As Burkin helped him out to the car the major’s back was ramrod straight. He shook the younger man’s hand and was gone to break the news to his wife.

Chapter 4

4

Otley was furious to discover that Tennison had beaten him to it; her report on the identification of the murdered girl was already on Superintendent Kernan’s desk. He couldn’t think for the life of him how she had managed it.

It was out of order for Otley to come direct to the Chief Super but, knowing how the Sergeant felt, Kernan said nothing. He waited; Otley was still hovering.

“Something else, Bill?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Otley blurted out that the men felt that Tennison wasn’t sufficiently experienced. “It’s out of control, guv! The big interview room’s full of toms bein’ questioned for the third time, and not one’s seen hide nor hair of Della Mornay. The Incident Room’s full of blokes sitting around waiting for her . . .”

“Is this a consensus?”

“We all feel it, guv. She’s just not right, she’s not handling the men at all well. She’s smug, she doesn’t fit in, we all feel it. We’ve only got a few hours left, and the way she’s going we’ll have to let him go!”

Kernan pursed his lips and nodded a fraction. “It’s not entirely up to her, the situation’s under constant review. Leave it with me, Bill, OK?”

Arnold Upcher sorted through some documents, then pushed them across the desk to Chief Superintendent Kernan.

“I thought these might interest you. They’re cases from the last three years where the evidence depended solely on DNA tests. You can see for yourself, in every instance the judge threw the case out. I think my client and I have been most patient; if you have any further incriminating evidence then we’ll discuss it, but I am not prepared to let him stay here another night if you cannot substantiate your suspicion of murder. And that’s all you’re holding him on—suspicion. It’s not on; he has a solid alibi, he has been co-operative and totally honest with you. Come on, Superintendent! You’ve got the wrong man.”

Convinced that the Super was going to take Tennison off the case, Otley watched with a gleam of triumph in his eye as she entered the Incident Room, obviously harassed and sweating, with Burkin at her heels.

“Anything on Marlow’s car yet?” she demanded.

Ken Muddyman answered her from the far side of the room. “Not yet, ma’am, but we’ve got you a slot on the Shaw Taylor program!”

“That’s a good idea!” She heard Lillie sniggering behind her but ignored him.

“I was joking, ma’am!”

“I’m not! Laugh away, DI Muddyman, but time’s almost up and Marlow’s lawyer’s with the Super now. Get on to the Press Office . . .”