A Deadly Imperfection: Calladine & Bayliss 3

by HH Durrant

  ‘We need to get both these wagons open and take a look inside.’

  ‘Lessing has been murdered – we know he’s involved in the kidnapping, so call for backup.’

  Ruth was getting annoyed at his resistance to allow anyone else in. ‘This is really about Greco, isn’t it? You call Julian, and Stephen Greco will be down here in a flash,’ she frowned. ‘But you can’t keep him out. This is his case so he has every right to know – in fact I’m surprised he isn’t here already.’

  But Calladine wasn’t listening. He was examining the bunch of keys closely.

  ‘This one,’ he decided at last.

  He tried the key in the lock on the door handle but it only turned so far. He pulled again but no luck. Calladine rammed the screwdriver into the gap between both doors trying to lever them apart. The doors were rusty so he must be in with a chance.

  Five or so minutes of pushing and banging and he was in. The back doors sprung open filling the cavernous interior with light. The smell hit them first. For a few seconds Ruth felt sick – not because of the smell, but at thought of finding two small bodies inside. Her heart was pounding – this was a part of the job she hated, there was nothing worse than crimes involving children.

  ‘It’s a chemical smell,’ she said surprised.

  ‘Reminds me of caravan holidays when I was a kid,’ Calladine said, squinting as he tried to see.

  ‘A chemical toilet, that’s what it is,’ Ruth realised. ‘Look Guv, right at the end, on the floor.’

  Calladine climbed in. The wagon wasn’t big enough for him to stand so he crawled across to what looked like a heap of rags on the floor.

  ‘I think it’s them,’ he called back to Ruth. He didn’t want to, in case he found the unspeakable, but he had to look. He carefully removed an almost threadbare blanket and saw the two girls. They were still in their school uniforms and huddled together for warmth – neither of them conscious, but both were breathing.

  ‘Time to get that help you wanted, and quick,’ he called back to Ruth. ‘They’re here, both of them. They’re cold but breathing - I think they’ve been drugged.’

  Ruth felt the relief wash through her and took a deep breath. She was on her phone within seconds. She called for yet another Ambulance then she rang Julian. She looked back into the wagon - Calladine had taken off his coat and placed it over the girls. She didn’t want to go against his wishes but she had no choice. She rang DI Greco’s number.

  Within fifteen minutes the rough tract of land was crowded. The Paramedics lifted both girls and took them away in an ambulance. Julian had his forensics people crawling over the place then Greco arrived.

  The young DI had a face like thunder.

  ‘This is my case, Calladine,’ he spat. ‘At the very least you should have told me what you were up to.’

  ‘I’d no idea I’d find them here,’ he protested. ‘But I’m not going to apologise for doing so,’ he scoffed. ‘You should be looking for the man called Yuri – not harassing me. Apparently Vice at Central knows him.’

  ‘I’m on it,’ he retorted. ‘How Calladine – how did you find this place?’

  ‘Harriet Finch told me about it.’

  ‘Who the hell is she?’

  ‘She’s Lessing’s sister-in-law – our Bucket List killer, or Tarot Card killer – take your choice.’

  ‘So the cases are linked?’

  ‘Yes – I did say as much earlier, but you didn’t want me involved – remember.’

  Ruth was fed up with all this masculine posturing. ‘Guv,’ she called. ‘We should go speak to Harriet, don’t you think?’

  ‘Okay – our job’s done here anyway.’

  He gave Greco a self satisfied smile and walked off after Ruth.

  ‘Big headed prick – what is it with him?’

  ‘Simple Guv – nothing, but you still don’t like him, do you? You’re behaving like a child and it doesn’t suit you.’

  ‘Solved the case though, didn’t we, and with no input from him.’

  ‘That was down to Harriet,’ she reminded him.

  ‘What time is it?’

  ‘Why, have you got somewhere else to be, Guv,’ Ruth asked sarcastically?

  ‘Actually I have, and I don’t want to be late.’

  ‘We’ll go to the hospital, check on the girls, look in on Harriet Finch then you can get off, what d’you say?’

  ‘I’ll drive,’ he nodded. ‘And stop getting at me. I’ve got a lot on my mind.’

  ‘A lot on your mind – that’s rich! Most of it’s your own doing. Lydia, Eve Walker, and Greco – you bring it on yourself.’

  Calladine had been in a funny mood for a day or two but he wasn’t saying much so Ruth could only guess – the women in his life, his current state of mind could be down to any one of them. Then again perhaps it was the job. He’d come back too soon, perhaps he’d got more of a shock than they’d realised when Fallon shot him? But whatever was churning inside his head – he wasn’t saying.

  ‘You are going to have to make your peace with Greco – you know that, don’t you, Guv?’

  They’d pulled into the hospital car park.

  ‘I suppose I’ll get used to him,’ he sighed. ‘He’s thorough apparently, but he’s a tad slow for my liking. I mean he should be here too, but I don’t see his car.’

  ‘He’ll be bothering Julian, making sure he doesn’t miss anything, Guv.’

  Calladine flashed his Warrant Card at the receptionist, not that he needed to, she knew very well who he was.

  ‘Where are the girls,’ he asked.

  ‘Paediatrics, second floor,’ she smiled.

  They both walked up the stairs, Ruth was flagging a bit. ‘Bloody pregnancy,’ she moaned. ‘Seems to sap all my energy – most days I’m dead on my feet by teatime.’

  ‘Me too and I’m not pregnant,’ he laughed, ‘just getting old, perhaps too bloody old.’

  Ruth wondered if that was what was bothering him - he didn’t feel up to the job anymore. He saw Stephen Greco as a threat, the future that he wasn’t part of. Before the shooting she wouldn’t have given the thought house room but now? Something had him rattled and she couldn’t for the life of her work it out.

  The two girls were in separate but adjoining rooms. A female PC had been assigned to them both with instructions to monitor conversations between them. It was one way of finding out small details they might be reluctant to talk about.

  The Doctor greeted Calladine with a nod in the corridor. ‘The parents are with them,’ he told him.

  ‘How are they – are they hurt in any way?’

  Ruth almost wished she could close her ears and not have to listen to the next bit.

  ‘They’ve been given something. I suspect a tranquilizer, nothing more. From what Isla Prideau told her mother they appear to have slept for most of the time. Someone brought them a little food and water but only twice, she thinks.’

  ‘Have either of them been injured or abused?’

  ‘No Inspector, they are both okay. They have been examined and we found nothing untoward, and there is no sign of sexual interference. They’re still sleepy but I’m sure that that will have worn off by tomorrow.’

  Ruth heaved a sign of relief when she heard that.

  ‘Their clothes will need to go to forensics,’ Calladine told him.

  ‘An officer has already bagged them up, Inspector.’

  ‘There’re safe, Guv. We found them, and got them out,’ Ruth reassured him.

  ‘Any longer and it would have been a different story. Yuri wouldn’t have left them there for ever. He’d have moved them on – sold them on,’ he shuddered.

  Leah Cassidy’s mother was weeping, although Calladine couldn’t imagine why. Her daughter was safe, unhurt – she’d been lucky.

  ‘It was my fault,’ she told them. ‘I put that stupid photo on the website. It was only so my friends could see what a big girl she was – going off to school in her uniform.’

  ‘H
e was a seasoned predator, Mrs Cassidy. You weren’t to know,’ Ruth consoled her.

  ‘This has been the worst time of my entire life. I thought I’d lost her,’ she sobbed.

  ‘She needs to rest,’ the doctor said patting her shoulder.

  ‘I can’t leave her,’ she protested. ‘I doubt I’ll ever leave her again.’

  ‘Harriet Finch,’ Ruth suggested?

  ‘Okay – we’ll go find her.’

  Staying with the children would get them nowhere until they were fully awake and anyway by that time Greco would have his people in place.

  Harriet had been given a large dose of morphine and was barely conscious. Her friend Nesta was by her bedside and a young woman Calladine didn’t know.

  ‘Jane Lessing,’ she nodded, ‘I’m Harriet’s niece.’

  ‘Lessing,’ Ruth queried?

  ‘Gordon Lessing was my father,’ she told them soberly. ‘Aunt Harriet is all that’s left of my family now, and from the looks of things, she won’t be with us for much longer.’

  ‘You do know what Harriet did,’ Ruth asked tentatively?

  ‘She killed him. She lured him down into that cellar of his and left him to die.’

  ‘But you’re still here, supporting her?’

  ‘She wouldn’t have done those things without good reason. Harriet is a good woman, well until very recently she was.’ Jane Lessing wiped the tears from her eyes – this was a lot to take in. ‘The cancer had spread to her brain, what with that and the medication she was nothing like her old self. You aren’t going to whip her away and lock her up in prison or anything, are you?’

  ‘No, she’ll stay here until…., until the end,’ Calladine said sadly. ‘She will have a police guard, a PC on the door, but it’s just protocol,’ he explained.

  The truth was Harriet Finch was hardly going to do a runner. They’d be lucky if she lasted the night.

  Chapter 20

  Ruth had had it with the day and didn’t even go back into the nick when they arrived back. She said goodbye to Calladine in the police car park, got into her own car and left.

  ‘Get some sleep,’ she called to him. ‘Let’s try and have our friendly head on tomorrow,’ she warned.

  He shrugged off the remark but it was fair enough. He wasn’t good company recently. He checked his watch - it was nearly seven, he should pick up Amy. Calladine had planned to go home and change – make an effort, but the Exhibition finished at eight so he didn’t have time. He decided to take his car and leave it outside Amy’s for the night. She had invited him to stay after all. Things were looking up, he should feel better, but he didn’t.

  ‘You still look dreadful,’ she greeted him. ‘Grey around the gills. If you’re not careful, Tom, the job will make you ill.’

  ‘I’ll be fine, need a little down time, that’s all. But despite the way I look it’s been a productive day. We caught our killer, and found the two little girls,’ he smiled.

  ‘That’s great news,’ she kissed his cheek. ‘The girls – they’re okay?’

  ‘They’d been drugged and they were very cold when we found them, but yes, they’re fine, or they will be.’

  ‘You’re a good man,’ she kissed him again. ‘You do a dangerous job - did your killer get rough?’

  ‘Hardly,’ he smiled. ‘Our killer is a very sick middle aged woman. In fact I’m surprised she had the strength to do what she did.’

  ‘Prison is still too good for her,’ Amy retorted.

  ‘She’ll never see the inside of a prison. I doubt she’ll last much longer – she has terminal cancer.’

  ‘A deadly imperfection, that’s cancer,’ she said thoughtfully. ‘But why kill those people, I don’t understand, and why the cards?’

  ‘We know why she killed – she wanted her own brand of justice. It was pay-back time for incidences in the past, crimes left unpunished. But the cards,’ he shrugged. ‘My theory is that they were left to ensure that we pinned the killings on the same person. The methods were all different, you see. There was no common element as with most serial killers.’

  Amy shuddered, ‘we should go. You need to think about something else – relax a bit. I’m sure all this involvement with cold hearted killers does you no good at all.’ With that she took his arm as they left the shop. She locked up and they walked the few hundred yards to the Community Centre.’

  The exhibition had been going since three that afternoon and a number of the paintings adorning the walls in the main hall had little red stickers on them. The local art group and other independent artists had had a good day. Calladine slowly browsed along the displays as Amy went to get them a glass of wine each. There were many local scenes. Some were of the surrounding countryside and hills, which were beautiful, but predictable. It was the gritty depictions of the towns, particularly Leesdon and the Hobfield that got his attention. He was particularly drawn to one of them. It had a raw realism he could identify.

  ‘Good, isn’t it,’ a female voice asked from behind him.

  Calladine simply nodded but didn’t look round. Something about the picture had him gripped – the artist had captured the atmosphere of that hell hole perfectly.

  ‘The young man has real talent. He’s an employee of my son’s, well was an employee,’ she laughed lightly. ‘Now we’re sponsoring him through University so he can do a fine art degree. So he’s lost to the pharmaceutical business, I fear.’

  Up until that moment Calladine wasn’t really taking much notice, but now the hairs on the back of his neck prickled. He turned around slowly, his heart pounding, like in his worst nightmare – Eve Walker!

  ‘I know who you are,’ she smiled apologetically. ‘I’ve always known, I’ve always lived locally so how could I not? I hoped that one day we’d meet, have the opportunity to talk, but while your mother was still alive I didn’t think I had the right.’

  ‘Tom, you okay,’ Amy asked, appearing with two glasses of red wine.

  ‘Yep – fine. I like this one,’ he said, turning to the picture, and completely ignoring Eve. ‘Reminds of my job - It’d look good on the wall in my office.’

  ‘It’s already sold, Tom,’ Amy pointed out. ‘Red sticker – see.’

  ‘Actually I bought that one,’ Eve told her. ‘I would be only too happy to give it to you, Inspector. Be my guest, take it, hang it on your wall.’

  Calladine didn’t say a word but took the wine, and strode off in the direction of a small anti room where people had put their coats.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Amy apologised. ‘He’s not normally so rude. I think he’s had a heavy day, perhaps I shouldn’t have brought him here.’

  ‘The fault is entirely mine,’ Eve Walker insisted. ‘I should never have spoken to him.’

  ‘Why - what on earth did you say? Does he know you?’

  ‘I was speaking about the painting - perhaps I shouldn’t have approached him, it’s too soon. It’s a difficult situation, but he does know who I am.’

  Amy looked long and hard at the woman. She’d put her age at somewhere in her seventies, not that that detracted from how attractive she was. She was tall - her hair straight, mid length, and despite her years, dark. She had regular features and high cheekbones, and she was expensively dressed too.

  ‘Are you a relative,’ Amy asked? ‘I ask because I think he looks like you.’

  At that Eve smiled and dipped her eyes from Amy’s all seeing ones.

  ‘Yes I am,’ she admitted, ‘but it’s obvious that he doesn’t want to know me, not yet anyway.’

  ‘You said the two of you had never spoken – if you’re related and local - how can that be?’

  Eve Walker said nothing but looked towards the other room.

  ‘You and Tom, you have a link despite what you say.’ Amy half closed her eyes for a moment. ‘You are the Queen of Pentacles,’ she gasped. ‘I should have known.’ With that she put her wine on the nearest table and went to find Tom.

  Eve Walker had no idea what the woman was ta
lking about, but if she had any influence with Tom, and could get him to talk to her, then she’d be grateful.

  ‘You can’t hide away in here all evening,’ Amy said, closing the door shut behind her then leaning against it so no one else could come in. ‘She’s the one you’re scared of, isn’t she?’

  ‘I’m not scared – I just can’t do this yet.’

  ‘Who is she, Tom. She’s a relative, I guessed that much, and you are very like her.’

  Tom Calladine looked at Amy full in the face. Was it that obvious, in all these years who else had realised that, he wondered?

  ‘Has she gone?’

  ‘I don’t think so, but what of it. You’re behaving like a child. Whatever demons these are you need to face them head on. Do that and you’ll feel tons better.’

  Good advice, but could he act on it – could he let Eve Walker, or Buckley as she was now, into his life?

  ‘She’s my birth mother,’ he admitted soberly, ‘but until today, we’ve never met, never spoken. I’ve only known about her for a few months, since my mum, Freda, died. She left me that tin, the one you kept for me, it had all the gory details in it.’

  Amy’s blue eyes widened in surprise. ‘That’s some secret, Tom. You should go and speak to her, she seems nice. She’ll be as uncomfortable about the situation as you are. You need to stop hiding from this and get out there,’ she insisted.

  She sounded just like Ruth – another woman with the ability to make him feel like a naughty kid!

  ‘Will you come with me?’

  She smiled and reached for his hand, ‘of course I will. Do this and you won’t regret it. You were meant to meet her. It was in the cards – remember – The Queen of Pentacles?’

  ‘I don’t know what I’ll say. Part of me hates her, but the other part, the sensible side of me knows that it’s not her fault. She was just doing what my parents wanted – keeping out of my life.’

  ‘Your parents are gone now, meeting her can’t hurt anyone,’ Amy reminded him. ‘She’s over there,’ she said, opening the door and peering out. ‘Come on, let’s go and say hello properly.’

  This was one of the most difficult things he’d ever had to do, and that was saying something. Without Amy at his side he’d probably have done a runner.