Page 57 of Her Last Breath

Jane couldn’t see Matthews’ face, but she could see his body tense, ready to make a run for it.

Chapter 35

‘You’re not in any trouble, we just need to talk,’ DS Johnson reassured him. ‘Jump in – it’ll be easier all round.’

Jane saw Matthews’ shoulders relax as he succumbed to the inevitable. Sliding into the back of the car, he hunched down as low as physically possible, his short stature an asset for him.

‘What’s this about?’ he said, his voice reedy and hoarse. He reeked of weed.

‘Like I said, we just need you to answer some questions.’ Matthews looked at Jane, but DS Johnson didn’t introduce her.

‘This isn’t good. I can’t risk being clocked in your car.’

‘The faster you help us, the faster you get out. Unless you want to be hauled down to the station?’

‘What do you want?’

DS Johnson showed Matthews a picture of Kangna Kandasamy on his phone.

‘Do you know this lady?’

Matthews shrugged.

‘How do you know her?’

‘Look, I don’t want any hassle.’

‘This isn’t anything to do with you. My honour.’

Matthews grunted at the notion any police officer had honour.

‘Let me spell it out for you since you’re struggling to remember this woman,’ DS Johnson said threateningly. ‘You either help us or I will make sure I not only fuck up the little hustle you’ve got going on at the Red Lion, but that you aren’t in a position to carry it on anywhere else in Burnley either. You’ll enjoy being broke, might bring out the best in you.’

Matthews stared at him, as though daring him to go ahead.

‘Heard there was an armed robbery in Blackburn, couple of weeks ago,’ DS Johnson said in a deceptively calm voice. ‘Jewellers got done over. The armed robbers got caught, but the stuff they took is still out there.’

DS Johnson paused for effect.

‘Rumour has it that some of it flowed through Burnley. How would you like being associated with an investigation into an armed robbery, Ian?’

Matthews licked his lips, thinking over his predicament, before reluctantly replying.

‘She comes in sometimes to see me. Bits of tat mostly, some of it decent, though. I give her a good price for the stuff I can sell on.’

‘How did she know to come to you?’ Jane asked.

Matthews looked at her as though she was an idiot.

‘Got it,’ Jane said. ‘You have any images of what she might have given you?’

Matthews sank deeper into the car’s backseat, as though she had wounded him.

‘Just show us, nothing’s coming back on you,’ DS Johnson said aggressively.

Matthews reminded Jane of a sulky child as he started to scroll through his phone, shooting furtive glances as if fearing they could see through his device. After a couple of minutes of scrolling, he turned his screen towards them, clutching it tightly in case they tried to grab the device from him.

Jane watched as he scrolled through some images, asking him to zoom in on one. She could see part of an engraving on a ring. ‘To Iris, who is …’ There was a gold chain in another picture, the curly name on it spelling Jackie. Antique candle holders, plates commemorating the Queen’s Coronation, a silver photo frame. Matthews pulled the phone away from them.