Pop Goes the Weasel | страница 110

‘You’re safe now. I’ll make sure of it.’

‘My hero,’ she replied, smiling through her tears.

She allowed herself to be held. He was supposed to carry on questioning her, but suddenly he didn’t want to ask her about the darkness and the filth and the violence. He wanted to take her away from that, take her to a better place. He wanted to save her.

And he knew he would risk everything to do it.

‘Lyra Campbell is now our number one suspect in this investigation. She is a highly dangerous individual and we would urge members of the public not to approach her. If they see her, or have any information on her whereabouts, they should call the police immediately.’

Detective Superintendent Ceri Harwood was holding court to the assembled members of the press. Charlie had never seen the media suite so busy – there were journalists from over twenty countries, some of them reduced to standing in the corridor outside. They were scribbling furiously as Harwood brought them up to speed, but their eyes never left the enlarged e-fit that dominated the screen behind them. Magnified, that face, those eyes, were even more beguiling and hypnotic. Who was this woman? What was her special power over people?

Charlie handled the operational questions. Inevitably Emilia Garanita asked why DI Grace wasn’t at the press conference – she seemed particularly disappointed that her sparring partner wasn’t present – and Charlie was happy to bat that back, underlining the many and enduring virtues of her boss. At that point Harwood cut in, leading the Q &A in another direction, and twenty minutes later the whole thing wrapped up.

When the final journalist had left, Harwood turned to Charlie.

‘How did we do?’

‘Good. The message will be out there in a couple of hours and… well, you can’t hide for ever. Normally once the e-fit’s out we pick them up within forty-eight hours. Along with a few unfortunates who look a bit like them.’

Harwood smiled.

‘Good. I must remember to call Tony Bridges. It’s thanks to him that we are where we are.’

Charlie nodded, swallowing her instinct to remind the station chief that it had been Helen’s idea to put someone undercover.

‘How do you feel the investigation has gone so far, Charlie? You’ve been away for a while and have probably come back with fresh eyes…’

‘It’s gone as well as it could have in the circumstances.’

‘Have the different parts of the operation pulled their weight? Have we got anything from the surveillance yet?’