A Room Full of Bones: A Ruth Galloway Investigation

the two interview rooms at the station, but suddenly it seems far too small. Judy is acutely aware of Cathbad’s hands, the long fingers tapping gently on the arm of his chair. He has a leather bracelet round his wrist, the kind that surfers wear. No watch. He told her once that he didn’t believe in time.
    ‘You were at Slaughter Hill last night. I saw you on the CCTV footage.’
    Cathbad smiles enigmatically. Judy explodes. ‘Don’t you see how this looks? What the hell were you doing at Slaughter Hill at one in the morning?’
    ‘Visiting a friend.’
    ‘Who?’
    ‘Caroline Smith.’
    ‘She must be a very good friend,’ says Judy coldly, ‘for you to be calling on her at one in the morning.’
    She thinks of the tear-stained woman she saw that morning. She supposes that under normal circumstances Caroline might be considered attractive. Does Cathbad think so?
    ‘I was at Ruth’s,’ says Cathbad. ‘I left at about midnight. I like walking at night so I thought I’d walk to Caroline’s.’
    ‘All the way from the Saltmarsh to Slaughter Hill?’
    ‘I got a lift as far as Snettisham.’
    ‘Who from?’
    ‘A friend called Bob Woonunga.’
    Another one of those people with ridiculous names, thinks Judy savagely. Why the hell can’t Cathbad have ordinary friends? Why does he have to go prancing around the countryside calling on women in the middle of the night?
    ‘Let’s get back to Caroline Smith,’ she says. ‘Was she expecting you?’
    ‘I’d said I might call in.’
    ‘Why?’ asks Judy. If Cathbad is having an affair with Caroline, she wants him to say it aloud.
    Cathbad looks at her, a smile playing around his lips. Judy wants to hit him.
    ‘There’s nothing between us,’ he says gently. ‘She’s a friend, that’s all. And she’s a member of the Elginists. That’s why I was calling.’
    ‘You just popped in to discuss Aborigine relics?’
    ‘That’s it exactly.’
    Judy has had enough.
    ‘You’ll need a better story than that,’ she says, ‘when this comes to court.’
    ‘When what comes to court?’
    ‘Danforth Smith died last night. We think it was murder.’
    Ruth arrives at the police station, hot and stressed from her long drive, to be met by a grinning Tom Henty. ‘Come to post bail for Cathbad, have you?’
    ‘I suppose so.’
    All Ruth has in her purse is seven pounds fifty and a lottery ticket. Her bank account is not looking too healthy either, what with Kate’s birthday and the cost of childcare. How much is bail, anyway?
    Tom laughs even harder. ‘Don’t worry, Ruth. He hasn’t been arrested and there’s no bail been set. He’s just been helping us with our enquiries, that’s all.’ He manages to make the phrase sound even more sinister than usual.
    ‘Where is he?’
    ‘Interview Room 1. Detective Sergeant Johnson’s been speaking to him. I think they’re still in there.’
    Ruth looks over to where Tom is pointing. The King’s Lynn police station is in an old Victorian house. InterviewRoom 1 looks as if it might have been the downstairs cloakroom. A green light shines above the door.
    ‘Can I go in?’
    ‘Be my guest.’
    Ruth is surprised, but not as surprised as she is when she bursts into the room to find Judy and Cathbad locked in a passionate embrace.

CHAPTER 16
     
    Ruth tries to back out but Judy has seen her. She breaks away, her face scarlet. Cathbad, on the other hand, turns round and says casually, ‘Oh hallo Ruth. Good of you to come but it turns out I’m not under arrest after all.’
    ‘You do seem to be in protective custody,’ says Ruth drily.
    ‘Ruth …’ Judy starts to speak but then shrugs and sweeps out of the room. Cathbad is still completely unabashed.
    ‘Are you going back to the university? Could I have a lift? I’m meant to be working this afternoon.’
    In the lobby, Tom Henty tells them to be sure and call again soon. Cathbad laughs and says he’ll be in touch. Ruth can’t get out of the place quickly enough.
    ‘Is Nelson around?’ she asks as they go out through the double doors.
    ‘No. I think he’s out. They seem to be working flat out on this drugs case. Anyway, Nelson’s knocking off early today. It’s his birthday.’
    Ruth is silent. She has never known Nelson’s birthday and is slightly shaken to find out that it’s so near Kate’s. She remembers Cathbad guessing correctly that Nelson was a Scorpio the first time they met. Kate’s a Scorpio too, hot-headed and passionate according to