Read Online Behind Closed Doors by Elizabeth Haynes - Free Book Online Page A

or walk past, she checked to see if anyone was in earshot. The other participants of the meeting were continuing to walk away from them, down the corridor.
    ‘I’m sure you’re probably having a very bad day, so maybe we could just start again. I’m here to help, and if there’s anything my team can do, let me know. In the meantime, I’d like to speak to Scarlett, and then the family.’
    The tone of her voice was firm but calm, and anyone else might have capitulated and agreed with anything she had just said. But, as she’d thought, Waterhouse had been worn down by his years in the Job, and compromise was something that didn’t come easily. Nor, it seemed, did apology. Even so, what she got was a lot more than she had expected.
    ‘You’re right, it’s been a shitty week, let alone day. You can go along with Caroline, if you think it’ll help. And by all means, if you want to go and see the family. There’s nothing new they can tell us for Op Pentameter, I’m sure. So knock yourself out.’
    ‘Thank you,’ Lou said. She’d been on the verge of asking what constituted a shitty week for him, since the moment she’d mentioned it there had been a flicker behind his eyes, as though she’d reminded him of something he’d been trying to forget. But he turned aside quickly and continued on his way – heading down the stairs to the basement, no doubt, instead of taking the lift. Lou wondered if he had a problem with lifts or was just trying to avoid getting stuck in a confined space with her for a moment longer.
    Caro Sumner was waiting for her in reception. This time there was eye contact, a warm smile.
    ‘You don’t remember me,’ she said, ‘but I’m not surprised. We only met the once, at the Cold Case review five years ago. You were in the middle of your OSPRE process.’
    ‘I’m sorry,’ Lou said. ‘You were with the Met, weren’t you?’
    ‘That’s right. I transferred over, in the end. Have you got time for a coffee?’
    Lou looked at her watch. Just past five – there was no point setting off now, anyway. She would just get stuck on the dual carriageway with everyone else.
    ‘I would really like that, thanks. What’s happening with her?’
    She didn’t need to use the name, not here in reception with several people within earshot.
    Caro said, ‘Don’t worry. We’ve booked her into the Travel Inn tonight. I was going to take her over there later. You can come with me, if you like?’
    ‘Thanks. That would be great. I need to call back into the incident room first, if that’s okay?’
    ‘Sure. I was going to go home first anyway. I can meet you there.’
    They went into the canteen together. The kitchen was long closed, but there was a whole variety of vending machines at their disposal. Caro went for the coffee machine and came back with something that looked like muddy water. Lou got a can of Coke and a bag of crisps, wondering whether this would end up being dinner.
    The canteen was empty, thankfully.
    ‘I’m sorry about the boss,’ Caro said, when Lou joined her at a table under the window. It was dark outside, felt like midnight already.
    Lou smiled. ‘I’ve met worse, believe me.’
    ‘He’s not so bad when you get to know him. Unfortunately Scarlett is a small part of the investigation here – her appearance has just thrown everything up in the air. He’s desperate to get some arrests, and he thought Scarlett would just unravel everything neatly for him. Trouble is, she’s not talking.’
    ‘She must have been through a lot. Unimaginable things.’
    ‘That’s what he doesn’t seem to get. Anyway – luckily he’s got us, right?’
    ‘You been here long?’
    ‘Six months,’ Caro said.
    ‘Enjoying it?’
    ‘Most of the time. Better than where I was before, anyway.’
    Lou didn’t ask. ‘So what’s the plan for Scarlett?’
    Caro sipped her coffee. ‘They’ve applied to get her the forty-five days’ support under the National Referral Mechanism. At least