“I’m not sure that’s going to cut much mustard,” repliedKent. “She was dubious enough over my policing skills when I was her boss, letalone now. Still, we can but try.”
“At least you can get me a foot in the door,” said Kay.“Then we will just have to make her listen. Come on: let’s not waste any moretime. Give her a call and arrange a meeting.”
An hour later, the two of them were sitting in Kent’s oldoffice at the station, now with the nameplate D.I. Benson on the door. As wellas Hannah, PC Adrian Johnson, another of Kent’s old team, was there.
“Well, I didn’t think I’d see this old place again,” saidKent, reminiscing. “I’m glad to see you haven’t changed too much in here.”
“No, not much,” said Hannah. “Though if you were to openthat filing cabinet over there you would find it now has actual files in it, asopposed to your stash of crisps and chocolates. Oh, and you left half a bottleof Scotch in there as well, by the way. I think it’s still here somewhere.”
“Actually, I think that was what we had on Christmas Eve,”remarked Johnson. “We didn’t think you’d mind. Hannah has banned drinking onduty since you left, but we had a toast to you for old times’ sake after wewent off duty.”
“That was nice of you,” remarked Kent, feeling genuinelytouched. “And there was I thinking neither of you liked me. You never wanted tocome down the pub with me after work.”
“Of course we liked you,” said Hannah. “You were a realcharacter.”
“Salt of the Earth,” said Adrian. “They just don’t makecoppers like you anymore.”
Kent wasn’t sure if Adrian was taking the piss or not, butdecided to be gracious.
“Thank you, both of you,” he said. “That means a lot.”
“Now then, down to business,” said Hannah. “It’s very niceof you to come and visit us like this, but you did say on the phone this wasn’tjust a social call and you had some vital information for us.”
“Well, it’s Kay who’s got the information, not me. I’ll lether explain.”
Kay briefly outlined what had happened on her version ofChristmas Eve, going into great detail about exactly where and when McVie hadattacked Anna. Hannah listened intently until she had finished, and now hadsome questions to ask.
“You say you witnessed all this. If that was the case, whyhave you left it until now, two days later, to come in and tell us?”
“I was terrified – traumatised, even,” said Kay. “I had alot to drink that night and carried on drinking after I got home. Then I passedout and lost track of time.”
“You say you had a lot to drink. Is it not possible youimagined all this in a drunken stupor?” asked Hannah. “You also said that thisman, McVie, is your landlord and he’s been giving you a hard time. Next thingyou accuse him of being a murderer. How am I to know you haven’t just dreamtall this up as a way of getting back at him?”
“Richard said you would say that,” said Kay.
“I did,” said Kent. “But Hannah, listen to her, I’ll vouchfor her.”
“Please don’t take this personally, Richard, but with yourtrack record for jumping to the wrong conclusions, I’m not about to take yourendorsement as gospel. Remember that lad, Charlie, you had in here a few monthsback? You reckoned he was a murderer, too, and look how that turned out.”
“So what are you going to do, then?” asked Kent.
“We’ll look into the background of Mr McVie and talk to him,as one of a number of leads we are following up. I can’t promise any more thanthat for the moment.”
“That’s not good enough!” exclaimed Kay. “He’s killed threetimes in just over a week. While you are following up your leads, he could belining up victim number four!”
“I appreciate that, but you haven’t given us anythingconcrete to go on,” replied Hannah.
“Why don’t we just tell her the truth about how I reallyfound out,” said Kay, more out of desperation than hope.
“She’d never believe you,” said Kent. “Who would?”
“And what is the truth?” asked Hannah.
“Don’t tell her, Kay,” said Kent. “You’ll be laughed out ofthe station.”
As far as Kay was concerned she had nothing to lose. Shewould make this stuck-up young policewoman believe her, and if she didn’t shewould go and sort McVie out herself.
“What would you say if I told you I had a certain advantagein terms of time?” said Kay.
“What do you mean by that?” said PC Johnson, deciding it wasabout time he got involved in the discussion.
“What if I told you that I had a way of travelling back intime and I had used it to find out who the killer was?” asked Kay.
Johnson erupted into peals of laughter. “Oh, my, I’ve heardit all now! Time travel!” Turning to Kent, incredulously, he added, “And youbelieve this? No wonder they drummed you out of the force.”
Before Kent could reply, Hannah interceded. She had notshared Johnson’s mirth, instead maintaining a serious and professional look onher face.
“Adrian, I’ll handle this from here. Why don’t you go andmake us all some coffee?”
Johnson left the room, still chuckling.
“Unbelievable!” they heard him say, as the door closedbehind him.
“Right, now he’s gone I want to hear what you’ve got tosay,” said Hannah. “If you really have travelled in time, I want to know how.”
“You’re not dismissing this out of hand, then?” asked Kent,scarcely able to believe that the level-headed Hannah was even entertaining thenotion.
“Let’s just say I’ve got an open mind about this sort ofthing,” said Hannah. “But before we go any further, let’s get one thing clear.Whatever is said between the three of us in this room from now on goes nofurther. We are strictly off the record.”
“Agreed,” said Kay and Kent in unison, both pleasantlysurprised and intrigued by Hannah’s interest. Kent couldn’t believe for amoment that she was taking this seriously, but even if she did dismiss what Kaysaid, they would be no worse off than before.
Kay explained how she had travelled back in time to solvethe crime, not leaving
