*
DI Tony Bennett’s eyes were fixed straight ahead. The voice filling the air was musical, a deep bass. The words rolling like treacle and echoing from the stone walls.
‘Your brother will rise again, he said. And Martha answered, “I know he will rise in the resurrection at the last day.” And Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this? He asked.’
Bennett stared ahead, his eyes shining. He felt a trembling against his thigh, and he blinked, confused for a moment. Then he took out his mobile phone. It vibrated quietly in his hand and he looked at the number, swallowed dryly and used his thumb to click the phone off.
*
Delaney took a last swig of the tea that Sally had also brought.
‘Did you see the news this morning, sir?’ she asked him.
‘No.’
‘Your friend Melanie Jones has started calling this area Death Row.’
‘Great.’
‘After Carlton Row.’
‘Yeah, thank you – I got the connection, Sally!’
‘She said it’s what the locals are calling it.’
‘Well, they got that right, I suppose.’
‘She also said that the police were fairly sure it wasn’t an accidental death.’
Delaney grunted as Kate came over to join them. ‘If she knew what had really happened in there she would be shouting it out every fifteen minutes.’
‘The press will have to know soon enough, I guess,’ said Kate.
‘And the chief is stamping up and down, sir,’ added Sally. ‘Wants to be kept posted on any developments. He thinks there’s mileage in your profile on this.’
‘Great!’
‘He may be right.’
‘I’ve had my picture on the front page of the papers once, Sally. I’m not so keen to have it there again, thanks all the same.’
He looked across at the growing crowd of journalists behind the yellow tape, not at all surprised to see Melanie Jones had now joined their number.
‘Death Row,’ he muttered and shook his head disgustedly.
Kate was still holding her phone when it rang. Chopin’s piano sonata number two, sounding, given the circumstances, like the theme tune to a horror movie. She answered it quickly. ‘Kate Walker.’ She listened for a moment, tapping her foot. ‘Tony, I think I might know who the person in that photo is, the one you gave to Jack. No, I don’t know the name but I think I know someone who does.’ She listened again. ‘You’re cracking up, detective. I’ll meet you at the station in twenty minutes.’ She listened again but there was clearly no response. She closed her phone and turned to Delaney. ‘You going to be all right?’
‘I’ll be fine. I’m supposed to be working, remember? You’re supposed to be having the day off.’
‘That kid in hospital could still die, Jack. I think this is more important than sorting out the Sunday roast.’
‘Course it is – you get on. And don’t worry about dinner. I’m cooking tonight.’
Kate headed off towards her car, ignoring the barrage of questions shouted at her.
‘I didn’t know you could cook, sir,’ Sally said, and then held up her hand to interrupt him. ‘Yeah, yeah. I know. There’s a lot I don’t know about you.’
‘You’ll learn soon enough, Sally. Soon enough.’
She didn’t doubt it.
*
Kate flicked the lock shut on her car and walked towards the entrance to Whitefriars Hall. DI Tony Bennett was waiting for her in the archway that led to the square. He was very smartly dressed, she thought as she approached: dark suit, nice expensive-looking tie, shoes polished to a gleam, and hair neatly combed and set with some kind of gel.
‘You look like you’ve just been up in court, detective. I hope I’ve not interrupted an important date?’
Bennett held up his bare-fingered left hand. ‘You know me, doctor. I’m married to the job.’
‘What was the meeting, then?’
‘I’m sorry?’
‘Earlier you said you couldn’t take my call. You were in a meeting?’
‘I was. A church meeting.’
‘Yeah, right.’ Kate threw him a doubtful look but he wasn’t smiling. He nodded at the photo she was holding in her hand.
