Abigail: Chapter 52
When I woke the following morning it was still dark outside. I didn’t know what had disturbed my sleep but when I heard someone banging on my door, I got my answer. I pulled on my dressing gown and looked through the spy hole to see Rob standing outside my room, fully dressed, holding two coffees. I opened the door for him and then climbed back into bed.
“Don’t you know what time it is?” I groaned. “The one time I have a perfectly nice sleep and you come banging on my door.”
He handed me one of the coffees. “Brought you coffee didn’t I? Stop complaining! Besides, you’re usually up and dressed by now. What’s with the lie in?”
“It might have something to do with the fact I’m not sleeping very well. Why are you up so early anyway?”
“We’ve got work to do.”
“We do?”
“Yep, we need to go back to the nick and find out how they’re getting on. Ryan’s now a suspect in a kidnapping investigation. This isn’t just assault and battery anymore. Not that that’s not bad enough of course.”
“But they don’t know about the kidnapping Rob. And we can’t tell them,” I added quickly.
“You can’t, but I can. I’ve been giving it a lot of thought. You don’t want to break your promise to Abigail and risk losing her trust but we need the boys and girls in blue on the case if we’re going to catch him on Saturday.”
“Rob no!”
“I wasn’t asking your permission.”
I was furious! This was absolutely bloody typical of him. He’d play along, let me do all the running around, getting myself stranded in the woods and stolen from and then, when the finish line came in sight, he’d try and swoop in and steal the glory. Well not this time Rob, no way. I did need to get an update from the local police before heading back to South Wales, but if he thought he was going to swan in there and take over he could think again.
“We’re not telling them.”
“But …”
“And if you can’t respect my decision then you’re not coming with me.”
“Coming with you? You’re kidding right? It’s my bloody car!”
“Well it’s my bloody case so either back off and play nice or you can wait outside.”
He didn’t say anything.
“Well, what’s it going to be?” I was out of bed at this stage, pacing around the room, picking up my stuff and shoving it back into my overnight bag.
“Have it your way.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning, okay, I’ll play nice. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Noted.” I smiled. “Now bugger off back to your room so I can get in the shower.”
By the time we pulled into the car park outside the police station two hours later we’d thawed any remaining tension with breakfast and more coffee. The car park was as full as last time and so yet again we found ourselves circling round and round, searching in vain for somewhere to park.
“Guess you got your wish after all,” Rob said, a wry smile on his face.
“What wish?”
“We’re never going to find a place to park. You might as well run in on your own for the update. I’ll wait here with the car and move it if anyone complains.”
“You sure?”
He nodded. “Sure.”
“You know I don’t mind you coming in right? It’s all fine now.”
“I know. This is purely about logistics. We might never get home if we wait until a parking space opens up.”
I didn’t need telling twice. “Thanks Rob.”
I jumped out of the car and was soon inside. I spoke to a man behind the same glass panel as last time only to be told that Paul was out of the station. He called one of Paul’s colleagues down to speak to me instead, assuring me that everyone on the team had access to the same information. Ten minutes later a man in a similarly boring shade of grey appeared and took me through to one of the interview rooms.
“What can I do for you Ms Diamond?”
“Please, call me Charlie. Did Paul not explain my interest in the case?”
The man looked at his notes. “There’s nothing in here about you at all.”
“Muriel Flangan is an old family friend, but I’m also interested in Ryan on a more professional level.”
“And what profession would that be?” His eyes narrowed and I didn’t like his tone of voice. I handed him my card. “Private investigator,” he read aloud.
“That’s right. I’ve been following Ryan’s movements for some time and …”
“Well you can stand down now, the professionals are on the case.” He gave me a sickly sweet smile and stood up. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll show you out.”
“Now wait a minute detective, I don’t think you understand …”
“I understand very well thank you Ms Diamond. Your work here is done. Leave this to us.”
“But …”
“Visit your old family friend if you must but if I find you sniffing around Ryan Taylor I’ll arrest you for obstruction. This way please.”
With that he opened the door and led me back to the main entrance where Rob was waiting for me, his car on the pavement, hazard lights on. “And you can tell your friend if he parks there again I’ll book him.”
I got into the car and slammed the door before turning to Rob. “Don’t say anything, just drive!”
Rob did as he was told and we were soon back on the motorway, heading towards home. For the first thirty minutes I sat in silence, boiling with rage but not saying a word. We stopped for fuel about forty miles in and Rob came back to the car with two bottles of water. He started the engine and moved the car away from the pumps to a parking area then turned to face me.
“Are you going to tell me what happened then or what?”
And starting from the moment I entered the interview room until I was back outside and by the car, I told him everything.
“If you say ‘I told you so’ there’s a better than average chance I will physically maim you!”
“I didn’t say a word.”
“Good!” I paused and drew a breath. “What are you thinking?”
“Are you sure you really want to know?”
“Go on, you might as well get it over with.”
Rob smiled. “I was just thinking that if you let yourself be intimidated by a stupid little jobsworth like him, I may just have to arrest you myself!”
“Oh!”
And with that he put the car in gear and drove us the rest of the way home while I sat and plotted my next move.