Unsolved

by Michael Fowler

  ‘Dominic St. John-Stevens,’ Dawn addressed him formally.

  It was the first time Hunter had heard the DCI’s full name.

  ‘I’ll be brief and to the point, and it gives me no pleasure to say this, but I am arresting you on suspicion of the murder of Tina Bannister and David Bannister.’ As she cautioned him, his face went white as a sheet.

  In the Custody Suite, Hunter walked into the interview room feeling both nervous and confident. Nervous, because he had never been involved in the arrest of a senior officer before, but confident that he had his interview thoroughly learned, and if he got tongue-tied at any stage, the interview notes in his hand would get him back to the point. And he had Dawn Leggate at his side — one rank above St. John-Stevens — should he get stroppy about rank privilege.

  The DCI was in his shirt sleeves, tie taken away from him by the custody officer as a matter of protocol, his Federation solicitor sitting beside him. He no longer looked the arrogant man Hunter had been confronted with over the past three weeks. In fact, as Hunter sat down, he thought St. John-Stevens looked broken and felt a little sorry for him. But it was only for a second. Then he recalled how the DCI had treated him. How he had tried to ruin his career. How he’d gone to the press to publicly humiliate him. And what he’d done back in 1991. The nervousness was already dissipating as Hunter thought about his opening sequence of questions.

  Dawn opened up proceedings with no informalities. She was brief and to the point, reminding him of why he had been arrested and informing him that the interview was being video recorded.

  As she finished, St. John-Stevens said, ‘You’re making a big mistake, you know. You’ve got this completely wrong. Dylan Wolfe killed the Bannisters and hid their car in the yard. We have the proof. You know that.’ Pointing at Hunter but keeping his eyes firmly fixed on Dawn, he continued, ‘Detective Sergeant Kerr said that himself. This is nothing but a witch hunt by him. He’s getting back at me for posting him in Cold Case. Can’t you see?’

  Straight-faced, Dawn said, ‘We shall see,’ and then diverted her gaze to Hunter, inviting him to continue.

  ‘Dominic,’ Hunter opened. ‘Is it all right if I call you Dominic?’

  St. John-Stevens delivered a thunderous look. ‘No, it is fucking not. I am a DCI and I want you to call me sir.’

  Hunter knew his opening would rattle him. It had worked. He continued, ‘I’d prefer not to call you sir while you are under arrest, but I’ll call you Mr St. John-Stevens, if that’s any help?’ Hunter watched the DCI ball his hands into fists. He wanted to smile but kept a straight face. ‘Mr St. John-Stevens, I first want to ask you if you knew David and Tina Bannister.’

  The DCI threw a quick glance at his solicitor, who gave him a go-ahead look and nod. St. John-Stevens returned his glare to Hunter and answered, ‘I knew Tina but not David.’

  Hunter anticipated that answer because of his research. He asked, ‘And how did you know Tina Bannister?’

  ‘I took a statement from her once.’

  ‘Is that the statement she made in May nineteen-ninety-one, following a fight in the pub where she worked at as a barmaid?’

  The DCI sat back. ‘You’ve done your homework.’

  Hunter returned a wry smile. ‘Thank you.’ After a short pause, he added, ‘And I believe you arrested a man for that assault and he was prosecuted at Doncaster Magistrates two months later?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Was that your one and only meeting with Tina Bannister?’

  ‘Yes. The man pleaded guilty so she didn’t need to go to court.’

  ‘So, you did not meet with Tina Bannister on any occasion other than when you took that statement from her? Is that what you’re saying?’

  ‘That’s correct.’

  ‘Are you sure about that?’

  ‘Course I’m sure. The only time I met Tina Bannister was when I took that statement from her.’

  ‘Have you ever been to her home?’

  There was a brief pause, following which St. John-Stevens replied, ‘Course I have. You know that from the case-file. I went there when she and her husband and daughter were reported missing by David’s mother, Alice Bannister.’

  ‘Did you go there alone?’

  ‘No. I went there with DC Keith Saker. I was doing my CID aide back in nineteen-ninety-one and he was the senior detective.’

  ‘Did you ever go there before the family were reported missing?’

  ‘No. What are you trying to suggest?’

  ‘I’m not suggesting anything. It was just a straight question. Did you go to the Bannister house at any time prior to the family going missing? That is the question.’

  ‘And I’ve answered it, then. No, I did not.’

  ‘Thank you, Mr St. John-Stevens.’ Hunter looked at his paperwork, pretending to look for his next line of questioning, though he already knew what he was going to say. Giving the appearance he had just found it, he said brightly, ‘What car were you driving when you went to the Bannister home?’

  For a moment, he appeared flustered. Then, he answered, ‘CID car.’

  ‘Yes, but what make?’

  The DCI shook his head. ‘I don’t know. I don’t remember. It was nineteen years ago.’

  ‘Let me help you out. I’ve made enquiries and back in nineteen-ninety-one, the CID at Barnwell had a Ford Fiesta and a Peugeot three-o-seven.’

  ‘It would more than likely be the Peugeot. The Fiesta was the newer car, if I remember, and used mainly by the DS.’

  ‘What colour was the Peugeot?’

  St. John-Stevens seemed to think about the question for a moment before answering, ‘Maroon, I believe.’

  Hunter nodded. ‘It was maroon. Your memory is good.’

  ‘Look, where is this taking us? You’ve asked me how I knew Tina and I’ve told you.’

  Hunter held up his hand. ‘Please just bear with me, Mr St. John-Stevens.’ Hunter looked at his paperwork again. After a few seconds, he lifted his head. ‘Did you kill Tina Bannister, Mr St. John-Stevens?’

  ‘What! Look, this needs to stop right now. You know who killed the Bannisters. Dylan Wolfe. You’ve been bleating on about him for days. David Bannister’s car was hidden in that container down in the yard where he used to work. He put Rasa Katiliene’s body in it after he killed her. The man’s a known killer.’ He looked at Dawn again. ‘I’ve said this once and I’m saying it again. This is nothing but a witch hunt by Detective Sergeant Kerr, and I want to request you put a halt to this so I can make a formal complaint against him.’

  Dawn sucked in a deep breath, and pasting on a fake smile she replied, ‘I hear that and make note. I will ensure that someone will take your complaint after this interview. In the meantime, Detective Chief Inspector, if I didn’t think there was something substantial to interview you about, I would immediately stop this. But at the moment, I don’t intend to.’ Dawn glanced at Hunter. ‘Would you like to continue with your questioning, Detective Sergeant Kerr?’

  Hunter said, ‘I’ll repeat my last question. Did you kill David and Tina and Amy Bannister?’

  ‘No, I did not. This is nonsense.’

  ‘Are you responsible for their disappearance?’

  ‘No, I am not.’

  ‘You’ve already told me that you and Keith Saker visited the Bannister home following the report by David Bannister’s mum, Alice, of them going missing. I also know, from speaking with a colleague who was present, what enquiries you made at the scene, but what were you doing the day before Alice reported them missing?’

  For several seconds, St. John-Stevens was silent. Then, he responded, ‘Without my pocket book for reference, I have no idea.’

  ‘Well, let me ask you if you went to the Bannister home on the day before they were all reported missing.’ Hunter held the DCI’s gaze. He saw him gulp. Got him!

  ‘My answer is no. I only went to the Bannister house after they were reported missing.’

  ‘What if I were to tell you I ha
ve a witness who saw you go to the Bannister home at midday the day before the family were reported missing? And you were also seen there in the evening in the CID car which was parked in the alleyway next to the house?’

  ‘I would say I was never there.’

  ‘I also asked you earlier if you had ever met Tina Bannister other than when you took her statement regarding the assault she witnessed, and you said you hadn’t. Is that correct?’

  ‘Yes. Now can we stop this charade?’

  Hunter’s mouth tightened as he took a few seconds’ breathing space. He returned with, ‘Well, that is interesting, because yesterday afternoon I revisited a witness called George Evers, a former work colleague of David Bannister’s, who Keith Saker spoke to back in nineteen-ninety-one and took a statement from, in which he described seeing Tina speaking with a man in the Travellers pub in a more than friendly manner. When I showed him a photograph the Force holds of you, back when you were a young detective, he immediately recognised you as that man Tina was with.’

  ‘He … he…’ St. John-Stevens spluttered, before finally getting out, ‘he must have seen me when I took the statement from Tina. That’s the only time he would have seen me.’

  ‘I assure you it wasn’t when you took the statement from her. It was at least seven weeks after that date. George only reported seeing Tina with this man after the Bannisters were reported missing. And it’s my firm belief that you sent Keith Saker to follow up that enquiry with George Evers, instead of going yourself, because you knew he would have recognised you. And I also believe that is the reason George Evers’ statement didn’t appear in the case-file.’

  ‘This is nonsense. You’re really clutching at straws here, Detective Sergeant.’ St. John-Stevens leaned back in his chair, and folding his arms, he continued, ‘All right, then. How do you explain David Bannister’s car being hidden away in the container at the vehicle dismantlers yard by Dylan Wolfe? The man you have been telling everyone is responsible for the Bannisters’ disappearance. That car is evidence to prove he’s responsible.’

  ‘I have to confess, that was my initial response when I found that. And I have to say it was pretty condemning evidence, especially with Rasa Katiliene’s body being found in its boot. But then yesterday, all that changed. As you know, Dylan Wolfe asked to speak with me, and he and I had a very interesting conversation about that car. Shall I let you in on what he told me?’

  The DCI pushed himself forward, unfurling his arms and resting his elbows on the table. ‘I am very interested to know what he said.’

  ‘Dylan told me that back in nineteen-ninety-one, two days after the Bannisters’ disappearance, whilst working at Bones’ dismantlers he was told to take the low-loader and collect a burned-out car that had been found on a lane beneath a disused railway track near Sprotbrough, and when he got there he was met by a detective who told him the car had more than likely been stolen and dumped there. Dylan never thought anything about that until several days later, when the information came back from Swansea — after he had checked the engine number — that it belonged to David Bannister, someone he knew because he only lived a quarter of a mile away. He thought he should report this to the police, and did so, speaking with the detective who was with the car when he picked it up. That detective thanked him for the information and told him he would follow it up. That was never done. I have spoken with Roger Mills regarding this, and he was told the car didn’t belong to David Bannister and that it was one that had been stolen and dumped. Dylan, expecting someone to come down to the yard to examine it, stored the car away in the container. As you know, Dylan was later caught by me for the rapes and murder he committed, and so the car remained where it was until a few days ago, when I found it.’ Pausing briefly, Hunter said, ‘The detective Dylan Wolfe met at Sprotbrough and later spoke to on the phone was you. Why did you cover that up, Mr St. John-Stevens?’

  St. John-Stevens did not respond; instead, he stared hard at Hunter.

  Hunter held his hate-filled stare. ‘Would you kindly answer, please?’

  Pulling away his gaze, he answered, ‘No comment.’

  ‘Following that information from Dylan, you may or may not know, but we began a search of the location around the area where David Bannister’s car was found because I learned there was a derelict set of old cottages near there, and yesterday afternoon we found the remains of a male and female body hidden in a culvert beneath a footbridge close to those cottages. Whilst we haven’t formally identified those bodies yet, the clothing they’re wearing appears to be a match for the clothing described as being worn by David and Tina Bannister on the day they disappeared. Those bodies were wrapped in bedsheets, and we have also found wrapped up with them a green onyx ashtray that has been identified by Alice Bannister as being identical to one owned by David and Tina. We have found traces of blood on that ashtray and fingerprints. A set of those fingerprints have been identified as yours. What do you have to say about that, Mr St. John-Stevens?’

  The DCI visibly paled and his shoulders dropped. He opened his mouth several times, but words never came out. After the best part of ten seconds, he said defeatedly, ‘I never meant to kill them.’

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  The next day, shortly after lunchtime, Hunter pulled up outside Alice Bannister’s home, and turning off the engine remained there for several minutes, eyeing the front door, running through in his head again how he was going to present the story he had gleaned from yesterday’s interview. He especially wondered how Alice was going to react when he had to explain how it had been one of their own who had committed the murders. She had always believed that David would not harm his wife and daughter and take his own life, and he would be able to console her with that in spite of the bad news.

  The other thing troubling his thoughts was her reaction when he got to the part about her granddaughter, Amy. St. John-Stevens’ revelation had come as a shock to him, so how on earth was Alice going to take it? As he sat there, the DCI’s confession washed around in his thoughts. After he had finally broken him down, the admission of what had happened back in July 1991 came thick and fast. St. John-Stevens quickly admitted he had entered into a relationship with Tina shortly after taking a statement from her as a witness, and had taken to visiting her at her home at least once a week when David had been at work.

  Next, as Hunter had guessed, was the news that Tina had got pregnant with his child. It had been St. John-Stevens who had told Tina to have it aborted, and when she had told him what Dr Bhatia had said, that was when the tension had started between them. Initially, Tina had said she would have the baby and tell David it was his, but then she had told him she wanted him to pay her some money to keep quiet. The first sum she’d mentioned was £1,000, but within a week that had escalated to £5,000, and on the day he had visited her — the day before the family’s disappearance — she had demanded £10,000 for her silence. There had been an argument, during which he had grabbed her by the throat, and she had fought back. That’s when he had picked up the ashtray and hit her. He had cut the side of her head and she had started screaming, running into the kitchen to try and flee. He had followed, hitting her twice on the head, and she had gone down. A third blow had killed her.

  As he sat astride her, thinking what to do, David had come home unexpectedly and caught him, and although St. John-Stevens had tried to bluff his way out of this, telling David that he was a police officer and that he had just received a 999 call that Tina had been attacked and that he had found her like this, David believed none of it. That’s when St. John-Stevens had picked up a knife off the side and stabbed him repeatedly. It was after this admission that the revelation about Amy had come. He had started to wrap up David and Tina’s bodies, thinking what to do next, when he had heard her cries from upstairs and he had found her in her cot, waking from a nap. He’d fed her, covered her back up and then left to go back to work.

  That evening he had returned, fed Amy again, cleaned up the kitchen with bleac
h bought from the supermarket and then bundled the bodies into the back of David’s car and transported them to Levitt Hagg, an area he knew from his fishing days during his teenage years. He had returned back to the Bannisters’ home, picked up Amy, bundled her up in bedding and then driven to Lincolnshire General Hospital, where he had left her in the back of an empty ambulance that had just dropped off a patient. He’d then driven back to where he had dumped David’s car to set it on fire.

  Amy was alive. Grace and Maddie had been given the task of tracing her, and sure enough they had found her. She was now called Helena Ridings. She had been adopted by a couple in 1992 and was living near Newark. The news had messed with Hunter’s head, so what effect it would have on Alice when he told her she had a twenty-one-year-old granddaughter waiting to meet her was anyone’s guess. Taking a deep breath, he removed the ignition keys, stepped out of the car and walked towards Alice Bannister’s front door.

  ***

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  A NOTE TO THE READER

  Dear Reader,

  Cold cases have always fascinated me. As a detective I had never worked on one, all my cases being current ones, and the first one I came across was during a visit to the basement at Barnsley police station when I was seeking some archived missing persons reports. Whilst searching out the files I came across an old investigation from the 1970’s which featured a series of sexual attacks upon women, the offender earning himself the nickname The Barnsley Rapist. I could not resist flicking through the incident reports and crime scene photos that made up the interesting bulk of the file, so much so, that whenever I had cause to go down there again I would sneak a further peek through the case file, learning more with each visit. This was during the early 90’s and the offender still hadn’t been caught, although his attacks had stopped. I mention this particular case because years later, after I had retired and began writing the Hunter Kerr books, I wanted to draw attention to cold case work in one of my storylines and made contact with South Yorkshire Police’s newly formed Cold Case Unit to query their methods and gain knowledge on some of the cases they were working on. When visiting the unit it was a pleasant surprise to see that it consisted of detectives I had worked with in the past and catching up with them was a delight. In the time I spent there I got such a fascinating insight into their investigations, learning that their two most successful cases to date was capturing the Rotherham Shoe Rapist, who carried out attacks on women during the 1980’s, taking their shoes as trophies, and surprise of all surprises The Barnsley Rapist. I came back armed with so much information to not only develop the book I was working on at the time – Secrets of the Dead – but additional material that I knew I could use for a future book. This is that book.