Darkness Falls (Kate Marshall, #3)(60)

Kate’s phone rang again. It was an Exeter landline number. When she answered, a woman introduced herself as DCI Faye Stubbs.

“I got your number from Alan Hexham, our regional coroner. I understand you’re a private detective?” she said.

“Yes, we’ve just spoken to him,” said Kate.

“We?”

“Myself and my associate, Tristan Harper. I’ve got you on speakerphone.”

“Hi,” said Tristan.

Faye ignored him and carried on talking. “I understand that you’ve been given access to case files from the Joanna Duncan case?” she asked. Her voice was now a little less friendly.

Shit, mouthed Tristan.

“Yes, that’s correct,” said Kate.

“Right. Are you aware that these case files are property of the Devon and Cornwall police? And that we keep records for a reason?”

Kate felt the floor drop underneath her.

“Of course. We understood that we were allowed access to them.”

“And who in Devon and Cornwall police told you that?”

“I didn’t get the case files from the police. Our client was given access to them by a senior police officer, Superintendent Allen Cowen. I have a signed letter from Superintendent Allen Cowen stating this. We were told that we could view the cold case materials, as the Joanna Duncan case is now dormant.”

“Well, things are changing fast,” said Faye.

“Are you reopening the case?”

“No. I didn’t say that. Okay, your client is Bill Norris, yes?”

“Yes.”

“He tells me that you have the original case files in your possession. Is that correct?”

“Yes,” said Kate. The tone of DCI Stubbs’s voice was making her feel like a naughty schoolgirl.

“Did you make copies?”

Shit, mouthed Kate to herself. This was a gray area. A private detective could operate within this gray area, but crossing the line to breaking the law wasn’t something that she was prepared to do. Shit, she mouthed again.

“Paper copies?” asked Tristan.

“That’s what copies usually are,” said Faye.

“No. We just have the original paper files.”

“Right, I’ll need to arrange to come and collect them from you.”

“Listen, Faye—may I call you Faye?” asked Kate.

“Of course.”

“I’m an ex–police officer, and I understood that we were operating within the law. Of course we’ll cooperate fully with you.”

Faye’s tone grew lighter.

“Kate, I’m not phoning you to give you a bollocking. You’ve given us a breakthrough on a murder case and three other unsolved murders. But considering this, things have changed. I have to follow procedure now that this has become active.”

“Are you also reopening the Joanna Duncan case?”

Faye sighed. “It looks like it, yes. When can I arrange to collect the case file materials? Is first thing tomorrow morning acceptable?”

Kate looked at Tristan. He rolled his eyes and nodded. She went to rub her eyes with her free hand, then saw she still had on the dirty rubber glove.

“Of course, yes. I’ll give you the address of our office,” she said.





32


DCI Faye Stubbs arrived at the office at eight thirty the next morning. Her short black hair had gray at the roots and was scraped back from her face in a tiny ponytail. Her face was pale and devoid of makeup. Kate wondered if they were a similar age, midforties. In another life, Kate had hoped to reach the DCI rank before she hit forty, and she wondered how long Faye had been a DCI.

Faye arrived with her colleague Detective Constable Mona Lim, a petite, dark-haired officer with doll-like features who looked no more than a teenager.

“So, this is your little detective agency?” asked Faye, looking around the office, where cleaning products and bedding for the campsite were piled up against one wall. She had a bright, patronizing tone in her voice. Kate and Tristan had discussed how they would play it at this meeting, and Kate thought it might be a good idea to let the police think they were amateurs, but having Faye in her space made Kate feel the need to compete and prove herself.

“Yes, we opened our doors nine months ago,” said Kate.

“And how are you finding it? It must be tough trying to start something new all the way out here,” said Faye, moving to the window and looking out over the bay. Mona nodded and joined her at the window.

“Yes, it’s been challenging,” said Tristan. “But here we are, giving the police the breakthrough they need.”

Kate smiled at Faye. Nice one, Tristan, she thought. Faye returned the smile.

“So, Kate. You were once, long ago, a WPC?” she asked.

“I was a detective constable in the Met.”

“Yes. That ended rather badly, didn’t it?”

Kate had a sudden childish urge to grab Faye by her ponytail and yank hard.

“Would you like a coffee, perhaps a doughnut?” asked Tristan, indicating a box he’d picked up from Tesco on his way over.

“How lovely that you have time for morning coffee,” said Faye. “But go on, I didn’t have any breakfast.” She moved over to the box and flipped up the lid, picking up a doughnut. She indicated to Mona, who joined her and peered inside with a serious look on her face, as if it were also evidence in the Joanna Duncan case. She picked up a doughnut.