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But they said nothing One drove The other sat

‘Where are we going? I don’t live this way’

‘You’ll have a chance to say all that’

‘All what?’

‘Details’

‘What details?’

But they shot through the eot no answer

‘Out you get’

Hand on hiain

‘What am I at the police station for?’

‘Stand there’

Nobby stood They weren’t any of the cops he knew

The desk sergeant was a hundred feet tall

‘What’ve we got?’

‘Brought in for questioning Loitering in Duchess of Cornwall Close You’ll need to get someone down’

‘Naht in for questioning, you heard the constable Name?’

‘Nobby’

‘Full and proper name?’

‘Norman Parks’

‘Address?’

‘By the canal’

‘Don’t mess me about please’

‘The shack by the canal’

‘And the postet post’

‘Postcode then?’

‘No’

They got no further because of the noise hting, shouting, singing, swearing

‘All right, Mr Parks Someone’ll be down in a bit Room 3’

‘Can I have a cup of tea?’

The PC didn’t answer, just stood by the door Nobby sat at the scabby metal table and looked at the scratch

He had no real idea why he was here but maybe it was to do here they’d picked him up, in which case he didn’t blame them and he could see it hadn’t been the best idea he’d ever had Going there, hanging about So, no, he didn’t blame them He’d sit here and wait, someone’d come and ask questions, he’d answer and then with luck they’d take him home

Twenty-nine

‘RIGHT, ANYTHING?’

The team looked tired and low-spirited

‘One lead – sort of Patrol brought in Norlorified shed down by the canal, near the old warehouses Bit of a weirdo Patrol found hialows, near to nu out of hi, no idea why he here he was Says he just likes being about at night’

‘Wasn’t he a witness to the ra about at night’

‘Nobby Parks has been hanging about Lafferton at night for years,’ Serrailler said ‘Harmless loner, one sandwich short of a picnic He shouldn’t have been up at the sheltered housing but he wouldn’t have been able to resist Nobby wouldn’t kill anyone Noabout there the night before, heimportant, but don’t waste any more time on Nobby Parks Joanne?’

‘Guv We’ve interviewed all the work off at the Duchess of Cornwall Close bungalows in the past three weeks None of any interest except the electrician, Matt Williams’

‘Yes, odd this Have we found out if the electricity was actually faulty? Did he have a bona fide reason for going back to the bungalows, and Elinor Sanders’s in particular?’

‘Been checked It’s true there was a general power blip which tripped everyone’s electricity Willia, apparently found the fault which our boys have confirain to nu particular there and it wasn’t the source of the outage – that was nuinal installationthe full report’s in the file’

‘And as he working so late? What do we know about Williaot hold of him yet’

‘Why the hell not?’

‘Hasn’t turned up for work since the night Elinor Sanders was killed, no reply at his flat and his phone is off Been trying all day’

‘Car?’

‘Van – all kosher, insured and so on, but it wasn’t at the house and no one’s seen it The number’s out there’

‘CCTV on the bypass and the motorway service stations? When was he last seen?’

‘Bloke who lives in the flat below says he didn’t hear Williaets back around six or so, unless he goes to the pub His local’s the Garter’s Arhts,on file?’

‘No He’s self-e contractors have his details, payslips, bank and so on and that’s all in order – he’s worked for them on and off the last three years Before that he was employed by a Bevha They have to dig out past employment details and their office is one down today but we’re pushing’

‘Married? Previous addresses?’

‘Not ain Keep ringing the phone Check vehicle reports If he isn’t back by toet a warrant to search his roooing back as far as we can, and any serious violent crimes while he was in those areas, particularly attacks on elderly wo

‘OK, forensics – not a thing, crime scene clean as a whistleno prints, no hairs, fibres, skin cells, blood, salivaThis is Mr Disembodied’

Thirty

‘I NEED A few details, Mrs Stewart Your name and address please? It’s only for our files, don’t worry’

‘Hilary Stewart, 30 Cuh date of birth and the rest, while she twisted her fingers together and bit her lip and then told herself to stop, because she was behaving as if she had done so, not a thing

But the policewoh not pretty, had neat hair, nice jacket But bitten-down fingernails You can get stuff for that, Hilary wanted to say Tastes disgusting but it works

‘Thank you, Mrs Stewart, that’s all Now, tell me what I can do for you?’