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Bowness shrugged. ‘You can understand why I didn’t mention it. And it was linseed oil I could smell really. But my dad used the stuff to condition his cricket bat, so that’s where the association came from.’
Poe didn’t respond.
‘Told you it was nothing.’
‘Maybe not, Detective Constable Robert Bowness,’ Bradshaw said. ‘Of all the senses, smell has the longest evolutionary history. It goes back to how single-celled organisms interacted with their surrounding chemicals. It explains why we have over one thousand types of smell receptors but only four light sensors. It’s the only sense that bypasses the thalamus. Scents go straight to the brain’s olfactory bulb, which is directly connected to the amygdala and the hippocampus. It’s why smells trigger such detailed memories and emotions.’
Bowness stared at her in surprise. Poe saw his expression change as understanding dawned on him. ‘You’re Tilly Bradshaw,’ he said.
‘I am very pleased to meet you, Detective Constable Robert Bowness.’
‘We didn’t know you were involved as well. The chief inspector’s going to be bloody thrilled about this.’
‘That’s nice,’ Bradshaw said.
‘This linseed oil,’ Poe said, ‘did anyone else notice it?’
‘If they did, they didn’t say. Do you think it’s important?’
‘I don’t see how it possibly can be.’
Bowness shrugged. ‘You asked if there was anything I didn’t put in my report.’
‘I did, and thank you,’ Poe said. Something dawned on him, something he couldn’t share with the young detective. ‘Anyway, nice to meet you, Robert, but Tilly and I have a meeting we need to get to. Can you let Detective Chief Inspector Tai-young Lee know I’m up here?’
‘She’d sack me if I didn’t.’
‘Good man.’
After he’d gone, Bradshaw said, ‘What meeting are we going to, Poe? I have nothing in my e-diary.’
‘No meeting, Tilly, I just wanted rid of him.’
He unlocked the car and retrieved his phone from the glove box. He scrolled through his recent contacts, found the name he was looking for and pressed call.
‘How can I help you, Sergeant Poe?’ Doyle’s solicitor said.
‘When are you next due to visit, Estelle, Ania?’
‘Tomorrow morning. I have some documents for her to go through.’
‘And she’s allowed to keep legal documents in her cell, right?’
‘She is. And they’re privileged. The prison staff aren’t permitted to go through them.’
‘Would you be able to slip something in for me?’
‘What?’
‘Post-mortem reports from the case I’m working on. Estelle’s agreed to look at them.’
‘And why would I do that?’
‘I’d say because I’m out here trying to prove Estelle’s innocence, but she’s my friend and I’m going to do this even if you say no. And you know that.’
‘So, why should I?’
‘Because it’ll help her feel normal,’ Poe said. ‘It’s a madhouse in there. Last night the woman she’s padded up with almost killed herself with a toothbrush. I’m worried about her and I think having something to focus on will do her good.’
