Outside Looking In

by Michael Wood

  ‘Where did you go to get rid of your clothes?’

  ‘I went up to the roof. I was going to burn them.’

  ‘And did you?’

  ‘Yes … eventually.’

  ‘Why eventually?’

  ‘Well I set fire to my trainers first and they took a while to burn as they were soaked so I just sat back and watched, when this old bloke came out from the stairs.’

  ‘Old bloke?’

  ‘Yes. Some old bastard. I’ve heard him moaning before about people going up to the roof to mess about, drinking, dealing, kids on their scooters. I mean, what’s it got to do with him? He doesn’t own the bloody building.’

  ‘Do you know who this old bloke is?’

  ‘No. Just know him by sight. He looked like a joyless bastard.’

  ‘So what happened?’

  ‘He came out onto the roof and asked me what the fuck I thought I was playing at. They were his exact words too. He swore at me. I told him to mind his own business, nosy old twat. He said it was his business as I could send the whole building up in flames. I told him, it wouldn’t be a huge loss. They need pulling down anyway. I’d be doing everyone a favour. He said if I didn’t put the fire out he was going to call the police.’

  ‘What did you say?’

  ‘Well, I said that if he wanted the fire to go out then he would have to put it out himself. I stood back, you know, inviting him over.’

  ‘And did he?’

  ‘Yes, he came over to where the trainers were burning. Then he looked behind me and saw my clothes with the blood on them. To be honest, I’d actually forgotten they were there for a minute. He asked me what I’d been up to. I told him to keep his fucking nose out. So he said he had a right to know if my actions were going to interfere with his life. So I told him.’ Colin shrugged. His nonchalance was frightening. He had no regard for anyone else’s life. Other people were expendable: an obstacle he needed to climb over in order to achieve his aim.

  ‘What exactly did you tell him?’ Christian asked.

  ‘I said I’d just been out killing a bloke and raping his bitch girlfriend.’

  Christian swallowed hard. It was difficult to listen to Colin talk about his crimes so casually, as if they were a day at the seaside. ‘Did he believe you?’

  ‘Dunno. He looked a bit white so I’m guessing he did. He started to back up then. He said I should be locked up.’

  ‘What happened then?’

  ‘He walked away. I knew he was going to phone the fire brigade and the filth. I couldn’t have that. I picked the trainers up and threw them at his back.’ Colin laughed. ‘You should have heard the sound he made when he thought he’d caught fire. I nearly pissed myself laughing. I told him if he called the police I’d break into his flat while he was sleeping, tie him to his bed, and set fire to him. Do you know what he did then?’

  ‘Go on,’ Christian was dreading the answer. He could picture the photograph of Gerald Beecham he had in the incident room. He looked like a kind, elderly gent, who didn’t deserve to live out his days in the soulless box of a tower block.

  ‘He started to cry. Can you believe that? A grown man and he was fucking crying. He walked away then. I wasn’t having him ring you lot on me. So I grabbed him – he was light for an old bloke – picked him up and lobbed him over the side.’

  The room fell silent. Colin folded his arms. His story was over. He told the story of Gerald Beecham’s death like it was a fairytale: a bedtime story for a small child, not the murder of an innocent man.

  Faith looked away as she swept away a tear. Christian ran through the preliminaries and turned off the recording equipment.

  ‘When you’re in prison,’ Christian began, voice lowered. ‘I’m going to make sure people know exactly what you’ve done, and if there is any justice in this world, your death will be as painful as Gerald Beecham’s.’

  This time the real Colin Theobald did stand up. His face dropped. The smile vanished and he began to twitch as if he didn’t know where to look. The realization of what awaited him inside prison had suddenly hit home.

  ‘I want to see my lawyer,’ he said, voice quivering.

  ‘Too late,’ Christian said. He turned to leave the interview room with Faith Easter following. He slammed the door hard, leaving Colin alone in the room with only his dark imagination and twisted thoughts for company.

  FIFTY-FIVE

  As usual, parking on Williamson Road was a nightmare. There was a nursery school at one end and an NHS building for the treatment of people with mental health issues at the other. The narrow road was clogged with parking on both sides. Matilda eventually found a space several doors down from Martin Craven’s home, while in the second car, Aaron, Rory, and Scott continued to drive and ended up parking in the next street.

  Matilda and Sian waited for the others to join them.

  ‘Right, you three wait here. We’re going to go in for a nice wee chat. If we’re not out in ten minutes, come and find us.’

  They nodded in agreement.

  ‘Don’t be long, it’s cold out here,’ Rory said.

  ‘Oh man up,’ Sian replied as she and Matilda made their way down the drive.

  Sian knocked on the door and stepped back, looking up at the house. Matilda, on tiptoes, looked into the kitchen window, but couldn’t see any sign of life.

  ‘Knock again.’

  Sian did, louder this time, but there was still no reply. She tried the handle. The door was unlocked.

  ‘I don’t like the look of this,’ Sian said.

  ‘Come on.’

  Matilda took the lead and headed into the house. The heat from the kitchen was comforting – Rory would love to have been in Sian’s position – but the room looked like it hadn’t been used all morning.

  ‘Hello? Mr Craven? It’s DCI Matilda Darke from the police again. I’ve got a couple more questions I’d like to ask.’

  They stood stock-still while they waited for a reply from upstairs, or any sign of life. Nothing happened.

  ‘Hello? Mr Craven? Jack? Anna? Anyone?’

  ‘Thomas?’ Sian called out.

  Matilda looked at her and rolled her eyes. ‘Thomas is deaf, remember?’

  ‘Oh God, yes, of course he is. Sorry.’

  They moved into the hallway. Matilda peeked into the dining room – empty. The door to the living room was closed. She pushed it open and signalled to Sian that this was where they needed to be. The room was a wreck. The coffee table was overturned, the TV tipped off its stand, books pulled from the bookcase, and in the centre of the room was the motionless body of an elderly woman.

  ‘Get the others,’ Matilda shouted as she made her way to the stricken body.

  All Matilda could see was a mass of blood on the back of the woman’s head. The hair was matted around the wound. From this angle, Matilda couldn’t see who it was. The last time she was here, Martin Craven mentioned his mother-in-law had been coming round often to help with the kids. Is that who this was? Was this Lois’s mother?

  Matilda felt for a pulse and found one. It was strong. She tried to rouse her by shaking her slightly by the shoulder but nothing happened. She turned her over carefully. Her face was free from injury and her eyes were closed.

  ‘Can you hear me?’

  Matilda looked up as Sian entered with Aaron, Scott, and Rory in tow. When she looked back down at the woman, she was slowly opening her eyes.

  ‘What’s happened? What’s going on? Thomas?’ She called out, growing more and more panicked as she came to. She started shaking.

  ‘She’s in shock.’

  ‘Scott, try and find a brandy or a whisky or something. Then put the kettle on and make a hot, sweet tea. Rory, call for an ambulance.’

  Between them Matilda and Sian carefully lifted her off the floor and onto the sofa. ‘Can you tell me your name?’

  ‘Margaret. I’m Lois’s mother.’

  ‘OK, Margaret. What happened here?’

  Scott ran in with
a large whisky and handed it to Sian who passed it to Margaret. She gave her thanks and took a large sip. She winced at the taste then had another drink.

  ‘Martin saw the article in the newspaper about Lois having had several affairs in the past. Before it was only us who knew about it, now everybody did. He thought the neighbours would start talking about him for putting up with it all over the years. I told him not to be so silly. They wouldn’t think like that at all. They’d admire him for not abandoning his children. Then he just flipped.’

  Aaron had found a first aid kit in the kitchen. He pulled out some padding and passed it to Sian for her to hold against the wound on Margaret’s head. The bleeding had stopped but it was still an open, angry-looking wound.

  ‘He said some horrible, hurtful things about Lois. I know she’s not been the best wife in the world, and he’s overlooked so much, but there was no need for any of that. He went mad. Well, you can see what he did in here. I tried to stop him but he kept pushing me away.’

  ‘Did he hit you?’

  ‘No. I fell. I must have slipped on a book or something that he’d thrown to the floor and banged my head on the coffee table. He wouldn’t hit me. If he ever tried to raise a hand to me I’d kick him where it hurts.’

  Matilda smiled. ‘We’re going to get you to hospital, Margaret. Have you checked out. You may need a few stitches though.’

  ‘Oh God, do you think so? I’ve a birthday do coming up next month.’

  ‘Margaret, was there anyone else in the house while Martin was kicking off?’

  Margaret suddenly jumped up. ‘Thomas. Oh my God, Thomas. Where is he?’

  ‘Rory, look upstairs.’

  Rory flew out of the room. The sound of his heavy footsteps on the stairs echoed around the house as everyone downstairs waited with bated breath for confirmation that Thomas was upstairs playing quietly in his room.

  ‘There’s nobody up here,’ Rory shouted.

  ‘Oh my God, Thomas,’ Margaret began to cry. ‘Where’s he taken him?’

  ‘Margaret, calm down. We don’t know if he’s taken him anywhere. Nothing bad is going to happen.’

  Matilda and Sian exchanged glances – neither of them believed that.

  The ambulance arrived within five minutes. As Margaret was being loaded into the back she told Matilda to find the children and keep them safe. She said that the look in Martin’s eyes was petrifying. She had never seen him look so wild before.

  Matilda tried to fit that image with the one she had seen last time she was at the house. Martin had looked tired, worried for his wife, and his children. He was doing his best to keep the kids happy and content while their lives were being dragged through the mire of the local newspapers, and the gossips were making up their own stories of the Cravens’ home life. To Matilda, Martin looked every bit the broken man trying to piece back together his life and make some sense out of the rubble. Had it all been an act? If so, he had certainly fooled her. This begged the question, how much danger were the people around him in?

  ‘Scott, go in the ambulance with Margaret.’ He wasn’t happy about being assigned to babysitting duties, but he nodded and climbed in behind the trolley.

  ‘Aaron, we need to find the kids—’ Matilda began.

  Aaron interrupted. ‘Margaret gave me her mobile before she was put into the ambulance. I’ve called Anna and Jack; they’re in town doing some shopping. I’ve not gone into any details but I’ve told them to go to HQ straightaway and ask for Faith. I’ve just got off the phone to her; she’s going to keep them safe until she’s heard from us.’

  ‘Excellent work, Aaron, thank you. Do they know where Thomas is?’

  ‘I didn’t ask. I didn’t want them to be worried.’

  ‘OK. Go to the Northern General and make your presence known around Lois, but don’t make it look like you’re there for her protection.’

  ‘Will do.’

  ‘Take Rory with you. And, if Martin does turn up, give me a shout straightaway.’

  ‘What the hell has happened now?’

  Sian turned around to see an elderly woman struggling under the weight of two shopping bags in each hand trundling up the road. She wasn’t more than five foot in sensible heels and the bags were scraping along the ground. Her face was ruddy as the bitter spring wind nipped at her exposed nose and cheeks.

  ‘You are?’

  ‘I’m Jennifer Nash. I live next door. Don’t tell me something else has happened to that poor family. They’ve had enough bad luck lately.’

  ‘It’s nothing like that. Lois’s mother, Margaret, she’s had a fall.’

  ‘I’m not surprised in those shoes she wears. At her age she should go for flats. For a minute I thought you were going to tell me Martin had done himself in.’

  ‘Is he the type?’

  ‘They’re all the type, mark my words. My brother jumped in front of a train in 1972 over some woman. Men! They haven’t got the staying power of us women. Mind you, I read the paper this morning. It sounds like Martin’s put up with a lot over the years. Is it true what they’re saying about Lois having affairs right, left, and centre?’ Sian didn’t reply, not that she was given the chance. ‘I wouldn’t put it past her. She looks the type. That Martin’s a saint though. He’s practically brought those three kiddies up on his own. It’s them I feel sorry for. If I were that Martin, I’d have knocked her into touch years ago. Anyway, I can’t stand here gabbing, I’ve got stuff for the freezer in these bags. Ta-ra love.’

  Sian smiled. The gossip of neighbours never ceased to amaze her.

  ‘You look worried,’ Sian said as she joined Matilda in the middle of the road to watch the ambulance drive away at speed followed by Aaron and Rory.

  ‘I am. I spoke to Martin only yesterday. He didn’t look like he was about to fly off the handle.’

  ‘Maybe he reached breaking point.’

  ‘I think he reached breaking point the second he hired a hitman. The question is, has he finally lost control? From the state of the house, I’d say yes. That’s years’ worth of pent-up aggression about to burst out. If Thomas is with him, then he’s in serious trouble.’

  FIFTY-SIX

  There was a new unit being built at the Northern General, complete with helipad, so the car parks were more congested than usual. Parking wardens were directing people carefully around the building site and traffic was held up while diggers and heavy machinery were brought in. Aaron and Rory waited patiently.

  ‘If your Katrina said she was having another man’s baby, what would you do?’ Rory asked from the front passenger seat.

  ‘I’d find out who it was then I’d kill him,’ he replied in his usual deadpan tone.

  ‘Would you stay with her though, bring the kid up as your own?’

  ‘Piss off. Do I look like a mug? What about you with Amelia?’

  Rory rolled his eyes and sighed. ‘There’s no chance of that happening. Until she’s qualified the subject of marriage, kids, and sex is completely off the table. She’s even started wearing a nightie to bed. At this rate we’ll have separate beds by Christmas.’

  ‘How long until she qualifies?’

  ‘God knows. I can hardly get two words out of her. Every evening she’s got her face in some law book. Still, at least I can watch Sheffield United in peace.’

  Aaron looked out of the side window as a large crane made its way noisily and slowly down the road. As his view cleared, he cast his eye over the impressive sight of the hospital grounds and their various buildings and units. Something caught his eye and he looked up at the roof of the Hadfield Wing – a six storey recent addition to the Northern General site, named after Sir Robert Hadfield, discoverer of manganese steel. On the roof he saw three figures moving about, one of whom was wearing a dressing gown.

  ‘Shit,’ Aaron said under his breath.

  ‘What’s up?’

  ‘Look up there, on the roof.’

  ‘Where?’

  ‘On the roof! Is that who I th
ink it is?’

  Rory leaned over to the driver’s side of the car and was almost on Aaron’s lap, straining to see out of the window. ‘Jesus Christ. Is that Lois Craven?’

  ‘If it is then that’s her husband with her. And, by the look of it, little Thomas.’

  ‘What are they doing on the roof?’

  ‘I doubt they’re up there for a picnic and to admire the view. Phone Matilda.’

  Aaron climbed out of the car while Rory made the call. He didn’t want to draw attention to himself, or to whatever was happening on the roof, but he needed to keep an eye on any development. He looked around to see if anyone else had noticed, but, thankfully, the disruption from the building work was more interesting to visitors to the hospital.

  ‘Matilda’s on her way,’ Rory said as he appeared next to Aaron. ‘What are we going to do?’

  ‘I’ve no idea until Matilda gets here,’ he thought for a moment. ‘Right, go into the Hadfield Wing and discreetly ask how you get up onto the roof. Show your ID and tell whoever you ask to keep it to themselves. I’m guessing Matilda will want to go up there when she arrives.’

  They both looked up at the imposing building. Judging by how wildly Lois’s hair was flying about in the breeze, it looked mighty dangerous up there.

  It didn’t take Matilda and Sian long to arrive at the hospital. They didn’t bother looking for a parking space, they just pulled up. As Matilda jumped out of the car and approached Aaron, she looked up at the roof.

  ‘How long have they been up there?’

  ‘I’ve no idea. I’ve been keeping an eye on them. It looks like they’re just talking.’

  ‘Anyone else up there with them?’

  ‘No. Well, there’s a young child who I’m guessing is Thomas.’

  ‘Shit.’

  ‘Rory’s in the building trying to find out how to get up to the roof.’

  ‘Right, OK,’ she said, thinking aloud. ‘Aaron, get on to the fire brigade and tell them what’s happening. I don’t want them coming with sirens blaring though. Also, try and keep people away from the building. Don’t draw attention to it. Fingers crossed we can stop this from escalating any further than it already has.’