Page 13 of No Safe Place
Field waited a few seconds, to see if Penny would keep talking, then answered. ‘I’m sorry, Penny, but it really is too early to draw any conclusions. I’m afraid at this stage, I can’t be more specific with the details.’
There would be time for details. Field wanted to ask about the study mentioned on the scrap of paper. Make a start on victimology, dig into what made David tick—
But that could come later.
There was a knock on the front door.
‘That’ll be the FLO. DS Wilson, could you get that please?’
Wilson bobbed her head and left the room again. She came back in with another female officer, DC Zara Ayres.
Introductions were made that Penny seemed to barely register. She sat in silence, picking at dried flour on the hem of her dress.
Ayres had been in MIT4 for a couple of years, but was relatively new to the FLO role. Field had no complaints so far. She was as petite as Penny, smartly dressed in a grey blouse and cream trousers, dark hair in a neat bun.
‘I have one last question, if that’s okay,’ Field said, turning back to Penny with what she hoped was a reassuring smile.‘Was David worried about anything? Was there anything unusual going on – or any reason you can think of that someone might want to hurt him?’
Penny shook her head. ‘No one could – could want—’
For the first time, her voice cracked.
‘Thank you, Penny. You’ve been so helpful. That’s all I need for now.’ Field put her hand over Penny’s. ‘I’m going to talk you through what happens next, okay?’
A crease appeared between Penny’s eyebrows, and she pulled her hand away. ‘Next?’
Field kept her tone light. ‘David is in ICU – intensive care. I’m going to the hospital now, to meet with Dr Young – a forensic medical examiner. That’s just so we can get a picture of David’s injuries, to help with our investigation.’
Penny’s grey eyes were intense, unblinking and unnerving.
‘We should be finished with the examination by—’ Field looked at her battered Casio. ‘I’d say by around 1 p.m. Zara will drive you to the hospital, and she’ll wait with you until—’
‘No.’
‘Penny—’
‘I’m not going to the hospital.’ She pushed herself to standing, swaying a little. A beam of sunlight fell across her face, making her expression hard to read. ‘And I don’t need a family liaison officer.’
Penny moved quickly, taking four strides across to the door, almost knocking into Wilson and her second tray of tea.
‘Thank you, for coming to let me know.’ Penny’s voice was strained, and high-pitched. ‘But it really is nothing – nothing to do with me.’
Wilson turned to Field, confusion written plainly on her face.
‘Let’s just sit down and take a moment, shall we?’ Field put her hands up. ‘You don’t have to come to the hospital, Penny.’
Penny closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her cheeks and neck were pink, and she tucked her hair behind her ears before opening her eyes again. ‘I’d like you all to leave.’
Wilson and Zara looked to Field.
She kept her movements slow, like she was in no hurry to go – offering Penny plenty of time to change her mind.
Field flicked to a blank page at the back of her notebook, set it down on the coffee table. Reached into her bag to get a pen, then tore out a page. Wrote down her mobile number and email address.
She didn’t give it to Penny straight away. Field led Wilson and Zara Ayres back into the hall. Field was hit by a wall of heat as they stepped back out into the morning sun.
She paused on the top step. ‘Here’s my number, Penny. Call me any time.’
The woman hesitated, then took it.
