Death on Account (The Lakeland Murders)

by Salkeld, J J

  ‘I don’t know anything about that.’

  ‘Do you want to hear your husband’s version of events? He says that Eleanor did it herself, to get him in to trouble. Does that sound likely to you?’

  ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘So have you ever asked your husband to behave better towards Eleanor?’

  ‘I don’t tell Terry what to do.’

  ‘Really? My wife never stops telling me what to do. I don’t always do what she says, mind. But you’ve got an old fashioned house by the sounds of it then, and Terry is the boss.’

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘And what happens if you disagree with him?’

  ‘I don’t.’

  ‘Has he ever hit you, Kylie?’

  ‘No, no. Who told you that?’

  ‘Just asking. So you’re saying that you have no idea why Eleanor took her own life, and attempted to take that of her daughter too? And more than that, your husband and step-children had nothing at all to do with it?’

  ‘That’s right. I had nothing to do with it. I mean we had nothing to do with it. None of us did.’

  Andy Hall was watching a live feed from an empty interview room in Liverpool when Jane knocked and came in.

  ‘It’s like some kind of art installation’ he said, as she sat down. ‘They’ll be starting any minute now I think.’

  Jane Francis nodded. ‘How’s Nobby? I heard he was pretty bad.’

  ‘Off work. Finding that poor kid alive, and in a hell of a state, seems to have done the damage, and it isn’t hard to see why. Christ, I honestly can’t imagine anything worse.’

  ‘And the Walkers?’

  ‘Pound to a penny we won’t get a single charge to stick. I asked SOCO to look for the lumps of charcoal that Terry and his idiot friends were lobbing over the fence but they said the garden looked like it had been trampled over by rhinos. They got nada.’

  ‘Our lot?’

  ‘Yes. Ray’s doing his best, but unless someone grasses Walker up he’s not going to get so much as a caution out of this. Mind you, I do know someone at the Housing Association, and I’m taking him out for a drink one night this week. So I’ll put in a bad word for Terry. You never know, we might get the bastard thrown out yet.’

  ‘A case of stable door though, Andy?’

  ‘Tell me about it. And to make matters worse Charlie Coward reckons he’s going to be made to walk the plank on this one, and it might happen yet. He’s a good bloke and a good cop, so that would just be more damage done by Walker and his clan. But if the press pick it up what’s the betting that the powers that be cut Charlie adrift?’

  ‘That wouldn’t be fair.’

  ‘Fair? I’d forgotten that simple concept in all this fucking mess. I can’t remember the last time anything that’s fair actually happened. Ian Mann saved two lives, and he’ll probably lose his job. Charlie Coward did his best, and he’ll end up carrying the can. Meanwhile Terry fucking Walker gets away with murder, almost literally, and the same goes for Billy Cafferty.’

  Jane nodded. She’d been hoping that Hall would suggest that they went out together that evening. But that didn’t look likely now. She already knew him well enough to pick her moment.

  ‘Have a look at this while we wait’ said Hall eventually, passing over a print-out of a criminal record. ‘Patrick Murphy is no mug by the looks. Couple of convictions in his twenties, nothing since. He’s never owed a penny in NI or income tax, and he’s never signed on either. So we can conclude that he’s been a pretty successful career criminal all these years. Tony says he wasn’t even on their radar, and hadn’t been for years.’

  ‘Is he close to Billy Cafferty?’

  ‘Now that, my friend, is the question.’ Jane didn’t like being referred to that way, and Hall realised as soon as he’d said it.

  ‘Figure of speech, sorry. Listen, do you fancy a take-away curry tonight?’

  ‘At my place?’

  ‘No, mine.’ Hall wasn’t quite sure how to read Jane’s expression. ‘Just a thought, that’s all.’

  Jane Francis was still smiling when Tony Sheridan walked into the interview room down in Liverpool. She had to force herself to focus on the here and now.

  Patrick Murphy was a big man in his late fifties. He seemed relaxed as Sheridan went through the formalities.

  ‘I don’t think we’ve met before, have we?’ asked Sheridan.

  ‘No. I’m sure you’ve got my record in front of you. I haven’t been in trouble with the Police for twenty years and more.’

  ‘Who says you’re in trouble now?’

  ‘Why else am I here? Unless things have changed Detective Inspectors don’t follow up on stolen cars that belong to people’s sisters.’

  ‘Things have changed I’m afraid, Pat, and DIs aren’t what they used to be. But in a way you’re right, because your sister’s car was rather special. We’ll come back to that though. First off, tell me what you’ve been doing all these years.’

  ‘I’m a director of a security firm.’

  ‘Poacher turned gamekeeper, eh?’

  ‘Something like that, but I look after operations. Manpower, recruitment, that sort of stuff.’

  ‘And what’s this firm called?’

  ‘Safe Security Specialists. We’re all registered and inspected. You can check.’

  ‘And who owns the business?’

  ‘It’s no secret. There are four directors, and I’m one of them.’

  ‘And is Billy Cafferty a director too?’

  ‘You already know this, don’t you? His wife is.’

  ‘So you’re not going to tell me that you don’t know Billy?’

  ‘Of course I do. He’s a few years younger than me, and I’ve known him since he was a kid.’

  ‘So do you see much of him?’

  ‘No, not much. His family invested in the business when we started up, over ten years ago, but that’s about it.’

  ‘So you don’t see him socially?’

  ‘Not very often. At the odd wedding and Christening, but that’s about it.’

  ‘How about phone, email?’

  ‘No, I don’t think he uses either all that much. He’s pretty old school.’

  ‘Isn’t that a bit odd, for a successful, straight businessman?’

  Murphy shrugged. ‘You’d have to ask him about that. All I know is that we don’t talk on the phone, email or text. And he’s not my friend on Facebook, or whatever you call it.’

  ‘And does Billy Cafferty ever ask you, or your company, to do jobs for him?’

  ‘We do the security for a few of his other businesses, yes.’

  ‘How about driving?’

  ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘Would you, or one of your staff, ever drive one of Billy Cafferty’s associates somewhere?’

  ‘We’re not a bloody taxi service.’

  ‘So that’s a no then, is it?’

  ‘Of course it is.’

  ‘Let’s talk about your sister’s car then. Did you have a key to it?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘How about a key to her house?’

  ‘No, not as far as I know.’

  ‘But you’ve borrowed her car in the past?’

  ‘Once or twice. When my own cars have been in the garage, that sort of thing.’

  ‘And your own car is a Porsche, is that right?’

  ‘Yes, I’ve got two.’

  ‘So your other car really is a Porsche then.’ Murphy didn’t smile, but Sheridan did. ‘I expect you get that a lot. But what I can’t understand is why you don’t take a courtesy car from the Porsche dealer, or even use your other Porsche for the day when one is in dock. Why’s that then, Pat?’

  ‘Dunno. Maybe my wife was using the other car, I don’t remember. You’d have to talk about specific dates.’

  ‘OK, let’s do that. You’ve done this before Pat, I can tell. So let’s go back to Tuesday, the 23rd of last month. Can you remember what you were doing?’

  �
�Hang on, let me check.’ Murphy took out his phone.

  ‘I was in work all day.’

  ‘Did you go out at all?’

  ‘Doesn’t look like it.’

  ‘So you’re not sure?’

  ‘I might have gone out for lunch, but I don’t think so. You can check though. We have CCTV running in our offices and outside. It’s easy enough to check.’ Murphy sat back and smiled. ‘You’re very welcome to take a look.’

  ‘Thanks for the offer, we may very well do that.’

  ‘Now if that’s all, Inspector, I’d like to get back to work. My cars don’t pay for themselves you know.’

  ‘So that’s it’ said Hall to Jane, as the interview room emptied. ‘There’s no way he did the driving himself, look how cocky he was, and Mrs. McGrath knows nothing more than she’s told Tony, except that she knows bloody well that her brother had that spare car key. But so long as she sticks to her story that she doesn’t know what happened to it, and she will, then Tony won’t be able to move it on one inch.’

  ‘Won’t he check that the car was supplied with two keys?’

  ‘Absolutely, but it won’t help. He hasn’t even got the beginnings of a conspiracy charge here, and he won’t get one now. Cafferty made a small mistake by having the car taken and burned out, because he over-estimated our resources, and all he did was draw our attention to it. We could never have checked out all the cars that turned up on both ANPRs, but he didn’t know that, so he went for the percentage play. And in every other respect he’s played a blinder here. He always knew that we’d know he was behind Williams’ death, so what he’s done is distance himself as far as he can. It’s a numbers game in the end, and he knows it.’

  ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘Cafferty knows that Tony Sheridan’s bosses will stop him from over-spending on this, and that the longer it goes on the fewer resources Tony will have at his disposal. So even if Tony keeps making connections, and getting closer to Cafferty, he’ll run out of time, money and manpower before he gets within touching distance of Cafferty himself. You mark my words, Jane, this is over. Young Tom Cafferty will come home to a hero’s welcome, and in three months time the file on this will be quietly closed.’

  ‘And what about Gill, was she involved at all?’

  ‘I don’t believe in co-incidences any more than you do Jane, but I don’t see it at all. She was just here as a hobby-bobby, so even if she was planted what could she possibly have found out? Even if we assume that she was, and the idea was to get the information out of me, she certainly didn’t ask me anything that would have made me remotely suspicious. Until after Williams’ death she hadn’t ever mentioned anything that could in any way connect to the Cafferty case, I’m certain of it. But mud sticks, and like I say we’ll never know for certain now, but I reckon she’s got sod all to do with this.’

  Jane nodded, but she wasn’t completely convinced. Still, it probably didn’t matter now anyway. And in any case there was something at the back of her mind, ringing the faintest of bells. ‘There was something he said’ she said, as she was getting up.

  ‘Who? Murphy or Sheridan?’

  ‘Murphy, but I just can’t put my finger on it. But, like you say, Andy, it probably doesn’t matter now anyway. We’ll just have to chalk this one up to the bad guys.’

  Friday, 10th May

  Ray Dixon had started counting the days until his retirement again, but now the sense of anticipation had faded. He knew that other DCs who had done their time weren’t being offered extra years any more, and in a way he could see why. All the cuts meant that young coppers had no chance of promotion unless the old ones left. And to his surprise he’d found himself being a bit short with young PC Attwood the previous day, a nice, bright lad who Dixon knew would make an excellent DC.

  He’d also started to notice all the things he took for granted all these years, the smell of the corridors, the squeaky sounds of copper’s shoes on the polished floors. He found himself trying to fix them all firmly in his mind, for after. For when it was over.

  At nine sharp he knocked on Superintendent Robinson’s door. There were some things about being out of the job that Dixon wouldn’t miss. But he knew that Andy Hall was already in with Robinson, so at least there’d be one proper copper in the room with him.

  ‘I asked for this review meeting because of the sensitive issues surrounding the death of Eleanor Barrow’ said Robinson. ‘First of all, DC Dixon, do we have a confirmed cause of death?’

  ‘Yes, an overdose. I’ve got the name of the drug here, but it was prescribed to Mrs. Barrow. She’d picked up a repeat prescription the previous day.’

  ‘So you’re satisfied that we’re not looking for anyone else in connection with this death?’

  Dixon took his time before answering. ‘The cause of death was suicide. No question at all.’

  Robinson tried not to look relieved, and failed.

  ‘And how about the child?’

  ‘Gemma is recovering in hospital. Her mum gave her a dose of the same drug that was big enough to kill a horse, but for the first time in her life the kid’s body tried to help her out, and she sicked them back up. Her mum must have been gone by this time. It’s a shame Eleanor didn’t give the tablets to Gemma first, then waited before she took the pills. But I expect she couldn’t bear it.’

  ‘Keep that sort of opinion to yourself, Constable’ said Robinson firmly. ‘Some of us believe that all life is equally precious, and that it’s a blessing that Gemma survived. There’s no place for that sort of idle speculation here.’

  ‘Yes, sir. I only meant....’

  ‘It doesn’t matter what you meant, DC Dixon. Now, what about the possibility of bringing charges against the neighbours, the Walkers?’

  ‘My enquiries are continuing, sir. As a matter of fact DS Mann is due in any minute to give us a statement, which may well be helpful to us.’ Dixon emphasised Mann’s rank, but Robinson let it pass. ‘But even so, I’d say the chances of the CPS deciding to pursue any significant charges against Terry Walker are very low. We’d have to prove systematic abuse, and since the other neighbours are keeping their mouths shut I can’t see us proving anything. If he’d been actually nicked on the day he and his mates started chucking those hot coals over the fence then things might be different.’

  ‘Can’t we nick him for it now?’ asked Hall. ‘Might be worth a try at least.’

  ‘No, boss, I know what you’re saying but the CPS wouldn’t touch it. For a start Walker had a couple of his mates there, both known to us of course, and they’ll all deny it ‘til they’re blue in the face. And of course Eleanor isn’t here to take the stand. We’ve got no forensic evidence, and of course if we did charge Terry his brief would make us look like twats in court. Pardon my French, sir’ added Dixon, looking straight at Robinson. ‘They’ll just say that since we didn’t nick Terry at the time then we can’t have had a case. End of, I’m afraid.’

  ‘That’s the subject of another investigation’ said Robinson, ‘to be conducted by a team from HQ. Inspector Coward may face disciplinary charges, but that’s another matter.’

  ‘Would it help Inspector Coward if we were able to bring charges against Terry, or one of his family, sir’ asked Dixon.

  ‘No, DC Dixon, it would not’ said Robinson sharply. ‘That’s not the attitude at all, and you know it. But that’s not to say that charges wouldn’t be welcome in themselves, very welcome. So why don’t you try the neighbours again? They can’t all be frightened of a bully like Terry Walker.’

  ‘It’s not just Terry, it’s his sons and his mates as well. But don’t get me wrong, sir, there’s a lot of bad feeling directed at that family down there. So I wouldn’t be surprised if he got a hiding one of these fine days. We can but hope, can’t we, sir?’

  He could see Hall shaking his head slowly, but Ray Dixon didn’t care. If the state wouldn’t see that justice was done for Eleanor and Gemma then he had absolutely no problem with someone else deliveri
ng it instead. And he didn’t much care how it happened, so long as it happened somehow.

  Ian Mann felt no nostalgia as he stood at the front desk, waiting to give his statement. He just wanted to get it all over with. The building looked old, tired and run-down, and that was how he felt too.

  ‘Come on in, Ian’ said Ray Dixon, when he buzzed Mann through, ‘can I make you a brew?’

  ‘First time for everything’ said Mann, ‘but no, I’m all right. I’d like to get this done and get off. And could you say to Andy that I need a word after?’

  ‘He’s really busy mate, why not text him and meet up for a drink? I know he’s up for it.’

  ‘It’s official. I need to do it here.’

  ‘OK, mate. Make yourself comfortable in Room 2, and I’ll just pop up and see him.’

  Two minutes later Dixon was back.

  ‘Not a problem, Ian. He’ll pop down as soon as we’re through. And actually there was something I wanted to have an informal chat about too.’

  ‘Oh aye. What’s that then?’ Mann looked slightly suspicious, and that surprised Dixon.

  ‘I wondered if the Super and Gory Gorham have said any more to you about Williams’ identity getting leaked?’

  ‘No, it’s all gone quiet. The Federation lawyer says that they were just trying to put extra pressure on me to quit, that’s all. The suggestion that my being suspended might be enough to get me to grass up Williams to Cafferty is bollocks and they know it, although I think the lawyer actually said ‘baseless’.’

  ‘All adds up to bollocks though.’

  ‘Aye, it does. Anyway, shall we get this statement done?’

  ‘Yes, of course. How long have you known Eleanor Barrow for?’

  ‘A lot of years. I think I remember her from school, and I’ve seen her on and off since. My dad knows the family, but then he knows everyone down on that estate. But I must have known her twenty five plus years, easy.’

  ‘And had you seen her recently?’