Nothing But Lies

by Lyndon Stacey

  ELEVEN

  Having mollified Taz with a long run along the beach at Hengistbury Head, Daniel headed back to Maiden Ashton in a thoughtful frame of mind. From his age and description, Ricky Cardew was quite patently not the man that Tamiko had had words with at Rufford Manor, even without his claim of non-acceptance by his half-brother and -sister. As to who that might have been, the seeds of an idea were putting down tentative roots into Daniel’s psyche, and the first thing he did when he got back to the cottage was to fire up the computer and do a search for images of Dennie Travers.

  There was no shortage. Scrolling through them, Daniel selected two of the clearest and most recent, one being from the newspaper coverage of his disappearance, printed them off and showed them to Tamiko.

  Her response was disappointing.

  ‘It could have been this man, I cannot say for sure. As I tell you, my man has a beard and wears sunglasses. I only see him for a little while.’ She looked again. ‘I’m sorry. I cannot be certain.’

  ‘It’s OK, never mind. I remember now, you said he had a beard. I should have expected it, it’s the obvious disguise.’

  ‘The whole thing’s quite a leap in reasoning,’ Jo-Ji said. They were at the kitchen table, drinking tea. ‘After all, all you really know is that Boo lied about who it was Tamiko saw. There could be any number of reasons why she did that, most of them far less dramatic than her husband coming back from the dead.’

  ‘But if he did fake his death, for a life insurance payout, or whatever, don’t you think he’d do almost anything to keep his secret safe?’

  ‘You don’t seriously think he’s been here all along?’

  ‘No, of course not! But his son is dying. Isn’t it possible he’s been lying low somewhere abroad and came back to see him?’

  ‘And you think the attack the other night was his attempt to silence Tami? You’re forgetting something important, aren’t you? Tami had never met Dennie, so she had no reason to doubt that the man she saw was Boo’s brother. Therefore she presents no threat at all, so why would they take the risk of attacking her? I’m afraid you’ll need to have something a lot more concrete than that before I’m going anywhere near the boss with the idea,’ he told Daniel. ‘You know as well as I do that if we go charging in with no more than a supposition, we could easily end up with egg on our faces, if not a complaint of harassment.’

  ‘It’s not without precedent,’ Daniel argued.

  ‘I know, but the way things are at work at the moment, anyone who puts their head above the parapet without a very good reason is liable to get it shot off. It’s your friend Paxton throwing his weight around again. I think the powers that be are leaning on him about these budget reforms. And I’ve got an assessment coming up in a week or two; I don’t especially want to draw attention to myself in that quarter, if I don’t have to.’

  Daniel had to sympathise. He knew exactly how it felt to be in DI Paxton’s black books and it was something to be avoided. It was the inspector who had made his own position in the force intolerable, eventually forcing his resignation.

  ‘I guess by now Paxton knows I’m staying here – I hope that isn’t making things awkward for you,’ Daniel said.

  ‘He hasn’t said anything, but then I don’t see that much of him, day to day, if I can help it – the joy of being in the dog unit. But he’d be sure to get involved if I started peddling that kind of theory about the place and he’d want to know exactly how much you had to do with it.’

  ‘But you know, if I’m right, it could explain everything.’

  ‘Just get me some more, Dan. Something solid I can put before them. Something they can’t argue with.’

  ‘OK. I’ll try. It’s probably for the best, anyway. One whiff of interest from your lot and I reckon they’d be gone before old Paxton gets his arse off his chair.’

  ‘Anyway, I’ve got that info you wanted on Chris Haynes,’ Jo-Ji said, then. ‘Ran her numberplate and yes, that’s her real name; Christine Haynes. She’s thirty-eight, ex-army signals corps, and now runs a business advising on Internet security. It’s just her and a part-timer, as far as my contact could see. No criminal record – not even a parking ticket or speeding fine. In fact, not on our radar at all. I can give you her address, if you want, but I really shouldn’t.’

  ‘Leave it for now. I don’t want to get you into trouble and to be honest, I don’t think I’d get anywhere calling on her at home. I get the impression she’s a pretty tough cookie. What I wouldn’t mind doing, though, is having a word with Stella King.’

  ‘Oh, you want to see Stella?’ Tamiko said, hearing the name. She was by the stove, preparing food. ‘I’m treating her again tomorrow afternoon.’

  ‘That’s lucky. The gods must be smiling on me,’ he said. ‘Now I’ve just got to think of a way to engage her in conversation.’

  As it turned out, Tamiko engineered the opportunity. As before, she and Stella disappeared inside the house fairly promptly upon arrival, and Daniel, left to kick his heels once more, again went for a walk. When he returned just before the hour was up, Tamiko opened the front door and beckoned to him.

  ‘Stella needs something from her attic,’ she told him. ‘It’s too heavy so I tell her you would be happy to get it down.’

  ‘This is very kind of you.’ Stella greeted him in the hall, plain and sixtyish, with her trim figure dressed in casual trousers and a cream polo shirt with a Ralph Lauren logo on the pocket. ‘It’s only a box of books that I promised for the local charity bazaar, but it’s rather heavy and I didn’t want to go and undo all the good work Tami has just done on me.’

  Heights were something of a bugbear for Daniel, but even though the house had three floors and the trapdoor to the attic was, necessarily, on the topmost one, the ceilings here were lower than they were downstairs and the climb held no great fears for him. The box was, as she had told him, pretty heavy, and he had to back down the ladder, sliding it down the uprights, but within a very short time it was safely on the floor and the ladder and trapdoor returned to their respective positions.

  ‘Could I ask you to carry it downstairs for me, Daniel?’ Stella asked, adding as they reached the hall, ‘thank you so much. Well, the least I can do is offer you both a cup of tea. Would you like one?’

  Daniel had only just drunk a large cappuccino at the café along the road, but he assured her that he would love one, and she sent the two of them into the garden while she prepared it.

  ‘Well done!’ Daniel told Tamiko, as they wandered out onto a beautifully sheltered patio, festooned with pots and hanging baskets.

  ‘It was just lucky she mention it,’ Tamiko said. ‘She was telling me about this bazaar and mentioned the books up in the roof.’

  ‘Perfect. I didn’t think it would be this easy.’

  However, when Stella came out carrying a tray with teapot and china cups, it soon became clear that it wasn’t going to be easy.

  ‘I saw a friend of yours the other day,’ Daniel told Stella, when the obligatory remarks about the weather and the prettiness of the garden had been dispensed with.

  ‘Oh, did you?’ she responded with polite interest. ‘Who was that?’

  ‘Chrissie Haynes.’ He used the familiar form of her name, hoping it would put his hostess at her ease.

  She frowned. ‘I don’t think I know her. What made you think I did?’ she enquired.

  ‘Oh, sorry. It was just that I saw you talking to her when I dropped Tami off, last time.’

  ‘Oh, the lady with the motorbike?’ Stella said. ‘Was that her name? I suppose it was. She just came to collect some jewellery she bought from me on eBay.’

  ‘Oh, I see. Sorry. It was just the way you were talking, I assumed …’ Daniel cursed inwardly. Either she was telling the truth, which he doubted, or the woman had been forewarned.

  ‘Just passing the time of day, as far as I can remember,’ she said. ‘How do you know her?’

  ‘She’s a friend of Boo Travers’ and she
introduced me. We know Boo through the horses. She has showjumpers, too.’

  ‘Tamiko said you were driving the lorry for her,’ Stella said. ‘If I were you, I would keep clear of Mrs Travers and her friends. The woman is a slut!’

  The word cut the soft, gentleness of the afternoon scene like a machete, incongruous from the lips of one who had so far been well-mannered and polite. Daniel glanced at Tamiko and saw that she was visibly shocked, but for his own part, inside he was cheering. He had pierced the barrier Stella King had so carefully put up.

  ‘To be honest, I don’t know her that well,’ he said. ‘But I do know you two have … history, shall we say? I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have mentioned her.’

  ‘Not saying her name won’t make her go away,’ Stella stated. ‘She’s a parasite. She sucked the life out of my marriage and one day she’ll pay for that. She thinks she’s sitting pretty, but she’s not. The bitch will get her come-uppance soon and all her scheming will be for nothing. I can wait. I’ve waited twenty-eight years.’

  ‘Some would say she’s had her come-uppance,’ Daniel suggested. ‘What with losing her husband and now her son being ill.’

  Stella became tight-lipped. ‘If that’s what you believe.’

  ‘He’s got leukaemia, I’m told.’

  ‘I’m sorry for the boy,’ she said, stiffly. ‘But only for his own sake. Tell me, how do you suppose you’d feel if you discovered that everything you thought you had was a sham and always had been? Nothing but lies. She ruined my whole life.’

  It takes two to have an affair, Daniel thought, but he didn’t think it would help to say so.

  ‘It must have been so hard for you,’ Tamiko said with genuine sympathy. ‘I can see why you’re bitter.’

  Stella turned and smiled at her, back in control of her emotions. ‘Thank you my dear. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have spoken like that. Will you have another cup of tea?’

  Sensing that he had probably learned all he was going to, Daniel declined and presently, they were shown to the front door with slightly less grace than they had been invited in.

  ‘I’m glad I make another appointment before,’ Tamiko said as they made their way to his car. ‘She was very angry – very bitter. I feel the tension when I treat her, this time. It is supposed to make her relaxed but I think she is tense again as we leave.’

  ‘I’m sorry. I hope I haven’t lost you a customer, but she shouldn’t blame you. It was me who stirred her up. Feel free to disown me, when you see her again.’

  On the way home, Daniel’s phone rang, and after a glance at the display, he apologised to Tamiko, pulled in at the first opportunity and answered it.

  ‘Daniel Whelan?’ The voice was male and hesitant.

  ‘Yep. Is that Ricky?’

  ‘How did you know?’

  ‘Bournemouth number. Don’t know anyone else in Bournemouth.’

  ‘Oh, OK. Look, I hope you don’t mind. You said I could ring …’

  ‘And I meant it. What can I do for you?’

  ‘Well, I’ve been thinking about what you said – that you might be able to help me. Did you mean it?’

  ‘Of course. Did you lose your job? I’m sorry. I rang the company to try and put things right but like you said, they weren’t interested.’

  ‘Yeah, well, it was no great loss but it did keep body and soul together, just. I wasn’t going to ring but I’ve just been told that the pub where I’ve been doing evening shifts is about to close, so now I’m really up the creek.’ He paused, then rushed on. ‘I’ll understand if you can’t help. I don’t blame you, it’s just I kept wondering whether you really had something in mind or not. I mean, if you did it’d be stupid not to … well …’

  ‘It’s OK. Yeah, I did have something in mind, but I can’t make you any promises. Tell me, would you be prepared to up sticks to Devon?’

  ‘Listen mate, you’ve seen where I live. Would you be sad to leave?’ Suddenly, there was a note of optimism in Ricky’s voice that hadn’t been there before, and Daniel hoped to goodness he wouldn’t have to let him down.

  ‘OK. As I said, no promises, because I haven’t checked it out as yet, but whatever happens, I’m sure we can come up with something. Speak in a bit.’

  When he cut the connection he found Tamiko regarding him questioningly.

  ‘Ricky? Boo’s half-brother, Ricky?’ she asked. ‘You’re a good man, Daniel Whelan.’

  Daniel shrugged to hide his discomfiture.

  ‘Not really,’ he said, starting the car and looking for a gap in the traffic. ‘But if I break something I like to fix it. It’s only fair.’

  That night, the residents of No 5 Tannery Lane and, quite possibly their next-door neighbours too, were rudely awakened by a thunderous knocking on the front door, which set Taz barking furiously.

  Daniel, who was still sleeping in the lounge, was on his feet instantly and moving swiftly to the window to see who was outside. A glance at his watch showed him that, although it was almost light, it was barely four o’clock in the morning and the figure at the front of the house was illuminated not only by the general glow in the sky, but by the motion-sensitive security light over the door.

  It was Samir Jafari and he looked as though he hadn’t been to bed. Staring up at the first-floor windows, he didn’t at first see Daniel on the ground floor. As he watched, Jafari stepped forward to hammer on the door again and then bellowed, ‘I want my boy! Give me my son!’

  Taz stood inside the door and redoubled his efforts until he was told to be quiet. With a hand on the dog’s collar Daniel unlatched and opened the door and had the satisfaction of seeing Jafari stumble backwards as he came face to face with the dog’s impressive dental exhibition, at that moment clearly visible beneath raised lips.

  ‘Hold the dog!’ he shouted. ‘Don’t let the fuckin dog go! I only want to see my son.’

  ‘Then come back in the daytime, when you’re sober,’ Daniel told him. ‘And come with a social worker.’

  ‘I’ve got every right to see him,’ Jafari stated.

  ‘Then there shouldn’t be a problem, should there?’

  ‘That bitch says they’re going to take him away from me. They can’t do that!’

  ‘You’ll have to take that up with them. Nobody’s said anything to us.’

  ‘I want to see him now!’

  ‘For God’s sake, man! It’s four o’clock in the morning!’ Daniel pointed out. ‘Go away before I call the police. You’re waking the whole neighbourhood.’

  ‘Not before I see my son. You can’t stop me.’

  ‘I don’t have to. He’ll do it for me,’ Daniel said nodding at the dog.

  Jafari stood staring at the dog for several long moments, unshaven and bleary eyed, then said, ‘Fuck you!’ turned and walked unsteadily back to his van, which was parked untidily across the lane.

  With a crunching of gears, he straightened it up and drove away, just as Jo-Ji came down the stairs to stand behind Daniel.

  ‘I’ve called it in,’ he said. ‘Hopefully they’ll pick him up for driving under the influence. That won’t help his cause overmuch.’

  ‘Is Jahan OK?’

  ‘Tami’s with him. He was terrified, poor little bugger! Crying his eyes out – afraid his dad was going to take him away. I told him you and Taz weren’t about to let that happen, and he calmed down a bit.’

  ‘Right, you’re on hot chocolate duty. I’ll take Taz up to see him,’ Daniel said, ruffling the dog’s fur. ‘Good work, lad.’

  Taz ran into the lounge to find a tug-toy, his reward for a job well done.

  The next day, as Jo-Ji wasn’t working until late, Daniel decided to take him at his word and try and get the proof he needed. After his early morning ride with Tamiko, he packed a digital camera into a backpack along with a bottle of water, a flask of coffee, a waterproof-backed blanket and a handful of dog biscuits. In his pocket he slipped a memory-stick-sized voice recorder, and wearing a lightweight pair of walking boots with
grey jeans and a dark-green fleece, he put Taz in the back of the car and set off towards Bath.

  According to the Ordnance Survey Explorer map he’d looked at over breakfast, the fields surrounding Boo Travers’ home at Rufford Manor were bordered on one side by a large area of woodland. There was a public footpath marked on the map, running through the wood and out across farmland on the other side. Between the footpath and the boundary with the Rufford Manor land the wood climbed steeply to a ridge before dropping away again to the edge of her fields. Daniel wondered if a person climbing to the top of that ridge with a pair of powerful binoculars, such as he had in the glove compartment of the Mercedes, might be able to obtain a useful view of the Rufford Manor land and buildings. And if that was the case, and a person was very patient, might he see someone moving around who had no business to be there? As he had no better plan in mind, Daniel had decided to check it out.

  The day was warm and sunny, and when he reached the gravelled pull-in that served as a car park for the path into the woods, Daniel found several cars there before him. Glancing at them as he parked, one in particular caught his eye and searching his memory, he identified the numberplate.

  ‘Well, well, Ms Haynes. I wonder what you are doing here …?’ he mused. It was just possible that she too had a dog and that her choice of footpath was coincidental, but Daniel didn’t seriously entertain that possibility for long. He remembered his first mentor at the Met standing on his hind legs in the local bar one night and proclaiming loudly, ‘I’m a police officer; I don’t believe in fairies, Father Christmas or coincidences!’ Although he wouldn’t go that far, Daniel did think that Chris Haynes’ presence in the woods adjacent to Boo Travers’ land was probably stretching chance a bit too far.

  Gathering his backpack and his binoculars, he let Taz out and, calling him to heel because of the road, walked along the line of vehicles towards the footpath sign.

  Chris Haynes’ car, a medium-sized 4×4, had a waterproof jacket and some files on the back seats, and the area behind them was empty apart from a rather less than clean blanket and a pair of Wellington boots. This in itself wouldn’t necessarily have argued the ownership of a dog, but the clincher was the state of the side windows, which were almost opaque with dried-on nose marks.