Dishonour. Helen Black
they didn’t want him to gather evidence in the schools then what on earth did they want him to do? He didn’t want to flag up his lack of experience in serious offences but he needed some help here.
‘And you want me to do the same at these other schools?’
‘Good God, man, no. We don’t have the manpower to do that,’ said the chief super. ‘Can you imagine the expense?’
‘I hadn’t given it much thought, to be fair,’ said Jack.
The chief super’s smile was nothing short of patronising. ‘Which is why you’re so good at the sort of thing I’m talking about.’
Jack reread the list of schools. He had no alternative but to admit defeat.
‘And what sort of thing is it I’m good at, sir? What is it you actually want me to do?’
The chief opened his arms as if the answer were obvious. ‘I need you to visit those schools and chat with the staff.’
‘To find out what?’
‘Nothing in particular, Jack,’ said the chief. ‘What we need at this delicate time is a calm and friendly presence among the young Asian community.’
It hit Jack like a truck on the M1.
‘You’re asking me to be a schools liaison officer.’
‘Oh, nothing as official as that, Jack. For one thing we can’t afford to create an actual post,’ said the chief. ‘A one-off visit to a couple of schools with a high proportion of Asian students should suffice.’
Jack felt disappointment swell in his chest, crushing his ribcage.
‘You don’t want me on the murder team.’
The chief super looked embarrassed. ‘Best to leave that to the detectives, don’t you think?’
Jack didn’t answer.
‘Anyway,’ said the chief, ‘you have a huge conflict of interests.’
‘I do?’
‘Lilly Valentine,’ answered the chief. ‘She’s representing the Khan family.’
Lilly chewed her lip. She headed over to Bury Park with the intention of telling the Khans what DI Bell had said. Their beautiful daughter and sister had not killed herself. Someone had murdered her.
She couldn’t imagine how they would react.
She’d been racing over in her Mini Cooper when Jack had called to moan about some vitamin or other. The man had no sense that there was anything else going on in the world apart from her pregnancy. She knew she should be flattered, grateful even, but she just couldn’t stand it. She could well guess what his reaction would be to the current turn of events and so she’d hung up. Getting involved with Raffy Khan would be seen as foolishness. Like forgetting those bloody pills. Right now she just didn’t have the time to explain things to him; to make him understand.
She pulled up outside the Khans’ house and rang the bell.
Deema opened the door. She held her shawl against one cheek, dark circles under her eyes.
‘Mrs Khan,’ said Lilly, ‘may I come in?’
The older woman didn’t answer but looked over her shoulder to her elder son, who was hurrying down the hallway, wiping his hands on a piece of kitchen roll.
‘Thank goodness it’s you.’ Anwar ushered Lilly through to the living room. ‘Mum’s been desperate for news.’
Lilly cast a glance at Deema. She seemed devoid of any emotion, let alone desperation.
‘We’ve all been very anxious.’ Anwar was gabbling, his hands shaking as he dried between his fingers furiously. ‘I’m sure you can imagine.’
Lilly smiled calmly, determined not to be infected by Anwar’s anxiety. She needed to deliver her news in a composed manner.
When he opened the sitting-room door she was greeted by a sea of faces. The Khans had already congregated. Raffy sat at one end of the sofa, his legs apart, his arms folded. Mohamed had taken one of the chairs and was tapping the arm with his thumbnail. Deema slid into the other like a trickle of water.
Saira appeared from the kitchen. ‘Can I get you some tea, Miss Valentine?’
‘Thank you, no,’ said Lilly.
Saira nodded and took her place on the sofa next to Raffy. She tucked her feet under her.
Anwar pulled over a kitchen chair and beckoned Lilly to sit. He stood at his mother’s side.
They were all waiting expectantly. Lilly gulped down her panic.
‘I thought the younger members of the family might be in school.’
Raffy tossed his head like an angry colt. ‘We ain’t kids, you know. Saira’s seventeen and I’m fifteen.’
Lilly made the mental calculation. If Anwar was nineteen and Yasmeen had been sixteen, Mrs Khan had had her gaggle of children one after the other.
Her eyes flicked to a family photograph taking pride of place on the wall. The young Khans smiled up at their handsome father. Anwar’s hair was neatly parted at the side and Raffy’s front teeth were missing. Even Deema had a lightness to her and held Saira and Yasmeen close. The girls were laughing, sharing a private joke.
Anwar followed Lilly’s eye line to the photo.
‘Happier days,’ he said. ‘Eid, two thousand.’
‘Two thousand and one,’ Saira corrected him. ‘Just before Dad died.’
Anwar nodded sadly.
‘Yasmeen was very beautiful,’ said Lilly.
‘Oh, yes, everybody said so,’ Anwar agreed. ‘She had the reddest lips I’ve ever seen.’
‘I can see that,’ said Lilly.
‘When you two have finished your little chat maybe we could get back to the important stuff,’ Raffy snarled. ‘Like our sister being dead and the police harassing us.’
‘Please remain civilised, Raffy,’ said Anwar. ‘Miss Valentine is our guest.’
‘Guests are people we invite over, brother.’ He pointed at Lilly. ‘She works for us.’
Lilly gave a tight smile. ‘Well, I’m glad you’re all here because I have some important information.’
‘Don’t tell me,’ said Raffy,‘you found the police station.’
Anwar ignored his younger brother and leaned towards Lilly like an excited puppy. ‘They’re sending Yasmeen home to us?’
Lilly looked into his expectant face. How was this man-child going to cope with what she was about to say? She put her hand over his.
‘I’m so sorry, Anwar, but that’s not going to happen.’
Lilly didn’t know which was worse, the cacophony of abuse from Raffy or the look of quiet horror in Anwar’s eyes.
‘I told you we should have instructed one of our own.’ Raffy leaped to his feet. ‘What does someone like her care for a bunch of Pakis?’
Lilly snapped back her hand from Anwar and whipped her head towards Raffy. ‘Oh, sit down, you stupid boy.’
Raffy was momentarily silenced but he remained standing. ‘What did you say to me?’
Lilly hauled herself to her feet and looked the teenager straight in the eye. ‘I told you to sit down.’ Her voice was ice.
Raffy opened his mouth to speak but Lilly waved away the words before they had the chance to leave his brain.
‘What I’m about to say is pretty shocking so I’d prefer