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‘Oh ha ha’
‘And how are Judith and Richard? I heard at first but not for a bit now’
‘Fine,’ Cat said, going out ‘Busy But fine’
Hannah was cos to tell Molly, ask Molly, complain about or boast about or share in confidence with Molly She left the Rachel was not answering her phone, which meant she was at the hospital, but he drove round past the house anyway Her car was not there Lights were out
He had stopped for fuel and bought a bunch of flowers on the forecourt, but now he looked at theer seat and saw that they were dise froh the letter box instead
Thinking about you Ring when you can S x
He dropped the flowers in a bin on the way home
Fifty-nine
OLIVE TREDWELL’S SON had written to the Chief ainst the police and Serrailler in particular Muriel Atkinson had telephoned several times in distress to ask why the killer of her twin sister had not been caught and why others had been allowed to die in the sa for an update on the builders’ yard set-up, when a call was put through to hi this and that in the paper, I keep seeing your face on the television and you’re being all full of syet told anything, we’re fobbed off with "ongoing investigations" and e can guess froot two little boys here asking questions I can’t ansanting to knohat happened to their Gran, and what am I to say? I don’t think you understand’
‘Mrs Fletcher, I assure you absolutely that I do And you were right to ringbecause soot out they could hinder our progress’
‘You’re saying you’ve ress? Seems like the exact opposite tobut you’re right to pick me up on my failure to keep you and the other relatives infor to ask all the bereaved families to come here and meet me, and ask whatever you like – and I promise you I’ll do my very best to address all your concerns’
‘You sound like a politician’
‘God help e a time suitable to everyone and anise it for late this afternoon, if that isn’t too short notice’
‘Make it for two in the ive you a time’
‘The TV people won’t be there, will they?’
‘They will not This will be a closed and private ht I‘d be wasting ht I‘d be fobbed off with so was held in the conference room at six o’clock and the press officer and Polly had set it out with the chairs in an informal half-circle, with a table of tea, coffee and biscuits, places in front for Serrailler and the Chief No one else There was no desk, no , no interruptions
Si he was able to about each case and its investigation, and the way everyone worked both separately and as a teaently spoken, and used as little police jargon as possible There was actually very little he could say that they hadn’t already heard but hethem all into his confidence It worked The initial hesitant questions were not aggressive and he did not feel challenged Mrs Sanders’s twin sister said she believed the police had the hardest job in the world, Karen Fletcher asked if there was anything more they could do to help ‘I’ve racked ht know, but I can’t I’d rack theain if it was useful There’s a et our own loved ones back but surely to God we can try and do soain’
‘That’s all very well,’ Olive Tredwell’s son said, ‘but it isn’t our job, is it? It’s theirs’
Murht,’ Sierous man is ours first and foremost, but this is no different from any other situation – we rely on s people may know or reing our responsibility, I assure you Now as to the resources we’re putting into this –’
‘Hang on’ An overweight man with a shaven head almost knocked over his chair as he jurandson Before you start blinding us with talk about policeunder-resourced, I don’t think you realise just how angry everyone is You’ve been let off lightly up to now, people have even asked how they can help you Hoe can help you? And I heard what you just said about not knowing stuff But it’s your job to find it out, not wait to be told Christ Al done, line by line, and why these other murders have been allowed to happen under your noses, why thisthe streets killing innocent old peopleI want to knohy you’ve failed so far Because you have failed,isn’t done, there’ll be ot one word for you and that’s S-U-E – sue We’ll be suing you for every penny, see what that does to your bloody "resources"’
There was a h Siree, Karen Fletcher stood back for a ing this I know you’re doing your best, you’re doing your jobs I shouldn’t have rung you and spoke the way I did this hts you’re working’
Siet this man, Mrs Fletcher’
‘Well done, Simon – they’re onside now, I think They listened And forget the bluff Nobody’s going to sue’
‘He needed to get it out of his systeer in the room actually’
‘Grief takes some funny for shot and I’m never keen on entrapment’