by Hylton Smith
Ben Adams, in Renton’s absence now knew what it was like to be in the direct spotlight of Frank’s mockery. He felt he had to show he was unaffected by it. Having Stephanie back, he gathered the team in the Boss’ office.
“The internet is raging with speculation, not just about the case in general, but at how incompetent we seem to be. This is a time for cool heads. Some people think we erred in letting Eva Roberts go, but in fact the internet is providing its own profiling discussion. So let them get on with it. I’m confident that we are nudging closer to a breakthrough. Frank is rattled because things aren’t going his way. He’s shut out of our system now, so he’s throwing the rattle out of his pram. It hurts to see the stuff he’s putting out there, but we have the possibility of adding another identity to the two we already have. We’re closing in on Brett Driscoll. Sam, I want Simon to help James with his general search, while I go to see Forster in the Midwest. It‘s safer than London and Forster knows his way around. Steph, I want you to go over the information we have on the 18 year-old legless corpse, because of what Alex Blake told you. Remember Sam saying that the first two corpses from the left of the second video could have been selected as representations of people Frank didn’t want to die? Maybe they aren’t dead, just abandoned in a shocking manner by those who should be caring for them. Alex Blake would be a perfect example, and his mother an example of those who had to pay. That could be one connection. Right let’s get to it.”
They were fired up again, but Stephanie couldn’t resist a jibe.
“Sir, that’s good thinking, and as far as Eva Roberts is concerned, it’s all happening as we speak. Look at this.”
The internet threads had already decided that the symbol on the ring was of Chinese origin, representing Yin Yang.
“It refers to polar or seemingly contrary forces being interconnected and interdependent, giving rise to each other in turn. There are lots of different takes on what bearing this has to the two half-bodies which were stitched together. Some say that it means twins; others suggest it’s more likely to mean there are two personalities within every person. There’s even one who is sure that they are both victims, but of different crimes. If we don’t need Roberts, then who the hell is going to wallow through this mountain of treacle, to sketch in Frank?”
*
Jane was completely unprepared for Renton’s admission.
“I’ve been thinking quite a lot about what you said when I first arrived in Edinburgh, and I take most of it on board. I have, over the years, buried myself in the job, and I now realise how difficult it must have been for you with a small child. I don’t know why I couldn’t see it at the time, but it’s impossible to change the past. Looking to the future, and the need you expressed to get on with your life, I don’t want to stand in your way. Daniel’s life is just beginning and we’ve had a timely reminder of how fragile it can be. He’s not really talking to me right now and I don’t blame him. I’ll give him the space to tell me exactly why in his own time. I know why you think it is, but that’s only your opinion. I’ve therefore decided to get on with my own life, whatever that means. I’m staying here until he’s discharged, and then I’ll move on. I won’t be pestering you to come around to the house anymore. I’ve had enough of that. Seeing your sequence of boyfriends when I used to arrive, after we first separated, seemed to render the visit pretty pointless. I’ll see Daniel whenever he wants me to, but at my place or somewhere else. I’ve only just realised how tired I am of most of what I do. Like you, I seriously need a fresh start.”
“It sounds like you’re blaming me for criticising your attitude, when all I’ve ever done was to try to get you to look in the mirror.”
“Ease up Jane, this isn’t about you. Why does everything have to come back to what you think? I’ve just said I agree with you – accept it and get over it.”
She began to cry. He walked back to his own ward to speak with the doctor about getting discharged. His short walk back was interrupted by his mobile phone ringing. He’d temporarily forgotten Jane had returned it to him. He dodged out of an exit as he answered the call.
“Renton.”
“I know who it is Inspector.”
“I thought you had decided to stop these calls.”
“Yes, but we must all adapt to changes in circumstances.” Renton’s first reaction was to tell him to go to hell. What left his lips was something a little less antagonistic.
“Look, I’m in hospital and until that changes, I’m off the case. You’re talking to the wrong man.”
“No, I am speaking with the right man. You may be wondering why I say that, or how I came by your personal number. There is a very simple explanation. I wanted to know how you felt about being so close to me, you know when you were hit over the head. We have been close before – in Chopwell Woods initially, and then I was amongst the onlookers at the fort when I took the photo at Chollerford, and I was searching your house when you arrived unexpectedly.” Renton tried to intervene but it was in vain. “I have what I wanted, and it is indeed revealing, but I intend to be fair, so I am offering you a chance to meet me. I will return your property, but I am afraid I will still use it to your disadvantage. That is the best I can do. If you decline, the world will know of it. I intend to call you back in one hour with instructions to meet, if you accept the invitation.”
“Can I say something before you close the call?”
“You have thirty seconds.”
“I’ll meet you, but I have to wait until I’m discharged. Even you must understand that. I’ll only do it on the condition that I know what it is that you propose to return to me, because I only have your word that you actually have something of mine. I got the impression that my intruders had been interrupted, and may not have found what they were looking for. I haven’t had a chance to see if there is anything missing.”
“Very well, I will call you again tomorrow, if that is convenient?”
“Fine.” He frantically thought about what Frank could possibly have which would give him a problem, if and when it was disclosed. Then he switched track to whether he’d taken one of his people to ransack the house knowing he was away, or had something specific in mind before he broke in. He was habitually so untidy with everything that he was having difficulty bringing items to mind, as he could never find anything himself. He put it out of his thoughts as he approached the doctor.
“I feel great now Doctor, I think I’m ready to leave, and I feel guilty taking a bed which someone else needs more than I do.”
“You may think so, but I’m not yet satisfied with the scans. You still have tiny fragments of congealed blood floating about inward of the wound itself. Until they have dissipated I want to keep an eye on them. Maybe we can review it in a couple of days.”
“Well, can I get a pass out to collect some clean clothes? I’m beginning to challenge the air fresheners. I can get someone from the station to drive me, and it’s only about three miles from here.”
“Very well, I’ll check you out first thing tomorrow and if all is clear you can provisionally become an outpatient for an hour.”
“Thanks.”
*
Stephanie tried to recapture everything Alex Blake had told her. It wasn’t helping, so she moved on to Sam’s hunch that Frank might not want certain people to die. Could this fit with Adams’ extrapolation to affection for a person who didn’t die? She couldn’t believe Alex was knowingly involved in Frank’s scheme. She could believe that Martha Blake had punishment coming from many possible sources. Then she wondered about the veracity of the information which indicated she’d been eliminated by the drugs people, who in turn would be part of the London Colony. It was a convenient dumping ground for all kinds of unsolved cases, a kind of landfill site for unwanted waste. There was also the small matter of definite proof that her head was part of the Priory copse. Could Frank be tied in with the Colony? That didn’t sound right. Had he got to Martha Blake before the Colony did? After all, she app
arently owed them a fortune, and they would have wanted to recover that first, especially if she had some knowledge they needed. Perhaps her brother’s business only covered part of the debt. Stephanie felt she was just going around in circles, and decided to cut out the speculation. When looking solely at the facts, Martha was part of Frank’s composite corpse, and her son was alive. She spoke to Sam.
“While Simon and James are looking for information on Driscoll, and Adams is chasing the same leads with Forster, can you check out my thinking on Martha Blake?”
“Ok, go ahead.”
“Why would Frank kill her or have someone else kill her?”
“It’s only supposition either way Stephanie, but I’d say he is behind all of the killings, whether that is by his own hand or a contracted person.”
“Yes. And that contracted person according to both Watson and Donoghue would be a highly competent surgeon.”
“Apparently, unless the surgeon was only employed to butcher the carcasses at some time after they were killed and stored. That possibility is supported by the Chollerford half-bodies having been dead around the same time as some of the original five.”
“Shit, that’s right, but what I’m mainly driving at is that the Colony surely wouldn’t get involved in this kind of ‘ritualistic’ killing, yet we are being fed that line with Martha’s death. Adams has said many times that he’s sure there is corruption in the London force, and this may be an example. If this D.C.I. Gilbert wants to hide some bigger problem, maybe he’s happy to just get the Martha Blake annoyance out of sight and out of mind. After all there is a drugs connection, even if her death was planned by the Colony, but obviously someone beat them to it.”
“That’s quite a leap of logic in this scenario, but I agree with Ben in his suspicions about Gilbert. Also, you’re right about the Colony not getting involved in such elaborate, symbolic hits. As for the rest, who knows? Anyway what are you suggesting we do?”
“Well, Ben asked me to try to connect Alex Blake to the 18 year-old legless corpse, and I’m prepared to go along with the theory that there is some connection, but you could ask the same question about Rory Davenport. Both he and Martha are part of the Frankenstein corpse, but we aren’t desperately looking for the living or dead representation of him. I don’t know what I’m trying to get across Sam, except that I still think the armless and legless victims are the key to this case, and I’m equally sure that Alex Blake doesn’t know that he’s a living representation of one of them. I say this because I’m the only one who has spoken to him. I would like you to go through the ones you crossed off your initial list, before you switched to Martha herself. Will you help me?”
“Ok let’s do it, but I want to stick to finding evidence Steph. I have theories of my own, but if I pursue them I always need to get some corroborating evidence quickly. If I don’t, the appetite for guesswork goes cool.
Chapter 21
When Adams was sitting across the desk from Forster and the office door was closed, he got straight to the point.
“Thanks for the rundown on Brett Driscoll. I need to find out more, but I’d welcome your advice on how to go about it. Part of what you told me about him wasn’t a surprise. You indicated that the Midwest arm of the Colony didn’t trust him because they thought he was a London mole. Well that fits quite neatly with me being given the run around by D.C.I Gilbert while investigating Clyde Hendricks’ sister’s disappearance. He seemed keen to help and arrested Carl Kennedy, got a confession and ordered witness protection for him in record time. With your information connecting Kennedy and Driscoll, I’m pretty sure I was being led away from the latter. I’m not really interested in the big picture of the London or Midwest Colony. I just want the truth regarding an unidentified victim which was part of the Frankenstein corpse. I also know that I’ve oversimplified the separation of my case from their agenda, and that’s why I hope you can help me.”
“It isn’t impossible, but if we’re to work from this end, we need a reason, and therefore a carrot to dangle in front of the go-betweens. What can you tell me about this unidentified victim?”
“Male, thirty-three years old, born on the 18th September. Look Sir, I believe this Driscoll could be my man. He’s missing, but thought by the Colony in the Midwest to be dead, taken out by one of the mob organisations. London is saying nothing, with the exception of the young officer who took the report of Martha Blake having gone missing. The official report states that her brother made the report out, but the young officer has confirmed to us that it was Driscoll. Now, Martha Blake is definitely one of our victims. It stinks of a cover up, because we were steered to believe she was also whacked by the London Colony. We’re on the verge of cracking this case if Driscoll is our victim, but I need hard evidence, and I need to be led to it.”
“Right, it’s tricky, but you may have inadvertently given me a starting point. The Midwest would be happy if they knew for sure that this guy is history, and they would relish the chance to leak the fact that it was some half-crazed Geordie, rather than professional retribution by the London mob. The Colony likes to be seen to take care of its own; especially deciding on whether they live or die. I suppose you mean DNA when you talk of hard evidence?”
“That would be the clincher, but I’ll take any evidence which rules him in or out.”
“Ok, when do you intend to return north?”
“I can stay for a few days if you think that’s best.”
“No, that’s not wise. This will go better if these go-betweens are certain they are only dealing with people they know and can trust. Go back now, and I’ll contact you when we get a nibble.”
*
Renton got his call. He got in first this time, and startled Frank.
“Look, I can only get out of the hospital for an hour, so the meeting place has to be close. However, before I set off I need to know what it is that you have to give me, otherwise I won’t take the risk.”
“Surely the risk to your reputation is still important to you, even though it has already been tarnished. This is your chance to restore some of your credibility.”
“I’m not talking about that kind of risk. The doctor says I’m still vulnerable to blood clots because of the blow to my head. It’s your fault and your call.”
“Oh, I see, that is a worry. Would you like to postpone the meeting?”
“I’ll only know that if you tell me what you intend to give me.”
“You should be more careful with what information you take home from the office. I am impressed with the diligence of sacrificing your leisure time to run me to ground, but you are a very sloppy housekeeper. I have the report from your forensics people which proves the identity of one of my victims. You never mentioned this in our little chats. That seems unfair as I was continually giving you hints. As I said yesterday, I will return it to you but I will also have to report that it temporarily fell into the wrong hands. You surely can’t resist the chance to meet me, and finally put a face to the grossly distorted voice.”
“Well that’s very considerate of you, but you haven’t given me the standard spiel about coming alone, and that the deal will be terminated if you think I’m being shadowed. What’s this really about?”
“It has always been, and still is about helping people who have been treated disgracefully. Awareness is not lacking, it is more a question of moral responsibility. The facts are there; they just need to shock the populous sufficiently to bring down those who should bear the guilt. Unfortunately you are caught in the middle, and you were a useful tool in the beginning, but you have been deceitful Inspector, or at least economical with information you could have shared with me. I may need a much higher profile figure to run this investigation. I think you may agree with me one day. Now, do we meet?”
“Where do you suggest?”
“A very public place is my choice, where, as you say, I can see that you aren’t accompanied by anyone. I will be in Northumberland Street. You won’t see me, but
I will find you. We won’t exchange pleasantries, only your forensics report. Can we say thirty minutes from now?”
“How do I know that you don’t intend to harm me? Injuring me would seem to achieve your objective of replacing me on the case.”
“There are more subtle ways than that Inspector. Isn’t my promise good enough? You were only inconvenienced at your house because we didn’t expect you.”
“Why were there two of you? Was the other person your lookout?”
“Yes, I needed to conduct a thorough search and that’s not easy if your concentration is divided.”
“You knew what you were looking for then?”
“We don’t have time for fishing Inspector. You will have to work that out for yourself at a more appropriate time. My clock has already begun ticking down to the thirty minutes.”
Renton set off in the knowledge that this was a no win situation. He could be killed or at best asked to retire early because of his carelessness. He thought about not going but decided it was too good an opportunity to see this bastard face-to-face, even if it was for a millisecond. He had his camera phone at the ready, and guessed Frank would have counted on that being the case.
*
Simon Jones and James Bradley had not found anything of significance. The land registry office did have details on how much the property, occasionally occupied by Brett Driscoll, had changed hands for. The electoral register didn’t have anyone’s name associated with the house; it was noted as a buy-to-let property which was unoccupied more often than not. There were no arrears in council tax, and all appeared to be in order. They tried several estate agents in the area and drew blanks. The most likely explanation was that it had been a private sale. They concluded that if the Colony was involved the trail would have been deliberately obscured. They suspended this search and helped Sam and Stephanie with their theory.
They began with the only candidate Sam hadn’t eliminated from his original list. Reginald Powell’s parents DNA was still with forensics, and Donoghue had promised a quick turnaround after the error they had made initially. When Sam returned from forensics he was waving a test report and sporting a smug grin.
