Кара Хантер - All the Rage

On the screen Somer takes her seat next to Gallagher. The lawyer and the Appropriate Adult are women too, so there are no men in the room at all, which I have to admit is a good call on Gallagher's part. When they show in Nadine and her mother, even I'm shocked at the change in Diane in such a few short minutes. Her hand trembles as she reaches for the chair and her face is haggard, the unforgiving overhead light hollowing out her flesh. That's what it looks like to find out your daughter is suspected of murder.

* * *

Interview with Nadine Appleford, conducted at St Aldate's Police Station, Oxford

10 April 2018, 10.42 a.m.

In attendance, DI R. Gallagher, DC E. Somer, Mrs D. Appleford, Ms S. Rogers (designated Appropriate Adult), Mrs P. Marshall (solicitor)

ES: Interview commencing at 10.42. Nadine is accompanied by her mother, Mrs Diane Appleford, her lawyer, Mrs Pamela Marshall, and Ms Sally Rogers, who will again act as her Appropriate Adult.RG: For the benefit of the tape, Nadine has now been arrested on suspicion of involvement in the death of Sasha Blake on the evening of April 3rd 2018. So, Nadine, I want to start by asking you where you were that evening `“ did you go out?DA: Will someone just please tell me what's going on? What on earth makes you believe Nadine could possibly `“RG: We'll come to that, Mrs Appleford. Nadine `“ could you answer the question for us, please?NA: [ silence ]

I don't remember.DA: Both the girls were at home when I got back at 11.00, I can tell you that for nothing.ES: Both of them? Faith and Nadine?DA: Faith went out I think, but she was back by the time I got home. Like I said.ES: And there was nothing unusual about that evening? Nothing that stuck in your mind?PM: [ preventing her from answering]

What evidence do you have linking Nadine to this crime, Inspector?RG: Yesterday afternoon a member of the public discovered a pink handbag a short distance from where we found Sasha's body. It has been positively identified as hers and carries traces of her blood.PM: That doesn't prove anything.RG: I'm afraid there are also fingerprints in the blood. Prints we believe may be Nadine's.DA: But that's impossible `“PM: You said may be Nadine's. Are they a match or aren't they?RG: The prints are partials. Partial matches to Nadine's.PM: How many points?RG: Five on one, four on the other.PM: You know as well as I do that that won't stand up in court. You'll need a lot more than that if you want the CPS to take you even half seriously. In the meantime, I need to discuss this new evidence with my client. I'm sure the Appropriate Adult would agree with me that that's entirely reasonable.SR: Yes, I agree that would be a good idea.ES: Interview suspended at 10.53.* * *

It's the middle of morning break so the head teacher allows them to use her office, rather than fight for space in a crowded staffroom. She has a room round the back. From the window, Gislingham can see across the fields to a line of distant trees. Beyond that, as he well knows, is where they found Sasha's body. He just hopes the kids haven't made the same connection.

The head of year is a man called Dennis Woodley, who has a bright ginger beard, a lot of sincere eye contact and a deeply earnest handshake that requires both hands. Gislingham has him down as a born-again Christian before he's even let go. The other teacher is a small harassed-looking woman who gives the impression she's running permanently late.

Woodley makes a big show of offering to `˜do the honours' on the coffee rather than expecting his female colleague to do it. There's a poster on the wall announcing the school's values to be Teamwork, Diversity, Kindness and Equality, so Woodley's clearly aiming for the full house. Gislingham says yes, Quinn says no, and eventually they're all seated at the low table.

`˜So, officers,' says Woodley, turning on his big smile, `˜how can we help?'

* * *

The uniformed PC shows Nadine and the other two women out of the room, but Somer is still sitting at the interview table.

`˜What is it?' says Gallagher as she gathers up her files. `˜There's something on your mind, isn't there.'

Somer frowns. `˜It was just something Diane Appleford said. About that night.'

Gallagher stops what she's doing; she's already worked out that this woman's instincts are worth listening to. `˜Oh yes?'

`˜She covered it up really quickly, but there was just a moment `“ as if something had occurred to her `“ something she realized straight away she wouldn't want us to know.'

Gallagher considers. `˜Well, you've spent more time with her than I have. I say go with your hunch.'

`˜But I can hardly come right out and ask her, can I? She's already clammed up `“ she's not going to tell me now.'

`˜But you know Faith, don't you, and pretty well, from what I hear. If there was anything odd about that night, she would know. Why not ask her?'

Somer makes a face. `˜I'm not sure about that. The state she was in last time I saw her `“ I don't want to upset her more than we already have `“'

`˜Then ask that friend of hers instead. Jess, isn't it? Perhaps she can do it for you.'

* * *

`˜Well, if you ask me, that's our motive, right there.'

It's Quinn, ballsing it out as usual. He's lucky Somer isn't in the room because I doubt she'd be letting him get away with it. But wherever she is, it's not here.

`˜As far as I'm concerned, what Woodley told us proves it `“ Nadine did have a motive to kill Sasha. And if you add to that the evidence from the handbag `“'

`˜We don't know they're her prints,' begins Everett. `˜They're just partials.'

`˜Who else's could they be, for fuck's sake?'

The mood is getting fractious and Gallagher steps in to calm things down. `˜OK, DC Quinn, we've heard your view. Sergeant `“ what's your take?'

Gislingham looks up. `˜Well, it's pretty clear Nadine was desperate to get into Patsie's little clique. Woodley said she's been struggling to fit in ever since she arrived. Though it must have been tough, poor kid, arriving at a new school where everyone already has their own mates.'

`˜But it was definitely Patsie's group Nadine wanted to be in?'

Gislingham nods. `˜They're the cool kids, apparently. The `њLIPS girls`ќ. Everyone wants to be in their gang.'

`˜Bet they don't any more,' mutters Baxter, but he's at the back like me, and only I can hear him.

`˜And they rejected her?'

Gislingham nods grimly. `˜Worse than that. Apparently they'd started picking on her. Taking the piss out of her hair, her weight, stuff like that. Though it was mainly the other three `“ it sounds like Sasha tried to distance herself a bit.'

`˜And the school didn't do anything about it?'

`˜Woodley said every time they tried Nadine bent over backwards to deny anything had happened. And the girls were way too clever to get caught.'

`˜Surprise, surprise,' says Ev darkly.

Gallagher turns to Gow. `˜What do you think, Bryan?'

He laughs. `˜About the teenage brain? How long have you got? Look, any parent will tell you the same thing: they don't function the same way we do. Nadine Appleford was under acute stress without the mental capacity to process it or the maturity to put it into context. All the usual peer pressures around looks and boyfriends and definitions of `њsuccess`ќ, added to a complete lack of any sort of supportive network at school and a home environment that's been thrown into complete disarray over the last few months.'

Everett looks uncomfortable. `˜Faith didn't set out to cause any trouble `“'

Gow nods. `˜I agree. But she has, all the same. Nadine's had to cope with a brother becoming a sister, moving house, starting a new school and a mother who's been understandably distracted. Being rejected by Patsie's group in such a spiteful and public way would have been the last straw.'