Never Return

by Stephen Barnes

  “No. Some of the students on my course suspected I was up to no good but they had their own extramural activities.”

  *

  “If Michael was a regular visitor to Long Malden, Louise must have met him at some point,” Turnbull commented in the room next door. “And if she was Carl’s boyfriend, she would have known all about Eddie’s drugs business.”

  “Yeah. She’d know everything,” Curtis agreed.

  “You’re assuming Eddie’s telling the truth about Louise and Carl. You can’t be certain,” Marsh said.

  “The solicitor may have been trying to protect them,” Turnbull suggested.

  “All we know for certain is that Eddie sacked him,” Marsh stated. “Now he’s free to implicate them and lessen his own guilt.”

  “You could be right,” Turnbull admitted. “His mother told him he was the rightful heir to the title then she burst his bubble. He may be trying to set her up. Payback for the false hope.”

  *

  “If you were looking for a chance to escape from Carl, surely the move to Belgium was the perfect opportunity. Why did you return so quickly and pick up where you left off with him?” Evans asked.

  “I’d had to claim the drugs I was caught with were for personal use,” Eddie replied. “Mother was paying my academy fees so they had to tell her about it. She arranged for me to go to Belgium for treatment and I decided to go along with it but as I had no addiction to treat, I couldn’t stay at the clinic. I had no way of supporting myself in Brussels so I came back and recovered the cash I’d stashed in Hull. But trying to escape from Carl would have been futile so I decided to move to Thorbury. I knew about the subway and I did a deal to rent unit twelve for cash. When the lab was set up, I was able to start supplying Michael again.”

  “How much cash was stashed in Hull?” Hinton asked.

  “About twenty grand. It was hidden in the house I’d rented.”

  “And where have you been living in Thorbury?”

  “I have a furnished flat on the south side of town. It’s in Portside Mansions, on the edge of the Portside Estate. Flat 108 to be precise. Those flats are often sub-let for cash. It’s hardly luxury but I’d have been out of there once I’d found a way to launder my income. All I have is cash. There’s nothing in my bank account. Officially, I don’t have a penny to my name.”

  “Did you run a sideline in Thorbury?” Hinton asked.

  “Michael set one up after I returned from Belgium but that attracted too much attention and by the time he arrived at the university we were fearing for our lives.”

  “So who shot Simeon and Michael?” Evans asked.

  “It could have been any of the local dealers.”

  “Including the man in the tunnel?”

  “Like I said, it could have been anyone.”

  “We’ll come back to that,” Hinton said. “We know your mother told you recently about Tom’s true parentage. That must have come as a shock.”

  “It was exiting news. I thought I’d become the Earl of Thorbury without a hitch but she told me it might not be that simple.”

  “And you didn’t want to wait?”

  “No but I had other things to think about.”

  “Such as?”

  “When mother told me I was the true heir, I’d been planning to renew the arrangement at unit twelve but after Simeon was shot, I couldn’t be sure how safe it was so I decided to move out.”

  “You moved out before Michael was killed?”

  “I’d begun the process.”

  “Did you move the lab to the hall?” Evans asked.

  “Yes, after the police had left.”

  “When you lost access to unit twelve, you would have needed another way in and out of the hall.”

  “That’s right. I looked at a number of possibilities but the best option was the old carriage entrance. I’d checked it out from inside the tunnel some time ago and unbolted the door in case I ever needed to use it.”

  “So you knew about the tunnel that leads into the hall?” Hinton asked.

  “Yes. It was very useful and the carriage entrance gave me a convenient means of access without using unit twelve. I guessed the caretakers were unlikely to stumble across it. The door leading into the hall from the tunnel was sealed but I managed to force it open after your colleagues had vacated the building.”

  “You obviously have a more extensive knowledge of the hall than your brother,” Evans suggested.

  “Tom isn’t interested in Thorbury Hall or in being the Earl of Thorbury,” Eddie stated resentfully.

  “Tell us about Shoresby and what you did to Carol and Paul,” Hinton demanded.

  “Shoresby was mother’s idea. She knew I was impatient to become the Earl of Thorbury and she said everything would be much easier if Tom wasn’t around anymore. She said revealing the truth about Tom’s parentage would be too difficult.”

  “Everything that happened at Shoresby was down to your mother?” Hinton asked in a sceptical tone.

  “It all evolved from something she said. I don’t remember exactly what it was. I’d been keeping an eye on unit twelve to see if it was safe to get back in there. I wanted to repair the floor to conceal the subway. I recognised Carol Jones from a meeting at the university about saving the hall. The guy who ran the meeting told me about her and Cahill and the work she’d done for his Lordship. I guessed Cahill would know who Tom was and where to find him. I followed Carol from unit twelve to confirm the information about where she worked.

  “Cahill had annoyed me with his negative comments about Thorbury Hall and I sensed he might be the avenging type. But there was nothing to avenge. Carol was never at Shoresby. It was all a big trick. Cahill saw what he expected to see. That’s the beauty of LSD. It works with the imagination even on top of Flunitrazepam. A photograph I took of Carol helped to create the illusion. But it was nothing more than an interesting experiment. I just wanted to see what Cahill would do.”

  *

  “He’s lying about his mother,” Turnbull said as she watched through the glass. “It couldn’t have been her idea. She would never have thought up something so bizarre.”

  “Yeah,” Curtis agreed. “Shoresby was based around what Eddie knew about Paul and Carol.”

  “It would be a pretty callous thing for Louise to do whatever she felt about Tom,” Turnbull added. “I doubt if she was aware of his true intentions.”

  “If she knew about Eddie and Michael’s drug business, would she have arranged treatment for Eddie?” Curtis asked. “She’d have known he wasn’t a user.”

  “It’s not unusual for dealers to sample their own goods,” Marsh said. “We can’t judge Louise on the basis of Eddie’s story but I’m sure you’re right about the Shoresby idea.”

  “The idea is consistent with his passion for experimentation,” Turnbull said. “As for his mother, I think she’d have done anything to get him back.”

  *

  “Is the man in the tunnel one of Carl’s associates?” Evans asked.

  “Yes. He’s one of many.”

  “When did he appear on the scene?”

  “He’s been around for a while. I don’t know his name.”

  “Is the money you mentioned in the tunnel the proceeds of your sideline?”

  “Yes but Michael didn’t tell me where he’d hidden it. I’ve got nothing I can use to protect myself. I’m better off in prison than free in Thorbury.”

  “That’s just as well. You’re in court this morning. It’s Sunday tomorrow and we need a Warrant of Further Detention,” Hinton said as the solicitor continued to write on his pad.

  *

  “He’s confirmed my earlier assessment,” Turnbull told Evans after the interview had been suspended. “His intelligence sets him apart but his behaviour doesn’t indicate any abnormality. He derives his motivation from his passion for discovery and experimentation. Like he said, he wouldn’t have got involved in the drugs business if he hadn’t met Michael. He’d have moved
on to his next experiment once his curiosity was satisfied.”

  “You should be his defence lawyer,” Evans said. “He might use that in mitigation but it won’t save him from a long sentence.”

  “I know Sir. I have no sympathy. There’s no mitigation for Shoresby which, of course, wasn’t his mother’s idea.”

  “Implicating his mother doesn’t impress me either. To me, the Shoresby thing and what happened afterwards stem from an evil streak and that makes Eddie far from normal.”

  “It does indicate a lack of empathy Sir,” Turnbull was forced to admit. “A psychiatrist might diagnose psychopathy but it could be argued that everyone has a point at which desire overcomes moral considerations.”

  “His mother said he was desperate to become the Earl of Thorbury but there’s more to Shoresby than incitement to commit murder. What would have happened to Carol if she hadn’t been rescued? He must have intended to kill her.”

  “I couldn’t say Sir,” Turnbull replied. The young DC’s confidence in her theories was waning. “If he did, that would certainly indicate abnormality.”

  “Isn’t he just good at appearing normal?”

  “Good enough to fool me perhaps. I may have a first in psychology but to me it’s all academic. I joined the police in preference to a career as a psychologist.”

  “Any other views?” Evans asked Marsh and Curtis.

  “I certainly don’t believe the Shoresby idea was anything to do with Louise Thorbury,” Marsh replied. “Although she must have had some knowledge of Eddie’s intentions. He was pursuing the passion for experimentation which Tessa identified. As far as the drugs are concerned, he’d need to be unbelievably naïve not to realise that Michael intended to sell the meth and he didn’t make much effort to escape from Carl. His claim that Michael hid the money without telling him where it was doesn’t ring true either. I think he knows precisely where it is. He may even have hidden it himself. The bank notes found at unit twelve suggest the money may have been kept there and moved in a hurry after Simeon was killed.”

  “Eddie may be psychologically normal,” Curtis said, “But he isn’t short on eccentricity. I don’t think he intended to kill Carol. He just didn’t consider the consequences of his actions.”

  “Whether or not he’s more culpable for Shoresby than he is for the drugs, we’ll be nailing him for both and if we can tie him to the murders, we’ll go for that as well,” Evans said before leaving for the short trip to the magistrates’ court.

  Chapter 55

  “Did he tell you where the money was?” Paul asked. He and Carol had just awoken after a full eight hours sleep and Carol was reflecting on her time with Eddie in the hidden room.

  “No. But it may be possible to find it.”

  “Really? How much was it?”

  “He said it was half a million.”

  “Bloody hell. Why didn’t you tell the police?”

  “I’d forgotten about it. What with the shock of what happened and Eddie rambling so much, there could be a lot of other things I still don’t recall.”

  “You should tell Colin Evans.”

  “I know I should but a treasure hunt might be interesting.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Why not. If we find the money, we don’t have to keep it. What could we do with five hundred grand in cash? There isn’t much you can buy for cash nowadays.”

  “You want to find the money just for fun and then give it to the police?”

  “Sounds silly I suppose.”

  “It would make more sense to keep it but that would be silly as well. You should tell the police and leave it to them. Anything else could be dangerous.”

  “I’ve been through plenty of danger already.”

  Paul sat up in bed and turned towards Carol. “Do you really think you can find it?” he asked.

  “I’m not sure. Like I said, it may be possible.”

  “What exactly did Eddie say?”

  “He said it was appropriately hidden. He used a term to describe it but I don’t remember what it was.”

  “Best to leave it forgotten,” Paul said, lying back.

  “What do they call crystal meth?” Carol asked. “The users and dealers. What’s the street slang?”

  “We just used to call it Meth.”

  Carol picked up her phone which the police had recovered from Thorbury Hall and searched for the answer. “Glass, shards, ice, tweak. There are loads of possibilities. I think it was ice. Yes, it was. He said ‘the ice money is appropriately hidden’.”

  “Well that’s a help,” Paul said. “We really should tell the police. I could be in enough trouble already.”

  “What trouble?”

  “We told the police that unit twelve had already been broken into but it hadn’t. We broke in.”

  “But they don’t know that.”

  “If they think we were lying, they might investigate.”

  “Just stick to the story. They’ve more important things to worry about.”

  “Let’s hope you’re right. We might get away with the break-in but stealing half a million in cash is another matter even if it is dirty money.”

  “But what do you think he meant?”

  “Who knows? You said he was rambling. It might not mean anything.”

  “The ice money is appropriately hidden,” Carol said, repeating Eddie’s words. “He laughed after he said it.”

  “Well it may have meant something to him but I think he might be a bit unhinged.”

  “Shall I run it past Peter?”

  “He’ll say the same as me. Tell the police and forget about it. He’s worried about his future at the university if the full story gets out.”

  “But you were trying to rescue me.”

  “Peter’s still concerned about it. We both are.”

  After breakfast, Carol decided to delve back into the document box. Paul resisted the temptation to assist her. “Rovers are at home today. Are you going?” he asked.

  “I might give it a miss. I want to see if I can find a clue about where Eddie hid the money,” Carol replied without looking up. She was sitting at the table, sifting through the papers she’d removed from the box.

  “You said you hadn’t missed a home match for over two seasons.”

  “I know but after what’s happened, I don’t have quite the same passion for football.”

  “And what do you expect to find in there?”

  “A clue which could help us.”

  “What do you mean by ‘us’.”

  “Don’t you want to find it?”

  “I don’t want to end up in jail.”

  “But we’re assisting the police.”

  “They haven’t asked for assistance. And we know there are others with an interest in the money. There’s no shortage of people who’d kill to get their hands on half a million in cash.”

  “I just want to solve the puzzle, that’s all. If I can find a clue, you can take it to Colin Evans.”

  “What sort of clue?”

  “I’m not sure. I won’t know until I find it.”

  Paul left Carol to her work and walked to the newsagents. On his return with the morning paper, Carol looked up at him with an expression of satisfaction.

  “Found something?” Paul asked.

  “Might have.” Carol held up one of the papers. “It’s a bill for ice. The frozen water variety. Quite a lot of it. Purchased in 1865. What would that be for?”

  “There must have been an ice house.”

  “An ice house?”

  “Yes. They were used to store ice in the days before refrigeration.”

  “Where would it have been?”

  “In the grounds. Usually a brick dome with steps leading underground.”

  “Another tunnel?”

  “No, not a tunnel. Just a storage facility. It could have been anywhere in the grounds. I certainly don’t recall any mention of an ice house. It must have been demolished and filled in long ago. Unless
it’s marked on a map or a plan or referred to in a document, it would be impossible to find.”

  “I haven’t come across anything like that,” Carol said, rummaging deeper into the box.

  “Even if you did find out where it was, there’s no guarantee you’ve solved Eddie’s riddle.”

  “Maybe not but it does fit,” Carol said, looking up at Paul. “What could be a more appropriate place to hide the ice money than an ice house?”

  Chapter 56

  With the Warrant of Further Detention secured, Eddie was back in the interview room with Hinton and Evans. The hearing had been little more than a formality. Eddie knew his chances of survival as a free man were remote and the decision not to challenge the application was entirely logical unlike the one made on his return from court. The chair previously occupied by the compliant duty solicitor was empty. A second legal representative had been dismissed.

  “Are you ready to tell us who the gunman was?” Hinton asked.

  “His name is Danny. That’s all I know. He’s Carl’s bagman. It shouldn’t be difficult to fill in the blanks.”

  “That’s a reasonably good start,” Hinton remarked. “How did he get into the hall?”

  “I let him in through the carriage entrance. I had to do whatever they asked. Carl controlled everything. Danny had visited unit twelve every week and Carl had told him to make new arrangements.”

  “To collect their money?”

  “Yes. The regular payments.”

  “What about the money Danny mentioned in the tunnel,” Evans asked. “Was that the money from your sideline?”

  “Yes. Michael looked after it. There must have been about half a million. Carl found out about it from Simeon.”

  “Tell us about Simeon,” Hinton said. “Our investigation began when his body was discovered at the university. He’d been missing from the time he left work on Thursday that week. Any idea where he was between then and Friday evening when he was shot?”

  “Someone may have been trying to extract information he didn’t want to reveal,” Eddie replied.