by M A Comley
Joanna smiled and handed her a Post-it note. Written on it were the name and telephone number of the firm. “Already done, boss.”
“I do have the dream team working for me today. Thanks. I’ll give them a discreet call, see if I can locate the elusive Kenny. Wish me luck.” Sally sat down at her desk and let out a weary breath. It was only halfway through the working day, but she was already feeling exhausted. She picked up the phone and dialled the number. “Hello, is it possible to speak to the person in charge, the owner of the company perhaps?”
“Just a moment. Can I ask who’s calling?”
“Sally Parker. Thanks very much.”
There was a pause before a man’s gruff voice filtered down the line. “Hello, this is Mark Thrower. What can I do for you, Ms. Parker?”
“Hello, Mr. Thrower. I’m an Inspector with the Norfolk Constabulary. I was wondering if you have a Kenny Gillan working for you?”
“I have. What’s my old mucker done now?”
Sally detected a smile in the man’s voice. “Nothing. I’m just trying to track him down. Is he at work today?”
“Yes, he is. Do you want me to pass you through to him?”
Sally’s heart skipped a beat. “No, that’s okay. What time does he usually leave the office?”
“Around six, give or take ten or fifteen minutes.”
“That’s brilliant. I’ll catch him after work then. Can I ask you to keep this conversation to yourself, Mr. Thrower?”
“Of course, if you tell me what he’s done wrong. Speeding fine? He’s had a fair few of those in the past.”
“No, nothing like that. We just need to have a chat with him. Nothing cloak and dagger about why we want to see him, I promise you.”
“My lips are sealed then.”
“I appreciate your time and the information. Thank you.” Sally hung up and bellowed for Jack to join her.
Jack appeared in the doorway, a frown wrinkling his brow. “What’s up?”
“Kenny Gillan is at work now. I’ve told the owner of the company that we’ll swing by to see Gillan this evening as he leaves, but I’m thinking we should take a trip out there now. What say you?”
“I like your thinking. Can we grab a sandwich on the way? I’m starving.”
Sally shook her head. “Why is it you men are always thinking about your stomachs?”
“I wasn’t aware that I do. A body needs fuel for it to function properly, I’ll have you know.”
Sally pulled a face at him. “Learn that in the army, Bullet?”
“Common knowledge. When do you want to set off? I thought I’d treat the others to a sandwich before we leave.”
“That’s kind of you. Ham and cheese on a brown roll for me, if you’re buying. We’ll have lunch and then shoot off.”
Jack left the office and returned with her lunch ten minutes later. They set off for Suffolk twenty minutes after that. After eating her roll, Sally had to admit, her partner knew his stuff. Her weariness disappeared, and she felt invigorated once again. Either that, or she had a good feeling that things were finally going her way with the case.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
The builders’ merchants was a hive of activity when they arrived at around two fifteen. Sally and Jack walked into the reception area and produced their IDs.
“DI Sally Parker and DS Jack Blackman. We’d like to speak with Kenny Gillan, please?”
“Ah, sorry, but he’s left the office for the day.”
Sally and Jack issued each other frustrated looks. Sally smiled at the woman on reception. “I spoke to Mr. Thrower earlier. Is he available for a quick chat?”
“I’ll just check.” The receptionist placed the call and nodded at Sally before hanging up. “He’ll be with you shortly. Care to take a seat?”
“Thanks.”
Sally and Jack stepped away from the counter and began pacing the floor until Thrower finally appeared. Sally couldn’t help but notice how sheepish the man looked.
His face was flushed when he approached them. “Sorry, Inspector.”
“For what? Betraying a confidence? I asked you not to tell Gillan, and you specifically went against that instruction. I could have you for obstructing a police investigation. Where is he?”
“I know, and I regret my actions. I was just winding him up, but he freaked out. Kenny ran out of my office and left the building. I asked Ginny where he had gone, and she said he’d received a call from home that there was some kind of emergency.”
“He’s at home then? How long has it been since he left?”
“About thirty minutes, I suppose. Me and my big mouth. If it’s any consolation, I’ve been kicking myself ever since.”
“What’s done is done. If he contacts you, will you ring me right away? Here’s my card.”
“Of course. Once again, I’m sorry.”
Sally and Jack rushed out of the building and sped away from the merchants, the tyres on the car churning up the gravel driveway.
“I’m not liking this guy’s reaction to us wanting to chat with him, Jack.”
“Mighty suspicious, I have to agree. Want me to call for backup?”
“No, I think we’ll be able to deal with him ourselves. Let’s hope we’re not too late. His address should still be in the satnav under ‘recent destinations’. Sort that out for me, will you?”
According to the satnav, they were eight minutes from Kenny’s home. Sally found it impossible to push down the sinking feeling gnawing at her stomach. I hope to Christ we haven’t missed him.
When they arrived at the address, it was obvious Kenny had gone. The question was for how long? Sally struck the steering wheel with the heel of her hand. “Get on to the station, Jack. We need to trace his car. The more this guy goes out of his way to avoid us, the more I’m inclined to think he has something grave to hide, like being Anne’s murderer! That gives us the authority to order a search warrant for his address. Get Joanna on that. I’ll stop your game, Kenny Gillan, if it’s the last thing I ever do.”
When they arrived back at the station, Joanna informed Sally that the warrant had been requested and should be through within the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.
“Okay, well, there’s not a lot we can do about that. Joanna, I need you to dig deep on Kenny. He’s running for a reason—I want to know why.”
“I thought you might say that, boss. I’ve already made a start.”
“Found anything yet?”
“I think so. Can you leave it with me to do some research before I report back?”
“Of course. I’ll be in my office if anyone wants me.”
A little while later, when Sally was in the middle of filling out another mundane form about procedures from head office, Jordan poked his head around the door. “Do you have a second, boss?”
“Come in and sit down. What’s wrong?”
“Hopefully, it’s a good thing. Fiona’s aunt has just rung me. She’s asked me to call round there after Fiona has finished school. I was hoping you’d give me a bit of guidance how to proceed.”
Sally smiled. “You don’t need any guidance from me, Jordan. You’ve done a fantastic job on the case so far. How did the aunt sound?”
“Thanks for that. She sounded all right, a little hesitant when she asked for a meeting. Can I take Joanna with me? Or would you rather she stayed here and kept up the search for Gillan?”
With that, Joanna knocked on the door and entered the room.
“Why don’t we ask her? Fancy a trip out to see Fiona with Jordan?”
Joanna slipped the piece of paper she was holding in front of Sally.
Sally read the note, and her gaze darted back up to Joanna. “You’re kidding me? Why didn’t this information show up before? More to the point—why didn’t Craig bloody mention it?”
“Not sure why it wasn’t highlighted before. That’s probably my fault, boss. As far as Craig is concerned, perhaps he wasn’t aware of it. The case was dismissed in court.”
“The sixteen-year-old girl took it all the way to court and then admitted that she made up the rape charge. Does that seem likely to you? It doesn’t to me. Sounds like he intimidated her before the jury could find him guilty. Crap!” Sally threw herself back in her chair. “He’s looking more and more suspicious the deeper we look. Why the heck wasn’t he questioned properly by Falkirk? When did the case go to court, Joanna?”
“That’s the first thing I checked. It was a few months before Anne went missing.”
“I wonder if he’s been tempted since, or has marriage put paid to his temptations? So many questions and so few answers.”
“Would it be worth putting the house under surveillance, boss?” Jordan suggested.
Sally nodded thoughtfully. “I was wondering the same thing. I’ll run it past the DCI. I’m unsure what budget we’re working to being a cold-case team now. Leave it with me, guys. Joanna, would you mind accompanying Jordan out to see Fiona again this afternoon?”
“Fine by me. What time, Jordan?”
“Set off in about fifteen minutes.”
Sally smiled. “Excellent, that’s sorted then. Tread carefully, as usual. Let’s hope you return with some good news.”
The second Jordan and Joanna left the office, Sally picked up the phone and rang DCI Green. She apprised him of the situation regarding Kenny Gillan. When she asked for permission to use a surveillance team, he hesitated.
“Sir? It’s looking more likely that he’s the killer.”
“Okay, just until the warrant comes through. By the way, there’s talk of the complaints team looking into that suicide case which occurred in your presence last week.”
“What? Why? I did everything I could to talk the man out of jumping. He was determined to end his life, though. Jack witnessed the whole thing.”
“I know. If Jack can back you up then there shouldn’t be a problem. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to you, Inspector. It’s procedure, after all.”
“I know, sir. It still sucks, though.”
“Don’t let it interfere with your work. They’ll summon you for an interview, and that will be the end of it.”
“I hope so, sir. I’ll keep you informed about the case.”
“Please do, Inspector. Chin up.”
She put the phone down, miffed by what DCI Green had told her. She was aware of how these things went. That didn’t stop her feeling ticked off by it, though. She shrugged. C’est la vie! Wearing a covering smile, she left the office and walked towards Jack and Stuart. “Hi, guys, how are you doing?”
Jack eyed her suspiciously. “What do you need?”
She stabbed an imaginary dagger in her heart. “I’m wounded, Jack.”
“Yeah, right.”
“I’ve been given the go-ahead to put surveillance on Gillan’s cottage. Any takers?”
Both Sally and Jack looked in Stuart’s direction.
“What?” he asked. “You think I haven’t got a life outside this place? Okay, maybe you’re right. I’m up for it, boss.”
“Gee, thanks, Stuart. Do you want to go home for a few hours and then shoot over there? You’ve got the address, haven’t you?”
“Yep, I have the address.” He grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair and left.
“Want me to check if an alert has gone out for Gillan’s car?” Jack asked.
“If you would. I hate this—it’s a bloody waiting game now until that warrant appears. By the way, don’t forget we’re going to the auction house tomorrow.”
“I hadn’t. I hope I don’t get tempted to buy a house while I’m there. Donna would lynch me.”
“I hear it’s best to keep your hands in your pockets, just in case, and don’t even think about scratching your nose.” Sally laughed.
“Yikes, thanks for the warning. So, if these guys who attacked your dad show their faces, we’re going to arrest them on the spot?”
“That’s the plan. If they show up. That will depend on how much they want the property.”
~ ~ ~
The following day, the team assembled back at the station and shared varying news. Jordan was the first person to bring the group up-to-date. “Looks like Fiona witnessed her mother giving the poison to her father.”
“How? Bloody hell! I’m not surprised she’s a confused young lady.”
“That’s not the worst part. Apparently, the mother was holding her daughter in front of her. She placed her arm around Fiona’s neck and held a knife in her hand. She threatened the husband that if he didn’t drink the poison, she would end their daughter’s life.”
“WTF? That’s insane.”
“Yep. The best part is that Fiona told us the news herself. It might have had something to do with me opening up to her about my uncle being poisoned by his brother.”
“I didn’t know that, Jordan. I’m sorry to hear that.”
“It was years ago, boss. I’ve pushed it to the back of my mind. Anyway, she said she’s lived with the trauma for long enough and was now eager to get on with her life. She felt guilty about her father’s death, thought over the years that she was to blame for him taking the poison.”
“That poor kid. We’ll make sure she gets the best counselling around. No kid should go through life feeling used and abused like that, especially when the mental abuse was carried out by a parent. That’s a wrap on that case then. Type up your report, and we’ll pass it on to the parole board. That’ll ensure the mother remains behind bars, away from her daughter. What a sick woman.”
“I’ll do it this morning,” Jordan said, nodding.
“Anything at the cottage, Stuart?”
“Nothing, boss. No cars turned up, and no lights went on in the house.”
“That’s a shame. Sorry it was a waste of time for you, Stuart.”
“No problem, boss.”
“Okay, Jack and I have to disappear for a few hours mid-morning. We’re hoping to catch the thugs who beat up my father last week. With any luck, when we return, we’ll have some news on Kenny’s warrant. Joanna, while we’re otherwise occupied, maybe you can try and find out if Kenny or his wife own any other properties. A holiday home somewhere, perhaps. It’s a long shot, but that’s all I have at the moment.”
“Leave it with me, boss.”
“Right, give me an hour in my office, Jack, and then we’ll set off.”
~ ~ ~
An hour later, Sally drew the car to a halt outside the auction house. She spotted her dad’s and Simon’s cars on the way into the building. “They’re both here. I’m just going to have a quick word with them first, and then we’ll leave them to get on with it and find a discreet position to observe the proceedings.”
“Hey, you two.” She kissed her dad and Simon on the cheek. “Have you spotted them yet, Dad?”
“No. Do you think it’s a good idea for you to be speaking to us?” her father replied nervously.
“We’re generally chatting. No harm in that, Dad. I need you to give me the nod when you see them. Jack and I will stand on the opposite side of the room and watch for you to give us the signal, all right?”
Her father inhaled and let out the breath which puffed out his rosy cheeks. “Okay, love.”
“You’ll be fine, Chris. Sally has this covered.”
“We’ll get into position. Good luck, you two.”
Sally surveyed the auction attendees who were a mixture of women, men in suits and quite a few tradesmen in work gear. She was surprised to see so many women there. Some were accompanied by men, others by themselves. Maybe it was a sign of the times that more and more women were becoming property developers. They certainly had a keener eye than men for interior design.
The auctioneer announced the first lot, and the people who were standing in the foyer filtered into the room. Sally watched her father’s eyes scanning the room. They widened when he spotted a heavily built man standing by the door. His gaze drifted her way again, and he flicked his head in the man’s direction. Sa
lly nodded and nudged Jack in the ribs. “Okay, Dad’s picked the bruiser out at the back. We need to drift over that way towards him during the auction.”
“Shouldn’t the uniformed officers be inside rather than sitting in the car park?”
“Scared, are you? Come on, Bullet, he’ll be no match for you. We’ll pounce on him before he notices we’re there. Let’s hold fire until he starts bidding on the same lot as Dad and Simon, though. You tackle him, and I’ll slap the cuffs on.” Sally kept one eye on the auctioneer and squeezed past people to get closer to the man, who appeared to be alone.
The first two lots went unsold as they didn’t reach their reserve price. The third lot was the one Simon had his eye on. He raised his hand to start the bidding off at a hundred thousand. Sally used her peripheral vision to keep an eye on the man and saw him raise his hand. This was all the confirmation she needed. She tugged on Jack’s arm, but he seemed engrossed in the auction. “We need to get closer, get around his back. I want to strike soon, Jack, in case he takes off.”
“After you.”
Sally weaved through the crowd and ducked down to pass the man, who was bidding. Jack joined her. Sally looked over to her father for further confirmation. He was nodding with widened eyes. Simon raised his hand at a hundred and eighty thousand. Before the man could respond, Jack grabbed his arms and forced them behind his back, while Sally slapped on the cuffs.
“What the hell is going on?” the man asked, his gaze darting between Sally and Jack.
“You’re under arrest for grievous bodily harm,” Sally stated.
“You’re nuts. If I lose this house…”
“You’ll what? Do the same to me as you did to my father last week at the house?”
The auctioneer’s gavel went down, then Simon and Sally’s father joined them in the foyer. The man was fuming, and he started kicking out at Jack until Jack stamped on his feet. “Behave, you bloody idiot.”
“Is this the man, Dad?”
“That’s one of them. Where’s your mate, sonny?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about, old man. I’ve never seen you before.”
