Never Return

by Stephen Barnes

  “He’s the main suspect. Either him or an organisation he’s connected with.”

  “But what’s his motive?”

  Evans was considering his answer when Marsh beckoned him to the entrance having finished the conversation with Tessa Turnbull.

  “According to his mother, Eddie was expelled for using drugs. That’s all she knows,” Marsh said when Evans joined him at the door. “She asked Mila Mertens to get Eddie into a clinic in Brussels. It’s a big family secret. Tessa’s got an address and telephone number for Mila but we know she isn’t in Belgium.”

  “I think we can be sure that Eddie isn’t there either,” Evans stated. “He can’t have rented unit twelve while he was in a clinic in Brussels.”

  “Do you still want Fuller and Garton to go to Little Howton?”

  “Yes. I think there may be more to learn about Eddie. Michael and Eddie both had a connection with Hull. I want to know what it was. It may help us trace Eddie and Mila.”

  “There’s also news from the Belgian police. Mila’s name was linked to an individual who was part of a paedophile ring but there were no allegations against her. The address they have is the same as the one given to Tessa and Gary. Eddie isn’t on their radar.”

  “A paedophile ring. That’s interesting.”

  “Is it okay to let Paul go home?”

  “Yes. I doubt if he’s planning any more murders.”

  “There’s one thing that puzzles me about the ‘crazy idea’ theory,” Marsh admitted. “If Eddie’s intention was for Paul to kill his brother, Tom’s whereabouts on Wednesday evening would be irrelevant. It wouldn’t be necessary for Eddie to arrange for Tom to be drugged.”

  “Could just be insurance Marshy,” Evans suggested. “It would reduce the possibility of Paul finding out that Tom couldn’t have been there.”

  Evans led the way back to the table. “We suspect that Eddie’s partner in the drugs business was Michael Gilbert,” he told Paul. “It’s likely that Michael was no longer worthy of Eddie’s trust.”

  “If Eddie wanted to kill Tom, why not do it himself? If he’s already committed three murders what difference would another make?”

  “If he killed his brother, he’d be questioned as a possible suspect. If you’d succeeded, he’d have been in the clear.”

  “That may be true but how did Eddie know I had any connection with Tom or that Carol was my partner? And what about the house and the hostess?”

  “There are one or two unanswered questions but if I’m right about Eddie, you’ll hear from him again. When he calls, agree to do whatever he asks, then call me.”

  “What if he doesn’t call?”

  “Trust me, he will.”

  “I’m not under arrest then?”

  “No. I doubt if an attempted murder charge would stick but there is one other thing I need to know before you leave.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I need to contact your colleague at the university. The one at the forefront of the campaign to save Thorbury Hall. He may be able to help us.”

  “Peter Greening? How could he help?”

  “If Eddie has ambitions to become the Earl of Thorbury, he’s likely to share your colleague’s interest in saving the hall. Peter may have had some contact with Eddie. Have you spoken to him today?”

  “No. Peter doesn’t know anything about what happened last night.”

  “Do you have his mobile number?”

  “It was on the phone they took from me. If you need to speak to Peter, you’ll find him at the university.”

  “Have you been involved in Peter’s Thorbury Hall activities?”

  “Not really. I don’t share his enthusiasm. There isn’t much of an argument for saving the hall but I did go to one of the meetings.”

  “A public meeting?”

  “Yes.”

  “Was Carol there?”

  “We went together. It was about three weeks ago. Towards the end of the summer break.”

  “Very well Paul. You can go. We’ll find Carol alive. Trust me on that.”

  “How soon before Eddie contacts him again?” Marsh asked when Paul was gone.

  “Very soon I would guess.”

  “What about the unanswered questions? How could Eddie have known about Paul and Carol and what about the house at Shoresby?”

  “We’ll get Gary and Tessa to trace the owners of the house. It might help to explain how Eddie could access the property. He wouldn’t have used a house he was directly connected with and breaking into one at random would be a huge risk. We also need to know if there’s any more the Belgians can tell us about Mila. As for the rest. Let’s see if Peter Greening can help us with that.”

  The late afternoon traffic slowed the journey to the university. Peter was in the office preparing to finish for the day when he heard the voice from the doorway.

  “We’re from City Police. Inspector Evans and Sergeant Marsh. We’re looking for Peter Greening.”

  “You’ve found him,” Peter said. “What’s it about?”

  “It’s about Paul,” Evans said.

  “Has something happened?”

  “Carol was abducted last night.”

  Peter looked at Evans, shocked at the abrupt revelation. “Abducted? Who would do that?”

  “There might be a connection with your interest in the subway. It was being used as a drugs lab.”

  “Is this why Paul called in sick?”

  “Yes. He’s convinced himself that Carol has been murdered but there’s no evidence of that.”

  “My God, that’s terrible. I need to talk to Paul.”

  “Before you do that, we need to ask you about the campaign to save Thorbury Hall.”

  “What’s that got to do with it?”

  “We don’t have time for detailed explanations.” Evans reached into his pocket and took out the Thorbury photograph. “You held a campaign meeting three weeks ago. Carol and Peter were there. To the best of your recollection, was anyone in this photograph at that meeting?”

  Evans handed the photograph to Peter who studied it closely.

  “Who are they?” Peter asked.

  “It’s a Thorbury family gathering, a few years old. Any familiar faces?”

  “I couldn’t be certain.”

  “How many members of the public were at the meeting?”

  “It was mostly university staff and local students but there was a handful of others. I remember a young guy who approached me just before the meeting started. He wanted my honest opinion about the prospects of saving the hall. He was very intense like he had a personal interest.”

  “Is he in the picture?”

  “I suppose it could have been either of those two. Who are they?” Peter indicated Tom and Eddie before returning the photograph.

  “One of them is Tom Thorbury.”

  “Really? Well it couldn’t have been him. Carol was at the meeting and she’d have recognised him. She did the legal work on his lease agreement. Come to think of it, when the meeting ended, he approached me again and asked about Paul and Carol. He wanted to know who they were. Paul had been quite outspoken about the difficulties of turning the hall into a visitor attraction.”

  “And you told him who they were?”

  “Yes. But I don’t understand why anyone would want to abduct Carol. Are you saying this is linked to the campaign to save the hall?”

  “Possibly. We can’t be sure but it may be relevant.”

  “I need to speak to Paul,” Peter insisted.

  “No point in calling his mobile,” Evans said. “It was stolen from him last night. Thanks for your help Mr Greening.”

  “We should update Chris Hinton,” Evans said when they left the office. “He’s been fobbing off the press again this afternoon and things have moved on.”

  “Are we assuming the young man at the meeting was Eddie?” Marsh asked.

  “That wouldn’t be unreasonable Marshy. I think Peter has told us what we needed to know. Af
ter I survived the car park shooting, Eddie may have been keeping an eye on unit twelve to see if we knew about it.”

  “And got the idea for his plan when he recognised Carol from the meeting?”

  “That’s right Marshy. The crazy idea that nearly worked.”

  Chapter 41

  “Why didn’t you call me?” Peter asked. He’d hurried to the flat to hear about last night’s events which Paul recounted as best he could.

  “The police think it was Tom’s brother Eddie,” Paul explained. “They believe it was Eddie who rented unit twelve.”

  “They told me about the subway being used as a drugs lab. Someone’s bound to be mad about us leading the police to it but why would Eddie Thorbury kidnap Carol and then pretend to be Tom?”

  “Whatever Colin may have told you, he doesn’t believe the drugs business is the reason for what happened last night. According to his theory, Eddie covets the title which Tom doesn’t use. He wants to be the Earl of Thorbury and his brother is standing in his way. If he’s removed, Eddie gets his wish. So Eddie convinces me that Tom has killed Carol and goads me into removing the obstacle.”

  “That’s a mad idea.”

  “It’s as mad as they come but it nearly worked. I was convinced it was Tom and I was angry enough to kill him. It was clever, the way he set it up.”

  “How did it nearly work?”

  Paul told Peter about the incident at the station.

  “What the hell did they put in your drink?” Peter asked.

  “I don’t know yet.”

  “Are you sure you’re okay?”

  “I think so.”

  “What does Eddie do now his plan has failed?”

  “Colin thinks I’ll hear from him again. I have to agree to whatever I’m asked to do and then contact the police.”

  “Where do you think he could be holding her?” Peter asked.

  “I’ve no idea but it must be in Thorbury or nearby.”

  “What about the hall?”

  “You think he’s using the hall as a bolt-hole?”

  “It’s possible. It may not be habitable but it might be a good place to keep a hostage.”

  “When was the last time you were inside the hall?”

  “It was long ago. The windows and entrances have been secured for years. I doubt if there’s an easy way in without several keys.”

  “It might be worth going back to the documents,” Paul suggested.

  “What would we be looking for?”

  “I’m not sure. There may be a way into the house which no one would know about unless they were a family member.”

  “Let’s do it then,” Peter said. He walked over to the table. “We’ve already checked this lot,” he said, indicating the piles of paper on the table. “The stuff we haven’t looked at yet is still in the box.”

  They both sat at the table to begin the task. An almost silent hour passed before Peter looked up excitedly. “This is interesting,” he said. “A letter to the second Earl dated June 1875 demanding payment for excavation work.”

  “How does that help?”

  “It looks like the letter came with a drawing.” Peter passed the two documents to Paul who was becoming increasingly depressed by the tortuous process. A pile of discarded papers lay on the floor by his chair.

  The drawing showed what appeared to be a tunnel branching from the subway at the end of the grounds towards the house.

  “Looks like it runs straight into the west wing,” Peter said. “If it’s accessible, it would be possible to get all the way from unit twelve to the hall without moving above ground.”

  “What was the tunnel for?” Paul asked.

  “I couldn’t say for sure. The original subway was relatively short. From the house, you’d travel down the drive in a carriage and walk though it to the waiting room. Perhaps the second Earl decided he wanted to reach the station from the house without having to go outside. The tunnel may have been wide enough for a small carriage.”

  “So Eddie could have accessed the hall undetected from unit twelve?”

  “It’s possible.”

  “But not after we alerted the police.”

  “That’s true. Perhaps there’s another way into the tunnel. There may have been a carriage entrance close to the house.”

  “We should ask the police to check the hall,” Paul said. He found the card Colin Evans had given him and called the Inspector’s mobile from the landline.

  “Has he called you?” Evans asked after Paul had announced himself.

  “Not yet. There’s something else.”

  “What?”

  “I’m with Peter at the flat. We think Carol might be in Thorbury Hall. All the entrances are secured but we’ve found something in Tom Thorbury’s document box which suggests there may be a way into the house through a tunnel in the grounds. There’s a drawing which shows an extension to the subway.”

  “We checked the house on Saturday. There was no sign of anyone having been inside recently.”

  “That doesn’t mean there’s no one in there now.”

  “Alright Paul, come to the station tomorrow morning. I’ll take a look at what you’ve found.”

  Chapter 42

  The early morning briefing from Inspector Evans had made it clear. The Little Howton Academy of Science, Technology and Finance was a respectable establishment with very high standards. According to Eddie Thorbury’s mother, his drug habit had led to his expulsion. But there was more to learn, otherwise, Fuller and Garton would not have reached the end of the M62 on their way to Little Howton after a short stop for a second breakfast.

  The Boss had seemed very sure of himself. Eddie Thorbury was more than just a drug user and if Maxine was to be believed, Michael Gilbert may have been involved with Eddie in the trade. On the previous weekend, Michael had made a trip to Hull and Evans was convinced that there was information to be gleaned which might lead them to Eddie.

  The Inspector’s instructions had been simple and sufficiently vague to allow the sort of initiatives Fuller and Garton liked to take; ask why Eddie had been told to leave, pretend to know nothing, draw conclusions from the answer, fish around, talk to the students, find those who knew Eddie, build up the big picture.

  Fuller was at the wheel of the white Scirocco they’d acquired from the pool. The postcode of the academy was in the satnav which was telling him to leave the A63 at the next junction. Fuller obeyed the command as he listened with amusement to his colleague’s grumbles.

  “And the bacon was too hard,” Garton was saying. “They never get the bacon right.”

  Fuller kept his eyes on the road despite the controversial statement. “That’s the way I like it,” he said. “You can’t beat a service station breakfast. Sets you up for the day. And this should be an interesting one.”

  After several more instructions from the satnav and without settling the breakfast argument, Fuller spotted the sign at the entrance to the academy. He turned the car into the tree lined drive and pulled up at the barrier. After pressing the button on the intercom he heard a voice say, “Security.”

  “We’re from Thorbury City police,” Fuller said into the intercom. “DCs Fuller and Garton. We need to see your most senior administrator.”

  Silence suggested someone at the other end was thinking. “The main car park is on the left at the end of the drive,” the voice said after the pause. “Park in one of the unreserved spaces and follow the signs to reception.”

  The barrier rose and Fuller headed for the car park. “They don’t have security like this at our university,” he said.

  “This is an exclusive establishment,” Garton said. “Proper bacon.”

  Fuller had known Garton for twenty years and worked with him for ten. What went through the mind of his colleague was still a mystery.

  After parking and locating the reception desk, the DCs were whisked into the Principle’s office with unexpected efficiency.

  “I’m Dr Reginald Crowley,” t
he Principle said after inviting Fuller and Garton to sit on a settee in the corner of his large office. “We weren’t expecting a visit from the police,” he added before joining the officers on the settee.

  Crowley was a small man in late middle age with a head not quite as bald as Fuller’s. “How have we attracted the attention of the Thorbury police?” he asked.

  “We’re investigating the murder of Michael Gilbert, a student at Thorbury City University,” Fuller said, keeping things simple. “We believe he was known to one of your students.”

  “I see. Who would that be?”

  “Edward Thorbury.”

  Crowley lifted his hand and scratched his follically deficient crown. His inadequately feigned look of thoughtfulness caused Fuller to grin.

  “I’m afraid I don’t recognise the name. Is he a suspect?” Crowley asked.

  “We’re speaking to everyone who knew Michael.”

  “I see.” This time, Crowley scratched his chin.

  “We’ve no reason to suspect Edward,” Fuller said, easily disguising the lie. “We just need to ask him what he knows about Michael Gilbert. Edward is studying chemistry. You must know him.”

  “We have five hundred students,” Crowley stated. “I can’t be expected to know them all.”

  “How many are studying chemistry?” Garton asked.

  Crowley strained to maintain his pensive look. “Chemistry? Oh yes. The Honourable Edward Thorbury. How silly of me. He was a very bright young man. To the best of my recollection he left us several months ago.”

  “Did he complete his studies?” Fuller enquired.

  “I’d need to check,” Crowley walked to his desk and tapped on the keyboard in front of his computer screen. “Ah yes. Edward was only in his first year. There was quite a serious issue. He agreed to leave when the allegations were put to him and we agreed not to reveal the reason for his departure.”

  “We can be discrete,” Fuller said, sensing that Crowley wouldn’t need much bullying. “But if we find out why he left without your help, discretion won’t be necessary and of course, obstructing our investigation might not be good for the reputation of the academy.”

  “Very well,” Crowley conceded. “The matter was far more serious to the academy than it could have been to the police. We do have very high standards. Your offer of discretion is accepted.”