by M A Comley
“When we called at the flats the other day, you absconded the scene. That’s as much proof as I need right now. Let’s take him in, Constable.”
Nuttall tried to twist out of the constable’s grasp all the way through the house and continued his attempt until the constable placed him in the back seat of his vehicle.
“At last, thank God!” Dave said as soon as he saw they’d captured the culprit.
“Do you want to fetch your colleague? We’ll watch him,” Kayli suggested.
The constable ran up the side alley, and the two men returned moments later. “We’ll follow you back to the station.”
Kayli and Dave got back in their car. “Did he say anything?” Dave asked.
“Only the usual denial. I must admit that he looked pretty convincing when he denied the accusation.”
“It has to be him. Don’t start questioning yourself, not at this late stage.”
“We need to see what Forensics come up with. If they can corroborate that he was there through DNA, then his denial will be useless.”
“Are you going to question him tonight?”
Kayli turned to look at him. “You know that ain’t going to happen. I prefer to let the weasels stew overnight in a cell.”
“I know. But what about the time issue? You’ve got twenty-four hours to question him. You really think he’s going to crack in that time?”
“Not sure. I need the forensics results to hand before I can question him hard, though. Let me think about it on the return journey.”
“In other words, you want me to stay schtum so you can mull it over.”
Kayli smiled. “In a nutshell, yes.”
They arrived at the station around twenty minutes later. The desk sergeant booked Nuttall in and requested DNA samples from the man. Surprisingly, Nuttall agreed to the request without any form of resistance, again raising doubt in Kayli’s mind. She knew how other prisoners usually reacted, and he was showing none of those signs. He had denied the charge from the outset and attempted to get out of his restraints, but he seemed relatively subdued as Kayli watched the sergeant go through the arrest form.
Dave was lingering impatiently a few feet away from her.
“Why don’t you go and break the news to the rest of the team? I’ll be up soon.”
Her partner looked peeved at the prospect of climbing the stairs only to leave in another ten or fifteen minutes to go home.
The desk sergeant motioned for Kayli to join him. “Did you want me to set up an interview room for you, ma’am?”
Kayli lowered her voice so Nuttall couldn’t hear. “Nope, he can suffer overnight. I’ll question him first thing in the morning, Ray.”
“Very well, ma’am. We’ll feed and water him and tuck him up for the night.”
“What you can do for me is arrange for the duty solicitor to be here at nine so we can proceed without delay. That is, unless Nuttall wants his own brief to attend. I’ll leave that with you.”
“I’ll sort it all out for you, ma’am.”
“Thanks, Ray.”
Kayli’s weary legs carried her up the stairs. The jubilation the team were feeling at capturing their man was obvious as soon as she entered the room. “Great job, team. Let’s call it a day and start afresh in the morning. I’ve arranged for Nuttall to be questioned at nine. I’ll be here around eight to check over the details of the case to ensure we haven’t missed anything before I hit him with the evidence. Damn, I need to ring the pathologist in Wales, see if he’s found any form of DNA on Potts’s body.”
“Do you want us all to come in early, boss?” Donna asked.
The others looked at her expectantly.
“You needn’t. The choice is yours. Go home and get some rest, guys.”
“We’ll be here at eight or thereabouts,” Dave called over his shoulder as he hobbled towards the door.
“You’re fabulous, but you all know that, right?”
“We do.” Graeme switched off his monitor and stood up to leave.
Kayli rushed into her office and dialled the pathologist. “Hello, this is DI Bright. Is that Mr. Hughes?”
“Ah, yes, Inspector. Please drop the formalities. It’s Greg. What can I do for you?”
“I wanted to bring you up to date on where the investigation stands. We’ve arrested our main suspect. Obviously, that will mean we’ll need you to tell us what DNA, if anything, was found at the scene.”
“As yet, we haven’t found anything, I’m afraid. Probably due to the amount of water the car was submerged in. What I do have for you is a brief outline of the post-mortem, if that will help.”
“Excellent news. I’ve got a pen handy. Go ahead.”
“I’ve really nothing new to add from what I told you at the scene. What I can confirm is that the back of his head had caved in a little from the force of the blow he received, and as I suspected, he drowned in the boot of his car.”
“Do you think he was conscious throughout?”
“Highly unlikely, but I have no way of telling that. It was obviously a substantial blow in the first place that probably rendered him unconscious. He might have regained consciousness during the journey. The motion might have brought him round. Again, that’s all speculation. For the family’s sake, I’m inclined to say that it’s unlikely that he regained consciousness.”
“Okay, Greg, I’m willing to go along with that. His daughter is a little fragile at present, as you can imagine. Thanks for the update. I’ll ensure the suspect’s DNA profile is sent over to you tomorrow, in case you need it in the future.”
“Excellent. Well done on capturing your man, Inspector.”
“Thank you. I’ll be in touch soon.” Kayli ended the call, leaned back in her chair and let out a long, relieved sigh. It had been a hectic twenty-four hours, and the previous night’s lack of sleep was beginning to catch up to her. She jumped out of her chair and shook out her arms and legs to reinvigorate herself before she started on her journey home.
She left the room, switched off all the lights and made her way out to the car. When she arrived home thirty minutes later, Mark was standing on the doorstep, waiting for her.
Kayli was frantic, fearing the worst, and rushed from the car. “What is it? Is it Annabelle? Has something happened to her?”
Mark drew her into his arms and kissed the top of her head. “Hey, everything is fine. Why are you so anxious?”
She slumped against his chest. Listening to his beating heart was an added calming influence. “One of those days. I’m tired, and my senses are in tatters, I suppose.”
“Do you want to talk about it over dinner? I’ll have to leave in an hour or so, though.”
“Have you cooked again?”
He pushed her away from him. “Of course. It’s nothing fancy. Fish, chips and peas, all from the freezer, if that’s okay?”
“That’s brilliant. Thanks for being so thoughtful. I’m starving.”
Mark led the way into the house. In the lounge, she found a huge bouquet of flowers sitting on the coffee table with a small box of chocolates alongside it.
“Dare I ask? Are they for me?”
“No, they’re for my bit on the side. Of course they’re for you. I wanted to cheer you up and show you how much I love you.”
Kayli’s eyes misted up. They shared a long, lingering kiss. “You’re amazing. Not sure what I’ve done to deserve being treated like a princess, but it is definitely appreciated. Is dinner ready?”
“You’re my princess and worthy of being spoilt. Two minutes for dinner, so if you want to get changed, I’ll dish up.”
Kayli rushed upstairs and changed into her velour leisure suit, the one she always used to exercise in, not that she’d had much time to do that lately. She joined Mark in the kitchen, where they laughed and talked during their scrumptious meal.
“Why does food always taste better when someone else has cooked it?”
Mark laughed. “Can’t say I’ve noticed that. It tasted all right to me.”<
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“I think you’re a better cook than me. Maybe that’s the real answer.”
“I wouldn’t say that. I’ve had more time to prepare it during the day. Saying that, it was only a matter of opening up a few packets and shoving the items in the oven. Hardly MasterChef qualities needed for that. Glad you enjoyed it. Tough day at work?”
“Yes and no. We found the victim’s body and had to go and break the news to the family, then we caught a break and discovered where the suspect was hiding out.”
“Wow! Are you going to arrest the suspect tomorrow?” Mark asked, frowning.
“Nope, all done and dusted. He’s in a police cell now. I’ll question him in the morning. I’ll prepare my questions this evening while you’re at work.”
Mark placed a hand over hers. “You’re amazing. Can’t the questions wait? You could do with a rest this evening after what went on last night.”
She smiled at him. “I guess, but the team have agreed to start at eight in the morning. I could brainstorm with them for an hour before I hit the interview room with the suspect.”
“That’s my girl. Shame I can’t pull a sickie and join you. Not sure the boss would take kindly to me doing that at this early stage in my career.”
Kayli chuckled. “I’ll probably fall asleep not long after you leave anyway.”
They cleared up the kitchen together, and while Kayli made a coffee, Mark went upstairs to get changed. He reappeared a few minutes later, dressed in his suit.
“I’ll miss you this evening,” she said, sashaying towards him.
He held her at arm’s length. “Don’t. I feel bad enough leaving you every night as it is.”
“Let’s hope something else comes your way soon.”
“The money is good, so it’ll do for now.”
They drank their coffees wrapped in each other’s arms, then it was time for Mark to leave. The house seemed empty the second he walked out the front door. Kayli waved at him from the lounge window then switched on the TV. She flicked through an interior-design magazine for the next fifteen minutes before her eyelids began to droop. Even though it was only seven forty-five, she locked up the house and went to bed, exhausted.
CHAPTER TEN
Kayli stretched out a hand and slid it over Mark’s back. She had been so exhausted that she hadn’t stirred when he slipped in beside her. Despite all her misgivings about not being able to sleep properly when he wasn’t there, she’d had no trouble. Last night had been exceptional, however. So the jury was still out for her as far as his job was concerned.
Deciding not to disturb Mark, she eased out of bed and into the bathroom for a shower. Then she crept back into the bedroom, collected the clothes she had laid out to wear the night before and went into the spare room to get dressed. Kayli poked her head round the door to see if Mark had stirred at all. He hadn’t, so she left him to sleep, quietly descended the stairs and left the house without having anything to eat. She had already made the decision to call in at the baker’s on the way to work. After choosing a selection of cakes and picking out a few croissants, she continued her journey into work.
The team were already there when she arrived.
“Dave, can you buy the coffees? I stopped off for breakfast, so I hope you guys haven’t eaten. I think I bought enough for the whole station to share.” She chuckled.
Over breakfast, the team raised certain points that they felt Kayli should ask the suspect during the interview. Kayli jotted down a few notes of her own, wiped her mouth on a serviette, topped up her lipstick and announced to Dave that she was ready. “Ready?”
He jumped to his feet. “As I’ll ever be. I wouldn’t miss this for the world.”
They made their way down the stairs, where the desk sergeant motioned for Kayli to join him in reception.
“Everything all right, Ray?”
“Yes, ma’am. The duty solicitor is here already. I’m just about to send a constable to collect the suspect. Room Two is ready for you.”
“Excellent news.” Kayli wandered over to the young woman sitting in the reception area with a briefcase leaning up against her slim ankle. Extending her hand, she introduced herself. “DI Kayli Bright. I don’t think I’ve had the pleasure of meeting you before, Miss…”
“Belinda Cooper. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Inspector. I’ve heard a lot of good things about you.”
Kayli raised an eyebrow. “That’s good to know. I’m a fair copper, Belinda, as you’ll soon discover. What I won’t take is bullshit from a suspect, however. Keep your client in line and working with us, and everything should be fine. If he starts slinging around the ‘no comments’, I’m afraid you’ll see an entirely different side of me.”
She smiled. “Understood. I’m inclined to agree with you. I never advise my clients going down the ‘no comment’ route. It serves no purpose and wastes everyone’s time. Leave him to me. Can I have a quick word with him before we begin?”
“I can arrange that. Give me two minutes.” Kayli walked back to the sergeant’s desk. “She wants a brief chat with Nuttall. I’d let her visit him in his cell for a few minutes. Leave the door open and a constable on guard at the door. That should do.”
“I’ll arrange it now, ma’am.” He turned to instruct one of the constables rifling through paperwork alongside him. The constable collected the solicitor and showed her down the hallway into Nuttall’s cell.
“Come on, Dave. We’ll go to the interview room and get the equipment set up while we wait for them to reappear.”
They had only been in the room for a few minutes before the door opened. The suspect, accompanied by his solicitor and the constable, walked into the room.
“Take a seat, Mr. Nuttall. We have a few formalities to attend to first before we can begin.”
“The sooner we get on with this, the better in my book. You ain’t got anything on me. This should be a breeze for her to handle,” he said, nodding towards his solicitor.
“We’ll see.” Kayli gave the man the tightest smile she could muster.
Dave said the necessary verbiage for the disc, announcing the time, date and who was present in the room.
Kayli glanced at her notes. “Okay, I’m going to call you Bob, if that’s all right with you?”
Nuttall shrugged. “Whatever, just get on with it. Before you start, I want to say again that I haven’t done anything wrong. This is all a big mistake, as you’ll find, to your cost. I’ve had a word with my solicitor, and I’ll be suing you for false arrest and holding me in a police cell overnight.”
“Thank you for the warning, sir. Maybe you can tell me why you absconded from your flat when we knocked on your door on Monday.”
“I didn’t.”
“I think that’s a lie and doesn’t bode well going forward, if indeed you’re intent on proving your innocence.”
He slumped back in his chair and crossed his arms defiantly. “All right, I did run.”
“Why?” she asked, a moment of triumph flowing through her veins.
“The truth is I don’t know.”
Kayli raised her eyebrows. “You expect us to believe that? Do you make a habit of running off every time there is a knock on your door, Bob? After all, you had no idea we were the police. Surely only a person who has something to hide would abscond like that. True?”
“I saw you arrive and figured you were the police.”
Kayli cast her mind back to the layout of the flats and knew he was lying. “If I remember rightly, your flat is at the top of the house. There is a fire escape—the exit you took—to the rear of the property and no other windows in your flat. There is no way you could have seen us arrive at the property as we pulled up at the front and used that entrance to gain access to the property.”
His head dipped onto his chest, and he remained silent.
Kayli’s gaze met Belinda’s. The solicitor leaned over and whispered something in her client’s ear.
“Shall we try that again?” Kayli asked.
“Why did you run, Bob?”
“I panicked,” he admitted with a certain degree of reluctance edging his tone.
“Panicked why?”
“Because I thought it was the landlord and he was about to turf me out.”
Kayli glanced at her partner, who looked up from taking notes. She turned back to look at Nuttall. “Am I right in saying that you had an argument with your landlord on the Saturday of the previous week?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask what that argument was about?”
He sighed. “I didn’t have the funds to pay the rent.” His gaze drifted down to the table once more.
Kayli tapped her fingers on the table. “Come now, Bob. We both know that’s a lie, don’t we?”
His gaze met hers and narrowed. “Not sure what you’re getting at.”
Kayli smiled and tilted her head. She pushed a photo of the money they had found under his floorboards across the desk to him. “We didn’t have time to count it, but a rough guesstimate would put it at around a hundred grand. How did I do?”
He shook his head. “The money ain’t mine, I tell you. I’m holding it for someone.”
“You are? Why? And what’s their name so that we can verify your claim?”
He shuffled his feet a while before he answered. “I mean it. It’s not mine, but I can’t give you a name. That’s all I can tell you about the money. It has nothing to do with Potts, though.”
“I fail to see how. You had nearly a hundred grand buried beneath the floorboards in your landlord’s house, and yet you refused to pay him the rent that was due, and you’re telling me that didn’t concern him.”
“Because it was someone else’s money, I tell you. If it had been mine, I would have paid him what was due.”
Kayli ran a hand over her face as she thought. “Okay, you want to know what I think?”
“Surprise me,” he snarled.
“I have a different scenario running through my mind, one that involves a large sum of money in exchange for you carrying out a favour. Want to know what that favour is, Bob?”
His eyes narrowed further.
“Maybe someone paid you a significant sum of money to kill Paul Potts and dispose of his body. How am I doing here?”
