‘What state is he in?’ asked Spence.
‘I have not spoken with him, so I don’t know.’
‘And he’s got Dorothy Cooper and my wife with him?’
Bairstow nodded. ‘Affirmative to the first but not sure about your wife. The staff heard shouting coming from Mrs Cooper’s suite. They fetched the manager who used her pass key. She saw that Easton was holding something shiny at Mrs Cooper’s neck before he yelled at her to get out. Then he shouted to her to fetch you, DI Morgan. Any idea why?’
Morgan explained the family connection then asked again if the manager had seen Sam.
‘She didn’t mention her,’ said Bairstow. She pointed up at a curtained window. ‘If they haven’t moved, they’re in that sitting room.’
‘Jesus Christ,’ said Morgan. He looked down and massaged his head. ‘Can we at least kill the lights on these cars? If he looks out, this is not a calming scene.’ The LED bars of the police and ambulance vehicles were flashing out of sequence. Bairstow nodded and gave the instruction using her radio.’
‘I’ll need a stab vest,’ said Morgan taking off his jacket.
‘You’re not going in.’ Bairstow moved to stand between him and the building. It was a token gesture as he was significantly taller and heavier.
‘I believe he’s asked for me,’ said Morgan.
‘That’s not the point. He’s already got at least one hostage and I’m not about to approve sending in another one.’
‘You won’t be sending me in. I’ll be going in. My wife’s in there and I’m not standing here whilst she’s in danger.’ He held out his hand. ‘I need a vest, please.’ He turned away from her and took his personal phone out of his pocket. Sam’s number diverted again to Voicemail. He’d already left four messages.
Spence walked across to one of the Armed Response Vehicles. ‘Have you a spare vest for DI Morgan, please?’ The officer at the back of the vehicle looked over to where Morgan and Bairstow were standing. Bairstow nodded and he handed a vest to Spence.
‘Do we know what he’s armed with?’ asked Morgan as he put the vest on and secured the Velcro straps.
‘Something shiny. That’s all I know.’
‘Okay. Can you arrange for me to speak to him from out here? I want him to see me.’
‘Are you even qualified to go in there?’ Bairstow sounded anxious.
‘I was in the Hostage and Crisis Negotiation Unit a while back, before it became part of SC&O. But what really qualifies me Fiona, is I’m married to a woman who’s in there. Surely you understand?’
Morgan took the phone offered by a uniformed officer who had appeared from nowhere. The ring tone on hands free was loud and the surrounding officers fell silent. He moved forward to a part of the drive which was visible to anyone looking through Dorothy Cooper’s window.
‘Answer the fucking phone,’ he snarled. The ringing continued until the call cut off. He pressed redial and waited. He thought he might have seen a small movement of the curtain at the window but wasn’t certain. He carried on walking towards the building, aware that Bairstow was shouting, but not listening to her words.
Chapter 84
Thursday 5th March
The front door to Silver Sands House was open and he walked through the deserted hallway. He wondered where the other residents had been taken. He took the stairs and strode along the hallway, lights illuminating as he passed the movement sensors. The vest was heavy and sweat trickled down his back. He considered exploding through the door to catch Easton unawares but decided that the twitching curtain probably meant that the stage was already set for his arrival. Three knocks on the door with a short gap between each - just as he’d been taught by his sergeant when he’d first been a beat bobby. ‘Loud and controlled,’ Sergeant Gavin Rhodes had said. ‘It shows them you’re in charge and you’re not taking “No” for an answer.’
‘It’s DI Morgan, Danny. I’m coming in.’ The manager’s pass key was still in the door. He turned it and went in.
Dorothy Cooper sat in her usual chair at the window and was facing him, her feet up on her footstool, arms resting in her lap. She was staring at him, her face stonier than usual. He thought she looked smaller today; older.
Danny Easton stood behind her, the blade of a Swiss Army Knife at her neck. ‘I’m not scared to do it,’ he said pointing to the knife. His voice was shaky, but he looked determined.
Morgan held his arms out from his sides. ‘You asked me to come and I’m here. I’m not armed and I’ll listen to what you want to tell me. But before we do that, where’s my wife?’ he asked, looking around. ‘What have you done with her?’
Danny’s expression changed to confusion. ‘What’s your wife got to do with this?’
‘Where is she?’ Morgan raised his voice. He heard a soft sound and looked downwards. His mother-in-law’s shoulders were trembling. She was laughing.
‘Samantha’s not here. She never was here. She tells you she’s coming to see me, but she meets up with Graham.’ She sneered at Morgan. ‘You’re not enough for my daughter and never have been. You might as well pack your things and go back to London.’
And with those words, Morgan’s world shattered. He heard crashing in his ears and the thudding of his fast heartbeat. He thought he was going to faint or be sick, maybe both. He took a couple of strides towards Dorothy Cooper, his right hand clenched into a tight fist.
‘Get back!’ Easton shouted. The volume of his own voice seemed to surprise him and he jumped. The knife nicked Dorothy’s skin and a teardrop of blood seeped into the neckline of her cream sweater. ‘And you can shut your mouth. This is bad enough already.’
Easton’s aggression ignited his captive’s outrage. ‘Don’t speak to me like that. I’ve been nothing but a friend to you.’
‘I’ll do it,’ said Easton pressing the blade harder against her thin, wrinkled skin.
‘Do it.’ she said, ‘You don’t scare me.’ Her eyes were fixed straight ahead, her expression defiant. For the first time since Nick Morgan had met his mother-in-law, he was in complete agreement with her. Yes, Danny, do it, he thought, and waited.
Easton’s eyes darted round the room, then closed. Morgan exhaled. He reverted back to police officer mode. ‘Don’t make this worse than it is already, Danny. And what are you doing here, anyway. You didn’t clock on this morning, and you’re not dressed for work.’
Easton sneered. ‘I had a bit of business to sort with Mrs Cooper. Shouldn’t have taken long, but she started shouting. That’s when the nosy manager bitch turned up.’
‘What business? asked Morgan.
‘It doesn’t matter what business. Just sort this out,’ said Dorothy, waving her hands around.
‘You. Sit still and keep quiet?’ Morgan’s voice was cold. ‘I’m going to get a chair from the table and bring it over. Is that okay, Danny?’
With Morgan seated, Danny relaxed. He took the knife away from Dorothy’s neck and wiped the blood on his trousers. ‘I’m sorry, Mrs Cooper. I must have cut you.’ She wiped her neck with her fingers and tutted.
‘How does this end, Danny?’ asked Morgan. ‘I know you’ve seen the officers outside and I can confirm that some of them are armed. I don’t think you’re a suicide by cop sort of a man. It’d kill your mother.’
Dorothy moved in her chair trying to turn round and face her captor as she spoke. ‘Yes, how does it end, Danny? I’ve been sitting here for ages and I need to go to the toilet.’ Her sudden movement startled Easton and he brought the knife back to her neck. She squealed as he clamped the cold metal against her skin again.
‘You were doing really well, Danny. I’m sorry she’s upset you,’ said Morgan remembering his negotiation training. Use his name and recognise any effort he makes to de-escalate the situation. The next thing would be to get food and drink brought in but it wasn’t time for that yet.
‘You should let her go, Danny,’ Morgan pointed at Dorothy and spoke softly. ‘For all her bravado, she’s just
a twisted bitch who gets her kicks by controlling her children and fooling herself that they still love her. I don’t think you want to hurt her and I don’t think your mum would want you to hurt her, either.’ He let the thought sink in.
Danny Easton’s head and shoulders dropped together and he withdrew the knife. Morgan was almost certain that he was no longer a threat and he considered lunging for him before deciding to play the situation out to its natural end. He did a rapid risk assessment. What was the worst that could happen? There was always the chance that his mother-in-law might get her throat cut. Should it worry him that he was unaffected by the thought?
‘Can she go? Please, Danny?’ Easton nodded and turned back to peep through the curtains. ‘Move it Dotty,’ said Morgan.
Dorothy wobbled. ‘My stick,’ she said.
‘You only use it to get attention. Get yourself out of this room now and drop the dramatics.’ Morgan got to his feet so he could counter any sudden moves Easton might be planning. When Dorothy drew level with him she leant in. He heard her words but didn’t register them immediately. ‘She’s never loved you like she loves Graham. A mother knows.’
Morgan heard the click of her opening the door and waited for it to close. Instead, he heard a gasp followed by a thud. When he looked round he saw a pile of limbs and clothing blocking the doorway. He hurried over, getting out his phone and turning it on.
Chapter 85
Thursday 5th March
Samantha made it back to her car before she started crying. The tingling excitement she had felt for the last three weeks had evaporated. Now, she felt cheap and grubby. Sex with Graham today had been perfunctory at best. And it would be the last time.
They hadn’t eaten the chocolate croissants and she was hungry. She should have picked them up before she left. She turned her phone on and was appalled to see six missed calls from Nick. When she tried to ring him back, both his phones diverted to Voicemail. She looked back up at the apartment block. No sign of Graham now. Samantha started her car and nosed her way out through the gates and on to the main road. She still had over two hours before the scaffolding was due and she decided she needed her mother.
When she pulled up at Silver Sands, a police van was blocking the driveway and a uniformed officer told her that nobody was being allowed access due to an ongoing incident.
‘I can see DI Morgan’s car over there. He’s my husband,’ she tried. ‘My mother is a resident here. Please tell me what’s going on. DI Morgan’s been trying to ring me.’ The icy hand of terror gripped her heart. She struggled to breathe.
The officer looked at her without emotion. ‘As long as you’re not from the press, I’ll tell you. All I know is that DI Morgan is in there and it’s some sort of hostage situation. I don’t know any more than that. You’ll have to leave now. We need the entrance freed up for emergency vehicles.’
‘Stop,’ said Easton. ‘No calls. Nobody else is coming in.’ Morgan ignored him as he knelt beside his mother-in-law and felt her neck for a pulse. He rang Spence and told him to send the waiting paramedics up. After regularly wishing her dead, he was trying to save her life and the irony was not lost on him. He was aware of Danny’s continuing chatter in the background and when he ended the call he looked over to him.
‘Sit down and be quiet while I try to keep her alive. This is on you.’ He felt her neck again then rolled her on to her back and started to pump her chest. After twenty compressions, he formed a seal around her mouth with his own lips and breathed air into her.
Danny was watching, mesmerised. ‘She hates you and you hate her. Why would you save her?’
Morgan continued his resuscitation efforts until he heard footsteps running down the corridor and saw two paramedics. He backed away from Dorothy and let them take over.
‘Okay Danny, you’re done here. I’m arresting you on suspicion of common assault and the false imprisonment of Mrs Dorothy Cooper...’ He delivered the remainder of the caution whilst monitoring the efforts to resuscitate his mother-in-law. Two uniformed ambulance staff arrived and were preparing to move her on to a stretcher. He handcuffed Danny Easton’s wrists to his front and pushed him down into Dorothy’s chair. They weren’t going anywhere until Dorothy Cooper was moved from the doorway; dead or alive.
He called Sam’s mobile although he didn’t want to hear her voice. With everything else under control, he’d started to assimilate the information. His wife really had been screwing Graham Fletcher. God, what a fool he’d been. Had there been signs he’d missed?
Sam’s phone rang only once and when she spoke she was breathing heavily. Morgan almost laughed. Had he caught them at it?
‘Are you okay?’ she asked. ‘What’s going on? They won’t let me into Silver Sands and they said you’re in there. Are you okay?’
Like you even care, he thought. You’re upset because I’ve disturbed your little tryst.
‘Nick! Are you there? Can you hear me?’
‘I’m watching ambulance staff trying to resuscitate your mother. She collapsed as she was coming out. You should get to the General and wait for them to bring her in.’
The paramedic looked up at him and he nodded. Morgan took that to be an assurance that Dorothy was still alive and was going to make it. ‘And Samantha...’ he rarely called her by her full name and knew it would ring alarm bells, ‘Before she collapsed, your mother and I had a chat about where you were really going this morning.’ He paused. ‘I won’t be home until late, but I’d like you to wait for me because we need to have a long talk about it.’ He drew the word “long” out as if it had many syllables and then cut the call before she could speak.
Chapter 86
Thursday 5th March
DI Maggy Patel was leafing through a sheaf of papers when Morgan entered her office. ‘You took a chance,’ she said. ‘I was waiting for the DNA results before arresting him.’
‘Don’t worry. I haven’t stolen your thunder. I arrested him for cutting Dorothy Cooper and holding her against her will.’
‘It’s piling up, isn’t it? He’s like a one-man crime wave.’ She held up the papers. ‘Results are in. It’s Easton’s DNA on Councillor Kenneth Wyatt’s shirt.’
Morgan smiled. ‘Johnson’s going to wet his pants. This month’s clear up figures will be amazing. I believe they’re ready for interview. Shall we?’ He extended his arm towards the door.
Custody reception was busy when Morgan and Patel arrived. The custody sergeant beckoned them to her desk.
‘If you’re here for Daniel Easton, I warn you that he’s brought in the big guns this time.’
‘Who?’ asked Morgan.
‘Brian Gault. He’s a senior partner at...’
‘Oh, I know who he is,’ said Morgan and turned to Patel. ‘What do you think? Do you want to change the interview plan?’
‘No, I’m happy with it. Let’s go.’
Morgan held back. ‘Who do you suppose is paying for Gault. He won’t come cheap, and that family can’t even afford counselling, never mind top of the range legal representation.’
‘Perhaps Gault’s doing the case pro bono?’ said Patel, but Morgan was doubtful.
‘They’re in the consultation room at the end of the corridor,’ said the custody sergeant nodding towards the navy painted security gate.
Patel went in first and took the chair opposite Brian Gault who smiled at her with teeth that were too white to be natural. He reminded Morgan of a crocodile he had seen in a reptile park in Singapore before he was married. He saw Patel start the recording. She returned Gault’s smile, showing no signs of being distracted or intimidated.
They each identified themselves for the recording and Morgan kept his eyes on Danny Easton throughout. Experience had taught him that appearances meant nothing when it came to criminality. Easton struck him as unremarkable as he sat beside his smartly dressed and even smarter mouthed brief. But he had seen him with a knife at Dorothy Cooper’s neck and suspected he would have used it if pushed.
‘Danny, you’ve been arrested on suspicion of common assault and false imprisonment and I am further arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Kenneth Wyatt,’ Patel completed the arrest caution.
Gault looked confused. He opened his mouth but Morgan interrupted him.
‘It seems that Mr Gault has replaced Ms Lees-Langham as your legal representation. For his benefit, I’ll remind you that you are currently on court bail pending sentencing for GBH, and were released only yesterday under investigation for the murders of Angus and Michael Maguire. Where would you like to start, Danny?’
Gault looked up from his yellow legal pad. ‘My client has nothing to say to you at this stage, DI Morgan, nor to you DI Patel.’
The officers exchanged a glance and Morgan made a slight gesture with his hand which signalled the go-ahead to his colleague.
‘How well did you know Councillor Kenneth Wyatt?’ asked Patel.
‘No comment.’
Patel ran through her list of questions. She asked if Easton had ever met Wyatt. Had he ever visited the Wyatt family home? Was Wyatt a family friend? Throughout these questions and many others, Easton stared straight ahead, waiting politely for his turn before saying ‘No comment.’ Gault’s expression never altered as he continued to take notes.
‘Here’s what puzzles me, Danny,’ said Patel. ‘If you don’t know Kenneth Wyatt, have never met him, and never been to his house, why are there stains of body fluids, identified by the lab as lacrimal fluid and nasal mucus, containing your DNA, on the clothing he was wearing when he was found hanging in his garage?’ Morgan saw a small frown appear on Easton’s face before Patel continued. ‘Tears and snot, if that helps.’
Easton’s mouth opened, then closed again. He looked to Gault at his side, then straight ahead at Morgan whose face was impassive. ‘No comment,’ he said.
‘You see, Danny, our pathologist tells us that Wyatt had injuries consistent with hitting his head. If you were there when he fell, and were crying when you leant over him, your tears and snot would have fallen exactly where we found them and, I’m told...’ she looked back at the report ‘... in pretty much the exact same splatter pattern.’
Make You Sorry Page 27
