Snow Kills

by RC Bridgestock

  ‘The brief summary of the USI is, when he was twenty-nine he picked up a fifteen year old girl in his wagon on the pretext of giving her a lift and ended up raping her. He argued consent, saying she had told him she was nineteen and agreed to everything including the anal sex. He pleaded to indecent assault as she didn’t want to go to Court. He had his hands slapped, six months imprisonment suspended for two years. I don’t think for a minute that this leopard has changed his spots. My theory is he just hasn’t been caught since.’

  ‘It’s definitely worth more research Vicky, but we need hard evidence. Smelling like a dead rat means nothing to CPS or a jury,’ Dylan said. ‘But it’s very interesting that he knows Ivy Cottage and Regan, very interesting indeed.’

  ‘Well he knows Regan as Nelly... so maybe he doesn’t know him that well.’

  ‘Surely he’d have guessed, or is he in on the act?’ said Dylan, pulling a face. ‘Well, it takes all sorts. John and I also have a theory on the skulls enquiry, and the possibility that they may be linked to the grit stored in the lay-by at Ovenden, above the spot where they were found. While this enquiry seems to be focusing on a small group of people, I am very conscious that we don’t put all our eggs in one basket. However, we certainly need to put the people we have now, in, or out, of the enquiry. We also need to speak with Donny Longbottom, I’ll speak with Perfect and Best Solicitors for a suitable time and date.

  ‘I want you to look at telephones, Andy, Ned, see if you can show some contact between Barrowclough and Regan. Also, look into their financial background. Let’s dig and see if it’s at all possible to show anything. John, I want you to stick with the investigation into the skulls. Okay, we are moving it forward and I’m going to increase the HOLMES staff and get the incident room up to maximum strength. A vast amount of information is starting to come in and we don’t want to miss anything.’

  Dylan was interrupted by the telephone, ‘Dylan,’ he said.

  ‘You bastard!’ he heard a man yell. ‘They’ve suspended me. You’ll fucking live to regret it,’ the caller said and then hung up.

  ‘Everything okay boss?’ Vicky asked.

  ‘Yeah, yeah just a certain Sergeant Maude who isn’t very happy with me at the moment,’ he said with a sigh.

  ‘Not speaking out of turn boss, but Thumper has always been a bit of a loose cannon. I’d keep looking over your shoulder if I were you,’ Ned said.

  ‘Don’t worry, there are bigger, uglier men that have threatened me – but, in my experience, it’s the quiet ones who hurt you the most.’

  After the meeting, Dylan informed Discipline and Complaints about the telephone call. It would be another nail in the sergeant’s coffin. He hated it when police personnel crossed the line, especially when they had had such a long and seemingly unblemished career. For a moment, his mind wandered back to the murder of Detective Sergeant Larry Banks. Larry the ‘lad’ as he was known had been his colleague – but women, greed and the demon drink had been his downfall. It wasn’t good to look back. Police officers had to trust their colleagues implicitly. After all, they put their lives in their hands on many occasions in the line of duty – which is why it hurt so much when it turned out they were bent. The day had been going well, but that call had left a nasty taste in his mouth. How naïve of Sergeant Maude to try to interview and then assault the prisoner in his cell – and why would he think he’d not only please Dylan, but get away with it, these days? Dylan wondered just how many times he had done it in the past. But his tactics wouldn’t be condoned – not on Dylan’s patch.

  Dylan picked up the phone to arrange to interview Donny Longbottom. It would probably mean a visit to Armley Prison where he was on remand, but Dylan needed to know if his solicitor or a representative wanted to be present. He spoke to Yvonne Best.

  ‘I don’t think he’ll want to speak to anyone at the moment,’ she said. ‘He’s having a hard time in there since the other inmates found out what he was inside for. So he’s gone into solitary. What is it you need to talk to him about?’

  ‘Kayleigh Harwood, who went missing on January 7th in that heavy snow.’

  ‘Yes, I read about it, but you don’t think he’s anything to do with that, do you?’ she said. Dylan was open with her, ‘Well, he used to go to her for his hair cutting and frequently sat outside the hairdressing shop where she worked, so it is a line of enquiry.’

  ‘But she got stuck in the snow, didn’t she?’

  ‘Yes, but I have a statement from Longbottom’s mate to say they were both in the area at the time. It’s believed he’d been drinking and while in drink he banged on her car roof when she was inside.’

  ‘I can see why then it’s important for you to talk to him. She’s not been found, has she?’

  ‘No, we were going to have a word with him when he was in the nick for the attempted rape, but with the Custody Sergeant messing up big time that day we still need to speak to him. I personally made a statement against Sergeant Maude for his actions, just for your info.’

  ‘I understand. Lin is diaried to go see him in the next couple of days. Do you want her to ask him if he’ll see you? If she tells him it’s you who made a statement against the police officer who assaulted him, he might just agree.’

  ‘I’d appreciate it. I need to know whether or not someone wants to be present from your office? If he doesn’t want to see us, we will still have to see him as we need to put some questions to him.’

  ‘Better if he’s co-operating then. At least that way you’ll get some answers. Truthful or not, that’s another thing,’ she laughed. ‘I’ll get Lin to give you a call.’

  ‘Thanks for that, Yvonne, I’ll wait to hear from her.’

  John Benjamin was at the office door waiting for Dylan to finish on the telephone. Dylan waved him in.

  ‘What’s on your mind, big fella?’

  ‘I just was just wondering what the possibility was of dentists having records from thirty years ago?’

  ‘I’m sure they will have. Some may have even uploaded the details onto their computerised system, but if it’s like here, they’ll still have the old paper systems as back up.’

  ‘Looking at her photograph, Tina Walker had a distinctive gap in her two front teeth, so that could be a positive when it comes to the search. We don’t have her dental records on file do we?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘And one of the skulls is minus the front teeth, isn’t it?’

  ‘Yes. But we’re jumping ahead of ourselves. The skulls could belong to anyone, John. It would be interesting if one of them does turn out to be Tina’s, but then who does the other belong to if they were dumped in the same place? Actually that may be the bonus and the jigsaw piece that finally unravels the mystery...’

  ‘The problem is that even thirty years ago a hell of a lot of people went missing, just like they do today. I must admit I didn’t realise so many people were never traced ’til I started looking into the stats for this case.’

  ‘Treat the skulls a bit like a pebble in a pond, start with them nearest at the centre of your enquiry and work outwards. Keep an open mind, there may be an innocent explanation for those skulls being in that particular location.’

  ‘Yes, I know. Only time will tell,’ John smiled. ‘I’m determined to solve it, boss.’

  ‘I’d expect nothing less from you,’ said Dylan. ‘Just keep me posted.’

  Chapter 28

  Jen sat listening to the ticking clock in the dark. There was a strong wind blowing and she could hear the rain beating down on the lounge windowpane. Maisy was fast asleep. Her phone beeped. Another message, the sound added to her inward agitation. The days of strain and suspense, never knowing when Shaun was going to try to contact her again, or if indeed Dylan would see one of the hundred messages he had sent, was taking its toll. The room felt chilly all of a sudden and she shivered. She couldn’t see the time but she assumed it was around ten o’clock and presumed Dylan would be home soon. Following another deluge of rai
nfall, she heard a key turn in the lock. She held her breath. The outer door open and closed quietly. She sat up straight. Tonight she would tell him.

  Dylan stood in the hallway looking forlorn and jaded, his back to the front door. He looked too weary for words.

  ‘What on earth have you done to your chin?’

  ‘Shaving,’ he sighed, bringing his hand up to the cut.

  ‘You look like a drowned rat,’ she said smiling through unshed tears at the sight of his pale, wan face.

  She took his briefcase and he discarded his coat to the banister before sitting down on the stairs. He reached out for her hand and pulled her onto his knee. ‘I’m knackered,’ he said, laying his head against her shoulder.

  Jen stroked his head lovingly and for an instant she thought he had fallen asleep, until he spoke. ‘And I need to find Kayleigh.’

  ‘Why did Mrs Harwood not report Kayleigh missing earlier? She’d been gone for a week, hadn’t she, before anyone had noticed she was missing? I couldn’t let Maisy out of my radar for that long, no matter how old she was.’

  Dylan looked up at her face with a seriousness and helplessness he didn’t display to her often. ‘Because, when the time comes, we have to let go. Giving the ones we love freedom is a good thing to let them make their own choices, Maisy will always be our child, but like you and me, without freedom she won’t be healthy. Freedom is a healthy part of nurturing.’

  ‘That is very profound for this time of night. Bed,’ she said, pointing up the stairs. ‘I’ll go and make you a drink.’ With a lump in her throat and a little sigh, she watched Dylan struggle up the stairs. A tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it way. This was no time to be opening up her heart as he was opening up his to her.

  The days rolled by, much to the frustration of Dylan and the team, and time slipped away for him and Jen. Kim Harwood was living a never-ending nightmare that caused her to break down. In contrast, Kayleigh’s boyfriend Matt had been spurred into action by her disappearance and, to Dylan’s surprise, distributed posters of her, hoping that someone, somewhere, may have seen her and that she would be found alive.

  Dylan knew Kayleigh’s mother and boyfriend were both eaten up by the fact that they hadn’t questioned her absence. He told them that there was no way they could have foreseen what had happened. Hindsight was a wonderful thing, but nevertheless he felt their pain. Even if they had been in touch with each other, would it really have made any difference to what had taken place? He thought not. He did, however, wish that he had some news for them, even if it was bad news. Finding a body would at least help them to move forward with their lives.

  It had been almost two weeks before the officers could get a visit to Armley prison. Dylan was taking Vicky with him and Lin Perfect would be there to support her client, she confirmed in a telephone call.

  Cold stone, tiled walls, the clinking of chains, doors slamming and locking, seemed to be the incessant background noise within the prison, Dylan noted as he waited with Vicky to be taken to an interview room to see Donny Longbottom.

  ‘Be careful in here Vicky, because in here you’re worth a fortune.’ Dylan whispered to her.

  ‘You’re not funny, boss. This place gives me the heebie jeebies. They’re like packs of salivating dogs, it makes m’ skin crawl,’ she said, staring at a prisoner who was giving her the eye as he went about his duties cleaning the vinyl floor.

  ‘What I’ll never understand is how people form friendships from the outside with them,’ she said nodding in the staring inmate’s direction with distaste.

  ‘And the rest.’ said Dylan. ‘Trouble is, they’re still human beings.’ Dylan sighed. ‘Just a shame we can’t put some of them down like we would do a violent dog. Sorry, but once a bad ’un, always a bad ’un in my experience.’

  ‘And I know you, you’d vote to bring the death penalty back, unless you’re going soft on me.’

  ‘Too bloody true, with some of the murderers I’ve come face to face with,’ he said.

  A prison officer strode towards them. He opened one of two gates that were locked at each end of the corridor. The peak of his flat cap was slashed so it partly covered his eyes. He was swinging a bunch of keys. ‘Ready?’ he said. ‘I’ll take you to see Longbottom, if you follow me.’

  No other words were spoken and they obeyed his instruction. He locked the gate again once they were through and unlocked the gate at the far end of the corridor, locking it behind them. They followed him closely across an internal walled yard. Wolf whistles came from the high barred windows. The only thing the officers could see were the inmates’ fingers. Their jeers echoed eerily.

  ‘Faceless people living a empty life,’ Vicky whispered.

  ‘Make you nervous?’ said Dylan.

  ‘Not nervous but vulnerable, I guess. Don’t you dare tell Ned I admitted that,’ she said.

  The next door led into the segregation unit and once inside they were taken into a windowless interview room. Sat at a table were Donny Longbottom and his Solicitor Lin Perfect. The prisoner officer stood guard in silence at the only exit.

  Dylan introduced them both to Longbottom and explained that they were investigating the last movements of a missing girl.

  The prisoner wasn’t looking at Dylan but staring blatantly at Vicky’s breasts. ‘We have a statement from a Ryan Merryfield to say you were with him during the heavy snow in Manchester Road, the night Kayleigh Harwood went missing. Do you remember that night?’

  Longbottom looked spaced out, staring, with his head on one side.

  ‘Donny, are you going to answer the Inspector’s questions?’ asked Lin Perfect.

  ‘No,’ Longbottom said as he lay back slovenly in his chair.

  ‘No you don’t remember or no you’re not answering the question?’ asked Vicky.

  He looked up at her face.‘You’re too nice looking to be a copper,’ he said, leaning forward with a lazy smile upon his face.

  ‘And you’re being disrespectful.’

  ‘So?’

  ‘So, you going to talk to us?’ Vicky said,

  He shrugged his shoulders.

  ‘You could start by telling us what you remember about 7th January, White Wednesday, when you were out with Ryan. Or don’t you want to because you did something that you shouldn’t have that night?’

  ‘I’ve done nothing wrong. I told that Sergeant in the cells, but he wouldn’t believe me. Look where that got me.’ Donny Longbottom rubbed his crotch.

  ‘Well, tell us eh? We already know what Ryan says. Shall I read you the statement he’s given us,’ asked Dylan.

  ‘That would be really helpful, Inspector,’ Lin Perfect answered for him. Donny lifted the chair onto two legs and rocked to and fro nonchalantly.

  Dylan read Ryan’s statement aloud.

  ‘That’s a load of crap. I didn’t nick that booze,’ Longbottom said, raising his voice. ‘I just made that up,’ he said stopping, himself from rocking by resting his hands on the table.

  ‘The rest’s right then? You were peeping through people’s windows?’

  ‘Nothing wrong with looking through a window is there?’ He rocked once more. ‘In’t that what windows are made for?’

  ‘Did you know the girl in the car?’ said Vicky.

  ‘Might have.’

  ‘She cuts your hair, doesn’t she?’

  ‘Might do,’ he said putting all four legs of the chair firmly back on the floor with a bang.

  ‘Did you see anything unusual that night that you think might help us find her?’ Vicky said.

  He considered the question for a moment or two, but so convinced were they that he wouldn’t say anything worthy of note neither officer poised their pens above paper.

  ‘I saw a lot of people who looked like snowmen... I saw people on skis... Did I tell you I built a snowman and I used the carrot mum gave us...? That was so funny,’ he laughed raucously.

  ‘We’re wasting our time, aren’t we?’ Vicky said.

  ‘M
ight be, but it gets me out of the cell,’ he grinned.

  ‘Will you make a statement about what happened that night, if what you’re saying is Ryan is lying?’ said Dylan.

  ‘No way, you’d only twist it. It’s been nice looking at you Mrs, but I’m bored,’ he said standing up.

  The interview ended. He was taken away by the prison guard while they waited in their seats.

  ‘I’ll try to get through to him later. Do you really think he is involved, or do you think that he just happened to be in the area?’ said Lin Perfect.

  ‘At the moment we’re keeping an open mind, but it appears he does have a bit of a crush on the girl and had been hanging around the salon where she worked. It seems a bit of a coincidence that on the night she went missing we can put him at the scene where she was last known to be,’ said Dylan.

  ‘But Ryan says in his statement that they ran off at the sound of a man’s voice and can’t confirm that it was Kayleigh in the car or that it was definitely her car,’ she said.

  ‘It’s not like Kayleigh’s car isn’t distinctive though, is it? And he also states that he doesn’t know where Longbottom went afterwards, so we can’t eliminate him.’

  ‘I understand. I have to see him again about the assault. I’ll try to get him to speak to you further. It is in his interest.’

  ‘Thanks,’ said Dylan. ‘Every little helps, as they say.’

  Dylan and Vicky headed back to the nick.

  ‘Is he the one?’ Dylan asked Vicky.

  ‘No, not for me. He’s just a wanker and he’s in the right place for it.’

  ‘I wouldn’t have put it exactly like that, but I have to agree with you. I don’t think it’s him either.’

  ‘Barrowclough has gone to the top of my list, followed closely behind by our man Regan.’

  ‘We just need evidence, concrete bloody evidence. The same names keep cropping up into the enquiry – and that can’t be a coincidence, no way.’