than I absolutely have to.
‘Of course.’
He nods slowly. ‘And that would include past cases too, I take it? Even – theoretically – those officially classed as closed?’
He stops; raises an eyebrow. Goads me.
‘DI Fawley has given you your answer,’ says Harrison quickly. ‘I think this would be a good moment to bring things to a close. And let me remind you all that our sole priority – my sole priority – is to find Sasha Blake safe and well and reunite her with her family. And, in the meantime, we would ask you to respect Mrs Blake’s privacy, at this very anxious time.’
It takes five minutes to clear the room. And throughout that whole time I feel the journalist’s eyes on me.
He knows. Of course he bloody knows. But he hasn’t got enough to go on. Not yet.
Back in reception, I see him go up to a woman who’s clearly been waiting for him. The two of them speak for a moment then walk away towards the door, their heads bent together. The woman has light-brown hair twisted into a clip at the back of her head. Crisp, anonymous clothes, which sit oddly with her heavy crêpe-soled boots. She looks vaguely familiar.
And not in a good way.
* * *
‘Why wasn’t I told?’ Fiona Blake is so angry she can barely speak. Fury is crackling round her like static.
Somer opens her mouth and closes it again. She can understand the anger; she’s just not sure how it’s going to help. She glances round nervously to check who’s in earshot: there’s always one or two press who think they might get a scoop if they hang about and eavesdrop. She takes Fiona’s arm and steers her back down the corridor to the witness suite. As soon as the door closes Fiona yanks her arm away and turns on her.
‘You got me to sit up there, in front of all those – those – vultures – answering their questions – letting them poke about in my life – and you didn’t even tell me there’d been another girl?’
‘I know it must look that way, but –’
‘But what? But what?’
Somer hesitates. ‘The other incident. We were working on the basis that it was a hate crime. That’s why we’ve been wary about saying anything to the press.’
Fiona is staring at her. ‘A hate crime – what do you mean, a hate crime?’
Somer takes a chair, hoping Fiona will too. She doesn’t.
‘The girl who was attacked – she’s transitioning.’
Fiona opens her mouth to say something, then stops, breathes. ‘Transitioning? So she’s a boy? Is that what you’re saying?’
Somer nods; it’s not as simple as that, but this woman has enough on her plate right now. ‘She’s a trans girl, yes. We thought that was the reason she was targeted. At least initially. Now, we’re not so sure.’
Fiona sits down heavily, all the fight in her gone. ‘So what happened?’
‘She was taken in a van. To the allotments on the Marston Ferry Road. The attacker – whoever they were – tied her hands and put a plastic bag over her head.’
She sees Fiona wince.
‘He pulled her underwear off, but then a police car went past on the road with the siren on and we think he got spooked.’
Fiona looks up, her eyes wide. ‘So he just left her there? In that state?’
Somer nods. ‘She eventually managed to get free. A minicab driver picked her up.’
Fiona takes a deep breath. ‘That poor girl, she must have been absolutely terrified.’
‘She was. She’s being very brave. We’ve been trying to protect her privacy. As far as we can.’
Fiona nods. ‘Of course,’ she says quickly. ‘You should have told me. I’d have understood. If it had been Sasha –’
But her daughter’s name is too much for her. She bites her lip but the tears still come.
‘Do you think it could be the same man?’
Somer takes a deep breath. ‘We can’t rule anything out right now.’
‘And the place he took her – could Sash be there?’
Somer shakes her head. ‘I’m sorry. It was one of the first places the uniform team checked.’ She reaches forward and takes the woman’s hand. ‘But we’re not giving up. They’ll be out again at first light. We’ll find her, Fiona. We’ll find her.’
* * *
Abby Michelson @Hopscotch22098 19.07
Does anyone know anything about this attack on a young woman in #Oxford? Not poor #SashaBlake, something that happened before. Just saw a bloke from @ThamesValleyPolice talking about it on TV
Jimmy Post @JJP098456 19.09
Replying to @Hopscotch22098
I saw that