‘Ian Stanley was just making mischief?’
‘On one of the occasions, there was an exhibition of production equipment up north. We spent the night there, separate rooms.’
‘I assume he tried it on?’
‘Yes, of course, but I wasn’t buying it.’
‘Thank you for clarifying.’
‘Now, Detective Chief Inspector Isaac Cook, was that question entirely professional?’ She smiled as she made the comment.
‘Purely professional.’ Isaac tried to maintain a serious face, but couldn’t. He smiled as well.
‘For the record, I’ve made my choice.’
‘Choice on what?’
‘You did not make detective chief inspector by being naïve, did you?’
‘Not at all, but we are treating this as a murder investigation.’
‘And you can’t be seen to be fraternising with a potential suspect?’
‘That’s about it.’
‘I can assure you, I’m not guilty, but she could be a bitch. Not a difficult person to dislike.’
‘I’ll keep in touch.’ He prepared to leave.
‘If you want to phone and tell me you fancy me, professionally of course, then that will be okay, won’t it?’ She came near. She kissed him on the lips. Compromised, Isaac left soon after, but not before he had kissed her back. As he walked back down the main street on the production lot, he only hoped she was not involved.
Chapter 11
Isaac first noticed the car as he left the production lot. At any other time, he would have regarded it as inconsequential, but the situation had changed. As he weaved through the traffic, he noticed that the car kept reappearing. He wasn’t sure how, as his car was a lot more powerful and he wasn’t a slow driver. The car behind was pushing hard. He phoned Richard Goddard.
‘Let it follow. Don’t let them know you’ve seen them.’ That was precisely what Isaac had intended in the first place. It was an unwelcome intrusion into the investigation, and a sour conclusion to an otherwise pleasant day. He failed to mention he had just kissed one of the people close to Marjorie Frobisher. He could only imagine his boss’s reaction if he told him.
Isaac had planned the remainder of his day carefully. Jess was still off-limits, Sophie wasn’t. He had planned to pick her up from her workplace, but decided against it with a car on his tail; better if she found her way to his apartment. She understood when he told her it was the pressure of work that prevented the pickup. As she said to him later: commitment-free and no obligation on either party to look out for the other. Pickups were not part of the deal; however, good company and good sex were.
With the car following, Isaac headed back to the office at Challis Street. Farhan was in the office. ‘How’s your day been?’ Isaac asked.
‘I told her husband that we believe his wife is dead.’
‘How did he take it?’
‘Better than expected. I believe he was prepared for the news.’
Farhan was not looking too well. Isaac asked the reason.
‘My wife wants a separation. She believes I’m married more to this job than to her.’
‘Is that possible in your religion?'
‘It occurs, and besides this is England. She can do what she likes,’ Farhan admitted.
‘I always imagined she was a conservative woman.’
‘She’s certainly more pious than me. It’s her mother, no doubt, who put her up to this, aiming to force me to make a choice.’
‘Choice between what?’ Isaac had come over to Farhan’s desk, bringing a chair with him.
‘Between her daughter and the police, what else?’
‘But you need to make a living.’
‘They believe I should be running a corner store.’
‘You would be working more hours than you do now.’
‘They have this idea that the shop will be downstairs and the family up.’
‘What are you going to do?’
‘It’s the children, not my wife. They are my primary consideration.’
‘Are you saying if she goes, she’ll deny you visiting rights?’
‘No, she can’t do that. I’m worried they’ll be susceptible to being radicalised.’
‘Do you need time off to figure this out?’ Isaac asked, although he could not see how he could accede to such a request, or how he could refuse.
‘No. We’ve got a murder to solve, and besides, if those guys following us decide to take us out, then it's theoretical.’ It was an attempt at lightening the sombre mood in the office. It did not work.
‘Let’s ignore those following us for the moment. We need to find a body, assuming she’s dead.’ Isaac was pleased that Farhan was staying on board. He was also glad that so far he had remained single. Sophie White had the right idea, he thought, but one day he could see stability and marriage and children, and in that order.
‘Where’s the first triangulation off her phone?’ Farhan seemed to pick up in spirits after he had offloaded some of his burdens onto Isaac.
‘Central Birmingham,’ Isaac replied. ‘Not much use to us, too many buildings, too much traffic. We need somewhere isolated.’
‘We need a rural area, preferably with few buildings. A small village may be best. Even then, it will be like trying to find a needle in a haystack.’
‘What else do we have?’
‘Malvern, Worcestershire.’
‘Too big, too many houses,’ Isaac said.
‘Not if there is a camera on every other lamppost.’
‘That’s true. What’s the best way to check this out?’
‘I’ll go there,’ Farhan offered.
‘No, best if you stay here. See if you can draw a trace on any vehicle following you, and then talk to our boss. His contact may be able to help with identification.’
‘You don’t need to leave me here just because I’ve got family problems. My staying
