‘Why not?’
‘You know why not. I’m on the case and it’s just not ethical.’
‘But I was the one who told you about him.’ He sounded peeved.
Sweat started trickling down from her armpits. ‘I know you did.’
‘So, did they find any evidence?’
‘My gov would go crazy if I told you.’
‘He’s only jealous.’
‘Oh, I doubt that.’ She gave a soft laugh. ?I have to go now, Alan.’
‘Goodbye then.’ He hung up abruptly. Barolli was at his desk, mouth full of bacon sandwich, when Anna rang. She told him she’d had contact.
‘Shit, where are you?’ he swallowed.
‘I’m at Sainsbury’s on the Edgware Road. In the car park. He wanted to meet me but I told him I was at Tesco and I had to get home to let someone in to fix my dishwasher. So he knows I’ll be home.’
‘Listen, let me get back to you. You just carry on and I’ll talk to the gov.’
‘OK.’ She cut off the call.
Barolli called Langton’s flat.
‘He’s not bloody answering,’ he said to Moira.
‘But he must have got home by now.’
‘Yeah I know, but maybe he was so shagged out, he’s not hearing the phone. Let’s hope he picks up his mobile.’ Barolli tried the two numbers for another few minutes and then redialled Anna.
‘Travis? I can’t get hold of the gov. He doesn’t live far from you. Can you call in before you head home and give him an update?’
‘Wait a minute.’ Anna jotted down Langton’s address.
She had often wondered where he lived. She was about to find out. She continued towards Kilburn. Once she found his street, to the left off Kilburn High Road, she drove along slowly, looking for the right number.
Anna climbed the front steps of number 175 and rang one of the unmarked bells. A female voice answered.
‘Who’s there?’
‘My name is Anna Travis. Is this James Langton’s flat?’ She did not mention his rank for security reasons. She also knew many police officers didn’t like neighbours knowing their line of work.
She was in luck. The heavy front door buzzed open. She entered a rather rundown hallway and looked up the stairs.
‘Come on up. It’s the second floor; door to the right,’ said the voice. Anna walked through the open door to the flat and into the sitting room.
‘It’s Anna Travis. Hello?’
The room was fairly dark, though a lamp on a side table was turned on. Anna took in the rather shabby furniture, the heaps of newspapers and files, and noticed a racing bicycle propped up against a bookcase.
A blonde wearing a bathrobe and slippers was drying her hair with a towel. She was curvaceous and tall, at least five nine. Even without a scrap of make-up on, Anna could see she was stunning.
‘Hi. Sorry I couldn’t get to the door, but I was stark naked. He’s on the phone. He knows you’re here.’
‘It’s quite urgent,’ Anna said.
‘I’m Nina Davis. I’m your commander’s DL’ She reached out to shake Anna’s hand. She had a strong grip; neat, clear-varnished nails. Anna avoided looking into the woman’s wide blue eyes.
‘I’ve heard a lot about you. You want to sit down? He should just be a moment.’
‘No, thank you.’
Anna was able to hear Langton on the telephone, from what she presumed was the bedroom.
‘What time did he call her? Is there a surveillance report? Is he still at Queen’s Gate? And the phone tap is in place? Good, yes. So, he’s not moved out? What? She said what? Give me Mike Lewis’s home number, will you?’
Nina was rubbing her damp hair. ‘He hasn’t been home long. Do you want a coffee or something to drink? I’ve just made a fresh pot and?’
‘No, thanks,’ Anna answered abruptly. ‘From what I can hear, he already knows what I was going to tell him. So I’ll go.’
There was a bellow from the bedroom: ‘Travis!’
Nina leaned against the bedroom door frame. ‘She says she’s going.’ ‘Just stay put a second, Travis,’ Langton shouted.
Nina gave a shrug of her shoulders and disappeared into the bathroom.
Anna was pretty shaken. It wasn’t nerves at the unexpected call from Daniels: she found the presence of the blonde upsetting. She had not considered that Langton could be living with anyone, let alone another officer.
Langton was wearing a tatty old dressing-gown.
‘So, the bastard called you. Tell me exactly what he said. I’ve only had it second-hand from Barolli.’
‘He started to ask me about McDowell. Said he’d read it in the papers. I was getting a bit jumpy because he said he wasn’t far away and could meet me at the car park. I’m not sure where he is now.’
Langton rubbed his eyes.
‘I’ve just checked. He’s at home. Listen, stay cool. We’ll know if he makes a move and you’ve got a watchdog at your place.’
‘What do I do if he calls me again and wants to come over?’
‘Keep him talking. Give him what we discussed, no more, but don’t let him come and see you. Make any excuse.’
‘But if you’ve got people on him and I’ve got a guy outside, then why not?’
‘Because I say so, Travis.’
‘Yes, sir. But if he called on my mobile once, he can call me on it again.’
‘If your mobile rings, don’t answer. We want him to use the land line ? that way we can monitor him. You do not agree to let him come and see you, is that clear?’
‘Yes, sir.’
He cocked his head to one side. ‘You all right?’
‘I’m fine, thank you.’ She looked down, trying to avoid looking at him.
He suddenly reached out and cupped her chin in his hand.
‘Just be straight with me. Do you want me with you?’
‘No, no, I don’t.’ She jerked her face away from his hand. ‘Besides, you seem to be …’
‘I seem to be what?’
‘Nothing. Say goodbye to Nina for me. It was nice to meet her. G’night.’
He turned away, checking his watch. She closed his door and left. She sat in her car for a while to calm herself down.
‘It’s none of your business who he lives with,’ she muttered. It was not as if he even tried to hide the fact from her. He’d said he liked blondes and he’d certainly got himself one; plus a direct line to the commander. Anna put the car in gear with some irritation, wondering if anyone else knew about how close he was to Nina, including the commander.
Barolli put the phone down. ‘Travis went round to the gov’s place,’ he said to Moira. ‘Now he’s double- checking everyone’s up to speed! I don’t like this. We should just arrest the bastard.’
‘Is he worried about Anna? Thinks maybe Daniels’ll try and get to her, is that it?’ Moira asked, sitting on the edge of his desk.
‘It’s what he’s bloody hoping for, Moira.’
She looked at her fingernails. ‘He’s playing head games. Langton should watch it. According to the profiler, that Daniels bastard is a master at it! What did he want Mike Lewis’s home number for?’
Anna forced herself to stow away the groceries. Then she took out a bowl and mixed three eggs with some grated cheese. As she was adding a little butter to the frying pan, her mobile rang. She knew her voicemail would kick in, so she let it ring: five times. When it stopped, she turned on the hob and put the pan over the burner. Her mobile started ringing. She ignored it, scrambling the eggs and melting the cheese in. The mobile rang again; then
