The Autumn Tree (DI Bliss Book 8)

by Tony J. Forder

  Bliss couldn’t help but laugh. Even for him, what she had described was a rarity. ‘Kelly,’ he said, nodding to emphasise his certainty about who she was. ‘How are you doing?’

  ‘Still in at the deep end. You?’

  ‘Steering clear of lakes. I’m pleased to say I haven’t needed bandaging for a while.’

  ‘Shame. I’d be happy to help when you do. Always good to keep your hand in.’

  ‘I’ll remember that.’

  Her partner dipped his head. ‘Do you two need a room?’ he asked.

  Kelly smiled but kept her eyes firmly on Bliss. ‘I don’t know. Do we need a room, Inspector?’

  Bliss knew she was teasing – only, he didn’t know for sure how much of it was a joke and how much of it she might follow up on if put to the test. His response ought to have been the same whatever her intent, but for a moment he found himself teetering on the edge. Laugh it off, or take it further? He’d sensed an interest from her when they’d met, but that was a long time ago and things had moved on a great deal – for him, at least. He glanced down at her left hand, saw no rings. When he looked up again their eyes locked, and he knew she had noticed. He felt almost as bad as if she’d caught him peeking down her top.

  ‘Which is the more polite answer?’ he said, hoping to climb back out of the deep hole he’d dug for himself. ‘Yes, we do need a room, or no, we don’t?’

  ‘The second is more polite,’ Kelly said, her gaze not shifting, ‘but an awful lot less interesting.’

  He took a deep breath. For the first time in as long as he could remember, he had no clue how to respond. After an awkward pause, Kelly touched his arm and said, ‘Have I embarrassed you? I do apologise. Me and my big mouth.’

  ‘No.’ Bliss shook his head. ‘Not embarrassed. Just… caught unawares. I’m a little bit distracted. Bit rusty, too. Sorry.’

  She nodded. ‘That’s fine. I was only being playful.’

  ‘Good. Of course you were. That makes sense.’

  ‘On the other hand, I’m sure someone as resourceful as you will know how to find me once you’ve thought of a more honest answer than the polite one.’

  Bliss swallowed. Kelly had to be ten or twelve years his junior, and he didn’t even know her surname. Could he be reading her so badly? Had he lost the ability to talk to women and reliably understand their intent? A fog of confusion hung over the manner in which men and women regarded one another in the current social climate, but he’d take some convincing that appreciating a woman’s body as much as her mind and her talent made him a sexist. Pretty much every loving relationship began with physical attraction, and to his mind the human race was doomed if that ever changed.

  ‘I have to run,’ he said eventually. ‘It was good seeing you again.’

  ‘You too. Don’t leave it so long next time.’

  She flashed the smile once more before heading off with her colleague. Bliss was left to stand and shake his head. What had that been? Another tease, or an invitation to call? He pushed out a breath and told himself off. He was being foolish. A middle-aged man coveting a younger woman was one of the oldest stories going, and he had fallen into the trap of misreading the paramedic’s easy-going nature and bubbly personality.

  As the thought came and Bliss watched her walk away, Kelly glanced back over her shoulder. He raised a hand to say goodbye. She flashed that smile again and did the same.

  Continuing along the corridor, Bliss mentally chided himself all the way to the treatment area. A flirt was just a flirt, a wave a wave. He found the bay he’d been told to look out for; its curtains were open. The man being treated by a nurse and examined by a doctor caught sight of Bliss and rolled his eyes. Not wishing to interrupt, Bliss waited outside the cubicle. Almost ten minutes passed before he was allowed to speak to the patient. He pulled the curtain around to afford them some privacy.

  ‘Was this Watson?’ Bliss demanded.

  The man – with a swollen eye socket, deep red marks surrounding it, and three ugly lacerations to his face – was Edward Barr, known as Teddy to everyone who encountered him. An ex-cop working as a private investigator, Barr had been hired by Bliss to keep an eye on Neil Watson. It was he who had made the phone call the previous night, having followed the target to the restaurant in Whittlesey.

  Barr nodded. Even the slow and slight neck movements caused him to wince. He set his chin as though unwilling to say more, but softened it again after a moment of reflection. ‘I thought he might be going to pay the woman a visit. He was behaving oddly, walking around the streets in circles but at the same time consistently edging towards the same general location. I have to assume he knew I was there and had been looking for a good spot to jump me, because when he turned into an alleyway and I followed, he got the drop on me. Sad to say I didn’t manage to land a single blow of my own. He threw himself at me, knocked me to the ground and it was all over from that point. Well, you’ve seen him. It would’ve taken a crane to hoist him off me. He gave me a good hiding, told me to stop following him or next time it would be worse.’

  ‘He’s a big unit,’ Bliss said. ‘Even in your prime, you’d have struggled. Don’t beat yourself up about it, Teddy. Watson did enough of that for the two of you.’

  Barr gasped in pain as he laughed. ‘Stop it, you evil bastard. It bloody well hurts when I laugh.’

  ‘Sorry. Couldn’t resist. Has it been reported? It should have been, if you were found unconscious.’

  ‘No, nothing like that. I wasn’t going to bother, but I got a bit dizzy so I came here under my own steam.’

  ‘Are you going to report it?’

  ‘If I do, I land you in it, Jimmy. I don’t want that.’

  ‘Sod me, Teddy. He assaulted you. He has previous. It’s a chance to bang him up.’

  ‘Yeah, but it’s my word against his. Nobody saw a thing.’

  ‘You can’t know that for sure,’ Bliss said. ‘Just because nobody came to help doesn’t mean they didn’t see what happened. The fight could have been witnessed from any of the surrounding buildings. You tell me where and I’ll check it out before you speak to uniform.’

  Barr took a moment before responding. ‘I’m telling you there was no one around, Jimmy. I checked the windows myself while I was pulling myself together. Nobody saw us, so there’s no reason to report it. It won’t go anywhere.’

  Bliss saw the sense in that. The only reason to report the offence was if they had a better than average chance of it resulting in a prosecution. Without a corroborating witness, that was unlikely, especially given the circumstances.

  ‘All right. But if you think of anything we can use against him, let me know.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Tell me something, Teddy. You already planning payback? Thinking of having a few friends pay our Mr Watson a visit, maybe?’

  ‘Something of the sort, yeah. Why?’

  ‘Any chance you could leave it until my bit of business with him is over? A dish best served cold, and all that?’

  ‘I was thinking of waiting anyway. I don’t want him being taken down a peg without me being part of it.’

  Bliss chewed on his bottom lip. ‘I’m sorry about this, Teddy. It’s my fault. Me going in there after him last night gave the game away. He knew he’d been followed, and stupidly I made a point of insisting that it couldn’t have been me. He must have been keeping an eye out for you today. I should have thought to warn you.’

  As uncomfortable as it was, Barr gently shook his head. ‘Nah. This one’s down to me, Jimmy. I should have been more aware. Other than his bulk, he’s an average bloke. I thought I could follow him without him noticing. Plus, I turned into that alleyway blindly. I should have held back, taken it in before strolling down there like I owned the place.’

  Bliss asked for the precise location and nodded when Barr told him. He knew the area quite well and was certain he could find it if he had to. He was starting to get riled up about the assault when Barr stuck a hand out to tug at his sleeve. ‘Let it go, mate. I�
�m not up to talking about it, if I’m being honest. Especially with the boys in blue. Knowing my luck I’ll get a couple who recognise me, and this is hardly my finest hour. Besides, neither of us wants to bring you into it. And let’s face it: if I don’t, then Watson will if he’s pinched. The truth is, I got careless. He’ll get his, in time. What you want him for is worth far more than my little embarrassment. So, do us both a favour and focus on that fucker.’

  Reluctantly, Bliss agreed. A reprieve for Neil Watson, perhaps. But he was determined to make it a temporary one.

  Fourteen

  As Bliss strode into the station from the car park, he heard his name being yelled out. He looked around to see a uniform bounding over. Police Constable Barry Griffin, all rosy-cheeked youth and Bambi-limbed vigour, had won Bliss over with his infinite enthusiasm and dedication. Griffin gave boxing lessons to a group of young people who lived close to the edge and were in danger of taking the next step into the abyss. He had asked Bliss to volunteer a couple of hours a week, helping out with the coaching. Initially sceptical, Jimmy had caved to the point of saying he would think about it.

  He hadn’t, of course. He’d completely forgotten.

  ‘Well?’ Griffin asked. His body was on the move even when standing still. Eagerness gleamed in his eyes. Somehow to let him down would be akin to booting a puppy up the arse.

  ‘Two hours a week, you said?’

  ‘Three at most, if we include setting up beforehand and cleaning down afterwards.’

  Bliss shook his head. ‘That stops if I agree to this. If I’m going to help train these youngsters, we do it the right way. Those we coach do those jobs in future. It’s good discipline.’

  ‘That’s terrific, Jimmy. See, you’re already contributing. I said you’d be perfect for this.’ He was beaming all over his face. ‘All right. Two hours during the week, and maybe the odd Sunday morning.’

  ‘Woah, hold on a minute. You never said anything about weekends. Or additional hours.’

  ‘Just the odd occasion, sir. When I’m on duty, that sort of thing.’

  Squinting, Bliss couldn’t help but admire his colleague’s sheer cheek. ‘You’ve got some neck, Barry, I’ll say that about you.’

  ‘My mother always told me if you don’t ask you don’t get.’

  ‘Mothers are wise. Generally speaking.’

  Griffin gave a wide grin. ‘So you’ll do it?’

  ‘I’m going to have to see what kind of shape I’m in. I do some stretching exercises, but nothing strenuous. I haven’t worked a bag or a speed ball in ages. And I certainly haven’t stepped inside a ring in decades. I don’t want to embarrass myself, so let me do that and I’ll get back to you.’

  ‘No problem. You will get back to me this time, yes?’

  ‘I will. And I’ll commit on a trial basis. But you have to understand: if I’m balls deep in a case, I can’t always walk away because people are expecting me somewhere else.’

  ‘I appreciate what you’re saying, sir. But you have to understand that if we tell these young people we’re doing something, then we have to do it. We can’t ever allow them to question our commitment, or our word. That gives them an easy way out, and it’s not what this club is about.’

  Bliss regarded him thoughtfully, admiring the young officer’s outspoken nature and commitment. ‘So, what you’re telling me is that if I’m in, I’m in all the way?’

  ‘That’s about it, sir. One of us has to make it. Every single time. We let these kids down, we lose them.’

  ‘Fair enough. Count me in.’

  ‘I knew I could, sir. Next Wednesday evening if you want to do a spot of training in the gym. Seven till nine, at the hall we spoke about.’

  ‘I’ll be there,’ Bliss told him, heading towards the stairs. He knew it was a serious obligation once accepted, but he supported the idea. It had worked for him, providing an outlet for testosterone-fuelled aggression. And as for signing up as a coach, he’d had no real choice in the matter. Not supporting Griffin had never been a viable option; you just don’t kick puppies up the arse.

  When he entered the room, Bliss noticed Ashton had rejoined the unit. The NCA investigator sat alone at a desk close to the e-board, tapping away at a laptop. Ansari, Hunt and Gratton huddled together at another desk opposite. Meanwhile, Bishop and Chandler stood poring over an open folder containing a bunch of documents clipped together.

  ‘Sorry I’m late back,’ Bliss said. ‘I had to nip out to attend to something personal. I’ll make up the time.’

  Bishop’s cheeks flushed red as he looked up from his reading material. He appeared stumped as to how to respond. Awkward moments like these were bound to arise, Bliss reflected. But he’d been right to make the apology. It was giving the man his due respect.

  ‘No problem,’ Bishop finally said. ‘You put more than your fair share in every day. I think we can let this one go.’

  ‘No revelations while I’ve been gone?’ Bliss asked.

  ‘Not so as you’d notice. Glen managed to dredge up some fresh info on that other escort agency. Looks as if it might be another of Drake’s, masquerading as an eastern European outfit. It genuinely is based where it says it is. What’s more, we’re still coming up short trying to find a local contact.’

  Bliss thought about that, and knew what his next move would be. ‘You thinking we should pose as a punter and give one or two of their girls a bell?’

  ‘That’s precisely what Penny and I were talking about when you came in.’ Bishop indicated the folder sitting on the desk, and gave it a spin so that the information it contained was the right way up for Bliss to read. ‘These are some of the young women we’re considering. For the time being, we’re looking at those most likely to be English, or at least potentially born here. We don’t want to waste a setup on a girl who’s fresh off the boat and barely able to speak the language.’

  Nodding, Bliss said, ‘That’s a good shout. I’m still thinking about giving Nicola Parkinson another go. That all right by you?’

  ‘Sure thing. We can take care of the rest. Perhaps by the end of the day we’ll actually have some idea where to focus our resources.’

  ‘Yeah. That’s always the tough part. Sometimes you get too many leads, sometimes not enough. Most of the time you get what we have at the moment: a pile of odds and sods that don’t amount to much, but need following up on anyway.’

  Bliss was about to suggest Chandler grab her jacket when something occurred to him. In the rush to follow up on how his own business card had come to be with their victim, he’d completely neglected the other card that had been discovered inserted into the lining of her bra. He looked up, spotted the person he needed to talk to.

  Carolyn Miller had been assigned as the case exhibits officer. As an adaptable civilian worker, Miller had experienced a whole range of investigation-related roles. She worked alongside police officers and other civilians, gaining an overall insight into each case and their differing operational methods. Bliss knew the woman and appreciated her diligence and sharp mind.

  ‘DI Bliss,’ she said, looking up from her monitor. The accompanying smile was genuine. ‘What can I do you for?’

  Pulling a pained expression, he reminded Miller of his demotion. ‘But don’t worry about it, Carolyn, because we can easily overcome that by you calling me Jimmy, as I’ve always asked you to.’

  She put a hand to her mouth and blushed. ‘Whoops. Sorry. Yes, perhaps sticking to Jimmy will prevent me from putting my foot in it again.’

  ‘It’s not a problem. Honestly. What I’m after is a piece of evidence that would have come in from Cambridge. Two business cards were found secreted in our victim’s clothing. One of the cards is mine. It’s the other one I’m interested in.’

  Miller raised a finger. ‘First thing this morning I removed the evidence from the storage area and locked it away in here so that it’s available should anybody need it.’ She took out a key, unlocked the desk drawer and pulled it open. After rummagi
ng around for a few seconds, she took out a plastic evidence bag and handed it across the desk.

  ‘Cheers.’ Bliss smiled and checked the seal. Nobody had signed it out since it was originally stuck in place.

  ‘Are you going to need to open it up?’ Miller asked.

  ‘I’m not sure. Let me find a better light and I’ll see if I can make do.’

  Chain of custody had to be followed at all times. If he opened the evidence bag he would have to seal it again, before signing and dating the inspection of the material it contained. He moved to stand beneath a ceiling light strip, examining the card through the clear plastic.

  Similar in size to his own, the card felt thicker, heavier, and clearly more expensive. It was matte black, with two words in shiny black print on the front: Dark Desires. The reverse side was also black, only this time Bliss saw a series of letters and numbers written in gold coloured ink.

  EE

  Enter in A1

  DP575

  He looked over at Ansari and called out to her. ‘Gul. Our victim’s phone provider – I don’t suppose it was EE, was it?’

  ‘It was, yes. Why, d’you have something?’

  ‘Maybe. Come and take a look at this.’ Bliss showed her the card, the writing on the back. ‘I’m thinking this Dark Desires might be an exclusive escort agency. If this writing refers to our victim’s mobile number, this may provide a new connection for us. Problem is, I have no idea what the rest of it means. Perhaps some kind of access code related to the account? I don’t know. Any immediate thoughts?’

  Ansari took a breath and shook her head. ‘Not off the top of my head. I can tack it on to my request, see if it makes any sense to them.’ She paused for a moment. ‘Actually, this may be something they can tell me outside of RIPA. I can ask them if it’s a generic code, not attached to a specific number.’