After the Fire by Jane Casey Page B

anywhere else as a married woman. Never wanted to.’
    ‘And you were all right with your son and his wife living with you?’
    ‘Course I was. Family’s family. Anyway, he was always my favourite.’
    ‘Oi!’ Rocco looked genuinely upset. ‘Leave it out, Mum.’
    She cackled. ‘I’m only pulling your leg.’
    Derwent turned to Carl. ‘Where did you keep your tools? In the flat?’
    He looked cagey. ‘Why do you want to know?’
    ‘We’re looking for anything that could have started the fire accidentally. If you had a drill charging or if you had paint or varnish it would help us to know about it.’
    ‘No. Nothing like that.’
    ‘So where do you keep your tools?’ I asked.
    ‘In a lock-up garage behind Barber House.’
    ‘That’s one of the other tower blocks,’ I said to Derwent.
    ‘That’s lucky, isn’t it? You won’t have lost anything.’ Derwent’s tone was deceptively light.
    ‘Yeah. Of course.’ Carl glanced at his mother, looking for help, and got only withering scorn. ‘Is there any chance we can get back into the flat?’
    ‘No. It’s too dangerous,’ Derwent said firmly.
    ‘There’s something I’ve got to get.’
    ‘If it was in the flat, it’s gone.’ Derwent shook his head. ‘Smoke damage, fire damage, water damage. Whatever it is, it’s had it, mate.’
    ‘No, I understand that. But it’s of sentimental value, you know.’
    ‘There really wasn’t anything left,’ I said, thinking of the scorched chandelier hanging over the wreckage in the living room. ‘I’m so sorry.’
    ‘There was a safe. In my room.’ Nina Bellew blinked very rapidly. ‘Behind the bed. Not big. Thirteen inches by ten by ten.’ She sketched out the size with her free hand. The other was still clinging to her handbag. ‘The safe was supposed to be fireproof. There are things in it that I should have.’
    ‘I can ask the fire crews and scene of crime officers to look out for it,’ I said.
    ‘They can’t touch it. It’s mine.’
    ‘Mrs Bellew, they’ll be clearing out the contents of your flat. If they come across anything that can be salvaged, including the safe, it will be returned to you.’
    ‘They’ll nick it now they know it’s valuable. But it’s not money or jewellery. Nothing like that.’ She blinked again, and I realised it was a sign she was agitated. ‘It’s personal. Sentimental value, like what Carl said.’
    ‘I promise you, they won’t steal anything,’ I said. ‘They’d get fired immediately if they were caught. It wouldn’t be worth it.’
    ‘That’s what you think,’ Nina croaked.
    ‘It’s what I know.’
    ‘I’ll tell them to look out for it. Whatever they recover, you’re welcome to inspect it. If they find it and the contents have been destroyed, you’ll be able to reassure yourself that the safe was fire-damaged, not emptied.’
    ‘Listen, missy, I know they can make it look as if it was burned and everything was destroyed. I wasn’t born yesterday.’
    ‘When were you born, Mrs Bellew?’ Derwent asked, his pen poised over his notebook.
    She looked horrified. ‘That’s not something I tell my nearest and dearest, young man.’
    ‘Yeah, but I’m not near or dear. I’m a police officer and I’m asking for your date of birth.’
    ‘Fifteenth of February.’ Her normal rasp was muted to a mumble.
    ‘Year?’
    ‘’46.’
    ‘1946,’ Derwent said clearly. ‘Thank you, Mrs Bellew. And what was your maiden name?’
    ‘Hayes.’
    ‘Thank you.’
    ‘Piss off,’ she muttered.
    ‘What was that, Mrs Bellew?’
    ‘Nothing. Here, haven’t you asked us enough questions? We’re very upset, you know. We’ve lost our home and our belongings and my little granddaughter is very ill. Can’t you leave us in peace?’
    ‘Almost done,’ Derwent said with a sympathetic smile that didn’t reach his eyes. ‘I need an address for you in case we need to contact you again.’
    ‘They’ll be living with me,’ Rocco said, and the two girls sat