Page 5 of The Scene of the Crime (Jessica Russell #1)

Jessica walked from Petts Wood station to the three-bedroom bungalow she shared with David in Greenfield Gardens.

Their mother Eileen had bought it after an acrimonious divorce which gave her custody of Jessica and David, and she had left it to them when she died eighteen months ago.

David had still been living with her at the time.

After the divorce, their father Roger never contacted his wife or children again.

David had difficulties in coming to terms with what had happened, often asking where his father was and if he could visit him.

The problem was, their mother didn’t know where he was living, and whenever she tried to contact him at work or on his mobile, he didn’t answer or just put the phone down.

Not long after they moved into the bungalow, Eileen went back to teaching at a local primary school, and though she made new friends, she never formed any serious relationships for her children’s sake. She raised David and Jessica alone.

Over time, David realised their father wanted nothing to do with them and his feelings for him turned to contempt.

In his teenage years, he became argumentative and moody, neglecting his studies, often staying out late, drinking and taking drugs, which caused arguments not only with his mother but with Jessica as well.

It wasn’t until his best friend died from an overdose that David realised the damage he was doing to himself and his family.

He stopped taking drugs, regularly attended a rehabilitation group, limited his alcohol consumption and got a job as a postman.

In Jessica’s absence at university, David lived at home and insisted he pay his mother rent and do any odd jobs, house repairs and gardening she wanted.

Although Jessica was also upset when her parents divorced, she hid her emotions, not wanting to cause her mother and David more anguish.

Her father had never been very loving or affectionate towards her, often commenting that she would amount to nothing if she had her mother’s brains.

Looking back, Jessica realised his comments had had the reverse effect, giving her the drive to succeed, and although he was no longer part of her life, she still wanted to prove him wrong.

After their mother’s sudden and unexpected death from cancer, David suffered from depression and started drinking and using drugs again.

Jessica moved back to the bungalow, but due to the pressures of her work, she couldn’t always be there for him.

In desperation and fearing David would lose his job, she persuaded him to spend time in the Priory drug and alcohol rehabilitation hospital in Hayes.

When David was well enough, they discussed selling the bungalow, but in the end agreed it would be best to keep it and live together.

Arriving home, Jessica walked into the kitchen where she found David, dressed in cycling clothes, oiling the gears of his new bike which was upside down on the kitchen table. ‘She’s a beauty, isn’t she?’ he said proudly. ‘And I managed to get the seller down another two hundred quid.’

Jessica shook her head and sighed. ‘You’ve spilled oil on the table. Can’t you do that in the garage?’

He shook his head. ‘My other bike is on the stand. Anyway, I’ve finished now. I’m taking her for a quick spin before it gets dark.’

‘What do you want for dinner?’

‘Whatever you’re cooking will do. How’d the job interview go?’

‘Fine. I’ll find out if I’ve got it tomorrow.’ She couldn’t face going over the details again.

As David lifted the bike off the table, his face tightened and he arched his back, clearly in pain. He dropped the bike, knocking the uncapped oil can off the table. As the oil began to spill onto the floor, Jessica grabbed the kitchen roll and started mopping it up. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to . . .’

‘It’s all right. I’ll clean it up . . . as usual!’ Jessica couldn’t help adding.

‘Why are you always so anal about tidiness?’

‘I’m not . . .’

‘Yes, you are. You hoover and dust in the morning before work and again in the evening.’

‘No, I don’t.’

‘Yes, you do. In fact, at weekends, you sometimes do it three times a day!’

‘It’s because I’m forever having to clean up after you,’ she said, holding the oil-stained kitchen roll out towards him.

He frowned. ‘It’s like living with Mrs Hinch. I’m off on a bike ride. I’ll see you in about an hour.’

‘Do you think riding a bike is wise if your back is playing up?’ she said.

‘I’m fine. It was just a little spasm.’

‘Suit yourself. You need to see a physio or book an appointment with the doctor before it gets worse.’

‘Give it a rest, Jessica,’ he said as he put on his helmet and walked his bike towards the front door.

‘That’s going to leave wheel marks in the hallway. Go out the back door through the garage,’ she said.

David sighed loudly, shaking his head, but did as she asked. When he’d gone Jessica got down on her hands and knees. There were still traces of oil on the kitchen floor. She got out a mop and bucket and started cleaning.

*?*?*

On Friday morning, Jessica returned to work at the Kent Police headquarters in Maidstone and spoke with the director of forensics, Chris Hadham.

‘You’ll be a significant loss for the crime scene unit, but I wish you well.

And in the meantime, I won’t allocate you any major crime scenes so you can complete your outstanding paperwork. ’

Jessica thanked him and went straight to her office.

She was almost up to date with all her work, but she had a couple of cases she still needed to follow up on.

She had her mobile on the desk, anxiously awaiting a phone call from Commander Williams. It was just after 9.

30 a.m. when her phone rang. She grabbed it and hurriedly answered the call, only to discover it was Diane.

‘You heard anything yet?’ Diane asked.

‘No, have you?’

‘No, that’s why I’m calling you,’ Diane retorted.

‘Have you spoken to Taff?’

‘Yes, I called him. He hasn’t heard anything either.’

‘As soon as I hear anything, I’ll let you know,’ Jessica said, trying to sound positive.

‘I’ve never felt so nervous . . . it’s worse than being crossexamined at the Old Bailey.’

An incoming call warning appeared on Jessica’s phone screen, but she didn’t recognise the number. She hurriedly told Diane she had to go, ended their call and answered the unknown caller.

‘I’d like to tell you about our great new solar panelling . . .’

‘Piss off!’ Jessica told the unfortunate cold caller, slamming her phone down on her desk. She went to the canteen and got a coffee to calm herself down, but realising she’d left her phone on the desk, hurried back to the office.

Jessica noticed a missed call on her phone from an unknown central London landline. She tentatively dialled the number, not wanting to be caught out again and was relieved to hear Jordan, Commander Williams’s assistant, answering. He put her straight through to her.

‘Good morning, Jess. How are you today?’ Williams asked

‘Fine, ma’am, though I’m somewhat nervous about this call.’

‘Well, after much deliberation, it was decided that you were the best candidate to be the team leader for the MSCAN unit, so congratulations and welcome to the Met.’

Jessica almost spilled her coffee in her excitement.

‘Thank you, ma’am. It’s a real honour, and I’m looking forward to it.

’ She was about to ask who else had been selected, but Commander Williams said she had a meeting with the Commissioner and asked Jessica if she could come to her office at 2 p.m. to discuss her appointment and some other exciting news she had for her. ‘Yes, of course,’ Jessica replied.

‘Good, see you then. Please keep things to yourself for the moment, as I’ve yet to inform the unsuccessful candidates. I’m happy for you to speak with your director of forensics so arrangements can start for your official transfer but kindly ask him to keep it to himself.’ She ended the call.

Jessica banged her fist on the desk in triumph. ‘You did it, Jess, you did it!’ She desperately wanted to phone Diane and Taff but knew Commander Williams would not be impressed if she found out. She just hoped they’d also been selected for the unit.

Jessica put her phone on silent and left it in the office when she went to speak with Hadham.

He seemed genuinely pleased to hear her news.

‘Take the weekend off and celebrate properly, and I’ll have the paperwork completed quickly so you can transfer to the Met a week on Monday if Commander Williams agrees.

And we’ll organise a farewell drink next Friday if that’s OK. ’

‘That would be great. Thank you.’

Returning to the office, she checked her phone.

She’d missed two calls from Diane and a text message asking if she’d heard anything.

She texted her back, saying not yet and she was in case meetings for the rest of the day but would let her know the result as soon as she got it.

She wasn’t surprised she hadn’t heard anything from Taff.

Compared to the two of them, he could be remarkably patient.

Jessica returned home to get changed for her meeting with Commander Williams. She tied her hair back and chose wideleg trousers paired with a button-up shirt, jacket and pointed flat shoes, wanting to look smart, but not as if she was attending another interview.

David wasn’t back from work, so she texted that she had been selected for the team leader job and was going to Scotland Yard for a meeting.

David quickly replied: Congratulations! Proud of you!

She was proud of him too, she thought, the way he’d turned his life around.

But now she had this important new role, she was definitely going to have to mention the marijuana.