Page 3 of Her Deadly Promise

‘I’m worried about you, guv.’

Gina raised her eyebrows. ‘Why would you be worried about me?’

‘Can I be candid?’

‘Please.’ Gina wouldn’t expect anything less of her colleague but nonetheless, she braced herself for what was to come. Had her team seen her watching Briggs? Could they tell she was pining over him? She hoped not. Their relationship had remained a secret and she wanted it to stay that way.

Wyre swallowed and began to fiddle with her fingers. ‘You keep biting your nails. The dark circles around your eyes are almost like bruises and…’

‘And?’ She took a deep breath.

‘You look sad. I just wanted you to know that if there’s anything wrong, you can talk to me. You’ve always been here for me, for the team, and we’re here for you.’

‘Great, so the team all think I’m losing it.’ She threw the file down on her desk and placed a hand on her burning cheek. Her heart began to hum.

‘No one thinks you’re losing it.’

She stood. ‘You can tell them all that I’m fine. I’m well, I’m healthy and I’m happy. What more could a person want? Is that it?’

‘Guv, I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.’

Gina shook her head and held a hand up, not wanting Wyre to say another word. ‘Look, it’s okay. I shouldn’t have snapped but I promise you, all is fine, like I said. It’s just the heat and the hot flushes. I keep waking up in the night with the sweats, that’s where the dark circles have come from. That’s all.’

‘Have you been to the doctors?’

‘What for?’

‘The flushes.’

‘No, I’m okay. Really. Now, I have stacks to do. Was there anything else?’

‘No, guv. If you change your mind about the pub, let me know.’ As Wyre stood to leave, DC Harry O’Connor ran in wiping his bald head with a tissue. ‘We’ve had a call.’

Glad of the distraction, Gina ushered him in. ‘What is it?’ Wyre leaned against the wall.

‘A twenty-eight-year-old woman called Billie Reeves who lives on Church Road was found by a neighbour. When PCs Smith and Kapoor arrived with the ambulance service, the woman was pronounced dead. She has a stab wound to the chest.’

Wyre fidgeted. ‘Best cancel the pub.’

‘Is Jacob still here?’ Detective Sergeant Jacob Driscoll usually accompanied Gina at crime scenes.

‘No.’ O’Connor leaned on the door frame. ‘He had to leave to pick Jennifer up from physio. I think she’s being signed off.’ His girlfriend had been hit by a car in one of their last big cases. Since coming off the ventilator, her progress had been steady, and she was keen to return to forensic duties.

‘Who found the victim?’

‘A lady called Joanna Pearlman. She’s looking after the victim’s little boy until a family member has been contacted.’

‘Where was the boy at the time?’

‘Apparently, she found him sitting on the kerb outside the house and got worried. She said that the boy kept saying his mum told him he had to stay there until she called him in.’

‘That poor kid. How old is he?’

‘Mrs Pearlman said he’s about five.’

‘Wyre, you come with me and, O’Connor, you follow. Have forensics been called?’

O’Connor nodded. ‘They’re on their way. I’ll meet you both there.’

---