‘What makes you think that?’
‘So it isn’t true?’
Hall had already decided how he would play it. He’d go truth for truth with Battersby, and he’d just have to hope that he ended up learning more of value than the other bloke did.
‘Yes, your name’s come up. How did you know?’
Battersby walked on for a few moments, deciding on his own strategy.
‘Will Callaghan told me.’
‘Right, yes, I see.’
This time it was Hall’s turn to think on. So Callaghan, or more likely Battersby, had identified Ian Mann, which was hardly an astonishing achievement in itself. But to then make the connection to Hall, and to do it so quickly, that was much more impressive. And then, finally, to reveal the fact so quickly suggested to Hall that it was intended to impress, even to cow him. This was boasting about knowledge and power, which were probably much the same thing in this instance, although subtly done.
But in fact Hall felt energised, rather than afraid. He found himself hoping that Battersby was indeed a killer, and that they would dance together now. He decided to take another step.
‘I know Pete Spedding socially. He talked to me about the death of his friend, Cam Donald.’
‘You know the Speddings?’
‘Kendal’s a small town, Mr. Battersby.’
‘Vinny, please.’ He clicked his fingers. ‘You know each other because you’ve both got young kids, babies, don’t you? That’s the connection.’
‘Yes, exactly.’
‘And Spedding thinks I killed Cam Donald, is that it?’
‘He thinks he was murdered. But he doesn’t know who by.’
‘Does he know why anyone would kill Cam deliberately?’
Hall didn’t hesitate. ‘No. He says not. Should he?’
Battersby shook his head, and shrugged. ‘He’s a funny bloke, is Pete. You do know that, I take it?’
‘I hardly know the man.’
‘Yet you’re willing to follow up on the crazy theories of a drug addict? That seems odd to me, for a man with your professional standing, I must say.’
‘He’s an addict? Really? I spent most of my career in more or less daily contact with people who had substance abuse issues. Can’t say I got that sense from Pete at all. What’s he using, do you know?’
Battersby shrugged again. ‘It was H, back in the day. Plenty of it, too. Maybe he’s clean now, I don’t know. Anyway, you didn’t say why you were taking an interest in his little fairy story, like.’
‘Oh, that’s simple enough. I love looking after my daughter, don’t get me wrong, but a bit of additional stimulation doesn’t go amiss.’
‘I see. Well, that’s understandable. And how about your former colleague, DS Ian Mann? We both know it was him who had a word with Callaghan. Scared the shit out of the bloke, I can tell you. What’s his interest in your little hobby, or should I say hobby horse?’
Hall smiled. ‘I’m sure you already know that he’s at a bit of a loose end at present, work-wise. So I’m saving the gardens of Kendal from his unwanted attentions, that’s all. Does that answer your question?’
‘I suppose so, aye. In a way.’
‘Good. So let me ask you one, if I may. What’s your interest in Pete Spedding? Why employ a man like Callaghan at all?’
‘Well, I’ll not be using the bloke in future. He’s totally bloody useless, that bloke.’
Hall sensed an opportunity, and he took it. ‘You think so?’
‘Oh, aye. Getting spotted like that. He told me it never happens, the stupid bastard. Well it was your bloke Ian Mann that spotted him there, wasn’t it? Took him no bloody time at all, by the sounds of it.’
Hall wondered if he could push further, just one more question, but he decided against. He’d already learned, or at least now strongly suspected, something that he’d previously considered to be nothing more than a possibility. Because, on the basis of what he’d just said, Vinny Battersby didn’t know that Pete Spedding had been an undercover cop, because if he had then he wouldn’t have been so surprised that Callaghan had been spotted, and would have realised that it was actually most unlikely that it was Ian Mann who had first identified Spedding’s shadow. And that was important. It might mean that Spedding’s whole thesis about Battersby knowing that he and Cam Donald were actually cops was falling apart, or it might mean that Battersby’s motivation for having Spedding watched was something entirely different.
Either way, Hall needed to move the conversation on, and returned to his previous question. He didn’t want Battersby to dwell on their previous exchange, anyway.
‘You didn’t say why you’ve been taking an interest in Pete Spedding, Vinny.’
‘I didn’t. No, that’s right. Well, it’s simple enough. I’m a well known bloke now, Mr. Hall, and I do my bit for the community in west Cumbria. More than my bit, some say. And I don’t like it when people I used to know, years ago, spread nasty, malicious rumours about me. Especially when they’re as mad as what Spedding’s been saying. And don’t worry, I know all about what he’s been shouting his mouth off about. He reckons that I killed Cam, but that’s all bullshit. I loved Cam. I still talk about him, all the time. He was like a brother to me, and that’s the truth. On my life, like.’
‘And you’ve even named your new project after him, haven’t you?’
‘Exactly, I have. Aye, good point. Why would I kill a bloke and then name a multi-million pound business complex after him? It’d be madness, would that.’
Hall pointed to the left, and the two men turned and started to walk back towards Hall’s house. They’d be there in just a couple more minutes.
‘I’ll be honest with you, Vinny. I can’t really see what you’re concerned about here. You were watching Pete Spedding before he ever spoke to me. It’s been going on for a while now, yes?’ A nod, slightly delayed. ‘So why the concern? You’re a hugely successful and well-respected businessman, within the county and beyond, and it’s not like you’re trying to hide your past an as eco-activist, or whatever you call it. You talk about all that in your interviews, don’t you?’
‘I do, aye. I’ve got nowt to hide. I’m proud of what we achieved through direct action. I wouldn’t do it now, but these days I have other ways of getting things done.’
‘And you’re right to be proud, if I may say so. Because you’ve been proved right, haven’t you? It would have been a disaster for the area if that mine had gone ahead. So what’s the problem with a bloke like Spedding? He’s not talking publicly, is he? And, even if he did, no-one would believe him.’
‘Because I didn’t do it?’
‘Because there’s no evidence that I’m aware of to support any suggestion that you did, Vinny. And that’s all that matters, believe me. Take the advice of an old copper, and don’t worry about it.’
‘Aye, well. I don’t like people saying that kind of shit about me, Mr. Hall. I’m sure you can see that.’
‘Absolutely, I can. I wouldn’t like it at all, if I were in your position. So why not just get your lawyers to write Mr. Spedding a letter, explaining your position, and detailing the likely consequences, should he make any such public accusations in future?’
‘Maybe I’ll do that, aye. And maybe I should send you a letter too, eh? Tell you to keep your nose right out of my business.’
Hall smiled. ‘Be my guest, Vinny. But there’s really no need, because I’d never make any sort of accusation that I couldn’t stand up in court. Not in public, and not in private.’
They walked on in silence, until they turned back into Hall’s road. Battersby’s sleek car looked about as inconspicuous as gold leaf on a Gregg’s bun.
‘Aye’, said Battersby, ‘I’ve heard that you’re a careful man, Mr. Hall, and a clever one. A very clever one. And they tell me that your better half, she’s clever too.’
‘You’re half right, then’ said Hall, smiling again. ‘But, like I say, I’m just a house-husband now. I
’m absolutely no threat to anyone, I can assure you.’
‘That’s not what ACC Winter says.’
Hall didn’t reply, nor did his expression change.
‘In fact, Mr. Hall, Winter says that you’ve not really retired at all.’
‘Oh, I’ve retired all right. I’ve most definitely done that.’
‘Mebbe so, but he was still very interested in what you’ve been up to, when we spoke about you earlier.’
‘That’s good to hear.’
‘Is it?’
‘Of course. ‘For who can bear to feel himself forgotten’, eh?’
‘Well, I wouldn’t mind being forgotten, I tell you that.’
‘Really? You do surprise me.’
They were almost at the car now, and Hall could hear the engine ticking as it cooled.
‘It was good to meet you, Vinny.’
‘You too, DCS Hall.’
‘Call me Andy, please. I’m not a DCS now, and I never will be again. I’m just a private citizen, the same as you, with all of the same rights and responsibilities. No more, and certainly no less.’
Then Hall watched Battersby get into his car, and heard the unnecessary blip of the throttle before it pulled away. Hall turned back towards the house, and glanced at the blank windows. Jane wasn’t that worried about him, it seemed, since she wasn’t standing there, like a sea captain’s wife, awaiting his return.
In fact Jane was in the living room, reading something on her tablet and listening to music, played at baby-friendly volume this time. But at least she looked up when he came in.
‘All right, love? Did you get anything useful out of him?’
‘Maybe. The fact that he even knocked on the door proved that it was him who put that private investigator on Spedding, although he did confirm it, without me even asking.’
‘So how did he connect you to Ian? Fast work, was that.’
‘I know, quite an impressive bit of detection. Seems he had help though, from ACC Winter no less. Battersby was very keen to drop his name too, so I assume that when Vinny had identified Ian then Winter simply did the rest for him. Because even he would have made the connection with me easily enough, especially after your little run-in with over the Cam Donald file.’
‘Shit, Andy, Winter will do his nut over this. I told him that you were nothing to do with it, didn’t I?’
‘You did, but we both know he didn’t believe you. So it’ll make no odds, I’m sure. Look, love, I’m sorry about this, but how could I have known that Battersby was buddies with the ACC?’
Jane shook her head, and went back to whatever was on her tablet. Hall walked through to the kitchen, and came back with a glass of wine for them both. That usually did the trick, but not this time. Eventually Jane looked back up at Hall.
‘I just hope this is all bloody worth it, Andy. Battersby better have killed this undercover copper of yours, and you’d better be able to prove it. Otherwise we’ll be having words about this, I promise you. Now, give me that wine and then sod off. I’ve seen enough of you for one evening.’
Hall didn’t reply, nor did he move, and Jane didn’t like the sound of that particular silence.
‘Oh no, love. Don’t tell me. Battersby didn’t kill this Donald bloke after all.’
‘He did that all right, or had it done. I’m pretty sure of that now, even though I’m no closer to proving it. Listen, love, this will be worth it, I promise you. Battersby’s saying that the only reason he’s had eyes on Spedding is because he reckons that Pete has been spreading malicious rumours about him. Well that’s just a load of bull, isn’t it? A bloke like that, a successful businessman, he would just have got his lawyers involved, the second he knew about something like that. And how would having Pete watched stop him telling tales anyway? It just makes no sense at all.’
‘That’s good, then. Battersby’s your man. Now all you’ve got to do is prove it. He made this Cam Donald as an undercover cop, had him killed, and now he’s on to Spedding too. Join the dots, and you just might build a case that’s actually worth a proper look. So you just tell me when it’s all done, and neatly tied up with red ribbon, love.’
‘No, I’m afraid it’s not that simple. I don’t believe that Battersby knows that Spedding was a cop, so it’s quite possible that he didn’t know that Donald was one, either.’
‘Shit. I bloody hope not, Andy. You’ll never get anywhere if that’s the case. But what makes you think that, anyway?’
Hall told her, and Jane shook her head again, before putting down her tablet. But she kept a very firm grip on her wine glass.
‘Bloody hell, love, that means nowt. Just because Battersby hasn’t twigged on that it couldn’t really have been Ian who spotted Spedding’s tail. So what? You’re reading far too much into it. He just isn’t trained the way we are, that’s all. He hasn’t spotted the logical inconsistency.’
‘Maybe, but maybe not. My point is this, Jane. If Battersby knew about Spedding’s background then surely he would have warned Callaghan before he started the surveillance? Because it’s obvious that anyone who’s ever worked undercover will have had some counter-surveillance training, isn’t it? In which case, why wasn’t Callaghan much, much more careful? He was a working copper, love, and not that long ago. He’s not just some wannabe with a pair of bins and an invisible ink pen, is he?’
‘Agreed, but you’re reading far too much into it, as usual. Just stick to the facts, love, and whatever you do, keep me out of it, OK? If and when you’ve got evidence, real evidence, connecting Battersby to this Cam Donald’s death then let me know, straight away. But, until then, you just keep me completely out of it, all right?’
‘OK, but…’
‘No buts, Andy. I’m the one who’s still in the job, grafting away to keep the roof over our family’s head. The way you go on you’d think it was you who was still a cop, and it’s still your job to serve justice, whatever the hell that is. Well you’re not, love, it’s as simple as that. And you’re totally dropping me in it at work, you must see that. So why not relax, enjoy the last of this summer weather and spending so much time with Grace. Because I envy you that so much, Andy, I really do. I’ll be honest, if we could switch places I’d do it in a heartbeat. The problem is that you’d do exactly the same if you could, wouldn’t you?’
‘Well, I don’t know about that.’
Jane laughed.
‘I am a copper, love. Of course you bloody would. But you’ve had your go, Andy, and I’m still having mine. I’m not asking you to drop all this, because I know there’d be absolutely no bloody point whatsoever in doing that, but I am saying that you need to stop doing stuff that impacts on my career, love. It’s not fair, and it’s not right. Can’t you just be happy with everything you’ve already got in your life, just for once?’
Friday,19th September
‘The mushroom’, Scout Scar, 2.06pm
Andy Hall had Grace in her back-pack, and she’d fallen asleep before he’d got half way to the trig point beyond the wall end, half way along the scar. So he’d turned back, and was settled on the concrete seat in a shady quadrant of the mushroom, the distinctively shaped shelter with views all around, before Mann arrived. In fact, Hall saw him running right along the edge of the scar, never even glancing at the views, but keeping up a steady, unrelenting rhythm. When he reached Hall he looked hot, although he wasn’t even out of breath.
‘Enjoy that?’
‘Aye, it’ll do. A minute or so off my PB, but it’s a hot day, and there was a bit of a headwind, so…’
‘Excuses, excuses.’
Mann smiled. ‘You’re right. I need to work harder, or one day I’ll turn into you, mate.’
Hall laughed. ‘True enough, although you find that time does most of that work. How’s things, anyway?’
‘Shit, to tell the truth. It looks as if I’ll be suspended for months, judging by what my rep was saying earlier on. Can you believe that, Andy? It’s bloody madness.’
> ‘You’re still on full pay, though.’
‘Aye, there is that. But I’m not sure I want to go back, to be honest.’
‘What else would you do?’
‘I’ve got a couple of irons in the fire.’
‘Like what? If you don’t mind me asking.’
‘Of course not. The Aussie military need some trainers in one or two areas that I know a bit about, like. One of them’s surveillance, funny enough.’
‘Are you tempted?’
‘Aye, I am. Six month contract, decent money, and get away from the British winter. What’s not to like? So aye, I’m tempted.’
Mann took a long drink from his water bottle, and offered it to Hall, who shook his head.
‘Any news on Battersby?’ he asked. ‘Did your mates manage to get anything on him for us? I hope so, because Jane has made it abundantly clear that we’re on our own on this one.’
‘Well, Andy. Do you want the good news, or the bad? Don’t tell me, you’ll take the bad first.’
‘You know me too well, Ian.’
‘Aye, I do. He was never of any real interest to the security service. My mate says that the old bloke he spoke to, who was actually looking at these militant tree-hugger types back in the ‘90s, said he was surprised that we’d bothered to put anyone undercover on them at all. That whole group was pretty vanilla, apparently. Aye, it kicked off a bit a few times, but nothing that the local cops couldn’t handle. And there was no sign of infiltration by any of the hard core groups, apparently, absolutely none at all.’
‘OK, thanks. That’s very useful to know. So how about the good news, then?’
‘I should have maybe said ‘a bit better’, rather than properly good news. But there is a file on Vincent Edward Battersby, at least.’
‘Good, and what?’
‘And not much, really. Local lad, nothing on record before he got involved in the campaign, although he was looked at a couple of times during the twelve months or so that the protest went on for. Nothing of any interest turned up, apparently. A bit of a firebrand, like these people always are, but the conclusion was that he was basically all talk. And the fact that there was nothing on him before the protest, and that he’s gone on to be a regular contender for the GLC award since; well, my mates reckon that about says it all, really.’
A Half Remembered Life (The Lakeland Murders Book 9) Page 7
