Next Victim

by Helen H. Durrant

  They were on their way back to the station, Elwyn driving. He knew something was wrong. It was the long face that did it, but Rachel couldn’t help that. Jed was a problem with no solution.

  “Something’s up. I know you. You’ve hardly said a word since you got that call earlier. And don’t fob me off with chat about boyfriends, just tell me the truth. Perhaps I can help.”

  Rachel heaved a sigh. She could certainly do with someone’s help right now, even just a friendly discussion about what to do regarding Jed McAteer. But there was no way she could put that burden on Elwyn. “If I could tell you, I would. But trust me, this is one problem you do not want to share.”

  “Not down to Megan then? I knew I was right. Try me. Whatever it is, I won’t say a word to anyone.”

  Rachel patted his arm, smiling. “Forget it. I’m being a stupid cow, that’s all.”

  If she confided in him, how would Elwyn react? Jed was a villain. Elwyn wouldn’t approve, that was for sure. But would he take any action? If she told him, and Jed was involved in this case or any in the future, he would be in an impossible situation. She couldn’t do that to him.

  “Let it drop for now. I can’t tell you anything, so you’re wasting your time.”

  “Won’t tell me anything, you mean. And that makes me edgy.” His face pulled into a frown. “But it’s big, I can tell. You’ve not been in a mood like this since your parents.”

  They drove the rest of the way in silence. He wasn’t happy about her refusal to tell him, Rachel knew. He’d be thinking she didn’t trust him. Well, there was nothing she could do.

  When they arrived back at the station, Rachel called a short meet. She wanted to know what they’d all gleaned this morning. Hopefully, Jonny and Amy had done better than they had.

  “The fight in the college canteen took place as described. It was a vicious attack but we’ve ruled Alice out. She is no longer a person of interest in this case.” Rachel hesitated. “And for what it’s worth, I think we’re looking for a man. The Alice issue has sent us off course. We need to redouble our efforts.”

  “We’ve got some juicy info.” Amy grinned.

  The DC was on pins, fidgeting with her notes and checking her phone. Rachel had rarely seen her so excited. This should be good.

  “The nightwatchman, Croft, was very forthcoming — eventually, that is. It turns out that he was paid to turn a blind eye while Frodsham broke in. Croft was promised a backhander to ensure that Frodsham got some documents from Greyson’s office.”

  “Do we know what documents?”

  Amy shook her head.

  “Paid by who?” Rachel asked.

  “This is the juicy bit.” Amy paused for effect. “Liam Beatty.” Amy sat back with a self-satisfied look on her face.

  As well as the team, a number of uniformed officers were also present. There was a buzz as the name echoed around the room. Most of them knew Beatty.

  Rachel knew him too, only too well. Liam Beatty was in Jed’s pocket, had been for years. He was the man Jed got to do his dirty work. Her instincts had been right. Jed’s recent attempts to contact her was down to the case.

  “Do we bring him in?” Amy asked.

  But in her panic, Rachel hardly heard her. Her head was whirling, her stomach churning. Liam Beatty would never mention Jed. It was more than his life was worth. But the officers she worked with weren’t stupid. They knew who was pulling the strings. Rachel had no idea what Beatty knew about her and Jed. Probably nothing, but she couldn’t take the risk. If he’d ever heard the merest whisper, he would use it in any interview by pressurising her. If it meant his freedom, he wouldn’t hesitate to drop her in it.

  “Ma’am?” Amy sounded impatient. “Beatty. Do we bring him in?”

  The answer to that had to be a yes. Anything else would invite questions she couldn’t answer. But she daren’t interview him herself. There was no way she’d be able to hold it together.

  “Elwyn, you and Amy bring him in. Interview him, and see what he has to say for himself.”

  Rachel caught the look on Elwyn’s face. He was puzzled, no doubt burning with curiosity as to why she’d delegated, especially to Amy.

  “We’ll get right on it.” He nodded. “Can I have a quick word first?”

  Here it came. They marched into her office and he closed the door.

  “What’s going on?” he asked. “Why pass over the interview with Beatty? He is now a prime suspect. It should be you.”

  “I can’t! And that’s all I have to say on the matter. You and Amy will be fine. I’ve got stuff to do.”

  She hated lying to Elwyn. And he was right. It should be her. But how could she? One wrong word from Beatty and it would be the end of her job. Jed might hold back but Beatty wouldn’t hesitate to drop her in it.

  “Is it the girls? Is something wrong?” Elwyn looked concerned.

  A lifeline.

  “Yes,” she lied. “It’s Mia. She’s been feeling ill all day. Dizzy spells. She’s probably not eaten right. I need to check her out. Alan is seeing a client tonight, he can’t get out of it, and Megan will panic.”

  “You should have said. Of course, you go. We’ll bring Beatty in, see what he has to say for himself. I’ll ring you later, tell you what went on.”

  “Thanks. I’ll make tracks now, if it’s all the same. I need to make sure Mia is okay and get her to bed.”

  Rachel felt terrible deceiving Elwyn, but she had to tell him something. It was a narrow escape, but for how long? If Jed McAteer had anything to do with Frodsham’s death she would have to bring him in too. She’d have no choice. And that didn’t bear thinking about.

  Chapter Twenty-four

  Rachel was torn. What to do? She’d done some food shopping in an effort to calm down, and now she was sitting in the supermarket car park, running the day’s events through her head. She should ring Jed, blast him for putting her through this. But she daren’t. If he was involved with the case in any way, it could jeopardise everything when it went to the courts.

  There was nothing for it but to go home. Elwyn would expect her to be there when he rang with an update. She hoped to God Beatty didn’t drop her in it. She was about to leave when her mobile rang. She was so edgy, Rachel nearly jumped out of her skin.

  It was Jed McAteer.

  “We need to talk,” he said.

  “No.”

  “Why Liam? What’ve you dragged him in for? I need him with me.”

  Rachel bet he did. Jed was no lightweight but he didn’t like to get his hands dirty. The team had acted quickly. It had only been an hour.

  “Hard luck, Jed. He’s being interviewed about a serious offence.”

  “What offence? That’s rubbish. Liam’s done nothing wrong. Anyway, he’s got a top-notch lawyer with him. He’ll be out in no time.”

  “I can’t talk to you, Jed. Until the case is sorted, you need to leave me alone.”

  “No can do, babe. You will talk to me. I’m not interested in the case anyway. I want to discuss Mia.”

  Rachel’s heart hammered in her chest. Please, this can’t be happening now. What had he found out, and where from? There was no way she could discuss Mia with him. “She has nothing to do with you.” Rachel closed her eyes and muttered a little prayer. He couldn’t know. Please God, don’t let him know. If he found out, it would change their lives forever.

  “You should have told me. You owed me that much at least. All these years have gone by, years when I should have been part of her life.”

  He knew!

  Rachel tried to think but her mind was racing. What to tell him? Whatever it was, it had to be good. She had to sound convincing. “I’ve no idea what you’re talking about. I’m hanging up. Don’t ring me again. You’ll be wasting your time if you do because I won’t speak to you.”

  “Have it your way, Rachel. But you’ll soon change your mind, I promise you.”

  Rachel was furious. She started the car, stuck it in gear and roared out of the ca
rpark. She needed to go home, have a drink and calm down. No one else in the world had the power to upset her like Jed did.

  * * *

  It was dark now, but the cottage was lit up like a beacon. Inside, she heard music blaring, and laughing voices. Not now, please. She really didn’t need the drama. The front door was unlocked. In the hallway, a drunk teenage boy was standing propped up against the wall about to throw up. Rachel grabbed him by the bottom of his T-shirt and flung him outside. What the hell was going on? And where was Alan?

  “Megan?” She heard giggles, and then her eldest appeared from the kitchen, looking sheepish.

  “A few mates, that’s all. Honest.” The girl held aloft a vodka bottle.

  Megan was obviously drunk too. “Get rid of them now, and clear this bloody mess up! You’re a disgrace!”

  “Me?” Megan replied in mock outrage. “That’s rich, coming from you. Do you know how much you’ve upset Alice? She’s been weeping her face off all day. What were you doing anyway, coming the heavy-handed cop with my bestie?”

  “I wasn’t heavy-handed and God forbid that she’s your bestie. The girl’s a nutjob.”

  She’d had enough. A group of kids were swigging cans of lager in the kitchen, throwing the empties out into the garden. The noise they were making was off the scale.

  “You’ve no idea, have you? Alice isn’t like you think, Mum. She’s mixed up but she’s no ‘nutjob,’ as you put it. Ollie tricked her. Conned her out of money. She’d every right to be angry.”

  “She flew at him with a knife,” Rachel said. “Cut his arm, it left a scar. What do you call that?”

  Rachel didn’t wait for Megan to reply. She suddenly realised she hadn’t seen Mia. “Where’s your sister?”

  “Ella’s, I think. There’s a note on the table.”

  “No there isn’t.”

  “Soz, Ma, someone must have moved it. Give her a ring.”

  Rachel pulled her phone from her pocket. It was late. Mia should be here, or next door with her dad.

  “What’s going on? Why all the noise?” Alan appeared in the kitchen doorway. “I’ve just seen a client off and I don’t think he was particularly impressed.”

  “Letting off steam.” Megan giggled and made a swift exit.

  “Have you seen Mia?” Rachel demanded. Alan shook his head. Rachel’s anxiety was mounting. Why wasn’t she at home?

  “Ah, I remember,” he said. “Something about homework and going to her mate’s house straight after school.”

  Mia’s phone was turned off. That was not supposed to happen. Rachel used it to track where Mia was. Now she was jittery. She rang Ella’s mum. Beth Palmer confirmed that Mia had been to their house but that she’d had a call from her uncle, who’d picked up both the girls. “He’s taken them bowling and for a burger. He missed her birthday apparently and wanted to make up. He’s a nice man, Alan’s brother. He promised to have them back by ten. Mia was happy enough. They chatted away for ages on the phone.”

  Rachel was stunned. This was nonsense. What uncle? Alan didn’t have a brother, so what was going on? “Where exactly did they go, Beth?”

  “The bowling alley by the park in Macclesfield.”

  “Mia told me nothing about this. You should’ve let me know.”

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t realise it was such a big deal. Mia seemed excited, so was Ella. I presumed she’d cleared it with you, otherwise I would have done something. At the very least, I’d have rung you first.”

  “I wish you had. And it is a big deal. Mia’s thirteen years old. She isn’t allowed to just go off with anyone who rings her.”

  Beth Palmer sounded worried. “But it was her uncle. She said she’d been out with him before. They’re not in any sort of trouble or danger, are they?”

  Rachel would have to calm down. She could barely believe what was happening, but it would do no good to frighten Beth. “It’s alright. It’s just me fussing. What with Mia’s condition, you know how it is. I have no idea if she’s even taken her meds this evening. When did they leave your house?”

  “A couple of hours ago.”

  “Alan has two brothers,” Rachel lied. “Which one was it?”

  “Mia said it was her Uncle Jed.”

  Chapter Twenty-five

  The voice came from behind him. “Working late, Paul? I suppose that’s one of the drawbacks of running your own business.”

  Paul Greyson was locking the main yard gates. He and Mrs Andrews, his secretary, had finished for the day. He spun round. “You! You got what you wanted the last time, so why are you here? Just leave me alone.”

  “I have no idea what you mean. I don’t like your tone much either.”

  “You can get off,” Greyson said to Mrs Andrews. “I’ll deal with this.”

  The man held up his hand. “No, you can wait here.”

  “This has nothing to do with her,” Greyson blustered. “Let her go.”

  “You stress too much, Paul. You should think about your blood pressure. I don’t mean you any harm.”

  “No harm? That’s a lie. You paid that robbing little git to break in and steal from my office. You didn’t have to do that. What’s wrong with coming to see me, if you needed money, we could have discussed it properly?”

  “I prefer to do things my way. Anyway, it wasn’t just money I was after.” He leaned forward and smiled. “What I really want is that report. The one that states that land out there has been cleaned up.”

  “What report? You’re talking rubbish. That land is contaminated, no one dare touch it. He took cash out of my desk drawer, that’s all, and he scared my watchman half to death. Terrified he is. On medication now. Get lost before I call the police.”

  “Give me the report and I’ll leave you in peace.”

  “I haven’t a clue what you’re talking about.” He turned to Mrs Andrews. “Do you hear him? The man’s mad.”

  “Some people won’t be pleased if I go back empty-handed. I’d change your attitude if I were you, Paul.”

  “Threats now.” Greyson turned to face the man. “What will you do? Tell whoever is paying you how uncooperative I am? Send ’em my way, I’ll tell them what a liar you are.” Greyson turned to Mrs Andrews. “This one is rambling. There is no report, he’s making it up. And even if there was, what would I be doing with it?”

  “The people I work for won’t like it. They like things to run smooth.”

  “I was right, you’re working for some villain. Who? McAteer? Come on, at least tell me that much.”

  “Can’t do that. He wouldn’t like it,” the man said.

  Pushing Mrs Andrews behind him, Greyson moved closer to the man. “I don’t know what your game is, but you know as well as I do that there is no report. That land is just as contaminated now as it always was. Go on, bugger off, or I’ll get the law. There’s one I’ve got real interested. All I have to do is say the word, and she’ll be round here like a shot.”

  “Really? You surprise me. Why would the police take an interest in you, Paul?”

  “Because of what you did.”

  “Not me. That was down to the lad. That robbing little git, as you called him, didn’t deliver. Offer him a higher price, did you?”

  Greyson regarded the man closely. He was trying to decide whether he was lying or not. “What’s all this about? There is no report, you must know that.” Greyson was genuinely puzzled.

  The man looked at Mrs Andrews. Good, his plan was working, she was taking in every word. “Bad move. We don’t want to antagonise the boss and his business partner, do we?”

  “Who are these people you’re working for?”

  “Can’t say, Paul. That would really annoy them.”

  “You always were a mad bugger. Go on, get off before I make that call.”

  “That’s a pity, Paul. I was hoping we could strike a deal. Prevent a lot of unnecessary aggravation. You see, if I go away empty-handed tonight, you’re in big trouble.”

  The man broke in
to a grin. He was tall, expensively dressed, the type who could charm your socks off, but underneath he was an animal. Suddenly, Greyson was terrified.

  “Money, you said. I think there’s a couple of grand in the safe. Mrs Andrews can go and get it.” He nodded at her.

  But the man took hold of her arm. “I’ll tell you when.”

  “I don’t understand what all the fuss is about,” Greyson blustered. “It’s just a piece of derelict land.”

  “Not quite, Paul, and we both know it. That land is valuable, and the report you’re sitting on makes it doubly so. City centre location and all that. A certain someone has sat on it for a long time and now he wants a return on his investment. The businessman who owns the land faked that report and used it to tempt a buyer. He’s a developer like the owner. City centre location means top money for anything that gets built.” The man nodded. “The truth about what’s out there is hush-hush. No one must find out.”

  “That’s a load of bull! There’s no buyer and no report. Now do one!”

  “This little patch you’re sitting on is valuable too. Go along with the plan, and there’ll be sure to be a hefty backhander in it for you.”

  Greyson wasn’t budging. “I know nothing about any of that.”

  The man tilted his head slightly, and stared back. “I can’t believe you haven’t been offered a deal too.” He paused. “It could still work that way. Give me that report and you’ll come out of this quids in.” The man gave Mrs Andrews the keys. “Get me that money from the safe. No phone calls, mind, or he suffers.”

  They watched her disappear into the darkness of the yard. Greyson longed to follow her. There was safety behind that tall steel fence. He turned and faced the man again.

  “What’s this really about? You know as well as I do there is no report and no scam about that land either.”

  “Just playing a little game, Paul. Shame you didn’t join in. Your secretary there took in every word. She has an important part to play. When the police question her, she’ll say things I want them to hear. It’s all part of the bigger plan. Best if you go with the flow.”

  “Whatever this is about, it has nowt to do with me.”