The Last Girl by Jane Casey Read Free Book Online

Derwent he squared up to Godley. The two men were about the same height but I thought the boss edged it on looks. ‘I can’t say I’m filled with confidence, Superintendent. I happen to know your team’s being kept busy at the moment – what is it, ten gang murders in the last month?’
    ‘Eleven.’
    ‘So you have your work cut out for you, don’t you? And you’re not going to put your top people on a couple of murders like this, even though it’s an interesting story and it will get into all the papers. You just can’t spare them. This can’t be your priority and that’s why you’ve chosen Inspector Obvious and his bimbo sidekick to go through the motions.’
    I caught Derwent’s eye. We really hadn’t made a good first impression.
    ‘They are very able officers, experienced in handling difficult cases, and I have total faith in them. I can assure you they will receive ample support from their colleagues, and from me. I can further assure you that I am capable of running this investigation at the same time as the other investigations on my team’s workload. That’s why I do the job I do. And it would help a lot if you’d let my officers do their job, and answer their questions honestly, no matter how personal they may be. You know better than to think it’s for no reason, Mr Kennford, so stop pissing about.’
    I had been right about the strain beginning to tell on Godley; nine times out of ten he would have ignored a jibe like Kennford’s, and I couldn’t recall the last time he’d lost his temper with a grieving partner. Not that Kennford was distraught – far from it. In fact, he seemed to be pleased to have got a reaction.
    ‘I’m not surprised that this is the approach you’re taking, but it’s still disappointing. Just promise me you won’t let your investigation be sidetracked by chasing after rumours and spite that have nothing to do with the death of my wife and child.’
    ‘You have my word. We will find whoever did this and bring them to justice.’ Godley waited for a beat. ‘Whoever they are.’
    ‘Even me?’ Kennford gave a humourless laugh. ‘Point taken. But you won’t be knocking on my door, I assure you. Now if you don’t mind wrapping this up, I’ve got a thumping headache and I’ve got to sort out somewhere to stay. Then I have to pack, if I’m allowed to take things out of my bedroom. I think it’s time to draw this delightful conversation to a close.’
    ‘I agree.’ Godley looked slightly awkward. ‘We’ll have to have someone with you when you pack, just so we know what’s left the house.’
    ‘Afraid I’ll smuggle the knife out in my suitcase?’
    ‘I have to avoid any suggestion that the crime scenes were compromised, Mr Kennford. You understand how important it is to preserve the evidence as much as we can – so we don’t have to answer any difficult questions when the case comes to trial.’
    ‘The sort of thing I’d make into grounds for immediate acquittal, you mean?’ He rubbed his eyes, looking exhausted. ‘You do whatever you need to. I’m not going to kick up a fuss about any of it. I’ll follow your lead, if that’s what you want.’
    ‘That will help,’ Godley said evenly. ‘Answering our questions will also be useful.’
    ‘That’s what I’ve been doing.’
    ‘One last one, then. You must have been thinking about this, so it should be easy to answer. Who do you think murdered your wife and your daughter?’
    ‘I don’t know. I can’t think of anyone.’ Kennford held Godley’s gaze as he replied. He sounded completely sincere. ‘If I had any suspicions about anyone, you would be the first to know.’
    I couldn’t have said why, but I didn’t believe a word of it.

Chapter Three
     
    ‘JUST AS A matter of interest, what would it take to get you to be sympathetic?’
     
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘I suppose it’s not as if his entire family was wiped out. Just most of it. So if they’d all been killed, or maybe if