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Chapter 65

Flynnand Bradshaw were waiting in the hotel bar. To Poe’s surprise, Mathers was there as well. She didn’t look happy. Neither did Flynn. Bradshaw was fidgety, a clear sign she was worried about something.

‘What’s up?’ he said, taking a seat.

Mathers threw a newspaper across the table. It was a copy of theChronicle, Newcastle’s daily newspaper. It was upside down. He could see a story about a recent football match on the back page.

‘What’s this?’

‘Turn it over.’

He did.

And saw himself on the front page.

TOP COP COMPROMISED!

DETECTIVE SERGEANT WASHINGTON POE TAKES BREAK FROM SEARCH FOR BOTANIST – COMPROMISES INVESTIGATION INTO MURDER SUSPECT FRIEND!

Detective Sergeant Washington Poe, the famed National Crime Agency officer, has been taking time out of the search for the serial killer known as the Botanist to conduct a private investigation into the circumstances around his friend’s arrest. Estelle Doyle, 39, was recently charged with the brutal slaying of her father. She is currently remanded at HMP Low Newton in Durham. Sergeant Poe and a mystery brunette were spotted in the prison car park. It is believed he was visiting Doyle. Sergeant Poe is no stranger to controversy …

It continued into a hit piece. A summary of the high-profile cases he’d been involved with. No mention of the killers he’d put behind bars, but plenty about the complaints lodged against him. Northumbria Police had declined to comment. And when the journalist had called the NCA, he’d been told Poe was ‘unavailable’. Which, while factually accurate, had been reported in such a way to make it sound as though Poe was hiding in a caravan somewhere.

The accompanying photograph was of him and Bradshaw in HMP Low Newton’s car park. Judging by the shadows, it was after their visit with Doyle, not before. Looked like it had been taken a few moments before Robert Bowness, the detective who had smelled a cricket bat in Elcid Doyle’s office, had approached them. Bowness must have taken the picture to show Chief Inspector Tai-young Lee. She must have slipped it to a friendly journalist. Retaliation for forcing his way into her crime scene.

‘You OK, Tilly?’ Poe asked.

‘I am, Poe. I’m not named in the article and the photo of me is blurry.’

‘I didn’t know you were a brunette.’

‘I certainly didn’t know I was amysterybrunette, Poe.’

‘This is serious!’ Flynn snapped.

‘It really isn’t, boss,’ Poe replied. ‘I was visiting a friend during a few days off. If Chief Inspector Lee is annoyed by my presence she should raise it with you, not go sneaking to the paper.’

‘The directorhasdemanded an explanation from Northumbria’s chief constable,’ Flynn admitted.

‘And?’

‘Chief Inspector Tai-young Lee denied it was her.’

‘I bet she did.’

‘Regardless. The fact remains that Detective Chief Superintendent Mathers is facing unsurpassed scrutiny as it is. The press are baying for her blood and articles like this make it look as though she’s lost control.’

‘I’m sorry, Poe,’ Mathers said. ‘But Stephanie and I are in alignment – to protect the Botanist investigation, you need to stay away from Estelle Doyle. If she’s innocent, the truth will out.’

‘Is this an order?’ he asked.

‘It is, Poe,’ Flynn replied. ‘Staff at HMP Low Newton have been instructed not to let you in.’

Bradshaw put her hand on his arm. Kept it there until his breathing returned to normal. ‘It’s OK, Poe,’ she said. ‘We’ve seen everything we need to. We can keep investigating from here. I’ll help you, I promise.’

‘Fine,’ he said eventually.

Flynn and Mathers were right. Hehadcompromised the investigation. Whether he liked it or not, effective media relations were important in managing a high-profile murder. He was annoyed he’d been taken off the board with an underhand trick, but Bradshaw was right: visiting Doyle in custody was a luxury, not a necessity. If he needed further information, the quickest way to get it would be through her solicitor.