Scamper's Find

by Terry H. Watson

  His statement was recorded and he was assured he had nothing to blame himself for. The man was distraught. He shook his head as if attempting to rid himself of that memory.

  “And to think we were all talking about the horrible deaths those two guys had, and Alex Bryson joined in the conversation, giving nothing away. Well, I for one never suspected a thing.”

  Detectives entering the home of Alice and Alex Bryson saw evidence of recent occupancy. Clothes which Alex Bryson was last seen wearing were found in a wash basket and with the remains of food and cigarette ends, provided enough DNA evidence to prove the fugitive’s presence there after he absconded from police custody. The net widened to locate the missing prisoner. His wife, staying with her sister, was interviewed and cleared of any involvement in her husband’s flight from justice. She was outraged at having to accompany detectives to her home in order to ascertain if any of Alex’s personal belongings had been removed from the premises.

  “Oh no! What if the neighbours spot me? This is embarrassing. Can’t you park your police car somewhere else and walk to my house?”

  Detectives had no time to pander to the wishes of the selfish woman. She had to suffer the indignity of curious neighbours, one of whom called to her: “Is everything okay with you, Alice, we have all been wondering about you?”

  “I bet you have,” she retorted sharply.

  Once inside, Alice quickly closed blinds and curtains plunging the house into darkness, and the neighbours into curiosity mode. Detectives accompanied her as she toured the house, noting anything amiss. She was disgusted at the remains of a meal festering in the kitchen.

  “He might at least have cleared up after himself before he took off,” muttered the furious wife as she set about placing the crockery in the dishwasher.

  “Stop!” screamed an officer. “That is evidence; evidence of his presence here.”

  She continued from room to room. Obsessed with having a pristine home, she quickly spotted anything that was out of place.

  “Oh! No!” she screamed. “He has taken my cash that I had ready to take to the bank. With everything that’s been going on, I didn’t manage to deposit it. That money was from my ceramic business. I have to pay my suppliers!”

  As she moved from room to room, she reported that nothing else appeared to be out of place. Then she called out, “He has taken his passport and left his bank card.”

  As investigations continued into the search for the absentee prisoner, media appeals for information resulted in the truck driver who had given a ride to the escapee shortly after he had run from police custody, contacting them to make a statement. After giving this to police he returned home to face the wrath of his wife, Edith.

  “What have I told you about picking up hitch-hikers? You never know who you might have in your cab, and look at what happened: a double murderer! You could have been killed.”

  “But,” he interrupted, “it’s a lonely life in the cab; hours and hours of driving is boring so having company for a few hours makes all the difference. He was a pleasant chap, easy to talk to, very polite and grateful for the lift.”

  “So you say, Jack, but he was a killer, a double murderer! I’ll not sleep now for worrying every time you go to work. Don’t ever think of picking anyone up ever again. Don’t be an idiot.”

  ***

  Lawyers preparing the case for trial of the Bryson brothers had a monumental task ahead of them. Evidence of Bobby Bryson’s state of mind at the time of the abduction and killing of the American villains had to be collated, not an easy task when the accused, recovering from his attempt at drowning, refused to cooperate with investigating detectives. After a risk assessment carried out concluded that he was liable to abscond or self-harm, he lay in the prison hospital handcuffed to the bed. He struggled with staff, refused medication, and was abusive to psychiatric consultants who were attempting to assess his mental state.

  Meanwhile, his brother Joe was evasive when questioned by detectives.

  “I’ll talk when my brothers are here,” he told the solicitor who advised him to think of his own defence.

  “Until Alex hands himself in or is apprehended and Bobby’s hospital assessment is complete, you are on your own. A decision will be made by the court whether or not to go ahead with the trial at High Court, in absentia. Joe, that means we can go to trial without your brothers being present. I advise you to start cooperating. The working of the court is very complicated.”

  CHAPTER 37

  Carole Carr interrupted a team meeting to take a call from DI Rab McKenzie of Police Scotland with news that both sets of colleagues were waiting to hear. She was informed of the arrests of the three Bryson brothers, being aware of their part in the macabre crime from regular updates from her overseas colleagues.

  “Hey, that’s awesome news. I can’t wait to tell Tony, he’s out of town at the moment. Now tell me all.”

  “Well, Carole, it’s not all good news. In spite of our plan to arrest these people at the same time, we’ve been outwitted by the eldest one, who somehow or other managed to escape from police custody while being transferred and is holed up somewhere. We will pull out all the stops to bring him in and have him face justice. I’ve ordered an enquiry into how he was able to escape and a few of my guys will have their rears kicked over this. The younger brother attempted to drown himself and is currently in hospital under twenty-four-hour guard. He will be assessed and a decision made about whether to contain him in prison or prison hospital. Expert witnesses will be needed for a medical assessment for him. As for the middle brother, Joe, he has been transferred here and has appeared in court charged with both murder and abduction of your two American mobsters and held over pending further investigation. His case will now go to the High Court. It takes so long to bring these complicated cases to trial with all the background stuff that has to be done, but at least two of the miscreants are under lock and key and we will stop at nothing to apprehend the other one. It will be a long, involved case with three people facing court. I don’t envy the solicitors who will be dealing with it. They have a hard task in front of them.”

  “I guess then we will be called to give evidence,” said Carole. “I want closure on this as do the rest of our guys here. Things are moving forward here too with new evidence coming in about the part played by Anna Leci’s nurse and a young lawyer dealing with her affairs. I’ve never seen Tony so enraged about any case and I’ve worked with him for many years. So it’s beginning to look as if the murder in your Scottish pit shafts was not revenge on anyone’s part over here. It had nothing to do with Lucy Mears’ abduction.”

  “Yep, it appears to be unrelated; just a trio of angry brothers out to get even with a thug. Unfortunately his mate, Alfred Wysoki, was innocently caught up in the mayhem. There’s a lot more to come out of all this, but I can see light at the end of the tunnel for us all.”

  ***

  Over time, Bobby Bryson calmed down sufficiently to allow medics to carry out a full assessment of his mental state. He was diagnosed as schizophrenic. This was more serious than first thought, much more serious than the bouts of depression that had dogged him all his life. His depressive episodes were never fully understood, nor was his withdrawal from any social life apart from that with his family. His challenging disorder made it difficult for him at times to distinguish between fantasy and reality. The loss of his mother’s emotional support and his involvement in the horrific killing of the American villains tipped him over the edge and highlighted his strange behaviour culminating in his failed attempt to end his life in the sea. This was noted by the court and a decision was made based on the report, that Bobby Bryson was unfit to plead. His solicitor told the court that his client was at present unable to understand court procedure or the consequences of his plea. Nor would he able to challenge the jury, as was his right.

  “His mental state at th
is time is unlikely to improve in time for the trial,” he reported. “He has deteriorated since the time of the offence. It would be inhumane to expect him to stand trial and would serve no purpose. I believe he genuinely, at this moment in time, does not understand the charges made against him.”

  Bobby Bryson was placed in a hospital psychiatric unit for treatment. His brother Joe was given the news, that with Bobby in hospital for an unforeseen time, and his brother Alex still at large, it was likely that the trial would go ahead in their absence and that he alone would be standing in the dock.

  ***

  Julie Sinclair continued with her writing:

  Mary had no control over events in her life when ill health prevented her from condemning the murder of Lord Darnley. She could not comprehend how those close to her could have perpetrated such an atrocious act. Her trust in people became her downfall. Had she been more cautious of those around her, and less politically naive, she may have avoided becoming a victim, a victim wrongly accused of initiating her husband’s murder. That Mary was involved in the atrocity was neither proven nor disproven; that she had condoned his killing would never be known. A secret taken to the grave. Her cousin Elizabeth, a woman who lacked compassion, condemned her cousin to death…

  As Julie wrote, she was interrupted by her dogs barking furiously as someone approached her house. Annoyed at the interruption, she stood up smartly to attend to the caller, hoping this was not going to take long. She was given a citation to appear in court to give evidence at the murder trial of the three Bryson brothers.

  That’s all I need, she thought as she read the instructions enclosed in the letter.

  “Oh, Scamper, look what you’ve got me into, you and your find.”

  CHAPTER 38

  Thousands of miles from Scamper’s find, evidence was being prepared for the trial of Edward Garnett Jnr and Rita Hampton. Both had admitted their guilt while continuing to blame each other. Written evidence from law records from Jordan Garnett’s office overwhelmingly laid the plot to kill Lucy Mears and her travelling companions at the feet of his nephew, Edward Garnett Jnr. That he had colluded in this with Alfred Wysoki was admitted by the convict and confirmed by Rita Hampton who had chosen in federal court to turn state’s evidence in the hope of being offered a plea, a lesser form of immunity, ‘use’ immunity, whereby her testimony could not be given in any subsequent prosecution. Interest in the case was closely followed by the public and media. The story of Lucy Mears was not yet over.

  At home, on a rare evening off for Tony, he, Gina and Abigail, who was at home from a college break, finished off one of his special dishes. Abigail had taken to calling it ‘Tony’s surprise… guess the dish tonight’ which he took in good heart knowing his culinary skills left a lot to be desired. As she rose to tidy up, her mother said, “Leave that for the moment sweetie and sit by us.”

  Gina announced the news of her advanced pregnancy to her excited daughter who squealed with delight as she hugged her mother and stepfather.

  “Wow! I’m so happy for you both. I noticed you had put on a bit of weight, but I thought it was Tony’s cooking that caused that. I’m going to be an older sister! I’ve always wanted to have a kid brother or sister. I can’t wait! Oh, Mom and Tony, if it’s a girl, could we call her Lucy? Please?” pleaded Abigail.

  “Honey, Tony, and I have agreed that boy or girl we want you to choose the name. Now go and call Carole, we want you to give her the news.”

  Tony and Gina smiled as they heard the squeals of delight from both Carole and Abigail. Their decision to involve the youngster as much as possible appeared to be paying dividends.

  “You are a wise man, Tony Harvey,” said his wife as they listened to Abigail relay the news to all and sundry. “It will give her something good to focus on for a change.”

  ***

  When his trial eventually came to court, Edward Garnett Jnr, on being told that his accomplice had confessed all and realising there was no alternative for him but to admit his part in the fraud, asked to make a statement. He hoped by doing so he would be leniently treated by the court. His hopes were unfounded.

  An elderly gentleman sat at the back of the federal court listening to proceedings. His shrunken appearance showed how he had aged considerably over many months since the discovery of his nephew’s deceit. He had spent many years at the Bar and was familiar with court procedure. Today he was not a participant but was there as a citizen, albeit with an interest in the case in question. His wife held his hand as together they listened to the case against Edward Garnett Jnr. It was painful for him to have the good name of his firm so cruelly and ignominiously pulled to shreds. He thought of the years of hard work by his grandfather, his father and latterly himself that had gone into building a well-respected law firm, now about to become a source of ridicule and gossip. To discover his once beloved nephew had fraudulently altered documents was painful enough, but to discover his relative’s involvement in the death of Anna’s great-niece and her travelling companions was almost unbearable. His wife worried about his health: “After all he’s been through with the threat of losing his sight and now this, I don’t think he will ever recover from the shock and humiliation,” she confided to a friend.

  He took no comfort in hearing the sentence handed down to Edward Garnett Jnr regarding the ill-fated plane crash.

  Life imprisonment without parole on five counts of murder, that of Lucy Mears, Les Soubry, Zelda Djuric, Kristof Djuric and George North and life without parole for fraud. He was aware that the death penalty there had been abolished a few years earlier but drew no comfort from that.

  As he was led away to begin his sentence in a high-security prison, all hopes of taking charge of his family law firm evaporated in a moment of deceit. He glanced back at the public benches hoping to find a glimmer of comfort from his relatives. It was not to be. Jordan Garnett and his wife had left the courthouse.

  CHAPTER 39

  The trial of Alex Bryson was scheduled to go ahead in absentia. He had wilfully evaded the police. No trace had been found of him after his fleeting visit home when he collected his passport before going underground. All attempts to locate and return the prisoner to a place of security had so far met with failure. Staff at Peggy’s care home were put on full alert should the missing villain attempt to visit his mother. Staff were fearful, having learned of his vicious ways. Security measures were put in place. A discreet police presence at the home went some way to calm the nervousness of care workers.

  “Peggy must be closely watched,” they were told. “There’s no saying when or if her eldest son might turn up. We have to remain alert.”

  Back at Peggy’s former care home, staff at GWR were astounded at hearing of the background of Peggy Bryson’s sons. Senior Nurse Lydia voiced the thoughts of the others.

  “To think that we trusted and respected those three men who were in and out of our care home and applauded their commitment to visiting their mother. They pulled the wool over our eyes; that’s for sure.”

  “Yes, but credit where it’s due, they loved their mother and wanted the best for her, otherwise they wouldn’t have taken her away from here when things got tough,” said another.

  In her new home, after tucking Peggy in for the night, two nurses discussed the events which had shaken them all.

  “She’s such a dear, sweet lady, so trusting and loving now she has settled here with us. It’s probably just as well she is unaware of what her sons have done. Thankfully, she doesn’t pine for visits from them.”

  “And to think they were only out to revenge her attacker from all those years ago; probably meant to give the guy a beating, but it got totally out of hand. That’s misguided loyalty.”

  “It must have been festering away in them like an abscess ready to burst. It gives me the shivers to think of the death they gave those American chaps regardless of what they ha
d done. Let’s go and have a cup of tea and try to think of something else. Tell me about the plans for your daughter’s wedding…”

  ***

  In a cell underneath the High Court, Joe Bryson awaited news of his sentence. After his first court appearance his case was referred to the High Court for trial. The tense atmosphere in the courtroom, the stern judge and the dark-cloaked lawyers, put him in a state of alarm as he awaited his fate. The whispering of those in authority and their occasional glances at him before proceedings began scared him so much that he felt his face twitching with stress. He held his sweaty hand to his face as if to control the uncontrollable. He had never felt so isolated and alone in his life. He glanced at the public gallery, longing to make contact with a friendly face, as if hoping to ease his fear and alienation. It was not to be. He was alone. In frustration at being left to carry the burden of guilt without support from his brothers, he had changed his plea to guilty thus saving many people the ordeal of appearing in court, a daunting task for some. He was commended for this by the judge but told not to expect any leniency. He was remanded in custody to await his fate.

  Bloody brothers, leaving me to face this on my own. Trust Alex to chicken out and abscond, and him the big man, or so he always told us. Some brother he turned out to be, ran off at the first sign of trouble. Where the heck is he?

  He sat with his head in his hands, wishing, so wishing he could turn the clock back.

  Damn you Bobby for spotting Barry Jones in that pub. Life was good enough before then… and now you and your damn mental problems…getting off with a cosy hospital stay and me left to face years in a stinking hell hole of a prison. Poor Mum, wonder if she understands any of this… hope not…