Frozen Minds

by Cheryl Rees-Price

  ‘She’s been a bit upset, not eating and sleeping well, but I expect she had a shock, working there with a killer on the loose.’

  ‘I’d like you to come to the station tomorrow and change your statement. We may need to speak to you again.’

  ‘OK, can I get back to work now?’ Huw stood up.

  ‘Yes, thank you for your time.’

  ‘Bloody idiot,’ Edris said as they walked back to the car.

  ‘I think he was embarrassed about the separate rooms. I’m guessing it’s not only when he has a drink. I don’t think he was deliberately withholding information and he obviously has no reason to think that his wife is involved.’

  ‘But you think she is?’

  ‘Alan was getting money from somewhere. If it was from Bethesda then I’m betting Jane knew about it.’

  Chapter Nineteen

  When they arrived at the station they found the team unpacking boxes.

  ‘Any problems getting these?’ Meadows asked.

  ‘No,’ Blackwell put a stack of files onto his desk. ‘I warned the relief staff not to have any contact with Jane or any of the regular staff concerning the removal of files.’

  ‘Good.’ Meadows stood at the enquiry board and addressed the team. ‘I want us to split the files and search for any inconsistencies. Check signatures on any withdrawals and receipts. We need to look at the overall finances of Bethesda as well as individual residents’ accounts and personal files. Also I want to be sure that all the medication over the last four years is accounted for. Jane Pritchard’s alibi is shaky; her husband can’t confirm that she was in bed all night. We still don’t have confirmation of Miles’ alibi and Cillian doesn’t have one. Alan was getting money from somewhere and someone knew about it. Any questions?’

  There was a general shaking of heads and the files were divided among the group. Rowena took charge of the medication, cross-referencing the log against the client files. Blackwell huffed his way through the house expenses while Val checked the computer taken from Jane’s office. Meadows and Edris were left with the residents’ personal accounts. Each time money was withdrawn there was a corresponding expense form with two signatures, which was then matched to receipts. It was slow going and, despite the copious amounts of coffee the team drank, Meadows could sense the enthusiasm and energy waning.

  ‘I think we need to get one of the tech guys to check out the computer,’ Val suggested. ‘There doesn’t appear to be anything incriminating but files may have been deleted.’

  ‘That’s a good idea, Val,’ Meadows smiled. ‘Take it over to them then call it a night.’

  ‘Thanks.’ Val smiled and began packing up the computer.

  ‘How come she gets to go home?’ Blackwell grunted.

  Meadows looked at his watch. No wonder Blackwell is grumbling. ‘You can go, you too, Rowena, it’s late, go home get some sleep and we’ll start early in the morning.’

  ‘I’m happy to stay a bit longer,’ Edris said.

  ‘No surprises there, golden boy,’ Blackwell shut the file.

  Just when I thought he was mellowing. Meadows ignored the comment and returned his gaze to the file.

  ‘Still at it then,’ Dyfan walked into the office.

  Meadows looked up and noticed that Blackwell had paused at his desk. ‘Looks like it’s going to be a long weekend.’

  ‘I’ve got something that will cheer you up,’ Dyfan walked to Meadows desk. ‘That vehicle travelling from London you asked to be checked out? Traffic picked it up on the M4 cameras, but not on the day your boy says. Last camera picked it up on Monday at 7.05 p.m.’

  ‘Now that is good news. No alibi and he’s lied about his whereabouts.’

  ‘We should bring them in now,’ Blackwell said.

  ‘We still don’t have a motive. I want to go through this lot first to see what we turn up.’

  ‘If you find anything,’ Blackwell sneered.

  ‘Why don’t you have a dig around, see what you can find out about Miles’ last employment?’

  ‘Yeah first thing in the morning,’ Blackwell grunted. He picked up his jacket and sauntered out of the office.

  ‘What’s up with him?’ Dyfan asked.

  ‘It’s Blackwell, he doesn’t need a reason to be a dick,’ Edris grinned.

  ‘Right I leave you to it, I’m off home. Have a nice weekend,’ Dyfan winked.

  Meadows returned his attention to the bank statement. There appeared to be a regular income, what looked like a disability payment from the government. Payments were made for various items which coincided with receipts and expenses forms. Some money was gifted for birthdays and Christmas, possibly from family members. He paused at an entry for a payment to Guardian Holdings, which was followed by a receipt from the same company for the same amount a few weeks later. He checked through the rest of the statements and found more entries of the same nature.

  ‘Whose bank statements have you got?’ Meadows looked across to Edris.

  Edris looked up keeping his finger marked on an entry. ‘Eddy’s.’

  ‘Are there any entries from Guardian Holdings?’

  Edris looked through the statement. ‘Yes, in and out for the same amounts.’

  ‘They go back at least two years. I want to check the other residents’ accounts, see if they have the same entries.’

  They split the pile between them and methodically worked through each statement. Each one showed similar entries, the amount increasing each month. He picked up Vanessa’s file and was shocked by what he found.

  ‘Look at this.’ Meadows pointed the entries out to Edris.

  ‘Whoa, she’s minted!’

  ‘Was,’ Meadows shook his head with disgust. ‘I would imagine she inherited this money from her parents. They’re both dead and she is an only child. These entries to Guardian Holdings go back three years. The first payment is for ten thousand, then it’s paid back in a month later. This goes on until the payments increase to a hundred thousand – there is no receipt, and the account is almost cleared out.’

  ‘So what is Guardian Holdings?’

  ‘That’s what I would like to know,’ Meadows turned to his computer and searched the company. There wasn’t a lot of information available so he put in a request for full company information. He sat back and rubbed his hands over his face. ‘Let’s call it a night. We’ll look at the other files in the morning and calculate how much money is missing. With a bit of luck I’ll have the company report back and we can see who is behind it.’

  ‘I’m betting Jane Pritchard,’ Edris said.

  ‘I think you might be right, and if Alan Whitby was a part of it that would give her a strong motive for getting rid of him.’ Meadows grabbed his coat, and flipped his desk calendar to December. ‘Twelve days until the Lapland trip. Let’s hope we can wrap it up over the weekend so Kevin can build his snowman.’

  Chapter Twenty

  Leah and Cillian have been whispering to each other all day. I hate it when they do that, not supposed to whisper, it’s rude. It’s all the policeman’s fault, he keeps asking questions. It hurts my head. Too many pictures, words and noise pushing inside my head. I want to let them out, make more room, but I promised Leah, promised I would keep them hiding in my head.

  Leah’s gone home now, home with Cillian, and the Saturday woman is here. I don’t like Saturday, only when Leah comes to visit but she won’t come, she says, not this time. It’s because of the policeman. She was crying when she left. I don’t want Leah to be sad. My tummy feels funny again, like there’s a fish swimming around, wiggling against my skin. It’s because Leah says we have to go away to a place where we will be safe. I want to take Hard Hat but Cillian says he can’t come where we are going. I don’t want to go if Cillian is going to be there. I want to stay here with my friends and Leah but Cillian says I won’t see Leah again if I don’t go. Leah is afraid.

  ‘Liam, time for bed.’

  How did she get in here? I don’t like people sneaking int
o my room. ‘You didn’t knock. You’re supposed to knock.’

  ‘I did knock, Liam, you didn’t hear me. Come on, time to get into bed.’

  The Saturday woman is making a face at me. ‘I don’t want to get into bed.’ Too many pictures in my head.

  ‘Come on, Liam, you are not going to give me a hard time are you?’

  I suppose I better get into bed, she will go away then. She’s pulling down the covers and smiling. I take off my slippers and get into bed.

  ‘Goodnight, Liam.’

  It’s dark, Saturday woman has turned off the light. I have to think nice things, that’s what Leah says, but I can’t. I should’ve told the policeman the answers, we could stay here and Leah will be safe.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Meadows awoke with a stiff neck and pain shooting down the side of his head. The late night looking at rows of figures had left him tossing and turning through the night.

  He jumped out of bed, wincing with the pain in his head, and had a hot shower, the water easing the tension in his neck and soothing his sore head. We really need to find Eddy’s book. I’m sure it’s in Bethesda somewhere. I know where it is, something Cillian or Miles said ... He concentrated on that thought, trying to recall the conversations but the words evaporated.

  All thoughts of the book were pushed to the back of his mind when he entered the station and found the report on Guardian Holdings in his mailbox. He clicked open the mail and his eyes scanned the information with growing interest. The company directors were listed as Jane Pritchard and Miles Flint.

  So that’s what you’ve been up to.’

  ‘What have you got?’ Edris walked over to the desk followed by Blackwell and Rowena.

  ‘Guardian Holdings is owned by Jane and Miles. There isn’t much information with regards to trading. The last financial statements were filed in April and looks like they were doing well. Both have been drawing large dividends out of the company.’

  ‘That explains how she gets to drive around in that flash car,’ Edris said.

  ‘What’s this got to do with Alan Whitby’s death?’ Blackwell asked.

  ‘Money has been taken from the residents’ accounts to finance the company,’ Edris explained. ‘If you had stayed around last night you would know about it.’

  Blackwell’s lips turned up into a snarl. ‘I was here when your mother was still wiping your arse. I already knew those two were up to their necks in it, it’s all about experience. I said we should’ve brought them in.’

  ‘And we will,’ Meadows said. ‘First I want all the information on Guardian Holdings before we interview them. Where’s Val?’

  ‘Gone to pick up the computer from the tech guys,’ Rowena said.

  ‘Good. Blackwell, I suggest you do some more digging into Miles Flint’s background. Rowena, Edris, I want to collate information from the residents financial records. I want to see exactly how much money has been embezzled and when the transactions were made.’

  They worked through the files feeding the figures into a spreadsheet. In the background Blackwell could be heard on the phone, his voice rising as he demanded private numbers for contacts in London.

  ‘Well, that makes over a hundred and fifty thousand pounds,’ Meadows leaned back in his chair and stretched his arms. ‘Most of it from Vanessa’s account.’

  ‘Why keep putting the money back in?’ Edris asked.

  ‘The money is obviously moved to finance some other activity. The money was moved in and out so if anyone was to check the balance it would be correct. They started small and when they got away with it increased the amounts. Something went wrong because they haven’t been able to pay the money back in.’

  ‘Drug money or laundering?’ Rowena suggested.

  ‘Could be. Let’s hope Val comes back with some information.’ Meadows said.

  ‘So finally I got hold of the manager from Miles’ last employment.’ Blackwell perched on the edge of the desk. ‘He worked at a residential home for the elderly. Questions were raised about missing money but no charges were brought, he left of his own accord.’

  ‘And before that?’

  ‘Stockbroker, haven’t been able to get hold of anyone yet but I’ll keep trying.’

  ‘Morning all,’ Val walked into the office with a large grin and waving a flash drive. ‘Tech guys managed to retrieve some deleted files, some interesting stuff.’

  ‘Guardian Holdings?’ Meadows asked.

  ‘Yes,’ Val’s face fell. ‘Don’t tell me you’ve already found the files.’

  ‘No, only the entries on the residents’ bank accounts. Let’s see what you’ve got.’

  Val plugged in the flash drive and pulled up the files for Guardian Holdings as they all gathered around the computer.

  ‘The money’s just going in and out of the account again,’ Edris said.

  ‘Yes, but look, there are payments to H D Baines,’ Meadows pointed to the screen. ‘Then larger sums are paid back into the account before the original amount is returned to the residents’ accounts. The remainder is divided between J Pritchard and M Flint. Then the whole process starts again but with larger amounts. It stopped a few months ago, no money received from H D Baines.’

  ‘So who is H D Baines?’ Rowena asked.

  ‘Possibly a stockbroker. I think Jane and Miles have been using the residents’ money to trade on the stock exchange. It makes sense, Miles knows the business. Looks like they made quite a bit until their luck ran out.’

  ‘And they couldn’t pay back the residents’ money.’ Rowena added.

  ‘Or the broker ran off with the money,’ Blackwell suggested.

  ‘So you think that Alan was in on it?’ Edris asked.

  ‘There are no payments direct to his bank account, but there are cash withdrawals. He could have found out about it, it was only a matter of time before someone picked up on the missing money. Alan would’ve had access to the information as supervisor. He could’ve asked for a piece of the pie or for money to keep quiet.’ Meadows pushed back his chair. ‘Right, I think we have enough to bring them in.’

  Blackwell grabbed his jacket. ‘I’ll pick up Miles, It’ll give me great pleasure to wipe that smirk off his face.’

  ‘OK, take Rowena with you. Edris, we’ll pick up Jane. Val, can I leave you to check out HD Baines, see if they are still trading?’

  ‘I’ll get right on to it.’ She gave Edris a coy smile before returning to her desk.

  Meadows noticed the glow in Edris’ face. ‘Come on, let’s get going before the jungle drums relay the news that Miles has been picked up and Jane makes a run for it.’

  Chapter Twenty-two

  ‘Looks like we’re in luck,’ Meadows pulled up behind Jane’s convertible.

  ‘Probably doesn’t have any money left to go shopping,’ Edris grinned. ‘I bet her old man is going to have hell of a shock.’

  ‘Poor sod,’ Meadows looked towards the house. ‘Maybe we’re doing him a favour.’

  The house was a newly built semi-detached on a smart estate. Meadows imagined that Huw Pritchard must have worked constant overtime to keep up with the mortgage payments. ‘I bet the neighbours are hiding behind the nets. We’ll soon give then something to gossip about,’ his lips twitched.

  ‘You really don’t like her, do you?’ Edris commented. ‘It’s unlike you – you usually always see the best in people, even Blackwell.’

  ‘Yes, well, taking money from vulnerable people. That money is supposed to be making their lives easier. Vanessa’s account is almost cleared out.’

  ‘Yeah, I guess you can’t sink much lower,’ Edris agreed.

  They walked up the path and knocked the door which was opened by Huw.

  ‘Oh, hello,’ he smiled. ‘I was just about to come down the station to alter my statement. I didn’t realise I had to be there at a certain time.’

  ‘We’re not here about the statement,’ Edris said. ‘Although we would appreciate it if you wouldn’t leave it too
long.’

  ‘We’re here to see Jane. Is she in?’ Meadows peered over Huw’s shoulder.

  ‘Yes, come in. She’s just watching a film. She likes to have some time to relax on her day off.’

  They followed Huw into the sitting room. It appeared to be freshly decorated, and jacquard floor-length curtains draped the windows. The room was dominated by a cream leather corner sofa where Jane sat with her feet up.

  ‘You have visitors, love,’ Huw said.

  Jane turned her head away from the television and looked from Edris to Meadows. ‘It’s my day off. Can’t you wait until Monday?’

  ‘I’m afraid not,’ Meadows said. ‘We would like you to come down to the station to answer a few questions.’

  Jane’s eyes narrowed. ‘It’s not convenient.’

  ‘It’s not a request.’ Meadows turned to Edris and nodded.

  Edris stepped forward. ‘Jane Pritchard, I am arresting you on the suspicion of the murder of Alan Whitby –’

  ‘What!’ Jane sprung up from the sofa, eyes wild. ‘You can’t do this.’

  ‘There must be some mistake ...’ Confusion creased Huw’s face.

  Edris continued with the caution which was drowned out by Jane’s protests.

  ‘Don’t just stand there like a fucking idiot, do something,’ Jane shrieked at Huw.

  Huw stepped in front of Jane. ‘You’re making a mistake, Jane didn’t have anything to do with what happened to Alan. She’s been very upset by the whole thing.’

  ‘If you would please step away, sir,’ Meadows said. ‘It would be better for both of you if your wife doesn’t make this difficult. I’m sure you don’t want to cause a scene in front of the neighbours.’

  Jane’s nostrils flared and her face creased with hate. ‘Fine, I’ll come with you, but I will be putting in a complaint for wrongful arrest. Get hold of a solicitor, Huw.’ She turned on Edris who had placed a hand on her arm. ‘Get off me.’

  ‘I’ll cuff you if you don’t behave,’ he warned.

  ‘Can I come with her?’ Huw asked as Edris led Jane outside.