The Infirmary (DCI Ryan Mysteries prequel)(36)

Her body was a patchwork of cuts and scabs, of deeper wounds he’d left to fester and some he’d seen fit to patch up until the time came when he could let himself loose. The pain was acute, burning all over her skin unlike anything she had ever known. Her chest felt heavy and each breath was a gargantuan effort, wheezing air in and out of her broken body.

In the flat above her, she heard the sound of a television set.

“D— Do—”

Donna. Please, help me, Donna.

Her mind screamed for help and tears streamed from her eyes even as her body collapsed into unconsciousness again.

*

When Phillips rang the intercom at Will Cooper’s house, nobody answered immediately. After buzzing several more times, the disembodied voice of a young woman crackled down the line.

“Yes?”

“This is DS Phillips and DC Lowerson from Northumbria CID. We’d like to speak to William Cooper, please.”

There was a long pause, then her voice came back down the line.

“Um, sorry, he’s not home.”

“Where is he, love?”

“I don’t know! Um, I have to go now!”

The line went dead and Lowerson shrugged.

“Guess he must be out,” he said.

“Oh, ye of little faith,” Phillips replied, and tried the front door which opened easily into a shared hallway. The large Victorian villa had been separated into four apartments, housing two or three students apiece.

“Um, shouldn’t we wait for someone to let us in?” Lowerson squeaked.

“Always rely on a student landlord not to worry about basic safety measures,” Phillips muttered. “As far as anybody knows, Cooper’s neighbour held the door open for us.”

“Mm.”

“Shades of grey, Jack.”

Lowerson rolled his eyes and followed Phillips across the bland hallway and up a single flight of stairs to Cooper’s front door on the first floor.

Phillips knocked loudly and adopted a stern expression for anybody checking the peep-hole.

They heard feet shuffling behind the door.

“Howay, you might as well open up,” Phillips called out. “Lying to the police is a serious matter, pet. It’s not worth it.”

A few seconds later, the door opened a crack to reveal the girl they’d spoken to on the intercom. She looked young, no more than eighteen or nineteen, and her hair had been dyed a bright electric blue that shone in a neon halo around her head.

“Did you say you were from the police?”

“Aye, but there’s no need to worry. We just need to have a quick chat with Will.”

Her eyes fell away to the left and Phillips imagined he was standing somewhere nearby. He pulled out his warrant card and held it up.

“You might have heard that Will’s mum died the other day,” he continued, gravely. “We’re part of the team who’re trying to find her killer. I’m sure you want to help us to do that, don’t you?”

She swallowed, then nodded.

“I—Yes, it’s awful what happened to Sharon.”

“Are you one of Will’s housemates?” Lowerson stuck his head over Phillips’ shoulder and gave her a sunny smile that seemed to put her immediately at ease. There wasn’t much not to like about Jack.

“Yeah, I’m Petra.”

“Beautiful name,” Phillips said. “Mind if we step inside for a moment, love? My throat’s parched.”

She seemed nervous but opened the door a bit wider to let them pass through.

“I—I only have a few minutes,” she improvised. “I’m heading out soon.”

Phillips looked down at her clothes—which looked suspiciously like pyjamas—and at the girl’s bare feet, but said nothing.

“We won’t take up much of your time. Could I trouble you for a glass of water, though?”

“Um, okay, sure. Just wait here.”

She hurried into one of the rooms off the small hallway and presently they heard glasses clinking and water running.

“Notice anything unusual?” Phillips asked, under his breath.

“You mean, apart from the fact Will Cooper’s hiding in his bedroom?”

Phillips beamed at him.

“See? You’re catching on quick. But I was thinking more of the smell in this place.”

Lowerson took an ostentatious sniff, just as their hostess returned.

“Here you go.” She thrust the glass towards Phillips, who smiled gratefully and took it, but did not drink.

She crossed her arms defensively.

“So, what did you want to talk about?”

She hadn’t offered them a seat, so they remained standing in the hallway.

“Well, like I was saying, Will’s mum, Sharon, was a good friend of ours. Wasn’t she, Jack?”

“Um, yes, very.”

“And we’re all heartbroken about what happened. She was a very fine police officer.”

The girl was looking more crestfallen by the second.

“We know Will must be feeling equally devastated by the news and we want to do all we can to help…that’s why we went to see him at the dental hospital today.”

Her eyes were like windows into her soul, Phillips thought. She didn’t need to tell him that she was already aware of the suspension because it was written all over her face.