couple of COs around later. Check she’s okay and see if there’s anything we can do. Let’s leaveMonica’s father out of it. For now. Apart from anything else, we still don’t know if Monica’s telling the truth. Until we know that, let’s focus our efforts on finding who whacked Chloe.’
Back in the open-plan office Ellen shared with the rest of the team, Raj was waiting to update her on Chloe Dunbar.
‘She knows talking to that journalist wasn’t a good idea,’ Raj said. ‘Although she seems to think maybe it’s helped because nothing has happened to her since the piece was published. At least, that’s what she said yesterday. Before last night’s incident.’
‘Did she say why she did it?’ Ellen asked.
‘Her boss’s idea,’ Raj said. ‘Nathan Collier. I’ve told you about him, right? He’s sort of become Chloe’s protector. Couldn’t bear to see me talking to her on her own. Kept butting in every few minutes to check up on us.’
‘Someone to keep an eye on?’ Ellen said.
Raj frowned. ‘He’s definitely got a thing for Chloe. She swears they’re just friends, though.’
‘You think he wants more than friendship?’ Ellen said.
‘Hard to tell,’ Raj said. ‘She’s way out of his league. Any idiot can see that. Plus, whenever I’ve spoken to him, he seems genuinely concerned about her. And he’s never nervous, either. If he was trying to hide something, you’d expect him to be nervous, right?’
‘Unless he’s a psycho,’ Ellen said. ‘What about Carl Jenkins, the other guy who works with them?’
‘He was on a stag do the night of the attack,’ Raj said. ‘Gotwitness statements from friends who were with him all night. We already know her ex can’t have attacked her. So, for now, we’re still looking.’
‘Let’s hope you find something soon,’ Ellen said pointedly. ‘Before anything else happens. What about CCTV? Any leads from that?’
‘Nothing so far,’ Raj said. ‘There are no cameras on Nightingale Grove itself. But the road is near one of the entrances to Hither Green station. We’ve been going through CCTV tapes from there, but haven’t found anything so far. The attack happened sometime between three-thirty and four o’clock. That side of Hither Green is pretty quiet that time in the morning. Chances are, whoever broke into Chloe’s house didn’t come through the station, anyway. We’ll keep looking, but I’m not hopeful.’
‘Did you ask her if she knows Monica Telford?’ Ellen said.
‘Says she’s never heard of her,’ Raj said. ‘You know, I can sort of understand where Collier’s coming from. There’s something vulnerable about Chloe, makes you want to protect her. If I feel like that, why shouldn’t he? I won’t let anything happen to her, Ellen. I promise.’
Ellen wanted to say she believed him. The problem was, he was in no position to make that sort of promise. Without any suspects, they were no closer to finding who had attacked Chloe. And no closer to making sure she was safe from any further attacks.
* * *
Monica looked forward to these weekly visits. Knew they were building up to something and liked the way that felt. Letting it happen gradually. No need to rush. In some ways, this was the best bit: the waiting. When it was all over, it was another thing she could no longer look forward to.
She put X-FM on loud and lost herself in the music – brash, upbeat rock that suited her mood. Approaching Whitstable, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs came on.
Cheated Heart
. She turned up the volume and wound down the windows, enjoying the cool breeze on her warm face.
Her father lived in an oversized, mock-Tudor house on the coast road between Whitstable and Herne Bay. Whitstable itself was pretty enough, Monica supposed. It had certainly changed a lot since she was growing up. An influx of London cool was a vast improvement. A pity that hadn’t extended to her end of town.
As a child, she’d felt the injustice of it strongly. To
Back in the open-plan office Ellen shared with the rest of the team, Raj was waiting to update her on Chloe Dunbar.
‘She knows talking to that journalist wasn’t a good idea,’ Raj said. ‘Although she seems to think maybe it’s helped because nothing has happened to her since the piece was published. At least, that’s what she said yesterday. Before last night’s incident.’
‘Did she say why she did it?’ Ellen asked.
‘Her boss’s idea,’ Raj said. ‘Nathan Collier. I’ve told you about him, right? He’s sort of become Chloe’s protector. Couldn’t bear to see me talking to her on her own. Kept butting in every few minutes to check up on us.’
‘Someone to keep an eye on?’ Ellen said.
Raj frowned. ‘He’s definitely got a thing for Chloe. She swears they’re just friends, though.’
‘You think he wants more than friendship?’ Ellen said.
‘Hard to tell,’ Raj said. ‘She’s way out of his league. Any idiot can see that. Plus, whenever I’ve spoken to him, he seems genuinely concerned about her. And he’s never nervous, either. If he was trying to hide something, you’d expect him to be nervous, right?’
‘Unless he’s a psycho,’ Ellen said. ‘What about Carl Jenkins, the other guy who works with them?’
‘He was on a stag do the night of the attack,’ Raj said. ‘Gotwitness statements from friends who were with him all night. We already know her ex can’t have attacked her. So, for now, we’re still looking.’
‘Let’s hope you find something soon,’ Ellen said pointedly. ‘Before anything else happens. What about CCTV? Any leads from that?’
‘Nothing so far,’ Raj said. ‘There are no cameras on Nightingale Grove itself. But the road is near one of the entrances to Hither Green station. We’ve been going through CCTV tapes from there, but haven’t found anything so far. The attack happened sometime between three-thirty and four o’clock. That side of Hither Green is pretty quiet that time in the morning. Chances are, whoever broke into Chloe’s house didn’t come through the station, anyway. We’ll keep looking, but I’m not hopeful.’
‘Did you ask her if she knows Monica Telford?’ Ellen said.
‘Says she’s never heard of her,’ Raj said. ‘You know, I can sort of understand where Collier’s coming from. There’s something vulnerable about Chloe, makes you want to protect her. If I feel like that, why shouldn’t he? I won’t let anything happen to her, Ellen. I promise.’
Ellen wanted to say she believed him. The problem was, he was in no position to make that sort of promise. Without any suspects, they were no closer to finding who had attacked Chloe. And no closer to making sure she was safe from any further attacks.
* * *
Monica looked forward to these weekly visits. Knew they were building up to something and liked the way that felt. Letting it happen gradually. No need to rush. In some ways, this was the best bit: the waiting. When it was all over, it was another thing she could no longer look forward to.
She put X-FM on loud and lost herself in the music – brash, upbeat rock that suited her mood. Approaching Whitstable, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs came on.
Cheated Heart
. She turned up the volume and wound down the windows, enjoying the cool breeze on her warm face.
Her father lived in an oversized, mock-Tudor house on the coast road between Whitstable and Herne Bay. Whitstable itself was pretty enough, Monica supposed. It had certainly changed a lot since she was growing up. An influx of London cool was a vast improvement. A pity that hadn’t extended to her end of town.
As a child, she’d felt the injustice of it strongly. To
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