‘Answer it, if you like,’ Rachel said.
Shirelle shook her head. ‘You’re fine.’
I might be, Rachel thought, but you’re far from. ‘Had they made any enemies, was anyone threatening them?’
‘No,’ Shirelle said, ‘I’ve not seen them for a while anyway.’
‘You broke up with Victor when exactly?’
‘End of January.’
Shirelle’s phone blared again and the girl started.
‘Answer it,’ said Rachel.
‘S’OK, I’ll text,’ she said. Her fingers flew over the screen, tapping lightly, then a trill of birdsong signalled the text had been sent.
‘Work?’ Rachel hazarded a guess.
‘No,’ she shook her head.
‘You got a job?’
‘Signing on,’ Shirelle said, taking a drag on her rollie.
‘So you can see, we’re concerned to try and find out who would have cause to harm Victor and Lydia. You sure you can’t think of anything?’
Shirelle pressed her lips together, puffed out her cheeks a little. ‘No. Sorry.’
‘They were living in the warehouse,’ Rachel said. ‘What was that like?’
‘Pretty grim,’ Shirelle said, ‘the place was in a state.’
‘They were downstairs?’
‘Yes, they had some old chairs and milk crates and pallets to put stuff on.’
‘How long had they been there when you met them?’ Rachel said.
‘Not sure, a few weeks.’
‘I hope you understand, as a matter of routine I have to ask you where you were on Friday evening,’ Rachel said.
Shirelle stared at her, a look of incredulity spread across her face. ‘What- you are not serious?’
‘Where were you?’
‘Here,’ she said emphatically. She took a final pull on the fag and crushed it out in the cut-glass ashtray.
‘Anyone verify that?’
‘No. Yes. Pizza delivery.’
‘What time?’ Rachel said.
Shirelle shrugged. ‘Can’t remember. Some time around eight.’
‘Which takeaway?’ Rachel said.
‘Gino’s.’
Rachel made a note. ‘Noel and Neil Perry,’ she said, ‘you know them?’
A look of dislike crossed Shirelle’s face. ‘A bit.’
‘Did they know Victor and Lydia?’
‘Was it them?’ she said.
‘Did they know Victor and Lydia?’ Rachel repeated.
‘Don’t know.’
There was a sound from outside the flat, Shirelle glanced quickly at the door. Was she expecting somebody? She pulled her attention back to Rachel and said, ‘If that’s it…’ Putting a brave face on but Rachel could tell she was shocked and upset. If Shirelle knew the couple squatted in the warehouse she must have realized they could have been killed in the fire, even if she hadn’t known about the shooting. But she had not contacted anyone in authority to share her fears. All weekend she must have lived with that dreadful suspicion.
‘Almost done. When the warehouse went up in smoke, why didn’t you tell anyone there could be people inside?’ Rachel said.