"That's not what I meant," she said, smiling weakly in appreciation of Eric's reassurance and touching her hand to the back of his, hanging at his side between them.
Eric returned her smile, feeling awkward at her touch and reddening as her hand lingered on his, Julia looking into his eyes. He wasn't supposed to be counselling a witness; no one else in the team ever stumbled into this type of situation. Was it his youth? He'd always been considered to be younger than his years, despite his muscular physique. Some would say he was fresh-faced but his mum, much to his embarrassment and a source of great hilarity for his friends, always labelled him as baby-faced. He'd tried to grow a beard when he joined the police; an idea that generated more mirth and did little to age him. He'd abandoned that plan very quickly.
He gently withdrew his hand. Julia Rose noticed the awkwardness in his expression, smiling apologetically.
"I'm sorry. You remind me a lot of him."
"Who? Alex?"
She nodded. He was surprised.
"When he was in his teens," she said, clasping her hands in front of her as they walked. He was in his twenties and about to embark on a new chapter in his life and he still looked like a kid. "You have a fresh face."
Eric winced.
"I need to ask you about one of your projects in Norway," Eric said, keen to change the subject. She looked sideways at him quizzically. "Specifically, the work you did around Kristiansand."
"Wow! That's going back a little. What is it you want to know?"
"You were still with Alex around then weren't you?"
Julia concentrated hard. "That would have been early two thousands—"
"2004," Eric said.
"Yes, yes it was. We were together then but," she frowned, "it was getting difficult by that time. We'd split up a couple of times previously but we came back to each other the Christmas before." She sighed. "I always find that time of year very hard. My father passed away in December and the holiday season is always hard for me because of it. Less so now, to be sure. Time is a healer, or, at least, it helps soften the pain." She looked directly at Eric. "Have you lost a parent?"
He didn't want to bring himself into this, certainly not now he'd managed to shift the conversation where he wanted it to go. She noticed his reluctance to speak.
"I'm sorry. You're the policeman and get to ask the questions."
"Oh … it's not that—"
She waved away his denial. "What is it you want to know about Kristiansand?"
"Did Alex visit you while you were working there?"
"Of course. He came to stay with me for a few weeks." Her eyebrows met as she tried to remember specifics. "He may have come across twice. He wasn't working at the time, not anything regular anyway. He found work hard to come by after the fallout of Brancaster and the waste of his doctorate."
"Right. We understand William Cannell was also in—"
"Oslo, at the time," she said, nodding her head and moving the hair away from her eyes as they walked. The wind was picking up. "Yes, I remember. Billy was a guest speaker at an event in Oslo. He offered me a ticket to go and see him speak." She tilted her head to one side. "Billy was like that – always trying to get his peers to come and watch him present. It was as if he loved basking in some perceived adulation of the crowd, but it only counted if his peers were there to witness it. He was a bit of an arse for that type of thing."
"Did you go?"
She shook her head.
"Because you were busy on the excavation or because you didn't want to give him the satisfaction?"
"No, it was nothing like that. I could have easily spared the time; Oslo is only three to four hours from Kristiansand, and it would have been an interesting talk. Billy can be tiresome in many ways but he really is a genius." Eric raised an eyebrow; he had found the man to be quite pompous when he'd interviewed him alongside Tom. Julia must have read Eric's expression because she smiled. "A genius can often be flawed … but they are still a genius in their field. No pun intended." It took Eric a moment to get the joke, and then he also smiled. "No, I couldn't go because I had Alex staying with me at the time and Billy wouldn't have offered him a ticket even if I'd asked. They weren't speaking any more by that point."
"I understand that was because of what happened between them here in Norfolk?"
She nodded. "Alex blamed Billy for throwing him under the bus over the debacle at Brancaster and for his part, Billy thought Alex had tarnished his reputation." She laughed but it was a bitter laugh without genuine humour. "The pair of them were a nightmare in altogether different ways. Why are you asking about this anyway?"
"Oh, we're looking into an attack on another teenager out there at the time—"
"And you think Alex did it?"
Eric heard the fearful edge to her voice and immediately regretted telling her. He shouldn't have and he felt his face flush; Tom was going to kill him. He backtracked.
"It's not that we think he did it … it's j–just that it happened at the same time as he was there, that's all."
"He couldn't have," she said, dismissing the suggestion. However, her expression didn't convey the same confidence. She caught him eyeing her and she tried her best to lighten her tone. "It couldn't have been Alex. He was with me most of the time—"
"But you were on the dig, weren't you?"
"Y–yes, that's true but even so … Alex was rather unwell during his stay and was largely confined to my apartment. He only came to site a couple of times."
"Another way of looking at it is that he had plenty of opportunity to go out and about alone, then?"
"I'm sure it wouldn't have been Alex."
She sounded less sure now and averted her eyes from Eric's.
"Why are you asking about Billy as well?"
"Because he is also a suspect in the attack on the sixteen-year-old girl in Kristian—"
"Sixteen?" she said, visibly deflating. Eric feared she was about to faint and reached out to offer her his arm for support. She took it and he helped her over to a nearby bench at the edge of the path and overlooking the sea. Eric sat down alongside her and once she'd had a moment to gather herself, she turned to face him. "He came to visit me on site, too, and—"
"William Cannell was in Kristiansand?" Eric asked, excited. Julia nodded. "At the same time as Alex?"
"Yes. Like I said, Alex was ill and Billy came down to see me on the site—"
"When was this?" Eric said, eagerly taking out his notebook, keen to record every detail accurately. Julia thought about it.
"It must have been that weekend after he'd given his speech at the conference because he was flying back to the UK on the Saturday afternoon, I think." She took a deep breath, her complexion was pale and Eric was still concerned about her.
"I could run and get you something to drink?" Eric said, looking around to see how he could achieve it. She put a restraining hand on his forearm.
"No, thank you, you're very kind but I'll be all right."
Eric frowned through his concern but didn't press it. "William Cannell – you were saying?"
She took another deep breath, exhaling slowly and bobbing her head. "It must have been the Friday. He arrived late afternoon, early evening. I remember he joined us on site and then a few of us went for dinner."
"And Cannell went with you?"
She nodded. "Absolutely. We found a little restaurant near the harbour; where the catamaran leaves from, heading for Denmark."
"And Cannell was with you? Until what time?"
She blew out her cheeks, slowly shaking her head. "I guess it would have been until ten-ish … maybe later. Once we all get chatting time sort of passes by without any of us noticing."
"But Alex wasn't there?"
She shook her head. "No, as I say he couldn't have been because he was—"
"Unwell. Yes, you said," Eric replied, trying hard not to break into a grin. He could place William Cannell in the area of where Anette Larsen was last known to be alive. It was a bi
g part in building a case and Eric knew it. Maybe it would be enough to temper Tom's wrath when he found out he'd blabbed about the parallel investigation; but probably not.
"What happened to the girl … the one in Kristiansand?"
Eric sank back on the bench. It was too late now; he couldn't really dismiss her question.
"She was sixteen – a local girl – heading home from a friend's birthday party. Someone attacked her, and she was found dead a few days later." He turned his body to face her, she looked lost and he considered not saying anything but she smiled weakly at him and he chose to anyway. "Listen, I shouldn't have mentioned the Kristiansand case really. It's just … a set of coincidences but the killer was never caught—"
"And you really think Alex or Billy could have done that to her, I mean, really believe it could have been one of them?"
Eric nodded. "I'm afraid so, yes. It is a possibility. Our counterparts in Norway are looking into it, but please," he implored her, "don't speak about it to either Alex or William Cannell. I know you have some personal loyalty—"
"I have none with Billy!" she said aggressively. "I owe him nothing."
"Well," Eric inclined his head to one side, "as I say, if you could refrain from contacting him, I'd appreciate it."
She nodded slowly, offering him a glum smile. "What about Alex?"
Eric took a breath. "He is being interviewed at the moment."
Julia gaped at him, then raised a hand across her mouth. Eric felt awkward again, splitting the moment by checking his watch. He wanted to get back to the station and go through this development with the team because it might alter their plans. His mobile rang and he searched his pockets for it, answering as he stepped away from the bench.
"Eric, it's Cassie. Are you still with Dr Rose?"
Eric glanced back at the bench; Julia remained transfixed on the view out to sea. Colour was returning to her cheeks but she still looked ready to cry at any moment. He hoped she wouldn't.
"I'm almost through here," he said, turning his back on Julia and not noticing her focussing on him. "You'll never guess—"
"The DCI wants you back here pronto. My contact in Norway has come back to us with some new evidence. The word is out over there and an eyewitness came forward following a piece on the television news last night to say she reckons she saw Anette Larsen getting into Alex Hart's car on the night she disappeared."
"Into Alex's car?" Eric said, glancing over his shoulder. Julia Rose looked away. He wasn't sure if she'd heard him or not as the wind was picking up even more now. He lowered his voice. "Is she sure … that it was Alex's car?"
"She saw the traffic camera footage, so yeah, she was confident. Not only that but the witness picked Hart's photo out of a line-up that Elin showed her this afternoon."
"Right," Eric said, hearing the disappointment in his own voice. "That's … erm … pretty damning."
"Isn't it?" Cassie said, her tone upbeat and excited. "Anyway, we're waiting on you getting back here, so get a shifty on, yeah?"
He hung up, turning back to Julia.
"I have to get back to the station," he said apologetically. She didn't react, looking to be in her own little world. "Can I walk you back to your lodgings?" He was still concerned about her, not because he feared her speaking to Cannell, although that seemed not to matter much now in any event, but because she seemed overawed by all of this. Just a short while ago he feared she was about to faint. She looked over, reading the concern in his face.
"I'll be all right, Detective Constable Collet, thank you." She smiled again. "I think I'll just stay here a while."
Eric looked at the gathering storm clouds. She ought not stay here too long or she'd be caught in the coming storm but he figured it was at least an hour or two away from making landfall.
"Okay," he said, nodding in her direction. "Thank you for your time. If you need anything, anything at all, please do call me." He reached into his pocket and took out one of his contact cards but she declined it as he approached and made to pass it to her.
"Thank you but I already have one from your DI Janssen. You are all very caring, you know? I appreciate you thinking of me."
Eric flushed with embarrassment making her smile again. He turned and walked away, quickening his pace as he felt the first drops of rain on his face.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Julia Rose watched the young detective constable stride away, experiencing a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. He'd definitely said something about Alex's car and the tone he used, was it surprise or disappointment? Maybe it was both? She hadn't slept well for days and all of this made her head spin. She'd meant what she'd said about Billy, he'd turned his back on all of them some time ago, unhappy with them apparently riding on his coat tails. But now there was all this. She racked her brains trying to recall her time at Kristiansand and the events of that Friday in particular. The way the detective had seized upon Billy's presence that night, she desperately tried to recall how he'd been during her company; was there anything he'd said or done to make her think him capable of what was being suggested.
Then there was Alex. He'd been largely left to his own devices that visit. She'd been so caught up in her work that she hadn't made time for him, hadn't wanted to if she was honest. He was spiralling into a pit of depression, his outbursts becoming more frequent and sustained. By that time she'd realised the rekindling of their relationship was a grave error on both their parts.
But this? This was too much for her and she sank forward, head in her hands. She felt her chest tighten and she struggled for breath, ignoring the rain. Taking out her mobile she clutched it tightly. She couldn't call Alex, she promised she wouldn't, but even if she did, what would she say? How could she ask him? But she needed to know, to hear herself ask the question at least. Staring at the mobile screen, she steadied herself and opened her contacts list, scrolling down, her finger hovering over the name. She tapped it and placed the mobile against her ear. There was only one person who might understand what she was going through.
Tim Hendry answered the call immediately.
"Julia, this is a nice surprise! Alex told me you were in the area … I thought about calling but, what with everything that’s going on, I thought it might … complicate things."
"I–I know, I thought the same."
"Is everything okay, Jules? You sound … upset."
She couldn't hold back the wave of emotion anymore; that one question broke the dyke and her voice cracked, tears falling. In between the sobs she was able to outline much of what Eric had told her, her fears about Alex and the questions surrounding William Cannell's visit. Tim Hendry listened to her without interrupting until she'd exhausted everything she needed to say.
"Hold on one moment, Jules," Hendry said. She heard him tutting as he typed away at a keyboard in the background. Moments later he offered her his full attention. "I have it here, I just googled it. A girl from Kristiansand called Anna – no – Anette Larsen. She was … dear God … she was murdered in 2004."
"Yes, that was what they told me."
Hendry sighed.
"This is awful. And they think either Alex or William did this—?"
"No, not for certain … but … maybe," she said, hearing desperation in her tone. "They couldn't have done it. Neither is capable of such a thing, surely? I know Alex could be … violent but not like this. Please tell me I'm mad to think it."
Hendry hesitated and she picked up on it.
"Tim, you don't think one of them could, do you? I mean they were our—"
"No, no, of course not. It must be the police doing their thing. It'll all be cleared up soon enough, don't worry."
She sniffed, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. He was reassuring. Tim was always the safe pair of hands to go to when you needed support.
"Thanks, Tim. I needed to hear that."
He chuckled.
"They've told me not to speak about it to either Billy or Alex but they're talk
ing to Alex today … and I'm worried about him, Tim. This could push him over the edge. I'm sorry to come at you out of the blue and ask you this, but do you think—"
"Of course, I’ll pop across to see him as soon as I can."
She smiled into the phone, feeling a weight lifting off her shoulders.
"He wasn't in great shape when I last saw him," Tim said, "so I imagine this will not do him any good at all. Are you outside? I can hear the wind."
"Yes," she said, nodding furiously and casting an eye up at the rolling clouds. "There's a storm brewing."
"You'd better get inside, Jules. I've got a couple of things to tie off here first and then I'll head over to Alex's place and make sure he's all right."
"And you'll let me know how he is?"
"I'll call you later. I promise."
"Thanks, Tim, you're an absolute star."
Chapter Thirty
Eric walked into ops and Tom beckoned him over to join them. Cassie was in mid-flow of her briefing but paused to offer Eric a warm smile before Tom encouraged her to pick up where she'd left off.
"The police in Kristiansand have confirmed Anette Larsen's personal effects were not found on her person when she was pulled from the water in Justvik. They suspected at first she'd possibly been the victim of a robbery gone wrong rather than attacked by someone with a sexual motive—"
"But she had recently had intercourse, though, right?" Tamara asked.
Cassie nodded. "But they have been unable to determine if that was consensual or forced. Her body was in a good state of preservation because the water temperature in the fjord is consistent in that it rarely alters more than a degree throughout the course of the year. It's something to do with the depth as much as the location. However, after detectives retraced her presumed route between where she left her friend's apartment back to her home they came across her purse and mobile phone, therefore discounting robbery as a motive."
"She still had cash?" Tom asked.
"Yes, her purse contained just shy of three hundred Krone, around twenty quid in old money."
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