Inspector Rames

Chapter 19

Now that Alex was back, going to our office felt like going home. The main body of the police station was made up of glass cubes that served as offices, designed so that everything could be seen by everyone: no secrets, no misconduct. No loneliness either, yet it had still felt empty over the weekend without him. I was a little ashamed that I'd missed him so much.

He shrugged his coat off with a bemused smile. "What?"

I realised that I was grinning at him. "It's just good to see you at your desk again. I need to start writing a report, so why don't you dig into Kristina's tabphone and check her Xplora messages? Then have a look at the national profiles of our people of interest."

His smile vanished. "That's a tall order."

"Better get on with it, then."

"It's early. I think you mentioned a need for coffee."

"Are you trying to worm your way out of this?" I raised an eyebrow, but I couldn't resist. "Fine, you can go and get some -- from the staff cafeteria, not Coffee Glitch. I really need you at your desk."

Alex retrieved what the coffee machine thought passed as a drink that was safe for consumption, and we knuckled down. Time crawled while I slaved over my report of the murder inquiry.

I almost jumped out of my skin when Alex said my name.

He was still rooted to his tabphone. "Kristina hadn't exchanged Xplora messages with any of the suspects recently, but I've just finished looking at everyone's national profiles. Guess what Jasper Jaydes and Mary Daniels both have in common with her?"

I crossed to his desk. "Bright Light University?"

"Yes. Jasper studied English. Mary studied robotic science. Everyone graduated in the same year as Kristina."

I frowned. "That's a big coincidence. I don't like coincidences."

"I know."

"It's a shame none of them have been very forthcoming." I grabbed my jacket. "Let's go to Kristina's flat and see if we can find something there."

***

Kristina Nixon had lived alone in a flat much cleaner and tidier than her ex-husband's. In the living room, a burgundy sofa faced a tiny glass TV, and a new armchair was snuggled next to it. Both were laden with plump Home Sweet Home cushions. Cream lamps and floral coasters stood on end tables beside them, and a pinewood dining table was squashed into the end of the room.

Alex shook the cushions on the sofa to see if anything useful fell out. I crossed to the far wall. A couple of hologram photos were projected alongside the TV, all showing a much younger Kristina. She stood with Zed Croft outside Bright Light University. She kissed Zed in a club. And...who was that?

I leaned closer to the final photo. Kristina was standing with a ginger-haired girl who was wearing a wide smile. I didn't recognise her, so I put my ilenz on, attaching the electrodes to my temples.

It scanned both faces automatically. The first national profile to pop up was Kristina's, but I shut that down and examined the profile of the other woman. Her name was Ripley Lewis. She'd attended Bright Light University ten years ago, at the same time as Kristina. I scrolled through the profile for a minute.

"Got something?" Alex was so close that his breath tickled my neck.

I swallowed hard. "Kristina's pictured with a girl called Ripley Lewis here. They attended Bright Light University together, and if this photo's anything to go by, they were good friends. Her national profile says she's Ronan's twin sister and Jasper Jaydes' cousin."