Home Fires Burn by Lisa Hartley

Author:Lisa Hartley
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Canelo Digital Publishing Ltd
Published: 2020-10-15T00:00:00+00:00

16

Kendrick was waiting for them in the main office. It was almost empty, just Anna Varcoe and Chris Rogers already at their computers. Kendrick stood by Anna’s desk, reading over her shoulder. As Catherine and Knight approached, Kendrick nodded towards his own office door.

‘She’s waiting inside.’ He pushed his hands into his trouser pockets. ‘Ready?’

‘As we’ll ever be,’ Knight said.

As he spoke, Kendrick’s office door opened and Jane Stringer strode into the room. The Superintendent was tall and slender with shoulder-length blonde hair and understated make-up. She could easily play the role of the headteacher of an exclusive public school or lady of the manor. With one hand on the doorframe, she surveyed the scene.

‘DI Knight, DS Bishop. I realise it’s early but the Assistant Chief Constable has requested a nine a.m. meeting with me and I need to be able to give him an update.’ She looked at each of them in turn. ‘A positive update.’ She managed a smile, gesturing inside Kendrick’s office. ‘Shall we all sit down?’

The three exchanged a glance as Stringer disappeared back inside the office.

‘Going to be cosy in there,’ Kendrick muttered.

It was. Stringer sat behind Kendrick’s desk and Kendrick dragged the spare chair from the corner to sit beside her. Catherine chose to remain standing and so did Knight, not that there was really room to do otherwise. Stringer eyed them.

‘Why did you both feel the need to attend the scene of the fire earlier?’ she asked. ‘As far as I’m aware, we’ve had no confirmation it’s linked to our arson case. I realise it’s a strong possibility, but I’d have rather you’d both got some rest, since you already have two murders and one suspicious death to solve. There were uniformed officers already on the scene this morning, and Inspector Dhirwan was also in attendance.’

Catherine glanced at Knight. They hadn’t spoken to their colleague, hadn’t even realised he was there.

‘You didn’t sign the scene log.’ Stringer leaned back in her chair. ‘Didn’t talk to anyone other than a firefighter who seemed to know you.’

Catherine stared at her. What was she implying? That she and Knight hadn’t followed procedure, had done something wrong? And who told Stringer she and Knight had been there, what they’d done? One of the uniforms? Did Stringer have spies around Northolme police station? Catherine wouldn’t be surprised.

‘We weren’t there long enough to sign the log, and we didn’t go near the cordon,’ she said. ‘We’d only just arrived when you called to ask us to come here.’

Stringer bent to retrieve a leather handbag from the floor beside her chair. She removed a bottle of water, unscrewed the top and set the bag back on the floor. ‘You didn’t need to be there at all. Your priority should be finding answers for the families of Hollie Morton, Andrew Nugent and Scott Greaves.’

Hoping Kendrick or Knight would speak up, Catherine hesitated before responding, but neither jumped in. ‘We will. It seems likely this fire is the work of our arsonist, and we thought it wise to see the scene for ourselves.

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