by Helen Cox
Evie and Redmond looked at each other.
‘That’s no good,’ said Redmond. ‘Halloran’s nowhere near quick-witted enough to fully exploit t’ gaffer when ’e’s rattled. ’E doesn’t know any of the best stories about him or nothing. I’ll go out tut’ garden and check in.’
‘You sure?’ said Ricci, her mouth tightening. ‘It’s cold out there. Maybe there’s enough people in the garden for now. The party is supposed to be in here, after all.’
Was there a reason Ricci didn’t want people in the garden? Evie wondered. Surely she knew police officers have handled a lot tougher smites than a bit of a chill on a December night?
‘I’ve still got me coat on. Won’t be long,’ said Redmond.
‘All right,’ said Ricci. ‘If you must. It’s back into the hall, turn left through the kitchen and you’ll reach the back door.’
‘Gotcha,’ said Redmond.
‘In the meantime, Evie, let me take your coat upstairs,’ said Ricci.
‘Oh, thank you,’ said Evie, unbuttoning her coat and handing it over. Ricci offered her a brief smile and then followed Redmond out into the hall.
Evie turned back to the party then and walked towards Kitt and Charley.
Evie could only see Charley from behind but that was enough to take in the way the waistcoat she was wearing over a fitted white shirt and jeans cut close to her toned figure. The tension in her stomach subsided for a moment and was replaced with a little flutter. She smiled at the feeling as she approached her friend.
‘I see you’re your usual hour late,’ Kitt said with a knowing smile. ‘You’re a few drinks behind too.’
‘During the little chat I had with Redmond on the way here it came out that he preferred to be fashionably late to these things and I was at the mercy of him picking me up, so I’m not to blame this time,’ said Evie, and as she did so she saw something flash across Charley’s face. Pain?
‘Well, you’re here now,’ said Kitt. ‘Let me pour you a glass of wine.’
‘Thanks, white please,’ said Evie, before turning to Charley. ‘How are you?’
‘I’m fine,’ Charley replied. Was Evie imagining it or did her tone sound a touch too casual?
‘Just, fine?’ said Evie.
‘Just fine, can’t expect better than that under the circumstances.’
Evie nodded, though she wasn’t sure if Charley was referring to the fact they might be on the brink of unveiling her boss to be a murderer or if it was more personal than that.
Kitt’s phone buzzed and she swiped the screen while handing Evie her glass of wine. A moment later her eyes widened. ‘Where’s Ricci?’
‘Upstairs, putting my coat away,’ said Evie.
‘The second she gets down we’ve got to engage her in conversation somehow,’ said Kitt.
Charley frowned. ‘What’s going on?’
Looking over her shoulders to make sure nobody was paying much attention, Kitt turned her phone to Evie and Charley. The text message on the screen read: Disturbed earth in the garden. Keep Ricci busy.
‘Oh my God,’ said Evie, a little louder than she meant to.
‘Everything all right?’ said Ricci, from just a few feet behind them.
‘Yes,’ said Evie. ‘Just . . . just . . .’ She stared helplessly at her friend.
‘I was just teasing Evie about the crush DS Redmond has on her,’ said Kitt.
‘Oh yes,’ said Ricci. ‘Halloran mentioned he’d taken quite a shine to you. Apparently he’s found it quite difficult to talk about anything else since you two crossed paths.’
‘I’m going to get a glass of wine,’ Charley said, her posture tighter than Evie had ever seen it. She must have known that Evie’s relationship with Redmond was a cover, that was not the kind of thing Halloran would keep her in the dark about. So, why was she behaving as though Evie had done something to deliberately hurt her?
‘I just poured Evie the last of that bottle,’ Kitt said.
‘Just across the hall in the dining room there’s a little fridge set up for the white wines. The reds are in there too, on the table,’ said Ricci.
‘Thanks,’ Charley said, before stalking off towards the door.
Evie watched after her but then noticed Ricci studying her face and averted her eyes. ‘So, Superintendent Ricci—’
‘Oh no, call me Sofia,’ said Ricci.
‘Oh . . . Sofia?’ said Evie, with a slight frown.
Ricci put her glass of wine down on the mantelpiece and looked between Kitt and Evie. ‘Look, now that you’re both here, I want to tell you that I regret the fact that we got off on the wrong foot.’
‘You do?’ said Kitt.
‘I know full well how I must have seemed to you both on that first meeting. It’s difficult to explain. Let’s just say, being a female officer – especially in a position of influence within the force – isn’t easy. You spend all your time proving you’re as tough as you need to be and with the intimidation of starting a new job, I overdid it that day in the library. I do stand by what I said in terms of police business but I shouldn’t have said it the way I did.’
‘Well,’ said Kitt. ‘It’s very big of you to apologize and I want you to know that we would never intentionally meddle with a police investigation. You might have noticed I greatly admire police officers.’
‘Well, one particular police officer anyway,’ Evie teased.
Kitt narrowed her eyes at her friend. ‘You’re one to talk.’
Evie blushed. She knew Ricci would think she was blushing on account of Redmond, but in truth her thoughts were very much somewhere else.
Evie’s clutch, which was sitting on the mantelpiece next to Ricci’s glass of wine buzzed. ‘You don’t mind do you? It . . . it might be Redmond,’ Evie said, opening the bag and pulling out her phone.
‘Texting you from out the back?’ said Ricci. ‘Phones really do encourage the laziest habits.’
Evie smiled apologetically and then swiped her screen to get at the message which was, as she had thought, from Redmond.
Get Ricci into the garden now. Quick as you can.
Thirty-Two
If you’d asked her later, Evie couldn’t have told you exactly what words she’d used to make it clear that she, Kitt and Ricci needed to go out into the garden. Something about the boys wanting to show them something. Or perhaps had a surprise for them? Whatever she said, it worked. Evie felt herself begin to tremble as she approached the back door and the garden where Halloran, Percival and Redmond were waiting with God knows what.
‘Are you cold?’ Ricci asked. ‘I’m sure I’ve got a spare cardigan upstairs you can throw on. Or I could go and get your coat.’
‘Oh no,’ Evie said, trying to steady herself. ‘I’ll see how I go. I’m sure it will be fine and if I get too chilly I’ll just come back inside.’
Redmond, Percival and Halloran were standing to the side of a freshly dug hole.
Ricci’s eyes widened as she stared at the brown mound of earth. ‘What have you done to my garden?’ she asked.
‘The state of your garden is the least of your worries right now, ma’am,’ Halloran replied, holding up a clear plastic bag that contained a hammer. In the light cast by the strong bulb hanging over the doorway, Evie could see that there were splashes of red across the silver head. Was that Donald Oakes’s blood?
Chief Superintendent Percival’s face was a portrait of fury. ‘I can barely speak,’ he said. ‘I had my reservations about promoting someone as young as you to such a senior position but your record was so impeccable, so impressive, I was won over. I vouched for you and this is how you repay us. Murder. Blackmail. Betrayal.’
‘I’ve never seen that object before,’ said Ricci, her tone hard and assured. ‘I don’t understand what’s going on here.’
‘Given what else we’ve fo
und buried in your garden, I think you know exactly what is going on,’ Percival said through gritted teeth.
‘What?’ Ricci said, taking a couple of steps towards Halloran.
‘Buruk’s credit card is here too. Alongside an empty syringe and a turquoise scarf I believe I’ve seen you wearing – spattered with blood.’
‘That’s . . . that’s impossible,’ Ricci stuttered, and then out of nowhere her face hardened. ‘You’ve planted them there, haven’t you? Manipulated your way into my house and planted them because I suspended Banks. Or maybe you’ve just got a problem with taking orders from a female officer. Yes, that’s it.’
‘Before you hatch any other wild theories,’ said Halloran, ‘I think it’s best that you get yourself a lawyer.’
‘You can’t be serious?’ Ricci said, her face incredulous.
Redmond, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange, stepped forward holding a pair of handcuffs. ‘Sofia Ricci, you are under arrest on suspicion of murdering Donald Oakes and Alim Buruk. You do not have to say anything but it may harm your defence if you fail to mention anything that you later rely on later in court.’ Redmond paused. ‘Will handcuffs be necessary?’
Ricci shook her head.
Evie rubbed her arms, suddenly feeling the cold. She glanced just over her shoulder then to see that Charley was standing on the back doorstep. Her eyes were dark, narrow slits and her fists were clenched tight. Each breath seemed to force its way out of her mouth, sending a big huff of steam up into the December air. A second later, she turned and shot back into the house.
‘I better go and check Charley’s all right,’ Evie said to Kitt, and then quick as she could dashed inside, but Charley was nowhere to be seen.
‘Charley?’ she called, and then over and over again. ‘Charley!’
Then Evie noticed the front door had been left open, swinging in the winter breeze and letting all the heat out. She walked outside to see Charley already in her car. Looking at her stern profile, Evie knew at once that she shouldn’t be driving given the state she was in.
‘Charley, wait!’ Evie called as she ran out towards the car and started knocking on the window. Banks started, looked at her and then shook her head. The car inched forward.
‘Charley, please,’ said Evie, banging the flat of her palm against the window. ‘Please let me in.’
The window wound down and Charley glared at Evie.
‘What do you want?’
‘I want to make sure you’re OK, of course.’
‘Well, I’m not. That’s why I need to get out of here.’
‘You can’t drive, you’ve been drinking.’
‘No I haven’t. I had three sips of wine.’
‘Then I’m coming with you.’
‘I don’t need you to.’
‘I’m not saying you do. But I thought maybe you’d want me to.’
Charley swallowed hard and glared at Evie. ‘You should go back inside, Evie. You should go back to your friends.’
‘You’re my friend.’
‘We barely know each other.’
‘Interesting choice of words,’ Evie said with a smile.
Charley closed her eyes for a second and on opening them said, ‘OK, we’re friends. But nothing more. I’ve accepted that, all right? I just need to get out of here and blow off some steam.’
‘But Charley—’ Evie started, but it seemed Banks didn’t want to hear any more. She wound up the window, revved the engine and shot off into the darkness.
Thirty-Three
Trying to ignore the faint smell of sweat hanging in the air, Evie navigated her way around cross trainers and chest presses towards a set of double doors at the back of Foss View Gymnasium. According to the young man at the reception desk this was the small studio where Evie would find the punchbags. It was after midnight now and there was nobody else here, which vaguely made Evie question the usefulness of a 24-hour gym. Who came here at midnight to work out?
When she pushed through the double doors, however, she had her answer and it was exactly the one she was hoping for.
Charley was giving some of her worst to one of the punchbags hanging from the low ceiling. As she punched she huffed and grunted and it took all of Evie’s self-control to not let her mind wander onto other things. Onto some of the unforgettable sounds she heard from Charley the night they spent together.
Evie walked towards the officer and waited. After twenty seconds or so Charley paused in her assault and looked over to where Evie was standing.
She frowned. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘Just wanted to make sure you were OK.’
Charley’s frown only deepened. She picked up a towel from a bench near the wall and dabbed her face and chest.
‘How did you even find me?’ she asked, still panting a little from the exertion.
Evie shrugged. ‘This was the only 24-hour gym on Fossgate. I took a chance this is where you’d be. Less than a week as a detective and I catch a break like this.’
‘I didn’t know you were a member too.’
‘I’m not, I told the guy on the desk I wanted to trial the equipment to see if I wanted to join.’
‘And he just let you in?’
‘I don’t think he was that bothered, to be honest,’ said Evie. ‘At this time of night, I doubt his boss is kicking about.’
‘Well, you’ve seen I’m fine. So you can go now,’ said Charley. Her tone wasn’t mean, but it was distant. Which was as good as mean as far as Evie was concerned.
‘Charley, we should be celebrating. We caught the bad guy . . . or gal.’
‘Celebrating? Celebrating what? That my boss is a murderer who tried to have me framed for assault?’ She let out an incredulous laugh and stalked out of a doorway that, according to the rudimentary signage printed on A4 paper, led to the changing rooms.
Evie sighed and followed her. Charley took a bag out of one of the lockers. There was nowhere convenient to rest her belongings so she stepped into one of the cubicles and set her bag down on a bench. Evie expected the door to close but it remained open.
She paused just outside. Charley started taking off her T-shirt. Underneath, she was wearing a little black crop top. Evie’s eyes followed the toned lines of Charley’s body down to the scar she had revealed to her almost a week ago now. Just looking at it made Evie want to kiss it again. She swallowed, trying to swallow that thought down with it. Charley opened the bag and pulled out a fresh tank top.
‘When you put it like that, I suppose I can see how you might not be in the mood to celebrate,’ said Evie. ‘It might not feel like it, but this is a victory.’
‘Can’t you understand that right now I just need to be angry? That bitch almost cost me my whole career,’ said Charley, her fists clenching at her sides. ‘If you only knew the sacrifices I’ve made to get to where I am.’
‘But we got her. We caught her, for you. It’s over now.’
‘Just because it’s over, doesn’t mean the pain just goes away,’ said Charley.
‘I know that better than anyone,’ Evie half-shouted, tears rising in her eyes.
Charley jumped at Evie’s unexpected outburst. Evie gestured towards her face, towards her scars. The officer’s whole body seemed to soften. In a moment, faster than Evie could even blink back her tears, Charley had closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms tight around Evie. Pecking her on the forehead, and then down along her cheek. ‘I didn’t mean that. I didn’t think. I’m just so angry about Ricci.’
Evie was fairly sure that Charley wasn’t being affectionate out of anything more than friendliness, but the second the officer’s body was pressed against hers a heat rose inside anyway. She took a deep breath and smiled as Charley’s intoxicating scent filled her lungs. She held onto it for a moment before breathing out.
‘I
know you wouldn’t want to hurt me,’ said Evie, wrapping her arms around Charley. ‘I know I’m safe with you.’ As those words left Evie’s mouth, she realized just how true they were, and wondered if that was one of the reasons why she found herself so attracted to Charley. With the boyfriends she’d had in the past, she had never been able to fully relax – no matter how intimate the situation. She had always felt on edge, even though there was nothing particularly threatening or intimidating about them. It was some unspoken discomfort, some sense that she couldn’t show her true self. But that wasn’t how it was with Charley. Charley didn’t see her vulnerabilities as weakness or expect her to be childish all the time just because she had a playful sense of humour. She just let Evie be whatever she wanted to be in the moment, and Evie wanted to do the same for her.
Slowly, Evie started to stroke Charley’s hair. Charley’s muscles tensed and she withdrew from the hug, frowning in what looked like confusion.
Evie continued to play with the chestnut strands framing Charley’s face and looked steadily into those charcoal eyes. Evie leant forward.
‘But . . . I thought—’
‘Shh,’ said Evie, before kissing the very corner of Charley’s mouth, and then kissing her nose, and then returning once again to her lips. When their mouths met a second time, Evie felt Charley surrender to the kiss, making small desperate moans and pulling Evie’s body tight against hers.
The pair parted and stared at each other, panting. Charley’s head turned towards the mirror in the changing room and then back to Evie. Charley looked Evie’s body and then smiled.
In spite of herself, Evie couldn’t help but smirk at Charley’s expression. ‘Now what’s going through that head of yours?’
Charley didn’t answer; instead she placed both hands gently on Evie’s shoulders and turned her to face the mirror. She moved to stand behind Evie and from this angle began unbuttoning Evie’s winter coat.
‘What are you—’
