The Blissfully Dead

Suza

She was going to continue, but Winkler jumped in and interrupted. Patrick was childishly glad to see an expression of irritation flicker across Suza

‘So we need to figure out what could possibly be the link between an eighty-three-year-old widow in Wimbledon and a fifteen-year-old boy-band fan in Kingston. If indeed there is one. Just because it’s the same sort of knife doesn’t mean it’s the same perp. Lots of lowlifes will have the same sort of knife.’

He wondered, why was it that everything coming out of Winkler’s mouth made Pat want to punch him?

Suza

Both men gaped at her.

‘You’re kidding,’ Patrick managed, furious with himself that he was unable to prevent his voice momentarily turning into an adolescent squeak. He was furious with her too. She knew there was no love lost between him and Winkler – what was she thinking?

Adrian had gathered himself and was now nodding sagely, as if him being involved with the case would give it the only possible chance of getting solved. Patrick jumped to his feet.

‘I’m sorry, but I have to object. As Adrian here so rightly says’ – at this he bared his teeth in a fake grin to indicate that he was being sarcastic rather than deferential – ‘any old scumbag could be carrying a knife like that used on both of these victims. It’s worth investigating, of course, but surely it won’t mean both of us have to run the case?’

‘That’s as may be, regarding the knife,’ said Suza

Chastened, Patrick thought how ironic it was for her to say that, after his earlier image of them in front of the Head. She was right, though. At all costs, he must not allow himself to sink to Winkler’s level. They were professionals, with a job to do.

He believed his face would confirm this, but instead Suza

Winkler left the office without a backwards glance at Pat. Suza

‘What’s the problem, Suza

‘This coffee is not only disgusting, it’s stone cold.’

‘I didn’t mean with the coffee. You look worried.’

Suza

‘No way!’ Patrick leapt to his feet again. He was livid. ‘Are you serious?’

‘Oh for God’s sake, Patrick, you’re like a bloody jack-in-a-box! This is precisely why I’m worried about you! It’s just not like you to be so sensitive. You can handle Winkler. He’s an arse and we all know it.’

Patrick couldn’t resist a grin. He knew she would never have said that to anybody else in the station. He saluted her in sardonic acquiescence and took his seat again, glad that Suza

‘You’re right. And not just about the bit where you said Winkler’s an arse. I’m sorry, Suza

‘Good man,’ said Suza

Patrick laughed drily. ‘I handled it during the Child Catcher operation, didn’t I? And that was even more of a nightmare, domestically.’

‘True. OK. Don’t let me down.’ She swivelled in her chair to face her computer screen, indicating that the meeting was over. Patrick caught the faintest whiff of her scent as she turned.

As he left the office, he caught sight of Winkler at his desk, smirking at him. He marched straight past him, unable to face him at the moment, and headed over to Carmella.

‘Come on,’ he said, loudly enough for Winkler to hear, wanting to make him paranoid about what Suza

Chapter 10

Day 3 – Patrick

Patrick and Carmella sat in the McDonald’s round the corner from the Travel I

The manager hadn’t recognised Rose from the photograph they’d shown him, nor did any of the almost exclusively teenage staff, though their eyes had widened and a whisper of excitement had whipped through the restaurant. The girl who was murdered! They all so desperately wanted to recognise her, to have something to tell their friends. But it looked like the burger Rose had enjoyed as her last meal had come from somewhere else.

‘Going round every fast-food place in Kingston,’ Carmella said, wincing at her coffee. ‘We should have given this job to Gareth. He’d love it.’

‘Maybe I will,’ Patrick said. ‘Or Winkler.’

‘Uh-uh. He doesn’t eat junk food, does he? Only the finest organic produce passes his lips.’

Hearing this made Patrick reconsider ordering that Big Mac.

They walked round to the Travel I