DEAD BAD a gripping crime mystery full of twists Page 17

  “We’ve got the CCTV footage from the hospital through,” Rocco said. “I’ve had a look, but I can’t make up my mind. It was dark, and raining. The killer chose his spot well. The light was out in that section of the car park, so the video is full of shadows.”

  “See if the tech boys can clean it up,” Calladine said. “This case has gone on long enough. We’re making no headway at all.”

  “At least we now know that the two cases are linked somehow,” Ruth said. “And that link has something to do with you.”

  “You may be wrong.”

  “You had to be got out of the way for some reason. Knowing the details of the Norbury case would do it,” she said.

  He shrugged. “I don’t see why. All I recall is a few disjointed facts. That’s no reason to drag me off and keep me prisoner.”

  “This case is complicated. It’s a real puzzle, and you’re in there somewhere,” Ruth said.

  “Inspector Calladine! Are you alright? Not hurt again, I hope.” DCI Birch entered the incident room. “I’ve just listened to your message — very worrying. The kidnappers have obviously not given up. How are your family doing?”

  “I’ve asked for increased monitoring of Eve Buckley’s house, and for Ruth’s Harry. As for the others — Zoe, my daughter is on holiday, and the rest of the Buckley family, I can hardly lock them all away.”

  “Tell them to be careful,” she said and turned to leave.

  “Want to tell us what happened?” Ruth wasn’t about to be fobbed off. She had that look on her face. “Has Harry been threatened again. You should have told me straight away.”

  Calladine sighed. “Someone came up behind me on my street last night and warned me off. Told me to drop the charges against Newton.”

  “I’m betting there was an or else. There was, wasn’t there?” She stared at him.

  “He threatened my family as well this time.”

  “And you have no idea who it was?”

  He shook his head. “No. I only caught a glimpse of him running away.”

  “Do we speak to Newton again?” Rocco asked.

  “We’ll have another go at Flake this morning. A night in the cells might have loosened his tongue.”

  “Sir!” Alice looked up from her desk. “I think I might have found something. There is an entry in the evidence log that looks a bit suspect. I’ve been sitting here trying to decide if it’s been altered in some way.” She handed the book to Calladine. “The entry dated the fifth. See?”

  The entry was handwritten in ink, an untidy scrawl.

  “I can’t even make out the signature,” said Calladine. “It looks to me as if it’s been partly erased and overwritten.”

  “That’s what I thought. I can’t make out what the listed item was, either. But it could be the contact lens.”

  Calladine squinted at the entry from all angles, but he couldn’t make it out. “Julian might be able to help. Failing him, try the tech boys again.” He handed it back to Alice. “Get it sorted as soon as. We need the information quickly.”

  “If someone on the Norbury case did tamper with evidence, what then?” asked Ruth. “What does it even mean?”

  “I have no idea. Let’s see if we can get this cleaned up first.”

  * * *

  Calladine and Rocco sat opposite Andy Prior — Flake, as he was known on the streets.

  “We’ve got your mate worried,” Calladine said. “I think we know the name of his big boss.”

  Flake shrugged. “So?”

  “Terrified of the man, isn’t he? The boss finds out, he’ll be coming after him. You too, just to make sure.”

  “You’re bluffing, trying to scare me. Well, I’ve no idea who Newt’s boss is. He never told me. Reckoned he couldn’t.”

  “Liked his privacy, didn’t he, this big man. Why do you reckon that was, Flake?”

  He shrugged again.

  Calladine leaned forward. “I think it was because he didn’t want anyone to know his identity. I think this big boss is someone we’d all recognise. And he doesn’t want that. He wants his reputation to stay squeaky clean. Anything goes wrong, he’s got the likes of you and Newt to take what’s coming.”

  “I’ve done nothing. I don’t see why I should take the blame. You have to let me go.”

  “You’ll be charged, Andy. You’re guilty of manufacturing drugs, being party to a kidnap, plus a list of other stuff. We can only help you if you help us. First, tell me about the guns.”

  Flake appeared to wrestle with this. Eventually, he sighed. “You’ll have to protect me, even inside. It won’t be safe for me anywhere if I talk to you.”

  Calladine nodded.

  “Newt got them from his boss and gave them out. Dane Hamilton must have got one, and that silly sod, Henry Johns. Newt gave him one for a laugh.”

  “And you? Do you have one?”

  “No. All I’ve done is deal the drugs. Newt told me to watch that factory up in the hills. But everything was okay. There was no need to hang around.”

  “Do you have any idea who Newt’s boss is?” Calladine said. “It’s important. If we are to stop this, we need to know.”

  “He wouldn’t tell me. Said I was safer that way. But from the car he drove, I’d say he had money.”

  “Do you know who injured my colleague? Someone drove a car at him. He’s got serious injuries.”

  The lad hung his head. “Not me. That was down to Newt. It was supposed to keep you lot busy while the drugs job was going on. He torched the car and dumped it by the reservoir.”

  * * *

  Calladine and Rocco walked back down the corridor. “We’ll give Newton a little longer to stew, and then we’ll have another go at him,” Calladine said. “Once he knows Flake’s spoken to us, he might see sense. And get uniform up the reservoir. They should find the car that hit Long up there. It was burnt out, but you never know, forensics might still give us something. Right now, I need a lever to use on Danny Newton.”

  Ruth looked up from her computer. “While you two were interviewing, I took the liberty of looking a little closer at Erskine’s business,” she said. “It is in trouble. Miles Erskine has taken out a couple of large bank loans recently. He’s made his backers nervous.”

  “Where are his offices?” Calladine asked.

  “The industrial park off the bypass, between here and Oldston. His firm built the place some years ago. Back then, his business was booming.” Ruth picked up a sheaf of documents. “I’ve got the latest company financial report and some newspaper clippings.”

  Calladine leafed through them. He’d never met Erskine and had no idea what he even looked like. “This him? The bloke in the expensive suit?”

  Ruth nodded. “The others are members of his board. I’ve done a quick check on the names and all of them are spotless. The woman standing next to Erskine is his accountant. She’s also a member of Erskine Construction’s board of directors, and a friend of his.”

  Calladine stared at the image. He could hardly believe his eyes. “I know this woman, Ruth. I’ve met her recently.”

  “She’s local. Says there she lives in Lowermill.”

  Calladine shook his head, frowning. “That’s not where I met her. We met in Scotland, at Moortop Manse. She was the woman who was supposed to look after me. I remember her distinctive eyes.”

  Ruth looked at him and grinned. “This is our way in! It gives us our reason to go round there and start digging.”

  Calladine was already writing names on the incident board. The woman was called Joanna Fox. She and Erskine were now persons of interest.

  Chapter 35

  “Want me to come with you?” Ruth asked.

  “No. You’re coming with me tonight. The chances are both Erskine and this woman will be there, so we’ll keep you in the background for now. I’ll take Rocco. In the meantime, find out all you can about Miles Erskine. His background, where his money came from, and his family life. Do it fast, and dig deep. I want the dirt.�
��

  This was indeed a breakthrough. There was now every chance that they’d be able to apprehend the woman who’d been party to his kidnapping and imprisonment in Scotland.

  Calladine and Rocco set out for Erskine’s.

  “So, what’s our reason for seeing them?” Rocco asked.

  “Initially, I want to speak to Joanna Fox. I’m also going to ask Erskine if he knows Newton.”

  “This is all very well,” said Rocco, “but it’s all about the drugs. That’s important, yes, but aren’t we in danger of allowing the murders to take a back seat?”

  Rocco had a point. Julian hadn’t got back to them about the DNA yet, and there was still the CCTV to wade through. The fact of the matter was, Calladine was fearful for his family’s safety. Somewhere down the line, the two cases were linked. He had to hope that the connection would soon reveal itself.”

  “Could Erskine be our killer?” Rocco said. “That would fit, wouldn’t it? He was around back then, when the first murders took place. He was wealthy, powerful. He’d have known people who could sort things for him.”

  “You’re talking the missing evidence?” Calladine said.

  “That and the possible fitting up of Norbury.”

  Calladine would have to think about that one. But he wasn’t dismissing it out of hand. From where they were with the case at the moment, Erskine was ideally placed.

  The receptionist was cool. In fact she was icy. “You should have made an appointment. Mr Erskine doesn’t see people without one.”

  “He’ll see us.” Calladine smiled at her and showed his badge. “Now ring his office and tell him we’re here.”

  Reluctantly, she did as she was told. Minutes later, the two detectives were gliding up to the top floor in a padded lift.

  Miles Erskine was sitting at his desk. He gestured to two chairs facing him. “Sit down, gentlemen. Tell me, what can I do for you?”

  He was all smiles, charming, geared to impress, from the vast office to the tailored suit and smooth manners. Erskine was in his late fifties. His hair was dark, just showing the first signs of greying at the temples. He was a tall, well-built man who obviously kept himself in shape. He certainly looked the part of a successful businessman.

  Calladine took a seat. “A couple of things. Do you know a young man called Danny Newton?”

  “No, I don’t believe I do. Why? Should I?” His gaze was steady. Not a flicker.

  “That depends, Mr Erskine. We currently have him in custody. So far, he hasn’t mentioned you, but others have. Some of them think the two of you have a business arrangement. It’s that arrangement that interests me.”

  Erskine laughed. “I don’t recognise the name, so there’s no arrangement, as you put it. Whoever’s been talking to you has got it wrong. Why do you ask?”

  Calladine smiled broadly. “Call it a hunch.” He took the newspaper clipping from his pocket. “Do you know this woman?”

  “You know I do,” Erskine said. “It’s plain enough in the article. Joanna is a member of my board. She works in this very building.”

  “Is she around?”

  “Joanna is an accountant. Her office is on the floor below this one.”

  Calladine turned to Rocco, sitting quietly beside him. “Would you mind asking her to join us?”

  Erskine didn’t look quite so affable anymore. “What’s this all about? Exactly what do you think we’ve done?”

  His tone gave him away. He was angry now. If they hadn’t been police, Calladine was in no doubt that he’d have had them thrown out.

  “I’m busy compiling a list of certain misdemeanours,” Calladine said, “top of which at the moment, as far as you and Ms Fox are concerned, is kidnap and drug dealing. Dealing on a large scale, I should add. That means the entire process, from manufacture to the selling of the stuff on the streets. But that’s not all. I’m also looking into an attempted murder and two other killings.”

  Erskine stood up. “You’re mad! You have some nerve, coming in here and spouting this rubbish. What proof do you have?”

  Calladine smiled. “None at all.” He was goading the man. “But I’m sure that’ll change pretty soon. I wonder how Newton will feel when he’s taking the rap for your crimes too? I bet he doesn’t stay quiet for long.”

  “I want you to leave now, or I’ll call security. You’re not welcome here now, or at any time in the future. You can’t come in here and fling these imaginary accusations at me!”

  The office door opened and Joanna Fox entered, followed by Rocco. When she spotted Calladine, she gasped, and tried to turn back. Rocco blocked her path.

  Calladine nodded at her. “We meet again. Hope your journey back from Ullapool wasn’t as tedious as mine.”

  “I, I don’t know what you mean,” she stammered.

  “What is this about, Inspector? What do you think Joanna has done?” Erskine asked.

  “She was party to a kidnapping. That kidnapping involved a certain amount of violence. And I was the victim.”

  Erskine laughed again, shaking his head. “I hardly think that is probable.”

  “You’re wrong. The house I was taken to will provide all the proof we need. Ms Fox’s DNA, as well as mine, will be all over the place.” He turned to her with a smile. “You do yourself no favours if you choose to deny your part in this.”

  “Miles! You can’t let this happen.”

  “I’m afraid he has no choice in the matter,” Calladine said. “You, Ms Fox, are coming down to the station with us. We want you to answer some questions.”

  “Miles? Get me a solicitor! Someone who knows his stuff.” She looked at Calladine. “I don’t know how you found me, but it won’t get you anywhere.”

  “That’s where we differ. I happen to think it will,” Calladine said.

  “Joanna is right. You’re wasting your time. I’ll have her out before the end of the day,” Erskine said.

  “We’ll see. Rocco, escort Ms Fox down to the car.”

  Calladine turned to Erskine. “Should you decide to see reason, and want to talk to me, here’s my card.” He tossed it onto the gleaming desk.

  * * *

  As soon as they were back at the station, Calladine went for a word with Rhona Birch and told her where things stood.

  “Given it was me who was kidnapped, I can’t interview the woman. Her solicitor would have us on that one. Joanna Fox is a tough cookie. She won’t simply roll over and tell us the truth, so we need a really seasoned interrogator. We also need the results from the forensic team that examined that house. Once we have proper evidence, we’ll have got her. Whether she confesses or not, the CPS will agree to prosecute.”

  “Okay,” Birch said, “I’ll speak to her myself. I’ll do the interview with DC Rockliffe. I’ll get onto the station in Ullapool and get them to email me the report pronto. We will need a sample of Joanna Fox’s DNA to cross match. What did you make of Erskine?”

  “I got the impression he rules his domain with an iron fist, so much so that no one’ll say anything against him. Newton is terrified of him. Even locked up in prison, Norbury went in fear of his life. If Erskine is at the bottom of this, he has some reach.”

  Chapter 36

  “The man’s a mystery,” Ruth said. She swivelled her office chair round to face Joyce. “I’ve been sitting at this computer for over an hour, and what have I discovered about Erskine? A big fat nothing. Other than that he’s self-made, and dragged himself up from poverty, which we knew anyway.”

  Joyce smiled. “Where’s Alice when you need her?”

  Ruth checked her watch. “She’s gone to the Duggan and then she’s going to find Doc Hoyle. See if he can recall anything about the missing contact lens she’s been going on about.”

  “DI Calladine?”

  “He’s earwigging on the interview. Birch is taking Joanna Fox to task over the kidnapping. Rocco’s in with her. Tom can’t get involved, since he was the victim.”

  “Doesn’t Erskine have a fami
ly?” Joyce said. “Isn’t there a marriage registered somewhere?”

  “Not as far as I can see. Which is odd, don’t you think? A man like him, purporting to be your model upstanding citizen. You’d expect a glamorous wife, and kids.”

  “Mr Mystery then. You’ve got your work cut out.”

  Ruth turned back to her computer. She couldn’t believe there was nothing at all out there about this man. “I’d wondered about a name change, but I’ve found his birth certificate. He was born in Oldston. No siblings. That’s about the lot though. Hang on a minute. What’s this?” Ruth was looking at an old police record she’d found. “Aha! He was a known associate of Ray Fallon’s. Now we’re getting somewhere. Erskine was never arrested or even cautioned, but he was close to Fallon for a long while. They don’t say what the nature of that relationship was.”

  “DI Calladine might have something to suggest in that case,” Joyce said. “Isn’t Fallon’s wife doing time in prison?”

  Calladine came into the incident room. He wasn’t looking happy. “Joanna Fox has admitted being at the house in Scotland.”

  “That’s good, isn’t it?” Ruth said. “It means you’ve got her.”

  “She played it very cool. Said she had no idea what was going on, just that she’d been asked to keep house and look after me for a few days. Joanna Fox reckons she was threatened like I was. She did say she was very well paid for her time, but she has no idea who by! The bloody woman didn’t mention Erskine once.”

  “That can’t be right. She’s playing games. She knows who sent her up there alright. I’m surprised Birch didn’t get more out of her.”

  “It wasn’t for want of trying, Ruth. But Fox had a solicitor who was as sharp as a razor.”

  “What now?” Ruth asked.

  “She’s been charged with kidnapping. The victim, yours truly. Let’s see her wriggle out of that. Given time to consider her position, she may decide to tell us about Erskine.”

  “I’ve been trying to find out about Erskine,” Ruth said. “There’s precious little, no family details or anything. But there is one glimmer of hope.”