Cold Blood by Jane Heafield (great books to read txt) 📕

Watching them watch their mother’s coffin being lowered into the ground, Bennet had had to sit down on the grass, his legs jelly. He had arrested the man who’d killed her, sat in the back of a police car with him, and interviewed the man for two hours, all of it while within reaching distance. And he had held his composure. But if Richard Turner had been in that graveyard right then, Bennet would have throttled the bastard until he was as cold as those who called it home.

‘Another drink?’

Bennet looked up to see Ian, Tessa’s father, standing by him. Bennet stood. ‘Actually, no, I think it’s time we got going.’

‘If you’re sure. Help yourself to some of the food if you want.’

Bennet thanked him and called for Joe, who came running with his new best friend.

‘So, I’ll text you about Saturday,’ Ian said. Earlier, the fathers had arranged a bowling outing at the weekend. Joe and Tessa versus the adults. A sleepover was on the cards for the future, as well as various days out. It could be the start of something long-term.

The kids were eager, but the plans had been made on this emotional day and Bennet wondered if it would all fall through as time passed. He hoped not. Joe needed the company of good people. His last conversation with Richard Turner had set him thinking.

There was every chance that a loose screw in the councillor’s head contributed to his son’s obvious social and mental problems – that was the media angle. But how much had a home sans a mother during his adolescence pulled him off track? It was hard not to worry about the future of Joe’s journey along that path towards adulthood.

Epilogue

The next afternoon, Bennet met with Liz at a pub in Sheffield. She had returned from Spain the previous night, with no resolution to her ongoing case. He tried to shake her hand, but she leaned in to kiss his cheek. A week ago that would have given him a buzz, but not today, with his head still in a maelstrom. Not for a while, maybe.

Her first question, even before the kiss, was about his job. He still had one, for now. There was a back-to-work meeting in two days that he was required to attend before he’d be struck off compassionate leave, but he was also going to face questions and possible reprimand about his actions in Lampton. He wasn’t thinking that far ahead, but there was a stillness in his gut that spoke volumes. He told her he wasn’t sure he wanted to go back to work.

‘I think you should. Throwing yourself into work will be the best way of getting past this.’

‘That’s not what I mean. I’ve changed. Remember Pond Street?’

‘What about it?’

Pond Street was the unofficial operation name of a double murder they’d both worked back in December. While chasing a lead in Wales, she’d suggested they should work in that country without informing the local police. He’d agreed.

‘You’re talking about breaking protocol?’ she said as they walked to the bar. ‘Heck, I was the one who suggested it. That makes me worse.’

‘I also led a suspect to a crime scene to force a confession, instead of recording the interview in a station. And he got killed.’

‘I know. That haunts me too. But it wasn’t your fault. You’re worried about your morals, is that it? What you did the system would frown upon, but it was the only way. We wouldn’t have solved that case otherwise.’

Maybe, maybe not. But there had been other transgressions over the last few days. He’d broken into Ronald Crabtree’s house and threatened the man; he’d played a mammoth piece of evidence for the public; worst of all, though, the CaraHome… Lorraine’s body… or maybe it was that he’d planned to hurt Don The Man, chief suspect in the Buttery Park stabbing. He could think of a dozen activities that he could be sacked for, that would irritate his moral fibre.

She waved the barman over. After they were served and heading back to their table, she said, ‘But you got the job done. At least it was all about what was right. And if your boss thought you’d really overstepped the line, he wouldn’t be welcoming you back to work in a couple of days.’

‘He’s been my friend for years. There’s bias. He would have suspended anyone else.’

They sat and sipped in silence for a moment. ‘You’re a good man, Liam, and you know it. Your boss knows it. And if you go before a misconduct panel, they’ll know it and it will count for a lot. Look, what are you telling me? That you want to quit because you don’t think you’re right for the job? After all these years?’

‘It’s not after all these years. I’ve changed. Recently.’

‘This is the first time that a case was personal. Your son’s mother. Completely understandable. Maybe the next time a family member is hurt, you’ll do the same. But you can’t worry about such a thing all the time. The police service needs people like you. And I know you won’t want to bow out of the Buttery case right now. You can’t just abandon that unfinished. It’ll eat you up. That’s something your moral compass definitely can’t handle, especially if the killer gets away with it.’

He wasn’t sure. ‘Anyway, even if they keep me, there’s no guarantee I’ll be returned as SIO of that investigation. The boss is leading it at the minute and it’s not impacting his workload. Besides, I’ve been thinking about spending more time with my son. He doesn’t see me enough. I rush out of the house at all hours.’

‘Well that would be a better reason. But you’ve coped so far. And he loves being around Patricia.’ Liz grabbed a menu and leaned back in her chair. She hadn’t mentioned wanting to eat, but if they did, that would make this a dinner date. Again, a week ago he would have