Chapter 61
Chris Hudson is pulling his coat over his jacket as he leaves the police station. He turns as a voice behind him calls out, “Sir?”
It is Donna De Freitas. She catches up with him.
“Wherever you’re going, I think I’ve got a change of plan for you,” she says.
“I doubt it, PC De Freitas,” says Chris. He still calls her PC De Freitas at work. “I’m off to have a little chat with someone.”
“Only, I was looking through the call logs,” says Donna. “And I recognized the number.”
“The mobile that called Tony Curran?”
She nods, then takes out a scrap of paper for Chris to see. “Remember this? Jason Ritchie’s number. He’s the one who phoned Tony three times on the morning of the murder. Is this worth a change of plan?”
Chris holds up a finger to silence her and takes from his jacket pocket the piece of paper Terry Hallet gave him. He hands it to Donna. “Vehicle records, from the day of the murder.”
Donna reads, and then looks up at Chris. “Jason Ritchie’s car?”
Chris nods.
“Jason rings Tony Curran that morning. Jason’s car is outside Tony’s house when he dies? So we’re going to see Jason?”
“Maybe just me this time,” says Chris.
“I don’t think so,” says Donna. “Firstly, I’m your shadow, which is a sacred bond of trust, et cetera, et cetera. And secondly, I just solved the crime.” She waves Jason’s phone number at him.
Chris waves the vehicle records at her. “I solved it first, Donna. So I’m just going to pay him a quick visit at home, alone, and see if he wouldn’t mind answering a couple of questions. Very low-key.”
Donna nods. “Good idea. He’s not at home, though; I checked already.”
“Then where is he?”
“If you take me along, I’ll show you.”
“And what if I ordered you to tell me where he was?” asks Chris.
“Well, you can try,” says Donna. “See where it gets you?”
Chris shakes his head. “Come on, then. I’ll drive.”