Daisy in Chains(12)

‘You? Who the hell are you that you’re so imp—’

Latimer cuts Brenda off. ‘You could be right, Maggie. But you’re more than capable of dealing with Hamish Wolfe. Isn’t it worth a try?’

Maggie snaps her eyes away from Brenda to Latimer. ‘Let me tell you the worst thing about prison for a man like Hamish Wolfe. It won’t be the cramped, filthy conditions, or the dreadful food or the ongoing threat of violence. It will be the boredom. He has no access to computers, or the internet, he’ll have read everything in the prison library twice over already, the TV is restricted and will be permanently tuned to what he will consider mindless drivel. He’s been in prison just over fourteen months with several months on remand before that, and he will be going out of his mind with boredom. The chance to play a few games with us, to wind us up, will be an absolute gift to him.’

She turns back to the woman on her left. ‘Nothing will bring Zoe back, Brenda. I know you think finding her body and being able to bury her will bring you some closure and, it will, to a point, but the pain and the anger will still be with you. If you’re strong enough, you’ll find a way to deal with them. But letting Hamish Wolfe mess with your head will only prolong the agony for as long as you choose to let it. He’s got all the time in the world. You don’t. You have a life to be getting on with.’

‘You’re a heartless bitch, you know that?’

Maggie gets to her feet. ‘Ignore him. Forget about him.’ She looks round, talking to them all now. ‘That’s the most effective way you can punish him. I’m sorry I can’t help.’

Pete catches up with her at the top of the stairs and she allows him to fall in step beside her. ‘You’re not angry with me, are you?’ She glances sideways at him. ‘The others are, but not you. You don’t want me to see Wolfe.’

‘No, I don’t.’

‘Why? Because you think I might get him off?’

He forces a laugh. ‘Wolfe’s conviction is solid. I don’t want you to see him because I agree with you. He’s playing with you, and us, for his own entertainment. I don’t want to give him the satisfaction.’

‘Even if there’s an outside chance we might find Zoe?’

Others are coming up the steps, so he falls in behind her, talking to the back of her head. ‘I don’t believe he’ll tell us where Zoe is,’ he says. ‘And, frankly, we don’t need to know. Brenda thinks she does, but we don’t. Zoe’s dead, he killed her, and he’s serving time. Finding her body will make no real difference.’

She reaches the bottom of the stairs. ‘My thoughts exactly. So what’s the male equivalent of a heartless bitch?’

He grins. ‘Probably just a man. Have you heard from him again?’

‘No.’

‘Let’s hope he gives up now.’

It is on the tip of his tongue to ask her about the voices he heard at her house. Before he can open his mouth, Maggie stops a few feet short of the outside door. ‘Why do you and DCI Latimer dislike each other?’

‘Is it that obvious?’

‘He’s been at this station, what, less than a year? He played no part in putting Hamish Wolfe away but it’s the sexiest case Avon and Somerset police are likely to deal with this decade, so obviously, he’s going to muscle in every time something comes up. You resent that. It’s your case, you want to call the shots.’

‘Yeah, that must be it.’ He takes a step back, then another, away from the door, away from her. ‘Thanks for coming in. I won’t forget. I owe you.’

‘The four-year-old girl.’ Maggie stands her ground, even raises her voice. ‘The one who’s becoming important to Latimer. She’s yours, isn’t she? Which must mean he’s—’

This is not a conversation to have at volume. ‘Shacked up with my ex-wife. In my ex-house. They met at a police conference. While I was attending lectures, they were finding other ways to pass the time. It was a bit easier to deal with before he got promoted and transferred here.’

‘I’m sorry. That must be very difficult.’

He shrugs, tries to make the it’s no big deal face. ‘We’re being civilized.’

‘Meaning, you’re being civilized, and they’re getting away with it.’

He doesn’t want her feeling sorry for him. He walks to the door and pulls it open. ‘Why don’t you let me know if you hear from Wolfe? Or his gang of crazies.’

‘You’re genuinely worried about Hamish Wolfe and I getting together, aren’t you? That case of yours must be leakier than a sieve.’

‘That case is watertight. To be honest, it’s you I’m worried about. Wolfe is insane. If he’d tried for an insanity plea, he’d have got it, in my view, but that would have meant pleading guilty and he wasn’t going to do that. I’ve spent time with this bloke, Maggie, and I know what I’m talking about.’

She smiles suddenly. He might just have told her a joke. ‘Two thoughts for you, Peter, although I’m sure we’ll speak again before too long. The first: she’ll always love you the most, as long as you let her.’

‘My daughter?’

‘Yes. Your wife’s probably a lost cause. DCI Latimer is very good-looking and quite the charmer.’