Ben began to rub his hand across his chin. ‘No, I don’t want to lose you. I think I can swing it that you stay up here. Look, you’re the one who has brought this to my attention. You could have tampered with the evidence or neglected to tell me the man was related to you. You haven’t, though; you’ve been open and honest, which I really appreciate. What will happen is that you will continue working up here, but I’m going to task you with looking into the first set of murders. You will probably have to spend hours up in the attic looking for the files. I’ll clear it all with the DCI. Tom will agree to it. Is that okay with you? Right, you’d better show me this footage before I speak to the boss.’
‘Yes, of course. Thank you.’ She wanted to high five him, but wasn’t sure if he’d appreciate it.
She led him to the CCTV viewing room she’d run from last night. The light was still on but the television monitor had turned itself off. When she pressed the button it fired to life, still paused on the zoomed-in image of Stan. Her throat felt dry as she reached forward to press rewind. Ben watched in silence.
She left him to it and went to see if she could find Dan.
She saw him going into the locker room and followed, calling, ‘Dan.’
He turned to face her.
‘Morgan.’
‘I sent you an email. I just wanted to mention it.’
‘Very good, what about?’
The hairs on the back of her neck bristled. He was being so offhand with her and she didn’t get why.
‘To ask if you could check the external camera outside the Potters’ front door and see if it had been tampered with.’
He put his hands in his pockets.
‘And why can’t you?’
A burning rage began to build inside her chest at his attitude.
‘Because I’m tied up with enquiries for a murder investigation. Look, Dan, I don’t understand why you’re acting this way. I thought we were all a team, that we worked for the same side. I guess I got that bit wrong, but you get paid to do this stuff, so why don’t you do it instead of acting as if it’s all some huge inconvenience?’
He shook his head and turned his back on her. Morgan stormed off before she completely lost her temper with him. At least she could continue to work with CID. She was mortified about the possibility that Stan could be involved, but she had a new feeling inside her. A steely determination that she could do this. She would research the first murders and prove to Ben and Dan that she had what it takes to make a first-class detective.
Twenty-Four
Ben watched the man on the screen as he shuffled up to the house. He waited until Morgan left the small room and was out of earshot. Then he phoned Tom to tell him they had a suspect that needed bringing in. He explained about Morgan and was relieved when Tom agreed with his plan.
‘Do you think this Stan Brookes is good for the murders, Ben?’
‘Too early to say, boss, but he’s as good a place to start looking as anywhere. He knows the property, and knew the Potters.’
Ben ended the call. He looked at his watch and grinned. Not a bad start to the day and it wasn’t even seven a.m. He couldn’t wait to get his hands on Stan Brookes. He was looking forward to teaching him about family values and not stealing from his daughter. Of course, he wouldn’t let Morgan know about any of that. He didn’t want to embarrass her more than she already was with such a loser for a father. Up to now she was having the shittiest first week anyone had probably ever encountered and yet here she was at the crack of dawn ready to work a long shift for no extra pay and not much thanks.
Amy was right: he might be getting soft in his old age but to him it felt as if she’d woken him up from a three-year sleep. Since Cindy had died, he’d been on autopilot. His home life was a cycle of eat, drink too much and sleep. Work was… well, it was work. He’d plodded on doing his best to solve crimes and getting the results without putting too much effort in. Olivia Potter’s death had changed all of that; his sloppiness had resulted in