Death on High (The Lakeland Murders) (11 page)

‘Not so far, that’s correct.’

‘And do you have hopes of locating them?’

‘Not really, no. We think that the artic they were loaded on didn’t move them far, and that the tractors have since been containerised for later export.’

Hall thought that Gorham looked pleased about that.

‘So all we know for certain after this is that Ben Brockbank is active, which we already knew anyway. We’re also going to have to explain to the garage owner, and his insurance company, why we allowed his property to be stolen from right under our noses.’

‘With respect, we have made progress’ said Hall. ‘First, we know that the theft from that same garage three months ago was almost certainly the work of Brockbank and his associates, and that he has a fairly sophisticated export mechanism in place. We also know who is doing at least the local haulage. The rig they used is registered to a small agricultural haulage business called A G Cartmel and Sons, and it’s run by David Cartmel. He’s new to us, other than a red diesel prosecution at the time of the foot-and-mouth outbreak. Hauliers had it tough then, for obvious reasons, so the courts were lenient with him.’

‘More fool them’ said Val Gorham firmly. ‘But what I want to clarify, Sergeant Mann, is whether we are making any progress in establishing the identities of other, more senior figures in this organisation. Who is the brains behind what Brockbank and Cartmel are doing?’

‘I’m not certain that there are any, ma’am. It’s possible that Brockbank is running the whole operation.’

‘Really Sergeant, you disappoint me. Are you seriously suggesting that a farm labourer from the back of beyond is organising a sophisticated criminal conspiracy and export operation?’

Hall answered before Mann could. Judging from Mann’s expression it was a good decision.

‘What Ian is saying, Val, is that it’s too early to say. Brockbank is clearly an intelligent individual, irrespective of where he lives or what he does, and we can see that from the cautious way that he has started to integrate Ian into the operation. We need to be cautious, and give Ian time to bed in with Brockbank.’

‘Even if that means that DS Mann is an active participant in further criminal activity?’

‘Within reason, yes. In my view we need to keep our eye on the prize here.’

‘Is that why you didn’t put a car on Sergeant Mann? Some would say that was reckless.’

‘I’d say just the opposite’ said Hall. Yet somehow his even tone suggested that he was agreeing with Gorham. ‘First, I would probably have put Ian at risk, especially if Brockbank hasn’t decided if he’s trustworthy as yet, and second what would we have done if we had been able to track that low-loader after the robbery? If we’d stopped it and recovered those tractors then Ian would have been blown for sure.’

Val Gorham was making notes. After a few seconds she looked up.

‘Moving on to another matter, I understand that you are intending to seek to infiltrate Spedding’s group using DEFRA stock-movement paperwork.’

‘That’s right ma’am’ said Mann. ‘I’ve developed a very slight acquaintance with Spedding already, but given the time constraints we do feel that we need to force the issue. He’s cautious, watchful like. So the plan is to offer him the paperwork, in return for an opportunity to get involved in his operations.’

‘Has the CPS cleared this strategy?’

‘Yes’ said Hall. ‘The local office referred up and they came back to me today. They’re happy for us to proceed, so long as Ian doesn’t explicitly incite them to commit theft of livestock.’

‘And you’re clear about that, Sergeant?’

‘Quite clear, ma’am.’

‘Very well, but the Chief asked me to pass on this message to you all.’ Val Gorham turned and looked at Robinson. ‘This operation can’t result in nothing more than us providing, at the taxpayer’s expense, a criminal’s sidekick. So the more you allow DS Mann here to become deeply involved with criminal activity then the more we expect you to deliver in terms of high status, high level members of the conspiracy for prosecution. At the moment the ledger reads as follows: on the positive side we have two low-level criminals, on the negative we have lost three expensive pieces of machinery. And the Chief asked me to make it clear to you, as a group, that we are already overdrawn.’

Hall spent the rest of the afternoon with Ian Mann and Ray Dixon, as they planned exactly how they’d proceed with Spedding. It was agreed that Ian would contact Dixon as soon as he spotted Spedding and his crew again, and that Ray would then bring the documents up. Ideally they’d still be in the pub when Ray arrived.

‘But what should I do when I’ve got them?’ asked Mann. ‘Offer them to Spedding straight away, while Ray is still there, or do it another time? If I do it then they’re bound to want to talk to Ray.’

‘If you’re willing Ray, I’d like Ian to do it while you’re still there’ said Hall. ‘If you borrow a briefcase from one of the DEFRA folks, and make sure there are a few live files in it, then that would be good. Make sure that your specialism is something obscure, like biodiversity in our lakes and rivers or something, and Google the names of a few species under threat. The arctic char, or even the vendace maybe. I think they were stuck here after the last ice age.’

‘Just like my in-laws’ said Dixon.

Hall laughed, and made the sound of a cymbal being struck, with a gesture to match. ‘Are you sure you’re up for all this cloak-and-dagger stuff Ray? It’s strictly voluntary you know.’

Dixon looked slightly hurt, and Mann wasn’t sure he’d ever seen that look before.

‘Of course I’ll do it boss. By the time I’m in that pub there’ll be no-one who knows more about the Lakeland kipper or whatever you call it. I’ll be convincing, don’t you worry about that.’

When Jane’s shift was over she glanced across at Hall’s door. Ian and Ray were still in there, and she heard occasional laughter. She wondered briefly what it was about. Jane lifted her phone to call Ed Willis to set up a meeting for the next day, but then decided to go round unannounced. His office was only a five minute drive from her house anyway.

When she reached his office he was just locking the outside door, but he opened it again when he saw her and they went back inside. Jane noticed that it was rather cold.

‘What can I do for you? Is it about Tony again?’

‘Yes. I wanted to check something with you. We understand that Tony might have been having an affair. Do you think that’s correct?’

Willis pulled a face. ‘Ah’ he said.

‘So he was having an affair?’

‘I think so, yes. I only noticed in the month or two before he died, but he was getting lots of texts, and brief phone calls. Sometimes he used to go out into the car park to take them, even when it was pouring down.’

‘Did he mention a name?’

‘No, I’m pretty sure he never did. I’m certain in fact. Tony never struck me as an especially secretive person, but maybe he just hadn’t had anything to hide before. And of course it would have been a big deal for him, what with the church and everything.’

‘Did you get the impression that this woman was from his church?’

‘I doubt that. As far as I gathered from Tony they’re not keen on quite a few things, and I’m pretty sure that ‘adultery’ was pretty close to being the first entry in the ‘thou shalt not’ column. Myself, I’m inclined to take a more lenient view.’

Jane ignored Willis’s last remark. She was almost done anyway.

‘Can you remember anything at all that might help us to identify this person?’

Willis took his time.

‘I’m sorry, I can’t. As I say, as soon as she called he’d leave the room, or else keep it very short.’

Jane nodded, and turned to leave. Willis flicked off the lights, and she heard him locking the door behind her as she walked back to her car. And at that moment she made a decision. She would discover who this other woman was, and she didn’t give a damn what Andy Hall or Superintendent Robinson said about it.

Thursday, 28th February.

Ian Mann was getting to know Spedding’s routine, and sure enough he and a couple of his crew were in when Mann walked in the King’s Head at lunchtime. Spedding nodded as Mann walked to the bar. Mann drank his pint, played a game of pool with one of the regulars, and left. Five minutes later Ray Dixon was on his way north, although he stopped for a take-away at the drive-through as he left Kendal. He ate as he drove, and when he’d finished he threw the bag into the passenger footwell, and wiped his hands on his trousers. Round his neck he had a DEFRA badge in the name of Ray Turner, and his briefcase even had some cards carrying his email address and phone extension. As he drove he felt pretty confident, until the indigestion kicked in. ‘Why do I always have the large chips?’ he asked himself, out loud.

He parked in the car park beneath Carlisle’s city walls, left his work mobile and warrant card in the glovebox, and noticed the CCTV cameras as he walked to the pub. Hadn’t he read somewhere that there were more cameras per head in Britain than anywhere else? If he was a working criminal he’d certainly be very aware of them anyway. Maybe that was the attraction of nicking stuff out in the countryside, because unless you were unlucky there’d be no all-seeing eyes watching you. But it still all sounded like hard work to Dixon.

He thought through how he’d behave in the pub. He needed to come across as cautious, watchful, and a bit out of his depth. He wondered briefly how he might do that, and decided that his best bet would be to say as little as possible. When he reached the pub he quickly checked that nothing gave away his identity, then he pushed open the door. The air smelled warm, moist and slightly sweet. Ian was sitting at a table under the window at the front, well away from Spedding but in clear line of sight. Ray noticed that there were two men with Spedding. The main thing was that he was still there. Dixon could still taste the grease from his chips, and he was already starting to sweat.

Ian got up as he approached, shook hands and asked him what he was drinking. Then Dixon sat bolt upright, with his briefcase on his lap, until Mann came back. Suddenly he wasn’t having to play at being nervous. Mann took his time looking at the documents, and slipping him an envelope with the £100 that he’d got from Brockbank inside. Dixon thought it was a nice touch, and put it into his briefcase.

‘Just sit tight while I go talk to Spedding. If I beckon to you, come over.’

Dixon sipped his soft drink, and tried not to watch Mann. He’d walked up to Spedding’s table, they’d spoken for a few seconds, and now Mann was sitting with them. Dixon thought he saw Mann push the file containing the forms across the table, but he wasn’t sure.

Spedding was indeed looking at the forms.

‘These straight?’

‘Yeh.’

Spedding had the sort of face that probably always looked suspicious, but he seemed to be on full alert now.

‘Why are you showing them to me? They’re very interesting, but what makes you think I’d have any use for them? Nearest I get to livestock is when it’s on my plate with a bit of mint sauce.’

Ian knew that what he said next was crucial, and he had his doubts about it.

‘You’ve got a big reputation round here Mr Spedding. Couple of people have mentioned your name. They told me that you might be interested in this sort of stuff.’

‘What people?’

‘I don’t tell tales.’

‘Where does this stuff come from then?’

Mann gestured over his shoulder. Spedding knew exactly who Mann was pointing out. Because the last time a briefcase had been seen in that pub was when the bailiffs had been round.

‘Why’d he give them to you?’

‘Money, among other reasons.’

Spedding smiled. He liked the sound of the other reasons.

‘He got a name?’

‘You want to have a chat? I told him you might.’

‘Yeh, get him over here. But you marrer, you get off home. I’ll be in touch when I want you. Where did you say you live again?’

‘I didn’t. 17, Infirmary Street.’

‘And what do you want for this.’ Spedding tapped the folder.

‘What I paid for it, plus the chance to help you out sometime.’

‘How much you pay?’

‘A ton.’

Spedding smiled, and tapped the folder. ‘You must have something pretty good on your little friend over there then. Just out of interest, you got any experience handling animals?’

‘No, but I’ve got quite plenty with humans.’

Spedding looked at him for a long moment, then gestured for Mann to go. He walked back to his table. Mann spoke fast and softly.  ‘He wants to talk to you. You don’t know his name, and I’ve got something on you, but you won’t tell him what it is. He wants me out while he talks to you. And don’t come round to the house after.’

Ray Dixon got up when he heard the outside door closing behind Mann. He walked slowly over to Spedding’s table.