“Will, do.” Callum grabbed the files. “Busy estate agents.” He groaned as he hauled them up.
“One of the oldest, and busiest, in the area.” Yvonne nodded. “Let me know when you find something. All avenues are still on the table. We need a positive lead on this case and we need it fast. Llewellyn will be on us if we don’t have something soon.”
“On it, like a car bonnet.” Callum grinned as he left, followed by Dai.
12
Lines
"What have you got?" Yvonne crossed the office to where Dai waited for her, notebook in hand, an email open on his desktop.
"Brecon were very helpful. They've heard of Will, but he’d only recently come onto their radar."
Yvonne rested her rear on the edge of Dai’s desk.
"Do you want a seat, ma'am?" Dai pulled a chair back so she could access it.
"Thank you, Dai." She eased herself down. "What did they have to say?"
“It’s not good news, ma'am. They think he’s connected to County Lines. Not a big fish, but he’s typical of the youngsters the drug gangs exploit to run their contraband for them.”
She sighed. “That's not good. Those gangs use extreme violence to control the kids, mostly knife crime, but increasingly we're seeing firearms. They're brazen with it, too, attacking even in broad daylight. How did they connect Will to this?”
"They raided two places on the estates six weeks ago. A gang from Birmingham took over a house and flat in Newtown in a cuckooing operation. Typical scenarios, a couple with serious drug addictions were renting the house from the local authority, got into debt with the suppliers, and agreed for gang members to sell drugs from their home. That's how the couple planned to pay down their debt. The couple no longer live at the house since the raid.""What about the flat?" "A lad with a crack and heroin addiction, and fragile mental health, occupies the flat. He, too, agreed for the gang to use his place, except he's adamant he thought they would only sleep there. Claims he wasn't aware they'd be selling class A drugs until users showed up at the flat."
“Did we know about the raids?”
“They involved uniform from Newtown station. We knew about them, but played no part. Brecon drugs team were in charge of the operation.”
“I see. So, how did Will fit into this? Was he at the flat?”
“They didn’t get the main players. The gang had somehow gotten wind and fled before Brecon drug squad arrived. The house of the young couple was empty, they’d left at least twenty-four hours before the raid. Friends looked after the female victim when her partner went into hiding.”
“And the flat?”
“Neighbours, who witnessed the events, claimed the gang fled not long before the raid. Ashley Brennan was still at the flat with Pete Simm. They picked up Will as he ran away. Whatever drugs they’d had at the place had gone, presumably sold. They found a nominal amount of weed and little else. Will had a small amount of cannabis on him, when they lifted him, assumed to be for personal use. The courts fined him. They also fined Pete Simm. Ashley Brennan walked away, scot-free, and the gang members are still at large.”
“How sure are the Brecon team, that the gang were at the places, if they didn't arrest them?”
"The female from the house told them her partner had gone into hiding and was living on the streets in Shrewsbury, having told his probation officer he wouldn’t be around for a while. He'd done this even though he risked being recalled to prison. She said the gang scared him more than the courts. She described Birmingham accents. The rest is intel gained by Brecon before the raid."
"So, who’s behind it all?"
“The name they gave us is ‘Scarface’. Not his real name, but the rumours are, he heads up the smuggling in this area. They haven't identified him, yet. Like I said, he wasn’t at Pete Simm’s property when they raided it.”
“Where is Pete Simm, now?”
“He’s back at his flat. Drugs squad talked to him and let him go. They had no proof of serious wrong-doing and the courts would consider him a victim, in any event. Both he and Will attend Bite Size, the charity for vulnerable youngsters, in town. We should speak to them. Ask them what Will was going through. See if they had suspicions of gang involvement.”
“Yes, if Will got himself involved in County Lines, he may have lied to his family about his drug use, but possibly told Bite Size the truth. I want to talk to Ashley Brennan. Get him in, would you?”
“Yes, ma’am. What do I give as a reason?”
“Will is missing, and Ash is his friend. Tell him I’d just like a chat.”
“What if he refuses?”
“With his history? He’s likely to be carrying drugs on his person or, possibly, a weapon. Both, reason enough to bring him in. Failing that, you’ll just have to use your powers of persuasion.”
“Understood, ma’am.”
❖
Annie Jones was having a quick cigarette on the doorstep of Bite Size, on Market Street. “I should give up, I I know. I am trying.” She gave an awkward smile, snuffing out the end with her fingertips. “Do you smoke?”
“No, never have.” Yvonne followed her inside, through a small corridor and into a side room, containing a table and two chairs.
“You’re lucky.” Annie pulled a face, adjusting the tables and chairs and running a hand through her long, dark hair. “I’ve been trying to give up for like forever.” She laughed, rattling the phlegm at the back of her throat.
“I'm aware how tough it can be.” Yvonne nodded. “I’ve watched enough colleagues struggle with it over the years. Some still do.”
“You wanted to talk about Will Harries?” Annie asked. “Is there any news? We're all concerned for him.”
Yvonne shook her head. “Not yet, Annie.”
Annie’s brow furrowed. “It’s so unlike the family. They're the last people I would have thought...” Her gaze turned to the window as her words trailed away.
“How well do you know them, Annie?”
“I know Will better than the rest. We’ve been working with him for the best part of three years. I've never met his dad. His mum, Kate, has accompanied him on several of his appointments. She seems a gentle soul who'd do anything for her son. Although, over the last three months, he’s been coming on his own. He’s come a long way.”
“So, I heard. Was he scared, Annie? Gangs have coerced several youngsters in the town.”
Annie leaned back in her chair, pursing her lips. “We’ve had so much trouble with this County Lines problem. The gangs are coming here from all over, Liverpool, London, Birmingham, to name a few. We’re sure they’re keeping an eye on organisations like us, and the pharmacies, and drug counselling. They pinpoint the vulnerable youngsters and zoom in like bees to a honeypot. They get them into debt by giving them drugs up front and then take their benefits from them, almost as soon as the DWP puts it in the bank. It’s a massive problem and kids like Will? They feel they’ve got no way out. And, if they talk about the gangs to anyone, they’re afraid they’ll be disappeared.” She drew quotation marks in the air with her fingers to show disappeared as the exact word used. “The gangs have machetes and shotguns and, well, you're aware of all that, I expect.”
Yvonne nodded. “All too well. It’s a problem nation-wide. Do you suspect gang involvement in Will’s disappearance?”
Annie frowned. “I’d like to say, no. I mean, as far as we could tell, Will had been off hard drugs for months and was making real progress with his life. He’d also settled on his medication and hadn’t had a psychotic episode for weeks. I can’t see why he would have come under their influence. His family love him and support him.”
“What about Ash?”
“Ash Brennan? Well, that’s different. Ash has had his share of difficulties. He still struggles with addiction and, even when on methadone, he uses on top. As you'll be aware, he’s been in-and-out of trouble since he was ten. Now, I’d believe the gangs could target him. He’s typical of the lads they go after.”
“Officers picked them up at a flat, cuckoo'd by a gang from Birmingham.”
Annie nodded. “That was Pete Simm’s flat.”
“That’s right. Did Pete tell you?”
Annie shook her head. “Will told us the police picked him up. I supported him when it went to court. He told them he was at Pete’s place, but had sold no drugs. They’d arrested him two streets away from there. They picked Ash up during the raids, he was still at the flat with Pete.”
“Do you see Pete Simm? I hear he is also vulnerable.”
“We do. Pete has had a lot of issues with Class A drugs. He attends at Drugs and Alcohol Counselling. His Key-worker is Sam Williams. We provide additional support and advice and make sure he’s taking his methadone, as he should. Pete has no family to turn to. I wondered if the drugs gangs had targeted him. He’d lost weight and his money was disappearing. Is he in trouble?”
Yvonne shook her head. “We know he’s a victim. They’re not looking to prosecute him in relation to County Lines. However, he may have knowledge about Will.”
“Would you like me to talk to him?” Annie narrowed her eyes.
“That would be very helpful. Would it be possible to sit in on the chat? We could keep it low-key. If I go in cold, he might not talk to me. He trusts you. I hope, that would help him trust me, too. He may have information that puts us on the road to finding the Harries family.” Yvonne grimaced. “I don’t mean that to sound mercenary. I don't wish to put him at risk.”
Annie nodded. “We’ll take it one step at a time. In my experience, the victims of the gangs are reluctant to speak about it, even to those closest to them.”
“I understand, and I can’t say I blame them. When is Pete coming in?”
“Tomorrow at eleven. Give me a bell in the morning, tell me the plan.”
“I’ll do that.” Yvonne rose from her seat, her movement easier than it had been.
She was healing well and had walked to Bite Size, her physiotherapist having told her that the exercise would do her good. She felt the burn, on her way back to the station, her thighs, heavy. Her cane was her best friend as the cold bit into her back.
Another couple of months, they had said, until she could walk without aid, but only if she took regular exercise and attended physio.
13
Shayne Steadman
“Ma’am, we think we’ve found Kate Harries’ secret admirer.” Dai grabbed her as soon as she got back to CID.
Dewi joined them. “Sit down. We’ll get you a brew and fill you in.”
Yvonne discarded her jacket, thankful of the chance to sit down.
Did flicked through pages on the screen. “The lab analysed the writing on the cards using their fancy software, and we have an eighty-seven percent match to a suspect. They believe he used his left hand although he is right-handed.”
“Makes sense that someone might do that. So, who are we talking about?” The DI leaned back, pinching her lips as she concentrated.
“Remember Shayne Steadman?”
She shook her head.
“Ah, might have been before you joined us, ma’am. They arrested Shayne Steadman a few years back for harassment of a local schoolteacher who he’d taken a fancy to. His last relationship ended after a vicious row in twenty-twelve. The courts convicted him for domestic violence and related offences.”
“What had he done?”
“Essentially, he’d threatened his partner with a blade, after she’d told him she was leaving. He slashed her suitcase and all her clothes, telling her that if he couldn’t have her, no-one else would.”
“Wow, he’s a charmer. What about the teacher? What was that about?”
“She taught biology at his son’s secondary school. A Mrs Bateman. He took a shine to her after a parent’s evening. Over the next few months, he phoned the school on various pretexts and hung about outside the gates at home time. They convicted him after he forced Bateman’s car off the road when she was on her way home.”
“How did he know Kate Harries? Had he used been to Carter and Sons?”
Dai nodded. “Steadman put his house, in Bryn Mor Terrace, up for sale. He’d viewed several properties in the area, over a three-month period. That time spanned January through March of this year. Then, without explanation, it seems, he took his house off the market and stopped viewing properties, altogether. As far as we're aware, he’s still living in the same place. He was on probation, but I contacted them and he hasn’t been on their books for over twelve months.”
“Good work, Dai. Let’s get him in. Given how she reacted to the cards and flowers, Kate had concerns about the sender. I suspect she knew full-well who sent them. Am I right in thinking she was the agent who accompanied Steadman on his visits to properties?”
Dai nodded. “You are, ma’am. Griff Carter said Steadman always asked for her. They said he wasn’t the only one. She was popular with both male and female clients, so Carter said they had had no concerns about it.”
“All right. Well, I’m impressed with both of you. Let’s get him in.”
❖
He looked older than his fifty-two years. He'd dressed in a check shirt and faded jeans, the latter two sizes too big and held up by a thick belt around his middle that pleated the material at the waist.
Surgical tape held together the left hinge of his glasses.
Yvonne almost felt sorry for him. She pointed to the chair. "Mr Steadman, please, take a seat. I’m waiting for our DCI to join us, and we can begin."
“How long is this going to take?” He sighed. “Just because I’m not working, doesn’t mean I don’t have stuff to do.”
Yvonne nodded. “We’re hoping this won’t take too long, Mr Steadman, but that will depend on you being straight with us. A duty solicitor is present in the station. I would advise you to take advantage of him.”
“What do you mean? What’s all this about?”
At that moment, DCI Llewellyn strode in, giving Yvonne a reassuring smile as he seated himself next to her.
“Am I being arrested for something? What is this?” He stood up.
“Please, Mr Steadman, take a seat. You are not under arrest. Would you like a solicitor present?”
“No. I have done nothing to warrant my being brought in here.”
“All right, if you’re sure.”
“I am.”
“We wanted to ask you about these.” Yvonne pushed a see-through plastic bag, containing the open Valentine cards, towards him. “Do you recognise them?”
He picked up the bag, examining the cards, front and back.
“No.” He pushed them back to the centre of the table.
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“It’s just that we’ve matched the handwriting to yours, and the partial print we found on the envelope, matched yours as well.”
He fell silent, his face and neck, reddening. He pressed his lips together.
“Do you recognise them, now?”
He folded his arms and leaned back in his chair. “So what, if I do? What’s it to you?”
“The lady, you sent them to, is missing, along with her family.”
“Oh, that’s it. I make a few mistakes in my past and now you suspect me of abducting a family. Can’t a person just move on?”
“Were they abducted? Is that what happened?”
“What?”
“You used the word, abducted. Is that what you did?”
“You said-”
“I said, they were missing.”
“Isn’t that the same thing?” He glared at her.
“No, missing means we don’t know where they are. We are considering all possibilities.”
“Well, I can't tell you where they are and it’s not a good reason to pull me in here.”
“Eighteen months ago, the courts convicted you of harassment.”
“I gave a lady unwanted attention.” He shrugged. “They blew it out of all proportion. I wanted t
o know her better.”
“You forced her car off the road, up in the mountains, when she was on her way home.”
“I only wanted to talk. I tried to see her at the school, but the headmaster kept heading me off.”
“You followed her home on a lonely road and forced her to pull over. What did you expect her to feel? Did you expect her to be friendly after that?”
“Well, if she’d gotten to know me better, that wouldn't have happened. All I wanted was to ask her for a drink. I got it wrong, and I did probation. I thought that was the end of the matter.”
“What about Kate Harries? Did you know she was married?”
“Maybe, she mentioned it.”
“Did she, or didn’t she?”
“Yes, she told me.”
“So, you told her of your attraction?” The DI’s voice was soft, but her eyes bored into him.
The DCI threw her a glance.
“I did, yes.” Steadman lowered his eyes to the table.
“How did she respond?”
“She told me she had a husband. She told me she loved him, but there was this look in her eyes.”
“What do you mean?”
“We were viewing a property at the time. She stared out of the window, looking sad, as though what she was saying wasn’t the whole truth. There was more she could have said, I could tell.”
“So, you thought there was still hope?”
“I thought I’d try again, later.”
“And you sent the flowers and the cards?”
“Yes.” He rubbed his face.
“Why the white lilies?”
“What?”
“You sent white lilies, why?”
“Kate came across as pure in spirit. White lilies seemed appropriate. They also seem pure to me.”
“Some people see them as funeral flowers and could read them as a threat?”
“What? Never. I would never have harmed her. I don’t hurt women.”
Blood Lost Page 6
