Keep Her Close

‘You know why the complaint was dropped, don’t you?’ said Myers. ‘Because she never wanted to make it in the first place. It was that little minx Anna Mull who put her up to it. She’s hated me ever since I told her to buck up her game.’

Jo didn’t let her face betray her surprise. It might not even be true, but now wasn’t the time to start digging. Carrick’s phone, on the table in front of them, beeped. He turned it over and looked at the message, before showing it to Jo. It was from Dimitriou. ‘Neighbours opposite report seeing blonde girl arriving with Myers three days ago by car. Leaving next morning.’

What the hell did that mean?

‘Time to be open with us, Ron,’ said Jo. ‘Because we’re this close to turning your house upside down. When did you last see Malin Sigurdsson?’

Myers’ lips were sealed.

‘Come on, Mr Myers,’ said Carrick. ‘If you didn’t take her, that means someone else did. The quickest way to eliminate yourself from our enquiries is to tell the truth. We can still charge you with obstruction of justice for the unauthorised disposal of her possessions.’

Allgreave put a hand on Myers’ arm. ‘I’m sure my client will do his best to help you. He’s an innocent man.’

Myers nodded gratefully. ‘I saw her on Monday,’ he said.

Three days ago …

‘For what?’ said Carrick.

Myers folded his arms. ‘What do you think?’ he said.

‘Extra tutoring?’ said Carrick.

‘We enjoyed each other’s company,’ said Myers.

‘You had sexual intercourse?’ said Jo.

‘And it was entirely our private right to do so,’ said the professor.

‘You and Malin Sigurdsson?’ said Jo.

Myers looked at her with utter disdain.

‘So you say you haven’t seen her since Monday,’ asked Carrick. ‘Any contact at all? An argument, perhaps?’

‘No,’ said Myers. ‘We parted … amicably.’

‘And you didn’t visit her in college?’

‘I think I’ve answered that.’

‘Answer again.’

‘No, I didn’t visit her in college. I don’t even have a security pass anymore, and you can check with the porter’s lodge to see if I signed in.’

‘We’ll need to take your fingerprints.’

‘Do I have a choice?’

‘No.’

Jo suspended the interview, and was glad to be out of the room with Carrick.

‘Are you buying it, guv?’

Stratton joined them.

‘We’ll need to confirm the visitor was her,’ said Carrick, ‘but the days matched. Maybe Anna Mull can clarify. Sounds like she wasn’t particularly fond of Myers.’

‘I hope I’m not being shallow,’ said Jo, ‘but can you really see Malin Sigurdsson going for a bloke like that?’

Stratton cut in. ‘If there’s one thing this job has taught me, it’s not to make assumptions about women.’

Jo guessed from his smile that it was supposed to be a joke. ‘She accused him of sexual harassment. He lost his job. In my experience, women don’t run to shag their sex pests.’

‘He said the complaint was dropped,’ said Stratton.

‘We’ll check with Frampton-Keys,’ said Carrick. ‘I’m with Jo on this, sir. Even if she dropped the accusation, I’m not sure how it squares with voluntarily spending the night at his house.’

Maybe, thought Jo, we’re not looking at a square.

* * *

They took the prints, and Heidi gave the files a cursory scan before sending them to the lab for a confirmation.

‘I’m ninety-nine per cent sure they’re not a match for Malin’s room,’ she said.

Stratton looked aggrieved. ‘I’m not sure we can hold him.’

‘Agreed,’ said Carrick, though Jo saw it pained him to admit it. ‘We checked the evidence manifest from Malin’s room, and it included a toothbrush. Which makes it more likely that the one at Myers’ house was indeed a spare, taken there voluntarily.’

‘We’ve got him on obstruction, though.’

‘Pretty sure his lawyer could argue that was simply panic,’ said Carrick, ‘and he’s not an ongoing material threat.’

‘Are we finished at his house?’ asked the DCI.

‘Almost,’ said Carrick. ‘There’s nothing obvious yet. Certainly no blood.’

‘If he killed her at the college, there wouldn’t be,’ said Jo. ‘He looks strong enough to carry her.’ She knew that didn’t answer the access problem, though.

‘Okay, I want every nook and cranny looked into,’ said Stratton. ‘Find Myers a hotel. Get him what he needs from his house. And advise he doesn’t go on any sudden holidays.’

Carrick did as asked, signing Myers’ belongings back to him. On seeing Myers’ unbelievably smug face as he pocketed his things, Jo couldn’t help herself.

‘Not sure how Mr Cranleigh is going to react when he hears about you and his daughter.’

Myers coloured. ‘I don’t know what you’ve got against me, Detective. Did you fail your Oxford entrance exam?’