Cold Justice (Willis/Carter #4)(15)

Chapter 7


When Willis got back Carter was still there, waiting for her. They went into the kitchen to talk privately.

‘They’ve found something.’

‘What?’

‘Just been verified now. It’s Samuel’s suit,’ answered Carter.

Willis and Carter went to join the others in the lounge and share the news. Jeanie sat next to Toby on the sofa as Lauren stood, shell-shocked, in the middle of the room.

‘It means he’s dead,’ Toby said as he stared dumbstruck at his wife.

‘No, it doesn’t.’ Carter was stern. ‘They changed his clothes for a reason. They wanted to disguise his identity. That means there is still hope he’s alive.’

‘Lauren,’ said Willis. ‘Can we sit down and draw the woman you saw on the street below?’

‘What woman?’ Toby asked. ‘You never said about a woman before.’

‘There was a woman staring up at me, that’s all. I’m trying to remember every small detail, anything that will help.’

‘Was she at the funeral?’ asked Carter.

‘I didn’t see her there.’

Lauren went to her desk to get some paper. She sat with Willis and Jeanie at the kitchen table.

Lauren shook her head as she looked at the finished drawing. ‘It isn’t much to go on, is it?’

Jeanie picked up the drawing and went to show Toby and then Carter. ‘Toby, did you see a woman like this, while you were out?’

He shook his head. ‘I honestly never looked at anyone. I pushed Samuel around in the buggy. I looked at the view across London but most of the time I had a lot to think about. My father had just died. A father who hated me and then left me a dog and a load of debt. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.’

‘Toby, we need to look into your father’s affairs, his personal correspondence. We would like to search his flat and look into his phone records. We need to look at every possible lead now. Do you have a set of keys?’

‘The solicitor is dealing with all that,’ Toby answered, looking from one person to the other.

‘Yes, I understand that, but can we have your permission?’ Carter pushed. ‘It saves getting a search warrant – saves time.’

‘Of course you can, for Christ’s sake,’ Lauren spat out angrily as she came in from the kitchen. ‘You can do anything you want if it will help find our son.’

Carter watched as Lauren took several paces towards Toby and looked like she was about to hit him. Toby recoiled from her. ‘Just fucking do it, Toby. Just do it without thinking about yourself for one fucking moment,’ she screamed in his face. ‘You lost our son. You lost our son . . .’

Jeanie stepped towards her and led her away. Toby got up and left the room, and when he came back he handed a set of keys to Carter.

‘The solicitor gave me a set.’

Carter felt his phone vibrate and excused himself. ‘Willis, can you cover for me a min? I need to make a call.’

Carter left the door on the latch as he stepped outside onto the landing and stood looking over the view of the building site around them; the lift shaft was at his back.

‘Cabrina?’

‘Dan, I’ve been trying to get you for hours.’

‘I’m sorry, love – we’re in the middle of that missing-child case in Greenwich.’

‘Oh yes, I know. I heard about it on the radio.’

‘What is it? What’s wrong?’

‘We’ve had a break-in. I’m not sure what they’ve taken. It looks a mess here.’

‘Shit. Are you and Archie okay?’

‘Yes, we’re okay, it happened when I was at work and he was at nursery. Sorry to bother you – I know how big this case is but I don’t know whether to get the locks changed?’

‘How did they get in?’

‘Through the flat downstairs. They busted her window and then climbed up and through our landing window.’

‘Bastards.’

‘Yeah . . . horrible. I feel so angry.’

‘Look, I’m going to be late again tonight. I might just catch a bit of sleep here.’

‘Please, Dan, come home. You didn’t come home last night.’

‘I’m sorry, love – this is a crucial time. We’re all working flat out. Are you taking Archie to your mum’s?’

‘Yes.’

‘I’ll get Robbo on to it and send a couple of Archway officers round to see what needs to be done.’

‘There’s nothing they can do.’

‘We have to add our name to the statistics, love, otherwise we can’t claim on the insurance. I’ll get them to dust for fingerprints.’ There was a silence at the other end of the phone. He heard Cabrina sigh. ‘Can you manage?’

‘Of course I can manage, but that’s not the point, is it?’

‘Sorry, honey, I really am but . . .’

‘Yes, I’m sorry too. I’m just so upset and I need you. I know you can’t spare anyone to help. It’s nothing. I’ll sort it. I’ll get some help in to run the shop while I clear it up.’

‘That’s why I love you, Cabrina. Come hell or high water, I’m going to be sneaking into your bed tonight so you’d better warn your mum to put her earplugs in.’