When Night Closes in (20 page)

Back in the hall, Lowri picked up the phone. She got through to Lainey right away. ‘I think you should get over here,' she said. ‘My friend Sally seems to have gone missing.'

His reassuring voice asked for the address and she told him, her voice shaking. ‘Be as quick as you can,' she said, ‘I've got a feeling something terrible has happened.'

‘You've got to believe me, Jim, I've got nothing to do with Sally's disappearance.' Lowri sat in the interview room feeling as though she was in a recurring nightmare. She looked down at her hands without seeing the white of her knuckles.

‘I'm not accusing you of anything, we don't even know where Sally's gone. She might just have gone round the pub or something like that.'

‘And leave all the doors open? I don't think so.' Her eyes were burning and her headache had come back with a vengeance. ‘I was going to pick Sally up to take her out.' She swallowed hard. ‘I wanted to challenge her, ask her what she really knew about Jon Brandon. I was late, I—' Lowri only realized she was gabbling when Lainey held up his hand to stop her.

‘Look, Lowri, calm down.' He touched her arm, smiling encouragingly. ‘You might know more than you're letting on and there again, you might not.'

‘So I am suspected of
something
then?'

‘Perhaps. Even if it's only polluting the scene of the crime. If there was a crime.'

‘What do you mean, polluting?'

‘It's just a police expression. Witnesses, with the best intentions in the world, sometimes pollute the evidence. You know, fingerprints, fibres, that sort of thing.'

Lowri smiled. ‘At least you are considering me as a witness, not a criminal.'

Lainey was silent for a moment and Lowri watched him doodling on a pad. ‘What was the first thing you saw, Lowri? Think hard,' he said at last. ‘Was there a car driving away or anyone walking away from the house?'

‘Not that I noticed,' Lowri said honestly. ‘First thing that struck me was that the front door was open. That wasn't like Sally, she moaned about the cold in the office often enough.' Lowri glanced quickly at Lainey, realizing she was speaking of Sally in the past tense. He did not seem to notice.

Lainey scratched his head and his hair lifted from his brow, giving him the look of a lost schoolboy. ‘We've searched the house and the gardens round about, but there's no sign of any disturbance.' He leaned forward, his elbows on the desk, his hands supporting his jaw as if he was very tired.

‘Is that significant?' Lowri asked.

‘It could be if anyone tidied up the scene.'

‘Is that a question, Jim?' Lowri asked.

He shook his head. ‘The boys did a bit of a house-to-house in the vicinity. Major spoke to a woman who had seen you, the one who told you the time. She remembered you looked tired and she mentioned the colour of the car.' He smiled. ‘She thought it was burgundy, the lamplight fooled her I expect.'

Lowri nodded. ‘Does that prove anything, that I was seen coming towards Sally's house I mean?'

‘No. As I said, we don't even know if Sally is really missing.' His eyes met hers. ‘But I think you might have been right all along, you might have been set up by someone.'

‘But how would anyone know I was going to her house? It was on impulse. I just made arrangements by phone.'

‘Someone could have overheard the arrangements.'

Lowri regarded him steadily. ‘Are you saying Sally's phone was tapped?' She paused. ‘Or that
my
phone was tapped?'

‘It's a possibility.'

‘But why bother?'

‘Come on, now, Lowri!' He sounded impatient. ‘You are not stupid. You are at the centre of all this, whether knowingly or unknowingly. What's more,' he paused, ‘you suspected Sally of being involved with Jon Brandon. Why?'

She rubbed her face. ‘I don't know, intangibles, coincidences, it's like grasping at straws.'

‘That's very often the way police work is done, believe it or not.'

‘Look, all I know is that Sally stayed at the Swan Hotel some weeks ago with a good-looking man who answered Jon's description. The girl on the reception described Sally to a T.'

‘Any other reason to think she knew Brandon?'

‘Sarah – Mrs Brandon – suspected Sally of sleeping with Jon.' Lowri sighed. ‘It's not much, is it? I just thought it funny that Sally denied knowing him. She wasn't always very clever, the things she said gave the impression she was hiding something from me.' She looked at him. ‘I told you it was not much.'

‘You're holding something back.'

She shook her head. ‘No.'

‘It's a uniform cop, isn't it? She was going out with one of the boys. Which one?' he said quietly. Lowri glanced out of the window.

‘Matthew Brown, I think. From the little I've seen of him and Sally together I don't think they were an item as such, just friends.'

His eyes met hers and it was Lowri who looked away first, embarrassed and warmed by the way he was staring at her.

‘Try to work with me, Lowri,' he said softly. ‘Tell me every little detail of anything you turn up.' His eyes crinkled. ‘It's trite but true to say big oaks from little acorns grow.' He looked down at the desk and picked up a piece of paper from the file.

‘Someone used Brandon's credit card to withdraw cash a few days ago. Would Sally have had access to his pin number?'

Lowri shook her head, bewildered by the abrupt change of tack. ‘It's possible, I suppose, but wouldn't it be more likely that Sarah Brandon withdrew cash from the account?'

‘Hardly, there was just fifty pounds with drawn.'

‘Does that rule out Sarah?'

‘Not rule out, it just makes it less likely. Mrs Brandon seems to be too well-heeled to bother with such a small amount.'

Lainey was silent for a long moment, tapping his pen on his desk, his eyes hooded by incredibly long lashes. ‘So many questions,' he said, ‘and never any answers.' He ran his fingers through his hair. ‘I told you that a man calling himself Jon Brandon came into the country through Heathrow, didn't I?'

‘You did.'

‘What I didn't tell you was that he didn't answer to the description of anyone we know, at least, anyone I know. He was tall, well-built, balding, that's all we have. Any ideas?'

Lowri shook her head. ‘If you're hoping to trap me into admitting something unlawful, forget it!' She did not wait for an answer. ‘You should realize by now that it's no good asking me about Jon. He lied through his teeth all the time we were together.'

‘All right, let's get back to Sally. Did she have any reason to disappear?'

Lowri felt as if cold water had been thrown over her. Lainey's tone had become formal, almost cold. She watched as he lit a cigarette.

‘I don't know. I didn't know you smoked, either.'

‘I'd given up,' Lainey said.

They sat in silence for a time and Lowri swallowed hard. ‘Could Timmy have anything to do with this?' she asked. ‘I think he was quite possessive with Sally.' She stopped speaking as a woman police constable came into the room and placed a cup of tea in front of her.

‘Thank you,' Lowri said, her heart sinking. It seemed she was going to be questioned for some time.

‘Possessiveness isn't unusual,' Lainey said smoothly. He was silent for a few moments and then he met her eye. ‘Do you know Sally's father? She lived with him, I understand?'

‘Of course, Mr White wasn't at the house either, that's odd.' She paused. ‘I've met Sally's father once or twice but I can't say I know him. Why? Surely you don't suspect him?'

‘No.' Lainey smiled. ‘Mr White is away, visiting his sister in Birmingham, we've checked.' His smile vanished. ‘The poor man is out of his mind with worry, he's coming back home on the first train.'

‘I don't know what's happening lately – I seem to attract trouble.'

‘Lowri, you were mixed up with a villain, what do you expect? Jon Brandon was a crook and you were a fool, get that fact into your head, once and for all.' Lainey sounded angry.

Lowri's voice was low. ‘I thought I knew him, I was stupid enough to think I was going to marry him when all along I didn't know him at all. I feel enough of a fool without you rubbing it in.'

He rose to his feet. ‘I'll get someone to take you home.' Lowri put down her tea and as Lainey walked past her, she resisted the temptation to catch his hand.

‘I'm frightened, Jim,' she said quietly. ‘I don't even know what I'm frightened of but the world seems to be going haywire.'

He rubbed his hand through his hair and paused. ‘I can't authorize police protection. I don't think you are in any danger.'

‘Because you think I'm hand in glove with Jon, is that it?'

Lainey shrugged. ‘I'll drive by your place a few times through the night just to check.'

‘Jim, why are you so good to me?' Lowri thought, for one magical moment, that he was going to say something kind, something thrilling about how attractive he found her. When he spoke, her hopes were dashed.

‘Just doing my duty.' He left the room and Lowri felt like a schoolgirl who had received a lecture from the head teacher. She stood up, ignoring the quickly cooling tea.

‘Come this way, Miss Richards.' It was Ken Major who led her out into the yard. ‘What on earth can have happened to Sally?' he said when they were outside. ‘I can see you don't know anything about it. Look, try not to take any of this personally,' he rested his hand on her arm, ‘it's just that you were there at the house. It was inevitable you had to be questioned. Try not to worry.'

‘Thanks, Ken.'

‘I'd better get back.'

‘Sure.' Lowri shivered as he strode back into the building. She suddenly felt lonely. She looked back once at the police building but only blank, empty windows stared down at her. Blank, like her life. She was jinxed and she was a failure. Once this business was over she would get her life by the scruff of the neck and change it. Perhaps she would even go back to college and complete her course.

Once in her house, Lowri curled up on her bed and brooded on the events of the night. What had happened to Sally? Poor Sally, so flighty, so vain. So involved?

She had a quick shower, enjoying the feel of the hot water on her skin. She was weary to the bone and worried sick. Something bad must have happened to Sally; the house had been deserted like the
Mary Celeste
, everything still in place but no-one there.

Lowri locked up carefully and was just about to go to bed when the phone rang. She picked it up, half fearful of what she would hear. She sighed in relief as Ken Major's voice echoed across the line.

‘Lowri, can I come and see you?'

‘What, now?'

‘Yes, it's important.'

She glanced at the clock: it was after midnight. She wondered briefly if Lainey would be driving past just as Ken drew up outside, it would be just her luck. He thought her a tramp as it was.

‘Please, Lowri, I need to see you.'

‘All right. But for heaven's sake, be discreet, don't go flashing your car lights all over the road or my reputation will be well and truly in the gutter.'

She busied herself in the kitchen, filling the kettle, putting out clean mugs. As an afterthought, she brought out a packet of biscuits. Ken was probably still on duty, he would need something to sustain him through the long hours of the night.

He arrived a few minutes later. He sank down onto the sofa, his eyes closed. He was silent for so long that she thought he had fallen asleep. She waited, wondering what to say, but at last he looked up at her.

‘It's about Matthew.' He took a packet of cigarettes from his pocket and held it out to her. Lowri shook her head and waited while he sparked a light and took a deep drag, blowing out smoke in a great gust.

‘Well?'

‘I think he knows something, about Sally I mean.' He looked at the glowing tip of the cigarette. ‘He wasn't at the station when your call came in and he should have been. When I saw him later he seemed . . . well . . . strange.'

‘Why strange, he could have been out on a call, couldn't he?'

‘Yes, but there was nothing in the book about any call.' He bent his head, fiddling with his lighter.

Lowri frowned. ‘Go on, what else?'

‘Nothing, I wish there was more but there isn't. Should I mention it to Lainey, do you think?'

‘I don't know what you should do, Ken.'

‘Have you got a beer?'

‘No but I can make a cup of tea if you like.'

He shook his head. ‘No, don't go to any trouble.'

‘It's no trouble, don't be silly.' She made the tea and put the cups on a tray. This was getting complicated. Matthew did not seem the sort of man who would get involved in anything underhand. But then, Sally could be very persuasive.

She brought the tea and Ken took a cup. Lowri noticed his hands were shaking. ‘Ken, have you told me everything?'

‘I don't know if I should say this, Lowri.'

‘Go on, you might as well tell me what's on your mind.'

‘I heard Matthew arguing with Sally on the phone, he sounded angry, vicious even.' He looked up. ‘Would he harm her, do you think? Women are more sensitive about that sort of thing.'

‘I don't know, I've only met the guy a few times.' Suddenly she felt uneasy. Did Ken have an ulterior motive in coming to visit at such a late hour? She no longer knew whom to trust, whom to believe. Men, they were enough to drive a woman mad.

‘Drink up!' She heard the edginess in her tone, the sooner Ken left the better. ‘Look, go on back to the station, we'll talk again tomorrow. I've got to get some sleep, I'm shattered.'

‘I suppose I'd better be getting back.' Ken put down his cup and got to his feet. ‘Thanks for listening, anyway.' He rested his hand on her shoulder. ‘I expect I'm making a mountain out of a molehill.'