His natural instinct was to take the woman’s hand for support even though he didn’t know her. She looked wretched already, but he resisted temptation, curious to hear what the officer in charge might be about to say. He was approaching now, the two uniformed officers filing along behind.
‘Kate Harris?’ the lead officer sought to confirm, taking out his identification to show her.
‘Yes,’ she replied nervously.
Rex lifted his head. There was something going on. His human talking to other humans was of little interest unless they were also preparing food, in which case he would watch them like a hawk ready for dropped ingredients – anything that touched the floor was his. However, he could smell the woman sitting at their table with the annoying little sausage dog was upset, and that made him curious. More than that though, there was a big piece of clanger under one of the tables by the window. If the police created a distraction, it was going to be his.
‘I am Detective Sergeant Craig. Kate Harris can you account for your whereabouts on Saturday night?’
She blinked up at the detective. ‘What?’
‘You filed a missing person report in which you stated that you arrived home at approximately 1900hrs expecting to find your boyfriend Joel Clement already there. You stated that you waited up for him and made several phone calls, but he failed to appear at any point that night. Did you stay at home throughout Saturday night?’
She blinked again, confused by the question. ‘Yes,’ she replied, the word coming slowly as if she questioned whether it was the right answer to give.
Albert knew what was going on. He’d been the detective asking these questions many times himself.
The detective pressed her with his next question. ‘Can you provide anyone who can confirm that you stayed in the house all night?’
‘Someone who can confirm … why?’ The tears had stopped and now Kate Harris just looked confused.
‘Just answer the question, please, Miss Harris. The officers who came to your house found blood on the floor in the kitchen.’
‘Joel hit his head on the oven extractor. I told them that,’ Kate protested.
The detective narrowed his eyes. ‘Can you provide a reliable alibi for your whereabouts on Saturday night?’ The detective’s voice was flat and calm. He was just doing his job, neither deriving pleasure from it, nor loathing that it was his job to do.
‘Alibi.’ The word slipped out on a hushed breath as around the café, staff and customers were all utterly silent to hear what was being said.
With a nod to the two uniformed officers, DS Craig decided he had enough to proceed. ‘Kate Harris I am arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Joel Clement.’
‘What!’ Kate physically jerked at the suggestion she was responsible for her boyfriend’s murder.
The detective sergeant carried on despite her interruption. ‘You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’
Sitting less than a foot from where Albert was standing, Kate was sobbing uncontrollably now. Albert had no idea who Joel Clement might be or what might have befallen him, other than he had been murdered, and he had no reason to doubt that the police had evidence that linked the murder to the woman. However, a lifetime – roughly six decades – of thinking like a detective, told him they were off the mark this time.
Respecting the uniform, he took a step back as the two junior men moved in to physically arrest Kate Harris.
‘I didn’t do it!’ Kate wailed. ‘Why would I hurt him? I loved him!’ she was struggling to get the words out and her makeup was a mess.
Albert knew the officers would have to cuff her. It was standard practice and the only safe way to manage a person once arrested. He remembered many occasions when his cases led him to do exactly the same. Nevertheless, her reaction looked real not faked – she hadn’t killed Joel Clement.
The first uniformed officer to touch her, went for her right arm, but she jerked and attempted to snatch it away, succeeding in breaking his grip. ‘I said I didn’t do it!’ she yelled, emotion overcoming her. Her dog was still tucked under her left arm, and now the situation was becoming dangerous and difficult.
The detective sergeant, who blocked her route from the shop, raised his voice to say, ‘Move back, please, sir.’ It was clearly aimed at Albert who hadn’t moved and was trying to decide what his course of action ought to be. He couldn’t intervene, that would be wrong, and the officers would be right to arrest him were he to do so. However, he also felt unhappy to do nothing.
Kate cried out in anguish and twisted away again, shouting, ‘Stop it! Leave me alone!’
The customers in the shop were all staring at the incident, and the ruckus had drawn the staff from the kitchen to gather behind the counter where they now stood and gawped. Albert heard one ask, ‘What’s going on?’
The reply came from the stern-faced woman who was smiling when she said, ‘Kate killed Joel. I always said she was nothing but a gold digger.’
Still weeping, Kate had nowhere to go and the three officers had done an effective job of pinning her in place until she calmed down. Albert liked that they hadn’t gone down the route of using force to arrest her. ‘You’re really going to arrest me?’ sobbed Kate, looking dazed and bewildered.
They didn’t need to answer; she already knew that they were. Confused by what was happening to her, she turned to look at Albert
