Inspector Rames

Chapter 40

Alex and I left the block of flats and hit Flicker Street. It was already warm, and long shadows stretched across the road as the artificial lights imitated the position of the sun. We walked in the direction of the university and the nearest tram stop.

"I can't believe this," I said. "No one has an iron-clad alibi!"

Alex ticked everyone off on his fingers. "No one can testify to Nora's movements between quarter past eight and nine. No one can testify to Riannon's movements between seven and half eight."

"And no one can testify to Janet's movements between half eight and nine," I said. "Yet, anyway. Hopefully, we'll clear that up later."

Alex frowned. "Why are we going back to the station now? Janet was just a floor up from us."

"I want to do what we can with Nora's story first so that we have more answers than questions. We need to check the clocking-out records again and see if she's telling the truth about it being a common occurrence for her to forget." I turned around, suddenly realising that he was behind me. "Come on! Don't dawdle."

"I'm not dawdling." He fell into step with me again and glowered.

I looked at the dark smudges under his eyes and slowed down. "Are you tired?"

"No. I felt fine -- I am fine today."

We followed a bend in the road, and the entrance to Socrico University yawned ahead of us. I glanced at my sergeant again and realised he was slowly losing the colour in his cheeks. "You're not well. Why don't --"

"Inspector Rames!"

Frankie Jarsdel, the niece of our victim, was emerging from the university campus. She was flanked by a blonde girl with the floppiest sun hat I'd ever seen, and none other than Jude Bray, the last passenger I'd herded off the hijacked tram the previous morning.

The trio stopped in front of us, Frankie standing at their head. "Good morning, Inspector. I was wondering if you've made any progress in your investigation yet."

I raised my eyebrows at her cool tone. "Sorry. I'm not at liberty to say this early in the investigation."

"No one's been arrested?" Floppy Hat asked, her voice wavering.

I gave her an unimpressed stare.

"Oh." Frankie turned towards her friends. "This is a flatmate of mine, Becky Elwyn. And this is a classmate, Jude Bray."

"We've already met," Jude said. "You remember that tram hijacking yesterday?"

"Of course." Frankie flipped a strand of brittle hair over her shoulders. "You've only just finished telling me that we have to be back by this afternoon because some officers are coming to take your statement." She looked at me. "Sorry to bother you, Inspector. Will you be allowed to contact me if there's any news...?"

"Of course." I looked at her friends and added, "Privately. As you're a member of the family."

"Thank you. Goodbye." She turned around and led her friends in the direction of the tram stop.

Alex frowned. "There's something off with her."

"Hmm. If that's her flatmate..." I raised my voice. "Becky!"

Floppy Hat stopped and turned around. Frankie and Jude glanced behind them but carried on walking. I beckoned to Floppy Hat, and she came back.

"Becky," I said when she reached us. "Sorry. I just need to ask a routine question. Where was Frankie on Thursday night?"

Becky shrugged. "She went for dinner with Lonn and Janet, and then she went back to our flat and studied. Like she does every Thursday night."

"Were you at the flat, then?"