Chapter 34

4.2K 513 37
                                    

2 June 2186

"Can you tell me your name, please?"

"Jude Bray."

"Your Xplora profile number?"

The tram's last passenger scratched the back of his neck. "I don't remember, sorry. And I can't check. My tabphone's in my dorm room."

He was a student, then. I'd thought so as soon as he'd stepped off the tram wreck. He looked about eighteen or nineteen, although he channelled mature sophistication in a cashmere jumper and tailored trousers, plus oodles of natural charm.

"Which university are you at?" I asked.

Some of the charm was spoiled by the smug smile that crossed his face. "Socrico University."

The most prestigious in the city. "Will you be going home for the weekend?"

"No, I stay on campus."

"Then I'll let you off. Some officers will find you there on Saturday and take your statement, but if you send your profile number to us when you get back, we can arrange a different time to suit you."

"I'll send it," he said. "But this weekend's fine. Can I go now?"

"Yes."

He strolled across the crime scene towards the rest of the world on the other side of the electro-tape. Over there, with their backs to the city's dark skyscrapers, journalists and the morbidly curious raised their tabphones to film the aftermath of the tram hijacking.

On our side of the electro-tape, a paramedic van was parked at an awkward angle with both doors thrown open and the lights flashing. Paramedics in green scrubs tended to the passengers we'd just removed, treating minor scrapes. There was only one covered body being loaded up, and it belonged to the man who'd caused this.

The tram itself was tilting precariously to one side in front of me. Spindly cracks stretched across the windscreen like a spider's web, and smoke hung in the air from harsh braking.

Alex approached from further down the wreckage, having just finished gathering more witness details. At this time of year, he was without his dark coat, so he tucked his tabphone into his suit jacket as he stopped beside me. "I wasn't expecting my day to start like that."

I watched him carefully. No major injuries had resulted from the tram hijacking or the crash, but a lot of university students had been on board. I knew that when it came to young lives, even the what-ifs sometimes troubled him. But he met my gaze evenly.

With all of England caught up in a frenzy over the news that another couple was entering the Trials, our relationship had been public knowledge for almost five months. It meant he'd come to my flat the previous night without sneaking around, and I'd been looking forward to repeating our activities this morning. Unfortunately, the madman who'd taken control of the tram and then killed himself had scuppered our plans.

My earpiece buzzed. I tapped it twice with a scowl, dragging my eyes away from Alex. Our chief superintendent, Ky Dixon, was somewhere in this chaotic crime scene, which meant that my caller was probably a PRB. My communication skills with them were not improving, despite my sergeant's recent coaching. "Rames speaking."

"Hi, Ambie. This is Cassia."

I breathed a sigh of relief. Cassia was my older sister -- and, most importantly right now, a fellow human.

"I'm standing next to a stabbing victim in Socrico University," she continued. "Are you almost done with the tram hijacking?"

I mentally waved goodbye to the possibility of ever having coffee or breakfast. "Yeah. Sebastian's leading the inquiry."

Inspector RamesWhere stories live. Discover now