On The Job by Sandi Wallace

Author:Sandi Wallace [Wallace, Sandi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Taut Press

Midway through the next day they faced Martin Denton across a plain square table. They had dealt with Burns earlier and what he’d told them made Sturt carefully blank her expression. Connolly entered the stark chamber last, activated the illuminable ‘Interview in progress’ panel and slammed the soundproof door. He stood behind Denton.

Sturt pinned their suspect with her eyes. He smoothed the lapels on his jacket, then gave her a smile. So out of place that it made her gut knot.

After Reeve addressed the formalities for the recording, Connolly launched their strategic attack. ‘Lost a bit of weight, Martin.’

The man turned to the Missing Persons officer behind him.

Reeve said, ‘It must be hard all on your own. It’s been nine weeks now. How are you coping?’

She sounded concerned but again Denton didn’t answer. He shot a nervous glance at his solicitor.

Sturt’s voice made the suspect turn to her. ‘Miss them, do you, Mr Denton?’

He cleared his throat and admitted missing his wife and daughter.

Sturt dropped the faux sympathy. ‘Regret it, Denton?’

‘Regret what?’ he replied in falsetto.

‘Well,’ Connolly said, causing the man to spin around again. ‘How about the emotional abuse of your wife for the past eight years?’

Burns had supplied that gem to them a few hours earlier.

Reeve added, ‘Or the murder of your daughter? Assuming that Heidi was your child. Of course, Jennifer’s unborn baby wasn’t.’

The left nostril of Denton’s solicitor twitched. He cautioned his client.

‘Perhaps the only thing you regret is letting your wife take up with her old flame.’ Reeve leaned forward and adopted a conspiratorial tone. ‘Danny Burns is quite a honey, actually. Gorgeous eyes. You know, they’re similar to Heidi’s in colour.’

Red discs burned on Denton’s cheeks.

Sturt said, ‘Very smart withdrawing the cash from the ATM using Jennifer’s card, by the way. If you’d ticked just one more box, you might’ve got away with it. The thing you forgot was the phone calls.’

Denton stretched his neck forward in unspoken query.

‘You forgot to fake telephone calls between you and Jennifer. In all those nine weeks that your wife’s been missing, you’ve not left one message on her mobile. Yet, you were distraught. You implored her abductors to release her. Then, you begged her to come home, after spinning the story that she’d had a nervous breakdown and run away. Come on, mate, you used to touch base at least five times a day.’ Reeve’s tone was caustic. ‘And you haven’t tried to call her once since she disappeared.’

Denton’s solicitor rose and gathered his gear.

‘Sit down,’ Reeve snapped. ‘Your client’s not going anywhere.’

‘Not until we’ve charged him with the murder of his wife and three-year-old daughter.’ Connolly’s stress upon Heidi’s age highlighted the heinous breach of the duty of care by father to daughter.

Denton covered his face with shaky hands. His solicitor’s deadpan expression slipped for a second as he returned to his seat.

The three detectives pummelled Denton without pausing.

‘When did you learn of your wife’s affair with Daniel Burns?’

‘When did you discover your wife was carrying

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