Death and Deception (21 page)

‘Don’t be a numpty. If the guitar was in the house, then Jamie had to have been there with it, at the party. It’s corroborating evidence, isn’t it?’

Sam nodded at her. He didn’t want to destroy her excitement too early on, but Jamie had already admitted to being at the party. Still, she was making deductions, and that was good.

The sound of the music brought Mrs May unexpectedly up from the kitchen with tea and biscuits, which they drank and ate standing in the small room. Sam could see that Sandra May wasn’t a cold woman, just one who had been worn down, and who was worried sick about her son.

‘Mrs May, where are the clothes Jamie was wearing on Saturday night?’ Lizzie asked, eyes bright. Sam stared at her. What was she getting at?

The woman looked confused. ‘He was wearing black jeans, like he always does, a white tee shirt and his grey hoodie.’ She thought for a moment. ‘I think he must have come home when I was at work yesterday and got changed, though, because he was wearing his hoodie again when I saw him last night at the Police station.’

‘So what does he usually do with his dirty clothes? I can’t see any here in his room, which is weird if my brothers’ habits are anything to go by.’

Mrs May led them out to the small bathroom across the landing. There, on the top of a laundry basket under a stripy towel was a grey hoodie, some dirty jeans, a white tee shirt, socks and underwear.

‘Was this what he wore to go to the party on Saturday night?’

Sandra May nodded, ‘I think so. Course he came back late on Sunday night, and never came back on Monday night at all. That’s when I reported him missing, so that’s probably what he was wearing all weekend.’

Lizzie lifted the trousers off the pile and tried the pockets, then she tried the deeper pockets of the hoodie. There, squashed deep down in the right hand pocket, was a black ballet pump.

Date: Wednesday 26th
April Time:
10:44
Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital

Sally slid into the Audi next to Dan. She’d felt an inexplicable anger at her old Panda ever since she had borrowed the new Ford from the Pool the day before, and it had felt good to leave it behind in the car park. She’d have to speak to Paul when she got home about trading it in.

Dan didn’t start the engine straightaway. He half-turned in his seat and looked at her.

‘Sally, I just wanted to say how sorry I am that I didn’t tell you about what Ian and I were up to. I didn’t want to compromise you. I know you worked for Ian and for my predecessor for a long time. I suppose I want you to know that I’m not some sort of reckless idiot who goes off the rails all the time.’

She gave him a level stare. ‘First, you need to know that I had little time for Ian Gould. He pestered me when I was a young copper and ignored me when I got promotion. He was slack about paperwork, and if you really want to know about crazy recklessness, read his file. DCS Oliver got him off active duty and into the station as soon as she took over. He would have loved going out with you on a daring nocturnal mission, and he died the way he would have wanted. What on earth would he have done when he retired?’ She paused and shrugged. ‘There. Does that make you feel a bit better? Because we all need you to be at the top of your game at the moment, not feeling so guilty, you can’t think straight. He was a grown man. He’d have gone and broken in that night anyway, whether you were there or not.’

‘OK, ‘nuff said. Thanks, Sal.’ Dan cracked a rueful smile. ‘There’s just one more thing that I need you to know about, but I’d prefer it if you didn’t tell the others.’ Sally’s eyes widened. ‘The boss hasn’t just let me off. Ian wrote her a note before he died and took all the blame for the incident. But I still messed up, and I will have to face a disciplinary committee when this is over. Officially, I’m off the case and just assisting her. It means I need you or one of the other Sergeants with me on interviews, visits etc. OK?’

She nodded, subdued. ‘Right, let’s get over to the hospital and see who we can talk to.’

Claire Quick sat, fully dressed, on the side of the bed, her feet dangling a couple of inches above the polished linoleum. She’d had a shower and removed her head bandage. Her hair fell in a shiny drift tucked behind one ear, and her wrists were freshly wrapped. She was talking into her phone, so they waited. She seemed to be setting work for her classes.

Sally tucked her own untidy curls behind her ear and cast a glance at Dan. He seemed to be staring. He sat himself next to Claire on the bed, waving Sally into the single chair. Claire finished her call.

‘You look much better today,’ he said.

Sally noticed that Claire’s eyes were the most remarkable shade of green, like cats’ eyes. She really was rather attractive.

‘Feeling better, too
.
I’m being let out today.’ They smiled at each other.

Nothing like being a gooseberry, thought Sally. She introduced herself and took out her notebook ready to take down the teacher’s statement.

Dan stopped her. ‘I’ve had a better idea. Claire, why don’t you come back to the station with us and do it there? Then I can make sure you get home safely.’

Claire laughed, ‘Well, I gather there isn’t much left of my car. I was going to ask mum to collect me in her lunch break, but that would be fine if you can spare the time.’

‘I think we can spare the time, Sergeant, don’t you?’

‘Yes, sir, if you say so.’ Sally smiled. She had been watching the couple’s body language. Lots of eye contact. She smirked into her notebook, and drew a heart with an arrow through it.

‘I’m a little concerned about what might happen when I get back. Is Jamie still out and about?’ Claire tried to hide her worry under a smile, but Sally saw the tension in her shoulders and heard the wobble in her voice. ‘I’m no hero, Inspector. I’m terrified he’ll come after me once he knows I’m out of hospital.’

‘No,’ Dan replied, ‘please don’t worry. He was arrested and charged with assault and suspected kidnap yesterday. He is being detained for the meantime.’ He hesitated for a moment. ‘Claire, you need to know that he’s our main suspect for Carly’s murder, too.’

Her face lost its colour. ‘My God, I don’t understand what’s happening. Why would he kill Carly? I thought he loved Carly. Was he jealous of Miles?’ She flicked her eyes between the two officers and said, ‘That’s it, isn’t it? He found out about Miles and Carly and killed her.’ Her eyes filled with tears. ‘What will happen to him now?’

Dan glanced across at Sally. ‘He may not be the murderer at all,’ he said. ‘The evidence is looking bad for him, but it is all circumstantial. If he would talk to me, we could try to get to the truth. I do think he knows what went on, and he’s either shielding the murderer or is frightened that he is in danger, too. Unfortunately, if I have to charge him without his telling us anything about what happened, I don’t get another chance to speak to him before the trial.’ He shook his head. ‘It’s so frustrating. I really need him to open up and need him to do it today.’

Claire nodded. ‘I understand, but Jamie won’t respond to shouting or being told what to do. He’ll talk, I’m sure, but you have to give him space to say it in his own way. He must be in a terrible state, poor lad.’

Sally snorted. ‘Poor lad? That ‘poor lad’ assaulted you and kept you prisoner. Don’t feel too sorry for him.’

‘I know. I just feel this has all got out of hand. I can’t believe he killed Carly, even if he was jealous,’ She shook her head. ‘But what do I know? When I got up on Monday morning, I never thought I’d be sawing my way through ropes and crashing my car into a wall.’

Dan, reached out to touch her hand. ‘You’ve been incredibly brave, and we’ll do everything we can to get to the truth, Claire, I promise you that.’

She stared into his eyes and seemed to find the reassurance she was looking for.

‘I haven’t been discharged yet. Got to wait until the consultant comes arou
nd and signs me off. Hoping
I can go back to work in a couple of days. I hate having time off.’ She winced and yelped as she turned to grab her handbag.

‘Ribs sore?’

‘You could say that.’

‘Why don’t you just wait here? Sally and I have a couple of other people to see and we’ll call back for you later.’

‘Who?’ She was curious. ‘Who else is here? People to do with Carly?’

To Sally’s amazement, Dan took hold of Claire’s hand and told her about the suicide attempt. She was astonished not just because the DI was such a fast worker in the romantic stakes, but because he was discussing a major suspect with a major witness in the middle of a major case. Sally relaxed when it became clear that Westlake was a close friend of Claire’s, not just a colleague. It would be better for her to hear about Westlake from the Inspector now, than to watch it on the news later. So much for not breaking protocol. She would have to reassess her initial impressions of her new boss when she had a moment.

They left Claire Quick with tears in her eyes, trying to contact Westlake’s estranged wife, Sophie.

Their attempts to see the foreign gunman were thwarted by a terrifying sister in the Intensive Care Unit, who would tell them nothing more than that an operation had been carried out that morning. She did go so far as to tell them that the patient was stable and had regained consciousness. That fragments of bone had been removed from his brain and the bleeding had stopped. That there was no way of knowing how serious his injuries were until he was much better. That he would not be feeling much better at any point today.

Dan gave up arguing, got on the phone and arranged for someone to come and photograph and fingerprint him. He could at least distribute the details to Interpol and see if he was known in Europe. They stared through the glass window at the still figure, attached by a manacle to the metal railings of the bed. Shaven he
ad, cauliflower ear. Muscular,
not fat.

‘D’you know what I think, Sir?’

‘What? And just call me Dan. I don’t mind Boss, when we’re with the team, but I hate Sir. Except from junior staff, of course.’ He put on a posh accent. ‘One has certain standards to maintain.’

‘Sure thing, Sir.’ She glanced across at him, winking. ‘I reckon he’s a boxer. Maybe we could find out more by looking on the boxing websites, especially the international ones.’

‘You’re a genius, Sally. There may just be something in that.’

She felt herself blush. First bit of praise felt good.

The officer on guard duty stood as they left the ward. Dan stopped for a word. ‘The guy’s out cold, so I’m not worried about him escaping, but you need to keep an eye out for anyone visiting this end of the corridor. And I mean anyone. Don’t say anything to them, just get onto hospital security straight away and apprehend them. Understood?’ The young officer stood to attention as they left.

They clattered up another two flights of stairs and along another interminable corridor to the side ward where they found Chas Lloyd attempting to drink from a cup through a straw. She seemed delighted to see Dan and reached out a hand towards him. He took her hand, sat on the bed and gave her a peck on the cheek.

Blimey, thought Sally, he’s got another one.

This time, Dan introduced her and took a moment to explain to Sally what had happened the night before, and how she had tried to save his life. He left out the part where Chas had sold him out to Jed Abrams, but she didn’t. Although weak from anaesthetic, Chas was clear-headed.

‘I wasn’t brave, Sergeant. I told Jed about Dan going to the studio. I feel so bad about it. When I realised that stupid Latvian had a gun, I just went mad. I thought he’d shot Dan.’ She hung on to his hand, fighting back tears. ‘Jed and I just thought he was going to frighten you off, to get you away from the studio, not shoot you. Did…did the other policeman die?’

‘Of a heart attack, late last night. The bullet went through his lung. We got the shooter.’

He gave her a moment to absorb the news. ‘So, they’re a Latvian gang?’

She looked up at him. ‘I’m so sorry, Dan. They gave me two grand for grassing you up.’ She broke off and tears filled her eyes again, spilling over her cheeks. Sally passed her tissues pulled from her bag. ‘Not much use to me, now, is it?’

‘Was the operation a success this morning?’ said Sally.

Chas blinked back tears and whispered, ‘They don’t know yet. I can’t feel anything below my waist but the doctor says it can take weeks or even months for the nerve endings to knit back together. They seem happy with the result. I, well, I just don’t know.’ She broke down again. Sally handed over more tissues.

‘Sorry. I’m so sorry. I feel like a right idiot.’ She blew her nose and sniffed. ‘I’m going home to Cardiff in a week or so. They have a great rehab centre in the hospital apparently.’ She wiped her eyes. ‘So I guess I won’t be seeing much of you, then.’ She peered up at Dan, hope and need writ loud on her puffy, tear-streaked face.

‘I’ll pop in and see you again before you go. Sergeant Ellis will take your statement now, if you are up to it. We know Abrams was up to no good, so it will be better for you if you tell us everything you know about his dealings with the Latvians. Alright?’

Sally watched Chas gulp down the last of her drink and observed her internal struggle as she panicked over what to say. It would be interesting to see if she finally told the truth about Jed Abrams. She was sure Chas was more scared of the Latvians than she was of Dan, Abrams, too. She had a feeling they would have to wait until they got her into court to get the truth out of her.

As Sally prepared to take the girl’s statement, Dan stood.

‘I need to pay my respects to Ian,’ he said. ‘Sally, I’ll see you back at Claire’s ward in half an hour.’ He let go of Chas’s hand and went out of the room.

In the corridor, Dan felt like a total bastard. He’d intended to walk away anyway, but to leave her helpless like this, felt cruel, even if she had put his life in danger and caused the death of his colleague. But sometimes you have to hold the line.