Reid - Maddie Wade Page 0,49
on the wall, arms crossed over his chest, Reid observed the figure in the metal chair. There was a black cloth bag over her head, and her legs and wrists were cuffed to the chair. He could feel her fear from where he stood, and while he didn’t like it, he knew it was necessary to expedite the answers they needed to end this unseen war they found themselves in.
He, Jack, Liam, and Decker were in the bunker for the interrogation. The container, despite its name, wasn’t a bunker per se. It was a room at the back of the facility. As hi-tech as the rest of the buildings, it had retina scan entry and exit points, walls a foot thick, technology that stopped transmissions from working inside unless they allowed it, and blocked heat signature technology too.
Behind the interrogation room, which was stark and cold with no comfort or lighting giving it the appearance of a cold war bunker, were the cells. There were three in all that held up to ten people each. They were activated by retina scan and had to have two people at the same time to open the doors. Sometimes it felt like overkill, and then every now and again they had a prisoner so dangerous it almost didn’t feel enough.
Jack looked at Liam, who had lost the jovial joker exterior that was his norm and now looked like someone you’d do your very best to avoid on a dark night. His features were stark, his expression ice-cold, almost dead. The four of them had donned the black ski-masks his friends called a bally, which he’d learned was short for balaclava.
Liam approached the woman who sat straight, her head tall on her neck, the fear she felt hidden behind bravery he admired. Liam pulled the fabric hood off her head, and Reid moved closer to see the woman blink as she tried to shield her eyes from the bright light that was pointed directly at her.
Looking over them with confusion and fear, she didn’t speak but waited. His respect for her went up even as his impatience for answers grew.
“What’s your name?” Liam demanded his cockney accent gone, just the cold, deadly undertone of a killer in the sound.
“My name is Erika McConnell.”
“What is your current job?”
“I’m a medical examiner for the Central London NHS Trust.”
“Why did you torch Tina Pugh’s body?” Liam leaned in close and bellowed the question in her face.
McConnell flinched at the sheer violence in his voice and her voice shook as she answered. “No. I didn’t do that.”
“Don’t fucking lie to me.”
“I’m not, I swear.”
Reid had a feeling she was telling the truth but stayed where he was, letting Liam handle this one.
“Why the fuck should I believe you?”
Liam paced in front of her, and her frightened eyes followed his every movement. She was a bright one this woman, and knew she had to keep her focus on the biggest threat in the room and for her, that threat was currently Liam.
“Because it’s the truth.”
Liam turned back toward her and Reid saw her flinch slightly. “Then how the fuck did someone get into your office and torch her body so it was unrecognisable?”
“My ID badge and pass were stolen.” Her words held no hint of deceit, but Reid found it far too convenient.
Liam looked at Jack, who nodded. The woman followed his gaze and noted the exchange.
She looked at Jack. “I’m telling the truth. My bag was stolen the night of the fire. I was out for dinner with friends. One minute my bag was at my feet, the next it was gone.”
Liam tilted his head, and it did nothing to lessen the dangerous vibe he gave off. “And you didn’t think to report it so they could get the codes changed?” He made it clear he didn’t believe her, even though Reid knew they all did.
“I did. I called it in as soon as I realised, but by then the fire had been started.”
“What time did you go for dinner?”
“Around eight.”
“Where?” Liam demanded getting in her face again as he fired questions at her.
“La Madelaine.”
“Who were you with?”
“Two friends from university who were visiting.”
“Names.”
“Kaye Jones and Alison Fredderick.”
Liam leaned in close, and saw McConnell pull away, her pulse beating so hard in her neck he worried she’d have a heart attack.
“We’ll be checking, and if I find out you’re lying, I’ll be back, and you don’t want that.”
Reid almost smiled at Liam’s dramatics. He knew Liam, or any