A Tapping at My Door: A Gripping Serial Killer Thriller (The DS Nathan Cody Series) by David Jackson Page A

on her.’
    Webley nods slowly. ‘They did. It wasn’t pretty. I didn’t know Terri half as well as you did, but it got to me. God knows what it’s doing to you. What I’m trying to say is that I understand how upset you are, and why you might feel we’re having a go at you. But we’re not, Paul. I swear. The Vernon case is over and done with. We’re not accusing you of anything here. All we’re trying to do is find out who killed Terri. And if there’s anything you can tell us, any direction you can point us in, then we’d really appreciate it.’
    Nice, thinks Cody. Certainly a lot more diplomatic than I was about to be.
    The approach seems to reach Garnett. He sits up properly now, losing his slouch.
    ‘Terri Latham was one of the best police officers on the force,’ he says. ‘She stood up for me when others turned the other way. She stuck to the truth when others were trying to put words in her mouth. She did the right thing. She always did the right thing. I’ve made mistakes in my career, and I’m not ashamed to admit it. Sometimes I could get a bit heavy-handed or a bit mouthy. But Terri knew me for what I am, and she treated me right. I did not do anything wrong on the night Kevin Vernon died. Terri knew that, because she was there and she saw what happened, and she told it like it was. Of course, there are some who think she lied through her teeth. Do I think someone would murder her because of that? No.’
    Says Cody, ‘Do you still get flak about the Vernon case?’
    ‘Not from those who know me.’
    ‘What about those who don’t? Any threats we should know about?’
    ‘Not so much now. At the start, yes. It got so bad I had to move house. Terri did too. Some people always want to believe the worst, especially of coppers.’
    ‘But nothing recent?’
    ‘No.’
    ‘Okay. Because what I’m thinking is that if somebody did kill Terri because of what happened to Kevin Vernon, then they might want to go after you too.’
    Garnett shakes his head. ‘I don’t buy it.’
    ‘You don’t?’
    ‘No. It was a long time ago. People have had time to calm down. It’s not an issue anymore, even though you seem determined to make it one.’
    ‘It would be wrong of us to overlook the possibility, Paul. You could be in danger.’
    Garnett’s laugh is mocking. ‘Now you’re getting ridiculous. What are you planning to do, give me my own personal bodyguard? Besides, you’re wrong. Be honest, was there anything about Terri’s death that suggested a link with the Vernon case?’
    ‘We can’t reveal—’
    ‘There isn’t, is there? You’re jumping to conclusions because you’ve nothing else to go on. Whoever killed Terri has probably never even heard of the Vernons. We weren’t Siamese twins, you know. Terri had her own personal life, and presumably her own skeletons in her closet. There was more to her than the Vernon story. More to me, too, but you don’t seem very interested to hear that.’
    He’s right, thinks Cody. We’ve zoomed in on one particular aspect of Terri Latham’s life, because it’s the one that’s most public. Could be, though, that the reason for her murder is totally unrelated.
    ‘Okay,’ he says. ‘But if there were specific threats that you remember – no matter how long ago you received them – it would be useful for us to know about them. Would you mind making a list for us?’
    Garnett leans back in his chair. ‘I can do that. Are we finished here?’
    Cody thinks they probably are. He looks to Webley, expecting her to nod in confirmation. It surprises him when he finds her still staring intently at Garnett.
    ‘Paul,’ she says. ‘One other thing, if you don’t mind. Just to get everything clear while we’ve got the chance.’
    Garnett locks eyes with her. ‘Go on.’
    ‘You mentioned earlier that you hardly saw Terri after you were reassigned.’
    ‘Yep. That’s what I said.’
    ‘Do you remember what the last occasion was?’
    Garnett runs his