Page 108 of The Scene of the Crime

‘All right, but I’m staying in there with you. Give me a minute to explain that someone else wants to talk to him.’

‘What are you going to say?’

‘I’m going to big you up,’ Chapman said, walking out before she could say anything.

The custody officer showed Chapman back into the room. ‘I want to go back to my cell,’ Liam pleaded.

‘The custody officer is busy, but he’ll be back here in a minute or two. There’s something I think you should know.’

‘What?’

‘The lady in charge of our forensic unit watched your interviews and believed what you said might be true. So much so that she looked at all the evidence again and concluded you were telling the truth. She convinced me you didn’t break into the house or assault Johan De Klerk, and Wheeler set you up for the crime. If not for her, I wouldn’t be talking to you now and trying to help you.’

Liam looked surprised. ‘Why would she do that for me?’

‘Because she cares about what happens to you. She doesn’t want to see you convicted of a crime you didn’t commit. She put her job on the line for you. Honestly, at first, I didn’t believe her. I was convinced you were guilty, but now I know you’re not.’

Liam looked gobsmacked. ‘Can you thank her for me? Nobody ever done nothing for me like that.’

‘You can do that yourself . . .’

Jessica took the cue, passing the waiting custody officer positioned outside as Chapman had instructed him, and entering the room. ‘This is Jessica Russell, head of our forensic unit,’ Chapman said. Palmer’s eyes opened wide with shock. He started to push his chair back from the table as if he needed to get away from her.

‘Don’t worry, Liam,’ she said. ‘I’m not here to shout or scream at you. Thank you for telling DI Chapman what happened in my flat that night. It can’t have been easy, and I understand why you didn’t admit it back then.’ Liam seemed bewildered, putting his hands on the table and then back on his lap. He bowed his head, unwilling to look at her. Chapman glanced at her anxiously,but she seemed relaxed and unconcerned. She let the silence lengthen.

Eventually Liam coughed and wiped his lips with his hand. He still wouldn’t look at her. ‘I’m sorry for what I did. I didn’t mean to frighten you. You were always kind and tried to help me when you were my probation officer. All I knew as a kid was that my dad beat my mother, who was always drunk, and she took the punishment out on me. It was never my dad who grabbed my hair and slammed my head against the wall until I was unconscious. It was her. But I had to tell social services it was my dad who did it so she could keep custody of me and not lose her benefits. I’ve been living a lie my entire messed-up life.’

Jessica was shocked but tried not to show it. ‘That’s all in the past, Liam. It’s the present and what happens to you now that’s important. I think you know the man in the photograph, but I understand if you’re frightened of him . . .’

‘I don’t know him. I’ve never seen him before,’ he said stubbornly.

‘DI Chapman has enough evidence to arrest Wheeler, but we don’t know where he is.’

‘I don’t know either. Please, I appreciate you standing up for me, I really do, but now I just want to go back to my cell.’

Jessica spoke softly, leaning forward. ‘If he’s arrested and charged, he can’t hurt you. We know he’s trying to frame you for a crime you didn’t commit. Neither of us wants to see you go to prison for something you didn’t do.’

Chapman took up the baton. ‘We know Wheeler lives in one of the tower blocks on Montague Road, but we need the exact address. I understand why you’re frightened of him, but like Jessica said, if we arrest him, he can’t hurt you.’

Palmer looked hesitantly at Jessica for reassurance. ‘Liam, I want you to know that I have asked that the charge for the offence against me be dropped to indecent exposure.’

‘You’d do that?’ Palmer asked.

‘If you help us, I will talk to the CPS and ask that they consider granting you bail. I can also ask that you be considered for witness protection and given a place to live well away from Wheeler.’

He closed his eyes, shaking his head from side to side. ‘Listen, I’ve seen what this bloke can do . . . I saw him smash a kid’s face in the pub for not doing anything, and I know he almost killed another bloke at his hostel . . . he said he’d cut my throat if I ever said anything to anyone, I’m so scared of him . . . how do I know he won’t find me and hurt me again?’

‘You have my word, you will be protected,’ Chapman said.

‘And mine,’ Jessica said quietly.

Liam sniffed, then wiped his nose with the back of his hand. He took a deep breath. ‘Flat 78 Fred Wigg Tower. There, I done it.’

‘Are you sure, Liam?’ Chapman asked. ‘The last thing I want is to force entry to the wrong flat.’

‘I am telling you the truth. He got me the laptop, the PlayStation and Xbox, and I went there to collect them.’

Chapman nodded. ‘OK. Thank you, Liam. There are a few other questions I’ll need to ask you about your involvement with Wheeler, but right now, I’m going to go and arrest him. As soon as I’ve done that, I’ll let you know. Is that OK?’