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

tongue over his teeth before replying, as if pre-sifting his answer for potential pitfalls.
    ‘It was a retirement party, at a house.’
    ‘When was this?’
    ‘A while ago. About six weeks or so, I think.’
    ‘You went with her?’
    ‘No, no. I just bumped into her there. I didn’t even know she was going.’
    ‘Did you speak to her?’
    ‘Not really. A little.’
    ‘What about?’
    ‘Is it important?’
    ‘I don’t know, Paul. Might be.’
    ‘I don’t remember. It was just chat. Hello, how are you – that type of thing. Trivial stuff.’
    ‘Uh-huh. How come?’
    ‘What do you mean?’
    ‘Well, this is a woman you once worked with quite closely. This is the woman who backed you up all the way on the Vernon thing. How come all you could find to talk about was the weather? What’s wrong with a proper catch-up after all that time apart?’
    His gaze becomes a stony glare now, as if to let her know he regards her question as beneath contempt.
    ‘Nothing was wrong with it. It just wasn’t that kind of night. She was with her mates, I was with mine. We just didn’t get to spend much time together.’
    ‘Are you sure about that?’
    Cody glances at Webley. She keeps her eyes glued on Garnett, and Cody realises that she knows something.
    ‘What do you mean, am I sure about it?’
    Classic deflection technique, thinks Cody. If he was sure, he would have said so without hesitation.
    Says Webley, ‘There were many other people at that party, Paul. One of them says she saw you and Terri in the garden. Looked to her like the two of you were having a heated argument.’
    Garnett gives Cody a look that says, Can you believe the nerve of this woman? Getting no support from Cody, he turns back to Webley.
    ‘Don’t tell me – you’ve been talking to Diane Curtis, haven’t you?’
    ‘As I’m sure you’ll understand, Paul, we’re not at liberty to divulge—’
    ‘Yeah, yeah, spare me the small print. For your information, anything that PC Curtis says about me is about as reliable as a paper umbrella. She’s had it in for me for years, ever since I turned her down when she came on to me at a Christmas do. She say anything else about this so-called argument?’
    ‘As a matter of fact, she did. She said she heard the name of Kevin Vernon being used.’
    Garnett throws his arms up in apparent despair. ‘Oh, here we go. Back to that again, are we? Funny how this is all coming out now, isn’t it? I mean, now that Terri Latham is dead. It’s a wonder Diane didn’t say she heard me threaten to kill Terri. You could just lock me up and close the case then.’ He yanks up his sleeves and displays his wrists to Webley. ‘In fact, why don’t you just put the cuffs on me now? Go ’ead. Put them on.’
    Cody says, ‘Look, Paul, there’s no need to get so worked up about this. We’re simply—’
    The slap of Garnett’s hand on the table is like a gunshot in the echoing room.
    ‘No! There’s every need. Take a look at yourselves, will ya? We’re supposed to be on the same side. We’re supposed to trust each other. The Vernon thing was fully investigated, and I was cleared. My record is as clean as yours. So stop treating me like a suspect and start talking to some real criminals. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ve got better things to do.’
    He launches himself from his chair and heads out of the room. Cody thinks about stopping him, if only to reprimand him for his attitude, but decides to leave it alone.
    When Garnett has gone, Cody turns to Webley, who is gathering her paperwork together.
    ‘Where did that come from?’
    She smiles. ‘What?’
    ‘That stuff about the argument between him and Latham.’
    ‘Just doing my job. I did some asking around. I like to be prepared.’
    ‘You’re full of surprises.’
    ‘Better believe it, mate. That was just the first of many. A few days with me, and you’ll be wondering what’s hit you.’
    ‘Now I’m worried.’ He pauses. ‘What do you think of