A Room Full of Killers, Michael Wood [best books for students to read txt] 📗

isolate them,’ she said, raising her voice. ‘This place is bloody big enough to have everyone in a separate room. Lock them all in their rooms if you have to until we can organize transport back to HQ.’

As Christian left the room Matilda’s mobile phone started ringing. It was Sian.

‘I’ve got some sort of good news and some shit-hitting-the-fan news,’ Sian said.

‘Oh God, I’m not sure I want to hear this.’

‘The sort of good news is that Ryan Asher’s mother has called. She’d like to speak to you.’

Matilda visibly relaxed. ‘That’s not sort of good news, that’s brilliant news. Thank you Sian. Text me her details and I’ll give her—’

‘You may want to hold off on that until you hear the bad news.’

‘Oh.’

‘The ACC is on the warpath. She’s ready to explode. She wants to talk to you about why the Thomas Hartley case has seemingly been reopened.’

‘Bugger!’

Matilda quickly ended the call to Sian. She had been dreading this happening and hoping she could look into the Thomas Hartley case without it registering with anyone in a position of power; obviously, that hadn’t happened. It was all rapidly falling apart.

FORTY-SEVEN

It was time for Matilda to face the music. She needed to speak to the ACC, and this was a conversation she could not have over the phone. Her coat was still wet from trudging through the saturated field next to Starling House in the early hours of the morning. She put it on and immediately felt cold.

The rain was starting to fall again, but only lightly. With her hood up and head down, she took large strides down the long driveway to the security gates.

‘Hello, who is in charge?’ she called out through the iron bars to anyone who would listen.

‘Boss!’ shouted the nearest fire officer. ‘You’re wanted.’

Gerry Markham was in his fifties and, judging by the size of his waist, he did very little in the way of rescuing people by throwing them over his shoulders and carrying them from burning buildings.

‘Yes?’

‘I’m DCI Matilda Darke,’ she flashed her ID. ‘My car is somewhere on the other side of this pool, and I need to get back to HQ. I’m investigating a murder and something has come up. Is there any way you can get me to my car?’

‘Oh my God, you have got to see this. Scott, pass my mobile,’ Rory said.

‘What’s going on?’ Scott asked, handing Rory his iPhone.

‘Matilda is being given a piggyback through the water to her car,’ he said, trying, but failing, to hide his laughter.

‘You’re joking!’

‘Nope.’

Rory lifted his phone up and started filming through the window in Kate’s office as his boss held on for dear life to a firefighter who waded, thigh deep, through the murky water.

‘This is gold. This is pure gold.’

‘Let me see,’ Scott said as he tried to get a better view out of the window.

Rory zoomed in. Matilda’s arms were wrapped firmly around the young fireman’s neck. The rest of the crew watched on as he sunk lower into the water.

‘Ten quid says she goes in,’ Rory said.

‘No. He’ll get her to the other side.’

‘Oh my God, it’s up to his waist now. I’m so pleased I’m filming this.’

‘If she finds out, she’ll kill you.’

They watched in silence as the fireman slowed down. The water was gradually lowering. He was more than halfway.

‘There you go.’

To a roar of cheering from the other firefighters, Billy Norris set Matilda down on dry ground. As embarrassed as she was it was difficult not to smile. She had never been rescued before and, despite being terrified of falling into the dirty, smelly water, it was fun being carried by a tall, hunky firefighter.

‘Thank you,’ she said, unable to think of anything else to say.

‘You’re welcome,’ he said, miming doffing his cap. ‘We have to stick together in the emergency services.’

‘We certainly do. Thank you, again.’

She waved at Gerry Markham and the rest of the crew, who waved back, and made her way to the police Land Rover Rory had driven her here in the night before. She just hoped it would still be there after being abandoned in the small hours of the morning.

As she struggled to find her feet in the waterlogged field she looked over to Starling House and hoped Christian, Scott and Rory hadn’t seen her being carried to safety.

On the drive back to HQ, Matilda wondered what kind of mood she would find the ACC in. She was known as a fair woman who always stood up for her staff whenever they needed it. However, get on the wrong side of her and one look from those tiny steely eyes was enough to stop time itself.

Parking in her usual space, Matilda entered the back of the building and tried her best to get to the ACC’s office without being seen.

The ACC’s secretary was on the phone when Matilda entered the small anteroom. She mouthed for her to go straight in and wished her luck. The expression of sympathy and fear on her face told Matilda everything she needed to know – she was in for a real bollocking.

‘Do you want me to lose my job?’

There was no greeting, no offer of coffee, and no small talk. The second Matilda entered the office, the tirade began.

Matilda frowned. ‘No, of course I don’t.’

‘Then what the hell are you trying to do to me?’

‘I’m sorry?’

‘Don’t even try to pretend you have no idea what I’m talking about. I trust you, Matilda. I respect you. I stuck up for you when everyone else wanted me to give you the push over the Carl Meagan case. I put my neck on the line and this is how you repay me.’

Valerie was red with rage. There were veins bulging where veins shouldn’t be bulging, and her knuckles were clenched so tight her fingers could snap at any moment. Matilda had never seen her look so angry.

‘I’ve had the Chief Constable from Greater Manchester Police on the phone asking me why a senior officer on