The Next Girl(Detective Gina Harte #1)(70)

Luke nodded towards the ambulance, and Cathy bustled off to sit with Heidi. Gina watched as Cathy bent down and kissed her granddaughter on the forehead.

Gina’s phone beeped. ‘I’m needed at the station,’ she said, reading the text. ‘I have your number and I know where you’ll be staying. Any news or updates at all, I’ll let you know immediately. I really am so sorry this is happening to you.’

As she turned to go, Luke grabbed her arm with his shaking hands. ‘Please. I can’t live like this. This is too much. I don’t know what to do anymore.’

She placed her hand on his arm. ‘You can do this. See your children over there, they need you to be strong for them. You are doing the right thing. Tonight, go to your mother-in-law’s house and stay there. You’ll be safe with her and we’ll continue patrolling.’

Luke nodded and began to weep.

‘It’s okay, Daddy. I’ll look after you,’ Max said as he hugged his father. Luke kneeled beside him and wrapped his small frame in his arms.

Gina hoped more than anything that this witness was going to be the one. Just one clue was all she needed, one good clue. It was obvious that they were close – the perp was becoming desperate. He had to slip up soon. Maybe tonight he had.





Forty-Seven





‘Fill me in,’ Gina said as she strode across the incident room towards Jacob. She threw her coat over a desk and sat next to him.

‘What a nightmare for that family. I don’t envy them at the moment.’ Jacob rubbed his dark eyes. She noticed that his shirt wasn’t properly tucked in and he was wearing odd socks. His fine hair was mussed at the back where he’d been separated from his pillow; he’d obviously rushed in without combing his hair. Consequences of being called out in the middle of the night. She then reflected on her own appearance and grimaced at the thought.

Briggs entered and sat down, trying to flatten his hair. ‘I hear we have a witness,’ he said.

Jacob threw his pen down. ‘We certainly do, and we have a description. A twenty-seven-year-old local by the name of Elliot Cooper was on his way back from a friend’s house. He’s also the one who called the fire department. Anyway, the suspect passed him with a holdall that could easily have contained an empty fuel can of some description. Cooper said the suspect was muttering to himself and didn’t even notice him as he passed. He was wearing some sort of hooded top but the hood was down. He said he wouldn’t have ordinarily taken much notice but the man’s behaviour was exceptionally odd and it was so late.’

‘How close was he to the suspect?’ Gina asked.

Jacob pulled out the typed-up statement and began to scan the information on it. ‘The suspect bumped into him. That was another thing he said – there wasn’t even an apology. Our man shouted at the suspect. As per his statement, he called him a wanker, but he was completely ignored. Mr Cooper stated that he knew he’d had a couple of drinks so he didn’t pursue the incident any further, which is when he continued on towards Herring Crescent, where he lives. Of course, he never got home as he spotted the Jenkinses’ front door alight and called the fire brigade.’

He handed Gina the statement. She was immediately drawn to one piece of information, though she couldn’t work out why. ‘Dark messy hair, about five nine or ten. Average build. Mr Cooper said that he watched the suspect rubbing his neck and left shoulder as he approached, as if he were in some discomfort.’ Gina stood and began pacing the incident room. She stopped and closed her eyes. ‘Where’s my mind going with this?’

‘Are you okay, ma’am?’ Wyre asked, entering with a mug of coffee.

‘Shh.’ Briggs held a finger up to his mouth.

‘Yes, there’s just something…’ Gina trailed off as she stared into space.

‘What are you thinking?’ Briggs asked.

The room was silent as she tapped the statement and smiled.

‘I’ve got it. I know who we’re looking for. Briefing in the incident room in two minutes. I want everyone there.’





Forty-Eight





‘Get all the information we have on Jeffrey Wall – now.’ All the old notes flashed through her mind. Luke, Deborah’s workplace, the pub, the school. His car had been in the Angel Arms car park all that night; it hadn’t moved. He’d been in the office – or had he? Did the staff just assume he was in the office, therefore providing his alibi without thinking? He must have left by foot, avoiding the cameras. As the person who was watching the CCTV that night he’d certainly know where he could walk to avoid detection. Clever, not even a shadow on the footage. So where the hell had he left the van?’

Jacob stood and walked over to Gina. ‘The barrel man at the pub?’

She turned to face him and her smile turned into a grin. ‘He’s about five ten with brown hair, but there’s an even bigger giveaway…’

‘Guv?’ Wyre said.

‘The day we went back to the pub, I watched as he brought the barrel up from the cellar. He placed it down for a moment and I noticed him rubbing his neck. Imagine carrying barrels like that, for years. It would do me in. He was carrying the barrel on his left shoulder. It’s him. Paula, put a warrant out for his arrest and let all departments know. We need to get to him before dawn. Surprise the bastard.’ She grabbed her coat.