repeated Langton’s name in a gruff voice.
‘I don’t know what game you are playing, but I told you I couldn’t see you.’
‘I just couldn’t wait. Don’t be hard on me, Anna. I’ll go after one cup of coffee, I promise.’
‘Alan, I really can’t. I’ve told you why.’
‘How do you think that makes me feel?’ he said. He placed his hand to his heart. ‘When all I have done is try and help you.’
At the station, Barolli listened to the conversation with a set of headphones. Two officers were sitting alongside him.
‘She’s doing all right. But something’s wrong. She’s not on the phone. I can hear her talking to someone. Oh, Jesus Christ, it’s him,’ Barolli said, in a panic. ‘It’s Daniels: he’s in her fucking flat.’
The other two officers said nothing; they had been making copious notes throughout the call. One switched over to a radio contact, listened, then turned to Barolli. ‘DCI Langton is already there.’
‘You saying he knows Daniels is in her place?’ The officer moved his headset aside a fraction. ‘I’m still picking up voices, so her phone’s still off the hook.’
‘Thank Christ for that,’ Barolli said.
Daniels was heading towards the living room.
‘I want you to leave!’
‘I promise I’ll only stay a few minutes. I’ll be a gentleman.’
Anna could see her phone was still on ‘conference’ and knew it could pick up.
‘You can put your phone down now,’ Daniels said, nodding at it.
Her heart was racing. Picking up the phone, she pressed ‘speaker on’ as she replaced it.
‘You said you wanted a cup of coffee?’
‘Not really. I just wanted to talk.’
Langton headed up the stairs two at a time. He had seen Daniels enter Anna’s flat. He also saw the front door left ajar. Silently, he edged closer and closer until he could hear them talking.
Anna had just gestured for Daniels to sit down. He put his mobile in his pocket and sat next to her on the sofa. Anna sat close to her phone, praying they were still picking up. She had not stipulated how many handbags had been found. He had already slipped up by referring to McDowell as a drunk, which suggested he might have seen him recently.
Trying hard to remain calm, she smiled at him. ‘Did the Paris job work out?’
‘Oh, yeah. I was able to do the wig fitting in London.’
‘So, when do you do the film test?’
‘Soon. You must come over. Have you ever been to Paris?’
‘I doubt if they would let me off, Alan. With all that’s going on, we’re sometimes doing double shifts.’
Langton edged further along Anna’s hallway. Then he made a fast move into Anna’s bedroom, through a door exactly opposite the lounge. He could hear Daniels’s voice clearly.
‘But surely, now that he’s been charged, all that must be over?’
‘Not quite. Because he’s not been charged with them all and even the ones he has been charged with… Well, the clever way he’s handling the interrogation is making the evidence look a bit dodgy.’
‘Clever? It wasn’t too clever to leave some of the victims’ handbags at his flat.’
‘True. But there might have been someone else living there.’
Anna’s nerves were jangling. The tension of keeping control of the conversation to draw him out and get him to implicate himself was tiring her out.
‘Someone else living there?’ Daniels leaned forward intently. ‘What did you mean by that?’
‘Apparently, the evidence was found in a part of the flat used by other people. Well, he’s maintaining that. As I said, McDowell is very intelligent.’
His voice became angry. ‘Stop saying that. Intelligent? He’s a bum, a drunk.’
‘Really? When did you last see him?’
Daniels stood up. ‘I have had no contact with him. Why did you ask me that? I don’t know him. I haven’t seen him in years.’
‘I’m sorry. It’s just from what you said, I thought you must have met up with him.’
‘What are you implying, Anna?’
‘Nothing.’
‘He was just a name I drew out of the past. All I was trying to do was to help you. Do you understand that?’
‘Yes, of course I do.’
‘I mean, if you get the case solved, you get the credit, right? That’s why I am interested, Anna, that’s the reason.’
‘Yes, but you never seem to understand when I tell you that I could get into trouble for talking to you, because you were a suspect.’
‘Not any more. I can’t be suspected now. Unless … there is something you haven’t told me?’
‘No, there’s nothing.’
‘You sure?’
‘Yes.’
‘This is very important, Anna. If we are to see each other again, I have to trust you.’
‘Of course.’
‘You see, I care about you, Anna. I want to take you to Paris, take you shopping. Would you like that?’
‘Yes.’
He was moving closer and her heart was beating so rapidly, she was certain he would be able to detect it.
‘You know that dress you wore to the ballet? It was sweet, but it didn’t really do much for you. You’ve got a lovely figure. I kept thinking all night how you’d look in really beautiful, stylish clothes. We could have such a wonderful time together. What’s the matter, Anna?’
‘Nothing. I’m just tired, Alan.’
‘You’re not upset about the dress? It just really wasn’t very flattering.’ He laughed softly. ‘Would you like to be made beautiful, Anna?’
‘Yes.’
‘We could go shopping in Bond Street tomorrow.’
He was now standing very close to her. ‘Give me your hand.’ He took her hand and drew her up towards him.
‘Alan, it’s getting late. I really think you should go.’
‘Are you trembling? You are. Don’t be afraid, Anna. I won’t do anything you don’t want me to do.’ He put his arms around her. ‘But I think you like me.’ She stood pressed against his chest. His arms were tight around her, like iron clamps. ‘Don’t you, Anna? I like you.’ His hands touched her bra and then slid down her body. She was terrified by the strength of his grip; she literally could not move. At that moment the front door slammed shut, making them both jump.
When Langton strolled in the room, Anna was hugely relieved. Daniels sprang away from her like a startled animal.
‘Oh, I’m sorry.’ Langton seemed puzzled. ‘I didn’t know you had company! It’s Mr Daniels, isn’t it?’
‘Yes,’ Daniels said pleasantly. ‘I was just passing and thought I’d drop in.’
Langton turned to Anna: ‘What the hell do you think you’re doing?’
Daniels seemed very much in control. ‘You’re working late, Inspector Langton.’ He kissed Anna’s cheek. ‘I’ll call you tomorrow. G’night.’
‘I’ll show you out.’ Anna followed him to the front door.
‘G’night Anna,’ he repeated pleasantly. But he never looked back, shutting the door behind him as he left.
Anna returned to the living room, legs shaking.
‘Are you all right?’ Langton asked.
She took a deep breath. ‘He didn’t like my frock, as you called it.’
