Free Delayed & Denied by J. J. Salkeld

she told me.’
    ‘Did she say who ended it?’
    ‘Aye. He did. He ended it.’
    ‘And why didn’t you mention this, when you were being interviewed?’
     
    The pause was long, and by far the loudest thing in the room were Ray Dixon’s shoes.
    ‘I thought they might think I’d killed her because of it, like.’
    ‘I see. But did you not think that he might have done it, this Fleming? Killed your wife, I mean.’
    ‘It wasn’t him.’
    ‘How do you know?’
    ‘I went to see him, the day after she disappeared. Straight after I’d spoken to the police it would have been.’
    ‘So the Saturday afternoon or evening?’
    ‘Aye, it must have been. He told me that he’d been on duty the previous day, and that he hadn’t seen my wife, except at work, in weeks.’
    ‘And is he still living and working locally?’
    ‘Aye, as far as I know.’
     
    Hall nodded to Dixon, who took the hint. He leant forward and turned off the tape machine. But the phone sitting next to it was still recording.
    ‘All right, Adam. We’re almost done for today. You’ve been great, honestly. And now I need you to listen to me very carefully. I do believe you, Adam. I believe you when you say that you didn’t kill your wife, I believe that she gave you those sleeping pills, and I believe you when you say that you spoke to this Paul Foster. How about you, Ray? Do you believe Adam?’
    ‘I do, aye.’
    ‘You hear that, Adam? We both believe you. So before we go, is there anything else that you can tell us? Anything that you haven’t said to anyone before? Maybe something else that you thought showed Sharon up in a bad light, or that you think makes you look guilty? You can tell us anything, I promise you. Don’t hold anything back, nothing at all. So is there anything?’
    Burke shook his head. His expression didn’t change, but a single tear trickled, very slowly, down through the stubble on his cheek.
     
     
    Dixon didn’t speak until they were pulling away from the kerb.
    ‘Did you really believe him then, Andy? You know, because of what you said in there.’
    ‘Which part?’
    ‘All of it. That you believe him. Are you really so sure that he didn’t do it?’
    ‘You know me, Ray. I’m not absolutely certain that the sun will rise tomorrow morning, so certainty would be a bit of a stretch, but I will say that I’m beginning to move in that direction. How about you?’
    ‘Aye, maybe. But he’ll look like a total twat if it turns out that this doctor bloke did it, after all. He’ll have done all that time for nowt.’
    ‘I know, and when we get back to Kendal the first job is to look at this doctor. I’m pretty certain that he wasn’t interviewed at the time, when the investigating officers were doing the background and talked to Sharon’s colleagues at the hospital.’
    ‘You’re right, he wasn’t. I had a quick look while you were saying your goodbyes.’
    ‘OK, well that’s for another day, then. But it’s a priority. Next stop for now is Jack Lee’s place. He hasn’t replied to my emails, but I do happen to know that he’s at home, right at this minute.’
    ‘Oh, aye, Andy? And how would you know that? Clairvoyance is it, or one of your old mates from out this way keeping an informal eye on the bloke for you, maybe?’
    ‘Something like that. Come on, let’s knock on the door, and see if he’s in talkative mood.’
    ‘I doubt he will be.’
    ‘I’m sure you’re right. But I’ll lay out his options for him, and let’s see where that gets us, shall we?’
     
    Jack Lee’s house in Whitehaven was much the same as Burke’s, except better kept. And when Hall pressed the bell he heard it ring inside. What were the chances of that, he wondered. A few seconds later the door opened, cautiously.
    ‘Mr. Jack Lee?’ said Hall, smiling.
    ‘Aye. Who wants to know?’
    ‘I’m Andy Hall, and this is my colleague Ray Dixon. I’ve emailed you a few times. We’re investigating the death of Sharon