The Day of the Roaring by Nina Bhadreshwar

Author:Nina Bhadreshwar
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HarperCollinsPublishers
Published: 2024-12-10T15:45:53+00:00

Chapter 25

Monday 11th October, 2010 – Dewbow

MaMa picks up Lubanzi’s copy of The Book of Night Women from Diana’s hall table.

‘You didn’t give this back.’

‘I know. Forgot. Can you give it to Ma?’

MaMa nods, flicking through it slowly. Diana feels bad that MaMa will still have to be shuffled back and forth like lost luggage, but she has appointments – all still based in Sheffield, and Rehema’s still in charge of co-ordinating them. ‘They all love stories. Especially the tall one—’

‘Who? Maya?’

MaMa nods. ‘Only she wants to tell a story.’

Diana scrolls down her phone. Two missed calls from Robertson, one from Gorman.

‘Maya barely speaks, MaMa!’

MaMa shrugs, running a finger along the condensation on the windowsill. ‘I don’t read much now. My eyes ache.’

Diana is desperate to call. She sighs. ‘But you can listen.’

‘Listening is reading.’

Man. Making small talk with MaMa is nigh impossible. Nothing is ever small for MaMa.

‘Thought you slept through book club? I read nothing but crime reports and statistics, MaMa. And a rate comic book that is,’ she mutters.

‘Yes.’

I need to get on the phone.

‘Well, you don’t need to go if you don’t like the women.’

‘I didn’t say I didn’t like them.’

Diana squeezes her eyes tightly. A day wading through council spreadsheets suddenly seems very inviting.

MaMa sits down at the kitchen table. Diana zips up her coat.

‘Can you make githeri today, MaMa?’

‘Now?’

‘No – for tea.’

‘Tea?’ MaMa moves to the kettle.

Diana sighs. ‘To eat.’

MaMa sits back down. ‘When?’

‘Whenever.’

‘When is that, mwana?’

‘Your time.’

MaMa nods slowly, turning to look out of the kitchen window.

An hour later, at HQ, Diana knocks on Gorman’s door.

‘Come in!’

He pulls his glasses off and gives her a brief nod, half rising out of his seat.

‘Morning, Will. Sorry to bother you. I just …’

She pulls out the freezer bag containing the gold torpedo.

‘I found this lodged in a tree on my run on Saturday in the woodland by my place. It’s within a mile of where we found Leroy Young’s car. Could you check ballistics – see if it’s similar to the bullet that ended our Mr Daniels?’

‘Don’t you live in the Peak District?’

Diana nods. Gorman frowns, takes the freezer bag, and looks at it closely, holding it lightly. It seems to have the same effect on him as it did the squirrel.

‘Off the record, a point 308 Win cartridge. I don’t think it’s a 7.62 NATO. But I’ll double-check.’

Diana bites her lip, stays standing by the door. He winks at her.

‘I’ll also check if any residue indicates it being shot from the same gun. Although it won’t be the same bullet!’

She grins broadly. ‘Just wanted to eliminate …’

‘Examine every option.’ He nods.

‘Thanks, Will!’ She practically bounces out of the office.

Stick that in your OCG, Phillips.

Sheffield Local Education Authority is housed in a multi-storey building that looms over the Bullring, an ugly, functional structure, casting a giant shadow over the subway abyss. The badge is received with cautious nods and Robertson and Diana are taken to an airless room centred by a small table, more filing cabinets, and a bulky IBM monitor.

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