Tony Hill u Carol Jordan 08 - Cross and Burn

Scott time to line up her so-called experts to cast doubt on the fingermark.
    And now McIntyre was off on a tangent of her own. Some nonsense based on nothing that Fielding could put her finger on. A bagman was supposed to be unquestioningly loyal, but Fielding was beginning to think McIntyre had loyalties that were nothing to do with her. How else had Carol Jordan turned up with Bronwen Scott in the middle of the night when Hill hadn’t even made a phone call? When this was all over, McIntyre was going to be shipped out to another firm and Fielding was going to find a bagman who understood what a privilege it was to be so close to the heart of an investigation.
    And then McIntyre herself hustled into the squad room. Fielding opened her office door in time to hear her sergeant say, ‘Hussain, Wood – we’ve got more data in from ANPR. See if we can put Taylor anywhere near the acquisition sites or the body dumps. And one of you check with the local lads and see if they’ve given anyone a tug yet for joyriding Bev McAndrew’s car. I want to know where it was nicked from.’
    Fielding took a deep breath. ‘McIntyre? In here.’
    Paula closed the door behind her. ‘We found Marie Mather.’
    Fielding looked stunned. ‘Why did nobody tell me?’
    ‘I’ve just come from the hospital,’ Paula said. ‘I imagine the team assumed I would tell you. Which I’m doing now.’ Her tone bordered on the insolent.
    ‘You should have called me right away.’
    ‘I was more concerned with getting Marie Mather to hospital. She’s still alive. Barely, but at least she’s in with a chance now. And if she makes it, she makes our case for us.’
    ‘Which team?’ Fielding clutched at the last available straw. There were search teams going through Tony Hill’s home and office. As well as the one McIntyre had called out to Gareth Taylor’s house.
    ‘Didn’t I say? We found Marie in a chest freezer in Gareth Taylor’s garage.’
    There was a long silence. Wrong, wrong, wrong. The word echoed in Fielding’s head like a bell tolling.
    Paula had her hand on the door, getting ready to leave. ‘I think you should release Dr Hill now,’ she said gently.
    ‘You do it,’ Fielding said brusquely. ‘You’re such good pals. And you’ve worked so hard to get him off the hook.’
    Anger finally flared in Paula’s eyes. ‘Just as well someone did, since he’s innocent.’
    ‘We followed the evidence, McIntyre. I’d have been irresponsible if I’d released him earlier.’
    ‘We followed it down the wrong road, ma’am. And I’m busy right now. I have to interview the victim of a serious assault who will only talk to me. So I suggest you do it yourself.’

66

    C arol had been confined in an interview room for hours. First, in spite of her protestations that she was absolutely fine, they’d had to wait for a doctor to confirm that she was well enough to be questioned. Then there had been a certain amount of discussion about the dog. Carol had refused to leave Flash locked in the Land Rover indefinitely and the dog team had pointed out it was nothing to do with them. Eventually, before she’d disappeared upstairs, an exasperated Fielding had said Carol could keep the bloody dog with her and claim it was a guide dog if anybody complained.
    Then Carol had refused to be interviewed by anyone except Paula, which meant she had to wait till she was free.
    When Paula finally sat down with Carol, it was almost midnight. Paula set down two tall cardboard cups. ‘Not cop-shop crap, proper coffee-shop coffee from the all-night stand by Central Station.’ She dug a paper bag out of her pocket. ‘And a couple of muffins. Slightly squashed, I’m afraid.’
    ‘Caffeine and sugar. That should do the trick,’ Carol said. She broke off a chunk of her muffin and dropped it at her feet, where Flash wolfed it before it hit the ground. ‘Has Fielding released Tony yet?’
    ‘I think she’s doing it now. Me, I’d have done that the minute we arrested Taylor, but she wasn’t taking any chances. Or so she said.’
    ‘I hardly know the woman, but I’d say she’s not someone who takes it well when she’s proven wrong.’
    Paula gave a grim little smile. ‘I’ve a funny feeling I’m not going to be her bagman after tonight.’
    ‘I’m sorry.’
    ‘I’m not. I don’t want to spend my time running around with a brush and dustpan after someone who can’t keep an open mind.’ She shrugged. ‘There’s other firms. I’m good