‘How would I know?’

‘Maybe because he’s your son!’ snaps Quinn.

Kelly looks downward. ‘I haven’t seen him since . . . since . . . that night.’

‘What night was that, Mr Kelly?’

He rubs his arms and begins to shake his head.

‘Mr Kelly, when was the last time you saw your wife, Elaine Kelly, and son, Jordan?’ asks Archer.

Kelly casts his eyes downward and speaks under his breath.

‘I’m sorry, Mr Kelly, could you repeat that?’

His nose begins to run and tears stream down his cheeks.

‘I don’t remember.’

He is clearly drunk. Archer should put a stop to the interview but she waits for a nugget of something.

‘Mr Kelly, please think back.’

There is a long silence as Kelly tries to hold himself together.

‘Drink some of this,’ says Quinn, sliding across a styrofoam cup of water.

‘Mr Kelly, can you confirm your son Jordan isn’t staying with you?’

Tentatively, he picks up the cup, takes a sip, but it seems to go down the wrong way and he coughs it back, spitting it onto the floor.

‘My Elaine. My boy. I’m so sorry,’ he weeps.

‘What are you sorry for, Mr Kelly?’

Kelly doesn’t respond.

‘Mr Kelly, when did you last see your wife and son?’ asks Quinn.

But Kelly drops his head into his hands and sobs.

Archer and Quinn exchange looks. They are both thinking the same thing.

‘Mr Kelly, why don’t you get some rest and we can talk later.’

Kelly weeps as Archer and Quinn stand to leave.

Outside of the interview room Quinn turns to Archer. ‘I’m not sure what to make of that display. He could be putting it on.’

‘Jackie Morris said he was sly and clever.’ Archer takes a moment to consider options. Kelly is clearly not in a position to talk – whether he was lying or drunk I can’t tell. I’ll put an application through to extend his stay. Would you mind breaking the news to him?’

‘Sure,’ replies Quinn, who returns to the interview room.

Chapter 35

35

ARCHER RETURNS TO THE THIRD floor. She notices Hicks and Felton have gone and that DCI Pierce is in her office. She knocks on the door.

Pierce beckons her inside.

Archer updates the DCI on everything they know to date.

‘. . . and no one has seen or heard from Jordan Kelly since his mother went missing.’

‘Let’s consider him a missing person and make finding him a priority for this investigation. Is it possible Jordan was with his mother when she went missing?’

‘It’s possible.’

‘Revisit the Aylesbury Estate and go door-to-door. Talk to his friends. Find out what you can. Nothing is insignificant.’

‘I’ll get the team on it.’

‘Good. You may be interested to know I had a breakfast meeting with the Chief Constable. In light of the latest murders he is giving us more feet on the ground.’