She turned to the solicitor, who looked shaken, close to tears. ‘Break?’ And then to the men hoisting Perry to his feet. ‘Put him back in the cell, will you. And turn that bloody alarm off.’
Mitch was on the phone reporting back to Gill: no response at Greg Tandy’s address on Manton Road. According to probation records, Tandy was living there with his wife and son.
‘Try again in the morning,’ Gill said.
There was suddenly a crashing sound in the outer office and raised voices.
‘Night,’ she ended the call and flung open her office door. ‘What the fuck is going-’
Dave. On his hands and knees trying to pick up the contents of Kevin’s desk, by the looks of it. Lee bending over him. Dave threw up an arm, holding a fistful of papers, released them on to the desk. Then saw her.
‘Gill.’ He practically dribbled the word. ‘I just wanted…’
She just wanted… to die. There and then. To disappear.
‘All right?’ Kevin stood at the door from the landing, coffee in hand, bemused.
‘Kevin, Lee,’ she said briskly, ‘I’ve got this.’ No introductions needed. They both knew Chief Superintendent Murray.
‘Shall I get a first-aider?’ Kevin said. ‘Or the paramedics?’
‘No need,’ Gill said.
‘Give you a hand,’ Kevin said, ‘my desk, don’t mind.’
Fuck off and die. ‘Kevin – thanks. No. Leave. Now. See you in the morning.’ The messages hit their target. Kevin stopped, Lee nodded, grabbed his jacket and left. Kevin trotted after him.
She could just imagine the conversation. The humiliation.
‘Get up,’ she told Dave, though maybe he’d be safer on his hands and knees. She couldn’t lift him. He was half her weight again. Probably more these days.
He levered himself upright using the desk as ballast. ‘Sit there,’ she pointed to Kevin’s chair, ‘and stay there.’
She went for coffee, praying that no one would come in meanwhile, no cleaners or any of her syndicate. Rachel and Janet were still interviewing. No one else was due back. She might get lucky. Lee and Kevin had seen the floorshow and although Lee might be tactful, respectful, Kevin was a gobby little git. He struggled at work and she’d ridden him hard and he’d probably see this as his chance for payback: Lady Muck reckons she’s got it all under control, never puts a foot wrong, but her old man is a pisshead.
She went back upstairs with the drinks. Dave was where she’d left him. He smiled inanely when he saw her. She gave him a coffee. Told him to drink it.
‘Why are you here?’ She intended to be calm, to try to reason with him. Get him to understand the boundaries.