Dead Secret

by Noelle Holten

  ‘We’re just talking through a theory – which seems to have upset your client. What’s he hiding?’

  ‘I’m advising my client not to respond to your ludicrous theories. We’d like to hear about the evidence before we proceed.’ Maggie noted the confidence in Mr Dodd’s solicitor.

  ‘On the day in question, your secretary said that you left the college in an agitated state. Mobile phone records indicate numerous calls to DCI Hastings’s mobile. What did you speak about?’

  ‘We had a school board meeting. I spoke to David … er … your DCI frequently – surely you saw that on my phone records? Sometimes he would pick me up. I don’t recall being agitated but there could be a dozen reasons for that. Maybe I was late for something. Maybe I just had a bad day. Why are you doing this to me? I haven’t done anything wrong!’ His fists thumped on the table and Maggie couldn’t help but think that he was genuinely upset at being accused. Could they have misread the situation?

  The solicitor jumped in. ‘Look. You either charge my client here and now or we are walking. You’ve got nothing and what you do have is inaccurate. You’re trying to make fit a situation that is just plain false. Meanwhile the real killer is out there and laughing in your faces. What’s it going to be?’

  The solicitor was right, and Maggie knew that they’d have to end the interview at this point, and as she watched Mr Dodd closely, he genuinely appeared to be shocked by everything he had learned today.

  ‘We may have more questions for you, so please don’t make any plans to leave the area, Mr Dodd. Interview terminated.’ Kat reached across and turned off the recording device.

  ‘Just as I thought. Really officers – before bringing my client in again, you’d better make sure you have some solid evidence. Look at him.’ She pointed to her client. ‘He’s an emotional wreck because of what you’ve just put him through. Come on, we’re leaving.’ The solicitor and Mr Dodd were escorted out of the station, and Maggie waited for Kat and Bethany.

  ‘Well, that was a bloody mess. I was sure he was going to break then.’ Kat shook her head. ‘Everything seemed to fit – he could have been wearing gloves when he handled the hammer, like Dr Blake had said was possible. Maybe he picked it up when he went around the Hastings’s place. I was sure he was going to confess.’

  Maggie saw the frustrations in her colleagues’ faces. ‘It was a good theory and just because we didn’t have enough to charge him now, doesn’t mean we won’t find it later if he is guilty. He still could be connected to the murder of Tim – the timings of the complaint, then caution and murder are too coincidental, and I don’t like that. But …’

  ‘Most of the evidence points at someone else, doesn’t it?’ Bethany folded her arms.

  ‘Yes. I know we’re being told to investigate the murders and abduction separately, but I still feel the connection is too strong to point to more than one killer. And right now – we need to rule out who didn’t do it, so we can narrow down our persons of interest. What I suggest you both do is see if Mr Dodd had any other contact outside of college with Sophia and Olivia. Maybe he knew about the abuse? I think we need to keep a close eye on him – if he is involved, he could lead us to where Hastings and his daughter are being held.’

  When they returned to their office, Maggie told Nathan what she had observed and suggested that someone watch Mr Dodd’s movements over the next few days. Nathan agreed to get a field officer on it so as not to tie up their own resources. He didn’t seem as convinced as the rest of them were and the more Maggie thought about it, the more she doubted it herself.

  Better safe than sorry though.

  ‘You free now?’

  Maggie nodded.

  ‘Follow me. The press is here, and DCI Meechan is going to talk about Hastings.’

  Although she wasn’t too keen on bumping into Julie Noble, this was one press conference she didn’t want to miss.

  ‘Hang on while I grab the popcorn.’

  Chapter Fifty-Eight

  Maggie stood at the back of the room alongside Nathan as they waited for the press conference to begin. She could see Julie Noble looking around the room and didn’t want to get into a conversation, so avoided eye contact as best she could. Maggie could openly challenge some of the scariest individuals, but when it came to dealing with her own emotions or anything personal, sometimes things were best left unsaid was her motto. It may seem childish to some, but when something has been ingrained in your head for as long as you can remember, it’s easier to just push it aside to deal with another day. Even when that other day never seems to come. She had her father to thank for that.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Nathan nudged her over. ‘If you get any closer to me, people will start talking.’

  Maggie forced a laugh – her thoughts still on Julie. It would save her giving him a load of bullshit as an explanation. ‘Nothing, just trying to get the best view. It’s DCI Meechan’s first press conference on the case – it could go either way and I don’t want to miss a word.’

  ‘Good point. You really should’ve brought the popcorn.’ He winked.

  DI Rutherford stood next to Meechan, her face not giving away anything other than confidence. Maggie admired her ability to put on a strong front when Maggie knew Rutherford had her own demons at the moment. As much as she herself believed she did that, too, subconsciously Maggie knew sometimes the lines got blurred.

  The room got quiet as DCI Meechan tapped the microphone – Maggie sniggered to herself, picturing the DCI saying ‘testing … testing …’ and maybe bursting into some random song that would really throw the crowd of stone-faced journalists off kilter. He didn’t, of course. But it would have been funny if he had. Her focus returned to the room.

  ‘Thank you all for coming at such short notice. I’d appreciate if you let me speak first and there will be time for a few questions afterwards. I’m DCI Aidan Meechan and I’ve been temporarily seconded to Stafford Police from Coventry. I’d like to put a stop to some of the rumours that have been on the news as of late because frankly it’s upsetting family members of the victims, unnecessarily scaring the public, and largely untrue. We’re working hard to identify and arrest the person or persons responsible for the murders of Tim Griffiths and Sophia Hastings. At present, DCI David Hastings and his daughter, Olivia, are missing persons and we’re working closely with the Missing Persons Unit to ensure that all information is transparent, shared, and as accurate as possible. We’re also working several lines of enquiry at this time and hope to draw a close to the investigations as swiftly as possible. There’s absolutely no evidence to suggest that a serial killer is roaming the streets of Stafford, so we’d appreciate if those ridiculous claims are quashed now. Do you have any questions?’

  Julie Noble stood. ‘I do. What’s your response to the accusation that there is a cover-up happening in Stafford Police? Were you brought in to sweep everything under the carpet?’

  ‘I’d say people need to get their facts straight – especially those reporting the news. Next question.’

  ‘Hang on. You didn’t answer my question at all. My sources tell me that DCI Hastings is a person of interest in the murder of Tim, his own wife, and the abduction and possible murder of his daughter. I thought you said you wanted to be transparent – or was that just to placate us?’

  ‘What’s your name?’ DCI Meechan tapped his foot. His patience looked to be growing thinner by the minute.

  ‘Julie Noble from the Stafford Gazette.’

  ‘Well Julie from the Stafford Gazette, let me make one thing clear. I don’t do cover-ups. If a member of this team was found to be corrupt, behaving inappropriately, or abusing their position, they would be dealt with the same way anyone else would be – and if that resulted in a criminal conviction, so be it. I am all about accountability. Next question.’

  Maggie wasn’t surprised to see Julie Noble still standing – though her gob hanging open was a new one. Maggie knew she wouldn’t give up that easily and felt a litt
le torn if she was being honest. She admired Julie’s tenacity for the most part, but also felt sorry for DCI Meechan having been placed in this situation in the first place. The higher-ups were more than happy to throw him to the wolves, as long as nothing bounced back on them. He would need to be careful – especially if Julie found out anything from her sources, as she’d print it first and apologize later.

  ‘I wasn’t finished. Why did you say suspects in your statement? Aren’t you looking for one killer, and what efforts have been made to bring DCI Hastings in for questioning?’

  ‘Miss Noble. Stop trying to hog the limelight and let some of your colleagues ask a question. I said suspects because we have nothing definitive to say that we are looking for one person – unless one of your sources has shared that detail with you and you care to pass it on? As for your second question – DCI Hastings is currently a missing person. Had you been paying attention earlier you would have caught that. I think I made it pretty clear. Unless you can reveal his location, he can’t be brought in for anything until he is found. Anyone else have anything to ask?’ DCI Meechan scanned the room and waited while the crowd murmured. ‘Okay then, any further questions can be directed to the Comms Department.’ He nodded at DI Rutherford and she followed him out of the room.

  ‘Well, that was interesting,’ Nathan whispered. ‘Looks like Julie was put in her place and by the look on her face, she’s not too happy.’

  ‘I’m actually speechless. I don’t know whether to cheer him or hide away. He gets straight to the point though, doesn’t he? I thought they were going to appeal to the public about Hastings though?’

  ‘They’ve obviously thought twice about it.’ Nathan shrugged.

  Maggie turned, about to leave the room when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She knew exactly who it would be and wasn’t in the mood for a chat, so carried on walking. Nathan followed alongside her.

  ‘Hey, Maggie! Can I have a word?’ Julie shouted after her.

  ‘Fuck. Can’t she take a hint?’ Maggie mumbled under her breath and then stopped.

  ‘You two have a tiff or something? Look, I’ve got to get back upstairs and if you don’t want to be in Meechan’s firing line, I suggest you make your conversation quick. You don’t want people to think you are siding with the enemy, do you?’ He laughed at his own joke. Maggie didn’t. She’d get him back for that one.

  Maggie was about to protest when Julie pulled her aside. ‘Why did you ignore me back there?’

  ‘I’m really busy, Julie. You heard DCI Meechan – anyway, I’m a DC in this case, what could I possibly tell you? We’ve got a lot of plates to juggle at the moment and I can’t stand around to chat with you. Did you want something important?’ Maggie could see the look of hurt in her eyes and for a moment, regret washed over her.

  ‘Forget it. Look, I don’t know the full extent of your daddy issues, but unless you start being true to yourself, those labels you say that don’t matter will always be a noose around your neck. You’re not sixteen any more so who the fuck cares? This isn’t about us, it’s about the case – so grow a pair. Never let anyone tell you who you are. You tell them.’ Julie turned and followed the rest of the journalists out of the building while Maggie stood and let what Julie had said sink in.

  She hated when Julie was right.

  Chapter Fifty-Nine

  With Vicki in the hostel for the day, Lucy felt comfortable to go back to her agency work at Probation after agreeing to write a pre-sentence report. She checked the panic alarms and cameras and popped her head into the communal living room to say goodbye to Ronnie. Lucy had been worried about the young woman recently, as after the incident with Mark, she had become further withdrawn. Then there had been some vandalism to the gates of the haven, and Lucy couldn’t be sure whether Ronnie’s abuser had found her or whether it was just a random act. She had reported it, but the police had no leads and there had been no further incidents.

  Lucy tried to reassure Ronnie that Mark would be okay, even if she wasn’t sure herself – but that didn’t seem to help any. Ronnie would go off the property for hours and, although she didn’t need to check in, with everything that had happened, it worried Lucy.

  ‘If you need me for anything, let Vicki know – she has my number. It’s a nice day out – if you wanted to go into the garden and read …’ Lucy wasn’t expecting an answer. Ronnie looked up for a moment and then went back to whatever she was looking at on her mobile phone.

  Before she left, she texted Maggie a quick update on Mark, as she had been brief when she informed her about the situation. She let Maggie know that if she wanted updates, DI Calleja at the DAHU was regularly checking in with Mark’s family and the hospital.

  Markston Probation Office was busy when she arrived. Lucy greeted the reception staff and let herself in to the main office with her swipe card. There was a buzz of voices in the room, officers speaking with clients or on the phone. She smiled. As much as she loved her work in Probation, she was also glad she only had to come into the office occasionally. She found a free desk and set up her encrypted laptop. Lucy looked around while she waited for her laptop to start up. Sarah Hardy was sitting in the corner, head down and writing some notes.

  Lucy called out, ‘Hey stranger! I’m going to grab a drink; do you want anything?’

  When Sarah looked up, Lucy immediately noticed the dark circles under her eyes. She walked over to Sarah’s desk. ‘Oh hun. Are you okay?’

  ‘I’m fine, thanks. I’ll have a water though. I feel a headache coming on. Nothing to worry about.’ Sarah’s face said the complete opposite.

  Lucy crouched down beside the desk and talked softly. ‘Are you sure everything is okay? Is it a case you’re working on?’ Even though they were colleagues, if there was a specific case troubling her, Lucy understood that Sarah may not be able to talk about it and that would rest heavy on her.

  ‘I never could hide anything from you, could I? Come with me.’ Sarah motioned for Lucy to follow her to the quiet area. Andrew Bourne wasn’t in his office, and officers used the room as a private meeting area when available. Lucy sat as Sarah closed the door.

  ‘It’s Justin. He’s been acting really strange and working odd hours. I’m really worried about him. He’s become really distant and snaps at me when I ask him what is going on. I don’t know what to do.’ Sarah’s eyes glistened; she was fighting back the tears.

  ‘Maybe he has a new client who’s demanding his time?’ Lucy didn’t know much about Justin’s work – he had his own office space in Stafford town centre and Lucy thought he did something with insurance, but she didn’t know for sure and she felt ashamed that she had never asked her friend more about what was happening at home lately. Especially as Sarah had been a huge support to her when she was dealing with her own stuff.

  ‘Maybe. I just can’t help but think he is hiding something from me. I went to the bank the other day and I don’t know what possessed me to check, but I asked about our joint savings account – Justin has taken out a large amount of money.’

  ‘What did he say when you asked him about it?’

  ‘He snapped at me and told me it must be a bank error. He said he would sort it out himself, but the money is still missing. I don’t know what to think. On top of all this, I have a case where the police think one of my clients may be involved in some serious offences and are pushing for a recall, but Andrew won’t sign it off. I just don’t need all this shit right now.’

  ‘I may not be able to help you with Justin, but can you talk about the case? If I can help take that burden off you, it would be one less thing to worry about; but if Andrew won’t sign off the recall, there’s really not much you can do. Do you think there’s a risk to the public?’

  ‘If my guy is involved, yes there is – but it’s a bit more complicated than that. I can’t really say anything more, though, as it’s a pretty high-profile case.’ She put her head in her hands. ‘Arggh. It’s all so stressful.’

  ‘I hate to
see you like this, what can I do?’ Lucy knew the answer, but she wanted her friend to know that she was there for her. ‘Maybe you should talk to Andrew again about the case? Tell him how it’s making you feel.’

  ‘It’s a mess. Stafford Police even had their superintendent call me to try and pressure for a recall. She wasn’t too happy when I asked her why they haven’t arrested the guy if he is such a risk. Tried to intimidate me, using her position which kind of made me laugh, as I don’t work for the police.’ Sarah shrugged. ‘I guess I could talk to Andrew – see if he can tell them to back off while we figure everything out. I bet they wouldn’t be pushing so hard if one of their own wasn’t involved.’ Sarah suddenly stopped and her hand covered her mouth.

  ‘Is this about the murders on TV? Wasn’t that DCI Hastings’s wife murdered?’ Lucy didn’t want to push her friend, but if it meant she could share the burden, she would.

  ‘You can’t say anything outside of this room. I’ll get the sack for sure, but yes. I’m supervising someone who had previously threatened to get Hastings back – he claims that he was set up by him. Not long after he was released, Hastings’s family went missing and now his wife and a friend of his daughter’s has ended up dead. But then new information came to light about who really set him up and he’s on a curfew … and … It’s a bloody mess.’ Sarah was waffling. ‘Anyway, enough about me. How’s Mark doing? I heard something happened at your place.’

  ‘That case does sound a mess, but it sounds like recall is not the way forward. As for Mark, word travels fast. They think it has something to do with his diabetes, but he’s still not conscious, so they are running further tests. It was awful at the time. I was really afraid we’d lose him.’ Lucy tried to hold back her emotions.

  ‘Jesus. I hope he’s okay soon. At least you got him to the hospital in time; it’s the best place for him. So much shit happening at the moment, eh?’ Sarah reached out and squeezed Lucy’s arm.