Shallow Waters by Rebecca Bradley Page A

Mrs Kirk. We can contact a doctor to come out to
see how you're doing and we will have an assigned detective to spend
some time with you talking about Allison and also about you. How does
that sound?” I had to try and show her this could be about her, that
she deserved the attention the murder of her child was bringing. Her
phone hadn't stopped beeping and clicking since I had walked in the
room. Messages of support coming through and messages from people
wanting gruesome details, of which Natalie Kirk was more than willing
to share, given that she continued to respond to, rather than ignore
the phone.
    “I would see a doctor, for me? And a special detective to spend time with me?”
    “Yes
of course, it's important you are checked out and okay and you have
someone around to talk to when you need it. Shall we go and deal with
this?” I asked in a softer tone than I felt she deserved.
    “Oh, Okay. Ethan, can we do the story later after I've done the stuff with the five oh?”
    Ethan
looked up. “Of course, Natalie. Give me a call when you're done and
I'll pick you up. I'll speak to my editor in the meantime to see what
she wants out of our meeting, okay?”
    Kirk
was sly enough to know not to push us all at the same time, after all,
it appeared, she wanted to keep us all at her beck and call as long as
possible.
    As
Natalie went to powder her already over plastered face in the ladies
room I called Sally for a car then pulled Ethan to one side.
    “What were you doing with that recorder?”
    “Nothing
sinister. Where you used to see reporters scribbling away in books, we
now have these, it means I get to do less scribbling and my memory is
terrible, I never remember what's been said. She was in here to talk to
us, Han, nothing wrong with it.”
    I
was on edge. He knew that, he stepped closer and dropped his head so
his mouth was near my ear and lowered his voice “It's okay. I'll come
round tonight. It's going to be fine. Text me when you finish and I'll
be there.” He stepped away as Natalie tottered back in. Tissues clumped
in her hand, dabbing virtually dry cheeks. My phone vibrated. Sally was
outside with the car.
    “Okay Natalie, the car's here, let’s go and make you a cuppa and have a chat.”
    She
wobbled again on her shoes, mascara rubbed around her face giving her
an even grimier, look than she'd already had. As I pushed on the office
door to exit, Natalie turned and spoke to Ethan “I want my money.
Papers pay for stories like this. You pay or I go elsewhere.”
     

 
    29
     
    Leaning
back into my chair I listened to the call connect and ran a hand
through my hair. I'd always stuck to the rule that said personal and
professional lives should never mix. I'd seen cops work eighteen hour
shifts and more on a job and this obviously had a negative effect on
family life. My own desire to succeed in the job, and in each case that
came in,  meant my love life had taken a back seat.  And yet
here I was. I thought I was safe with Ethan. He wasn't a cop, but he
was a dedicated hard-working conscientious guy. Someone I could connect
with in an intellectual way away from policing and not have to talk
about the job, which was another disadvantage of a work relationship.
It was always a topic of conversation. Now this. Now Ethan was slap
bang in the middle of my investigation and in all likelihood was going
to get in the way and be as difficult as I had come to expect
journalists to be.  
    “Today, Ethan Gale.” The familiar voice answered.
    “Ethan, it's me.”
    “Hey.” Warm.
    I
didn't know what to say next. I was so angry with him, with the
situation I felt he had put me in. But hearing his voice, knowing him
on such an intimate level, I couldn't bawl him out. I took a deep
breath.
    “Hannah, I'm sorry this is your job. That my job is a part of your job.”
    “I
know.” I tried to steel myself, to be professional, to be what the
investigation needed, without trampling on Ethan and our still