haven’t chosen to share with the press.’
Byrne raised an eyebrow and looked at him expectantly. He knew she was fishing for a titbit, an angle that she could turn into an exclusive story for her paper. Her charm probably worked on some people. But in this job, you learned to be close-mouthed when it came to giving out information to the public.
‘There’s a Sheffield Road out of Baslow,’ said Cooper. ‘The A621. Not many houses on it, though. A couple of farmsteads down at Far End, near the roundabout. And a big house in the woods across Bar Brook, just under Jack Flat. But that’s about it, I think.’
‘That’s the only one I know of, too.’
He pictured the road as it climbed out of Baslow. Gardom’s Edge on one side, Baslow Edge on the other, two pincers of rock squeezing the road into a narrow gap. It was a busy route, though – the main road up to the junction at Owler Bar, and on into the city via Totley. Many people thought of Owler as the gateway into the Peak District. At that curious elliptical junction sandwiched between two pubs, you could choose to head north towards Hathersage and the Hope Valley, or southwards to Baslow and Bakewell. Either way, you had to work your way round the edges and the expanse of Big Moor. If you were travelling by car, at least.
‘Well? Any thoughts?’
Cooper shook his head. ‘I can’t think what significance Sheffield Road has. It might be the route the attackers took if they came from Sheffield, but so what? There are only two possible routes to Riddings from the east anyway. It’s that, or the A625.’
‘I don’t know what to make of it, then. I thought you might understand what it meant.’
‘I wish I did.’
‘I’m sorry, I seem to have wasted your time, then.’
‘No, that’s all right. And if you do happen to get a written message…’
‘I’ll let you know what it says.’
‘It might be helpful if I could see the actual message,’ he said. ‘Helpful how?’
‘I don’t know. But seeing the original can often make quite a difference to its interpretation.’
‘Okay. If that happens, I’ll see what I can do.’
‘Thank you.’
‘I’m on duty this weekend. If a letter arrives in the morning…?’
Cooper gave her his card. ‘Don’t wait until Monday. Call my mobile number, or email me.’
He escorted Byrne back into reception. In the entrance, two sets of double doors faced the reception desk, looking out on to the visitors’ car park. A van came through the barrier, carrying a prisoner to the custody suite behind the station.
He held the door open for her, but she hesitated.
‘I might see you again, then,’ she said.
‘It’s possible.’
She gave him a small wave as she went down the steps to her car, and Cooper smiled automatically. It was only as Byrne pulled away that he noticed a crime-scene van waiting for the barrier to rise. It was inevitable that it should be Liz who was driving it.
On his way back to the CID room, Cooper glimpsed Diane Fry in the doorway, and wondered if she had come to see him. But a moment later, she was gone again. He shook his head in incomprehension. It was strange how Fry always seemed to be in a doorway, forever passing through from one place to another.
‘I see Diane Fry is back,’ said Hurst.
‘Is she? I thought it had turned cold suddenly,’ said Murfin.
‘I wonder what happened to the Implementing Strategic Change working group.’
‘There are rumours,’ said Murfin darkly.
Cooper turned towards him. ‘There are always rumours, Gavin. Usually being spread by you.’
Murfin tapped the side of his nose. ‘But this is from a reliable source, like.’
Cooper sighed. ‘Go on, then.’
‘Well, they say that something happened in Nottinghamshire, after one of the meetings. An incident. Some occurrence that upset the deliberations of the Incessant Sodding Change working group.’
A few minutes later, Cooper turned a corner in the corridor and found himself face to face with Fry, who was coming the other way. They both stopped, uncertainly.
‘Hi, Diane.’
She nodded briskly. ‘How are things going?’
‘Busy, you know.’
‘Absolutely. I do know.’
‘You’ve heard about the attacks in Riddings? The home invasions?’
‘Yes, of course.’
Cooper looked at her more closely. She fidgeted from one foot to the other, as if she was anxious to sidestep him and get on with whatever she was doing.
‘I suppose you’re anxious to get involved,’ he said.
‘Not particularly. I’m sure you’re on top of things. You surely don’t need any help from me. You never did, Ben.’
He took a step back, stung by her tone. He’d thought it might be different, now that they were no longer under each other’s feet.
‘Diane…’
‘I have a meeting with Superintendent Branagh,’ she said.
‘That’s why I’m here, if you really want to know.’
‘Oh, okay. So it’s nothing to do with the incident, then?’
‘Incident?’
‘Well, I heard…’
‘Yes, I can imagine what you heard. There are too many people who can’t keep their mouths shut.’
‘Things don’t change much here,’ said Cooper.
‘There’s one lesson you really should learn, Ben, if you never learn anything else. Places don’t change. If you want things to change in your life, you have to make it happen yourself.’
‘Well, thanks for that. I wasn’t expecting a thought for the day.’
He made to move past her, but she stopped him.
‘So, how is GI Jane getting on?’ she said.
‘Who?’
‘The female Rambo. Your new DC.’
‘Carol Villiers. Have you been checking up on her?’
‘Why would I do that?’
‘I have no idea. But it sounds that way from your sarcastic references. Otherwise, how would you know she was in the services?’
‘I’m not totally out of touch, you know. You haven’t quite got rid of me from Edendale yet. It’s all around the section who the new DC is. Old pals, aren’t you? You went to school with her, right? It must be nice to reminisce about the old days together whenever you feel like it.’
‘I suppose you’ve been talking to Gavin,’ said Cooper as he brushed past her. ‘I wish you wouldn’t try to interfere with my team.’
He knew Fry was watching him as he walked away, but he didn’t look back.
‘It used to be my team,’ she said. But he pretended he hadn’t heard her.
When Cooper returned to the CID room, Diane Fry was still there. And she’d met Carol Villiers. The two were sitting at desks opposite each other, though they didn’t seem to be speaking.
Murfin was watching Fry and Villiers sizing each other up.
‘Who do you think would win in a fight?’ he said when he saw Cooper. ‘Well, I suppose there’s only one way to find out…’
