Fatal Love

by Michael Patterson

  ‘But not as much as Mr Burton’s,’ replied Milner.

  Chapter 34

  ‘How did it go?’ asked Milner.

  DC Bennett had returned to the station from his visit to speak with Mrs White. ‘She did confirm everything that her husband had told us. Her husband was at home when she got back, at seven o’clock, from visiting her sister. Although she was a bit puzzled when I asked her how he seemed, she did confirm he appeared to be upset about something. When she asked him if he was okay, as far as she could remember, he replied that he was supposed to have met someone from the club but that the person did not arrive. I asked if he mentioned the reason for the meeting. Again, she said she asked but he just answered something about it being a golf club matter.’

  ‘Did you believe her?’

  ‘I did, yes,’ he answered, a touch of disappointment clearly evident in the tone of his voice. ‘There was none of the hesitation you would normally see if a person is not telling the truth. All I can say is if she was lying then she deserves an Oscar. What about your interview with Mr White?’

  ‘Like you said about his wife. He didn’t give the impression he was lying. There was the anger and indignation that you would expect when questioning someone’s honesty, especially relating to a murder investigation.’ He paused briefly before continuing. ‘I haven’t, though, completely ruled him out yet. We do need to try and track his movements before we can finally do that. He’s still one of our prime suspects. Any success yet with CCTV coverage?’

  ‘I’m still looking through it all. As you can imagine there’s a lot to go through, so I’ve steered a few other officers into helping out.’

  ‘What have you told them to look out for?’

  ‘Either Mr Burton’s car or Roger White’s, on any route close to the quarry. They have the descriptions and registration numbers of their cars. At the moment they are reviewing any public CCTV that is available. If that doesn’t throw up any sightings then we’ll start including footage on commercial properties. As I said, it’s a big job.’ As Milner did not immediately reply, DC Bennett continued. ‘What do you think we should do next?’

  Milner walked towards the chart featuring all of the names. ‘Let’s take a look,’ he said. ‘DCI Stone has ruled out Tony Cook. I don’t think Mike Preston is our murderer. Jonathan Mercer was not even in the country at the time of the death, and, until CCTV footage proves otherwise, it looks as though Roger White is also unlikely to be the one. And we are all agreed it’s highly unlikely to have been one of the women.’

  ‘So that leaves Craig Blackwell,’ DC Bennett said, with undisguised enthusiasm. ‘It can’t be anyone else. Why don’t we bring him in?’

  ‘On what basis?’ asked Milner. ‘We can’t accuse him of murder simply because he withdrew some money from his own company. I know it’s quite a lot of money to you and me, but, frankly, to men like him and Glyn Burton, it’s not that big.’

  ‘But he doesn’t have a cast-iron alibi for the day Mr Burton disappeared. Surely that’s enough for us to legitimately ask him a few more questions? It might help him to remember if he’s here, at the station.’

  Milner, clearly considering what DC Bennett had just suggested, took his time before he answered. ‘Okay. Give him a call and ask him to come in.’ Knowing the bad feeling between the two of them, he added, ‘But don’t antagonise him. We don’t want him arriving here in a belligerent mood. We want him as relaxed as possible. That way we are more likely to catch him out if he is lying.’

  ‘Don’t worry, sir, I’ll be as nice as pie.’

  Milner, giving him a slightly sceptical look, simply said, ‘Just don’t make him angry, that’s all.’

  ‘Have we heard from the boss yet?’ asked DC Bennett, changing the subject.

  ‘Nothing so far,’ answered Milner.

  ‘He won’t be able to resist calling in to see how we are getting on. Just mark my words,’ DC Bennett said, with a light laugh. ‘Have you any idea what he’s doing?’

  ‘No idea at all. You know what he’s like. He only ever tells you anything if he thinks you should know. He obviously doesn’t think we should know about this.’

  ‘Do you think it might have something to do with the other investigation? You know, the one involving Commander Jenkins.’

  ‘I did think that myself,’ said Milner. ‘I hope not, but you saw for yourself just how much it has affected him.’

  ‘I agree. And that’s only what he allows you to see. I’m sure there’s more going on than his appearance suggested. He’s not the type of person to so readily accept something, especially if it’s something he feels so strongly about.’

  ‘Anyway,’ Milner said, ‘I’m sure, sooner or later, we’ll find out what he’s been up to. In the meantime, we keep our focus on this case. As agreed, arrange for Craig Blackwell to come in. See if you can get him in later today. Before he gets here, though, we review everything he’s told us. If he is lying then we need to be able to identify when he’s doing it. Let’s see if we can get this resolved before DCI Stone contacts us.’

  DC Bennett was to be proven correct; Tom would be in contact before long. What neither of them could possibly foresee, however, were the circumstances of that contact.

  Chapter 35

  At about the same time Milner was finishing his interview with Roger White, Tom and Mary were on their way to meet Paul and his family. Mary had earlier received a call from Paul to confirm where they would be for their meeting. It had been decided they would meet in the reception area of their hotel. Fortunately, the hotel was located on the western edge of London and so it wasn’t too much of a journey for Tom and Mary. The problem, though, as usual, was finding somewhere reasonably nearby to park. In the end they chose one of the numerous underground car parks operated by a well-known national chain. This, however, had its own drawbacks – certainly as far as Tom was concerned.

  ‘I can’t believe how much they charge to park for just a few hours,’ muttered Tom. ‘It’s legal robbery. You also need to have taken an advanced driving course just to be able to park your car. It’s so narrow down there. If they don’t bankrupt you with the parking fee, your insurance company will, after you scraped it just trying to get in and out.’

  Mary chose not to argue the point, suspecting that part of Tom’s anger was probably due to his increasing anxiety. Instead, she simply said, ‘Well, at least we are close by.’

  After parking the car and emerging into the daylight they made the short walk to the hotel. As they approached the entrance, Mary said, ‘Okay?’

  ‘I’m fine,’ he simply replied. Nonetheless, Mary took his right hand in her left one and gave it a slight squeeze of encouragement.

  As soon as they entered the hotel, they both spotted a man and woman, along with two children, seated in the far corner of the reception area. It was equally obvious that they too had been noticed, because suddenly the man stood and walked towards Tom and Mary.

  ‘Hi, I’m Paul,’ he said, ‘I’m guessing that you must be Mary and you must be Tom.’ He was quite a bit taller than Tom and, even having just spoken those few words, clearly had a distinctive Australian accent. Although he was only in his early thirties he was totally bald, but this, combined with his clear blue eyes and slightly tanned complexion, gave him a very striking appearance. The type of appearance which would get you noticed every time you walked into a room.

  Tom had wondered what Paul would call him and had come to the conclusion that he would most likely use his Christian name. He therefore found it quite reassuring when he did exactly that. The other worry that he’d had was what to do after the initial introduction. He knew this was likely to be the most awkward moment. Should he hug his son or just shake his hand? In the event, he realised it was a bit of a non-choice. He was not a natural hugger anyway, and had personally always felt slightly uncomfortable on the admittedly few occasions he had been greeted with a hug. So he had simply decided to take his lead from Paul.

  ‘It�
�s great to see you both,’ said Paul. He hugged Mary. ‘We’ve all been excited about meeting you.’ He then held his hand out to Tom. ‘I don’t know about you, but I’ve been really nervous about this moment.’

  Tom took his hand. ‘I know what you mean,’ he replied.

  ‘Right,’ said Paul. ‘Why don’t I introduce you to the family?’ He led them back in his family’s direction. ‘This is my wife, Kerry.’

  ‘Great to meet you both,’ she said, hugging Mary and then doing the same with Tom.

  ‘And these,’ Paul said, ‘are Sam and Emily.’

  Mary, clearly more comfortable when talking with children, leant forward, whilst stooping slightly so that she was nearer to their height. ‘You must be so excited about coming all this way. I’ve never travelled as far as you both have.’

  It was now Tom’s turn and he felt that all eyes were on him. He had no experience of talking to young children and his awkwardness was becoming apparent.

  Fortunately, he was saved by Sam. ‘Are you the famous detective? Daddy has told us all about you. You must have solved lots of murders. Do you have your gun with you?’

  Tom found himself laughing. ‘I’m afraid I don’t carry a gun. Only special policemen have those.’

  Sam frowned, clearly disappointed with Tom’s answer. ‘But you have solved lots of murders, haven’t you?’

  ‘Well, not lots, but a few,’ he replied.

  It was Emily who next put him on the spot. ‘Are you my real granddad? Daddy says you are, but I think that Granddad Jack loves me the most, especially since Nanny Anne died.’

  ‘Emily,’ said Kerry. ‘We all love you the same.’

  ‘It’s not a problem,’ answered Tom, before turning to face Emily. ‘I’m sure Granddad Jack is the best granddad in the whole world. You are so lucky to have someone like him who loves you.’

  Mary gave him a smile, suggesting she was proud of the way he had handled that potentially embarrassing situation.

  ‘Why don’t you join us for a meal? We’ve booked a table at the hotel restaurant,’ said Kerry. ‘We thought we’d have something to eat and then get the tube and go into central London. The kids especially can’t wait to see the Tower of London. Is that okay with you, Tom?’

  ‘Sounds like a great idea,’ he answered, with the same level of enthusiasm shown by Kerry.

  Sam, once again looking at Tom, was clearly not going to let his favourite subject drop. ‘Are there any murderers in the Tower of London? Will we be able to see any?’

  ‘They stopped locking people up there many, many years ago. But I agree with you that they should still be kept there. I know the head of the police in London. I’ll speak to him about that the next time I see him.’

  Clearly impressed with Tom’s answer, Sam simply said, ‘Cool.’

  *

  Tom and Mary sat at the places which had been reserved for them. Tom found himself seated between Paul and Kerry, whilst Mary was seated next to Kerry. He suspected some thought had gone into the seating arrangements.

  ‘You must all be very tired,’ said Mary. ‘After such a long journey.’

  ‘Yes, it was a long way,’ said Paul, ‘but at least the delay wasn’t too bad. Sam and Emily, fortunately, slept for quite a long time on the plane. I must have slept for some of the time, but I suppose it will be later when it starts to catch up to all of us.’

  ‘So, what is your job in Australia?’ asked Tom.

  ‘I work in real estate,’ he answered. ‘I have a small business which buys and sells property in and around Melbourne. Jack – that’s Mum’s husband – introduced me to it. He had his own business, and I worked for him for a few years before setting up mine.’

  ‘Were you then in competition with him?’

  ‘Not really. His business focussed on the lower-value end of the property market, whilst mine is at the higher end.’

  ‘Is it successful?’ asked Tom. ‘Not that I know a lot about the property market, but isn’t it very dependent on economic conditions? It must have its ups and downs.’

  ‘That’s certainly true and we’ve had a few tough times, but right now things are very positive.’

  ‘I have a house which I’ve been trying to sell. Perhaps you could help out?’ Tom said, with a light laugh. ‘Although I wouldn’t describe it as at the top end of the property market.’

  ‘Yes, Mary mentioned you were living at her home. Does that mean you are planning to get married soon?’ Paul asked, with a directness which Aussies are renowned for.

  Tom, out of the corner of his eye, just caught Mary looking in his direction. ‘That’s certainly the plan, but we haven’t set a date yet,’ he answered, as diplomatically as possible.

  Recognising that now might be as good a time as any to broach the subject, he immediately carried on, although this time in a quieter voice. ‘I was so sorry to hear about Anne. It must have been so upsetting for everyone.’

  ‘Yes, it was,’ Paul replied, suddenly struggling to keep his emotions in check. ‘We all thought that she had managed to get through it, but the cancer suddenly returned and . . .’

  ‘I understand,’ Tom said. ‘She must have been so proud of you.’

  ‘Yes, I think she was. And, of course, she loved all of her five grandchildren.’

  ‘I didn’t know she had five,’ Tom replied, before falling silent.

  ‘Mum and Jack had two children. Jamie is now twenty-six and has two children, whilst Lauren is twenty-four and had her first not long ago.’

  ‘It seems there’s a lot I don’t know,’ Tom said, reflectively.

  Paul, recognising that, perhaps, this wasn’t the time or place to have this discussion, diplomatically tried to change the subject. ‘I’m sure we’ll get the chance to speak later about this. But what about you? Believe it or not, your exploits in that murder case you were involved in even made Aussie television. In fact, it was when you were giving some sort of statement to the press that Mum recognised you and then told me who you were. To say I was surprised would be the understatement of all time. I did know from Mum that you were a policeman, but I’m afraid that’s all I knew. I understand from Mary you are a detective chief inspector with the London Metropolitan force? That must be exciting.’

  ‘It has its moments,’ he answered, thinking of the time, not that long ago, when he had been shot. ‘But mainly it’s lots of admin and paperwork.’

  ‘Are you investigating anything at the moment?’ Paul asked. Realising his question might have placed Tom in a potentially compromising situation, he quickly added, ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have asked.’

  ‘That’s okay. Coincidentally, we are currently in the middle of a murder investigation.’

  The mention of the word murder prompted Sam to speak. ‘Wow. When will you catch them?’

  ‘Well, hopefully soon, but sometimes it takes a bit longer.’ ‘Does that mean you should still be working on it, instead of being here?’ asked Paul.

  ‘I have a good team of officers,’ he answered. ‘I’m sure they can cope without me being there for a few days.’

  ‘Well, please don’t feel as though you have to spend all of your time with us. I’m sure there will still be plenty of time for us to spend together.’

  ‘What are your plans whilst you’re in the UK? I understand from Mary you are travelling up to the Midlands next week to visit your mum’s brother.’

  ‘That’s right. Uncle John lives in Sutton Coldfield. He came over for the funeral and that’s when we decided we’d like to visit the UK, now that the kids are a bit older. Do you remember him?’

  ‘Yes, I do,’ replied Tom. ‘He was Anne’s younger brother, if I remember correctly. He came to our wedding. When did you and Kerry marry?’

  ‘About nine years ago. We first met when she came to work at our company, and things sort of moved on very quickly after that.’

  Just then the waiter arrived with the menus, and the next few minutes were spent making their choices. After the w
aiter had taken their orders, the conversation returned to their plans for the visit.

  ‘If you get the time,’ said Mary, ‘you are very welcome to stay with us. Even if it’s just for the day.’

  Mary’s suggestion took Tom a bit by surprise, especially as she’d told him not to get ahead of himself when he’d asked her about their lodging plans. Nonetheless, he thought it best to endorse her invitation. ‘I know you’ve planned a busy schedule, but it would be really nice if you could.’

  ‘Where exactly do you live?’ asked Kerry.

  ‘It’s in a place called Bagshot,’ she replied. ‘By car, it’s less than an hour away from here. That depends, of course, on the time of day. Getting in and out of London can be a bit of a nightmare sometimes.’

  ‘Is it anywhere near where Paul lived?’ asked Kerry.

  ‘Not too far away. We lived in Sunbury then,’ replied Tom.

  ‘Perhaps we can all go and see it, then,’ Kerry suggested. ‘It would be good for the children to see where their dad used to live.’

  ‘That’s arranged, then,’ said Mary, before anyone else could say anything, leaving Tom slightly taken aback by this sudden turn of events.

  Chapter 36

  The rest of the day was spent visiting some of the attractions in London. Although this was not something that Tom would normally want to do, nonetheless he found himself actually enjoying the experience. In particular, he surprised himself with how much pleasure he got from Sam and Emily’s excitement. By the time they returned to the hotel it was after six o’clock.

  ‘The children look tired,’ said Mary.

  ‘They are not the only ones,’ added Kerry. ‘The time difference, and all of the walking we’ve done this afternoon, is beginning to hit me.’

  ‘We should start making our way back home, then,’ Mary said.

  ‘Why don’t we have a drink together?’ suggested Paul, looking at Tom.

  Kerry, picking up on Paul’s suggestion, said, ‘Mary, why don’t you come up? I’d really appreciate your help in putting the kids to bed.’