

‘He’s looking through the CCTV film sir. The surveillance team opposite Cain’s caught her coming out and getting into a cab. They’re trying to get a better image of it from other cameras on the street.’

‘Okay. Before you do, Carter, how far have you got with reassuring Carmichael? Has he been in touch since Ebony went up there?’

‘No, sir.’

‘Is he still at the farm?’

‘I’m not sure, sir.’

‘Find out and if he’s not? We need to find him. We don’t want him running loose and possibly intimidating people connected with this case. A court would throw the case out for that.’

‘Yes, sir.’

‘You have heeded what I said about being thorough but being discreet, haven’t you, Carter?’

‘Yes, sir.

‘Don’t go near Mr Martingale understood?’

‘Yes, sir.’ He pocketed the piece of paper with Sonny’s address and left.