She felt rather than saw Stacey join her. A displacement of the cushion under her, a faint waft of the citrus sharp fragrance she used. ‘Afternoon, boss,’ Stacey said.
‘I’m not your boss any more, Stacey. Call me Carol.’ She turned in time to catch Stacey looking appalled.
‘I don’t think I’d ever be able to do that,’ she said. ‘It just feels wrong.’
‘So does “boss”.’ Carol hoped her regret didn’t show. ‘Just say, “hey, you!”’
‘Or not.’ Stacey gave her a faint smile. ‘Nice painting. Excellent choice. It’s good to see you. How are you?’
‘I’m still standing. Well, I’m working at it. And you? How is it being back in ReMIT?’
‘It feels very different. I don’t think DCI Rutherford gets us.’
Carol surprised herself by chuckling. ‘Let’s face it, Stacey, he’d have to be pretty special to do that. He does have a good reputation, though.’
‘He’s a bit gung-ho.’ She cut her eyes at Carol. ‘We had a team-building exercise on Monday.’
Her intonation was the prompt her words weren’t. Carol obeyed. ‘And how was that?’
Permission granted, Stacey told her. Without the sort of bold embellishment Paula would have given the tale, but leaving Carol in no doubt as to the level of effectiveness of the team building. And the quality of their new recruits. ‘At least you know a bit more about the newbies now,’ Carol said, her tone wry.
‘And we walked straight back into a case. The skeletons in the convent?’
‘Really? I heard about it on the news.’ Carol was surprised but tried not to show it. ‘Historic remains? Not a ReMIT kind of thing, I’d have thought.’
‘We’re not sure how historic. Either way, the DCI can’t wait to get stuck in. It’s a bit of a dog’s breakfast, to be honest. I can’t stay out too long. I’ve got analyses to do for Paula. It’s not that I don’t want to catch up – I do, of course . . . ’
It was one of the longer speeches Carol had heard from Stacey. She didn’t do overt emotional displays. Not even during her ill-fated relationship with Sam Evans. Though the pair had been close colleagues, she hadn’t guessed from Stacey’s demeanour that there was anything more between them. It was only after it was over, when Sam’s career had crashed and burned, that Paula had filled Carol in on the relationship and the break-up. Carol didn’t like herself for the suspicion, but she couldn’t help wondering whether Sam’s fall from grace had included a push from his former lover’s cyber skills. Not a woman you’d want to cross, she thought.
‘I need a favour,’ Carol said. ‘But then, you’ll have worked that out for yourself.’
Stacey shrugged. ‘It’s OK. The kind of history we’ve got – favours are part of our DNA.’
Carol acknowledged the truth of that with a dip of her chin. ‘Did you ever meet Tony’s mother? Vanessa?’
Stacey’s immediate impassivity was the equivalent of breathless interest in anyone else. ‘I never met her. What I know, I know from Paula. I think that’s probably more than enough.’
‘Can’t disagree with that. Tony says she’s a classic narcissist. Me, I think she’s just a bitch. But she’s a bitch who knows how to manipulate people. And right now, I’m the one she’s manipulating.’ Carol closed her eyes momentarily and breathed slow and deep. Then she straightened up and told Stacey what she was obliged to do for Vanessa. It got no prettier in the telling.
‘I’m sorry to drag you into this,’ she said. ‘But I don’t know anybody else who can find this information for me. I’ve tracked down Harrison Gardner’s son’s details. He’s called Oliver—’ She pulled a folded sheet of paper from her satchel. ‘His birth certificate. He’s seventeen, which narrows down the window for the setting up of the trust and the purchase of the cottage. I can’t access the Land Registry—’
‘I can,’ Stacey said flatly.
‘It’s a big ask.’
Stacey grinned. ‘No. It’s really not. It’s mildly tedious to winnow through the results but it’s not difficult. Northumberland, you say?’
‘That’s what Vanessa said. On the coast, with a view of Holy Island.’
‘I’ll leave that bit up to you, if you don’t mind. I’ll get you a list of properties that changed hands in the time window with owners that might fit what you’re looking for, but winnowing them down with an OS map? That’s up to you.’
‘I wouldn’t expect you to do that end of it,’ Carol said. ‘I’m after a favour, not martyrdom.’
‘What are you going to do when you find him?’
Carol breathed in heavily through her nose. ‘Speak softly but carry a big stick. He’s met Vanessa, after all. That should be enough to persuade him to hand over the readies.’
‘From what I’ve heard, I’d say you’re probably right.’ Stacey stood up. ‘I need to get back. It’s been good to see you. I’ll be in touch when I have something for you. Maybe we could all meet up for dinner? You and me and Paula?’
‘I’d like that,’ Carol said, taken aback to find she meant it. ‘Good luck with the nuns.’
Stacey drew down the corners of her mouth. ‘Now there’s an institution that knows how to keep its secrets. You wouldn’t believe how much of the Catholic church’s records are still on paper. It’s like they were behind the door when the digital revolution happened.’
‘Let’s hope you get a proper ReMIT case before too long.’
Stacey shook her head. ‘I’m being very careful what I wish for these days. Take care.’ She’d taken two steps when she stopped and turned back. ‘Carol. Take care.’
24
Sifting through the evidence, however well-prepared it is, can only take us so far. There
