The Value of Life

by Andy Crowson

  Chapter 30: Makilroy

  Josef and Whitlock were sitting in CID at a spare desk. Josef had the file on Keith Kelly laid out in front of him. He'd been reading it for the last two hours. Whitlock had also been reading the file.

  "You read this and it all makes sense," she said.

  "Not all of it," Josef disagreed.

  "What do you mean?" she asked.

  "The finger nail. What the fuck is that about?"

  "I don't get you," she said.

  "Everything in this case means something, except the fingernail. I'm still missing something," he said. His mobile rang. Josef picked it up.

  "Josef Lindahl," he said. "No comment. How did you get this number?" He stared at the phone.

  "They don't waste any time do they?" Whitlock said.

  "Vultures," Josef spat.

  Josef sipped his coffee and read. His phone rang again.

  "Josef Lindahl." He hung up immediately. "They don't give up either?"

  Whitlock smiled and turned another sheet of paper.

  "Have you seen this? The clothes Daniel came home in?" Josef nodded. "You were right. He really did want us to catch him."

  Josef's phone rang again. It was Bentworth.

  "Sir?" Josef said.

  "We're on our way in now, we'll be there in about twenty minutes. We'll be using CID interview rooms. Where are you?"

  "CID Sir," Josef said.

  "Come up with anything useful?" Bentworth asked.

  "Loads Sir."

  "Good." He hung up.

  "They'll be here in twenty minutes," Josef said.

  "At last," Whitlock replied. "Better get a load of fresh coffee."

  When they arrived it was only Bentworth, one uniformed officer, although he was so big he counted at two, and K. They brought him in, K between them, and sat him in an interview room, leaving the bulky officer inside the door watching him. In the hall Bentworth talked with them.

  "We're waiting for his solicitor. Should be about ten minutes," he said.

  "Where's Mason?" Josef asked.

  "I'm keeping him out of this for now. You said you found a lot of stuff," Bentworth said.

  "Yes Sir," Josef's phone interrupted them. "Josef Lindahl," he answered. "No comment," he said. He put the phone back in his pocket and looked at Bentworth.

  "You found?"

  "Yes Sir. Right. All the boys were taken from the front garden and something was left behind." Bentworth looked over Josef's shoulder toward the door. A female PC had come in with tall, slightly podgy, grey haired man in a three piece suit. She spotted Bentworth.

  "Mr. Kelly's solicitor," she said.

  "Thank you," the solicitor said and came over. "Mr Smythe," he offered his hand.

  "DCI Peter Bentworth," Bentworth said offering his hand. "DC Josef Lindahl and PC Kate Whitlock," he continued. They each shook hands.

  "I'm going to need to speak with my client in private for a moment," Smythe said.

  "Of course," Bentworth smiled and led Smythe to the interview room. He opened the door and allowed Smythe to enter.

  "Out here for a minute," Bentworth said to the PC. He shut the door came back to Josef and Whitlock.

  "I don't know how long that's going to take," he said. "You were going to tell me what was in the file."

  "Yes Sir. The boys were all taken from their gardens Sir. His son was knocked down just outside his own garden, as he was leaving the house. The boy's mother was locking the front door. The car just swerved up onto the curb and ran the boy through his own garden wall. The interview room door opened and Smythe leaned out.

  "We're ready for you now," he called.

  "Thank you," Bentworth said. He turned to Josef. "I'm going to let you do this. You know about the son. You think you can get him to give you the boys?"

  "I don't know Sir, I'll try," Josef said.

  "Good."

  Josef collected the papers from the desk.

  "Come on," he said to Whitlock. She looked at Bentworth.

  "Come on," Bentworth echoed. In the interview room Josef and Bentworth sat in the two chairs opposite K and Smythe. Bentworth started the tape recorder and called attendance time and date. Josef began laying pictures on the desk.

  "Mr. Kelly. I've read what happened to you son. I think I understand the way you're feeling. We know that your son, Keith Kelly went to the same school as this boy, Daniel Martin. We know that your son took karate lessons with this boy, Jamie Beacham. Your son played football with this boy, Bryan Collridge and we know that your son knew this boy, Shea Bilham because you work with his father. We know you took these boys Mr. Kelly." K said nothing.

  "Look at the pictures," Josef said. "Remind you of someone?" K looked blank. Josef pulled a picture from the file. It was a picture of a happy looking kid smiling at the camera. He slapped it on the table.

  "Remind you of Keith do they?" he said. K stared at the picture on the table, when he looked up there were tears in his eyes.

  "Fuck you," he said.

  "No Mr. Kelly. You left us all the clues we needed to find you. The schoolbag, the money, the football boots. It says here in the report," Josef pulled out the paper, "that your son was carrying his schoolbag and football boots. They were thrown into the garden. His dinner money was found on the path and his right shoe was found in next door's garden. You left us those clues so we'd find you. You wanted us to find you. You want to know what I think?" Josef said leaning back.

  "Go on Einstein," Kelly said.

  "I think you don't want to hurt these boys at all. You're just pissed at what the system did to you. You're trying to prove a point, be heard, make your case. You're not a killer Mr. Kelly," Josef said.

  K looked at his brief and nodded. Mr. Smythe pulled a letter from the pile in front of him.

  "My client wishes to speak to Judge Albert Makilroy," Smythe said.

  "Do you think Makilroy is gonna apologize to you?" Josef said.

  "My client says that he will tell Judge Makilroy the whereabouts of the boys, if he knows it, when the Judge defends, in public, the sentence he passed on Mr. Fletcher for the manslaughter of Keith Kelly," Smythe said.

  "What?" Bentworth gasped.

  "You heard," K snapped. "Get Makilroy in here."

  Bentworth looked at Josef.

  "A word outside. CDI Bentworth and DC Lindahl leave the room." When the door was closed Bentworth said. "What the fuck was that?"

  "It's his end game Sir. It's what all this was about."

  "What do you mean his end game? I can't go tell a circuit court judge to come in here and be put on trial," Bentworth said.

  "Don't you see Sir that's the point? Right now he's calling the shots in there. He's passing the responsibility for the kids from him to you to the judge. Who's going to value their life the most?"

  "Let's call his bluff. Let's tell him no," Bentworth said.

  "You can try it Sir, but I don't recommend it."

  "How much damage could it do?"

  "No idea Sir."

  "Shit!" Bentworth said. "I'll got to make a call, get back in there and don't let him talk to that solicitor." Josef went back inside.

  "DC Lindahl enters the room," Whitlock said. Josef offered her Bentworth's chair. She sat. He pulled out few more papers.

  "One thing I don't understand," Josef said. "The fingernail? I mean I get the schoolbag and stuff. And we even saw you sent Daniel Martin home in the same clothes Keith had been wearing when he died. You really wanted us to catch you I know, before you had to hurt one of the boys. But I don't get the fingernail." He put a picture of the dead body of Keith Martin on the table. "Keith wasn't missing a fingernail," he said softly.

  K stared at the picture.

  "You bastard," he said softly. Josef took the picture and put it back in the file.

  "I'm sorry," he said. "I just want the boys home safe. That's all. Tell about the fingernail." K looked as his hands.

  "Jemma hung herself while I was in prison."

&
nbsp; "You don't have to answer that," Smythe interrupted.

  "It's okay," K said and continued. "They let me out for her funeral. I read the report from the inquest. They said after she hung herself she clawed at the rope. They think she changed mind and tried to get it off. She tore one of her fingernails out before she died."

  Josef could feel the man's anger and pain.

  "I'm sorry," he said.

  "Yeah, well. Not everyone is."

  Bentworth opened the door and popped his head in.

  "Can I have a word again," he said. Josef got up and left. Whitlock looked at K.

  "I hope the judge comes," she said.

  "Me too."

  Bentworth looked worried.

  "He's coming," he said. "The Super took care of it."

  "You think the judge will agree to what he wants?" Josef asked.

  "Not a chance in hell but we've got to try. I did my bit. I got him to come."

  "I'm not sure that's gonna be enough," Josef said. They went back inside the interview room. Whitlock announced their return and went back to her position by the door.

  "Makilroy is gonna be here in about half an hour," Bentworth said. K looked surprised.

  "You're not lying?" he said.

  "Nope. But nobody thinks he's gonna agree to what you want," Josef said.

  "Well we'll just have to wait and see, won't we."

  "I don't think you want these boys to suffer any more than they have already," Bentworth said. "Tell us where they are."

  "What boys?" K smiled.

  "I think we might as well take a break there until Judge Makilroy arrives," Smythe said. "My client doesn't wish to answer any more questions at present."

  "Interview suspended at eight thirty three," Bentworth and stopped the recorder.

  "Coffee anyone," Josef offered.

  When Josef and Whitlock came back from the canteen with a tray Bentworth was on the phone.

  "How did you get this number," he was saying. "Don't call again." He hung up.

  "You too Sir?" Josef said.

  "Twice in the last ten minutes."

  "Makes you wonder how they get the numbers," Josef observed.

  "Bloody reporters buy them. Brothers, sisters, anyone who has it!" Bentworth complained.

  They went back into the meeting room and put the coffee on the table. Josef's mobile rang.

  "Josef Lindahl," he said. "No comment now stop calling." He put the phone on the table. Ten minutes later Bentworth's phone rang.

  "Bentworth. Okay I'll come get him." K's eyes shot up. "It's Makilroy. I'll bring him up." Bentworth left he room.

  "What if this doesn't go how you've planned it?" Josef asked.

  "I don't have a plan," K shrugged.

  "Of course you do. I want to know what happens to these boys if Makilroy won't agree. What's the plan?"

  "Let's just see what happens," K smiled grimly.

  "I want to know what happens," Josef pushed.

  "Let's see," K said, this time not smiling at all.

  "I want those boys," Josef leaned forward. "Whatever happens." K leaned back in his chair.

  "What boys?" he hissed.

  Josef got up and left the room. He wanted to meet the Judge before this went any further. He waited in CID, his mind racing. The Judge was arguing with Bentworth when they entered the office.

  "I don't discuss my sentences with anyone, not even other judges," Makilroy was saying. The man was old and he had a hard look about him. As though you could only take chips off him with a hammer. His short grey hair was slicked back and although he was receding he was not bald.

  "Your Honor. If we can just bluff him he might tell us where the boys are," Bentworth said diplomatically.

  "Chief Detective Inspector," Makilroy said. He somehow managed to make the rank sound demeaning. "I know how to handle criminals. I know how their mind works. I have been a judge for fifteen years. Please let me handle this. I have come here to help you. Not vice versa." Bentworth saw Josef waiting and brushed aside the condescension with practiced ease.

  "Your Honor this is DC Josef Lindahl. He's been questioning Kelly." Josef offered his hand.

  "Please to meet you," Makilroy said. "Shall we start?"

  "Your Honor," Josef pleaded, "I really feel that the only way we can get Mr. Kelly to tell us where the boys are is to agree to his terms." Makilroy was outraged.

  "I'll do no such thing Detective Constable," he sneered. Josef felt like something Makilroy would scrape from his shoe. "I will certainly make sure that Mr. Kelly understands the full weight of the law will come crashing down on him if he doesn't cooperate straight away. We'll see how clever he is then."

  "Judge," Josef continued regardless, "Mr. Kelly doesn't care about the law. He wants justice for his son. In his state of mind." Makilroy cut Josef off.

  "In his state of mind? Good God man, he's running rings around you like a child. There is nothing wrong with Mr. Kelly's state of mind and if he's got you believing he's a cold blooded murderer then you are more stupid than you look. I've seen plenty of hardened criminals and Mr. Kelly most certainly is not hard." Josef was about to argue when Bentworth shook his head over the judge's shoulder. Josef stood silent.

  "Good. Shall we get on with it then?"

  "I just need to pop to the loo," Josef said. "I'll be with you in a minute." As Josef crossed the CID office he looked back. Bentworth and Makilroy were going into the meeting room.

  "Prick," Josef muttered and pushed the toilet door. On the way in he checked his phone.

  When Josef entered the interview room Bentworth was standing. The judge was sitting in Bentworth's chair. Josef sat and started the tape. Bentworth called attendance. K was staring so intensely at the judge that Josef thought for a minute he might just leap over the table and kill the Judge. He realized Bentworth had read the situation the same way and that's why he was stood at the end of the table.

  The Judge's stare was equal to K's.

  "Where are the boys?" the Judge said.

  "How do you justify the sentence you gave to Mark Fletcher for the manslaughter of my son?" K said.

  "I did not come here to discuss that with you," Makilroy said. "I came here to give you a chance to tell me where the boys are."

  Josef's phone rang, everyone looked at him.

  "Sorry," he said picking it up. "Josef Lindahl. I said no comment," he snapped. He put the phone on the table. "Sorry," he repeated.

  "If you didn't come here to discuss my son then you'd better go," K said.

  "Tell me where the boys are?" Makilroy insisted.

  "I'll tell you when you justify for me why my son's life was worth two thousand pounds and to these parents, their son was worth every penny they had."

  "It seems to me that eighteen thousand was not enough for the life of Jamie Beacham." Makilroy sneered.

  "Ask his parents what they'd give now," K shouted. "They only gave half what they could have. Ask them, if they could go back right now, ask them how much they'd give then."

  "Tell me where the boys are."

  "Justify the sentence."

  "I do not have to justify myself to you," Makilroy said.

  "Then justify yourself to the families of those kids. Tell them what you think their children are worth." Both men were getting angry and shouting, K had tears in his eyes.

  "I didn't take their children. You did. I'm not responsible for what happens to them."

  "I'm making you responsible Judge. I want to know how you value life. You told me my son was worth two thousand pounds and a two year driving ban. So that's all these boys mean to me. Hell I've got six thousand pounds and I don't need a car. What're their lives worth to you?"

  "I'm not going to be put on trial here," Makilroy said. "I do not have to justify what happens in my courtroom to anyone, least of all a criminal like you."

  "Yes you are," K said.

  "You are not going to tell me what to do."

  "That's the point you fuck. You're goi
ng to decide what to do yourself."

  "Tell me where the boys are," Makilroy said.

  "What boys?" K spat.

  "Mr/ Kelly you just burned any credit you had with me." Makilroy was shouting. "When you appear in court I'm going to personally make sure you suffer the full penalty of the law."

  "Do you think I care about the law?" K said.

  "Are you just going to let these boy's die?" Makilroy said.

  "Are you?" K snapped. "Justify Fletcher's sentence to the press and they're yours. You could be the hero Judge, the man who saved these boys."

  "I don't justify myself to anyone."

  "You'll justify yourself to God."

  "And that'll be between me and him," Makilroy pointed to the ceiling.

  "And you can tell that to these boy's parents. You could have saved their sons, but you don't justify yourself to anyone."

  "No I don't," Makilroy said. He stood. "It's obvious I can't help you here. I'll be outside."

  When he'd left the room everyone was silent. After a moment Josef picked up his phone.

  "Oh dear," he said showing the phone to Bentworth. "I didn't hang up properly. I do hope no one was listening." Josef's tone said everything. He put the phone face up on the table and disconnected the call.

  Bentworth stared at Josef, as did K, Smythe and Whitlock. Bentworth was staring for a long time.

  "You. No. Shit. Was that real?" he said. Josef nodded. "You helped a killer?" said Bentworth pointing at K. "You're fired," Bentworth fumed and stormed out.

  "What did you do?" Whitlock stared incredulously.

  "Jamie Beacham's not dead. He said he could afford six thousand pounds, not four." Josef nodded at K. He turned to Whitlock and stood.

  "No one else seemed to give a shit about these boys. I can get another job." Josef leaned over the table to K. "When this is in tomorrow's papers you give the boys up right?" he said. K looked at Smythe, who nodded.

  "Sure," he said smiling.

  Chapter 31: Josef

  When Josef woke it was after Midday but that was fine. It was three weeks since he'd been suspended pending an inquiry. He fixed himself a nice brunch of BLT's and coffee. He looked at the thank you cards stuck on the front of the fridge. There were quite a few. The Martins, the Beachams, the Collridges and the Bilhams had sent them. He took down the last two. He read K's again first.

  'There is still some justice left. Thank you. Harvey Kelly'. Josef slipped that behind the other one. He opened Kate's card.

  'I think you were right. I'm sorry only you had to pay the price. Katrina'.

  Josef smiled and stuck them back on the fridge. He was enjoying the peace and quiet and it was chance to read.

  Josef cursed as the phone rang and searched beneath a pile of newspapers scattered across the table. They showed dramatic scenes of the cottage in Hampshire where the boys had been kept. The police had released pictures of the inside of the cottage and details of the conditions about a week ago. The world had seen the video games and TVs and food. The press had paid a lot of money for a chance to interview Jamie Beacham about his ordeal, but the boy had merely said K had helped put him to sleep and when he woke up his finger had been bandaged and he was in a bigger room with four beds in it. It seemed as though K thought this might take a while and had converted the cellar into a dormitory for the boys he didn't return.

  The papers had run a manuscript of the tape of the judge, and it had been aired on every radio channel and news program. Harvey Kelly had been turned into an unofficial vigilante hero, mostly due to the care he'd taken in keeping the boys safe and well and happy. The public sympathy over the death of his wife and son were a catalyst along with a failsafe that he'd set up on the cottage. If a timer inside the cottage was not reset every 96 hours then it set off an alarm to the police. Harvey Kelly was still looking at a long time in prison but Josef knew he wasn't bothered about it. Josef didn't think he would get much trouble inside, and if his trial went well he might even get an open prison.

  Josef hadn't managed to stay out of the papers either. He'd had to change his mobile number just to stop the reporters calling. He'd been offered a lot of money for his story but that seemed unimportant. He was the rebel policeman who helped one man get justice for his wife and son. Josef was bloody thankful for two things though, firstly his picture had not appeared in any newspaper. Secondly nobody had printed the fact that he had called a reporter from the CID toilets and had arranged to be called in the interview room so the judge could be taped. He'd have been sacked instantly if that came out. He found the phone on the fifth ring.

  "Josef Lindahl," he said.

  "Jo its Bentworth. Something has come up I want to you to look at," he said.

  "Sir?" Josef puzzled. "Aren't I suspended?"

  "You can go back to being suspended afterward," he said.