Page 102 of No Safe Place
It made sense.
‘I think she’s worried we’re going to charge her with obstruction, for not mentioning it on the first day. And she’s convinced herself that if she had told you, Sam wouldn’t be dead.’
‘Jesus,’ Field said.
She suddenly felt like a piece of shit for not trying to cram a visit to Penny in, between visiting Ruby and knocking for Andy.
‘That’s not all. She also knew about Paige.’
Field sat up in her chair. ‘How?’
‘Well, she was married to David by then, when Paige died. Apparently he was devastated. She never saw him that upset, before or since.’
Field frowned. That made it two names that Penny had held back.
‘She’s adamant that that’s it. David used to talk about them as a group, sometimes, but he always called them “the kids”. Simon Dawes is back today, and he’s confirmed that.’
‘Okay,’ Field said. ‘Well, it is what it is. Try and reassure her.’
‘Will do, ma’am. I’m going to stay here for another hour, and then drive over to Rickmansworth. Check in on Mr and Mrs Hughes. They’ve asked to see Sam, so I’ll try and get that arranged for tomorrow.’
‘Ask Professor Robinson to have a word, if you’re struggling to get through to anyone on a Saturday. Oh, and Zara?’
‘Yes, ma’am?’
‘Make sure Penny knows that we’re doing everything we can. Tell her I’ll be by in the next few days, and to try not to worry, okay?’
They said a hasty goodbye.
Field had kept an open mind when it came to Penny, suspecting she knew more than she’d let on, but never sure how much.
She was left-handed, and she’d had odd reactions to the news of her husband’s attack – but Field didn’t believe she was a suspect.
The super was still keen for them to have a prime suspect, something he could sell on to his superiors, but Field wasn’t going to pester a grieving widow, just because they had nothing more solid to go on.
Her phone buzzed in her hand, and Wilson’s screen lit up.
Wilson snatched it up, then gave Field the nod. Andy’s address.
Andrew Levey’s door was answered almost immediately by a twenty-something blonde girl, in tiny pyjamas. She was dabbing at her chest with a bag of frozen peas. ‘Yeah?’
Field was surprised. She seemed an unlikely housemate. ‘I’m DCI Field, and this is DS Wilson. Is Andrew Levey home please?’
‘Andy?’ The girl’s eyes widened, and she crossed her arms over her chest. ‘He’s not here. Why?’
‘Could we come in?’ Wilson hesitated. ‘Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.’
She turned to her, answered frostily. ‘It’s Lisa.’
If Riley was here, he’d have charmed his way in by now.
Field took the lead. ‘Are you Andrew’s girlfriend, Lisa?’
She let out a bark of laughter. ‘Andy? God no.’
Field smiled. ‘So, who is Andy to you? A housemate?’
‘He’s a friend,’ Lisa said slowly. She leaned against the banisters. ‘We’re five of us here – we went to uni together. He’s got the top room.’ Lisa’s eyes widened. ‘Shit. Has something happened to him?’
