by JL Simpson
“I think so, my guess would be the Engineers, but only one way to find out.”
Sarah clicked on the file icon and the computer screen changed to show all the information the army had on record. Solomon leaned forward and stared at the picture of the young Cameron McAlister. “Bollocks.”
“Wrong Cameron McAlister?”
Solomon shook his head. “Right Cameron McAlister AKA Tomas Jenks.”
“That explains why Tomas Jenks doesn't exist.”
Solomon scrubbed his hand over his short cropped hair. “What was he hiding from? And when did he change his name?” Solomon pulled his phone from his pocket. “I need to make a call.”
Sarah's fingers hovered over the keyboard. “I can do some more digging.”
“That would be grand. Find out when he was discharged and why. Also, did he have any disciplinary issues? And where did he go once he left the army? If we can come up with a timeline of his movements, we should be able to estimate when he stopped being Cameron McAlister and decided to be Tomas Jenks.”
Solomon selected Paul's name from his list of contacts and swiped to initiate the call.
* * * * *
Daisy lifted a small photo album out of the box.
Glenys smiled. “Mum's wedding photos. Other than her wedding, she didn't have many photos from before I was born. I wonder why she's given them all to me.”
Maybe Maura had wanted to make sure Glenys got them before the dementia completely addled her brain. Daisy flicked the photo album open as the tune for Abba's “Money Money Money” sounded from Paul’s jacket. Apparently Sherman had struck again. She smiled. The tune he'd chosen for Paul was funny. She could only imagine how his work colleagues would react if it went off while they were on their way to refill ATM's with fresh new pound notes.
Paul grumbled under his breath as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. “It's Solomon. Should I answer it?”
Daisy shrugged her shoulders. “Up to you.”
“If I don't, he'll just keep calling.” Decision apparently made, Paul held the phone to his ear. “Solomon?”
Paul moved away from the coffee table and Daisy flicked another page in the album. A group picture. Maura and her husband, Walter, were front and center. They were flanked by two older couples, parents of the bride and groom. The next page was more interesting, Daisy moved the book closer. Walter was laughing with a man in a very dapper suit. Another familiar-looking young girl, apparently not part of the bridal party, stood next to him holding a baby, Daisy pointed at the man and woman in the picture with Walter. “Who are they?”
Glenys took the photo. “That's Dad's cousin, Trevor, along with his wife Flora and their baby, Nancy.”
“Trevor Sidebottom?”
Glenys nodded.
Daisy took the picture back. Now that she had a name, she knew why the woman was familiar. She was the spitting image of the woman they’d met at Maura’s house. Trevor’s wife would be an old lady by now and the baby a middle-aged woman. “Does your mam have a cleaner, Glenys?”
“Not that I know about. She refuses help. Very independent even though we've offered to pay.”
Paul's conversation came to a stop. He held the phone out to Daisy. “Solomon would like a word. He's on to something.”
Daisy took the phone and held it to her ear. “Before you say anything, I know.”
“You know what, Princess?”
“I know who Tomas Jenks is.”
“So do I. Now I’m working on finding out exactly when Cameron changed his name and trying to find out why.”
“I thought you were solving the murders.”
“Now that we know Tomas and Cameron are the same person, do you not think it’s at all related?”
Daisy frowned. “Maybe. Where are you?”
“Nowhere important. More to the point, you’re not where you’re supposed to be.”
“I solved my case, didn’t I? Besides, I’m perfectly safe.”
“I’ve not got the resources to protect you.”
“Protect me from the police?”
“The police are no longer a problem. You need protection from whoever appears to be hell bent on killing the McAlister family.”
Daisy glanced at Glenys. She was deep in conversation with Paul, but Daisy moved farther away from them and dropped her voice just in case Glenys was listening in. “Do you think they’ll come here? You do know who I’m visiting, don’t you?”
“I’m guessing you’re with Maura’s daughter, which puts you all in danger unless I can track down the killer. Timothy is headed to you, and you’ve got Paul. You need to stick with both of them until I say otherwise.”
“I can take care of myself.”
“All evidence to the contrary.” Daisy could hear the smile in his voice.
“I’ve found out something else.”
“What’s that, Princess?”
“Remember when I met Maura and she told me that Trevor died in jail? Well, it turns out his name is Trevor Sidebottom. He’s related to her husband, Walter. They were cousins. He had a daughter called Nancy and his wife is the spitting image of the woman who claims to be Maura’s cleaner.”
“Interesting. So why didn’t she tell us she was related to Maura?”
“No idea. If I find her, I’ll ask.”
“Meanwhile, I’ll see if we can find out why Trevor went to jail.”
“And you’ll let me know?”
“That I will. Princess, see what other information Glenys has, and be careful.”
Daisy said her goodbyes and hung-up. He wasn’t off the hook for locking her up in a flat in Mayfair, or for stealing her car.
However, all of that could wait until he got back home. Then they’d be having a very full and frank discussion. He needed to learn how it felt to have someone playing God with your life. After all she was holding a very interesting piece of information about Solomon’s past that he knew nothing about, yet.
Chapter Forty-Four
Solomon sat back down next to Sarah. “I need to know why a Trevor Sidebottom was in jail.”
“Do you know what dates he was in jail?”
Solomon thought for a moment. If Trevor had been of a similar age to Maura, and was married with a kid before he got locked up, he was probably arrested somewhere between the ages of twenty-five and forty. “Try looking between 1980 and 1995.”
Sarah clicked on an icon and then typed into a search box. A list appeared on the screen. Solomon leaned closer. Apparently Mr. Sidebottom had been to jail more than once. “Can I get a print-out of his record?”
“Campbell says nothing leaves this office.”
Solomon frowned. “Fine. Can you at least bring up the details so that I can see what he was banged up for?”
Sarah clicked on the first link and sat back. Solomon perused the document. Trevor Sidebottom was a thief, but he’d not robbed banks. He’d robbed auction houses, art galleries and other places that held antiquities.
Solomon pointed at the mouse. “May I?”
Sarah shrugged. “Go ahead.”
Solomon clicked through the details behind Trevor’s other crimes. Art and antique jewelry seemed to be his thing. He’d robbed places all over the country and a lot of the stuff he took was still missing, presumed to have been stolen to order. Solomon let out a sigh. Trevor had died in jail from natural causes. None of what he’d found seemed to be relevant to the murders. Maybe if he could speak to the arresting officer for Trevor’s last charge in 1985, he’d find out more. Solomon tugged his phone from his pocket and typed himself a note. With Solomon’s connections in the force, it shouldn’t take too long to track the man down, assuming he was still alive.
Sarah frowned. “What are you doing?”
Solomon smiled. “Nothing that you need to be concerned about.”
“What part of nothing leaves the room don’t you understand?” She made a grab for the phone, but he held it out of reach. “Solomon, bloody hell. This sort of shit is
what got you into trouble.”
“I promise I won’t do anything to put your career in danger.” He wrapped his hand around her wrist. “Trust me.”
She tugged her arm free. “Why should I?”
“What if I can give you something in return for turning a blind eye?”
“What sort of something? If you’re offering your body, the answer is no.”
Solomon chuckled. “I’d not trust you with my body. I’ve a way into Fletch’s inner circle.”
“Bullshit!”
“I can deliver him to you all tied up with a pretty bow.”
She frowned. “Seriously?”
“Seriously, but first I need to solve my current case.”
Sarah stared at him. He waited to see which way she’d decide to go. If she chose to help, he’d gladly infiltrate Fletch’s operation and have the man closed down. He’d made a serious misstep telling Daisy her doing him a favor was part of the price for the bank statements she wanted. Bringing Fletch in was a rock solid guaranteed way to get into Campbell’s good books.
Sarah got to her feet. “I need the bathroom and a coffee.”
Solomon shifted his chair closer to the desk. Sarah grabbed his face and pulled him around to look at her. “If you fuck me over, I’ll use the dirt I have to see you put away for a very long time.”
“What dirt?” Solomon raised an eyebrow. She knew from experience that he skipped along the edge of what was legal, but she’d find nothing that would stick.
She folded her arms. “Remember the documents you told me to destroy from our last mission?”
“What about them?”
“I’m sure you can work out what.”
Solomon frowned. “I’d not be the only one going away.”
“I’m sure I’d get off lightly if I were to admit what really happened.”
Shite. She had him by the bollocks. Now he needed to deliver Fletch and work out where she was hiding the documents so that he could destroy them.
* * * * *
Daisy was nearing the bottom of the shoe box. Other than the photos she’d found nothing else of any use. The last few documents were yellow with age. She lifted them on to her lap and carefully unfolded them.
The first was Maura and Walter’s marriage certificate. The next two were the birth certificates for Glenys and her sister. Daisy placed them on the coffee table and opened the next. Cameron’s wedding certificate. He was married? How had she missed that?
His wife was called Linda Sidebottom. They’d married twenty years ago and she was a lot younger than Cameron. “Glenys, do you have a picture of your Aunty Linda?”
Glenys shook her head. “The only pictures I have of mum’s family are in that box. Why?”
“If I can’t find your Uncle Cameron, then maybe I can find Linda.”
“Mum might know where Linda is. Not that there was any love lost between them.”
“Really?”
Glenys sighed. “You know what families are like. Mum didn’t think it was decent, Cameron marrying Trevor’s youngest daughter. He might have been old enough to be her father but it was hardly illegal. You can’t help who you fall in love with.”
Daisy lifted up the photo album and looked at the picture of Trevor and his wife. “Does Linda look like her sister?”
“Not really, but then Linda was from Trevor’s second marriage. Mum says Flora wouldn’t put up with his life of crime or his philandering. Trevor was a real ladies’ man. I did wonder if he’d had a fling with mum. No matter how many times he got locked up, she was always happy to see him. She used to keep the spare room set up for him just in case he needed a place to hide out. I can give her a ring and ask about Linda if you like.”
Daisy smiled. “If you could.”
Glenys left the room to make the call and Paul helped Daisy put the documents back in the box. “Did you find out anything useful?”
“We don’t need to find Cameron McAlister anymore.”
“We don’t?
“No. He was living under an assumed name. He’s my Tomas Jenks. Glenys’ mum is the sister I’ve been looking for.”
Paul wrapped an arm around her shoulder and nibbled her earlobe, sending a wave of heat through her body. “So we’re done and can go home now?”
She turned her head and dropped a quick kiss on his lips. “I know who she is, but I need to be able to prove it. You’ll have to wait a little longer before we can really make up.”
Paul groaned. “You’ve got no idea how much it pains me to hear you say that. Surely Glenys’ mother can confirm that she’s Cameron’s sister and they can use DNA to prove Tomas and Cameron are the same man, so why are you looking for a picture of Cameron’s wife?”
“Because I have a sneaking suspicion I’ve met her before.”
It had to be more than a coincidence that Linda from the museum had stolen Cameron’s computer from the lock-up. Once she confirmed that the two Lindas were the same woman, she’d call Solomon and let him work out what was going on. Linda might not be the murderer, but she’d told Daisy she’d never seen Cameron at the museum and had no idea who he was and Greg had gone along with it. Was Greg Cameron’s son?
Daisy had no idea exactly what would happen with Cameron’s estate if the only will he left was in a false name, but if Linda was still married to him, she would surely get some of his money. The fewer people there were to make a claim, the more money she would expect to get. Was that what was going on? Did the whole scheme to launder money from some unknown source have nothing to do with the murders? And what about Graham Harrison? She still had no real idea who was killing people or why.
Glenys reappeared. “Sorry, no answer.”
Chapter Forty-Five
Sarah had been gone a good twenty minutes. Solomon tapped some more details into his phone. He had the arresting officer’s name and he’d even taken a detour into Google to search for anything online about Trevor’s crimes. The man had a partner who was never caught. If Cameron was the partner, that would explain a lot. Solomon did a search for Graham Harrison. He’d been at the museum for ten years but he’d come to academia late in life. Before he’d become an expert in all things Roman, he worked at Sotheby’s. He was a man with the right sort of contacts to help you sell stolen antiques.
Solomon tucked his phone into his pocket and got to his feet. He crossed the room, opened the door and checked the open plan office space. No sign of Sarah or Campbell. Without so much as a backward glance, he strolled to the elevator and pressed the call button. The ding announcing its arrival was music to his ears. If Campbell needed him, he knew Solomon’s phone number, and Sarah was a resourceful girl. She’d not let him off the hook until she had Fletch. Right now, they could both wait. He’d more pressing matters to attend to.
He stepped into the lift and pressed the button for the ground floor before pulling his phone out of his pocket. Did he call the policeman first or did he call Daisy?”
* * * * *
Daisy and Paul met Timothy on the doorstep just as they were leaving. Daisy smiled at him. “Timothy! Fancy seeing you here.”
He glared at her. “Fancy.”
She turned to Paul. “Paul, this is Timothy. Timothy, my husband Paul.” She peered over Timothy’s shoulder as the two men sized each other up.
Paul was the first to break the silence. “How are you involved with my wife?”
Timothy let out a loud sigh. “Under duress. Mr. Solomon sent me to keep an eye on her. I think his exact words were that she’s a trouble magnet.”
Paul chuckled and held his hand out to Timothy. “Welcome to the madhouse, Tim.”
Timothy flinched but didn’t correct Paul.
Daisy rolled her eyes. “If we’ve finished bonding, can we get on? So, Timothy, how did you get here?”
He tugged a set of keys from his pocket. “Hire car.”
Daisy plucked them from his fingers. “Super.”
He made a grab for them but she stepped back. She held the
keys out of reach and smiled. “It will be much quicker if I drive. I know the way.”
She took off down the road toward the BMW that chirped and flashed its lights when she pressed the button on the keyfob to disable the security system.
Paul jogged to catch up to her. “Where are we going exactly?”
“To see Maura.”
“I thought she wasn’t home.”
“She’s not answering the phone. That doesn’t mean she’s not in.”
Timothy trudged along behind them. Daisy climbed in the driver’s side and adjusted the seat. Paul slid into the front passenger’s seat. Left with no other option, Timothy got in the back.
He pulled his seat belt on. “Mr. Solomon gave me strict instructions to escort you to his house until I receive further orders.”
Daisy smiled at Timothy in the rear view mirror. “Solomon isn’t here and I have no desire to visit his house. One quick stop at Maura’s and then home. You can drive yourself from Eastleigh, can’t you?” She reached over and squeezed Paul’s knee. “I need to debrief my husband.”
Paul growled and she laughed.
Timothy pulled his phone from his pocket as Daisy eased the car away from the curb and sped down the road. It wasn’t an Aston Martin but it was a sweet ride, and it was Solomon-free.
* * * * *
Solomon’s phone vibrated with an incoming message. He was just about to hang up so that he could read it when his call was finally answered with a firm but far from friendly hello.
“Is this Leo Masters?”
“Who wants to know?”
“My name’s Solomon. I’m a PI working on a case that I’m hoping you can help me with.”
“How did you get my number?”
“I do some work with the Met and I’m in need of some information about Trevor Sidebottom.”
Leo Masters snorted with apparent disgust. “Trevor Sidebottom is long dead, and good riddance to bad rubbish.”
“I’ve a possible lead on some of the items he stole, and maybe his accomplice.”
