Beck le Street

by Tony McHale

  Justin got up to leave.

  “One thing,” Charlie stopping Justin’s exit, “how much do you want?”

  “All I want is not to get caught. So if you can do what you can to make sure that happens, I’m happy.”

  Justin was leaving as the audience piled into the theatre to see the second act. The whole encounter had taken just short of fifteen minutes.

  On the way back to Whitby Charlie and Devika had a heated discussion about who would be Justin’s driver on the night. Devika insisted she would do it - she had to do it. When they discovered the envelope was missing, one of the first people they would come for was Charlie, so he had to have a rock solid alibi. After nearly forty miles of protestations Charlie had to give in. Devika was right, he would need an alibi.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Charlie and Devika had four days before Justin arrived in Whitby. The first thing he did was call his father and tell him he’d be back sometime Tuesday. Being in The Black Dog Tuesday night would be Charlie’s alibi. He hated the thought of leaving Devika to do the dirty work, but he knew she was right and he could tell she was quite excited about it.

  The next thing he had to do was find out where Graham Shaw lived. He had no idea how Justin was going to get the key from him and something told him he didn’t want to know.

  The Shaw and Sherman offices were closed over the weekend, so following Shaw home wasn’t an option. The only other alternative was to ring all the G. Shaws in the local directory. Charlie was about to start dialling numbers when Devika pointed out that his number could be traced. They needed an untraceable phone. It took them just over thirty minutes to find a phone shop and set up a pay-as-you-go mobile, then Charlie pretending to be an irate client in the middle of a divorce started ringing the list of numbers. Eventually on call number six, someone who Charlie assumed was the fashion conscious girlfriend, said her ‘partner’ was indeed a partner in Shaw and Sherman if it were that urgent then she would get him to call him. Charlie, whilst feeling quite pleased with his acting ability, had heard enough and hung up. This was their man and he lived according to the telephone directory near Egton.

  Charlie and Devika took a drive out into the country and found the Shaw residence. It was a converted farm house, not big, but hugely desirable. It stood by itself in a large garden bordered by a picket fence. There were fields on three sides and on the fourth a minor road that led into the village. Whilst they were watching, a Merc pulled in the drive of the house and out climbed a man Devika identified as Shaw. Covertly Charlie took some photographs and then they headed back into Whitby.

  During the day they gave the Shaw and Sherman offices a good visual examination from the outside. There was an alarm box on the wall, but there was no pulsating blue light, which was normally be a sign the alarm was active. But Charlie wanted to make sure. If they were putting Justin’s freedom and his love life at risk, then the least they could do was make sure there was no alarm.

  In the early hours of Sunday morning, armed with a crow bar purchased with cash in a B & Q in Scarborough, Charlie and Devika, leaving their car some half a mile away, approached the door of the solicitors’ offices. As Devika kept a look out, Charlie wedged the crow bar in between the door and the door-jam and gave one aggressive tug. There was a splintering noise and the door, to his amazement, sprung open.

  Charlie waited for the sound of the alarm. Devika looked down the street. No alarm, no people running to see what had happened. They waited still longer … still nothing.

  “Let’s get out of here,” said Charlie already heading away from the crime.

  “It might be on the inside door at the top of the stairs.”

  “Why would they have one there and not here?” Charlie just wanted to get away.

  “I don’t know, but they might have. We should check it. I’ll go.”

  “No … no. I’ll do it.”

  Resignedly Charlie slipped through the door and started to climb up the stairs to the inner office door. The stairs were so noisy he thought people at the quay must be able to hear them. He arrived at the top of the stairs and quickly went through the motions again with the crow bar. The second door sprung open. Charlie immediately turned and started heading back down the stairs expecting to hear the alarm screaming to all and sundry that a break-in was in progress. But again there was nothing. There was no alarm. He reached Devika at the bottom of the stairs.

  “Nothing. No alarm. Come on – let’s get moving.”

  Charlie shoved the crow bar under his jacket and half walking and half running, rather like a couple of excitable kids, they made their way back to the Range Rover.

  As they went Devika asked, “Did you take a look in the office?”

  “No. Do you think I should have?”

  “Well …”

  “Check they hadn’t moved the safe,” said Charlie with a smile.

  “Yeah right. Very funny.”

  They climbed into the Range Rover and pulled away without anybody witnessing their first burglary.

  On Monday they drove to Scarborough. They didn’t want to hang around Whitby too much. They had a long lunch at a Bistro just off the front and then went to the cinema. At about nine they ended up back at The Marine Hotel. Their day had been consumed with nerves, their sleep was fitful and their dreams nightmares.

  Tuesday morning they checked out of the hotel and sat in the car while they phoned Justin. They were almost hoping he would say it was all off, but he didn’t. He was arriving in Whitby around lunchtime to ‘recce’ the area. He would leave his car in one of the large car parks, could they recommend one. Charlie immediately said the Pavilion Drive car park. He could park there for twenty-four hours, no problem. They told him not only did they have Shaw’s address, they also had photos of Shaw’s house and the offices weren’t alarmed. They also told him Devika would be his driver. Justin didn’t seem surprised. He’d meet her at the Pavilion Drive car park at ten and they’d take it from there.

  That was that. They said nothing else. Could it be so simple?

  Charlie and Devika drove off to the Whitby Trading Estate to pick up a hire car. It was a grey Nissan, nothing anyone would take a second look at. They then drove both vehicles onto the Whitby Road and parked up.

  Charlie got out of his Range Rover and walked back to the hired Nissan. Devika got out of the hire car and without saying anything they hugged each other tight. They stayed like this for some time until Devika whispered, “It’s going to be all right.”

  “You take care … promise.”

  “I promise,” she said as she kept hold of him.

  Then they kissed, a passionate roadside kiss and parted. He climbed into his car and she into hers. They drove away in opposite directions.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Ten o’clock on the dot, Devika saw the figure of Justin carrying a hold-all striding towards her car. He was the total opposite to her, calm relaxed and at ease. He sensed she wasn’t. The first thing he said as he climbed into the passenger seat was, “You’re nervous. You don’t have to be. If I can’t get the safe key, then it’s sayonara. We forget it.”

  Justin studied the photos of the house for quite some time, then he looked at his watch.

  “We might as well go out that way. Okay?” Again there was the air of casualness about him, as if they were taking a pleasure trip somewhere.

  Devika started the car and set off to Graham Shaw’s house.

  * * * * *

  Charlie headed back to Beck le Street and The Black Dog. It seemed his absence had hardly been noticed. Lucas and Amos were in their usual places, Amos on his mobile, Farrah was e-mailing her son who was still in Bangkok and Jed was behind the bar pulling a pint for Old Atkinson. Other familiar faces were dotted around the pub.

  Charlie made sure his arrival back didn’t go unnoticed. He aske
d Farrah the time, bought drinks for Lucas and Amos and offered to work behind the bar if his dad fancied a rest. They didn’t know it, but tonight was going to be a long night, Charlie was going to make sure of that. Tonight there would be drinking in The Black Dog until the early hours of the morning and Charlie would be there to the bitter end. His alibi would be watertight.

  Charlie looked at his watch. Twenty minutes past ten. No call from Devika, so he assumed the plan was underway.

  * * * * *

  Justin pulled the holdall from the back seat and placed it on his lap. Devika, following his instructions had guided the Nissan to a halt on a country lane a short distance from the Shaw’s farmhouse.

  Devika thought she could hear her heart beating. It was thumping away in her chest. She got a little nervous before a photo shoot, more nervous before a catwalk, but this was something else. She honestly wasn’t sure she was going to survive.

  She watched as Justin took out a box of rubber gloves - the type surgeons wear, plastic covers for his shoes, which he slipped over his trainers, a plain black mask with no features, a bunch of keys, an instrument that looked like a bradawl, which had interchangeable heads, a miner’s type lamp that he strapped round his head and also a small mag-lite.

  Devika watched him prepare. God this was weird.

  “I could be gone a few hours,” he told her. “So don’t panic. If it gets to four hours – go. Don’t wait.”

  “But …” she started to protest.

  “Just go, I’ll be all right. If anyone should ask you what you’re doing here, just say you’re pregnant and you needed to rest. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “As Arnie says … ‘I’ll be back …’”

  With that Justin was out of the car and heading over to a field that led to the Shaw’s house. Devika looked up at the sky as dark clouds passed across the moon. A breeze was gradually developing and Devika hoped the rain wouldn’t come, but feared that it would.

  * * * * *

  Justin was lying in the field at the back of the house. He needed to know they were all safely tucked up in bed before he made his move. He’d done some digging on the Internet and discovered that Graham Shaw had been married twice, but was currently seeing Julia Goodall who used to be his secretary. He had children by both of his marriages, but they were all grown up and well gone. As far as Justin could ascertain Shaw and Goodall lived alone in the farmhouse.

  As he lay there he could see a Merc and a Mini parked in front of the house. There was one light on upstairs and it seemed every light was on downstairs. He could be in for a long wait.

  At about eleven thirty the rain started to fall. It wasn’t too bad, but Justin could sense it would get worse. He just lay there – nothing else he could do.

  * * * * *

  In The Black Dog Charlie got a phone call. It was Devika.

  “How’s it going?” he asked.

  Devika explained she was just sitting there, waiting for Justin, in the rain. She hadn’t a clue what he was doing, but she’d been told to wait.

  “My alibi’s starting to look a bit thin,” said Charlie. “Most of the punters have gone home. Tuesday … they don’t have a lot of cash.”

  “Is the barmaid still there?”

  “Yeah.”

  “Can’t you keep her talking? From what you told me, I think she fancies you.”

  “No way. Farrah’s like a big sister. Promise.”

  “I don’t mind people fancying you, as long as you don’t fancy them.”

  “I think I’ve just had a stroke of luck.” Charlie’s eyes were looking at the man who had just walked into the pub. It was DI Jack Wood. A cop as an alibi had to be good.

  “Ring me when you can.”

  “Okay.”

  Charlie hung up the call.

  “Detective Wood … didn’t realise this was one of your haunts.”

  “It’s not. I was driving past and saw the light on.”

  “Come to tell me when I can bury my wife?” Jed pitched in.

  “Sorry … that’s down to the Coroner … and she won’t release the body yet.”

  “Drink? On the house.” Farrah was making sure the detective felt welcome.

  “Orange juice, please.”

  Charlie saw his father was staring at Wood and he was hoping he wasn’t going to cause a scene.

  “You were passing,” commented Jed. “Why you here?”

  “For information.”

  “Go on,” said Jed his eyes fixed on Wood.

  “The two youths … I want their names and addresses.”

  “Why?” asked Jed.

  “According to you they tried to rob Jenny Pearson’s shop, what if they’d tried before. Your wife had seen it and taken your gun to scare them off. Kyle got involved … the rest you can work out. ”

  “And that’s what you think happened?” asked Charlie

  “It doesn’t really matter what I think. I’ve been taken off the case.”

  “Off the case?” Jed was shocked.

  “Apparently arresting you was a gross mistake. And I’m paying for it.”

  Jed shrugged and Charlie was just pleased his alibi wanted to talk.

  * * * * *

  All the lights downstairs in the farmhouse had now been switched off and as a light went on in what Justin knew to be the master bedroom, he’d downloaded an estate agents selling brochure from when Shaw bought the place, he edged closer. He needed to do his doggie test.

  He climbed over the fencing and deliberately made a noise by pushing over a plant pot, one of a number on a small ornamental wall. It smashed on the ground. There was no sound from inside the house, no barking, no growling, no scratching at the door. At the same time he looked up at the bedroom to see if there was any reaction there. Again nothing. He retired back into the field as the rain kept coming.

  The field was just grass and as the rain continued to fall, it started to get muddy. Justin kept his eye on the bedroom and eventually at nearly half past midnight the light went out.

  Justin had learnt very early on in his career that to be a great burglar patience was top of the list of necessities. The light had gone out, now he must wait until they fell asleep.

  At just after one o’clock Justin approached the house, positioning his mask over his face. He switched on his miner’s lamp pulling it over the top of the mask and used it to examine the back door. There was a single Yale lock - that was all. He took out his keys, a whole bunch of them and selected one. He slipped it into the lock and jiggled it around trying to judge how close a fit it was. It was close. He chose another. Still no joy. He was on the sixth key when he felt the lock give, he just needed to play with it a little and the lock would open … which it did. He withdrew the key and pushed open the door. He then put the lock on the latch, so it wouldn’t lock again and stepped into the kitchen.

  The kitchen was quite small and was in need of a refurbish. Graham Shaw’s divorces probably cost him and kitchens weren’t as important to him as Mercs.

  The miner’s lamp flashed round the kitchen as he took out the small mag-lite. Most people dropped their keys where they were easy to find the next morning. Graham Shaw was no exception. There were two key rings in a blue and yellow patterned dish on the granite work surface. The question was were they the right keys and did Shaw keep his safe key on the same ring as his car keys? The key ring he picked up he quickly discarded because of the Mini key that was attached. The second key ring had a Merc key on it, a set of house keys, a set of office keys and … a key for a Chubb safe. Perfect. Absolute perfection.

  * * * * *

  Wood was giving very little away, but Charlie sensed there was a rift in the police camp. Wood was clearly feeling the treatment he had received had been unfair and was trying to figure out why. If
there was corruption here, he would risk the backlash from his fellow officers. As far as he was concerned one corrupt officer could do more damage than fifty criminals. He wanted them out.

  Charlie wanted to help Wood, but he knew there was little he could say or do. He’d upset people already by being the Good Samaritan and picking up the youths. So in truth Wood gleaned very little.

  It was one twenty when Wood started to leave and Charlie was thinking his presence had all been a bit pointless, except from the alibi point of view. Then Wood dropped in the real reason for his visit.

  “Sam Naylor … you had any dealings with him.”

  Farrah and Jed said nothing. Old Atkinson looked away and stroked his chin. And Charlie realised this was why Wood was here.

  “He really likes this place. Loves it in fact. Can’t speak highly enough of it.”

  “He used to live here,” said Jed eventually. “Till he left school. His mum and dad both died here. Hit by a drunk driver. You’d be able to look it up in the parish records.”

  Farrah took a sip from her wine glass, remembering the tragedy.

  “A lot for a young lad to live with,” commented Wood.

  “Went to Hendon police college … eventually ended up back in Whitby.”

  “Okay … thanks. And thanks for the drinks.”

  “Do you want us to keep quiet about you being here?” asked Charlie.

  “No,” replied a confident Wood. “I’ve nothing to hide.”

  And Charlie’s alibi left.

  * * * * *

  Justin had changed out of his wet clothes in the back seat of the car as they drove back to Whitby. As far as he was concerned things were going according to plan and he was already tooled up when Devika parked across the road from the offices and switched off her lights.

  He didn’t hang around. Within seconds he was out of the car and using his bradawl like instrument he was picking the mortise lock of the front door belonging to Shaw and Shermans.