She chewed the lipstick from her bottom lip as she clicked on the confidential report accompanying the email. Her eyes greedily scanned the computer screen as it flickered into life. Bert had been assessed several times for making continuous calls to Christian Bowes. The source of the phone was unknown, although, like prisons, patients were known to smuggle items through visitors and use them as currency. Jennifer flipped open her journal, scribbling times, dates and the name of the doctor listed. A dart of pain from her bandaged hand reminded her of the urgency of the enquiry. Dr Lionel Carter. After further digging, she found his number and punched it into her phone.

[#]

‘Hey you,’ Will said, dropping a thick file onto his newly cleaned desk.

Jennifer swivelled her chair to greet him, opening her top drawer and rolling a Cadbury’s Creme Egg across the desk. ‘Here you go. I’ve cleaned your desk and given you chocolate, what more could a bloke want?’

The look in Will’s eyes relayed he could come up with several suggestions. ‘How are you feeling?’ he said, pushing aside the paperwork to unwrap the chocolate egg.

‘Fine. My hand’s a little stiff and I can’t do much typing but it’s better than it was.’

Will frowned, but Jennifer had already told him what to do with his suggestion that she should be at home resting.

‘You’ll never guess what I’ve found out about Claire,’ Will said, keeping his voice low.

‘As long as it’s not gossip,’ Jennifer said. ‘I like Claire, and she’s had enough mud slung in her direction over the years.’

Will looked affronted. ‘What do you take me for? It’s about her abilities. Haven’t you ever wondered what they are?’

Jennifer wondered all the time, but Claire didn’t seem comfortable talking about it so she figured she’d find out for herself. This seemed as good a time as any.

‘Go on then, what is it?’

‘Zoe said she can read auras, you know, the coloured energies people have around them. They change according to your moods. She can even tell if you’re lying. I wish someone had warned me, I’ll be on my guard from now on.’

Jennifer clasped her hand to her mouth, her earlier chat with her sergeant coming back to haunt her. ‘You’re joking me.’

‘Afraid not,’ Will said. As he chatted animatedly about his discussion with Zoe, two things crossed Jennifer’s mind. One was that she could understand why Claire would be cagey. Everybody lied, and people were bound to treat her differently once they knew. The second thing Jennifer noticed was how quickly Will accepted Zoe’s explanation. There was no mention of rational thought or not getting carried away; Zoe’s word was taken as fact.

‘Are you all right? You’re looking very miffed,’ Will said, throwing his chocolate wrapper into the bin.

Jennifer reddened, relieved that Will couldn’t read her thoughts. ‘Huh? Um no … I just need to have a chat with Claire. I wasn’t entirely truthful this morning and I think it’s time I came clean.’

‘Sounds ominous,’ Will said. ‘Nothing bad, I hope?’

‘I’ve had a breakthrough with the Raven case. Zoe and I have accessed the Facebook group Emily Clarke was using before her death.’

[#]

Claire did not look surprised to see Jennifer return to her door. Jennifer began with an apology, followed by admissions of what happened in the woods, her relationship with Will, and her progress on the Raven.

‘I take it someone has told you, then,’ Claire said, folding her arms.

Jennifer opened her mouth to speak then paused, measuring her words. ‘It just came up in conversation. Apparently you know when people are lying.’

Claire smiled. ‘That’s one way of putting it. I’m an empath. I can read people’s energies, see their auras, and take on other people’s emotions. Sometimes I can determine if they’re telling the truth or not. Just like with you earlier today. I knew you were hiding something, but I trusted it was for a good reason, and if it were important, you’d tell me. Everyone is entitled to their privacy, Jennifer, and as thrilled as I am that you’ve got it together with Will, who you see in your own time is none of my business.’

Jennifer nodded, keen to change the subject. ‘I take it your abilities don’t stand up in court.’

‘No. Think of it as a copper’s intuition. Evidentially you can’t use it, but it can point us in the right direction.’

‘It’s a cool trait. Remind me to bring you into interview.’

Claire smirked. ‘It’s not foolproof, so I don’t rely on it too heavily. I mean, it’s not like a lie detector test. But let’s put all that aside for now, I’m more concerned about your investigation. It’s time we called the DI in here, and work out a plan of action for the Raven.’

Claire was impressed to see Jennifer had made good headway into the investigation, having arranged an informal appointment with Bert’s psychiatrist the next day. Ethan, her DI, had taken the decision to bring Lexton MIT fully up to date on their investigation. Although unhappy at being kept in the dark, progression of an undercover officer in the Facebook group was welcomed, and Zoe’s activity was being closely monitored.

Officers would be briefed and kept on standby for any forthcoming raids, and although Ethan had given her a telling-off for withholding information, Jennifer felt she was finally making some progress in the investigation. She was painfully aware of the lack of physical forensic evidence, but she was closing in on the killer, and if anyone could help her, his psychiatrist could.

[#]

An evening call from her sister was the last thing she expected, and Jennifer cradled the phone as she whipped together some eggs.

‘Hi, how are you?’ Amy asked.

Jennifer gave a wry smile. She always recognised when her sister’s calls were leading up to something. ‘Fine, just making an omelette for supper. Is everything OK?’

‘Mmm? Oh yeah, fine … Josh stop that … no, Lily isn’t allowed Lego …’

Jennifer diced a spring onion and plopped it into the egg mix, imagining her nephew presenting his little sister with his latest Lego creation.

‘Sorry,’ Amy said, ‘I was wondering if you’d be free to babysit Josh and Lily some night? Just for a couple of hours. I haven’t been out with David for ages, thought it would do us good.’

Jennifer stood open-mouthed as thin blue smoke began to rise from the frying pan. Amy rarely asked her to babysit Josh, and always brought Lily with her.

‘Yeah, sure, I’d love to … oh crap, hang on, my pan is burning.’ She turned off the pan and pushed it to the side. A thought occurred to her. Jennifer wondered if the offer was a thinly veiled peace offering. Amy was the only person she knew who looked upon the offer of babysitting as a treat. ‘So how did it go? With dad, I mean. It’s OK to talk about him, I won’t snap your head off, I promise.’

‘It was all right,’ Amy said flatly.

‘Just all right?’ Jennifer said, trying to remember that she wasn’t supposed to have seen him. ‘Is he still off the booze?’

‘Oh yeah, he’s been off it for some time now. He goes to AA, or so he tells me. He’s got a girlfriend, she’s American.’

Jennifer pretended to sound surprised. ‘Really? I take it she’s an improvement on mad Peggy from Hackney then?’

Amy snorted. ‘Anything’s an improvement on that silly woman. Dominique, this one’s called, very glam. She was his hypnotherapist.’

Silence passed and Jennifer gave in to her curiosity. ‘Dad has a therapist? Go on then, spill the beans.’

Amy whispered conspiratorially down the mouthpiece of the phone. ‘She’s very wealthy. I liked her at first but now …’ A door closed in the background and Amy’s voice drew closer to the phone. ‘… She’s a bit pushy, and she doesn’t like kids.’

Jennifer smiled. Not liking children was a hanging offence in her sister’s eyes.

‘And dad’s no better, he didn’t even bring them a bag of sweets! And I know I’m always telling you off for buying chocolate but they could have brought Josh something, the tight gits.’