Page 68 of Vengeance is Mine

He looked to see if Kyra was behind him. She was, but she’d had to run to keep up with him.

‘What was that all about? Asking if I’d let the killer go if it turned out to be DI White who killed him?’

‘She’s upset. Her father has just been murdered, and she knows your history with the case,’ Kyra said, moving a pile of paperwork from a chair and sitting down. ‘Everybody in this station knows about Harry White and what he went through. Even I do, and I wasn’t even living in Newcastle when his daughter was killed. It’s as much a part of this city’s history as coal mining. When I got my posting here, Stephanie White was the first name that came to mind. It’s understandable that Dawn Shepherd is questioning how the investigation into Stephanie’s killer, her father, is going to be run.’

Terry was by the window, looking out over the bright, but freezing cold, morning. His breathing had slowed. He was beginning to calm down.

‘Maybe I’m not the right man for this case,’ he said, not turning back. ‘I think about Stephanie a lot, more so this past year. We were best mates. Her parents are like a second family to me. I don’t think I can be objective in this.’

Kyra shrugged. ‘Then go and see the Super and ask to be reassigned.’

‘There’s nobody else. DI Hillary is doing that undercover drugs case. DCI Markham has got cases coming out of his ears, and DI Sheffield is still on long-term sick leave.’

‘Okay. Then here’s what you do,’ she said, a forcefulness to her voice. ‘You strike while the iron’s hot. The interview with Dawn this morning was a train wreck, but what you need to do – what we need to do – is show them how professional we are. Interview everyone with a possible motive. Wait for forensic results and see where we are. If we identify a suspect, whoever it is, we arrest them. Look, I’m not as close to this as you are, I’ll arrest whoever it is, if it comes to it. I’ve no qualms about that.’

Terry turned from the window for the first time and looked at his DS.

‘You’ll need balls of steel for this case.’

‘Not being equipped with actual balls, I ordered mine from Amazon, and I ensured they were made of the strongest stuff available,’ she said, with a smile.

A hint of a smile spread across Terry’s face. His cold eyes began to sparkle.

‘I’ve got a dark feeling about this case. I feel like we’re going to unearth something that should be left buried.’

‘Maybe. But I’m prepared to do the digging, if it gets us to the truth. Are you?’

He took a deep breath. ‘Yes,’ he said, without conviction.

‘Good. Then let’s get started. Who are we going after next?’

He thought momentarily. ‘Dominic’s father.’

Chapter Thirty

Rita Shepherd drove Dawn back to her shop in Blaydon. She unlocked the door and shivered as she stepped inside. It was as cold in as it was out. The scent of flowers made Dawn sneeze. Rita turned on the lights, went into the back room and flicked on the kettle.

‘Come and sit down,’ Rita instructed her daughter. ‘How are you feeling?’

Dawn sat, her coat hugged tightly around her. ‘I don’t know. All I know is the police aren’t going to investigate this properly.’

‘Yes, they will, Dawn. Their jobs will be on the line if they don’t. They’ll treat this like any other murder case.’

‘That’s rubbish, Mum, and you know it. If they don’t find a suspect, they’ll shelve it. I can see it happening. They won’t find Dominic’s killer, and they won’t care.’

Rita set about making the tea. She took a pint of milk from the fridge, gave it a quick sniff to make sure it was still okay and poured it into two mugs. She glanced back at her daughter. ‘Why don’t you have a word with someone from work? They’re bound to know people in the police.’

‘They probably do, but something like this, well, the police all band together, don’t they?’

‘What about Dominic’s solicitor? What was she called? That Delaney woman.’

‘Clare Delaney.’

‘That’s her.’

‘She won’t care anymore. She got Dominic his big settlement fee, took her cut, and now she’s on to the next case. I bet if I did go to see her, she’d start the clock and charge me a hefty amount for a five-minute consult.’

‘You’re calling him Dominic again,’ Rita said, as she handed Dawn a mug.