Pop Goes the Weasel | страница 121

It was a rhetorical question. Emilia could tell from the look on his face that he was going to do exactly what she wanted.

‘Hello, Alfie, my name is Helen and I’m a police officer.’

The boy looked up from his drawing.

‘Is it ok if I sit down with you?’

The boy nodded, so Helen crouched down next to him.

‘What are you drawing?’

‘Dinosaur pirates.’

‘Cool. Is that the T-Rex?’

Alfie nodded, then said matter-of-factly:

‘He’s the biggest.’

‘I can see that. He looks scary.’

Alfie shrugged as if it were no big deal. Helen found herself smiling. The six-year-old was a cute kid who had handled the strange events of the day remarkably well. He seemed more confused than upset. Which is more than could be said for his mother. She hadn’t been told the worst yet – and she wouldn’t be until they had a body – but she was already a wreck. Family Liaison were doing their best, but she was very vocally distressed, which was starting to affect Alfie. Helen knew she needed his undivided attention.

‘Can I show you something special?’

Alfie looked up. Helen slipped her warrant card onto the table.

‘This is my police badge. Do you know what a police officer is?’

‘You catch burglarers.’

‘That’s right,’ Helen said, suppressing a smile, ‘And do you know what this is?’

She slid her police radio onto the table.

‘Cool,’ he said, immediately picking it up.

‘Press that button there,’ Helen suggested. Alfie did so and got a good blast of static for his trouble. He seemed pleased. As he toyed with it, Helen continued:

‘Would you mind if I ask you a few questions?’

The boy nodded without looking up.

‘I want you to know that you are not in trouble at all. It’s just that the lady with the box – the lady you saw -well, she might have taken something that didn’t belong to her. So I need to find out who she is. Did she talk to you?’

Alfie shook his head.

‘Did she say anything at all?’

Another shake.

‘Did you see her face?’

A nod this time. Helen hesitated, then pulled a photocopy of the e-fit from her bag.

‘Was this the lady you saw?’

She showed him the picture.

He looked up from the radio, took in the picture, then shrugged and returned his attention to the radio. Helen put a hand on his, gently stopping him. He looked up.

‘It’s really important, Alfie. Could you take another look at the picture for me, please?’

Alfie obliged with good grace, as if he were getting another go in a game. This time he looked at it more carefully. There was a long pause then he half nodded.