Hidden Agenda (DI Kayli Bright Trilogy Book 3)

by M A Comley

  Dave barged through the door a few minutes later and flopped into his chair. “Christ, it feels like I’ve just climbed Mount Everest. It’s getting harder every day instead of easier.” He tapped his plaster at the ankle with his crutch. “Stupid leg, heal faster, will you?”

  “It’ll be off in a few weeks. I told you to take time off work, but no, you, being a martyr, were determined to continue to work.”

  He pulled a face at her. “I’m allowed to complain about my circumstances now and again.”

  Kayli laughed. “Okay, I’ll give you that one.”

  Donna and Graeme arrived a few minutes later.

  “I’ll just flick through the post, see if anything needs my attention, then we’ll crack on. Dave, can you chase up your tech guy for me first thing?”

  “Already on my agenda to do it.”

  Kayli smiled and went into her office. She sat down at her desk just as her mobile rang. It was Giles. She hurriedly answered it, her breath catching in her throat. “Any news?”

  “No. Sorry, sis. I was just ringing up to see how you are. Did you have fun yesterday?”

  “Damn. I was hoping to hear something soon. Fun? Not exactly. I had a pleasant time with the folks, mostly reminiscing about what we got up to as kids.”

  “Sounds like fun to me. I’m going to do some chasing today. I’m concerned about Mark just as much as you are. I think things need to step up a gear over there before...”

  “It’s too late?” she said, finishing off his sentence.

  “Yes. I’ll do my best. Hopefully, I’ll get back to you this afternoon or this evening with a plan of action.”

  “Sounds good to me. I know the guys out there are doing their best. They just need to do better.”

  “Sounds like you’re writing a report on them.” Giles chuckled.

  “Sorry. Okay, keep me informed. I have to fly. Need to get my team set up with tasks for today.”

  “Okey-dokey, I’ll call you later. Hopefully with some good news.”

  Distracted by her brother’s call, Kayli decided to leave the mundane task of tearing open the post for another time and returned to her team.

  “Anything, Dave?” she asked, approaching his desk as he was replacing his phone in its docking station.

  “He’s on it now. He asked me to give him a couple of hours, boss.”

  “Sounds fair enough to me. Let’s go back over the details for the case in the meantime.”

  Dave’s phone rang twenty minutes later. He beckoned Kayli over and placed the call on speaker. “Paddy, I’ve got you on speaker, so DI Bright can listen in on the conversation.”

  “Hello, Paddy. Any news for us?” Kayli asked.

  “I have. I’ve managed to locate the phone through the GPS system.”

  Dave and Kayli stared at each other, their eyes wide open with excitement. “Go on, mate. Where is it?”

  “Please don’t tell me it’s at the bottom of a river or something equally as bizarre as that?” Kayli said.

  “No, I doubt if a signal would register if that were the case, ma’am,” Paddy said.

  “So?” Dave asked impatiently.

  “It is kind of strange. I’m picking up a signal from the radio station in town.”

  Kayli groaned and slammed her fist against her thigh. “Damn, so she left the phone at work. Maybe it’s in her desk or something. We should have asked the staff to check for us when we were there on Saturday.”

  “Can I interrupt you there, DI Bright?” Paddy asked.

  “Sure, go ahead.”

  “Dave asked me to look at when the phone was last used. He also told me the victim’s time of death and what time she arrived home from work. Piecing everything together, I can tell you that the victim placed a few calls after she arrived home.”

  “Are you sure, Paddy?” Dave asked.

  “Positive. I’ll send the details over to you.”

  Kayli cringed. “There’s no need. We have the report. Damn, we concentrated on what numbers she’d called and not on the time the calls were made. We’ll go over that again now. Thanks for your help, Paddy. Can you keep an eye on the phone’s GPS for us and call us if it’s on the move?”

  “Straight away. Glad I could be of help. Good luck.”

  Dave hung up.

  Kayli kicked out at the chair. “Shit! I’m screwing this case up.”

  Dave shook his head. “You’re not. That kind of thing is easy to miss. Let’s take another look at it now. Donna, do you have the list there?”

  Donna left her seat and handed him the report. “I feel responsible. I should have spotted that too.”

  “Cut it out, guys. We’d just carried out a double shift. No one is to blame for missing what was right under our noses. Got that? We’re a few days into the case, that’s all. We would have stumbled across it eventually.”

  “Dave’s right. There’s no point dwelling on missed opportunities. We must make it a priority to right that wrong now. Let’s study the list.”

  Dave’s phone rang again. “Hello, DS Chaplin speaking... wait, just a second, Paddy. I’ll put you on speaker again. Go ahead.”

  “Right. After I hung up, I managed to get a more accurate location for the phone. Stop blaming yourselves, guys, because the signal isn’t coming from inside the building. It’s coming from the car park, at least thirty feet away.”

  “Wow, you can do that?” Kayli asked.

  “Pretty much. Just thought I’d let you know. Here’s something else to consider. That phone must have been charged since her death. There’s no way her battery would have lasted that long.”

  “Cheers, mate. That’s brilliant news,” Dave replied before hanging up.

  Kayli held a finger up in the air, silencing everyone as she thought. “Donna, I need you to arrange search warrants for me. One for the radio station and one for all the cars sitting in the car park, to cover our backs.”

  Donna rushed back to her desk to make the call, and gave the thumbs-up to Kayli when the task had been actioned.

  “Right, so looking at the list, Sarah rang two numbers after she arrived home. We need to try and trace those numbers. Dave, can you see if Paddy can do that for us rather than any of us ringing the numbers, just in case one of them belongs to the killer?”

  Dave nodded and picked up the phone. Kayli’s mouth dried up as the tension mounted. She headed for the vending machine and bought them all a cup of coffee. When she returned, Dave had a response for her.

  “A Katrina Woodstock and a Tonya Burgen.”

  “Hmm... both female. Donna, can you look on Facebook, see if either of these ladies is on Sarah’s friend list?”

  Donna turned to her computer, and seconds later, she called back, “Bingo. They’re both on her list as good friends and used to interact with her on most of her posts.”

  “Good news. Let’s give them a ring. See what kind of mood Sarah was in leading up to her death. Ask the girls if she sounded strained at all during the conversation.”

  “Will do, boss.”

  Dave scratched his head. “What are you thinking? Regarding the cars at the radio station, I mean?”

  “If Paddy is correct and the signal is coming from the car park, then I think Ryan has told some big fat lies. However, we need to trace that phone first before we start slinging accusations around. The only way we’re going to do that is by getting the warrants. There’s not a lot we can do before they come through.”

  “Did we carry out a background check on Ryan?” Dave asked, his brow furrowing a little.

  “No, I don’t think we did. Donna, can you do that for me please?”

  Donna’s hands flew across the keyboard, and within seconds, she was peering at her screen and jotting notes down on a sheet of paper. Intrigued, Kayli crossed the room and pulled up a chair alongside her. “No record as such, boss. Not on our system anyway. Only a couple of speeding notices. This is interesting, though. Looking at his employment record, he used to work at a well-known
station in London before coming to Bristol.”

  “Why the move?”

  “He was sacked for inappropriate behaviour with a colleague.”

  Kayli sat forward in her chair. “What? That’s incredible. Why would another station even contemplate giving him a slot on their schedule, knowing what his reputation is like?”

  “Seems strange to me, boss. Maybe he’s popular and the person in charge at the station was willing to forget about his past in favour of high listener ratings,” Donna suggested.

  “I fear you’re right. Morals clearly don’t matter where business and ratings are concerned. Appalling... I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if I employed someone like that. I doubt a woman would have opened the doors to him,” Kayli said, lowering her voice to add the last part of her statement in case she upset the male members of her team.

  “I think you’re right,” Donna agreed.

  ~ ~ ~

  It was four hours before they were notified the warrants were ready. “I’m going to pick them up. Do you want to come with me, Dave?” Kayli called across the room.

  He reached for his crutches and struggled to his feet. “You try and stop me. Want me to summon up some backup?”

  “We’ll sort it out with the desk sergeant on the way out. Wish us luck, guys.”

  “Good luck, boss,” Graeme and Donna said in unison.

  Kayli drove, her stomach twisting into knots during the journey.

  “Do you think it best if we have a nosy around the cars first?” Dave asked.

  With her eyes on the road ahead, Kayli nodded. “Yep, that’s how I was going to play it. Do you want to stay in the car?”

  “Nope. Two sets of eyes are better than one.”

  “Are you having a dig, Dave?”

  He tutted, shaking his head. “No, and I wish you’d stop being so sensitive about things.”

  “Hard not to be when you come out with a comment like that, matey.”

  “Jeez... it was a harmless comment. I promise you I wasn’t having a pop at you.”

  She grinned at him. “Good, because I’d hate for us to fall out about this.”

  “We won’t, as long as you stop blaming yourself for slipping up.”

  “All right. It’s done with now. I sure hope we find that phone. I can feel it in my water that something good is going to happen today.”

  “Umm... too much information there, boss, thanks. Maybe you’re going to hear some good news about Mark rather than the case.”

  “I hope it’s both. Giles is chasing up the team searching for him in Afghanistan. He said he’d ring me later with the results.”

  “That’s good. I’m glad he’s keeping you in the loop. You’re lucky having him in your corner.”

  “I know. I love him to bits. We’ve always got on well together.” She sighed heavily as she stopped at a red light. “Focus. I must focus on the job in hand, for now.”

  “You amaze me. You might doubt yourself at times, but I’m not sure I could switch off if Suranne was ever in trouble.”

  “I’m glad I have work to take my mind off things. Sitting at home stewing over the situation would drive me round the twist soon enough.”

  She entered the radio station’s car park and drew the car to a halt at the far side, away from all the other cars. “I’m guessing the sports car is Ryan’s. What do you think?”

  “Umm... right. I suppose the personalised number plate was a hint.”

  Kayli chuckled. “I didn’t even spot that. Hmm... DJ1012. Wonder if that’s his date of birth.”

  “You’re a scream. I wouldn’t let him hear you say that. He seems the type to be defensive about divulging his real age.”

  “Okay, you start that side, and I’ll begin over here.”

  They split up. She felt sorry for Dave having to hop between the cars, being extra careful not to touch the vehicles in case he set an alarm off. Kayli checked a few of the cars but didn’t see anything obvious in either the back or the front of the vehicles. Next stop was Ryan’s red Porsche—the status symbol for DJs, she presumed. The car was immaculate inside and out, as though it had recently been cleaned. Damn, that’s not good. There would be no evidence left behind if he’s done that. Just our luck.

  Dave cleared his throat as she peered through the passenger window. She turned to face him. He beckoned her over with his head, without saying a word.

  Kayli trotted across the car park with one eye on the entrance to the station. “Isn’t this Danny Talbot’s car?”

  “It is indeed. Look under the front passenger seat. I can make out the end of a mobile.”

  She glanced through the window of the BMW and gasped. “It is. Whoa, hang on a second. We need to tread carefully here. It could be his mobile. Why don’t we go inside and have a chat with him?”

  “Exactly what I was going to suggest.”

  Kayli held open the heavy door for her partner to step into the station ahead of her. The receptionist looked up and smiled at them. “Hello again. Back so soon?”

  “We are. We’d like a chat with Danny, if that’s all right?”

  “I’ll call him and find out. I think they had a meeting planned for this afternoon. Not sure if that’s finished or not yet.”

  “I’d appreciate it.” Kayli swivelled and winked at her partner. “Keep your eyes open in case he makes a run for it.”

  “And you’re expecting me to bring him down?”

  “Ugh... okay, forget I mentioned it. Remind me why I asked you to tag along again?” she whispered.

  “Because I’m the one who spotted the phone in the car,” Dave said sarcastically.

  “Touché. It would only have been a matter of time before I stumbled across it anyway.”

  A door along the corridor opened, and a group of people walked towards them. Leading the pack was Harry Jackson. “Hi, was there something else you needed, Detectives?”

  “We’d like a chat with Danny if that’s okay with you?”

  He stepped aside and allowed Danny to come closer. “Hi, what can I do for you?”

  “Do you mind if we have a quiet word in your office?” Kayli asked, smiling broadly.

  “Not at all. This way.”

  He led them away from the group and into his office. He walked around the table, and before even taking a seat, he picked up his mobile to check if he had any missed calls or messages. Kayli glanced at Dave, adrenaline coursing rapidly through her veins.

  “Take a seat. What’s this about, Inspector? I told you everything I know the other day.”

  Kayli and Dave remained standing. “Maybe you wouldn’t mind showing us the inside of your car?”

  He frowned. “May I ask why?”

  “Do you have something to hide, Mr. Talbot?” Dave challenged.

  “Definitely not! Let me find my keys. They’re around here somewhere.” He lifted a few papers and moved things around on his desk.

  “Try looking in your pocket,” Dave suggested.

  The young man patted down his trousers and tutted. “I’m such an idiot.” His cheeks flared up with colour.

  “Shall we?” Kayli motioned towards the door.

  Talbot opened the door ahead of them and bolted out the room.

  “Shit! I knew that would happen,” Dave shouted.

  Kayli was already on his tail. A few of Talbot’s colleagues were still standing in the hallway. “Please, stop him!”

  One person stood in the path of the absconding man and wrestled Danny to the ground. Ryan sat on his back until Kayli joined him. “Why are you running away from the nice police officer, toe rag? What have you got to hide?”

  Kayli reached for her cuffs to slap them on one of Danny’s wrists.

  “Whoa! What is this?” Ryan asked a second time.

  Danny bucked beneath Ryan. “Nothing. I ain’t done nothing. This bitch has got nothing else to go on and is blaming...”

  “Oh, don’t stop there, Danny Boy. Let’s all hear what you have to say. Why run if
you’ve got nothing to hide?” Kayli asked.

  Ryan stared at Kayli and pointed down at the man he was holding down beneath him. “Are you telling me he has something to do with Sarah’s death?”

  Kayli nodded. “We believe so.”

  “Why, you heap of horseshit.” Ryan punched Danny several times in the head. “You were prepared to let one of us take the blame for what you did. Why?”

  “Get off me, you tosser. I’ll get my solicitor onto you,” Danny growled, wriggling to get free.

  Ryan punched him a couple more times before Dave arrived. “All right, Ryan, pack it in. We’ll take it from here.”

  Ryan jumped to his feet, slapped the other cuff on Talbot’s free wrist, and yanked Danny to his feet. “The worthless piece of shit is all yours, Inspector.” Before he let go, he fisted Talbot in the stomach, causing him to double over.

  Harry Jackson left a group of onlookers and demanded, “May I ask what the hell is going on here, Inspector?”

  “You may. We have reason to believe that Danny has Sarah’s phone in his vehicle. We had every intention of questioning him about it when his guilt surfaced, and he decided to make a run for it. That foolish gesture has pretty much sealed his fate.”

  “Is this true, Danny? Do you have Sarah’s phone in your car?” Jackson asked his employee.

  “I don’t know. Perhaps she dropped it when I gave her a lift home.”

  “Maybe she did, but why run? Why not just say that in the first place? Or is it that you’ve had enough time to think up a plausible excuse?” Kayli asked.

  “And he was pretty keen to let all of us take the heat from the police,” Ryan said, surging forward to make contact with Talbot, except Dave stood in his way this time.

  Dave warned him, “Leave it, man. He’s not worth it. He’ll get what’s coming to him.”

  Kayli got hold of the cuffs and hoisted Talbot’s arms high up his back, making him bend over slightly. “Thanks for all your help,” she called over her shoulder at the bewildered onlookers. On the way out of the building, Kayli read the suspect his rights.

  Dave removed Talbot’s keys from his pocket, and once he was secured in the back seat of their car, Kayli and Dave made their way over to Talbot’s car. Kayli pressed the key fob, and the doors clunked open. She pulled a plastic bag from her pocket and bent down to pick up the mobile phone that had led them to arrest Talbot. “We need to get SOCO here to pick up the vehicle,” Kayli said, removing her mobile from her pocket to place the call.