Part 24 (1/2)

Tom nodded. 'I wouldn't stop delving into Michael Alexander. But I think we're looking in the wrong place. We can't break his alibi and we've looked at all known a.s.sociates. But we need to go further delve into every single aspect of his life: where he goes for coffee, who he sits near in lectures, who he went to school with. He knows something.'

52.

Every muscle in Maggie's body seemed to be twitching, whether from exhaustion or fear, she didn't know. She couldn't focus on work, and she was nowhere near coming up with any suggestions for what they should do next. How were they going to rid themselves of this threat? Duncan was adamant that there was no point going to the police. They would never find Samil. And if Samil realised Duncan had given evidence against him, he would seek his ultimate revenge. Maggie knew exactly what that meant. Her own murder.

Maybe the van registration number would help, but that would only link whoever it belonged to with the current murders, not those twelve years ago. So if Duncan came clean about everything, he would still be the only person they could pin the earlier crimes on.

People kept popping into Maggie's office to ask if she was all right, and she knew why. Her face was pale, her eyes bloodshot and puffy, and she couldn't sit still. She needed to think of something else to give her mind a rest and it was with a sense of relief that she glanced up from her desk just before twelve to see a friendly face at the door 'Frank, come in,' she said. 'Are you here to see me?'

'Not specifically. I had a meeting with one of the partners about the rape case he's working on.'

'Oh G.o.d, yes. It's a nasty one.'

'It is, but I'm fairly sure that the client has a non-verbal learning disorder, undiagnosed to date. Anyway, as I was here I thought I would pop in and see how you are. You didn't seem that chirpy last time I spoke to you. And to be honest, you don't look that great today. Are you okay?'

Maggie looked at Frank Denman's concerned face and wondered whether she could trust him with some of her dilemma, even if not all of it. She must have hesitated for a second too long.

'I guess the answer to that is no, then. Maybe I can help with whatever's bothering you. I'm a great listener. Have you got time for a sandwich?'

Frank's encouraging smile transformed his usual slightly lugubrious expression. He looked almost roguish, as if he were suggesting something rather naughty. She realised that she didn't even know if Frank was married. She imagined him with a motherly wife fussing over him, and probably two or three grown up kids doing something clever.

'That would be lovely, Frank. Shall we go now, if you've finished?'

They didn't go far just to the sandwich shop on the corner but it was good to get out of the office, and Maggie filled her lungs with cold air. They made their choices, and sat down at a plastic topped table.

'Only tell me as much as you want, Maggie. I'm not going to push you for details, but I know something's wrong.'

Maggie swallowed. She couldn't tell him much. It would be wrong to reveal anything that might put Frank in a difficult position with the police, if it ever came to that.

'If it helps, you can pay me a nominal sum the cost of my sandwich and that would make you my client. I wouldn't be able to divulge anything you tell me then.'

'No, it's okay. We don't have to go that far. I'm a mess because of problems I'm having with Duncan.' Her eyes filled with tears, but she blinked them away. 'He's left home, and at the moment I'm not sure there's a way back.'

'Why do you think that? If you love him, surely there's always a way back?'

Maggie shook her head. 'I do love him. At least, I love the person I thought he was. I'm not sure what I think now.'

She stirred her cappuccino, watching the chocolate melt into the foam. Frank said nothing, waiting for her to say more.

'He's done something stupid, Frank. Got himself into a situation with some seriously evil men.'

'Are you saying that Duncan's evil?'

Maggie looked up. 'Oh no. I don't think that for a minute. But he's lied to me. Not just recently for the whole time we've been married.'

Frank took a bite of his sandwich and chewed. He swallowed, took a sip of mineral water and put his sandwich down.

'People lie for a lot of reasons, you know. Sometimes it's because they don't have faith that the truth is acceptable, and they want to create a better image of themselves, present themselves in a beneficial light. The first thing you need to do is understand why he lied. Did he think, perhaps, that you wouldn't want him if you knew the truth about him? And if that's the case, you have to ask yourself if he's right?'

She was puzzled, and Frank read her expression.

'If his lies were to cover up his own insecurity you know, the way someone might lie about having been made captain of the football team when in fact they weren't even picked to play then it's not that important. It means he probably thought you wouldn't think him worthy of you. But if he lied to cover up something that might make you question your love for him, something that tells you about his fundamental moral code, that's a different matter.'

He understood. She knew he would. She listened as Frank talked to her about truth and lies, and how to deal with her confusion. He didn't ask for a single detail.

'In the end,' he said, 'you should make your decision about Duncan based not on whether he's lied to you, but on whether the version of him that you know now is one that you can still live with. Still love.'

After twenty minutes, Maggie's mind felt much clearer. She had to forget his lying and focus on who Duncan was. 'Thank you, Frank. I needed that.'

He smiled at her. 'Will you have him back, do you think?'

'I don't know. There's a lot to sort out. While I understand much more about truth and lies now, thanks to you, there are consequences to his lies that I don't want to go into, and I haven't yet formed a picture of the new Duncan the one with the lies stripped away. It's too soon to say, but I love that man so much it's hard to imagine a life without him.'

'So where's he living?'

'For the moment he's in a hotel.'

'Is he close enough to visit?'

'Yeah, he only went as far as Heaton Park. We managed to find a place that was reasonably priced but family run. He was in one of those soulless chain hotels before okay for a night, but that's about it. One way or another, though, we need to sort this before much longer.' She pushed back her chair. 'I'd better get back. I've got a mountain of stuff to do before the end of the day, and the kids need me to be home at a sensible time. Thank G.o.d my sister's come to help out.'

She was sorry to go. Frank had an air of calm about him that soothed her. Nothing ever seemed to faze him, to shatter his composure, and she wished she could somehow acquire the wisdom that made him so phlegmatic.

Frank reached out a hand and clutched Maggie's wrist gently.

'If you need somebody to talk to, I'm always happy to listen, you know. But we may have to do it via email for a while. That's the other thing I wanted to tell you. Now that we've sorted Alf Horton's psych profile, I'm taking myself off to a conference in South Africa. I'm leaving this evening.'

Maggie was disappointed. She had been hoping that whatever happened she would be able to confide in Frank.

'Well I, for one, will miss you,' she said as she bent down and impulsively kissed him on the cheek. 'See you when you're back.'

'You're looking a bit more relaxed,' Neil, one of Maggie's colleagues, said as she pa.s.sed him in reception. Neil was leaning against the desk talking to one of the receptionists, and Maggie realised she had seen him there rather a lot recently. She smiled for what felt like the first time in days. It was good to see somebody happy.

Neil said something quietly to the receptionist and followed Maggie towards the lifts.

'Good lunch?' he asked.

'It was good to get out,' Maggie responded.

'You and Frank seem quite buddy. How long have you known him?'

Maggie frowned. 'You know how long I've been here. I met him a couple of days after I arrived.'