He walked round to her side of the table and embraced her. They were being recorded so he put his face close to hers and held the back of her head.
‘No comment on the fire,’ he whispered into her ear. ‘No comment on where you walked, what you touched and what rooms you went in. If they ask about your journey from the hospital to your dad’s, what do you say?’
‘No comment,’ she whispered back.
‘I’m going to get into trouble now,’ he said, pulling back so she could see his face.
He winked and waited for the interview room door to burst open.
‘What was that whole “because you asked for me” thing?’ Tai-young Lee said after she’d hauled him over the coals.
‘It means she doesn’t trust Northumbria to get to the bottom of this,’ Poe replied. ‘She wants someone who won’t take the path of least resistance.’
‘No offence taken.’
‘I don’t care. You’ve already made up your mind.’
‘You’re going to be the spectre at my feast, aren’t you?’ she said.
‘I’ll try not to be, although it usually ends up that way. Idoknow you’ve got the wrong person.’
‘I’ve heard you’re a stubborn bastard, Sergeant Poe, but you seem surer than you have any right to be. Why is that? What are you seeing that I’m not?’
‘The evidence, it’s compelling.’
‘What’s your point?’ She frowned. ‘Compelling evidence is a good thing, surely—’
‘That’smy point!’ he snapped. ‘The compelling evidence is my point. Estelle Doyle is one of the most intelligent people I know, and if she wanted to get away with murder there’s not a thing you or I could do to stop her. In fact, I’d …’ His mobile began chirping. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘I usually have it on silent but I’m expecting someone and they’re late.’ He checked the screen. It was Flynn. He answered it. ‘Boss, where the hell have you been? I’ve not heard a peep since I left Watford.’
‘I’ll explain—’
‘And where’s Tilly? I was expecting her an hour or so ago – I’m starting to worry.’
‘Tilly’s with me,’ she said.
‘I don’t understand. I thought she was coming up—’
‘Poe, we have a problem.’