‘Who found her? Is there anyone working on that?’
‘Locals. There were plenty of places to hide her over at the chalk pits, but our victim was left out in the open. A jogger found her, and the discovery was witnessed by a woman walking her dog. Both were interviewed and cleared. I might want to meet with them myself, but DI Kennedy was satisfied they were legit.’
Bishop considered this fresh information. ‘Okay. It’s early days, so let’s stick with our current actions for the time being. If we need John and Phil, I’ll rope them in as soon as they both become available. How about the NCA? Where do they fit in?’
Bliss remembered Ashton, and winced. ‘Ah, yes. There’s something I forgot to tell you all.’
Three
Bliss realised he and Chandler ought to wait for Glen Ashton to arrive before heading out, but the problem was he had taken an instant dislike to the young man, and it was this that won the day. The way Bliss saw it, the NCA investigator was attached to the case, not directly to him or his role in it. He also didn’t particularly want the man intervening in the interviews he had planned, given their nature and sensitivity.
He made three calls to numbers stored on his personal mobile phone. All three were answered, and after a series of brief conversations, he had successfully arranged appointments with each of the young women he’d spoken to.
Parastu Mazdaki lived and worked in Leicester, little more than an hour’s drive west. She led educational tours for schoolchildren at the National Space Centre. During their previous conversations, she had claimed to be happy with her life and expressed no desire to return to Iran. She had fled her homeland along with many others to escape political upheaval, but had been abducted at gunpoint by traffickers in Turkey two days after arriving in Gaziantep. Hers was one of a million or more such unhappy tales, and Bliss was pleased to have played a small role in helping Mazdaki find sanctuary in the UK.
Against all odds, Bliss had found a space in the visitors’ car park at the National Space Centre. It was a short walk to the entrance, where they showed their warrant cards and obtained a visitor badge each on yet another lanyard. They were early and Mazdaki had been delayed, so they took a look at the exhibits and used the unexpected free time to catch up.
Penny’s relationship with a man Bliss referred to as Shrek was going from strength to strength, and with her once-estranged daughter currently studying at Cambridge University, his friend was as happy as he’d ever seen her. The change had shaved years off her. She looked at peace, and a glow had returned to her face.
‘How about you and the Bone Woman?’ Chandler asked. ‘You haven’t mentioned much about her of late.’
He shrugged. ‘Not a lot to mention. We’re still seeing each other off and on – though perhaps more off than on.’
‘Any particular reason for that?’
‘Not really.’ Bliss left it at that, hoping Chandler would do likewise.
He and Emily Grant had a relaxed personal arrangement, with no commitment to anything other than spending time together when it suited them both. She had backed off recently, the two of them having argued over an issue he was dealing with outside the job. He didn’t feel up to discussing any of this with his colleague, so took the conversation in a different direction.
‘How are you and the rest of the team coping? Anybody having any problems with the situation? Can’t be easy on any of you with me and Bish having swapped roles.’
Chandler pursed her lips before responding. ‘Nobody that I’m aware of. I’m fine with it. Not sure how much the others would say to me, given how close you and I are. As far as I know they’re all getting on with their work. It’s an odd situation, I grant you. But I think they’d all prefer to deal with that if it means you’re still with us in the team.’
‘That’s good to know. I can’t say it’s not been awkward. Bish seems to be taking it in his stride, and I’ve accepted it’s the way things have to be. I’d rather still be based at HQ and suffer the occasional humiliation from those who don’t care for me than get transferred out.’
‘I still say you got a raw deal.’
Bliss shook his head. ‘No. They were right, Pen. I was bang out of order. I went against procedure, which was bad enough. But to bad-mouth the Chief Super… that was me being the worst version of me. If I have to put up with dropping back a rank and having another few months of therapy, then so be it.’
He hadn’t always been honest enough to admit when he was wrong, and the learning curve was sharper than he’d imagined. Having carried out illegal surveillance on two fellow officers during a major case over the summer, he’d behaved like a spoiled child when caught out and grilled by his bosses. If not for strenuous appeals on his behalf by DCI Warburton and DSI Fletcher, he’d probably have been shipped out of the city for a second – and final – time. To remain in Major Crimes at Thorpe Wood, he’d had to accept demotion, and had done so without a second thought the moment the offer was put to him.
‘I still can’t believe you kept in touch with those women we rescued,’ Chandler said, pulling him back into the moment. ‘Yet another side of Jimmy Bliss most people never get to see or hear about. Not even your closest friend, apparently.’
He laughed. ‘Don’t sulk, you soppy tart. I told nobody, not even Emily. It’s a private matter. You can’t
