Dave Slater Mystery Novels Box Set Two

by Ford, P. F.

  ‘How would I have known I was going anywhere near it?’ asked Norman. ‘I just did what I was told to do on the night. I thought I was going to Southampton until I got the phone call just after the train left Tinton.’

  ‘So you didn’t do the drawing in the phone box?’ asked Slater.

  ‘I didn’t go anywhere near the phone box,’ said Norman. ‘I got picked up by Tim Jolly before I got that far.’

  Slater was confused. This didn’t make sense. If Norman hadn’t left the clues, who did? Or was it a series of bizarre coincidences? Now his head was beginning to ache again.

  ‘So, if you didn’t leave the clues, that must mean Tim Jolly did,’ said Slater. ‘he stole my car, drove over to the phone box and left the clues. But why would he do that if he was involved?’

  ‘Because he didn’t really want to be involved in something this extreme,’ explained Norman. ‘He’s done nothing but apologise all the time he was holding me in that cellar.’

  ‘But why get involved then?’ asked Slater.

  ‘Howes first convinced him about me and Jane, and then he threatened to hurt his kids if he didn’t do what he was told.’

  ‘But why didn’t you let me know what was going on? I could have helped you if I’d known.’

  Norman looked away, and sighed heavily. When he looked back he was embarrassed.

  ‘Because I’m a bloody fool,’ said Norman. ‘You know I’ve always wanted to believe I could get back together with my wife, right?’

  Slater nodded. It was never spoken about, but he knew.

  ‘Well, when Howes first started calling and texting it was just to taunt me. That’s why I changed my phone number.’

  ‘So how did he get the new number?’

  ‘I gave it to my wife,’ said Norman. ‘I had to know she could always get in touch with me if she wanted to.’

  ‘She could have told Howes,’ said Slater.

  ‘Or he could have just checked her phone,’ said Norman. ‘Anyway, it was after I changed the number he started making threats against her. I don’t think she knew anything about that. I tried to tell her, but she wouldn’t listen to me.’

  ‘You really think he would hurt her?’ asked Slater. ‘She seemed pretty committed to him when we spoke to her. She even made a decoy run for him so he could get down here undetected.’

  ‘He turned her against me,’ said Norman, sadly. ‘He can be very convincing. He certainly convinced me she was in danger. I just did whatever he told me to try and keep her safe.’

  ‘But he would have killed you!’ said Slater.

  ‘Yeah,’ said Norman, sheepishly. ‘But you do whatever it takes when you think someone you love is in danger, right?’

  Slater didn’t know what to say to that, and he had run out of questions for the moment, but Norman evidently had a few of his own.

  ‘So tell me about DI Goodnews,’ said Norman, suddenly much brighter. ‘You and her seem to be getting on pretty well considering you only just met.’

  ‘She’s alright,’ said Slater. ‘She’s a bit feisty and doesn’t suffer fools gladly, but that’s okay by me. And she’s very cool and collected. I think I might have ended up doing the headless chicken thing, you know? But she made sure we all kept it professional and methodical.’

  ‘Nah,’ said Norman. ‘You woulda been fine. You woulda found me anyway.’

  ‘I’m not so sure.’

  ‘This is beginning to sound like hero worship,’ said Norman. ‘Or maybe it’s just that you fancy your chances with her.’

  ‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ said Slater, uncomfortably. ‘She’s not my type.’

  ‘And what is your type? I seem to remember you saying you don’t actually have a particular type.’

  ‘Yeah, well,’ said Slater, embarrassed. ‘Whatever my type is, she’s not it.’

  ‘Yeah, right,’ said Norman, knowingly. ‘Whatever you say.’

  ‘Never mind about me.’ Slater was keen to change the subject. ‘What about your situation?’

  ‘I don’t have a situation,’ said Norman, rather too quickly.

  ‘What about your wife?’

  ‘I’ve been forced to face up to the reality of the situation over the past few days, and I think it’s clear where her loyalties lie,’ said Norman, ‘If she plotted with Howes to get him out of London and down here to kill me, it’s hard to believe she didn’t know what was going on. How could I ever trust her again after that? So, that’s it. It’s all over. Finito.’

  ‘She might not have known what he intended to do,’ said Slater.

  ‘Aw, come on, Dave. What are you saying? That she was an accidental decoy? She’s been sleeping with him. She knows he hates me. What more do you want? No, I have to forget her. You can’t mend broken trust.’

  ‘I’m sorry, mate,’ said Slater, sadly.

  ‘Don’t be,’ said Norman. ‘I guess, in my head, I knew it was over. It was just a question of waiting for my heart to stop hoping and catch up with reality, but it has now. I’m already over it.’

  On that, rather gloomy, note Slater decided he needed to sleep for a while so he made his excuses and walked back to his own room.

  He lay back on the bed, closed his eyes, and tried to rest. He felt desperately tired all of a sudden. If only he could clear his head and stop thinking, he’d be able to get an hour’s sleep, maybe then he’d feel better…

  He woke with a start. Why was he suddenly thinking about Goodnews? This is all Norm’s fault for talking about her. And as for suggesting he fancied her, well that was a crazy idea. Of course he didn’t fancy her. She was way too touchy for a start.

  To be fair, though, she was nice looking, and she had been good company. And then there was her voice with that faint Scottish accent that was so nice to listen to.

  He knew there was a word for it, if only he could think of it. Mellifluous, he thought, suddenly. That’s the word. She has a mellifluous voice.

  And then, as he began to drift off, he had a hazy recollection of what happened at the station, not that she’d exactly been happy about it. And after, when they’d been walking hand in hand…

  He rolled over and slipped his arm around her waist, his hand feeling its way across her pale, soft, warm skin. He buried his face in her strawberry blonde hair, and then gently kissed her neck.

  She turned towards him, her lips searching for his mouth. She reached for his shoulder, her hand gently caressing him.

  ‘Come on,’ she whispered. ‘It’s time.’

  For a moment, he was taken aback that she was being so forward, and then she was shaking his shoulder, urging him on.

  ‘Hey, come on, wake up.’

  ‘Whaaa?’ said a half-awake Slater.

  ‘It’s time to prove you’re ready to go home,’ Goodnews said.

  Suddenly his eyes were open, but he wasn’t quite fully awake. Goodnews stopped shaking his shoulder and stepped back.

  ‘You’re dressed,’ said Slater, in surprise.

  ‘Of course I’m dressed,’ said Goodnews. ‘I tend to get dressed most mornings, and I stay that way all day.’

  Now, an embarrassed Slater was fully awake.

  ‘Errm, I mean you’re dressed very nicely,’ he said.

  She looked down at her clothes.

  ‘You need to take some advice about women’s fashion,’ she said. ‘This is just an old work suit. I’d be quite disappointed if you thought this was the best I could do. I’ve just come from work to give you a lift home.’

  She looked back at him.

  ‘And why are you looking at me like that?’ she asked.

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘Like you’re disappointed. Have I interrupted a good dream, or something?’

  This was too close to the truth, and Slater’s face began to turn a vivid red.

  ‘Oh, I have, haven’t I?’ Goodnews grinned. ‘Was she anyone I know?’

  Slater would have been quite happy if the earth had opened up and swallowed him right there
and then.

  ‘If you must know I was dreaming about my girlfriend,’ he argued, his face burning.

  ‘I didn’t know you had one,’ she said. ‘You haven’t mentioned her.’

  ‘That’s because I suspect I haven’t got one really,’ said Slater, gloomily. ‘She went off travelling months ago and it doesn’t look as if she’s planning on coming back.’

  ‘Oh, I see.’

  ‘Anyway,’ he said, ‘you haven’t told me about your personal situation, so why should I have told you about mine?’

  ‘No, I haven’t,’ said Goodnews. ‘And no, I’m not going to, because it’s none of your business.’

  ‘Fair enough. So why should I have told you about mine, and why do you need to know?’

  ‘I didn’t say you should have,’ countered Goodnews, standing back and folding her arms. ‘And I didn’t say you had to. In fact, if I’d known you were going to be so touchy about it, I wouldn’t have mentioned it.’

  He couldn’t think of anything to say, but he doubted he would have got a word in edgeways anyway.

  ‘Wasn’t it you who suggested I didn’t have a sense of humour?’ she continued. ‘I suggest you should take look in the mirror if you want to see someone with no sense of humour. If you can’t take it, you shouldn’t dish it out in the first place.’

  Slater felt guilty. Now he’d put her on the defensive and he hadn’t intended to do that.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ he said. ‘It’s a bit of a sore point.’

  ‘You don’t say,’ said Goodnews, sarcastically. ‘I would never have guessed. You’d better get dressed if you want me to take you home. I’ll be in with Norman when you’re ready to go.’

  She turned and stomped from the room.

  Shit, thought Slater. Shit, shit, shit.

  It only took him a few minutes to get dressed, get his things together, and say farewell to the nurses. He could see through the window that Goodnews was deep in conversation with Norman, so he knocked and waited. And waited, and waited.

  In the end, she kept him waiting for almost twenty minutes. He guessed she was probably still in a shitty mood with him and was teaching him a lesson, but it was his own fault, so he didn’t complain.

  It was only a ten-minute drive from the hospital to his house, and he half expected it to be a somewhat tense, tetchy journey, and for the first couple of minutes it seemed he was correct as she focused on the road ahead.

  ‘You didn’t have to do this, you know?’ he said, hoping to appease her. ‘I could have got a taxi home.’

  ‘Are you kidding me?’ she asked, giving him a sideways look. ‘I’m responsible for sending you into that building and almost getting you killed. The least I can do is run you home from the hospital.’

  He hadn’t realised she was still feeling guilty about that.

  ‘Oh. Right. I see,’ he said. ‘I don’t think you need to feel responsible for that. It was my idea to go down there.’

  ‘But I should have made sure it was checked out first,’ she said. ‘I made a mistake and it could have cost your life.’

  ‘Well, I suppose if you put it like that. But you need to know I don’t hold you responsible. It was just one of those things.’

  ‘Just one of those things that could, and should, have been avoided.’

  ‘We’ll have to agree to disagree on that,’ Slater said.

  ‘Is that you being all grown up and adult again?’ She smiled across at him. And with that, all the tension between them disappeared, and Slater began to relax.

  ‘I guess now Norm’s safe, and the two villains have been caught, you’ll be moving on as soon as you finish all the paperwork,’ he said.

  ‘I have a new job to go to, yes,’ she said.

  ‘Well, in that case, I’m glad I caught you before you go,’ said Slater. ‘I want you to know I’ve really enjoyed working for you. I think you’re probably the best boss I’ve ever worked for.’

  ‘Really?’ said Goodnews. ‘Well, thank you very much. That’s a compliment I wouldn’t have expected from you a few days ago.’

  ‘Yeah, well,’ said Slater, blushing guiltily. ‘I was under a lot of stress, and no-one told me you were here… Anyway, I was wrong, and I admit it. Alright?’

  ‘We did seem to work quite well as a team,’ said Goodnews. ‘Even if you are a bit over-familiar.’

  ‘Yeah, alright. I’ve already admitted I need to address that. I’ll work on it, I promise.’

  ‘So, how would you feel about working with me all the time?’

  For a moment Slater thought he must have heard that wrong.

  ‘What, me? Work with you?’ he said. ‘That would mean a transfer, wouldn’t it?’

  ‘Well, something like that,’ said Goodnews, non-committally.

  ‘But what about Norm?’ asked Slater.

  ‘What about him? You’re not joined at the hip, are you?’

  ‘Well, no,’ said Slater. ‘But we’re a good team.’

  ‘I’m sure Norman’s been around long enough to know that nothing lasts forever,’ said Goodnews. ‘People move around. It’s how careers are made. He’s moved around, hasn’t he? He wouldn’t expect to be working with you for the rest of your lives.’

  ‘Well, I dunno,’ said Slater, uncertainly. ‘I suppose it’s true enough. People come and people go.’

  They were outside his house now.

  ‘I bet if Norman had an offer he would do what he thought was best for him, not what’s best for you,’ said Goodnews. ‘You need to think about what’s best for you. Anyway, I’m not asking you to make a decision today,’ she said, as she stopped the car. ‘Just think about it.’

  ‘Yeah, right. I will,’ said Slater, his mind reeling.

  He opened the car door.

  ‘Are you sure you’ll be okay?’

  ‘Err, yeah, I’m fine, thanks.’

  He climbed from the car, turned and bent to say goodbye before he shut the door. Goodnews turned towards him and smiled.

  Before he had been cleared for release from hospital, Slater had been told to stay away from work for a few days. Apparently, the doctor told him, it didn’t matter that he might feel okay, he needed to rest. To satisfy the doctor, he made all the right noises, fully intending to ignore his advice and get straight back to work.

  Unfortunately for Slater’s plans, Goodnews had hunted out the doctor for herself before she collected him, and she was adamant he should follow doctor’s orders.

  ‘And don’t forget, you stay away from work,’ she warned him. ‘Do not come near Tinton Police Station before next Monday when you should report to your DCI at 9am. That’s an order.’

  ‘Oh, err, right, Boss,’ he said, reluctantly.

  He pushed the car door shut, and stood and watched as she turned the car around and headed away. He realised was actually going to miss her when this was all over. Unless he accepted her offer…

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Finding something to keep him amused for the next three days was going to be difficult, but at least it meant he could visit Norman anytime he wanted.

  ‘D’you know when you’re coming out of here?’ he asked Norman on Saturday afternoon.

  ‘Probably tomorrow,’ said Norman. ‘Not that I’m in any rush what with my flat having been cremated.’

  ‘Oh, crap. I’d almost forgotten about that,’ said Slater. ‘What are you going to do? You can always come and stay at my place.’

  ‘I knew you’d offer,’ said Norman. ‘And I’m grateful, believe me, but my insurance company have offered me a hotel until things get sorted, and I quite fancy being waited on for a while.’

  ‘I’m almost jealous,’ said Slater.

  ‘I’ll invite you over, just as soon as I get settled in.’

  ‘Have they said when you can get back to work?’

  ‘Ah, now that’s another question entirely,’ said Norman. ‘I’ve had a visit. Apparently there is some concern over my fitness for work.’

  ‘But I t
hought you were okay, no lasting damage done?’

  ‘Oh, I’m in A-one condition for me,’ said Norman. ‘But it seems my A-one isn’t good enough anymore. I’m off duty until I can pass the medical, prove I’m at the right fitness level, and get through a full psychological assessment.’

  ‘Ah,’ said Slater. ‘That’s not so good.’

  ‘I have no problem with the psych assessment,’ said Norman. ‘I’ll fly through that. But let’s be honest; we both know I’ve been cheating for years, and I can’t argue that I’m fit, can I? They only have to ask me to run more than ten yards and I’m in trouble.’

  ‘So, how long’s it going to take you to get fit?’ asked Slater.

  ‘Forever,’ said Norman.

  Slater looked at his partner in dismay.

  ‘Yeah, but-’ he began.

  ‘They’ve told me I could volunteer for early retirement,’ interrupted Norman. ‘In view of what’s just happened they say it would be a formality, no questions asked.’

  ‘But what would you do?’

  ‘I don’t know yet,’ said Norman. ‘But I will have a good pension, and I think with my experience I could probably find a job, maybe two or three days a week. The rest of the time I could take up some of those hobbies I’ve always fancied trying but never had time for.’

  ‘But this isn’t right. Who’s behind it? I bet it’s that bloody Bob Murray, isn’t it?’

  ‘I haven’t a clue,’ said Norman. ‘But I did tell you things were going to have to change, didn’t I? Anyway, I’ve been thinking about retiring, I just didn’t expect to be able to do it quite so soon.’

  ‘But it’s not just about who can run fastest,’ said Slater desperately. ‘I’d back your experience over a fast runner anytime.’

  ‘Don’t get yourself upset about it,’ said Norman, reasonably. ‘I’m not. And you know, the more I think about it, the more I think it’s probably the best thing for me, and in the end you have to do what’s in your own best interests.’

  ‘That sounds like a final decision,’ said Slater, his voice filled with disappointment. ‘But what about us?’

  ‘It’s been a blast,’ Norman said, smiling. ‘We’ve had some great laughs, and we’ve been a good team, but all good things come to an end, you know? And anyway, we’re still friends, aren’t we? We can still hang out, and share a few beers.’