Chapters (58)
- COVER PAGE
- ABOUT THE AUTHOR
- DEDICATION
- Prologue
- One
- Two
- Three
- Four
- Five
- Six
- Seven
- Eight
- Nine
- Ten
- Eleven
- Twelve
- Thirteen
- Fourteen
- Fifteen
- Sixteen
- Seventeen
- Eighteen
- Nineteen
- Twenty
- Twenty-one
- Twenty-two
- Twenty-three
- Twenty-four
- Twenty-five
- Twenty-six
- Twenty-seven
- Twenty-eight
- Twenty-nine
- Thirty
- Thirty-one
- Thirty-two
- Thirty-three
- Thirty-four
- Thirty-five
- Thirty-six
- Thirty-seven
- Thirty-eight
- Thirty-nine
- Forty
- Forty-one
- Forty-two
- Forty-three
- Forty-four
- Forty-five
- Forty-six
- Forty-seven
- Forty-eight
- Forty-nine
- Fifty
- Fifty-one
- Fifty-two
- Fifty-three
- Acknowledgements
‘What does all that mean?’ Heidi cried out, startling Ryder for an instant. ‘I’m in fear of my life here.’ She grimaced as she moved her cuffed wrists. ‘I’m not saying any more until I get protection.’
‘It won’t hurt as much if you keep your hands still,’ said Flowers.
‘I can certainly put it to those above me,’ said Ryder, ‘but I can’t guarantee anything. It will depend upon what you tell us, and how significant that turns out to be.’
Ryder waited, giving her as much time as she needed to consider what he’d said. Any moment now she’d refuse to say more until she’d seen a lawyer.
Eventually she looked up. ‘Okay,’ she said, ‘but I want Ida in here.’
Forty-three
Sterling was on her feet in the viewing room. She’d gone undercover hoping to get a lead on Scruffy Freidman’s killer, and now Heidi Lorrimer was saying she knew who that was. Despite her body aching all over, nothing was going to stop Sterling being in that room.
A few minutes ago, Heidi had requested a rest room break, and Sterling was anxious for Ryder and Flowers to join her. Finally, Ryder and Flowers left the interview room and moments later she heard them coming up the stairs.
‘I hope she doesn’t have second thoughts while she’s in the bathroom,’ Flowers was saying as they came in the room.
‘It’s a shame we had to stop, but she asked for Sterling, and she’s entitled to her breaks.’ Ryder looked at Sterling while Flowers closed the door. ‘Are you up for it?’
Sterling nodded. ‘Yes, Sarge. Do you need to call Inspector Gray about the protection she’s asked for before we go back in?’
‘Let’s see how much she gives us first.’ Ryder walked over to the table and pulled a couple of grapes off the bunch. ‘She’ll be charged with assaulting a police officer and the attempted murder of a police officer. She knows that. What she doesn’t know is that we have evidence of two phone calls where she spoke to Art on the day of the accident, and her sister-in-law witnessed her going into the study at White Winter Station and then leaving a minute later. A partial print of hers on that tractor key would be good.’
‘Or better still, an outright admission of guilt,’ said Flowers, sprawling in one of the chairs. ‘I’m refusing to get my hopes up until I hear it with my own ears.’
The door of the interview room below them opened. It was the female police officer who’d accompanied Heidi to the rest room. They watched as she stood holding the door open, and then Heidi Lorrimer walked into the room.
‘Here we go. Are you ready, Sterling?’ said Ryder.
‘Sure am, Sarge.’