Collide-O-Scope (Norfolk Coast Investigation Stories Book 1)

by Andrea Bramhall

  “Really?”

  “Really.”

  “But, I mean, she was there, and you were there, and you’re both…you know…so why not?”

  “Just because two lesbians are in the same room together does not mean they will automatically fall into bed with each other.”

  “It doesn’t?”

  “Oh, for God’s sake.”

  “Now you’re just trying to ruin all my fantasies.”

  “If I ever even suspect I feature in one of those fantasies, Tom, I’m going to borrow Sammy’s air gun and do what Connie threatened to do to Matt Green. Are we clear?”

  “Crystal, Sergeant, ma’am. Crystal.”

  She suspected that if he’d been able to drive in such a position, he’d have had his legs crossed to protect himself. She smirked. Too easy.

  “Does everyone know about Gina?”

  He shrugged. “Most, I’d guess. Why?”

  “She thinks no one knows.”

  “In a village the size of Brandale Staithe? Give me a break. Her neighbours know what size bra she wears and when she changes the batteries in her vibrator. Nosiest old biddies in the bloody world.”

  “Do you only think about sex?”

  “Pretty much.”

  “Is that a male thing, a cop thing, or a you thing?”

  “Yes.”

  She laughed. “Small villages. Hot beds of iniquity and scandal.”

  “Bring it on,” he said and pulled up outside the Kings Lynn station. “Let’s go see what we can get our hands on.”

  In truth, it was nothing much. The memory card was too damaged for them to retrieve anything despite their whizz-bang, shit-hot new software. And the list of guns registered to the three Robbins’ was extensive, almost as big as the armed response unit’s armoury. These were not people you wanted to be on the wrong side of. Len Wild confirmed what Matt had told them of the approximate size of the brick in the photograph, but had found little else that would have helped to further their investigation from either the original crime scene, the houseboat fire, Connie’s house, or Connie’s office. Matt Green’s computer was of little value. Same with his other electronics. They had downloaded the data from his car’s satellite navigation and retrieved corroboration of his attendance to at least four of the other drop sites in the last four weeks. Data didn’t go back any farther than that.

  “Looks like we have to just sit and wait and go along with Stella’s plan,” Tom said.

  “You see a problem with her plan?”

  “Yes.”

  “What?”

  “It means we’ve got to do paperwork for the rest of the day and all day tomorrow.”

  “It’s a fair point, well made, Tom. Don’t we need to talk to someone again about something?”

  “I wish I could say yes, but I can’t think of anything.”

  “Shit.”

  “Precisely.”

  They sighed in unison and walked slowly towards Tom’s car. Very slowly.

  CHAPTER 29

  Sammy was colouring at the table when Kate walked through the door. Merlin lay patiently at her feet.

  “Hi, Kate. I drew this for you.” She made one last mark and held up the paper for Kate to see. The picture was clearly supposed to be of her and Merlin with Gina and Sammy in the backyard. The eyes weren’t symmetrical, and if she were honest, Sammy’s version of her was a bit tubbier than she liked. But in general, it wasn’t bad at all. Merlin definitely came off best.

  “That’s really cool. Want to stick it on the fridge for me?”

  “Okay.” Sammy used the magnets that Kate had collected on holidays to keep it in place. The ones of the bare-breasted sunbather she’d gotten in Lesbos, if she wasn’t mistaken. She hoped she wasn’t going to get in trouble with Gina about those.

  “Where’s your mum?”

  “Upstairs having a sleep. She said I was terrible last night.”

  “Terrible? You didn’t get up once.”

  “I know. She said I snored and wriggled so much she nearly came down to sleep on the sofa.”

  Kate laughed. “Oh, dear.”

  “I think she’s going to ask you for spare blankets tonight so she can.”

  “What if I haven’t got any?”

  “Then I have to sleep outside on the washing line.”

  “Why on the washing line?”

  “So she can peg me on it then I can’t sleepwalk off onto the road.”

  “In that case, it’s a good plan. Better get yourself ready for it, Mrs. Woo.”

  Sammy frowned. “Who’s Mrs. Woo?”

  “She’s a lady from a song about a Chinese laundry that George Formby used to sing about.”

  “Who’s George Formby?”

  “An old singer.”

  “Oh, Mrs. Woo, what shall I do? I’m feelin’ kinda Limehouse Chinese laundry blues,” Gina sang from the stairs.

  “We have a winner.” Kate pointed.

  “That’s daft,” Sammy said.

  “You won’t say that when you’re hanging on the washing line.”

  Sammy pushed her hair out of her face. “You won’t let her do that to me. You’re police.”

  “Hey, I know better than to get between a mother and daughter when sleep is involved. You’re on your own, kiddo.”

  Gina looked at the clock. It was barely four-thirty. “You’re earlier than I thought you’d be,” Gina said.

  “Got an early start tomorrow so I thought I’d make it an early finish today.”

  “Can we take Merlin for a walk?” Sammy asked.

  “I guess so. Where do you want to go?”

  “Beach.”

  “Okay, but we’ll have to go to Wells-next-the-Sea beach then. I don’t want to be easily spotted.”

  “‘Cos of the mess?” Sammy asked, nodding her head seriously.

  Kate fought valiantly not to laugh and mirrored Sammy’s folded hands and sage nodding. “‘Cos of the mess.”

  Gina wasn’t nearly so successful at holding the laughter at bay.

  “Come on, then. How about fish and chips on the beach?” Kate asked.

  “Aw, yeah. Can we, Mum?”

  “I don’t see why not.”

  “Yay.”

  “Put your wellies on,” she said to Sammy. Then she turned to Kate. “Do you have torches or head torches? It’ll be dark by the time we get there.”

  “I do, and I’ve got a glow-in-the-dark ball for Merlin to chase.”

  “Wicked,” came the cry from upstairs.

  Five minutes later they were bundled up and in the car at the back of the house, Merlin and Sammy happily playing in the back seat while Kate pulled out onto the road. She stopped at the chip shop, then looked for a place to park as close to the beach as possible. It was already dusk and it wouldn’t be long before it would be full dark.

  The tang of vinegar on their chips and the salt in the air was invigorating. Merlin and Sammy ran back and forth, Merlin barking, Sammy laughing. Kate, carrying a full plastic bag, watched them climb the dunes and drop onto the beach proper. The long row of beach huts ran along the back of the beach to her left, to the right she could make out the red and green lights on the signal buoys, directing boats down the channel and into Wells harbour.

  The last of the light finally dropped out of the sky, and Kate handed head torches to both Gina and Sammy. She helped Sammy to tighten hers while Gina unwrapped their food. When Sammy’s head torch was lit, Gina handed her a paper cone stuffed full of battered fish and crispy chips.

  Kate perched herself on the step of one of the little huts and stared out at the water as she ate. She could hear the waves, and slowly her eyes adjusted to the low light level. Sammy had barely finished eating before she started throwing the ball for Merlin. The lights inside the ball sparkled red, green, and blue every time it struck the ground. Sammy giggled every time Merlin tore after it and brought it back in her teeth, her face lit up like a Christmas tree.

  “This is nice,” Gina said.
/>   “Yeah.” Kate replied.

  “Last night—”

  “Don’t.” Kate cut her off. “You don’t have to say anything, Gina. You’re entitled to conduct your love life any way you choose. I’m sorry if I came across as judgemental or anything. I had no right to do that.”

  “You didn’t.”

  “Oh. Then that’s okay.”

  Gina balled up her used paper and crammed it into the bag. “I wanted to say thank you.”

  “What for?”

  “It’s been a long time since someone’s wanted more from me.” She laughed. A laugh that sounded bitter to Kate’s ear. “If they ever did.”

  “I’m sure plenty of people did—do—why wouldn’t they?”

  “I’m a package deal. That’s hardly an attractive proposition, Kate.”

  “You really think Sammy’s going to chase away a woman you want to date?”

  “You’ve met her.”

  “Yes, I have. And I’d ask you out for a date right now if I thought you’d say yes.”

  “You would?”

  “Didn’t I make that clear last night?”

  Gina didn’t say anything.

  “I don’t understand why you would ever think no one would want you. With or without a great kid like Sammy.”

  “She’s a pain in the backside sometimes.”

  “Aren’t we all?”

  “And she swears.”

  “Like mother, like daughter.”

  “And no one’s ever stuck around.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “When I found out I was pregnant, my dad told me to get rid of it. Of her. I wouldn’t. Couldn’t. He told me if I didn’t, I was never welcome in his house again. They live four miles from where I do, but Sammy’s never met her grandparents. Matt didn’t stick around, obviously, and when Sammy was little I started to get close to someone. Claire. I thought she was the one, you know? I was eighteen, with a newborn, and had no one to help me look after her. Claire didn’t stay much more than a month. Looking back now, I’m actually amazed she lasted that long. But that was that.”

  “So you gave up.”

  “I didn’t give up.”

  “Yes, you did. You gave up on finding someone special because you got burned. Once. When you were eighteen.”

  “And Matt.”

  “Oh, sorry, and Matt who you would never have been happy with anyway.”

  “It sounds pathetic when you put it like that.”

  Kate laughed. “It is.”

  “Thanks a lot.”

  “It’s true.”

  “So she wouldn’t put you off?”

  “At the risk of repeating myself, no, Sammy would not put me off dating you.” Kate stood up. “She would not put me off getting involved with you.” She held her hand out. “She would not put me off being in a relationship with you.” Gina took her hand. “So I’m going to ask this one time.” She tugged Gina to her feet. “Will you go out on a date with me?” Kate wished she could see better because she was sure Gina was smiling. She wished she could see it.

  “Yes.”

  Kate didn’t need to see to hear the smile in Gina’s voice.

  “Okay. Dinner, this weekend.”

  “I need to find a babysitter.”

  “Leave it to me. I think I know someone.”

  “She can be a nightmare for babysitters.”

  “Like mother, like daughter.”

  “Hey.”

  Kate chuckled. “Don’t worry, I guarantee this person can handle Sammy.”

  Gina linked her arm through Kate’s and led her down the beach.

  Kate just hoped she could handle Gina.

  CHAPTER 30

  Kate flipped through the pages of the Autotrader, idly scanning for new cars. She glanced up every few seconds to see if there was any movement. They’d rented one of the many holiday lets in the area that overlooked Ally Robbins’ house. After all, it was November and there were no tourists left. Stella had gotten a stonking deal on it. So now Kate and Jimmy were sitting in the car under the carport. It was the only way they’d been able to think of remaining mobile, while inconspicuous. Ally’s house was on the main road, and there was nowhere they could sit in the car on the street and not be spotted within a few seconds. The carport had a good growth of shrubs and trees around it, enough to keep them from being easily spotted anyway.

  Matt had told them the drop could happen at any time from seven in the morning onwards, and when they couldn’t get a hold of him, they were going to be pissed. And worried. He hadn’t told them he wouldn’t be able to make a drop and he’d been missing all week. Messages on his phone told them this was very true. Both Robbins’ had left increasingly threatening messages, questioning his whereabouts, and no one seemed to have any idea where he was.

  That could be good. Concern could make them careless. It might make them pay a little less attention to what’s going on. It might make them make a mistake.

  Or it could be bad. It could make them nervous and hypervigilant. Maybe even a little bit paranoid. It could make them change the drop. If they were paranoid enough, it could even make them cancel it.

  Matt hadn’t been sure. He said it depended on who was calling the shots. If Ally suspected that the cops knew something, she’d try to beat them by changing the drop point. If Cedric made the call, it would get cancelled. Adam, he couldn’t predict. Matt said that was what made him scary. You just never knew if he was gonna laugh with you, or lay you out.

  Kate drew a circle around the advert for a black Astra going for less than two grand. Possible.

  “Are we gonna be here all day?” Jimmy asked, pouring coffee from a flask and handing her a small cup.

  “Thanks. Probably.” She took a sip.

  “My cousin’s selling his car. Eleven hundred.”

  “What kind?”

  “Beemer. Five series.”

  “For eleven hundred? What’s wrong with it?”

  “Nowt. Diesel engine.”

  “How many miles?”

  “A hundred thousand.”

  She laughed. “No thanks. I’ll do it the old-fashioned way.”

  “Half of that lot are stolen.”

  “I’ll check VIN numbers before I buy. Don’t worry.”

  Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something move. She glanced up.

  Leah dumped a black bag in the boot of her car and slammed the lid shut. She glanced up and down the road like she was looking for something, a frown marring her face.

  “Heads up, Jimmy,” Kate said. “We could be on the move.”

  Ally appeared in the doorway and said something.

  “Can you read lips?” Jimmy whispered.

  “They can’t hear you, numbnuts. And, no, not from this distance. Pass me those binoculars you’ve got there.” When he handed them over, she fiddled with the focus until she could make out Ally telling Leah that it was “a limit, not a target” and “I won’t pay the fine for you again.” Speed limit. Had to be.

  “What’s she saying?”

  “Telling her to stick to the speed limit.”

  “Do you think she knows we know?”

  “Jimmy, I have a number of skills, but mind reading is not one of them.”

  “Yeah, but you know how women think.”

  “And why’s that?”

  “Well, ’cos you are one.”

  “So I know how this woman thinks. Do you know how all men think?”

  Jimmy scratched his head. “Most of ’em, yeah. Birds, footie, birds, beer, birds, work, and birds.”

  “You’re a Neanderthal.”

  “No, I’m a canary. Norwich City all the way.”

  She chuckled and handed him back the binoculars. “That explains it all.”

  “Hey, I think I’m offended.”

  Leah began pulling out of Ally’s driveway, so Kate tossed the magazine onto the back seat and turned on the engine. Leah turned right towards Kings Lynn. Kate didn’t put the car into gear,
though. She waited. She let Leah increase her distance and waited.

  “She’s getting away,” Jimmy said.

  “She’s still watching.” Kate pointed to the doorway where Ally Robbins stood, looking up and down the road.

  “Why?”

  “To see if Leah’s being followed.”

  “Does she always do that?”

  “No idea. But she’s doing it today.”

  Thirty seconds passed.

  “What should we do?” Jimmy asked.

  “We wait.”

  One minute.

  “She’s getting away.”

  “We know where she’s heading and the boys are waiting at the lay-by.”

  “She might be going to a different place.”

  “She might, but each set of GPS coordinates in that direction go through Lynn. If we cut through Docking and then past the construction college, we’ll catch her up at the Knights Hill roundabout.”

  “You sure?”

  “I’m sure.”

  Three other vehicles and a bus sped past them and two long minutes dragged by before Ally Robbins went back into the house. Kate edged out of the carport and turned right onto the main road, away from Kings Lynn.

  “Wrong way.”

  “Shortcut.”

  She cut a right beside the Jolly Rogers and flew around the tight bends, shortening the distance between them and Docking by four miles. Jimmy clung to the handle above the passenger door as she skidded around a tight left and slowed at the perimeter of the village. No sign of Leah’s car. She drove on, taking a right by the primary school, then a left a hundred yards later, and flooring it as she headed towards Bircham. A deceptive right-hand bend made her hit the brake when a tractor came barrelling towards them, taking up too much road. Jimmy crossed himself and whispered a Hail Mary under his breath.

  “Didn’t know you were Catholic, Jimmy.”

  “Neither did I.”

  She ran over a hillock that led to a hidden dip and caught air under the tyres.

  “Oh, Christ.”

  She chuckled. “You’ll have to go to confession for that.”

  “Do I go to confession for pissing myself too?”