The Truth Will Out

by Jane Isaac

  “When Nate died, Chilli’s world was literally ripped apart at the seams. He raised that lad the only way he knew how: as a torturer and a killer, his perfect ally. Without him, he could trust no-one.”

  The events played on Helen’s mind well after Pemberton had left her to rest. What was missing from the Mini? What motivated Chilli? What caused Nate to plan out these murders so meticulously? She recalled Dean’s presentation to them when they arrived in Hampton, “Many of the guns are smuggled in from the Baltics.” The girls had travelled to Milan. Surely they wouldn’t need to travel that far for a shipment of heroin or cocaine? But Italy bordered the Adriatic Sea, close to the Baltics. The police would no doubt try to trace the car, but it was most likely emptied out, cleaned and sold on. They would probably never know for sure.

  She thought about Sawford. She guessed he had received intelligence on Dean, suggesting a link to Chilli. And when Dean became involved on this case, he came down to take a closer look. Maybe he’d been watching him for some time, his move to become his boss engineered in an attempt to bring him closer. Sawford was a pedantic investigator, with political allegiances to forward his own career. But, at this moment, Helen was grateful for his presence, without which none of this may ever have come to light and she may have died in that cellar.

  And Dean. Pemberton had told her about the debtor’s book they’d found in the safe at Black Cats, which indicated regular loans to Dean over the past nine months. They’d matched the dates with a private card game Chilli had run with some of his associates. Helen was astounded. What drove an apparently honourable man like Dean to gamble with the likes of Chilli Franks, and eventually become tangled into a web of organised crime? She could just imagine Chilli’s delight at having a senior detective in his pocket.

  Outwardly, Dean had appeared calm, his usual congenial self, but inwardly, it seemed he tussled with the strains of servicing a debt that multiplied daily. And yet there were no giveaway signs – no chewed fingernails, nervous twitches, mood swings – all habits and mannerisms they were taught, as detectives, to notice. Perhaps his years in the force helped him to mask his own troubles. But eventually they’d eaten away at him, consuming his honesty and integrity, until there was nothing left. Chilli and Dean: an unlikely alliance. It was ironic that the one person who didn’t succumb to Dean’s charms, brought about his downfall.

  But there was one small thread of conscience left in Dean. Instead of taking Robert, kidnapping and securing him as Chilli intended, he’d borrowed the boy’s mobile phone and dropped him within an hour of home - far enough that he’d have to walk and Helen couldn’t reach him and close enough to keep him safe. Chilli trusted Dean’s loyalty that he’d secured him. Yet all the time he was safe at home. Although he tracked Helen through her GPS, hunted her down for Chilli, Dean’s refusal to involve her youngest son in the debacle that followed was significant to her. Did Dean know this was the end? She would never know.

  There had been a time when Helen wondered if he had engineered the move into organised crime, the assistance to Hamptonshire force in their hour of need, to be close to her. She had been flattered by it. Helen thought about the dingy guest house where he was staying, where she had stayed with him. She could see him, smell him, feel the tender touch of his hand, the softness of his eyes upon her. But really he was settling his debts. And he was willing to sacrifice her in pursuit of this goal. This thought sickened her mind.

  Now he was dead. The image of him standing in front of her, gun in hand made her stomach cramp. He used her. Thick droplets gathered in her eyes. Right now, she felt like a glass, knocked off the table and smashed into a million broken pieces.

  As she quietly sobbed, she considered her fate. She had achieved the same as her father, caught the same dangerous man, brought down an empire of organised crime. Yet right at this moment she didn’t feel like much of a success.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Eva peered out of the car window. They passed a jogger in a fluorescent jacket, a woman struggling with a mobility scooter on the uneven tarmac and a group of teenagers, clumped together, laughing. It was a normal Monday, the rest of the world continuing about their business whilst her world had toppled and almost fallen apart.

  She had just endured a police interview under caution. With no solicitor of her own, she chose the duty solicitor, Janine Rhyme: a tall, well built woman whose big teeth, long nose and ponytail of black wavy hair made her look distinctly horse-like. It only took twenty minutes alone with Janine for Eva to take her advice and elect to make ‘no comment’ when interviewed. ‘The Crown Prosecution Service only prosecute a case where there is a reasonable chance of a conviction,’ Janine had said. And with Jules and Naomi dead, unless the police were able to trace the vehicle, she was confident there would be insufficient evidence to build a case against Eva.

  When the interview was over, the detective advised that her parents were waiting for her. For the first time in what felt like forever, Eva felt a jolt of relief. The walk down the corridor to meet them seemed to take twice as long, anticipating the look of sadness on her mother’s face, the disappointment on her stepfather’s. They weren’t due back for another week.

  Her heart felt like it had been clamped as she opened the door. The rest was a blur. Arms wrapped around her, larger arms encased them all. For a moment she was packaged in human bodies. A firm kiss was planted on her forehead. She looked up to see her stepfather’s worried face staring back at her.

  The meeting seemed like a whirl, almost an out-of-body experience. Eva was racked with guilt, the shame she had brought on the family, the disaster of her own making. They were more concerned for her wellbeing, the tortuous events she had faced alone.

  It wasn’t until later, when Detective Dark brought them coffee, did Eva discover that the detective had updated them in advance of the frightening incidents Eva had encountered over the last ten days.

  But one question still puzzled her: how did they find out? Eva’s mother explained that they switched their phone on to call and check on her a couple of days ago and received a message from DC Dark, asking them to ring urgently. Dark had obtained their mobile number from the Spences’. What caught Eva were her mother’s words, “Your stepfather booked us on the next flight home.”

  Her stepfather, the man she always disappointed, the man who said she needed to grow up and make some real decisions; he’d said this?

  From the back seat, Eva twisted her head to view him. He reached his left hand down to change gear, then back up to the steering wheel, concentrating on the road as any advanced motorist would. She could see the side of his face, the patch at the back of his head where his blond hair was thinning. Her mother reached her hand across and patted his knee affectionately.

  He’d been married to her mother for almost sixteen years and Eva certainly hadn’t made it easy for him. She’d refused to take his surname at her mother’s request, stayed out until the early hours as a teenager, flunked out of university when he’d paid the fees. Yet, he still drove her to youth club all those years, picked her up from the school disco, rushed back home to help in her hour of need, insisted that she go stay with them for a few days to rest.

  And it wasn’t his fault two of her friends were murdered and she’d been interviewed for alleged drugs trafficking. He wasn’t even in the country. This one was down to her. Until now, her body had felt numbed by the tragic events she’d faced over the past week. Suddenly, a warm feeling trickled into her veins. This was like being given a second chance at life, her life. There were a lot of issues she needed to resolve. And she would start by making it up to him. This time she wouldn’t mess up.

  ***

  The door opened and Helen managed a feeble smile as her mother, Matthew and Robert filed into the hospital room.

  Jane Lavery approached the bed and stroked the back of her folded fingers across her daughter’s cheek. “How are you feeling, darling?”

  “Like a boxer’s punchbag.” Hel
en recognised the shock and concern that her mother attempted to conceal and forged another smile. It caught the split in her lip, causing her to flinch and suck it into her mouth.

  She turned to Matthew, who dug his hands into his jean pockets and hunched his shoulders uncomfortably. “How was your weekend?”

  “Good, thanks.” He looked away, as if he felt guilty for enjoying himself.

  Robert stepped forward. “You okay, Mum?”

  His tiny frame almost always made him appear younger than his years and this time his facial expression followed suit. The relief at seeing him alive and well was palpable. She was desperate to grab him, hug him and never let go. Yet she didn’t want to make a fuss or alarm him anymore right now.

  Helen suddenly realised how the bruises on her face, the split in her lip, the darkness in the room must be frightening for her boys. “I’m fine, really,” she said, easing her expression. “It looks a lot worse than it is. The doctor said I’ll be able to come home tomorrow.”

  An uneasy silence descended upon them. Helen searched her mother’s face. There it was: the terror behind the eyes. Worse still, she could see the same terror both in Matthew and Robert. It wasn’t right. They were too young for this.

  Helen had felt the same terror herself as she mentally fought against Matthew joining the Air Cadets, putting himself in danger, possibly being taken from her in a flying accident, just like his father. And thoughts of the amiable Robert being kidnapped, in danger, possibly dead, had plunged her heart into a freezer these past twenty-four hours. She was both a mother and father to her boys. Yet, through this job she consistently placed her own life in danger.

  Maybe it was time to change positions. Take a desk job, a safe bet for her family. But did it have to be work or family? She had gained her own passions from her father’s career. An event like this was unlikely to ever occur again, not even in her line of work. She glanced from face to face, considering how to address the elephant in the room when the door swung open and Jo burst in.

  “Hi, Helen. God! You look awful!” Helen struggled to keep the split in her lip together as she smiled. “There are hoards of reporters out there,” Jo continued, oblivious to the atmosphere she’d interrupted. “You’re front page news. Always thought there was something shifty about that Fitzpatrick.” She sniffed.

  Jo rambled on but her mere presence in the room lightened the mood.

  “Well, boys,” Jo eventually said. “I bet you’re really proud. Your mum’s a hero.”

  Helen shot her mother an awkward glance.

  “Yes, she is,” Jane Lavery said, her face impassive. “A hero… ”

  Interview

  with the

  Author

  When and why did you start writing?

  Although I’ve always had an interest in writing, it was a diary that my husband and I kept during a gap year to travel the world, some years back, that prompted me to take it up seriously. While photos held memories, the words conjured up the essence of each and every place we visited and encouraged me to enrol on a creative writing course on my return.

  Initially I studied non-fiction and did some freelance work for newspapers and magazines, then later started the fiction side of the course and fell in love. I wrote a few short stories and eventually decided to try my hand at a novel. I wasn’t even sure whether I’d manage to complete a whole book but as soon as I finished An Unfamiliar Murder I started The Truth Will Out, and am already working on a third, a new crime thriller set in Stratford-upon-Avon.

  I love the psychological element of putting ordinary people in extraordinary situations and watching their characters evolve alongside a criminal investigation, so I guess I was always going to write in the mystery/thriller genre. An avid crime reader for many years and a fascination with police investigations and criminal elements, it seemed the right decision to write books I like to read myself.

  The character DCI Helen Lavery is both strong and vulnerable. How did you come up with the character, and do you see any aspects of yourself in her?

  I knew from the beginning I wanted to avoid the tired, divorced alcoholic detective who lives alone (a role done brilliantly over the years by other authors) and do something different with Helen. I decided to make her realistic, a regular person like you or I, so that we feel her journey. It didn’t take long to establish that a single parent managing the most difficult job in the police force whilst raising teenage boys is not unrealistic in modern day policing.

  What makes Helen special is that she has little interest in the statistics, politics and resourcing issues that dominate the senior echelons of the police force. She raced through the ranks to follow in her late father’s footsteps into this ‘hands on’ role to make a difference and put away the ‘really bad guys’. Leading the murder squad is her ultimate ambition forcing her to occasionally adopt unorthodox methods in pursuit of a killer.

  It always makes me chuckle when people ask if Helen is like me. Her personal side is made up of fragments of people I know, acquaintances, and a lady I passed by in a café in London. (It’s incredible how a chance encounter can have such an impact!)

  I have great admiration for Helen and I’m sure if she was real we’d be friends, but that’s where the similarities end. Helen likes to investigate murders; I prefer to write about them.

  How did you research the police and forensic procedures referred to in the book?

  I’m quite fascinated by forensic developments, the work of detectives and the techniques they employ to solve a case. I think it is important to reflect the police procedural side as accurately as possible in order to keep the novel authentic. There is nothing worse than reading a story and thinking - that would never happen!

  I probably spend as much time researching as I do writing a novel and although I do read books and research online, I do prefer the personal approach. I’m very fortunate to have built up lots of contacts throughout the police force and related organisations that are willing to talk through the reality of potential scenarios, although it should be said that real police investigations are actually very methodical and quite laborious in pursuit of the truth, so fiction tends to focus on the more exciting elements.

  How do you feel Helen’s husband’s death has shaped her character?

  Losing her husband plunged Helen into life as a single parent. She feels the weight of being both a mother and father to her boys whilst pursuing her passions in her job, but it does have its disadvantages in the unsociable hours and demands it places on her personal life, hence the need for her mother to help out with childcare. Whilst being very protective over her boys, she’s also forced to make choices between her personal and professional life and constantly wondering whether she has got the balance right.

  I think many people, for whatever reason, find themselves in situations these days where they have to juggle both home and work life. A lot of working parents diligently manage their time between their children and fulfilling the demands of a challenging job and question whether they are doing both well.

  What would you have done in Eva’s position if you had witnessed your friend being attacked?

  Ah! The thousand million dollar question.

  The natural reaction would be to call the police, an ambulance and rush to Naomi’s side, but then I have nothing to hide.

  What fascinates me is that the decisions we make as individuals are often coloured by external circumstances beyond our control. There are times in all our lives when we are required to make quick decisions and judgement calls, which can have wide-reaching consequences.

  Eva is essentially a nice girl, she wants to do the right thing, but her secret leaves her cornered: she can’t contact the police and she can’t go to Naomi as she fears she may be next, so she goes on the run. It was interesting to watch her own character develop as she pushed her life aside and tried to disappear, and how later she dealt with the truth and turned things around.

  The novel approaches sensitive subjects
including police corruption, drug trafficking and domestic abuse. How important was it to you that these topics were covered accurately?

  I think it’s important for books to emulate the world in which we live and touch on subjects that exist in the murky underworld of society, but it can be challenging to research and reflect them accurately.

  I admit after spending so much time in the company of police officers, I did find it difficult to write about the dark world of police corruption. It makes for exciting fiction, but we should remember that it’s extremely rare. It seems police officers rarely receive the praise they deserve. I have nothing but respect for their bravery, integrity and the fact that they put their own lives in danger every day to keep us all safe.

  Although domestic violence is quite a small part of the book, I found it very upsetting to research something that is very real and has wide-reaching ramifications for anybody who has ever been affected by it.

  When it comes to drugs trafficking and organised crime, what interests me are the motivations behind the actions. Aside from the obvious money and power, what makes a formerly upstanding individual become involved with the criminal fraternity? And more to the point, what makes a serial killer? With this in mind for Nate’s character, I consulted a psychologist to help me with his background profile to ensure that his motivations and actions were believable.

  Your first novel An Unfamiliar Murder was published in the USA, how do you feel about publishing in your home country for the first time?

  With improvements in communications, it’s so much easier to carry out business across the globe. Although my first publisher was in America, we shared lots of Skype meetings in order to maintain that personal touch and, as the book was also released on Amazon UK and stocked in my local bookshops, it was also available in this country which meant that I could still carry out lots of events to celebrate its release.