Page 15 of The Truth Will Out (DI Sam Cobbs #18)

“And? Damn, I swear you can be frustrating as hell at times. Just give me the facts without all the drama attached.”

His mouth gaped open for a second or two.

“Sorry, me having a go at you isn’t going to help matters, is it?”

“Apology accepted. Please, you have to remember I’m on your side, Sam.”

“I don’t need reminding.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Don’t you?”

“Bob,” she warned, the heat warming up her veins once more.

“Okay, are you ready for this?”

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes again.

“All right, here we go. I checked the recent files Claire had created and found one that she had encrypted.”

“What? Why would she do that? Dumb question one thousand and one coming up. Do we know what was on it?”

Bob raised a finger. “As it happens, we do. It’s marked, REDACTED STAFF LIST.”

She shook her head and went over the information they had discovered so far. “What the fuck. We need to see if Mick at the lab will do us a second favour today. Can you sort that for me while I bring Armstrong up to date?”

“Go for it. I can send him the file rather than go over there. At least, I should be able to do it.”

Bob shot out of the room to deal with the task. Sam left her chair and followed him into the outer office and up the corridor, taking a chance that DCI Alan Armstrong was available to see her. Heidi, his efficient secretary, smiled as she entered the office.

“Sorry to disturb you, Heidi. I don’t suppose the boss can squeeze me in for a brief chat, can he?”

Heidi winked. “He’s just finished a call and doesn’t have another one lined up for about an hour. Let me ask the question.” She rose from her seat and knocked on the DCI’s door. “Sorry to trouble you, sir. DI Cobbs is here. She’d like a word with you, if you have time to see her.”

“I have. I’d welcome the break after dealing with the superintendent on the last call. Send her in. I’m sure the inspector would love one of our special coffees, if you wouldn’t mind arranging that for us, Heidi?”

“My pleasure, sir.” Heidi walked away from the door and gestured for Sam to enter the room.

“A coffee would be a great idea. Thanks, Heidi.”

“I’ll get that sorted right away. Good luck.”

“Hello, Sam. This is a nice surprise. What’s up?”

Sam waited until she was sitting opposite him before she revealed the truth behind her visit. “This is hard for me to say, sir…”

“No, I won’t accept it.”

Confused, Sam said, “Accept what, sir?”

“Your resignation. If that’s what your visit is all about.”

“It isn’t, and I would never give up on the job I love more than life itself, sir. No matter how tempting it might be during a tough investigation.”

“Ah, okay. I was assuming that would be the case. Your expression is very grave today. Should I prepare myself for bad news?”

“It’s with a heavy heart that I have to tell you that a member of my team was killed last night.”

Her words hit him like a fist to the jaw, knocking him backwards into the chair. After a moment or two, he recovered and bounced upright again. “Tell me how it happened.”

She revealed what she knew about the incident and what she and Bob had discovered since they’d arrived at work that morning.

“Bloody hell. Are you all right, Sam?”

“I think so. I’ve slotted into professional mode. I’m conscious about keeping at it, fearing that if I stop, it might hit me harder.”

“Shit! I can understand that. I’ve never had a reason to tell you this before, but years ago, when I started off on the beat—I know, that was long before your time—my partner was stabbed by a youth.

I was there, luckily, right beside him. I knew what to do in the emergency and managed to keep him alive until they got him to hospital.

The youth had punctured my partner’s lung, and Ron faded fast once he was taken to A and E.

I’ve always felt guilty about the incident.

I asked myself over and over: why did it happen to him and not to me?

Ron was six months away from his retirement.

All those years on the Force, and he never got to enjoy the benefits of his copper’s pension. ”

“That’s so sad. I’m sorry to hear that, sir. It’s true what they say: we continue to put our lives on the line daily in order to protect the public, not that it’s appreciated by some members of the public.”

“It’s what we signed up for, but in reality, it knocks us sideways when we have to deal with the consequences of things going wrong. Are you and your team up for working the case?”

“I’m aware that we should hand it over, sir, but I’d feel bad letting someone else deal with it. Claire was a great officer and a close colleague. I know I’m speaking on behalf of the rest of my team when I say this, but we’d feel we were letting her down if we didn’t find the killer.”

“I’ll run it past the super and let you know what he has to say. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he appreciates the importance behind your decision to keep working the investigation.”

“Thank you. That means a lot, sir.”

“Sorry if this sounds flippant. How did her family take it? Was she married?”

“Her husband is away. He’s due back in a few hours.

I tried to tell him over the phone, but the site was too noisy.

In the end, I decided to back off and visit him later, once he’s home.

He’ll probably hit the roof when he finds out that I’ve delayed telling him, but I’m prepared for the backlash.

Our whole conversation was conducted by us shouting.

It just seemed inappropriate to continue the conversation. ”

“I wholeheartedly agree with you.”

The door opened, and Heidi brought the coffees in.

“Thank you, Heidi,” Armstrong said. He slid the cup and saucer in front of Sam.

Sam’s mind had wandered while Heidi had delivered the drinks. The email, the message from the killer. The precision of the kills. The victims the killer had chosen. Someone is hunting people connected to Pendle House, and now… the discovery of Rhys’s name on that list. What if he’s next? What if… ?

“Sam, are you still with me?”

“Sorry, sir. I was going over all the information that has come to light since we found DS Owen’s body this morning.”

“What aren’t you telling me?”

Her head bowed. Should she tell him? Did he have a right to know that her fella might be involved in a scandal they knew very little about yet?

“I suppose I’m just working through the details in my mind, trying to sort out where we should turn next.”

“All that can wait for now. Your priority remains to tell the next of kin.”

“I’m aware of that, sir, and I’d be round there like a shot to tell Scott if he were available.”

“I know you would. It wasn’t a criticism. Drink your coffee. I’m going to call the superintendent while you’re here.”

“I can leave the room if you’d rather, sir.”

“Nonsense. Stay there and enjoy your drink.”

Sam sipped the rich coffee and, without realising she was doing it, let out a satisfied moan.

Her coffee went down well, compared to the one Bob had made her earlier.

She couldn’t believe it was after eleven and she was only just having her third cup of the day.

She drifted off again, her thoughts lying with the investigation, blocking out the conversation the DCI was having until he hung up.

“That’s settled. He took some persuading, but he finally agreed, on one proviso.”

Here it comes. “Oh, and what’s that?”

“That I’m involved every step of the way.”

Sam pinned a smile in place and lied through her teeth, hoping he wouldn’t see through her. “Oh, that’d be great to be working alongside you, sir.”

“Don’t lie, Inspector. We both know how livid you are at the prospect.

I’m going to leave you to deal with the investigation, but you must, and I can’t emphasise this enough, you must tell me if anything untoward is on the horizon.

I don’t want to be told something major has happened after the event has occurred. Am I making myself clear here?”

“Of course. Thank you for trusting me and my team. We won’t let you down.”

“I have every confidence in you. Now, we’re going to need to sort out how to fill Claire’s shoes. You’ve already got a new member of the team, haven’t you?”

“Yes, Nick, the former desk sergeant. He seems to have slotted in nicely already. It’s only been a few weeks. I’m not sure who will be able to replace Claire. She was our whiz on the computer and mainly remained at her desk all day. I considered her role a key one on the team.”

“So, what you’re telling me is that an admin-led position would be best for you and the team?”

“Given the choice, yes.”

“Leave it with me. I’ll have a word with HR and get back to you.”

“Thanks, sir.” Sam downed the rest of her coffee and bid her boss farewell. “Sorry to be the bearer of bad news this morning.”

“Shit happens as we both know in this game. Don’t forget what I said. Any major issues, you must run them past me. I’m putting all my trust in you, Sam.”

“I know you are. I won’t let you down, sir. I promise.”

“Glad to hear it. I’ll expect an update at the end of each working day until this investigation is over.”

Sam groaned inside. As if my job isn’t difficult enough as it is. “Consider it done. Thanks for having my back, sir. I’ll pass on your condolences to the rest of the team.”

“Please do.”

Sam left the office and thanked Heidi for supplying her with the best cup of coffee she was likely to receive that day.

On her journey back up the corridor, all she could think about was Rhys’s suspected involvement with Pendle House and what impact that knowledge was going to have on their relationship .

The call came in from Scott two hours later. He was in the car on his way home. Sam arranged to meet him at his house. She took Bob with her for moral support.

Scott answered the door and looked daggers at both of them. “I demand to know what’s going on. I’ve tried ringing Claire several times, and she’s ignoring my calls. She never does that. We’re very close.”