Dead Guilty

by Helen H. Durrant

  “Good, we’ll see if young Kane recognises him.” He put Dean’s mobile in his desk drawer. “Right then, let’s see what Julian’s got for us.”

  “Shouldn’t you hand that over, sir?” Rocco asked.

  “I’d like a quick look first, and no doubt it’ll turn out to be more of the same. Numbers we already have with no names.”

  * * *

  “Are we doing anything about Annie and Billy?” Ruth asked as she and Calladine made their way to the Duggan.

  “We have to find them first, and that could prove difficult.”

  “I think Billy Alder is involved in this right up to his neck,” Ruth said. “That’s why his dad is getting grief from those kids. Billy is at one end of the drug supply and they’re at the other.”

  “How? What part does he play?”

  “The kids deliver to the users, they’re runners. They get paid a tenner a time and there’s no shortage of volunteers. Then there are those like Street, who collect the drugs in bulk, divide and pass onto the runners. This entire thing is a hierarchy. Above Street, I reckon there’s Billy. And you have to remember, this entire operation is replicated across the country. Borne out by Sean Barber’s notebook.”

  “Has Billy got the brains?” Calladine asked. “Mind you, he does have the wherewithal, and that’s what counts.”

  “What d’you mean?”

  “Think about what he does for a living, Ruth, where he works. He’s the transport manager. He’s in charge of all those lorries and they go all over Europe. I could kick myself for not realising it before.”

  “You think the drugs are being brought in by Alder’s lorries? If that’s so, how come Richard Alder doesn’t know?”

  “We don’t know that he doesn’t. This entire thing is huge, Ruth. And Billy isn’t the one at the top of the tree, well, not this part of the tree anyway. Like you pointed out, that has to be someone with brains.”

  “What’s your theory?”

  “I’ve no idea. We’ve interviewed everyone connected with the case. Alder, Pennington, and Billy. I want Billy Alder finding, and interviewed. He ran for a reason, and I’m beginning to think that had little to do with Annie’s marriage.”

  Ruth looked at him. “Any ideas?”

  “I want you to speak to Annie’s friend, Joanne. Annie will have contacted her about Frankie’s funeral. See if you can get her onside. If you must, play the ‘Annie might be in danger’ card.” He smiled grimly. “For all we know, she might be.”

  “Meanwhile, what will you be up to?”

  “Once we’ve seen Julian, I’m after the evidence I need to get a warrant to search Alder’s lorries and stock. I’m also hoping that Dean Laycock has learned his lesson and will talk to me.”

  * * *

  Julian Batho wasn’t in his lab for once. “He’s gone off somewhere,” Natasha Barrington told the pair. “He got a call and was gone within seconds.”

  Calladine was concerned. In Julian’s well-ordered life there was very little, if anything, that would provoke that reaction. “Did he give any hint what it was about?”

  “No, and I didn’t ask. But before he left, he thrust these results into my hand. Said you’d call in for them.”

  Natasha’s expert eyes scanned the paperwork.

  “Seems your lad took an overdose. A dangerous mix of heroin and fentanyl. He’s a lucky boy. If you hadn’t found him when you did, he might have died.”

  “My guess is that he didn’t take it by choice,” Calladine replied as he took the papers from her. “Is Julian on his mobile?”

  The pathologist nodded. “I should think so.”

  Back in the car park, Calladine phoned him. He wanted to make sure whatever had taken Julian away had nothing to do with Zoe and the baby.

  “I forgot to pick Aunt Amy up from Oldston station,” Julian explained. He sounded a little out of breath. “I left the poor woman standing there with all her luggage for over half an hour.”

  Instant relief. “Couldn’t she have got a taxi?” Calladine said.

  “Yes, but she wouldn’t be able to get into my flat. Have you picked up the results?”

  “Yes, from Natasha. Thanks for that.” He rang off and turned to Ruth. “Dean Laycock was given that concoction deliberately. Someone wants him dead.”

  “Outlived his usefulness?” she suggested. “Got a loose tongue?”

  “I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”

  * * *

  Calladine dropped Ruth back off at the station and then drove straight to the hospital. A uniformed PC was sitting outside keeping a watchful eye.

  “Any visitors?” the inspector asked.

  The PC shook his head.

  Inside the room Dean Laycock was sitting up in bed. His face was a sickly shade of yellow.

  “You’ve really upset someone this time, Dean,” Calladine said to the lad. “Left you for dead, he did. If Alf Alder hadn’t rung me, you’d be in the morgue today, not in this bed.”

  Dean turned his head away. “I’m not up to being questioned. Do one, copper.”

  “Okay, have it your way, Dean. But the minute we leave you, he’ll be back, and this time he might use a knife, like he did with Sean and Frankie.”

  “Scare tactics. I know what your lot are like.”

  Calladine was fast losing patience. He leaned in close. “Had I not turned up last night, you’d be dead,” he hissed. “Think on that when you’re left alone.” Calladine made for the door. He was wasting his time.

  “Copper!” Dean shouted after him. “Okay, but you’ll have to put me somewhere safe, our Kane and me mam too.”

  Chapter 38

  Back at the station, Kane Laycock was waiting with the child protection officer, Sarah Grange.

  “Go easy, he’s nervous,” she told Calladine quietly. “He’s concerned that he’ll drop his brother in it.”

  Calladine looked at the lad. He was reasonably tidy for once. “It’s alright, Kane, just do your best. I’ve been to see Dean and he’s doing well. He’s agreed to talk to me too. We will arrange for you, Dean and your mum, if she wants it, to be protected until this is over.”

  Kane gave Calladine a tentative smile.

  Calladine led the way to the soft interview room. “Do you want something to drink?” he offered, but the lad shook his head. Nerves, Calladine decided.

  “I’m interested in the people who visited your Dean at the flat. Do you know any of their names?”

  The boy nodded. “Some. The main one was that one last night. Dean was scared of him.”

  “Did he visit often?”

  “A few times a week. He kept on at Dean, telling him he wasn’t shifting the stuff quick enough. Dean got annoyed but he wasn’t having any. He threatened Dean all the time.”

  “I’m going to show you some photos,” Calladine said. “Have a good look and if you see anyone you recognise, tell me.”

  He handed Kane a photo of Sean Barber.

  “That’s Barber, he was Dean’s mate.”

  “Did he drive Dean around in that car of his?”

  “Yeah, but then someone torched it.”

  “Do you know who? Did Dean talk about it?”

  “I only know that Barber were gutted. Dean said it was a warning.”

  Calladine showed the boy a photo of Andrew Harvey.

  Kane had relaxed a bit and now smiled in recognition. “Andrew, he’s alright when he’s not off his head. He’s always with our Dean.”

  “Do you know what they got up to?”

  “Selling drugs. They paid us lot to take stuff to houses.”

  “Did you know what Dean was doing?”

  “I guessed. Dean was a user and had some dodgy friends, it wasn’t hard.”

  Finally, Calladine showed Kane the photo of Tyler Dodd. “Did this young man ever come to your flat?”

  Kane looked up wide eyed. “That’s him, the one from last night.” He shuddered. “He’s creepy. I never saw him smile.”

 
Now they were getting somewhere. “Do you know where he is now?”

  Kane shrugged. “He just appears, drops the stuff off, sorts the gangs. You know, tells ’em where to set up next, and then he’s gone.”

  Calladine would have to get on to the Manchester force. Dodd needed finding and quick. He smiled at the lad. “Thanks, Kane, you’ve been a great help.” Too true he had. Now they were finally getting closer to finding the elusive ‘Street.’

  * * *

  Ruth arranged to meet Joanne at her home. She lived in the village of Lowermill, in a flat above the newsagents on the High Street.

  “No children round your heels today?” Ruth greeted her. “Bet you welcome time to yourself.”

  “What d’you want?” came Joanne’s sullen reply. She checked her watch. “I have to pick Jack up and bring him here for his lunch soon.”

  Small talk not welcome, thought Ruth. Fine, she would get straight to the point. “Have you heard from Annie?”

  “Why?”

  “A simple yes or no will do, Joanne. Annie told me she would contact you about Frankie’s funeral. She can’t leave it much longer, so she must have phoned you.”

  “Yes, she did. But before you ask, she wouldn’t tell me where they were. She insisted I was better off not knowing.”

  “But she is coming back? Annie will want to go to her own sister’s funeral, surely.”

  “She didn’t say and I didn’t ask,” Joanne said.

  “You do know that the abduction thing was a ruse? Annie took Sophie and tried to extort one million pounds from her husband. Then she ran off with Billy Alder. Were you aware of any of this?”

  Joanne’s eyes slid away. “Look, you have no idea what she went through. Life with Rick was no picnic. Annie was terrified of him and his new mate, Pennington.”

  “Yes, she told us. But we can find no evidence for that. Richard appears to be a good bloke and even now wants her back, regardless of what she’s done.”

  “He used to hit her! For God’s sake, didn’t you see the bruise on her cheek! One word out of turn was enough. Rick has no patience. Annie was afraid that one of these days even Sophie would fall foul of his temper.”

  “Did you experience his moods first-hand?”

  “Well, no. But Annie told me about them often enough. She wouldn’t lie to me, she had no reason to. To be honest, I’m glad she found safety with Billy. She has Sophie and they can start again.”

  “Has she called you? It’s a simple matter to get your phone records and check through them.”

  Joanne folded her arms and walked towards the door. “I’ve had enough. I want you to go now.”

  Ruth regarded the woman for a moment or two. “We think there are others looking for Billy, and they won’t be so understanding. If we’re right, he’s made some dangerous enemies. Let’s hope we find them before they do.”

  “If she comes back, I’ll speak to her,” Joanne muttered. “I’m sure Annie and Billy simply wanted a few days away to clear their heads. Annie has done nothing wrong.”

  * * *

  “Kane Laycock recognised the photo of Tyler Dodd,” Calladine told Ruth as she entered the incident room. “Dean has been a bit more forthcoming too.”

  “Haven’t found Street though — now that would be useful. He must had gone to ground. Perhaps running from us, and those at the top. Street is part of this but I doubt he’s the main man. He distributes, keeps the gangs under control. It’s the guilty party at the top we need.”

  She saw Calladine frown as he studied the incident board intently. Scrutinising the photos, the notes, and all the lines linking fact to fact.

  “Who do we have in the frame?” he asked. “I’m stumped. Richard Alder? Giles Pennington? Perhaps Billy Alder himself? He’s in a position to deal with drugs brought into the country in Alder’s lorries.”

  Ruth joined him at the board and tapped one of the latest notes he’d made. “Billy disappears and suddenly there’s a shortage. You could be right.”

  The two detectives shared a look. Ruth spoke. “We should get a warrant, go and take a look.”

  “I’ll speak to Birch,” Calladine said, “get it organised.” He turned to Rocco. “In the meantime speak to Julian again. Make sure there’s no forensic evidence we’re unaware of.”

  Chapter 39

  “DCI Birch has agreed to organise the warrant,” Calladine announced to the team. “She was reluctant, but on the basis that we suspect Billy Alder of being heavily involved in the importation of drugs, she doesn’t have much choice.”

  “I don’t expect it’ll please Chesworth, either,” Ruth whispered.

  “We’ll leave Chesworth for another day. For now, we’ll go and have a word with Richard Alder. I know the warrant isn’t in place but we can have a word anyway.” He turned to Ruth. “How’s your hand?”

  “Almost healed.”

  “You can drive then.” He tossed her the car keys. “Did Joanne tell you anything useful?”

  “No. She maintains Richard Alder is a bully, and him and Pennington are a force to be reckoned with.”

  “What do you think?”

  Ruth shrugged. “She could be right. Pennington has the right MO and Alder does owe him.”

  Calladine still wasn’t convinced. Pennington might be dodgy. But his gut told him Alder was okay. “How do we play this?”

  “By the letter. Once the warrant is in place, we get uniform and the sniffer dogs in. They go over each lorry in turn.”

  “Those lorries come through customs, and nothing has ever been found.” The inspector shook his head. “So what chance do a handful of uniforms and a couple of dogs have?”

  Calladine was quiet for most of the drive. They desperately needed a break, but where that would come from, he had no idea.

  * * *

  Richard Alder was not happy. “We don’t do illegal,” he insisted. “Our lorries travel across Europe and we have never had any bother.” He was staring out of his office windows at the yard below. “Take a look. We’ve had three in this morning from the continent. Do you want to start with them? Although what you expect to find is a mystery to me.”

  “We are arranging a warrant, Mr Alder,” Calladine said.

  “No need, I won’t stand in your way. Feel free to go through my premises with a fine-tooth comb. You won’t find anything.”

  He was confident, Calladine gave him that. “If you’re sure.” He turned and nodded at Ruth. She left the room. “My colleague will muster the troops.”

  “And Annie? What about her?”

  “Your wife and brother are still missing. But, given that she has Frankie’s funeral to arrange, I expect she’ll be back soon.”

  Alder sighed. “I hope you’re right.”

  Calladine left him to it and went to find Ruth. She’d gone out into the yard and was looking at the three lorries that were waiting to be unloaded.

  Ruth pointed to an area of land by the warehouse. “The containers are taken off the flatbeds across there. The warehouse staff unload and store the goods inside.”

  “These containers, they don’t look anything special.”

  “We’ll look for false walls and all the rest, don’t fret. The goods are transported in boxes, we’ll get the dogs to sniff around them.”

  “What’s that building there?”

  “That’s Billy’s workshop. A huge chasm of a place, but then it’d have to be to get a flatbed in it.”

  “Hello!” A man with a clipboard approached them. “Sam Boardman, I work here. I see to the stock when it arrives, tick stuff off, ensure we’ve got what we ordered.”

  Calladine introduced himself and Ruth. “This lot here,” he pointed at the three lorries. “Which port have they come from?”

  “Dover, and then they’ve travelled overnight,” the man said.

  “And they get through customs no bother?”

  Boardman nodded. “Occasionally one or other of them will be stopped and the contents of the container insp
ected.”

  “Is anything ever found?” Ruth asked.

  “If you’re talking contraband, no.” He smiled. “Mr Alder would have their jobs. We’ve never had any trouble on that score.”

  “Do you know the last time one of your lorries was gone over by customs?”

  “We keep a log. But it’s not often. The customs at Dover are so busy they usually work on tip-offs. We have a good reputation, so no bother.”

  “Your transport manager, Billy Alder, how are things going with him being away?” Calladine asked.

  Boardman raised an eyebrow. “Billy’s position here is just a title. He isn’t required to do very much, so we’re not missing him at all. Our priority is to keep the fleet moving. To that end, we have adequate warehouse staff and a workshop full of mechanics.”

  Calladine heard his mobile beep. “The warrant is in place,” he smiled at Ruth. “Mr Boardman, we have a warrant to search these premises. We intend to concentrate on your lorries and the stock that is brought into the country.”

  “What are you looking for?” Boardman asked with a frown.

  “Drugs, sir.” The short answer.

  Within the hour the search was in full swing. The containers were open and the stock being gone over box by box.

  “The workshop is quiet today,” Ruth remarked to Boardman, who was fussing around the uniforms.

  “It’s the weekend skeleton staff,” he said, checking his clipboard, “which today means Tyler. He’ll be finishing off a job ready for Monday.”

  “Tyler? Tyler Dodd?” Ruth was suddenly alert. “We’ll have to take a look inside.” She pushed open the large double doors. The huge room was quiet, and apart from a flatbed lorry parked up, was empty. “No Tyler,” she told Boardman.

  The man shrugged. “Probably gone for his break. Be careful in there, it’s a dangerous place if you don’t know what you’re doing.”

  “What’s this one in for?” she pointed at the lorry.

  Boardman checked his sheet. “It’s one that came in this morning. The driver reported that it was running sluggish, so engine problem.”

  Cutting and welding gear were laid out on the workbench. Ruth was no expert on vehicle repairs but whoever was working on the lorry appeared to be interested in the steel beam that ran the length of the flatbed rather than the engine. She took a closer look. There was a cut in the metal the length of the beam.