Phillips needed time to process. ‘I need to verify this with Chief Superintendent Fox.’
Saxby pulled his phone from his pocket. ‘Would you like to use my phone to call her?’ he said, half smiling.
‘That won’t be necessary. I’ll speak to her when I get back to Ashton House.’
‘Well, if it’s ok with you, Chief Inspector, I’ll just finish up here with Mr Robbins.’
‘No, it’s not all right with me,’ said Phillips. ‘This is my investigation and I don’t care who sent you – or how well connected you are. Until I verify your involvement with Chief Superintendent Fox, you have no business speaking to anyone involved in this investigation. Do I make myself clear?’
Saxby shrugged his shoulders and sucked air through his teeth. ‘Very well, Inspector, if that’s how you want to play it. But I can assure you, delaying my involvement won’t change anything. I’ve been instructed to insert myself into the middle of this investigation – whether you like it or not.’
‘I think you’ll find it’s Chief Inspector, and I don’t give a flying fuck what you’ve been instructed to do. I’m the SIO on this case and you have no place in this investigation. Now, if you don’t mind, DS Jones and I would like to speak with Mr Robbins, in private.’
Saxby released a heavy sigh. ‘As you wish, but you’re simply delaying the inevitable, Chief Inspector.’ He turned to face Robbins and smiled. ‘Thank you for your time, Mr Robbins. You’ve been most helpful.’ And with that, he left the room.
Shortly after Saxby’s exit, Phillips excused herself and made her way to the ladies’ to try and recalibrate her head. As she stared at her reflection in the mirror, anger burned in the pit of her stomach. Based on Hawkins’s threats, plus Fox’s furtive responses, she had no doubt that major politics was now in play. Saxby was here to stay, and there was likely very little she could do to keep him out of her investigation. Outside involvement was the last thing she needed. With the pressure to get a result mounting by the minute, some arrogant arsehole from London constantly second-guessing her every move would only make matters ten times worse.
Splashing her face with water, she took a deep breath and steadied herself. She pulled her hair back and reset her ponytail before replacing her spectacles. Regardless of whatever was going on, she still had a missing girl to find, and that had to be her priority. Everything else could wait.
When she returned to Robbins’s office, a large tray carrying filter coffee and fresh cakes had arrived.
‘Well, this is a little nicer than we’re used to,’ she said, attempting to lighten the mood as Robbins poured the steaming hot liquid into three cups.
Jones, as ever, was ready, notepad and pen in hand.
Phillips waited until they each had a drink. ‘Mr Robbins—’
‘Please, call me John.’
Phillips nodded. ‘Ok. John. Can you tell us a bit more about your background before you began working here?’
Robbins’s brow furrowed. ‘What do you want to know?’
‘You were in the military. Is that correct?’
‘I was. Twenty years in the Royal Marines.’
‘And did you see active combat?’
‘Three tours of Afghanistan and two of Iraq.’
‘That must have been pretty hairy at times,’ said Phillips.
Robbins took a drink of his coffee before cradling the cup in both hands, his heavily tattooed wrist once more on show. ‘It was. I lost a lot of good friends out there.’
‘Are you still in touch with anyone from your regiment?’
‘Through Facebook and social media, but not much else. A lot of the guys stayed down near the base in Plymouth, but I decided to move back north. I’m from Leeds and my wife’s a Manc. She missed her family, and after dragging her around the world for so many years, I thought it was only fair we lived where she wanted to, for a change.’
‘You’re still married?’
‘Yes, to Liz, and we have two grown-up kids too – Sally and Mark.’
‘And how old are they?’
‘Sally’s seventeen. She’s just started at college. Mark is nineteen, and followed his old man into the Marines. He’s doing his commando training at the moment.’ Robbins’s wide grin oozed pride.
Jones scribbled in his pad as Phillips took a sip of coffee. ‘So when did you leave the military?’ she asked.
‘March 2015.’
‘What rank were you at that point?’
‘Warrant Officer, Class 1,’ said Robbins.
Phillips nodded. ‘Pretty senior, then?’
‘Yeah, and I was sorry to leave. I’d have stayed if they’d let me, but I’d done my time.’
‘So I’m assuming you receive a decent military pension, then, on top of your salary here?’
‘I do ok, yeah.’ Robbins placed his cup on the desk and leaned forwards. ‘Look, I don’t mean to be rude, but what do my family and finances have to do with all this?’
Phillips flashed a smile. ‘Just standard background stuff, John.’
‘Ok. In that case, why is the GMP interested in my background?’
‘Well. We have reason to believe that the men who took Hollie had military training—’
‘What? And you think I was involved?’
‘That’s not what I’m saying—’
‘No, but it’s what you’re thinking, isn’t it?’
Phillips paused for a moment as Robbins’s face reddened.
‘I’m a decorated war veteran with kids of my own. I could never do anything to endanger a child.’
Robbins seemed genuine enough, but Phillips had been in this game long enough to reserve judgement at this stage of an investigation. ‘Look, John, we’re not saying you were involved in Hollie’s kidnapping, but as I mentioned the other night, we have to check every angle in order to eliminate people from our enquiries.’
Robbins nodded, but appeared unconvinced.
Phillips changed tack. ‘What can you tell us about Sam Cartwright?’
‘What do you want to know?’
‘When we spoke on the night Hollie was taken, you told us she was an ex-combat medic.’
‘That’s right.’
‘Did you know her before she came to work at Marstons?’
Robbins shook his head. ‘No. I’d never met her until she came for the interview.’
‘Have you ever had any issues with her work?’
‘None whatsoever. She’s a first-rate operative.’
‘I see,’ said Phillips. ‘Do you know if she stayed in touch with anyone from her regiment?’
‘I don’t. To be honest, I’ve never asked her. Keeps herself to herself. She comes to work, does her shift and goes home. Aside from a quick “Hello” when she comes in to pick up her radio and keys, I rarely speak to her.’
‘Have you noticed anything different in her behaviour since the night Hollie was taken?’
‘Nothing,’ said Robbins.
‘We’ll need to talk to her, of course. When is she next on shift?’
‘She’s in now.’