Dead To Me by Cath Staincliffe Read Free Book Online Page A

asked.
    ‘No, she smoked. She didn’t like needles.’
    ‘OK. Where did you get the duvet from, Sean?’
    ‘The bedroom.’
    ‘When you covered Lisa up, did you touch her?’
    ‘No,’ he said, quickly, his face drawn, eyes troubled, frightened by the thought.
    ‘Did you notice anything out of place?’
    ‘The table was broke,’ he said.
    ‘Which table?’
    ‘Coffee table,’ he said.
    ‘Where was the coffee table?’
    ‘Next to Lisa.’
    ‘Lisa was between the table and the sofa?’
    ‘Yes,’ he said.
    ‘Did you touch anything else in the room?’
    ‘No.’ He looked away, staring at his hands.
    Janet paused a moment to see if he’d renew eye contact, but he didn’t. ‘Did you take anything from the flat?’
    ‘No,’ he answered, almost before she’d finished asking the question. Defensive. Something that made him uneasy.
    ‘I’m going to have to ask you some very personal questions, Sean. I’m only asking them because they are crucial for our investigation, you understand?’
    He dipped his head once.
    ‘When did you and Lisa last have sex?’
    ‘Last night,’ he said. ‘I mean, the night before,’ correcting himself.
    ‘Sunday night,’ Janet clarified.
    ‘Yeah.’
    ‘OK, and did you use a condom on that occasion?’
    He shook his head. ‘She’s got an implant.’
    Janet smiled. Safe-sex messages had obviously gone right over this lad’s head. ‘After you covered Lisa with the duvet, what did you do?’
    ‘I went outside and rang the police. I couldn’t stay in there.’ He pressed a fist to his mouth, scowling, eyes downcast.
    ‘Sean, do you know how long you spent in the flat before you called the police?’ He’d got there at half three, the call for help was five past four. What was he doing in that time?
    ‘No.’ Suddenly he was swiping his fingers at his eyes, no longer able to keep from weeping.
    Janet waited a moment, then spoke: ‘Sean, we’ll have a break now,’ she said. ‘I’m sorry this is so distressing for you, but it helps us to do our job, it helps us find out who did this to Lisa. Is there anything else you want to tell me before we break?’
    He shook his head.
    ‘Would you like anything to eat or drink, or a cigarette break?’
    ‘Yeah, a Coke,’ he said, ‘and a smoke.’ He sniffed loudly and clenched his mouth tight. Janet pulled a face in sympathy. Poor bastard.

7
     
    GILL WAS RILED , summing up for the team: ‘So, we’ve Mr Shit-for-brains to thank for coming over all prudish and ruining our crime scene.’ She turned to Janet, ‘Did he touch anything else?’
    ‘Says not.’
    ‘You believe him?’
    ‘No,’ Janet said.
    ‘Mitch?’ Gill invited him to chip in. The big lad was ex-army, a gentle giant. He was a good detective – they all were, bar Kevin, but Gill was determined to turn him round. His old boss had claimed Kevin was irredeemable, but Gill loved a challenge. Though she was beginning to wonder if Kevin was a lost cause. He didn’t seem to learn from his mistakes, just repeated them bigger and better. Self-criticism of a woodlouse.
    Mitch spoke: ‘Sean Broughton in the system, fine for possession of Class B, cannabis. Oldham magistrates, five months ago.’
    ‘Not a caution?’ Gill asked, the usual policy for that offence.
    ‘Already had two.’
    ‘Naughty step not working for him,’ Gill said. ‘There were signs of Class As at the scene.’
    ‘Paraphernalia,’ Lee said. ‘No drugs recovered, though.’
    ‘Word is, both Sean and Lisa were using,’ Mitch added.
    ‘Supplying?’ Gill said.
    ‘No, not that I’ve heard.’
    ‘Did have a couple of call-outs, domestics,’ said Andy, ‘knocking lumps out of each other.’
    ‘Doncha just love ’em!’ Gill shook her head. ‘And where are we with—’
    Rachel spoke up, interrupting her: ‘The brother, Nathan Finn, he died in January, suicide – but he was a junkie too.’
    ‘A family affair,’ Gill said. ‘Helps us how?’ She stared, unsmiling, put Rachel