Written In Blood

Chapter Forty-Seven

Zack waited until his former sister-in-law was off the phone to ask about the conversation he had overheard.

"What did you mean, you don't know when you'll be back at work?" he wanted to know. "I'm being released today, so there's no need for you to take any more time off, especially if it's going to put your job at risk."

Sophie smiled. "My job's not at risk. Crandall blusters and moans a lot, but he's not going to sack me, not when I'm the one that keeps that business afloat. I'll pick up some paperwork and do it from home, your home that is, that'll keep him quiet. I'm not going back to work until you're no longer in danger of going to jail for murder." She held up a hand when she saw that Zack was about to say something. "I'm not having a debate about this; you're in trouble because that Sergeant Mitchell is a prejudiced idiot who either isn't capable or isn't willing to conduct a proper investigation, and you have no-one who can alibi you. Since that's the case, I'm going to stick around and shadow you until the real killer is caught, so the next time they try to arrest you for something, you'll have someone who can vouch for where you've been and what you've been doing."

Zack wanted to protest, to tell Sophie that there was no need for her to effectively put her life on hold simply to help him, but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He didn't want his friend to put herself to so much trouble, but he couldn't deny that having her do so would be a help; having someone who could vouch for his movements would make it a lot more difficult for him to be hit with fresh allegations.

"It's your decision," he said, realising that it would be a waste of his time to try and talk Sophie out of what she was intending. "But you probably won't be very comfortable, my place wasn't very tidy the last time I saw it."

"Tidying it up will give us something to do while you keep out of trouble," Sophie remarked, making it clear that she was not going to be put off.

*****

"Good afternoon, Mr Wild, I'm Detective Inspector Harrison," he said as he approached the bed. "I've been put in charge of the investigation into the murders you've been accused of in Oakhurst. Sorry to disturb your lunch but I'm here to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind."

"Given that you've probably saved me from a bout of food poisoning, I don't mind at all." Zack swung the table that held his tray of 'food' away from the bed so he wouldn't have to look at it. "I take it Sergeant Mitchell is no longer involved with the investigation," he said. Involuntarily, his hand went to his throat, which was still sore after the sergeant's assault the previous evening.

"That's right. After last night's incident, it was decided that the investigation would be better off in the hands of someone not so closely connected to it," Harrison said.

Zack was sure the attack on him was not the only reason Mitchell had been taken off the case; he imagined the fact that there were now four victims, three of whom were dead, had something to do with it. Picking up his glass of water from the bedside cabinet, he sipped at it while he waited for the inspector to get on with his questions, not that he couldn't guess what they were going to be.

"I understand you were a DI yourself until recently, so I'm sure you can appreciate that I'm probably going to have to ask you some of the same questions that Sergeant Mitchell did, just to be certain I've covered everything. I'll try not to repeat things any more than necessary," Harrison said. "And I'll try to be out of your hair as quickly as possible. As I'm sure you can imagine, I've got a lot to do, coming to this investigation so late."

"Do you want me to go, or would you rather I stay?" Sophie asked from the chair she was occupying by the side of the bed.

Zack knew his friend well enough to be sure that without a good reason, she would have to be dragged from the room – only that would keep her from staying and satisfying her curiosity about what was going on. It didn't really make a difference to him if she was there or not, but he suspected she would only slow the interview, and that was something he didn't really want; fortunately, he had a reason for her not staying, and it was one she had provided for herself not too long ago.