The Whole Truth

Farrow takes a breath, knocks, then pushes open the door.

King is on his feet, shunting his mobile into his pocket.

‘Sorry to bother you, boss, just checking you wanted me to pick up on the ANPR on the Clelands’ car? It matches the description given by Smith’s neighbour so it could be the car she saw –’

But King is waving it away. ‘Never mind about that crap. I just heard back from forensics. I’m going to see Gallagher. This is fucking dynamite.’

* * *

Adam Fawley

11 July 2018

9.59

When the doorbell goes a second time, I assume it’s the postman. But it isn’t.

‘I thought you said you were going to call first?’

Ruth Gallagher hesitates a moment. ‘I was –’

I move on to the step and pull the door closer behind me.

‘Look, can it wait? I’ve not had a chance to talk to Alex yet. Not properly. We had a bit of a scare last night –’

‘I’m sorry. Is she OK?’

‘Yes, but you’ll appreciate why I didn’t want to stress her out any more. So can you talk to her later? It’s only for background, after all.’

She hesitates. ‘Actually –’

I realize now she’s not alone. A man with dark sandy hair and a beard has just locked his car and is coming up the path towards us. Even if I didn’t already know him, he has to be CID; we’re the only idiots wearing jackets in this heat.

I frown. ‘You brought King? You really need two of you for this?’

Gallagher flushes, just a little. ‘I’m sorry. I think we’re at cross purposes. I do need to talk to your wife, but that’s not why I’m here.’

King joins us at the step and gives me a supercilious nod; I’ve never liked him, and the feeling is spectacularly mutual. He was one of my DCs once, years ago. But only once. Let’s just say I wasn’t too fond of his methods. And when the DS job came up in my team I gave it to Jill Murphy. I don’t think he’s ever forgiven me.

I turn to Gallagher, cutting King out. ‘I don’t understand –’

‘We’re not here for Alex, Adam. We’re here for you.’

She’s irritating me now. I shunt the door open again and take a step back. ‘You want to go through all that crap again? OK then. Come on in. Let’s get it over with.’

She shakes her head. ‘I’m sorry. We can’t do it here.’

‘You’re taking me in? Seriously? Jesus, Ruth –’

I can hear Alex now, calling me from upstairs, asking who it is.

I go to the foot of the stairs. ‘It’s just the postman – no need to come down.’

I return to Gallagher, drop my voice. ‘Look, like I said, we had a scare last night – I thought I was going to have to take her to the JR. Just let me settle her down and I’ll come in. Half an hour tops, what difference can that possibly make –’

I see King start to object but Gallagher forestalls him.

‘Adam Fawley, I am arresting you on suspicion of the rape and murder of Emma Smith –’

I gape at her. ‘No – that’s crazy – you don’t seriously think –’

Gallagher fixes me with her cool grey stare. ‘What I think isn’t the issue. All I know is that faced with the evidence we’ve now obtained I have no alternative. I have to arrest you.’

I can feel the sweat running down my back. I’m trying to make any sort of sense of this – get even the slightest purchase on it – but my brain is in freefall. And on and on in the background, the drone of Gallagher’s voice.

‘You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’

The words buckle in my throat. ‘I need to talk to my wife.’

* * *

Oxford Mail online

Wednesday 11 July 2018 Last updated at 9:11

BREAKING: Headington woman feared dead

By Richard Yates

A woman reported missing yesterday is feared to have lost her life in an incident on the railway line just outside Oxford station, in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Police were contacted early yesterday after the Headington resident, named locally as Emma Smith, 44, failed to turn up at her place of work. Shortly thereafter the connection was made with a fatality near Walton Well bridge, which is believed to have occurred at around 1.25 a.m.

Ms Smith was a long-serving employee of the Oxford City Council Adoption and Fostering Service, and had worked at their Iffley Road offices for nearly ten years. Colleagues are said to be ‘heartbroken’. ‘She was such a lovely person,’ said one. ‘She was dedicated to her job, and worked tirelessly to find loving new homes and families for children in need. She will be desperately missed.’

No official comment has been made about the circumstances surrounding the incident at Walton Well bridge, but Thames Valley Police have confirmed that a statement will be issued in due course.

24 comments

Bradybunch1818

How terribly sad – sounds like she gave so much to other people, and yet didn’t get the help she needed herself. Happens so often. Please don’t forget there are people to help – your GP or organisations like the Samaritans

45641JaneyFitch