Dave Slater Mystery Novels Box Set Two

by Ford, P. F.

  He watched Sterling’s face as the colour drained slowly from it. ‘Oh my God,’ he whispered, raising his hands to cover his eyes.

  ‘I don’t think he’s going to be much help to you,’ said Slater, in disgust.

  ‘Oh dear, Fabian,’ said Norman, mock concern in his voice, ‘you look a little faint. I’m sorry, do you get queasy talking about these things? Was it the bit about being burnt alive or having a kidney whipped out? Having such a weak stomach must make it very difficult to do your work as a surgeon.’

  Sterling seemed to have crumpled into his seat, so they gave him a couple of minutes to pull himself together. When he finally looked ready to talk, his face was ashen.

  ‘I didn’t kill anyone,’ he said. ‘You have to believe that.’

  ‘We don’t have to believe anything,’ said Slater. ‘You might not have killed the guy, but removing one of his kidneys and then kicking him out onto the street wouldn’t have done anything to help him survive, would it? We know for a fact he wouldn’t have been in that skip if he hadn’t been feeling so ill.’

  ‘We think we know what’s been happening,’ said Norman, ‘but it would be good if you told us your side of the story, and then we’ll see how it matches what we know.’

  ‘I had no choice,’ Sterling said, desperately. ‘Coulter told me he’d kill my wife if I didn’t do as he said.’

  Slater and Norman shared a look.

  ‘Just start at the beginning,’ said Norman. ‘You can save your excuses for later.’

  ‘When Coulter offered me the job, I thought it was a gift from heaven,’ said Sterling. ‘It was an opportunity to get away from my past and start again. I could circumvent the system that was holding me back and show them what I could really do given a chance.’

  ‘And it never occurred to you that it was a bit strange that no one else was even interviewed?’ asked Norman.

  ‘With my wife urging me to take the job, I never even thought about why I’d been offered it. I jumped at the chance.’

  ‘And, of course, you had personal reasons for wanting to start again,’ suggested Slater.

  Sterling looked at him sharply, colour now returning to his cheeks.

  ‘We interviewed your wife,’ said Norman. ‘She told us what had happened in Hereford. Did you know this was the same guy?’

  Just as the colour had begun to fill his face with anger, Sterling’s face suddenly turned deathly white again, this time with shock.

  ‘That’s a powerful motive for murder,’ said Slater. ‘Your wife’s ex-lover coming back on the scene after you’d moved away to start over.’

  ‘I didn’t kill him,’ insisted Sterling. ‘I didn’t have any idea who he was.’

  ‘You didn’t?’ asked Slater.

  ‘Coulter told me this guy had fought with his other son in Afghanistan, the one who died. He said he was a blood match and that he had offered to donate a kidney.’

  ‘So you carried out the operation to remove the kidney in your new operating theatre?’ asked Norman, his voice rising in disgust.

  ‘He was a willing donor,’ pleaded Sterling. ‘And my wife’s life was at risk. What else could I do?’

  ‘Call the police?’ suggested Slater.

  ‘I’ll let you into a little secret,’ said Norman. ‘Your wife is in no more danger than I am. She certainly gave us the impression she enjoys her relationship with Coulter.’

  ‘What relationship?’ demanded Sterling. ‘She has no relationship with that man.’

  ‘Well, you can believe what you want. But I think you’ll find we’re right.’

  ‘She can’t be involved in this,’ said Sterling, in disbelief. ‘She loves me. She wouldn’t stoop this low.’

  ‘You are one seriously self-centred guy, aren’t you?’ said Slater. ‘Do you really think she loves you? Are you blind, or is just that you have your head so far up your own arse you can’t see what’s right under your nose?’

  ‘You have to understand – Stan Coulter is a people-user,’ explained Norman. ‘I don’t think your wife has any idea how he’s been using threats against her to manipulate you, but he started an affair with her a long, long time ago. He had found out about you and your history, and he used her to learn even more about you, and he’s so convincing she even believes he cares for her.

  ‘Then, once he learned what he wanted to know, he started using you. He’s kept the affair going because it suits his purpose. She’s not going to tell you what’s really going on, and good old Stan makes you believe he’s watching her, ready to kill her whenever he wants. I bet he’s even told you stuff to convince you he’s watching her, right? But it’s all stuff she’s told him when they’ve been in bed together. You’ve been used, Fabian.’

  Sterling looked like a boxer on the ropes, totally punch-drunk. ‘What’s going to happen now? Are you going to report me to the police?’

  ‘Well, we’re not going to pat you on the head and send you home with a sweetie, are we?’ said Slater.

  ‘What’s Coulter going to do about his son?’ asked Norman.

  ‘Apparently there’s another guy out there somewhere who really is a blood match. Coulter says he’s done a deal with him to buy one of his kidneys. I’m expected to use it for a transplant to save his son’s life.’

  ‘You’re supposed to be a bloody doctor,’ said Slater. ‘Don’t you have a code of ethics?’

  ‘When you think your wife’s life is in danger, you do whatever you have to do,’ said Sterling.

  ‘But her life’s not in danger!’

  ‘I didn’t know that before, did I? I’m certainly not doing the damned operation now! His son can bloody well die for all I care.’

  ‘No wait,’ said Norman. ‘You said Coulter had done a deal with a guy to buy a kidney?’

  ‘That’s what he told me,’ said Sterling, ‘but then he told me the first guy was a blood match, so who knows if this is true or not. Thank God I tested it before I cut his son open.’

  ‘It would have been better if you’d tested before you cut Morgan open,’ observed Norman. ‘He’d probably still be alive.’

  ‘You’re in deep shit, you know that, don’t you,’ said Slater. ‘Coulter will deny everything and leave you to carry the can.’

  Sterling nodded, his face a picture of misery. ‘I’ll go to prison, won’t I?’

  ‘I’d be bloody surprised if you didn’t,’ said Slater. ‘But there might be a way you can get a lesser sentence. You’d like to get even with Coulter, wouldn’t you?’

  Sterling suddenly looked interested. ‘What do I have to do?’

  ‘You carry on as if nothing has happened, but you keep in touch with us and let us know what’s happening. As soon as this guy with the kidney for sale appears, you let us know and we get the police to grab everyone. It’s the only chance we have to get Coulter.’

  ‘I’ll do it,’ said Sterling.

  ‘You’ve got to be a good actor,’ said Norman. ‘You can’t let your wife know what you know.’

  ‘Yes, I understand that, but if it means I can get even with that bastard Coulter, I’ll do it.’

  ‘Are we doing the right thing?’ Slater asked Norman, when Sterling had gone.

  ‘Do we have a choice?’ asked Norman. ‘If it means we get a chance at Coulter, it’s got to be worth the risk, hasn’t it?’

  ‘So, are we thinking Coulter is responsible for Morgan’s death, just to shut him up?’

  ‘You could point the finger at Sterling for the same reason, plus the additional reason Morgan had been his wife’s first affair,’ said Norman. ‘If anything, his motive is more powerful, but I don’t think he’s a killer. He hasn’t got it in him.’

  ‘And do we think Coulter bumped off Doddsy? If so, what’s his motive for that? And don’t forget Biddeford said he’d been hit by a car, not beaten up.’

  ‘What if they just ran him down to catch him? What if it was a kidnapping that went wrong? They thought Doddsy was Ryan so they ran him down, intendi
ng to disable him so they could steal his kidneys. They removed his sleeves to check the blood group tattoo, and when they couldn’t find it, they knew they had the wrong guy. From there, it could be they decided to kill him so he couldn’t tell, or maybe they tried to beat Ryan’s whereabouts out of him but they went too far. Does that work?’

  ‘I can’t see why anyone else would want to kill him,’ said Slater. ‘And if it was a case of mistaken identity it suggests they don’t actually know what Ryan looks like. Is that likely if this story of Sterling’s is true? If Ryan is going to sell a kidney to Coulter, I find it hard to believe they haven’t met!’

  ‘What if Ryan doesn’t trust Coulter?’ suggested Norman. ‘Maybe he contacted him to make a deal but insisted Coulter supplied him with a mobile phone so they could talk without meeting?’

  ‘But would he really want to sell a kidney?’ asked Slater, doubtfully. ‘Does that seem likely?’

  Norman placed his hands over his face and rubbed hard. ‘Shit! I don’t know,’ he said. ‘I know people can lead normal lives with one kidney, but it is a bit drastic, isn’t it? Especially if you’re putting your life into the hands of a surgeon who’s not got the greatest reputation.’

  ‘I’m not convinced,’ said Slater. ‘Ginger was certain Ryan was going into battle, not bartering one of his organs.’

  ‘I’d like to go and ask Coulter. But if we do he’ll know someone’s talked, and he’ll soon work out who it was.’

  ‘This would be a whole lot easier if we could find Ryan and get him on board,’ said Slater.

  ‘Maybe we should stake out Coulter’s place,’ said Norman. ‘Perhaps we’ll get lucky and find him before he does something stupid.’

  ‘Let’s finish this coffee first,’ said Slater, pouring himself another one from the pot.

  ‘Talking of Ginger,’ said Norman, thoughtfully. ‘What happened to her last night?’

  ‘She slept in my spare room. I didn’t know what else to suggest what with her being so jumpy anyway, and the police probably being at her own place after we broke in.’

  Norman raised his eyebrows, but didn’t comment. ‘I hope you warned her Jane was coming round this morning.’

  ‘Of course I did,’ said Slater, ‘and I left a note for Jane. Hopefully neither will get a shock when they discover there’s someone else in the house. I’d better ring just to make sure they’re both okay.’

  He fished his mobile phone from his pocket. At first he thought it was dead, but then he remembered he’d switched it off just before last night’s break in, and he had forgotten to switch it back on. He pressed the button and waited. As the phone came to life, he found he had three voice messages. He decided to call home first.

  ‘Jane says they’re both fine,’ he said to Norman a minute or so later. ‘It sounds like they’re getting on like a house on fire.’

  He turned his attention back to the phone and those voice messages. A little voice was nagging away, deep inside his head, but he couldn’t quite make out what it was telling him. He thought maybe he’d forgotten something, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was.

  ‘Oh, crap!’ he said as the screen opened and revealed the source of the messages. Now he remembered what that little voice was trying to tell him. What a pity it hadn’t told him last night.

  ‘What’s up?’ asked Norman.

  ‘I was supposed to be on a date last night,’ said a dismayed Slater.

  ‘And you forgot?’ asked Norman. ‘Seriously? Jesus, you’ll be in it right up to your neck. Tell her you were working. She ought to understand. It happens all the time. It’s part of the job.’

  ‘Yeah,’ said Slater, slowly. ‘Except I don’t have that job any more, remember?’

  ‘Ah, right.’

  ‘And she doesn’t actually know I’m working with you, and we’re not even supposed to be working this case.’

  ‘And you think she’s behind the decision not to investigate it, and Steve Biddeford’s just telling us what she’s telling him?’

  ‘It’s possible, isn’t it?’ admitted Slater. ‘After all, she is his boss.’

  Slater was looking at his phone as if he was expecting it to bite him at any moment.

  ‘It’s no good just looking at it,’ said Norman. ‘And you can’t ignore it, either. You’d better find out what she has to say.’

  Reluctantly, Slater pushed a button and lifted the phone to his ear.

  The first call was timed at 21.06. As he already knew, it was Marion Goodnews. Her voice was quite calm and collected.

  ‘Hello? It’s me. I came round just as we arranged. Did you forget I was coming? All your lights are on but you don’t seem to be here. And your landline isn’t working. Has something happened? Can you let me know what’s going on?’

  The second call was timed at 21.10. This time her voice was showing one or two signs of stress.

  ‘I’m in my car right outside your house, and I know you’re in there because I just saw the curtains twitch. I don’t understand why you won’t let me in. Is it something I’ve said, or something I’ve done? Please talk to me.’

  The last call was timed at 21.14. This time her voice had gone up a full octave. It would be fair to say she was raging. He could almost feel the venom she was spitting into the phone.

  ‘Now I get it! You’ve got another woman in there, haven’t you? I’ve just seen her face at the window. What’s the matter with me? Aren’t I good enough? I can’t wait to hear how you’re going to explain this, you cheating bastard! How dare you do this to me? And don’t think you can hide away and avoid me. I will have an answer, you absolute shit!’ There was another minute’s worth of message, which wasn’t easy to decipher, but Slater got the impression it was series of two word insults, nearly every one beginning with “f”.

  Norman had been watching Slater’s face as he listened to the calls. His colleague was the second person to turn white in front of him this morning, and he seemed to almost flinch at the end.

  ‘And his face turned a whiter shade of pale,’ he misquoted. ‘That looks like some pile of shit you have to clear up.’

  ‘The silly cow thinks I cheated on her,’ said Slater.

  ‘Why would she think that?’

  ‘Ginger must have looked out of the window when she rang the bell, and Marion looked up and saw her.’

  ‘So you can hardly blame her, can you?’ said Norman. ‘Jesus, Dave, is this deja vu or what? Haven’t you been here before, when Cindy came home and found Darling cooking your breakfast? Don’t you ever learn?’

  Slater gawped at him. Norman was right; he couldn’t really blame her for thinking the worst, and yes, he had been here before.

  ‘I’ve got to hand it to you,’ said Norman, ‘you certainly like to live on the edge when it comes to relationships. I can’t believe you manage to keep on getting yourself into such awkward situations. Do you do it on purpose? Or maybe you just stop thinking with your head where women are concerned?’

  ‘You know it’s not that,’ said Slater. ‘I didn’t do anything with Darling, and I haven’t done anything with Ginger. I’m bloody innocent.’

  ‘Well, good luck with trying to prove that to your girlfriend,’ said Norman. ‘I’m glad it’s not me who’s going to have to explain it to her.’

  It was five thirty. Since the interview with Sterling, they had spent most of the day lying under a hedge spying on Coulter’s house, but there was no sign of Coulter, his heavies, or even his car and, so far, there had been no sign of Ryan either.

  ‘This is a waste of time,’ said Slater. ‘All that’s happening is I’m getting cramp.’

  ‘Yeah, you’re right,’ agreed Norman. ‘How about we make our way back to the car?’

  Ten minutes later they were back in the car.

  ‘Any ideas?’ asked Norman.

  ‘The phone in the church hall,’ said Slater. ‘I suppose it’s pretty ancient.’

  ‘Actually, it’s not. When Chris and Diane moved
in, the hall was in a pretty crappy state. They wanted it to be refurbished, only they were told there was no money for anything like that. But Diane’s cute. She figured if she could get someone from the council to come along and condemn the building, it would be unusable and they would have to close it. Of course there was a public outcry when that happened, and then suddenly the church comes up with the money to refurbish the place. That’s why the kitchen’s as good as it is. I’m pretty sure the phone’s new too.’

  ‘We’ve missed a trick, then,’ said Slater. ‘Ginger reckons Ryan probably called the church hall last night to see if she was there. Now, if it’s a modern phone it could be you can check the caller list–’

  ‘And his number should be on there, right?’ finished Norman. He started the engine and grinned at Slater. ‘Not only do you make a pretty good backup driver, and a useful source of ready cash, but you also sometimes have the odd good idea.’

  ‘Does this mean I’m an indispensable part of this team?’ asked Slater.

  ‘Indispensable? Heck, no, I wouldn’t go that far,’ said Norman, as he pulled away and headed for St Anne’s church.

  ‘You’re early,’ said Diane, as she swung the vicarage door open and found Slater and Norman on her step.

  ‘Yeah,’ said Norman. ‘We were just down the road. It didn’t seem worth going all the way home and then coming back. I hope you don’t mind?’

  ‘Not at all,’ she said. ‘I’m glad of the help. Chris has been out since early this morning and I don’t know when he’ll be back. I thought I was going to have to do it all on my own tonight.

  ‘If you let us have the key, we can go on over to the hall and get things started,’ suggested Norman.

  ‘That would be great,’ she said. ‘I’ll be over myself in a few minutes, but if you can get things going it’ll save me so much time.’

  They walked the short distance from the vicarage to the church hall and let themselves in.

  ‘Okay, I’ll bring this place to life,’ said Slater, flicking on each one of the bank of light switches. ‘You check the phone.’

  As Slater made his way down the hall closing curtains, Norman made his way into the tiny office where the phone was located. They were in luck; it was a relatively new digital phone with a small screen. He quickly opened up the menu and found the caller list. Ryan must have called during the evening, after Ginger had gone to Slater’s house, so he figured there shouldn’t be too many numbers to check.