‘Why?’
‘He just is. We all reckon he’s one of them paedos you hear about.’
‘Why do you think that? Has he ever touched you?’
‘Fuck off! I’d knock the old bastard out if he touched me. Nah! He’s just a bit of a nonce, always staring.’
The CID car was driven into the back yard of the police station.
‘If I haven’t done anything wrong, why have you nicked me?’
‘I haven’t arrested you, Tommy. Do you know what a witness is?’
‘Course I do. It’s another name for a grassing bastard!’
‘I want you to be a witness and tell me about that night you made the comment to PC Bracewell.’
‘Sorry, but I ain’t no grass.’
‘This isn’t being a grass,; I just want you to let me write down what you’ve already said. I want to know about the special treats and the stuff that Evan got that none of you other lads ever got. Will you do that?’
‘Yeah, I suppose so. Evan’s dead now, isn’t he? It’s not going to affect him, is it?’
‘No, you’re quite right, Tommy. It’s not going to affect him.’
25
24 June 1986
Mansfield Police Station, Nottinghamshire
It was approaching four o’clock in the afternoon, and the detectives from the MCIU were gathering in the briefing room. Danny had ordered an afternoon debrief to assess how the enquiries were progressing, and to bring the entire team up to speed with developments.
He had the press conference booked at five o’clock, so he needed to press on with the debrief.
He walked into the room and brought the detectives to order.
He saw Rachel Moore and Tina Prowse sitting at the front of the room, so he started with them. ‘Tina, how did you get on with Tania Jenkins?’
‘It went as well as could be expected, sir. She’s obviously very bitter about what’s happened. She’s adamant that there was never any real need for Evan to be taken into care.’
‘Is that right, though? The courts don’t place kids into the care of the Local Authority without having a good reason.’
‘That’s true, but Tania says Evan was never in any trouble with the police, and that he was a good boy.’
‘Well, that’s a massive contradiction from what we’re being told. What about the drug-addicted rent boy we’ve all been told about?’
‘Tania claims that’s a load of crap. According to her, Evan was a sweet, likeable kid with no issues.’
‘That sounds like a mother’s love to me. Did you manage to speak to Evan’s social worker?’
‘We haven’t had time to speak to the social worker yet. By the time we’d finished with Tania, it was time to get back here for the briefing. I did fire a call into the Strelley Social Services office, and Bethany Jones is off work today, but she’s back tomorrow. Also, although Evan’s known to the police at Radford Road, he has no cautions or convictions to date.’
‘Okay, thanks. As a priority, I want you both to see Bethany Jones tomorrow morning. I want to find out exactly what the truth is about Evan Jenkins.’
‘Will do, sir.’
‘Have you got Tania’s account in statement form?’
Rachel Moore answered, ‘I’ve taken a preliminary statement from her, just covering the timeline he was taken into care and her impressions of Evan, as Tina has described.’
‘Okay. That’s good work, both of you. I repeat, get onto Bethany Jones tomorrow first thing. I need that enquiry sorted out ASAP.’
‘No problem.’
‘Rachel, I know Tania mentioned this morning that she would like to see her son. Have you arranged anything yet?’
‘I’m picking her up straight after this briefing, boss. I’m going to bring her to the mortuary myself. I’ve spoken with the coroner’s officer, and he’s going to stay on duty and make sure Evan’s ready for viewing.’
‘Okay, thanks.
‘Right, listen in, everyone. I’ve now received the full report of the post-mortem’s findings. The cause of death is, as we thought, asphyxia. However, interestingly, there were trace elements of heroin and amphetamine found in the toxicology results. There was also evidence of a couple of prescribed drugs. The first of these is a drug called thiopentone. This is an anaesthetic drug that’s sometimes found in cases where surgical patients have died on the operating table. The second one is a drug called suxamethonium, which can act as a paralysing agent.’
Rob Buxton shook his head slowly and said, ‘So are you saying that the boy was drugged before being sexually assaulted?’
‘It would appear so. The levels of thiopentone and suxamethonium were quite high. Seamus believes that the boy would have probably been drifting in and out of consciousness and could also have been in a state of semi-paralysis. He thinks the poor kid would probably have been aware of his surroundings and what was happening, but unable to move.’
Rob growled, ‘Bloody hell! How do you get hold of a drug like that?’
‘That’s a good question, and it’s one I fired straight back at Seamus. He’s looking into it for me. He did say that the most likely place would be from a hospital. So I want enquiries made with all the local hospitals to try to find out if any such drugs have been stolen or reported missing from their pharmacies. Rob, will you organise that enquiry, please?’
‘Yes, boss, no problem.’
Danny then turned to Tim Donnelly, the senior Scenes of Crime officer, and said, ‘Are there any updates from you, Tim?’
‘The main update is that we’ve now positively identified the type and make of tyre from the cast we took at the deposition site. It’s a Goodyear Cargo UltraGrip, and the size is 215/65. The good news is that this is quite an expensive tyre, so not that many are sold. But that means hundreds as opposed to thousands, so it’s still a massive enquiry.’
‘That’s great work. If we find such a tyre on a suspect vehicle, will you be able to positively identify it as being identical to the one that left the track at the deposition site?’
‘Yes, we should be able to. We’re still working on it, but we’ve already found five marks of wear and tear that will be unique to that particular tyre.’
‘Excellent. Have all the soil samples taken from the deposition site been submitted?’
‘Yes, they have, sir.’
‘Thanks, Tim. Okay, Brian, how have the interviews gone at the home?’
‘Everyone’s now been spoken to, and from the statements taken, it appears that Evan Jenkins was widely disliked by the other kids, but without any obvious reason. The staff all describe the boy as being sullen and withdrawn. They say he’s somebody who refuses to engage and is quiet and moody.’
Andy Wills then addressed the detective inspector. ‘Sorry to interrupt, sir, but I haven’t had a chance to talk to you yet about the statement I’ve just obtained from Tommy Quinn. It’s quite enlightening.’
Danny said, ‘Go on.’
‘I’ve been working with PC Bracewell today after he approached me this morning and told me about a comment one of the boys at the home made to him on the night Evan Jenkins absconded. PC Bracewell had gone to the home to take the missing persons report. He informed me that as he was leaving the home, a resident called Tommy Quinn made a remark aimed at him saying that Evan Jenkins would not be back. Tommy Quinn absconded from Tall Trees this morning, but with the help of PC Bracewell, I tracked him down to a gaming arcade in Mansfield. He’s now made a statement in which he describes how Evan Jenkins would be taken out of the home at night by the matron for special treats. Tommy has no idea what these treats were, but he’s said that the reason for the other boys disliking Jenkins so much was because of this preferential treatment. He has also said that Jenkins would be allowed to sleep in the morning after being taken out for these treats. He was also given money by the matron. He describes Evan as being mardy, not wanting to talk to anyone. He’s also described Caroline Short’s husband, Bill, as being a bit weird. A
ll the kids at the home refer to him as the “paedo”. They all think he’s a paedophile.’
‘Now that’s food for thought. Who interviewed the matron and her husband this morning?’
DC Fran Jefferies said, ‘I talked to them both, sir.’
‘Was any mention made of these special treats?’
‘No, sir, but to be fair, I only spoke to Caroline about the night Evan went missing, and to both about what Evan was like.’
‘Have you got statements from them?’
‘Yes, sir.’
‘Okay, Fran, I’ll read the statements after the briefing.’
Danny then listened to the detectives as they gave their accounts of the interviews they had undertaken with the staff and children at the home.
After the last account had been given, Danny turned to Brian Hopkirk and said, ‘When the kids were interviewed, did they all have a member of staff present?’
‘Yes, boss.’
‘Andy, when you spoke to Tommy Quinn, who was the appropriate adult, who acted to protect his welfare while he was interviewed?’
‘Because we were at the police station, I called out an appropriate adult from our call-out scheme, boss.’
Danny said, ‘Brian, it seems a little strange that there’s no corroboration for what Tommy Quinn told Andy. Tomorrow morning, I want all the residents at Tall Trees fetching in and reinterviewing here, with an appropriate adult from the custody scheme and not a staff member. Let’s see if we can find some corroboration for these special treats Quinn has told us about.’
He paused for a minute before continuing. ‘Good work today, everybody. Finish what you’ve got to do before going home. Be back on duty at six o’clock tomorrow morning. It’s going to be another long day of interviews and statements. Rob, Brian, come to my office after the briefing. Fran, I need a word with you before you go as well, please.’
Danny walked into the office, followed by his two inspectors and DC Fran Jefferies.
‘Fran, I want you to stay on for a couple of hours now and research Caroline and Bill Short. I want you to find out everything you can about them. I want to know about any record either of them may have. I want their employment history, especially previous jobs in residential care. I want chapter and verse; you know the stuff. Are you okay to put a couple of hours overtime in tonight?’
‘No problem, sir. I’ll get straight on it.’
As soon as the detective left the room, Danny turned to the two inspectors and said, ‘Let’s get stuck into those interviews tomorrow. If we can find some corroboration for what Tommy Quinn has told us, then we’ll have a decision to make tomorrow evening.’
Rob said, ‘Are you thinking about fetching the husband in?’
‘I’m thinking about fetching them both in! Let’s see what tomorrow brings first, shall we? Both of you, sort out a list allocating a detective to each boy. Brian, let the cell block know that we’ll need their assistance to arrange for plenty of appropriate adults in the morning. Rob, once you’ve sorted out the list for tomorrow with Brian, I want you to concentrate on the hospital enquiry. Chase up Seamus Carter and see if he can be any more specific about the type of surgery that particular anaesthetic would be used for. If you know exactly what areas of surgery that drug is used in, it could help you determine who would have access to it. That information could save you a lot of time in the long run. Don’t be too late off tonight. I think tomorrow could be another long day.’
The two inspectors left the office, and Danny was left alone with his thoughts.
Once again, he heard the words of Tania Jenkins in his mind: “He was in care, he should have been safe.”
He pushed that thought to the back of his mind and picked up the sheet of A4 paper that contained the details he was about to release to the press, ready for airing on the evening news.
He stood up, put his jacket on and grabbed the car keys. It would take him twenty minutes to get to headquarters. If he didn’t leave now, he would be late.
26
24 June 1986
South Lodge, Retford
Jimmy Wade paused outside the door to the outbuilding.
He could hear whimpering noises from inside.
He grinned as he thought of the surprise he was now going to give Fred Barnes. Payback was going to be so sweet. He planned on toying with him, making him suffer for the humiliating beatings he had subjected him to in Rampton.
There had been no reason for the physical abuse he’d been forced to endure at the hands of Barnes and the other male nurse, Jack Williams.
He turned to Melissa and said quietly, ‘Can you see through the window okay?’
She shook her head. ‘I can’t see at all. I’m not tall enough.’
‘Just a minute. You’ve got to see this; it’s going to be fun.’
Wade disappeared before returning minutes later with a sturdy wooden box for her to stand on.
She climbed onto the box and smiled. ‘That’s better, Jimmy, thanks.’
Wade then unlocked the securing padlock and pocketed the key before opening the door in a slow, almost theatrical manner.
For the full menacing effect, he remained standing in the doorway. The bright light from the sun was shining directly behind him. It prevented Barnes from seeing exactly who it was that had opened the door.
Barnes instinctively recoiled from the figure standing there, and asked nervously, ‘Who’s there?’
Wade said nothing. He stepped inside the small room and slowly shut the door until it was almost fully closed.
He could see Barnes squinting as the male nurse tried to focus on his face.
Wade said quietly, in a mocking voice that held real menace, ‘Come on, Mr Barnes, surely you remember me?’
‘Wade? Is that you?’
‘You see. Even squatting there naked and manacled to the wall, you can’t help your rudeness, can you? It’s not “Jimmy” or “Mr Wade”, it’s just plain old Wade.’
‘I’m sorry, Jimmy. I was just surprised it’s you. You look so different.’
‘Do I, Fred? Why do I look different?’
‘It’s your hair. Your hair has changed.’
‘Is it my hair? Or is it the fact that I’m not the one cowering away, defenceless, waiting for another beating from you?’
‘I never meant any of it personally. I was just trying to keep order.’
Wade now exploded with rage. ‘Keep order? Keep fucking order? What did I ever do that warranted you and that other halfwit continually beating me?’
‘Nothing, Jimmy, you did nothing. I’m so sorry. What are you going to do to me?’
‘I don’t know, Fred; what do you think I should do?’
Barnes was trying desperately to think of a strategy to engage the psychopath who now held him captive. His brain wasn’t functioning as it should. He was already dehydrated, hungry and terrified.
He couldn’t think of anything to say, so he started to beg, ‘Please let me go, Jimmy. I won’t tell anyone what’s happened. I’m so sorry for what I did to you back then.’
Wade laughed. ‘Do you honestly think I’m going to let you go? You’re even more stupid than I thought.’
‘Please, Jimmy, I’m begging you. It’s not too late to stop all this.’
‘You see, Fred, that’s where you’re wrong. It’s definitely way too late for you. I don’t want you to worry, though, I’ll be bringing you some company soon.’
‘Company?’
‘I can’t let you be the only one to take responsibility for showing me a complete lack of respect, can I? That just wouldn’t be fair, would it?’
‘I don’t understand.’
‘You’ll understand only too well, soon enough. Now get some rest and save your strength. You’re going to need it, you piece of shit.’
Wade lunged forward and landed a heavy kick into the exposed ribs of Barnes. He then stepped outside and secured the padlock on the hasp. He put his ear to the heavy wooden door. He could hear Barne
s crying inside.
He helped Melissa down from the box and said, ‘Did you see him squirm, sweetheart?’
‘I did, Jimmy. You were so calm and masterful. You were right; it was fun watching him beg.’
‘Are you ready for tonight? Do you know what you’ve got to do?’
‘I’m ready; I know exactly what I’ve got to do. I can’t wait to see what you’ve got planned when we’ve got them both.’
Wade smiled and put his arm around Melissa. ‘Oh, don’t you worry. I’ve got something exquisite planned for the two of them.’
Melissa looked at the ground, averting her eyes, afraid they would give away her true feelings.
She was terrified of Wade and said exactly what she thought he would want her to say.
As far as Melissa Braithwaite was concerned, her fight for survival was as real as Fred Barnes’s was.
27
24 June 1986
Mansfield Mortuary, Mansfield
Rachel Moore pressed the doorbell on the mortuary door.
Standing directly behind her, and shifting her weight from foot to foot, was an extremely nervous Tania Jenkins.
Rachel felt the nervous tension emanating from the woman behind her. She turned, took Tania’s arm gently, and said quietly, ‘Are you sure you want to do this, Tania? I can just take you home if you want me to.’
‘No, I’m fine, Detective. I need to see my boy. I need to tell him that I’m sorry before I say goodbye.’
The door was opened from within by the coroner’s officer, Stewart Henson. Rachel had contacted Stewart earlier that day to arrange this evening’s viewing for Tania.
Stewart opened the door wide and said, ‘Hello, DC Moore, everything’s ready for you and Mrs Jenkins. Evan is in the identification room. I’ve covered him with the purple sheet. Remember to only expose the face, nothing else.’
He then took Rachel to one side and whispered, ‘Do not, under any circumstances, allow her to touch the body, okay?’
A Cold Grave: A DCI Danny Flint Book Page 10
