by Clare Revell
Farrell’s bearing changed in an instant, the way it always did. He smiled sweetly, hands sliding into his pockets, a hint of ice flashing in the depths of his eyes. “I’m fine, thank you. And yourself?”
“I’m good.” Zander moved to Isabel’s side. “Did you bring your notebook, Isabel? There was something I wanted to go over from the case conference this afternoon before I forgot.”
“I did.” Grateful to have a partner who could think on his feet, Isabel opened her bag and searched for her notebook. “You’ll have to excuse us, Farrell. As you can see, we’re still working. Goodbye.”
~*~
Zander cheered silently as Farrell spun on his heel and left. Then, he gently guided the now shaking Isabel back onto the bench. “Sit for a minute. Well done, you.” He hugged her.
She hugged him back. “I don’t feel so good.”
He circled a hand over her back, and then let her go. “You’ll be fine. It’s all the adrenaline in your system. Drink your juice and breathe a while. Leave your notebook out open as cover. I don’t want to discuss work anymore today.”
Isabel picked up her glass and took a long sip. Colour slowly returned to her face. “Needed that. Been a long day.”
He went with her change of subject. “That it has been. But are you enjoying CID?”
Isabel glanced at him over the rim of the glass. “You mean have I put in my transfer back to uniform over at Fleet Street yet?” She shook her head. “That ship has well and truly sailed, my friend. You are stuck with me.”
“I think I can live with that. So long as…” Zander broke off, his mind whirling. How had Farrell found them so fast?
“I’m beginning to know that look. I can almost see the cogs turning from here. What are you thinking?”
“We weren’t followed. So how did he know where you were?”
She shrugged. “He always knows where I am. I’ve often wondered how he does it, but never worked it out—despite being a cop. I’ve ruled out the obvious things like a tracking device in my handbag or something. But it doesn’t matter. I ended it. It’s over…isn’t it?”
Zander clicked his fingers. Of course—he was tracking her phone. A well-known TV soap had used the idea a few months back and it didn’t take much doing. “Can I see your phone?”
She plucked it from her bag and gave it to him. “Why?”
“Are you ever without it?”
“Not on it much, but it’s always with me as it lives in my bag. What are you thinking?”
He pulled up a few of her apps and scowled. “Can you manage without it tonight?”
“Of course. I hardly use it. And I have an old-fashioned radio alarm clock rather than using the phone. As I said, it always lives in my bag.”
“Good.” He tucked it into his shirt pocket. “We need somewhere else for you to sleep tonight. Is there somewhere you can go that Farrell doesn’t know about?”
Isabel shook her head. “No. There’s only home or Gran. And he knows both those places.”
Surprise rocked him. “No other family or friends?”
“None.”
“I’d suggest my couch, but I want to test a theory and I don’t want you anywhere near your phone while I’m doing it. One sec.” He stood and headed over to where the DI sat. “Guv, can I ask a favour?”
“Sure. Is she OK? I saw Mr. Vixen leave as I arrived.”
“She stood up to the jerk and told him where to go, if that’s what you mean. She’s shaken, but all right. He’s clever. Soon as he realised I was there, he was all smiles, sweetness and light.” He paused. “I think Farrell is tracking her phone and want to test my hypothesis. Is there any chance she can spend the night at the station where it’s safe?”
The DI snorted. “You want to lock her in a cell?”
Zander grinned. “No. I was thinking more of the suite on the top floor. It does have a bed, right?”
DI Holmes nodded. “I’ll ring and make the necessary arrangements. You get her there. If you’re right, and we can’t remove the bug, she’ll need a new phone. Let me know in the morning.”
Zander nodded and rose. “I will. Thanks, Guv.” He headed back over to Isabel. “Come on, you. Let’s go.”
“Where?” She grabbed her bag and stood.
“Someplace safe. Just for tonight.”
“OK. Can I ask why?”
He shook his head. “Just trust me and pray that I’m right.”
She gave him a curious look. “Wouldn’t you rather be wrong?”
He finished his juice. “No. Because then I’m back to square one. At least if I’m right, we can solve at least part of the problem.”
4
Isabel left the office on the top floor of the nick and headed to the showers in the locker room. She’d never have guessed the assault victim’s suite had a bed up there. Or that she’d be spending the night in it. When Zander had brought her back here last night, she’d imagined spending the night in the cells, his idea of a ‘safe place’ being a joke. But she had to admit, sleeping in the nick was the safest she’d felt for a long time, and the best night’s sleep in a while.
Today would be a new start. Without the shadow of Farrell looming over her.
One hot shower and a canteen breakfast later, she headed to the squad room. She set the kettle to boil and sank into her chair. Leaning back, she gazed out of the window. Yet another cloudless, blue sky.
“Morning.” Zander’s voice made her jump.
She clamped a hand to her chest, overdoing the surprised response. “Don’t sneak up on me like that. You almost gave me a heart attack.”
“Sorry.”
She caught the twinkle in his eye. “No, you’re not.”
“No, you’re right. Not sorry in the slightest.” He dropped into his chair and swung it to face her. “How did you sleep?”
“Really well. So, did your plan work?”
He nodded slowly. “You need a new phone and a new number. He was tracking your phone. Knew where it was all the time. It had one of those spy apps on it.”
Isabel swallowed hard, bile rising. “How? My phone is always in my bag.”
“Unless you always had your bag with you twenty-four-seven, he could easily have taken it out and used it. It only takes a few seconds to hit the app store, download, and install.” He handed her the phone. “I wasn’t sure about showing you these, but you need to know what kind of a bloke he really is.”
Isabel groaned, cheeks burning as she scrolled through the half dozen or so messages she’d been sent overnight. All ranging on the “so you won’t sleep with me, but you’ll sleep with him” theme. Several were tinged with curses and slurs on her character.
“He’s been tailing me?” She buried her face in her hands. Why had she let herself be sucked in by this bloke? She should have known better. At least she’d ended it and come out of the relationship relatively unscarred.
“This spyware also accesses all your texts, emails, and social media. It’s a nasty one and impossible to remove. We’ll go and get you a new phone today—preferably one that can’t be tracked—and cancel the account on this one. You’ll also need to change your passwords on everything. Or just set up new accounts everywhere.”
“I’ll get the phone I wanted in the first place.” She pushed a hand through her hair. “A pay-as-you-go, plain and boring phone that just does calls and texts. Not that I can afford it this month. I’ll just go without a phone until payday.”
“You need one for work. Let me speak to the Guv when he comes in, but this one is going away.” He dropped it into an evidence bag. “I want the tech blokes to take a proper look.” Leaning closer, Zander braced his hands on the armrests of the chair and studied her for a moment. He straightened. “Have you eaten?”
She pulled her hair away from her face, guilt turning to frustration and anger. How could she have been so stupid and gullible? “Yes. You can go check with the canteen if you want, but their bacon and egg is amazing. You should try it
sometime.”
“Maybe I will. It’s about time someone else in this place other than me ate bacon. Then while I make some coffee, you can set up a new email account. I don’t want you using the one linked to this phone again. Later the tech blokes will transfer any emails you want to keep to your new account in their sneaky and untraceable way. After that we’re heading out. Busy day doing surveillance over by the park.” He stood and dropped a file onto her desk. “That’s the background you need to know before we leave.”
Isabel took the file. “It was hard enough coming up with a name for the last email account. So, I used my own name.”
“You want something totally different and unrelated to what you do.” He angled his head and smirked. “How about your childhood TV hero?”
Isabel laughed despite the way she felt inside. “Super Ted.”
“I loved that programme. Does Farrell know that?”
She shook her head.
“Fantastic. Make it superted or spottyman or another character from it at whatever email service you want. Or something like that. I would suggest you don’t use the same server as before, though. Oh, and use a Bible verse reference as the password. Don’t forget to capitalise something that isn’t the first letter.”
Isabel nodded and pulled the keyboard across her desk. She logged onto a popular email site and set up the new account. The name she chose hadn’t been taken, for which she was thankful. She drummed her fingers on the desk before picking a verse. Isaiah 40:31. Her favourite verse. They that wait upon the Lord… She could certainly do with a little renewing of strength. And eagle’s wings would be great as well.
The new email account set up, she logged out. Next she logged onto her social media page and changed the password for that, before deleting it, just to be on the safe side. Not like she had many online friends anyway, and those few she had never interacted with her. She hardly ever checked it anyway, so wouldn’t miss it. The few game apps she used, could be accessed via an email with the new phone.
Finally done, she opened the file Zander had given her and began to read.
~*~
The rest of the week fell into a pattern and Friday evening was quickly upon them.
Zander was pleased that Isabel slotted right into the squad and learned fast. They hadn’t seen anything of Farrell since the incident in the park on Tuesday, which was a good thing. The only problem, if he could call it that, was Isabel’s constant refusal to ever drive the service car.
He closed the last folder on his desk and stretched. He eyed Isabel beavering away on the paperwork for their last case. “What have you got planned for the weekend?”
Isabel looked up and shrugged one shoulder. “Not much. The DI gave me the on call. Thus, I’m on duty so not going anywhere.”
“That doesn’t mean you have to come in and sit here all weekend.” He winked. “If you’re needed, the station will ring you—hence your shiny new phone. Otherwise you spend your weekend as normal. Aside from not being more than thirty minutes away from the nick. We take it in turns to do the weekends. There’s a rota over on the notice board above the kettle. It would have been Tony this weekend.”
“Your old partner?”
He nodded. “That’s why it’s you instead. It isn’t picking on the newbie, I promise.” He angled his head and studied her. “Is everything OK?”
“Yeah.” She shot him a smile. “Why?”
“You haven’t had any more trouble?”
“None at all. The new phone hasn’t rung once. Not that he has the number, only you and work do. And I haven’t seen his car around anywhere.” Her eyes twinkled. “It’s nice. Freeing. If that’s a word.”
He grinned. “If it isn’t, it should be.”
Footsteps crossed the room. “Zander?”
He frowned, recognising his girlfriend’s voice instantly. What was she doing here? He was meant to be picking her up later. He turned slowly. “Rosa? I wasn’t expecting you. Is everything all right?”
“Yeah, fine. I was passing and thought I’d see if you’d finished as it was gone five thirty. The desk sergeant said it was all right to come up.” Rosa fiddled with the visitors ID she wore around her neck.
He rose and kissed her cheek. “I’ve missed you. How was the school trip?”
“It was good, hectic, but good. Nigel was sick, so Phil came as a last-minute replacement. The kids seemed to enjoy themselves. You are finished? I haven’t caught you at a bad time?”
“It’s fine. You can meet Isabel York, my new partner. Isabel, this is Rosa Shipman, my girlfriend.”
The two women shook hands. He recognised the smile on Rosa’s face as fake. Were the women sizing each other up?
“How long have you been partners?”
Rosa’s icy tone took Zander by surprise. And that look on her face? More like a female tiger protecting her cubs than anything else.
“Five days,” Isabel replied.
“Five very long days,” Zander teased, wanting to take the freezing edge off the room. If he didn’t know better, he’d say the temperature had just dropped by about fifty degrees. He winked at Isabel as he yanked his jacket off the back of his chair. He grabbed the files on his desk and locked them in the top drawer. “As I said, just respond to work if they call. Which they won’t do unless they really need you. Anything you get stuck on or need a hand with give me a bell. Otherwise I will see you bright and early Monday morning.”
Isabel seemed much happier now that Farrell wasn’t hanging around her all the time. Of course, the random patrol car sweeping past her place probably helped. She didn’t know about that and never would. But if there really was no sign of the bloke, maybe they could call off the surveillance—after another week or three.
“OK. Have a good evening and a fun weekend,” Isabel said, encompassing both of them with a friendly expression.
Rosa’s smile was decidedly frosty. “Thank you. We will. Zander’s taking me on a movie-dinner date.” She glanced at the window as rain thudded against it. “And I left my umbrella at home.”
“I have one in the car. Night, Isabel.” He led Rosa towards the squad room door. “Anyway, we need the rain. The lawn is looking sorry for itself. And it’s been far too hot all week.”
They walked down the stairs leading to the car park.
Rosa didn’t say a word the whole way.
He didn’t remember the last time that happened. He opened the door for her. “You’re quiet.”
Rosa stayed inside the entrance, not venturing out into the rain. “She’s a woman.”
Zander did a double take. “Who? Isabel?”
“You didn’t say your new partner was a woman.”
He shook his head in a mixture of amusement and amazement. “I haven’t seen you all week as you’ve been away on this school trip to the Isle of Wight. So, when we did speak on the phone, I had other things to talk about. Besides, it’s not important.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Yes, it is. You spend all day, every day with her. In the company of a very pretty woman and—”
He laughed. “You’re jealous.”
“No, I’m not.” Rosa argued back; way too fast.
“Yes, you are.” He pulled her against him, tucking her long, black hair behind her ears. “There’s no need.”
“Promise?”
“Promise. There’s really no difference between her and Tony. Other than several inches in height. And I didn’t fancy him either.” He kissed her gently. “Now, let’s go. We’ll have time to grab a leisurely coffee before the start of the film.”
They ran over to the car and got semi-soaked in the torrential downpour.
Zander drove out of the car park and turned right. Fortunately, the cinema was a short distance from the nick.
Isabel stood at the bus stop; her long hair plastered against her head. He guessed she’d left the office immediately after them but gone out the main entrance. She wore a thin cardigan over her dress, no umbrella in sight.
Zander signalled and pulled over. He opened Rosa’s window and leaned across. “Isabel, do you want a lift?”
“No, thank you. The bus will be here soon.” She shivered.
“You’ll drown in this rain. You’re already soaked.”
“I can dry off at home. Seriously, it’s fine. I got a return ticket this morning and don’t want to waste it. Besides, I’ll get your upholstery wet.”
“It’ll dry. Just get in the car. I don’t want to have to break in another new partner if you catch pneumonia.” He grinned. “Not now I’ve finally taught you to make coffee.”
“We don’t have time for a detour,” Rosa objected.
“Yes, we do.” Zander kept his sigh to himself. He hadn’t been picking Rosa up for over an hour. There was more than enough time to get his partner home first. “Isabel, get in the car. Please.” He winked. “Don’t make me add the sugar and cherries on the top of the please.”
Isabel hesitated, and then nodded. “OK, thanks.” She got in the back and reached for her seatbelt.
Zander checked the road behind him before pulling away from the kerb.
“Not making you late, am I?” Isabel asked.
“Nope, we have plenty of time.”
Rosa cleared her throat, drawing his attention to her, and flashed him a glower.
He ignored the look. What was he meant to do? Leave a woman standing in the pouring rain? That wasn’t chivalrous or gallant and went against every grain in his body. The fact Isabel was his partner was irrelevant. He’d do the same thing for the little old lady who lived next door if he saw her at a bus stop. The air grew thick as he drove to Isabel’s house and dropped her off. “See you Monday.” He turned the car around and headed back the way they’d come. He sighed. “Spit it out, Rosa.”
“So, nothing to worry about? She’s just your partner.”
Irritation flared. “No there isn’t, and yes she is! And you’re telling me that if that had been Phil from your school standing there, you wouldn’t have done the same thing.”
Rosa did a double take. “P—Phil?” Her voice fluttered.
“Yeah. Six-foot-three, blond, looks like that bloke off the telly. Went on this school trip with you for the week.” Zander shot her a sideways glance.
