Solid Proof: A dark, disturbing, detective mystery (Sgt Major Crane crime thrillers Book 8)

by Wendy Cartmell

  Penny had been on his mind a lot. How was she taking this? Did she believe in his innocence? Would she be at home waiting for him when he got out? All he could see when he closed his eyes were her fine features, flowing blond hair and supple body. So great was his need to see her again that his whole body ached. He supposed that if nothing else, on his part at least, the separation and frightful situation that he’d found himself in had made him realise just how much he loved her. He had been far more shaken by the experience of being arrested than he’d first admitted to himself. He’d thought he could brazen it out, imagined he could be the same confident person as he was at work, in control, admired, respected. But all those attributes of his seemed to have vanished like morning mist burned off by the sun that was the scrutiny of the police.

  To start with, the solicitor had asked him more or less the same questions as the police had, but this time it was different, for the man was on his side, not theirs. Tyler had had to admit to not having an alibi on the night in question, but with probing enquiries from his solicitor, was able to remember additional details, such as what time he’d left work, what train he’d caught and that one of the neighbours had seen him as he walked home. The solicitor wanted to know if he had he made any phone calls that night? If so to whom and at what time?

  Looking at Charles Walker, the young, dapper man sitting opposite him, who was from one of London’s finest law firms and had been retained by Tyler’s employers, he said, “I’m adopted.”

  “I know,” said Charles.

  “You do?” Tyler was startled by the admission. “Who told you?”

  It wasn’t something that Tyler was ashamed of, he just never talked about it, much preferring to keep the illusion that his mother and father were his birth parents. There was no need for anyone to know outside the immediate family. It was Tyler’s way of blocking out his past, blocking out the mother who had abandoned him. He loved his adopted parents fiercely, feeling that the more he loved them, the less likely they were to leave him.

  “The police,” Charles replied. “They found your adoption certificate at your home.”

  “What does that have to do with anything?”

  “I see you gave a DNA sample,” Charles deflected Tyler’s question.

  “Yes, I’ve nothing to hide,” Tyler sat up straighter in his chair, convinced that his innocence would be confirmed by the DNA test.

  “Well, my advice would have been not to.”

  “Why ever not?”

  “It would have slowed them down. The need for them to get a warrant to take it, would have taken some time and given us some breathing space. But they’d have got it in the end.”

  “I thought it would prove my innocence,” stressed Tyler. “Show it wasn’t me.”

  “Ah.” Charles Walker sat back in his chair and put his pen on his notebook.

  The action frightened Tyler.

  “It’s not as simple as that I’m afraid.”

  Confirming his fear.

  Tyler closed his eyes. If ever there was a ‘beam me up Scotty’ moment it seemed this could be it. “Why?” he whispered.

  “The police have disclosed to me that the DNA found on Janey Cunningham’s body was a familial match.”

  Tyler’s eyes snapped open. “What?”

  Charles nodded. “They think the killer was her son and as you’re adopted…. Well I don’t have to paint a picture for you.”

  It couldn’t be, surely not. “But I don’t even know who my mother is! Are they saying Janey Cunningham was my mother? This is unthinkable, unbearable!”

  Tyler sprung to his feet and began walking around the room, a cornered animal, pacing backwards and forwards as he realised he had nowhere to go. Realised he was trapped.

  “Please, Tyler, sit down. Let’s continue. I’ve still got more questions.”

  Tyler slowly nodded and moved back to his chair, slumping onto it, spent, defeated.

  “What about the credit card transactions?” Charles asked.

  “I hadn’t used the credit card to pay for a hooker. I found the payments on my statement and reported them to the card company. You can ask them. Check with them. My phone call will be on their records.”

  “Did they agree with you that someone had stolen your card details?” Charles asked, scribbling away.

  “Well, no, actually, they didn’t.”

  “Why?” Charles stopped writing and looked up.

  “They said it was used over the phone, or via the internet, with the physical card not seen, but the correct security code had been given, so they passed the transaction. Three times.” Tyler caught the shadow of doubt in Charles’ eyes and quickly said, “But there is something that I think could help.”

  Tyler told him about seeing a man who looked just like him and the fact that someone had been in his house. Twice.

  “Well, that all very interesting, but without any corroboration it won’t help. You could just be claiming someone had been in your house. Did you tell Penny?”

  “No, I didn’t want to frighten her. But what about the man I saw?”

  “Tyler, you could just have seen your own reflection in the shop window.”

  The faint tendrils of hope that had been blossoming shrivelled and died. No one believed him. Not even his solicitor.

  “What happens now?” he asked.

  “The police haven’t got much physical evidence and the results of the DNA testing won’t be in for a while, so I should be able to get bail for you. But they’ll take your passport and you’ll have to report in fairly regularly to your local police station. But at least you’ll be able to go home while we work all this out.”

  Tyler nodded. “You will be able to? Work it out?” one last ditch attempt to fan the flames of hope.

  But the solicitor didn’t say anything. His silence was more eloquent than any words. In his head Tyler heard the clang of the prison gates closing behind him and sealing his fate.

  47

  “Alright, Derek, I’m here. What’s the emergency?”

  Crane had been responding to a phone call from Anderson, requesting his attendance at Aldershot Police Station. ‘Drop everything and come over’, was the message Billy gave him, so Crane had complied.

  “This better be good, I was in a briefing with Draper,” he said as he walked through Anderson’s office door.

  “Oh, it is, Crane. It really is,” and Anderson took a joyous bite of the biscuit he was waiving in the air.

  “Don’t tell me, you’re giving up sugar? Or has Mrs Derek thrown away your raincoat again and you’ve found it?” Crane joked as he moved files from a chair to the floor, so he could sit down.

  “Idiot,” mumbled Anderson through biscuit crumbs. Swallowing and then slurping some tea, he said, “The DNA results from Tyler Wells are back.”

  Crane smiled. “Ah, so that’s the reason for this celebration?”

  Anderson nodded, “Most definitely.”

  A sense of achievement washed over Crane. At last the case was about to be closed. They were close to arresting Janey Cunningham’s killer. The army would be pleased. Very pleased indeed and, to be fair, so would Major Cunningham. For even though the focus had recently been taken off him and suspicion fallen onto Tyler Wells, there had always been that seed of doubt in Crane’s mind. Doubt as to Tyler’s guilt. Doubt as to the Major’s innocence. He was glad to be getting rid of this case. He was fed up of lifting up rocks and finding dark secrets and strange behaviours underneath each of them.

  Anderson handed Crane the report. “There’s a lot of scientific waffle, but the bottom line is that the DNA sample from Tyler Wells is a match to that of the semen taken from Janey Cunningham.”

  “And it’s confirmed as a familial match?”

  “No doubt at all,” Anderson smiled. “Piece of cake?” He offered Crane the plate sat next to his cup of tea.

  “Don’t mind if I do, Derek,” grinned Crane and for a moment the two men munched quietly on the celebratory treat
.

  Two quick phone calls later; the first one to Tyler’s Wells’ office confirming his presence at work and the second to DC Saunders at the Met, advising they were going to arrest Tyler Wells and the two men were ready to leave for the City. Crane remembered the last time they’d gone there to arrest Tyler. Then it was on suspicion of murder. This time it would be for murder. There was no way out for Tyler now. He was wriggling on Crane’s hook and this time Crane had no intention of throwing his catch back into the river.

  Walking out of the police station, their determination visible in every stride, they were stopped by someone calling their names.

  “Mr Anderson! Mr Crane!”

  They stopped. Both were surprised that someone would call to them and not use their ranks. Turning back towards the building, they saw Mrs Carlton hovering by the door.

  “Oh, Mr Anderson, I’m so glad I caught you,” she said.

  “Detective Inspector,” said Anderson.

  “Quite. And Mr Crane.”

  “Sgt Major,” corrected Crane.

  “Sorry, I couldn’t remember your titles, only your surnames.”

  “It’s alright,” conceded Crane. “How can we help?”

  Crane remembered the poor broken woman she’d been the last time they had met and decided some compassion for the victim’s mother wouldn’t go amiss. And Tyler Wells wasn’t going anywhere. They could take a few minutes to hear her out.

  “The nice man inside said you’d just left. It took all of my courage to come here, I can tell you, and I just have to see you right now.”

  The three formed a small huddle in the car park.

  Anderson said, “What is it, Mrs Carlton? We’ve just had a break in the case and I…” at Crane’s kick he changed that to “…we will be coming to see you tomorrow to explain what is happening. So if you don’t mind…” Derek pointed to his car.

  “That’s why I had to come and see you. It’s about the case. I’ve some information for you. I think it could be quite important.” Mrs Carlton dropped her eyes to the floor. “I know I should have told you before, but…” She stopped talking, her eyes becoming moist and she held her shopping bag up against her chest.

  “Told us what?” Crane had a bad feeling about this. Why was the woman so intent on talking to them? Was there yet another skeleton in the cupboard?

  “It’s alright, Mrs Carlton,” said Anderson. “Is it about your daughter?”

  Mrs Carlton nodded.

  “Is it something that could help find her killer?”

  Again the nod. Mrs Carlton wrapped her arms around her bag and cradled it as if it were a child. Or was it a defence mechanism? Crane couldn’t decide.

  Looking at a point somewhere over Anderson’s shoulder Mrs Carlton said, “Janey had two babies.”

  Anderson’s eyes bulged.

  Crane managed to croak, “Two? She was pregnant twice?”

  “No, Mr Crane, my Janey had twins. Identical twins.”

  48

  “I think we better go inside,” said Anderson and taking Mrs Carlton by the elbow, he led her back into Aldershot Police Station. Five minutes earlier they had been full of excitement, about to arrest a murderer. Now they were now returning to the building, confused, exasperated and empty handed.

  Once Mrs Carlton had been settled into an interview room and provided with a sweet cup of tea to calm her nerves, Crane gave vent to his frustration in the corridor outside.

  “Jesus, Derek. What is it with these people? Their whole lives are built on lies, on shifting sands. I don’t think I’ve ever met a family like it.”

  “I’m not sure I have either. I know a fair few criminal families that keep secrets and tell lies, but at least everyone knows they’re bent. This lot, they’re always pretending to be something, or someone, that they’re not.”

  Crane tried to get everything straight in his head and said, “Janey Carlton had identical twins. They must have been separated at birth. Tyler was adopted by a nice middle class couple, Mr and Mrs Wells. The other, who could possibly really be called Zane, well we don’t know what happened to him. We have to get some information out of that Catholic Home.”

  “We’re not getting anywhere with them. They are flatly refusing to disclose any information whatsoever.”

  “I think they need telling that if they don’t give us something, an innocent man could be convicted of murder.”

  “Do you think Tyler’s innocent now?”

  “To be honest, Derek, I’ve no bloody idea. But maybe this confession from his grandmother at least makes his arguments for his innocence plausible.”

  “How so?”

  “Well, we now know there does seem to be someone called Zane and that someone looks identical to Tyler. It is also possible that this mysterious twin brother could have hacked into Tyler’s accounts and stolen his identity. It makes Tyler’s story about someone stalking him have a ring of truth in it.”

  “But what about the DNA?”

  “Good point. We need to ask questions of the experts about that.”

  “What for? The DNA is a match to the semen found on Janey Carlton. You can’t get better rock solid proof than that!”

  Crane could see that Anderson was becoming as agitated as he was. They were both fed up of bungling around in the dark, making progress with the case, and then suddenly having their evidence shot to pieces.

  “Look,” Crane said, “I’ll ring Billy and get him to talk to the adoption people and the Catholic Home again while we’re in with Mrs Carlton. Perhaps by the time we come out he’ll have something for us.”

  Anderson nodded his agreement and Crane made his call.

  Sitting down in front of Mrs Carlton, they found she had pulled herself together somewhat, but Crane knew they would have to tread carefully as her emotional state was clearly very fragile, so Anderson was going to take the lead on this one. It was felt Crane’s military boots weren’t as subtle as the policeman’s shoes.

  “Mrs Carlton,” Anderson said. “Thank you so much for waiting. What can you tell us about Janey’s twins?”

  Mrs Carlton beamed, “She said they were ever so lovely, looked like two peas in a pod. They let her hold them for a few minutes before they were… they were…” Mrs Carlton gulped back her emotions, “taken from her.”

  “So soon after their birth?” Crane had to speak, he was so shocked.

  Mrs Carlton nodded. “It was standard practice back then. If the babies were being adopted, they were taken from the mother straight after birth, so they wouldn’t have time to bond with her, or some such reason.” Mrs Carlton wiped away her tears. “Barbaric, that’s what I call it. I remember when Janey was born and I can’t bear to think what it must have been like for her to have her babies ripped from her arms and carried off. Screaming and crying she said they were.”

  “Did they tell her where they were going? Who they were being taken to?”

  “Not really. All they said was that they had already found parents for Tyler and that they were sure it wouldn’t take long for them to place Zane.”

  “Tyler?”

  “Yes. That was what she called them, Tyler and Zane. She specifically asked if they could keep those names. Oh, sorry, I already told you that, didn’t I last time we met.”

  “Well you told us about Zane,” grumbled Anderson and Crane wondered where the detective’s empathy had gone. “It seems you’d forgotten about Tyler.”

  Mrs Carlton turned red and fell silent. Then seeming to gather her courage, she sat up straighter in the chair and said, “I hadn’t forgotten about him. It was bad enough that Janey had one child at her age. I wanted to save her the shame by telling you she had two. I didn’t think it would matter. One or two, what difference would it make? But after reading the papers, where it said that you were close to making an arrest…”

  “You wanted to make sure we had all the information, not half of it.” Anderson still seemed unimpressed by her late confession.

  Mrs Ca
rlton nodded, her eyes filling with tears.

  Crane said, “Thank you, Mrs Carlton, you’ve been most helpful and if you remember anything else in the future that could be useful …”

  Mrs Carlton took the hint, “Of course, Mr Crane. I’ll let you and Mr Anderson here know straight away.”

  She grabbed her handbag off the table and went to the door and Anderson sent a passing policeman to escort her out of the building.

  “Very nicely done, Derek,” Crane rolled his eyes, “Very empathetic.”

  “Alright, don’t rub it in. It was just that I felt so cross. I watched her, sitting there like butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, as though she hadn’t done anything wrong and then crying! For goodness sake.”

  “She’s lost a lot, Derek,” Crane said. “Her husband is dead and her daughter murdered. Now we’re dragging up memories of her two lost grandchildren. It would be a bit too much for anyone to have to deal with, let alone a woman in her 70’s.”

  “Oh I suppose so,” Anderson said as they walked out of the door and along the corridor in the direction of Anderson’s office. “Get on the phone to Billy, see if he’s had any luck with the Catholic home yet and I’ll phone the lab about the DNA.”

  But as it turned out nothing had changed. Billy had received the cold shoulder treatment yet again from the adoption authorities and the Catholic home and all the lab said was that the sample from Tyler definitely matched the sample taken from Janey Cunningham. Crane put his head in his hands. They really were getting nowhere.

  49

  Whilst Taggs Island might look beautiful, serene and peaceful on a sunny day, it looked pretty much like anywhere else in the grey drizzle that cloaked the Thames that morning; drizzle that was doing a good job of getting Saunders well and truly wet. It wasn’t raining exactly, but the droplets of mist had soaked his hair and water kept dripping irritatingly into his eyes.