He closed the phone and nodded to Kate and the Dean. ‘Good news. Jamil has just regained consciousness.’
Sheila Anderson sighed audibly. ‘Is he going to be all right?’
Bennett shrugged sympathetically. ‘They don’t know, I’m afraid. He’s still in a very critical condition. They’re keeping a close eye on him. I am sure he is in the best of hands.’
Kate nodded to the Dean. ‘Thanks for your time.’
‘Not at all, if I can be of any more help at all, just let me know.’
‘Sure.’
*
Bennett fished his car keys out of his jacket pocket and beeped the locks open. ‘What did you make of her – the Dean?’ he asked Kate as they climbed into the front seats.
‘Pleasant enough. Seemed genuinely concerned about Jamil.’
Bennett looked across at her. ‘Your university?’ he asked. ‘Some posh Oxbridge college, no doubt?’
‘No doubt at all.’
‘Hall of residence during your first year, you said?’
‘I did.’
‘Same here. Did you socialise with the Dean of your halls of residence much?’
Kate shook her head. ‘I don’t think I even talked to him.’
‘Nor me. Saw him make a speech on arrivals day as we sipped cheap sherry. And saw him about the place here and there, but never had any occasion to speak to him.’
‘So your point would be?’
Bennett shrugged as he turned the key in the ignition. ‘I don’t know. Something seemed a little hinky about her, is all.’
‘Hinky?’
‘Yeah, something not right. A little off. She called him a beautiful man.’
Kate smiled. ‘It’s not a crime for a woman to notice an attractive man. Not since the 1970s, at least.’
‘
‘So maybe she has a crush on him. Wouldn’t be the first time in a university, would it? Male lecturers have been banging their female students for centuries.’
Bennett looked at her with raised eyebrows and pretended to be shocked. ‘
Kate looked across at him coolly. ‘There’s a talent night coming up at the local pub on Wednesday. Maybe you should enter.’
‘Nah. I may be called Tony Bennett but I can’t sing for toffee.’
‘I meant as a comedian.’
He started to reply but Kate held up a hand to stop him. ‘Just shut up and drive!’
Bennett put up his hands in mock surrender, then put the car in gear and steered it towards the car-park entrance. Kate shook her head and looked out of the window to hide a small private smile. The guy Bennett was replacing, Detective Sergeant Eddie Bonner, he’d thought himself a bit of a comedian too. But then he’d gone up against Jack Delaney and got himself killed in the process. She hoped the new guy would fare somewhat better.
*
Delaney balanced the porcelain saucer a little uneasily on his knee and took a sip of his tea. He looked across the room at the young girl he had taken from the boot of Garnier’s car all those years ago. She was sitting next to his cousin on the sofa. Fully grown now, educated, beautiful. The thought of what might have happened to her if Garnier hadn’t been arrested when he was still sent a chill to his heart. He looked across at her and smiled, chasing away the thoughts. She was one of the lucky ones. She had been saved.
‘I tried calling you on your mobile this morning, Gloria,’ he said.
The young woman grinned apologetically. ‘It’s kaput. Haven’t got around to getting a new one. Not top priority with a loan to pay off and I’m between temp jobs right now.’
Delaney pulled out his wallet. ‘How much do you need?’
Gloria smiled. ‘Nothing, Jack. Really. I’ve got a new gig starting next week. It’s only a small student loan. I was one of the lucky ones who had parents who supported me.’
‘How are Henry and Joan?’
‘They’re fine. And I don’t want you mentioning this. They’ve been really concerned since that man started appearing on the news. They want me to go back to Warwick.’
‘But you don’t want to?’
‘I’ve got work here, Jack. And a home.’ She smiled at Mary. ‘And friends.’ But it was a small, nervous smile and Delaney picked up on it.
