Kelly looked at Emma and nodded. ‘I’m sure there’s been some mistake. He said I was responsible for messing up information on HOLMES. To be honest, I don’t know what he’s talking about. He sounded as though he was slurring his words.’

‘I’m here until midnight, boss, I’ll find out as much as I can about the Preston depot and the missing contraband. Are you planning to talk to Fenton and Akers?’

‘Who? Oh, of course! Yes. Let’s go.’

Chapter 37

Kelly and Emma walked to the lifts and took the elevator down to the interview suites. Jackson Akers and Tyrone Fenton had been asked to wait inside, and as the officers entered, Tyrone stood up. Jackson pulled him down and Tyrone sank back into his chair. Kelly studied both of them and made the introductions. She wished for an instant that Rob was here, but reassured herself that Eden House contained more than enough manpower to protect her.

Tyrone looked uncomfortable. Kelly watched Jackson for signs of deceit, trickery or game-playing, but found none.

‘Jackson, do you want to enlighten me on why you’ve both decided to come in tonight?’

‘Tyrone heard that you guys were looking for him, you know; about Keira.’

At the mention of the dead girl, Tyrone looked down and closed his eyes. Kelly noticed that he had his sleeves pulled over his hands.

‘Tyrone? Why do you think we want to talk to you?’

‘’Cause she was my girl, and I ran away.’

‘Why did you run away?’

‘I was told to!’

‘By whom?’

Tyrone looked at Jackson and Kelly thought he might bottle it and change his mind about whatever he’d come here to tell her.

‘Jason Cotton.’

‘And why did he tell you to run?’

‘He told all of us to lay low, else we’d be taken down for Keira’s murder.’

‘Did you kill Keira?’

‘No, man! I did not!’

Kelly stayed calm, encouraging the same from Tyrone.

‘Do you know who did kill her?’

Tyrone nodded.

‘Were you a witness?’

He nodded again and sniffed, wiping his sleeve over his nose. Kelly caught a glimpse of a cut on his left hand.

‘Who did it?’

‘Jason.’

‘And you saw it?’

Tyrone nodded.

‘Are you willing to testify?’

Another nod. Jackson patted his friend on the back.

Tyrone carried on. ‘Jason gave me his clothes and the knife, and told me to disappear for a while.’

‘Do you have them?’

Jackson produced a bag from under his jumper. Kelly couldn’t believe what she was seeing.

‘Would you be willing to supply a DNA sample and fingerprints to rule you out, Tyrone?’

Tyrone glared at Jackson, then back at Kelly, and nodded. Emma took a swab from a box and rubbed it around his mouth. They could do the prints later.

‘Why did Jason do it, Tyrone?’