Page 75 of The Scene of the Crime

‘Anderson’s not that ugly,’ she replied, making light of his concern.

‘You know what I meant.’

‘It’s better to see his face now than in court, but I don’t think it will bother me one way or the other.’ Chapman suspected she was putting on a brave face. He remembered the night Palmer tried to rape her. She was in a state of traumatic shock, which had upset him to the extent that he’d wanted to give Palmer a beating. At the time, he had resisted the temptation, not because he feared being investigated, but for her sake. He knew if he’d beaten Palmer up as he badly wanted to, it could be used at trial to get the jury on Palmer’s side. When he learned that Palmer wasn’t going to be charged, he wished he had.

‘We’ve got an interview viewing room with a TV in it. You can stay here and watch it if you like.’

‘Thanks, but I need to get back to the office and see how things are going. I’ll get Diane and Taff to watch the interview recording. If Palmer chooses to talk, his answers will be of interest and could help them to focus on specific items for forensic examination that might refute his account of events.’

‘I can set up a secure link to the Met Net so you can watch it live. Palmer’s solicitor hasn’t arrived yet, so I reckon it will be at least a couple of hours before we interview him, which gives you plenty of time to get back to your office.’

‘Good idea.’ As she got up to leave, Chapman said he’d email her a link to the site and a password to gain entry. She gave him a sad smile that made him want to go round his desk and hug her tightly, but instead he stood up.

‘I know you want to step back from being involved in the investigation, but I’d value your opinion on the interview.’

‘Marks out of ten?’

He smiled. ‘With your psychological expertise, I’m interested in how you interpret Palmer’s body language and how he answers questions – if he chooses to. I’ve told Anderson it’s best to do a short interview first, let Palmer stew for a few hours, then go back and hit him with all the hard evidence. I’d value your thoughts before the second interview, how we should approach it and what questions might get him to talk.’

‘I’ll do it, but only if it’s just between us.’

‘Of course, that’s what I was thinking anyway. Would you like to discuss it somewhere away from the office?’

‘Over the phone might be easier if it’s in between interviews.’

‘Maybe after the second interview we could go for a drink?’ he suggested, expecting a refusal.

‘That’s fine by me. Let me know what time and where you’d like to meet,’ she said, picking up her bag.

‘Thank you for understanding, talk later.’ She closed the door after her.

* * *

Jessica took the quickest route back to Lambeth via the Rotherhithe Tunnel, but the traffic was still slow and she could feel her frustration building. She wanted to return to the MSCAN office well before the interview started to speak with Diane, Taff and Guy about her withdrawal from the investigation. Although she trusted them, she didn’t want to reveal the full details of what Palmer did and hoped they would respect her decision.

Driving towards the electric gates for the underground parking facility, she noticed Commander Williams and the Laboratory Director standing and talking together by the foyerentrance. She parked her car in the first available bay, hurried into the building and saw Williams entering the lift.

‘Can you hold the doors, please?’ Jessica called out as they started to close. Williams pressed the button to open the doors. ‘Afternoon ma’am. If you’ve got time later before you return to the Yard, could I speak with you about the De Klerk case?’

‘As it happens, I’ve come to see you about the case.’ Williams smiled and pressed the button for the fourth floor.

‘Oh, right. I thought you might be here for a meeting with the lab director,’ Jessica said, wondering why Williams hadn’t called her before coming to Lambeth.

‘No, we just happened to bump into each other outside and had a quick catch-up.’

‘Are you aware of the latest developments in the case?’

‘If you mean William Palmer’s arrest, then yes, I am.’

Jessica sensed Williams knew more than she was letting on. ‘Have you spoken to DI Chapman?’

‘I think we best have this conversation in your office.’

Jessica hoped that Chapman hadn’t betrayed her trust and was about to say something when the lift stopped on the third floor. Two people got in and pressed the button for the fifth floor, where the canteen was. Jessica decided that it was best to say nothing until they were alone. Exiting the lift on the fourth floor, Williams followed her to the MSCAN offices.

Guy Jenkinson was at his desk inputting data on the HOLMES computer when he saw Commander Williams. He stood up. ‘Good afternoon, ma’am.’

‘Good afternoon, Guy. But really, you don’t need to get up.’