‘I’m Carwyn Price, and I’m joined by Detective Chief Inspector Colin Hudson of Kent Police …’
Chris lets this go. How much he has learned already.
‘Robberies are up, violent crime is up, surely the people of Kent deserve better than this?’
‘They do, Carwyn,’ says Chris. ‘It’s the right question to ask, and if I had a simple answer I would give it. I’ll start by saying we live in a very safe part of the world – I don’t want your viewers to worry themselves too much. But one robbery is a robbery too many, one instance of violent crime is …’
Chris catches Donna out of the corner of his eye. A real thumbs-up this time.
‘… one too many. So I give this promise: my fellow officers and I will not rest –’
The studio door swings open, and Mike Waghorn saunters in, tossing his bag onto a chair.
‘Here he is! My great find!’
Carwyn seems to find a politeness around Mike Waghorn that he hadn’t been able to muster around Chris.
‘Mikey boy!’ Carwyn says. ‘Yep, just putting him through his paces!’
‘I’ll bet, I’ll just bet,’ says Mike. ‘Hello, Chris, what do you make of all this?’
‘Love it,’ says Chris. ‘To be honest. Didn’t think I would, but I do.’
Mike sees Donna. ‘And your better half? What do you think, Donna?’
‘He’s actually very good,’ says Donna.
‘No need to screen-test him, Carwyn, I’ll vouch for him – you know my instincts,’ says Mike.
‘Of course, Mike,’ says Carwyn. ‘He’s definitely got the X-factor.’
‘We’re talking about knife crime in a couple of days,’ says Mike. ‘Put him on. That all right with you, Chris?’
‘Umm, yes,’ says Chris. In a couple of days? On TV? Knife crime? It’s like all his Christmases have come at once. He can’t wait to tell Patrice.
‘Well done, boss,’ says Donna, rising from her chair and giving Chris a hug.
Chris’s mind is galloping ahead. Perhaps this will turn into a regular slot. Your friendly bobby, dispensing advice, perhaps a little bit of wisdom along the way. Chris looks at the monitor on the studio floor. He looks good. Do his eyes twinkle? He could swear they do. He sees Mike look at the monitor too. But he realizes that Mike is not looking at him.
‘Donna,’ says Mike. ‘You really pop on camera. I mean
‘Pop?’ says Donna. Chris has a sinking feeling.
‘Shine, zing, pop,’ says Mike. ‘Last time I saw anything like this it was a young Phillip Schofield. Wow.’
‘I … uh … thank you,’ says Donna.
‘What do you know about knife crime? I want you on instead of Chris,’ says Mike.
Donna holds up her hands in protest, Chris will give her that. ‘Sorry, Mike. Choose Chris.’
Mike puts his hands on Donna’s shoulders. ‘I don’t choose anyone, Donna. The camera chooses. And it’s chosen you.’
Mike turns to Carwyn. ‘Carwyn, take Donna into wardrobe, see what we’ve got.’
Carwyn takes Donna out of the studio. She gives an apologetic look over her shoulder as she goes. Mike places a hand on Chris’s shoulder.
‘Sorry, Chris,’ he says. ‘That’s showbusiness.’
Chris nods, the warmth of potential fame leaving his body.
‘Elizabeth, don’t even joke,’ says Viktor Illyich, the gun pointed at his head.
‘I wish I were joking, Viktor,’ says Elizabeth, and watches Viktor sit. Joyce is open-mouthed.
‘Elizabeth,’ says Joyce.
‘Don’t get involved, Joyce,’ says Elizabeth. ‘Not this time. I need you to trust me. Killing Viktor is the only option we have.’
‘There are many options, Elizabeth,’ says Viktor. ‘Sit and talk, we will work it out. I chose not to kill you after I received the photographs. I could have, you know?’
‘What photographs?’ says Joyce.
‘I know you could, Viktor, and I’m sorry,’ says Elizabeth. ‘You should have done. But the man who wants you dead knows I’m here. He has people watching everywhere.’
She takes her phone from her bag and holds it up. ‘I can show you messages to prove it. So I have to kill you. I’ll make it quick, and we’ll bury you properly.’
‘Elizabeth …’ says Joyce.
‘Sorry, Joyce,’ says Elizabeth, putting her phone down on the table beside her. ‘I truly am. Now you get to see what I’m really capable of if my hand is forced. Where shall we do this, Viktor? Where is quietest? I don’t want to alert your lovely concierge.’
‘If it was me, then the bathroom. Is quiet. And you can clean it easily,’ suggests Viktor. ‘But you really don’t have to do this. We are friends, no?’
‘We are friends, Viktor, yes,’ says Elizabeth.
‘The guy who sent you,’ says Viktor. ‘He’s Swedish, right?’
‘I can’t tell you, Viktor,’ says Elizabeth. ‘After this, I don’t want to hear from him or think about him again.’
‘We team up together? We kill him? That’s a better plan. Come on.’
‘It’s all too late,’ says Elizabeth. ‘I don’t know who he is, and you don’t seem to know who he is, and I just want this over with. I want peace at home with my husband. I’m so sorry. Let’s head to the bathroom. You lead the way.’
Viktor stands. Joyce stands too.
‘He’s going nowhere,’ says Joyce. ‘Not while I’m here.’
