Cold Case

by M A Comley

  “You tell me,” she said, calling his bluff.

  “I don’t like the inference you’re making, Inspector. My wife loved our daughter deeply. We would never harm a hair on her head.”

  “Glad to hear it. May I ask why you haven’t contacted me in the last forty-eight hours?”

  “Did you tell me to? My wife didn’t inform me. So, because I neglected to contact you, you believe that it is a sign of my guilt. Is that what you’re saying?”

  “Not at all. However, I was expecting you to contact me, especially if, as in your words, I upset your wife when I questioned her the other day.”

  His mouth opened and shut several times as if he were a gasping fish out of water. Finally, he growled, “Look around you. I manage this shop by myself. You think it looks this good just from me sitting behind a counter all day? I’m here from six in the morning until ten at night. You think I have time to chase after an officer who is intent on blaming a victim’s family for her death?”

  Sally raised a hand. “Now wait just a minute. I never said anything of the sort. It’s my job to reinvestigate this crime to the best of my ability. I’ve already uncovered several things that the original officer in charge of the case either missed or chose to ignore. I have to tell you that all your anger is doing is raising my suspicions more. Now, why don’t you tone down your anger and start being civil to me? After all, I’m only trying to find out who hated your daughter enough to want to take her last breath.”

  His head hung low in shame, he mumbled, “I’m sorry. I thought you were pointing the finger in my wife’s and my direction.” He looked her in the eye. “That, I swear, is all I’m guilty of. I see it so often.”

  Sally’s brow wrinkled in confusion. “See what?”

  “Miscarriage of justice. All people in this country see at present is the colour of our skin. Since Brexit has happened, people who have lived in this country—I’m talking about my fellow countrymen here—have been rated as second-class citizens. That is why I’m guilty of being defensive, and my wife, come to that. Please forgive us, Inspector.”

  “Apology accepted. I’m sorry for any trouble you’ve experienced lately. But please, all I’m doing is trying to close this case. I want to see whoever is guilty of killing your daughter and two other victims brought to justice and rotting behind bars.”

  “What? Two other victims? I’m unaware of this. Why have I not been told about this before?”

  “It’s only just come to our attention, Mr. Maqsood. The new evidence I referred to proves that the two suspects the original officer earmarked as killing your daughter were also killed around that time.”

  He shook his head, looking confused. “I don’t understand. How can that be?”

  “We’ve yet to determine the ins and outs. All I can say is that I won’t stop investigating this case until the culprit has been identified and found. You have my word on that, sir.”

  “I appreciate that, Inspector. I’m sorry again for my bad behaviour. For the past ten years, my wife and I have been riddled with guilt.”

  “Why? Aisha’s death was beyond your control. There’s no need for you to feel guilty.”

  “Do you have any children, Inspector?”

  Sally shook her head.

  “Deep down, a parent will always feel a failure if they have been unable to protect their child. I know we weren’t there at the time, but that feeling of frustration and helplessness lingers on. It will live with us until our dying day, until we’re reunited with Aisha.”

  Unexpected tears sprang to Sally’s eyes. She felt remorseful for ever thinking Aisha’s parents could have been guilty of killing her. “I hope the pain and guilt lessen over time, sir. Maybe once we can supply you with closure, those feelings of guilt will disappear altogether.”

  “I hope so, Inspector, but I fear they never will.”

  “We’ll be in touch soon, I hope.”

  “Thank you. I appreciate you taking on the case. It makes a difference to know that our daughter’s case is being treated with consideration this time around.”

  “Goodbye, sir.”

  Both Sally and Jack shook his hand before turning to leave. Once they were back in the car, Sally struggled to hold back the tears and even heard Jack gulping a few times beside her. “It’s all so sad, Jack. What a waste of a life.”

  “What’s up, boss? This is so unlike you to break down like this.”

  On the return journey to the station, she relayed the events of what Dex had been subjected to the night before.

  “What? And you didn’t see anyone else around?”

  “Nope, only the other dog owner who helped me look for him.”

  “Maybe it was him.”

  Sally pulled into the station car park and swivelled in her seat to look at him. “No way! He helped me rescue Dex, tore the tape off his muzzle, and cut the bindings from his legs. Why on earth would you think he’d do such a cruel thing as that?”

  “I’ve known crazier things to happen, Sally. Ask yourself this question: do you carry a penknife in your pocket for emergencies?”

  “No, because that’s a man thing to do, not something us women think of doing.”

  He tilted his head and raised a questioning eyebrow. “It is? I don’t carry one around with me.”

  Sally shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t believe it. No, you’ve got to be wrong, Jack.”

  He shrugged and pulled the handle on the car door. “Have you seen this man around your neck of the woods before?” He exited the car.

  Sally got out and stared at him over the roof. “No, I’ve never seen him before. All right, I’ll go along with your theory that maybe it was him. Tell me why?”

  “How the hell do I know? You know what weird and wonderful people are walking our streets today. Mostly, there’s no rhyme or reason behind half the crimes that are committed. These idiots do it for the sheer hell of it.”

  She locked the car and walked towards the entrance of the station. Shaking her head, she said, “But another dog owner? A pet lover?”

  “Maybe he borrowed the dog to lure Dex away from you.”

  “Either you have a very warped imagination, or you’re spot on. I hope it’s the former. Look, Dex is all right. I’d rather forget all about the incident now.”

  “Just as a precaution, perhaps you should reconsider where you walk Dex from now on.”

  “I’ve already considered that.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  Around forty-five minutes before Sally and Jack were due to leave to interview the teachers, Joanna and Jordan returned, looking triumphant.

  Sally propped herself on the desk closest to Joanna. “Get on with it. You’ve clearly found out something important. What is it?”

  Joanna removed her coat and sat down. “We think we might have come up with a possible connection, boss.”

  Sally’s eyes widened, and she leaned forward. “Do tell.”

  “After chatting to both men’s relatives, the wife of Wilson and the ex-wife of Jenkinson, they confirmed that the men owed money to a loan shark in the area.”

  Sally’s brow furrowed. “Okay, that might connect the two burglars and be the reason behind them turning to burgling their neighbourhood, but how does that link Aisha to them?”

  “That’s the part we need to figure out, boss. Maybe we should ask Patrick Thomas if he’d been in touch with this loan shark.”

  Sally cupped her chin thoughtfully. “Worth a shot. It can’t do any harm. Jack and I need to make a move soon. I’ll seek him out in the morning. What else did the women have to say?”

  “Jenkinson’s ex-wife was very unhelpful, couldn’t wait to get rid of us, which is understandable considering she’s the ex. That was the reason behind their divorce—because he’d saddled them with a huge debt, plus he’d gone behind her back and borrowed money off the loan shark. They ended up losing the house because of it.”

  “People get so desperate these days. Instead of cutting back and s
aving up for what they can’t have, all they do is spend what they haven’t got and put the rest on credit they can’t afford to repay.” Sally tutted. “Hark at me, I sound like my mother.” Even her parents had fallen into the trap of accumulating a debt they couldn’t cover. That hadn’t been self-inflicted, however, as her father had carried out some building work for a man who absconded the country before paying her father’s invoice. That was why Sally had taken over their mortgage and was living back at home. If she hadn’t, the building society would have repossessed the house, and Sally would never have forgiven herself if that happened.

  Joanna nodded. “I agree, boss, which is why I refuse to have a credit card.”

  “Me, too. They’re the curse of our generation. A friend of mine built a house and ran out of money so started slamming it on her card. She ended up with a twenty-grand debt. Anyway, that’s beside the point. What about Mrs. Wilson? Was she saddled with a huge debt, too?”

  “Yes, she told me she’s still trying to pay it off today. Fortunately, she’s remarried, and her new husband is helping her to repay the instalments every month.”

  “Bloody hell, he’s an understanding sort. Had she been informed that her former husband’s body has been discovered?”

  “Yes, boss. She seemed a little upset, maybe relieved even. But said she’s more than happy with the hand she had been dealt, and that she’s now married to a lovely, caring, law-abiding man, who she wouldn’t be without.”

  “That’s lovely to hear. Glad she has moved on with her life and everything is working out for her. I take it the ex, Mrs. Jenkinson was less forgiving by what you’ve told me already.”

  Joanna nodded. “As soon as I mentioned her ex’s name, she began shouting a lot of expletives, calling him some unsavoury names. Not sure how I kept a straight face when she called him a cockwomble!”

  “A what?” Sally laughed.

  “Precisely. It sounded so funny at the time. Anyway, her final words were, ‘I hope he rots in hell’. Do you want me to chase up the loan shark while you’re out?”

  “If you would, do some digging, and Jack and I will set off in the morning to try and confront the bastard if he’s still operating in the area.”

  “I seemed to recall the name when the ladies mentioned it. Spike Barker.”

  “Hmm... the name also rings a bell with me. Find out what you can. Good work, Joanna and Jordan. We better shoot off now, or if we’re late, the teachers might force us to stay behind and put us in detention.”

  ~ ~ ~

  Sally and Jack arrived at the school with five minutes to spare. Sally had attended Highfield School herself as a teenager, and she had mixed feelings as she walked through the gates and entered the winding corridors that led to the music department. She had enjoyed most of her lessons, with the exception of geography, which she truly detested. Maybe it was because of the madcap things her geography teacher used to say during his classes. But it was the memory of being hounded by a small group of bullies that saddened her. The girls, all her own age of fourteen, had ruled the school playground. They hadn’t just singled out one of the pupils, they had shared their unwanted attention around the whole class, including the boys. One day they picked on the wrong person—a girl called Virginia Sandalwood, who had taken up karate after school. Sally had witnessed the day Virginia caught the gang picking on a girl named Christine, who had a hearing defect. Virginia went nuts, and beginning with the leader, she tore into the five girls in the group, leaving them in a heap. Sally had intervened to prevent Virginia from attacking the bullies further. The bullies got to their feet and bolted before Virginia could continue her assault. They had never had the guts to try it on with any other pupil after that day.

  “Why are you smiling?” Jack asked, looking sideways at her.

  “Just remembering the good times I used to have around here.”

  “Wow, I didn’t realise you went to this school. How was it? My parents sent me to an all-boys’ school.”

  “We had our ups and downs, but mostly, I had a really good time here.”

  “I hated my school days. No fun without girls being around to tease.”

  Sally swiped his arm. “Men!”

  They rounded the corner to find a woman with purple hair and wearing half-moon glasses leaning against a doorframe. “Well it’s about time; you’re late. I’m Pamela Albright, head of the music department.”

  Sally glanced at her watch. “Only two minutes late. Sorry for the inconvenience. Is everyone here?”

  “Yes, well, except Jonathon Drake. He sent his apologies, as he has a dentist appointment at four fifteen.”

  “That’s a shame. We’ll have to catch up with him another day then.”

  “Sorry I have to ask, but I need to see your formal IDs. Can’t be too careful today, can we?”

  Sally and Jack both produced their warrant cards and held them in front of the woman’s face. After scrutinising them, she nodded and pushed open the door behind her. “These are Sandra Ball and Lisa Atkins. Both ladies worked alongside Aisha Thomas before... well, before she died.”

  “Okay, we’d like to interview you all separately. We shouldn’t take long, just a brief chat to ask what you can remember about your time working with Aisha and what you know about the incident surrounding her death.”

  “Just a minute.” Mrs. Albright stepped out into the corridor and returned a few seconds later. “The room opposite is free. Use this room for interviews, and the rest of us can wait in the room opposite.”

  “Fantastic. Who wants to go first?” Sally asked, smiling at the teachers.

  The women all glanced at each other and shrugged.

  Finally, Lisa Atkins raised her hand. “I’ll go first if you want?”

  “Thank you. Ladies, if you wouldn’t mind leaving the room, we shouldn’t be too long.”

  Pamela and Sandra walked swiftly from the room. Jack assembled the chairs around the large teacher’s desk at the front of the classroom.

  “First of all, I’d like to thank you for agreeing to see us at short notice, Lisa. Can you tell me how well you knew Aisha Thomas?”

  “Very well. She was my best friend at work, and we even met up a few times after school, too.”

  “Excellent. Maybe you can give us a little insight into her personality? To date, we’ve only questioned members of her family, and they can be a tad biased, as you can imagine.”

  “Okay. She was a lovely girl, very caring and compassionate with her pupils. You know she offered extra tutoring to the more talented students after school hours, right?”

  “We’d heard something along those lines. So she was dedicated to her job, in other words?”

  “Extremely dedicated to her work. In fact, I’ve never met another teacher so dedicated to her students. It was a great loss to lose not just a friend, but a talented teacher, also.”

  “I’m sure. As a personal friend, did she ever confide in you?”

  “All the time. Was there anything specific you need to know about?”

  “Did she ever say what her marriage was like? Did Patrick and Aisha get along well?”

  “Very well. They were extremely happy, considering what they had to put up with from her parents. They despised him. Maybe that came out wrong—I don’t think her parents despised him per se, more the fact that she married someone outside of her own culture and religion. I hope that doesn’t sound racist, voicing that. You never can tell nowadays, can you?”

  “No, I don’t think it sounded racist, just factual. They never fell out about anything?”

  Lisa stared over Sally’s shoulder at the blackboard behind her for a moment or two before she replied. “Not that I know of. They genuinely were a very happy couple. He did shift work being a copper, so perhaps them not being around each other all the time helped on that front.”

  “Maybe you’re right there.” Sally laughed. “Did Aisha ever mention if they had any money problems at all?”

  Lisa shook her head a
nd frowned. “No, never. Did she? Have money troubles, I mean?”

  “We’re not sure. Some evidence has come our way connecting Aisha’s death with another two deaths around that time, and we’re searching for a possible link. That’s all.”

  “You mean she was killed by a serial killer?”

  “Possibly. That’s not for public knowledge yet. What about Patrick’s parents? Did they get on with Aisha? Do you know?”

  “As far as I know. She tended to cling to them a little because she missed her own mother and father so much. It was all rather upsetting for the poor girl. I tried my best to reassure her that it wasn’t her fault and that I thought her parents were overreacting, but she merely shook her head and said, ‘You don’t understand what damage I’ve done to my family by marrying Patrick.’”

  “Do you think Aisha was regretting her decision?”

  “I’m not sure that’s the case. She was extremely sad that she was unable to see her parents and to talk them around. I hope they’re riddled with guilt for letting her down. Families should never disown each other like that. It’s not as if she killed anyone. Sorry, that was the wrong thing to say, but you get my drift. She married a man she fell in love with. Nothing is set in stone in this life, and she saw a chance for happiness and grabbed it with both hands. She couldn’t have realised how much damage saying yes to Patrick would do. Her whole family was ripped to shreds, and she was inconsolable about that.”

  “It is very sad. To answer your question, yes, I think her parents feel an element of guilt, not that they would admit it to anyone. They’re still beside themselves after all these years.”

  “That’s sad, and yet it’s what they deserve for treating her so appallingly.”

  “Life is full of regrets. Let’s just say I believe her parents have a few. What about around here? Was she liked by all the staff and the pupils? Perhaps we should be interviewing some of the parents she had fallen out with.”

  Lisa shuffled in her seat, and her gaze drifted over her shoulder at the closed door before she leaned in and whispered, “I’m not really one for telling tales, but Sandra had issues with Aisha.”