by Celina Grace
**
The office was quiet when Kate returned; Rav sat at his computer, frowning and tapping at his keyboard. Theo was in DCI Weaver’s office—Kate had seen them discussing something quite animatedly as she’d passed the glass wall of Nicola’s office. She hoped that it was because Theo had found something in the historic cases database that might indicate a link to the present crimes. Then she remembered all the preparation she had to do for her party and, rather guilty, hoped he hadn’t.
“Hey, Rav. How’s it going? Anything?”
Rav looked up and sighed. “Absolutely nothing so far. I can’t find a single manufacturer or a retail outlet that sells these things.” He indicated the evidence photograph of the statue that lay next to his keyboard. “I’m wondering whether it was foreign-made.”
“That’s a possibility.” Kate gave silent thanks that it wasn’t her who had to do all this tedious but necessary research. “What else is there?”
Rav shrugged. “Dunno. Anyway, I’m going snow-blind here. Want a coffee?”
“Yep. Have a break.”
They went over to the kitchen area at the back of the room and Rav filled the kettle.
“You still okay to come over on Saturday?” Kate asked, crouching down to try and find her favourite mug in the cupboard.
“Yeah, sure. It’ll just be me, though.”
Kate glanced up in surprise. “Oh. Jarina not feeling well?”
Rav looked both shy and proud. “Well, actually, I wasn’t going to say anything yet, but…she’s pregnant.”
Kate leapt up with a cry. “Rav! That’s fantastic news. Oh, that’s brilliant, I’m thrilled for you.” She gave him a hug. “Fabulous news.”
“Thanks,” Rav said, sounding both pleased and embarrassed. “Keep it to yourself though, yeah? Please, Kate? We didn’t want to tell anyone ‘til we’ve had the twelve-week scan.”
“Of course, I won’t say anything. When’s the scan?”
“Next week.”
Kate gave him another hug. His slender frame felt delicate beneath her arms and she thought, how funny, Rav’s going to be a father. He only really seems like a boy himself still.
“I’m sure everything will be fine. But, of course I won’t say anything, you have my word.”
“Thanks,” Rav said gratefully, and they made their coffees and returned to their desks.
Kate attempted to bring her attention back to the job, but every so often she glanced up and gave Rav a conspiratorial smile and once, a little thumbs up. Then, with the sound of Theo and Nicola approaching the room, she hastily returned her attention to the computer and began the search for the case which had so badly affected Amanda Callihan.
Chapter Thirteen
Kate opened the door to Anderton that night at about ten o’clock, having spent the previous three hours in frantic preparation for Saturday’s party. Now, the house was festooned with black and orange paperchains, spider-web bunting hung from the stairs and no less than three giant pumpkins, grinning manically, adorned the porch. Space had been cleared in the kitchen cupboards for the Ocado delivery, and Kate had had to put several bottles of wine outside the back door, as she’d run out of room in the fridge.
“Blimey, what happened to you?” asked Anderton, proffering a bottle of red and a pizza box.
Kate caught sight of herself in the hallway mirror and groaned. She was hollow-eyed, greasy-haired and filthy. “I thought I’d demonstrate my Halloween costume early.”
Anderton chuckled. “And there was me thinking you were going for the hot vampire look.”
“I think that might be a contradiction in terms.” Kate kissed him and shut the front door behind him. As she did, the wind blew a handful of dead leaves into the hallway. “Damn.”
“Leave them. They look quite atmospheric,” Anderton said, glancing around at the decorations. “Now, why don’t you sit down and I’ll sort us out something to eat.”
“Don’t mess up the kitchen too much,” warned Kate, but she staggered gratefully into the sitting room and slumped down on the sofa.
She watched the flicker and glimmer of the logs in the fireplace, half-dozing whilst listening to the comforting sounds of Anderton moving about in the kitchen. Merlin, looking suitably spooky, came in and jumped onto the sofa to curl up on her stomach.
“Kate. Kate.”
“Mmmm?” Kate dragged her eyes open to see Anderton holding out a plate of pizza and salad. “Oh, thanks.”
“Try and stay awake to eat it.” Anderton sat down at the end of the sofa and pulled Kate’s feet onto his lap.
“Don’t rub my feet or I’ve got no chance.” Kate hauled herself into a sitting position, dislodging an indignant Merlin, and tried to wake up.
“Busy day, then?”
“When isn’t it?” Kate tried to avoid talking with her mouth full, but she was too ravenous for politeness.
“Any breakthrough yet?”
Kate swallowed a mouthful of pizza. “I’m looking into Amanda Callihan’s past. Something happened up north, in Whitehaven. I was reading all about it all afternoon.” She stopped talking for a moment. “Hang on a minute—”
Anderton waited expectantly. Kate thought for a minute. What was it about Whitehaven that had rung a bell?
“That’s it,” she said slowly, thoughts becoming clear. “Whitehaven’s in the Lake District, isn’t it?”
“Last I heard.”
“Well, then,” said Kate. “Roland Barry had two pictures of somewhere in the Lake District in his house. What if that’s another connection?”
Anderton nodded. “Something to look into, definitely. Run it past DCI Weaver tomorrow.”
Kate groaned. “Fat chance of her letting me poke around up there.” She swallowed the last mouthful on her plate. “God, I needed that.”
“You need sleep. Go on, go up and get some rest. I’ll clean up down here.”
Kate gave him a grateful kiss and headed upstairs. She fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.
The next day dawned cold but bright, a crisp autumn day where the sunlight touched the last of the brightly coloured leaves still clinging the branches of the trees. Kate, rejuvenated by a good night’s sleep for once, drove to work feeling cheerful. She had a good sense of where she could go next in her investigations, and she had the party to look forward to tomorrow.
“You’re coming to the party, aren’t you?” she enquired of Theo as they made their morning coffee.
“Yeah, course I am, mate. Any hot single friends of yours going?”
“Oh, God, not you as well.”
Theo looked puzzled. “What’s the problem?”
Kate recollected herself. “Oh, nothing. What are you dressing up as?”
“It’s a surprise.”
Kate laughed. “You haven’t even got a costume, have you?”
“I said, it’s a surprise,” Theo said, grinning. He flung his teaspoon into the kitchen sink. “Are we all going?”
“Yes, I think so. Mark’s going to try and get a babysitter.”
“What about Nicola?”
Kate blinked. The thought of asking DCI Weaver hadn’t even crossed her mind. “Er… I don’t know.”
Theo frowned. “Have you even asked her?”
“Er—no.” Kate felt a little jab of shame. It was a bit mean of her to have invited everybody bar one. “I—I didn’t think it would be her thing.”
“She’s not as bad as you think, you know.”
“Right.” Kate squared her shoulders. “I’ll go and ask her now.”
She left her coffee in the kitchenette and marched towards Nicola’s office, groaning inwardly, both at Nicola’s anticipated sharp refusal and the uncomfortable feeling that Kate had behaved badly by not including her. Kate blew out her cheeks and knocked at DCI Weaver’s door, which was as firmly shut as always.
“Hello,” Kate said, rather awkwardly on being asked to enter. DCI Weaver looked up without expression. “I’m—I just wond
ered… I’m having a Halloween party at my place tomorrow, and I just wondered whether you’d like to come? Sorry about the—” She bit off what she was going to say about the lateness of the invitation. Don’t make it worse, Kate.
DCI Weaver looked blank for a moment. Then she smiled— a small smile but a definite one—and said, “That’s kind of you to ask, DI Redman, but I’m—I’m afraid I have plans.”
“Right! Right, no problem, completely understand. I just thought I’d ask—” Kate said, nodding and smiling. She said “Right,” a few more times and backed out of the office, feeling like all kinds of an idiot.
She hurried back to her desk to immerse herself in work. Chloe looked up as she flung herself into her chair. “Did you get anything on Amanda Callihan’s past?”
“I certainly did.” Kate grabbed the folder which contained the various newspaper reports she’d tracked down online. “Awful case. I vaguely remember it, actually.”
“What happened?”
Kate grimaced. “The usual sad story. A child was being abused and neglected, social services got involved but not soon enough and didn’t do a very good job.” She extracted one of the photocopies. “The little girl was called Kayla Scott. She was born to a teenage mother, Emma-Jane Scott, and social services were involved from the start because of the mother’s age. Everything seemed okay. Emma-Jane got a lot of support from her mother, apparently, but then she, Emma-Jane, I mean—met this guy and things went downhill from there.”
Chloe took the photocopied sheet and read it, her mouth turning down. “Let me guess, the baby starts showing signs of abuse.”
“Yes. The grandmother—what was her name? Oh yes, Linda Scott. She started pressuring Emma-Jane to give Kayla to her for adoption, or fostering or something. Emma-Jane didn’t want to; they had a massive falling out, social services were going to take the child into care.”
Chloe had read to the end of the sheet, and sighed. “And before that could happen, Kayla died.”
“Yes, a suspicious death but because of various things, the case against the bloke, Jay Greeling, collapsed and he walked free. The police didn’t charge Emma-Jane with anything.”
“Why not?”
Kate shrugged. “Lack of evidence, I suppose. They bungled the original investigation, no two ways about it. Linda Scott made a number of threats against the social workers in the case and was cautioned. I think she was even going to try and sue them but gave up or thought better of it.” Kate sat back down and propped her chin on her hands, looking across at Chloe. “So, a defenceless little girl dead and a bloody balls-up from start to finish.”
“And, presumably, one of the social workers on the case was Amanda Callihan?”
“Yes.”
“Was she the officer overseeing the whole thing?”
Kate shook her head. “No, not at all. That’s why it’s a bit odd. She was quite junior.”
Chloe frowned. “Yet supposedly this was enough to make her give up her job entirely and move away.” She looked down at the paper again. “These threats that the grandmother made. What were they?”
“Death threats, I suppose, of a sort.” Kate ran a finger down the paper, trying to find the right line. “’I’ll kill you for letting him get away with it’. That sort of thing.”
“Hmm.”
Kate leant back in her chair. “I’m going to talk to the officers involved up in Whitehaven. See what they say, whether they thought she was serious or not.”
“How old would she be now. Linda Whatsit?”
Kate shrugged. “It was ten years ago so she would be…hang on…sixty or something. Not that old. She had Emma-Kate young herself.”
“Would a sixty-something woman be capable of both these crimes?”
Kate spread her hands. “I have no idea. That’s what I’m going to find out.”
“Good luck, bird.” Chloe turned back to her computer. “Ooh. Party time tomorrow, isn’t it?”
“Certainly is.”
“I’m looking forward to it.” Chloe looked at Kate with a grin. “Any fit single men coming?”
“Loads,” said Kate, crossing her fingers under the table.
Chloe looked surprised but pleased. “Now I’m really looking forward to it.”
Kate laughed. “Good. Right. I’ve got to get on.”
Chapter Fourteen
That Saturday night, Kate opened the door to Anderton, her first guest, and gave a cry of disappointment.
“Where’s your costume?”
“I’m wearing it,” said Anderton, stepping into the house and kissing Kate.
“But you’re just wearing a suit.”
Anderton grinned. “Ah, but I’m dressed as a serial killer, right? And they go about looking just like everyone else.”
Kate gave him a look. “Is that in the best possible taste, given the line of work we’re in?”
Anderton laughed out loud. “It’s Halloween. It’s not supposed to be tasteful.”
“Oh, well.” Kate took a hopeful look out into the street for more guests, but none were forthcoming. “I’ll get you a drink.”
“You look very nice, by the way.” Anderton held out a bottle of red wine. “Although possibly the green face is a step too far. Nice wig, though.”
Kate giggled. “I’ve got to watch it near the candles, it’s extremely flammable.” She scratched her head. “And itchy.”
“Well, you witches have to suffer for beauty.” Anderton made his way into the living room and stood, taking it all in. “My God. You really have gone all out haven’t you? Are those dead leaves on the floor?”
“Yes. That was your idea.”
“I didn’t mean carpet the whole bloody house in them.”
Kate handed him a drink. “They look good.”
“Hmm. Well, I suppose they’ll mop up the vomit, later.”
The doorbell rang and Kate hurried to answer it, holding her pointy black hat on her head. The new guests turned out to be Andrew and Juliet Stanton and no less than three unaccompanied men, all of which, as Kate summed up in a lightning glance, might do for Chloe. She hugged Juliet and then Andrew and whispered, “Good work,” in his ear.
“Come in, guys. Come and have a drink.”
Andrew was wearing a long black cloak and struggling to keep a pair of false vampire teeth in his mouth. He spat them into his palm, laughing. “Well, I tried.”
“Go on through.” Kate asked Juliet what she would like to drink and ushered them into the living room. Andrew looked pleased to see Anderton. Kate heard the doorbell ring and hurried to open it, finding a large werewolf on the doorstep with a six-pack in one hairy paw.
“It’s me,” said Theo’s muffled voice.
“Nice costume,” Kate said, stepping back to let him come in. “Saves me from having to look at your face.”
Theo slapped her bottom as he walked past, causing Kate to shriek. “That’s sexual assault now, you know,” she called after him, shaking her head as she turned to greet the guests she’d spotted coming up the path.
**
By ten o’clock, the house was full, and Kate was starting to feel pleasantly tipsy. She’d stuck to the fairly lightweight punch she’d made (although she had spotted Theo emptying a bottle of vodka into it at one point) and had some of the pumpkin soup that Chloe had brought with her.
“About time the dancing started,” Anderton said, passing her in the hallway and giving her a kiss.
“Just don’t let Rav commandeer the CD player. We’ll be listening to hardcore grime all evening.”
“Great party!” said someone who Kate didn’t recognise for a moment, before realising it was one of the Stanton’s guests. She smiled back.
The noise from the living room and kitchen was so loud that Kate barely heard the doorbell go again. Puzzled, for almost everyone she remembered inviting was already here, she opened the door to find Nicola Weaver on the doorstep, holding a bottle of champagne and smiling rather defensively.
“
Oh,” said Kate in genuine surprise. Then she got hold of herself. “Hello, DCI Weaver. Glad you could make it.”
“My—those plans I had—they kind of fell through, so I thought—” Nicola thrust forward the champagne bottle.
“Sure, sure, nice you came along.” Kate was conscious of an emotion she’d never before associated with DCI Weaver. It was pity. There hadn’t been any other plans, she knew that now. She also knew that if Nicola realised that Kate pitied her, there would be hell to pay. “Come on in,” she said loudly and casually, and let Nicola make her own way into the party. She followed her into the living room and, rather gleefully, clocked the brief look of horror that flashed across Chloe’s face as she saw her DCI come into the room. Theo still had his wolf-mask on, so gauging his reaction was impossible.
Anderton came forward to offer Nicola a drink and began to chat to her. Chloe stalked towards Kate.
“You didn’t tell me you’d invited her,” she said, in what was supposed to be a whisper but had to be pitched rather louder because of the noise.
“Oh, come on, I could hardly leave her the only one not invited,” Kate said, guiltily recalling that she’d done exactly that.
Chloe rolled her eyes. “Well, I’m not going to be talking shop.”
“Me neither. Let’s find you a hot bloke.” Kate looked about the room, searching for Andrew and his party. She couldn’t spot them. “My mate Stuart’s coming later but he’s married. Shame, he would have been right up your street.”
“So, why tell me about him?” said Chloe grumpily as they wandered towards the kitchen. “I need another drink.”
