would agree with me that that’s entirely reasonable.
SR: Yes, I agree that would be a good idea.
ES: Interview suspended at 10.53.
* * *
It’s the middle of morning break so the head teacher allows them to use her office, rather than fight for space in a crowded staffroom. She has a room round the back. From the window, Gislingham can see across the fields to a line of distant trees. Beyond that, as he well knows, is where they found Sasha’s body. He just hopes the kids haven’t made the same connection.
The head of year is a man called Dennis Woodley, who has a bright ginger beard, a lot of sincere eye contact and a deeply earnest handshake that requires both hands. Gislingham has him down as a born-again Christian before he’s even let go. The other teacher is a small harassed-looking woman who gives the impression she’s running permanently late.
Woodley makes a big show of offering to ‘do the honours’ on the coffee rather than expecting his female colleague to do it. There’s a poster on the wall announcing the school’s values to be Teamwork, Diversity, Kindness and Equality, so Woodley’s clearly aiming for the full house. Gislingham says yes, Quinn says no, and eventually they’re all seated at the low table.
‘So, officers,’ says Woodley, turning on his big smile, ‘how can we help?’
* * *
The uniformed PC shows Nadine and the other two women out of the room, but Somer is still sitting at the interview table.
‘What is it?’ says Gallagher as she gathers up her files. ‘There’s something on your mind, isn’t there.’
Somer frowns. ‘It was just something Diane Appleford said. About that night.’
Gallagher stops what she’s doing; she’s already worked out that this woman’s instincts are worth listening to. ‘Oh yes?’
‘She covered it up really quickly, but there was just a moment – as if something had occurred to her – something she realized straight away she wouldn’t want us to know.’
Gallagher considers. ‘Well, you’ve spent more time with her than I have. I say go with your hunch.’
‘But I can hardly come right out and ask her, can I? She’s already clammed up – she’s not going to tell me now.’
‘But you know Faith, don’t you, and pretty well, from what I hear. If there was anything odd about that night, she would know. Why not ask her?’
Somer makes a face. ‘I’m not sure about that. The state she was in last time I saw her – I don’t want to upset her more than we already have –’
‘Then ask that friend of hers instead. Jess, isn’t it? Perhaps she can do it for you.’
* * *
Adam Fawley
10 April 2018
12.18
‘Well, if you ask me, that’s our motive, right there.’
It’s Quinn, ballsing it out as usual. He’s lucky Somer isn’t in the room because I doubt she’d be letting him get away with it. But wherever she is, it’s not here.
‘As far as I’m concerned, what Woodley told us proves it – Nadine did have a motive to kill Sasha. And if you add to that the evidence from the handbag –’
‘We don’t know they’re her prints,’ begins Everett. ‘They’re just partials.’
‘Who else’s could they be, for fuck’s sake?’
The mood is getting fractious and Gallagher steps in to calm things down. ‘OK, DC Quinn, we’ve heard your view. Sergeant – what’s your take?’
Gislingham looks up. ‘Well, it’s pretty clear Nadine was desperate to get into Patsie’s little clique. Woodley said she’s been struggling to fit in ever since she arrived. Though it must have been tough, poor kid, arriving at a new school where everyone already has their own mates.’
‘But it was definitely Patsie’s group Nadine wanted to be in?’
Gislingham nods. ‘They’re the cool kids, apparently. The “LIPS girls”. Everyone wants to be in their gang.’
‘Bet they don’t any more,’ mutters Baxter, but he’s at the back like me, and only I can hear him.
‘And they rejected her?’
Gislingham nods grimly. ‘Worse than that. Apparently they’d started picking on her. Taking the piss out of her hair, her weight, stuff like that. Though it was mainly the other three – it sounds like Sasha tried to distance herself a bit.’
‘And the school didn’t do anything about it?’
‘Woodley said every time they tried Nadine bent over backwards to deny anything had happened. And the girls were way too clever to get caught.’
‘Surprise, surprise,’ says Ev darkly.
Gallagher turns to Gow. ‘What do you think, Bryan?’
He laughs. ‘About the teenage brain? How long have you got? Look, any parent will tell