She rolled a cigarette and lit up.
‘What about you and Ziggy?’ she asked. ‘Making progress?’
‘Mel …’
‘I know you have. Because he’s scared shitless and you’re full of yourself. Dead giveaway.’
He lit his own cigarette, scrunched down in the chair and rested his feet against the railings, like he was trying to disappear into himself.
‘We should know one way or the other tomorrow,’ he said. ‘Maybe Wednesday.’
‘What are you waiting for?’ she asked, trying to figure the timescale. ‘A DNA test?’
‘You’re talking yourself into being an accessory after the fact here.’
She took another deep drag on her roll-up, wondering if things were really so serious or if he was just trying to scare her off.
In the living room her mobile started to ring and she went in to see if it was something she could ignore.
Dani.
She wasn’t in the mood for another argument with the woman about whether Lee Walton was guilty or not and whether she’d been manipulated into giving evidence against him and whether that had ruined her life and the relationship they’d had that she thought was perfect despite the high rate of broken bones and black eyes it entailed.
Ferreira thought about diverting it to voicemail, just like Dani had done to her yesterday afternoon. But if Dani was calling, it was probably important.
‘What’s up, Dani?’
‘Nothing’s up with her,’ Lee Walton said. ‘Not now she’s back home where she belongs.’
Ferreira looked at the screen again, checking that it was definitely Dani’s mobile he was calling on.
‘And she’s very apologetic, very eager to be forgiven,’ he said, the menace thick in his voice, and Ferreira knew he wanted her to hear it, for her to understand the implications. ‘But then I don’t blame Dani. She’s not the sharpest, she’ll say anything you tell her to if you she thinks it’s the safest option.’
‘Well, you’d know, Lee.’
Billy stepped through the sliding door, a questioning look on his face.
Ferreira put her finger up to stop him as he came closer, seeing the stirring of anger in his eyes.
‘Threaten her with prison,’ Walton said. ‘Threaten to have my boy took into care – course she’s going to give you bastards whatever you want.’ He snorted. ‘But you won’t get her like that again. She’s wise to you now.’
Billy mouthed at her: ‘Speaker.’
‘That what you called to tell me?’ she asked. ‘You’ve smacked some sense into Dani?’
‘Put your boyfriend on.’
‘You know where he is if you want to speak to him,’ Ferreira said. ‘Just walk into the station any time you like.’
She could hear the agitation in Walton’s breath, could see Billy getting wound up now too, as if the men were face to face.
‘Is he there?’ Walton asked. ‘I don’t think he’s left you alone. He’s got you at his place now, hasn’t he?’
The muscles across her abdomen tensed and she turned towards the open doors, certain he was out there. Hidden in the trees, the Mere at his back. His favourite hunting ground.
‘It’s almost like he thinks you’re in danger.’
Billy gave her an urgent look and reluctantly she hit the speakerphone, holding the phone between them.
‘How’s your mum, Lee?’ Billy asked.
Ferreira blinked at him, trying to decode such a stupid, random question.
‘You want to stay away from my family,’ Walton snarled, all control gone. ‘This is harassment. I’m an innocent man and you need to fucking think of that before you start going around talking shit about me and my mum.’ He gulped the words. ‘Sending that mad bitch around my mum’s house shouting the odds, embarrassing her in front of her neighbours. That’s libel, that is. It’s slander.’
‘Wendy was in an emotional state,’ Billy said, his voice level but pleasure lighting up his face at hearing how uncomfortable Walton was. ‘Maybe your mum told you, Lee. Wendy seems to think you might have killed her Tessa.’
‘I never touched her,’ Walton barked.
‘How many times have I heard you say that?’ Billy asked, eyes fixed on the screen, boring into it like he could actually see Walton. ‘And it was always a lie. You touched Tessa alright. You followed –’
‘I’ll have your fucking job,’ Walton said, voice ragged, unrecognisable. ‘I’m telling you right now, you keep harassing me and my family over this, I’m pressing charges. I’m not having it. It’s not fair. I did my time and you need to stay out of my fucking life.’
‘No, Lee, it doesn’t work like that,’ Billy said, relishing every word. ‘We just go where the evidence points us. And it points straight to you. All of it. We’re coming for you, Lee.’
‘I’ll fucking dest—’
Billy reached out and killed the call.
But Ferreira could hear the rest of the threat like a ringing in her ears. ‘I’ll fucking destroy you.’
‘Fuck. Me. Have you ever heard him that rattled?’ Billy shoved his hands back through his hair. ‘You remember what he was like during the interviews? He barely blinked, cool as you like and lying his head off all the time. We’ve got him this time, Mel. We’ve fucking got him and he knows it.’
Ferreira dropped onto the sofa, getting out of his way as he paced around the room, trying to walk off the furious energy surging through him, all the adrenaline he’d raised to throw at Lee Walton but not needed.
Numbly she wondered what Walton was doing with his excess adrenaline but there was really only one option.
He’d be throwing it into Dani’s face.
Billy had wound him up and set him loose and Dani was the one who’d suffer.
DAY EIGHT
TUESDAY AUGUST 14TH
CHAPTER SIXTY-THREE
The morning briefing was just beginning when DCS Riggott appeared in the doorway of the main office, hands hanging in loose fists by his sides, all
