by Mel Sherratt
‘Look, I know where you’re going with this, but I do have an alibi. A watertight one.’
‘Would that be a Mr Frost, by any chance?’ Grace scoffed. ‘Goes by the name of Graham, to his friends?’
Leon stared at her. ‘I was on the 21.40 train from London Euston.’
Grace froze. If this was true, it would be confirmed by CCTV, meaning he did indeed have an alibi. But why hadn’t he said so at the beginning of the interview?
‘Go on,’ Nick said.
‘I got into Stoke Station just after eleven p.m. and then I took a taxi back home. Trent Gibson was going to give me a lift into work when I rang him. He didn’t pick up so I had to get a taxi.’ He folded his arms. ‘My car had been parked at the gym because Jade had given me a lift to the station yesterday.’
‘Why not leave your car at the station car park?’ Nick asked. ‘It seems strange that you would take your car to the gym, to leave it sitting there all day, then get a lift to the station and a taxi home?’
‘Molloroy Motors picked it up and brought it back. It was in for a service and valet. I thought I’d have it done while I was in London.’
‘So you have no idea who would have been in your vehicle?’ Nick said.
‘I don’t.’ Leon stared at them both in turn. ‘But I do want to know which bastard is trying to set me up by using it.’
FIFTY-SIX
It took all of Grace’s strength not to slam the door as she left the interview room and headed back to the office.
‘That man!’ Grace told Sam what Leon had told them. ‘We’ve impounded his car for now. He might be able to prove he wasn’t driving the vehicle, but that’s not to say that he hadn’t conveniently set all this up while he was in London so that he had an alibi.’
‘He’s involved somehow. It all sounds a bit too convenient,’ Perry said as he walked past and sat back at his desk.
Grace nodded, still annoyed at her behaviour in the interview with Leon. She had let him wind her up. He had shown her up in front of Nick. Leon had known all along he wasn’t in the vehicle.
‘Can you check in with Molloroy Motors?’ she asked Perry. ‘See if the service took place, where the vehicle went and who was driving it. Phone records of Leon Steele need examining and cross-referencing too, and camera footage needs checking from Steele’s Gym again. Any luck with the images, Sam?’
‘Still looking through them, Sarge.’
‘There has to be a link somewhere. Elliott uses the boxing club – I saw him there. Let’s hope at least one of the guys who was in the vehicle is a known associate of the Steeles. We know there is no stab wound, so it’s not directly linked to Operation Wedgwood. So we keep looking, at everything. Double-check, triple-check!’
Grace got her head down again. This was personal now. This wasn’t about her family. This was about the death of a young boy. She had seen the video footage. The murder of Elliott Woodman was weighing heavily on her mind.
After he was released, Leon got a taxi to Molloroy Motors. He stormed across the forecourt and into the garage where several men were working. He grabbed the first one he came to and punched him in the stomach.
‘Who took my car?’ he shouted.
The man doubled over. ‘I don’t know!’
‘Don’t tell me you didn’t see anything!’
Kenny Webb came out to see what the fuss was all about. Kenny was the proprietor of the garage and also acted as a caretaker for some of his friends who were locked up. He was looking after the six branches of Car Wash City that belonged to local criminal, Terry Ryder. Ryder had been in prison for the murder of his wife since 2011. Kenny had also been associated with the Steele family for years.
‘Who gave you the order to set me up?’ Leon threw him against the wall, his forearm across his chest to stop him moving. He raised his fist in the air. ‘You’d better start talking.’
‘I didn’t see anything! We did what you wanted and we took the car back!’
‘Who did you leave the key fob with?’
‘Some woman on the reception!’
No one was talking, no matter how hard he threatened.
‘I need wheels until I can get mine back,’ he said eventually.
Kenny threw him a set of keys and pointed at a car. ‘I’ve only got a hatchback.’
Leon cursed but took the car anyway. When he arrived at the gym, Eddie wasn’t in his office, so he pulled up the camera footage from the day before. It showed that his vehicle had been brought back mid-afternoon and parked at the rear of the car park. So it might not have been anyone from the garage after all.
He pressed fast-forward to later in the evening and watched as it was driven out at 20.45. He froze the frame and zoomed in, but he couldn’t see inside the car. There had been no sign of anyone walking to or from the vehicle where the camera spanned the area, which meant someone must have entered through the back of the car park purposely.
He fast-forwarded once more until his vehicle appeared again, around 23.00. A figure got out and disappeared behind the vehicle. He zoomed in again but still couldn’t tell who it was. But it all led to someone doing the dirty on him.
Eddie came in when Leon was still checking it over.
‘I’m going to swing for that bitch if she hauls me in like that again,’ he told his brother. ‘She’s had me in an interview for two hours!’
‘Who?’
‘Fucking Grace! I’ve just been arrested in connection with Elliott Woodman’s murder. He’s dead, did you know?’
Eddie groaned. ‘I hadn’t heard. When did this happen?’
‘Earlier. They told me when I got arrested.’ Leon paced the room. ‘This is way too close to home. I’m not hanging around waiting for someone else to die.’ He unfolded his arms and rested his hands on the window ledge. ‘I’m going out there today. Heads are going to roll for this. Elliott was a good kid.’
‘Was he working for you?’ Eddie asked.
‘Only as a runner. He’d deliver things for me, nothing too heavy. He didn’t want to end up back inside again. But he wasn’t working for me last night.’
‘And you expect me to believe that?’
‘Yes, I do!’
‘You got him killed!’
‘Oh, come on,’ Leon scoffed. ‘You make it sound as if we are the mafia.’
‘He’s a Woodman! His family will screw us over if they think we are involved. Why were you so friendly with him anyway?’
‘I felt sorry for him.’ Leon turned to Eddie. ‘He reminded me of myself when I was a kid.’
‘We’re family, and that means we stick together. The Woodmans need to look after their own.’
‘I’m telling you, I wasn’t involved. He’s one of my best boys.’ Leon showed him the security footage and pointed to a figure. ‘Who does this look like to you?’
Eddie leaned in closer and studied the image on the screen. ‘It could be anyone. It’s not very clear – nothing distinguishable. Who do you think it is?’
‘I have no clue.’
‘Want me to contact Alex?’
‘I don’t like him.’ Leon shook his head. ‘You should have got Grace on side to do that by now. I don’t like her either, but she should be working for us.’
Eddie snarled. ‘She’s not easy to turn.’
‘If she doesn’t come around soon, there’s ways of making her.’
‘I can handle her,’ Eddie said.
‘You haven’t made a great job of convincing her so far!’ Leon shook his head. ‘She needs persuading. A good slap or two will change her mind.’
‘I told you to leave her to me,’ Eddie warned. ‘I don’t want you manhandling her.’
‘After the way I’ve been treated this morning?’ Leon stood and squared up to his brother. He prodded himself in the chest. ‘I’m the victim here. She’s trying to set me up for murder.’
Eddie paused. ‘Were you involved?’ he asked again.
‘I was in London!’ Leon shouted. ‘This is
n’t a coincidence. Whoever attacked Elliott wanted me to take the rap for it.’
‘I don’t see how—’
‘This had better not be Jade’s fault.’ Leon glared at his brother as he was about to leave. ‘I hope what happened isn’t about to come and bite us on the arse.’
‘It’s not Jade I’m worried about,’ Eddie said, then without warning, he punched Leon full in the face. ‘They know about the house!’ he yelled.
Leon pushed his brother away. He threw a punch back, but Eddie blocked it and landed one in Leon’s stomach.
He doubled over.
His temper spent, Eddie caught his breath.
‘I’ve had some of the younger boys following Grace on their scooters.’
‘She’ll find nothing. The property is cleaned after every party.’
‘You don’t get it, do you?’ Eddie seethed. ‘It doesn’t matter if they don’t find anything. The fact is they are on to you. I’m not bailing you out again.’
The door opened and Kathleen appeared. ‘What’s wrong with you two? I can hear you from the salon!’
Eddie glared at Leon before glancing at his mum sheepishly.
‘Luckily, there aren’t any clients in,’ she said. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Nothing,’ Eddie said.
Kathleen looked at Leon.
‘Nothing.’ Leon wiped blood from his lip.
‘You’re shouting about nothing?’
Still they remained quiet.
‘I suggest you two calm down.’ Kathleen spoke to them as if they were children. ‘And if whoever is attacking these men is linked to our family, surely one of you has an ounce of brain to sort it out!’
Once she’d left, Eddie sat down. Leon flopped back in his chair. The fight had gone from both of them but the worry was still there.
‘Who is out to get you, Leon?’ Eddie asked him again. ‘Have you heard anything?’
‘I told you. I have no idea.’
‘Well, let’s get ringing around. Start with our lads in the boxing club, get them to spread the message round that we are after anyone who knows anything. And people need to know I wasn’t involved. This is your mess, not mine. Offer a reward for information. We need to sort this ourselves, before one of us ends up dead.’
FIFTY-SEVEN
As she was working on Elliott Woodman’s murder, Grace had spent the rest of the afternoon talking to witnesses who had or hadn’t heard anything the night before. She drew a blank after three visits and went back to the station.
While she’d been out, she had tasked Perry with visiting all three of Operation Wedgwood’s victims’ wives to see if they knew anything about the property in Washington Drive. It was sad that these men were abusing young women, but their wives did seem oblivious to it. Grace didn’t blame them for not knowing about their husbands’ activities. People could be deceitful. She was sure the house was a clue, but it had been cleaned thoroughly, leaving little for forensics.
Grace had also tasked Alex with checking the women’s alibis again, and also seeing if they knew each other at all. It would be ludicrous to suggest that they had each murdered their husbands, but every eventuality needed to be looked into. Nothing could be ruled out.
Perry had then questioned a few of the neighbours in Washington Drive. As the house was so far back along the lane, no one had heard anything, but a couple said they had seen a black 4×4 coming and going. Grace’s first thought had been that it could have been Dale Chapman’s. Now she wondered if it might have belonged to Leon Steele.
Leon tried to keep his speed down as he drove around Potteries Way, heading to Limekiln Bank. The events of the day kept running through his mind. When Elliott had recently joined the boxing club with Kyle, the two of them had reminded him of Eddie and Josh at first, thick as thieves, and it had hurt. Once Josh had come on the scene when Leon had been twelve, Eddie had never had time for his little brother. Leon had grown up lonely, choosing to fight to make people be his friends. He’d scare people into wanting to hang around with him.
But Leon had found a soft spot for Elliott, and when Elliott had ended up inside for ABH, Leon had felt responsible for some reason. He’d looked after his girlfriend, given her money for things for the baby. He’d told her not to say anything, and to this day Elliott had never given him the impression that she had. Later, when the fuss had all died down, he would draw out some money and take it to her.
But first he had a job to do.
He parked on the street and banged on the door to Clara’s flat. When she opened it, looking bewildered at his expression, he grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards him.
‘Who did you give my key to when my motor was returned?’
‘Stop it!’ she cried. ‘You’re hurting me.’
‘Was it Trent?’
‘It was in my bag! And then I gave it to Trent this morning, to give to you when he picked you up.’
‘I haven’t seen him. I got collared by the police.’ Leon thought for a moment. Even if Trent had the key now, that didn’t mean it had been with Clara all that time.
‘You’d better be telling the truth,’ he warned.
‘I am.’ Clara tried to push his arm away. ‘I don’t understand. What’s going on?’
Leon released her. They moved through to the living room and he told her what had happened.
She sat down abruptly. ‘Did the police say anything about who they think it might be?’
‘Of course they didn’t,’ Leon snapped. ‘Because they think I had something to do with his murder.’
‘And did you?’ she asked, frowning.
‘No, I did not!’
‘So it must be routine stuff then. Although’ – she paused – ‘did they say whether or not his murder was connected to the others? It’s all gone quiet on who they are looking for. I’m scared to go out alone in case I’m bumped off.’
‘Why would you be next?’ Leon rolled his eyes.
‘Has it escaped your attention that you’re connected to all three men via Washington Place?’
‘Don’t be stupid. Of course it hasn’t.’
‘Well, I can be linked to them too. We could both be on a hit list for all you know.’
‘This has nothing to do with you.’ Leon rubbed at his aching neck. ‘Someone wanted me out of the picture, knew when I was out of town.’
It had played on his mind after he’d spoken to Eddie. He’d been on the monthly run to check on their suppliers in London. Who had known he would be out of the city? Eddie, for certain. Jade had dropped him at the station yesterday. His mum had been in the car too.
He glanced at Clara. She had known as well. Would she play him? Frustration tore through him. He couldn’t trust anyone.
‘I can’t think straight here.’ He marched to the front door.
Clara raced after him, held on to his arm. ‘Please stay! Just a little while longer.’
He pushed her away. ‘There are things I need to do.’
‘Wait! We need to sort out the books!’
Leon opened the door and left her on the step. Then he went back to her, grabbing her roughly by the arm.
‘If this is anything to do with you, I’m going to swing for you,’ he seethed.
‘I swear, I don’t know anything!’ Clara cried.
Leon let go and pushed her away. He glanced around as he walked back to the car, to see if anyone was following him, but he couldn’t spot anything.
Once Leon had gone, Clara didn’t know what to do with herself. She didn’t like this now. Her plan to get in with the Steeles was crumbling around her and she had a feeling she was heading for a big fall.
Why was the lure of the bad boy always her downfall? First it was Trent continually asking her for alibis, then it was Eddie asking her to lie to the police. Recently, it had been Leon who had got her involved in the parties.
She rang Eddie. He would sort everything, make sure nothing came back to her. There was too much at stake for him if she go
t caught by the police. She could say so much.
‘What are you ringing me for?’ he demanded.
‘I need to see you. I think I’m in trouble. I think we’re in trouble!’
‘What’s going on?’
Clara told Eddie about her conversation with Leon. ‘I’m worried that he’ll land me in trouble with the police and I—’
‘My family are more important than you. You’re on your own if you’ve made a mess of things.’
‘But Eddie, I did what you asked and—’
The line went dead.
Clara swallowed her fear. She didn’t want the police to find out what else she’d been up to as well as the parties. It was too risky to continue anyway.
Boy, she was in deep trouble.
FIFTY-EIGHT
Eddie pulled up on the driveway of the place he hated so much. He hardly ever set foot inside Hardman House now; instantly, memories came flooding back of his father’s funeral. Everyone had gathered at the house to await the arrival of the hearse. He remembered his mother walking into the church behind George’s coffin. He remembered the three of them walking behind, all with families of their own. He would never know what the others were thinking, but he’d wanted to push the coffin into the grave as soon as possible, to get rid of George and his legacy. It didn’t matter to him that his father’s murder was unsolved. In fact, it was much better that it hadn’t been.
Not many people had come back to the house afterwards, which he wasn’t sure was out of respect for what happened to George or the fact that everyone felt more comfortable at The Potter’s, his local pub.
Kathleen was at the door as he got out of his car. She welcomed him inside and he followed her into the sitting room.
‘What’s so important that you couldn’t see me at work?’ He came inside. ‘Or even talk to me over the phone?’
‘What was all that shouting about with your brother earlier?’ Kathleen came back with a question of her own.
‘I told you. It was nothing I can’t sort out.’
‘But I overheard you talking about parties, at some house.’ Kathleen paused. ‘I hope it isn’t—’
‘Whatever it was, it’s not going to be happening again.’ He frowned. ‘You called me here about that?’
