Definitely Dead

by Kate Bendelow

  Caitlin and Letitia were already there, shrieking with laughter over something Caitlin had just said. Both girls looked stunning as usual, perched on the tall bar stools, and too absorbed in their conversations to notice the admiring glances from anyone who passed them by. Seeing her two friends, Maya felt a huge rush of affection. Smiling, she headed over and exchanged hugs and kisses with both of them.

  ‘So sorry I’m late. I lost track of time and then Mama called as I was about to set off.’ She reached gratefully for the glass of Prosecco Letitia handed her and clinked glasses with her friends.

  ‘How is Dominique?’ Caitlin asked.

  Taking a large gulp, Maya nodded through a mouthful of bubbles. ‘She’s fine, thanks. You know Mama, always busy with something or other. If she’s not working, she’s helping out the neighbours or arranging some kind of charity event. We’re overdue a proper catch-up, we only seem to manage snatches of phone calls these days or I see her briefly when I need to borrow the car. She sends you both her love.’

  ‘And, how’s work going – have you had any juicy jobs yet?’

  Maya began to regale her friends with the story of Karl Gorman. While Caitlin belly laughed at the thought of Maya conversing through a glass door with a dead man, Letitia looked horrified.

  ‘Oh, Maya, how did you manage not to throw up? Eugh, the thought of having to touch it and everything.’ She shuddered. ‘God, it gives me the creeps.’ She was about to give Maya’s arm an encouraging squeeze, before suddenly withdrawing her hand as if she’d been burnt.

  ‘Christ, Letitia, you can touch me you know, I’ve had a wash since. Anyone would think I’ve just come straight from robbing graves or rolling around with cadavers.’ Caitlin burst into fresh peals of laughter as Letitia looked suitably shamefaced. The neighbouring table cast curious glances their way.

  ‘Anyway,’ Maya lowered her voice, ‘it can’t be as bad as doing bikini waxes and stuff. You’re not telling me that’s a pleasant experience.’

  ‘You cannot compare my clients to a dead body, Maya Barton, they’re all perfectly lovely, hygienic people.’ Letitia sniffed with indignation. She ran her own holistic health and beauty parlour and was fiercely protective of the loyal client base she had built up over the years.

  ‘Well, never mind. Dead bodies or hairy vaginas. They all pay the bills and cover the cost of Prosecco, so let’s not argue and drink up instead.’ Caitlin raised her glass to the other two.

  Letitia looked thoughtful as she sipped her drink. ‘I’m trying to put it into context with me having a bad workday. I guess it would be someone coming in for a vajazzle and leaving with a nose piercing.’ They howled with laughter until Maya noticed Caitlin appeared distracted.

  ‘Hey, what’s up?’ Maya nudged her arm.

  ‘Absolutely nothing.’ Caitlin gave a knowing smile. ‘I’ve just been looking over at the bar to see how long it’s going to take me to get served, and there’s an extremely attractive bloke looking our way.’

  ‘Oh, who? Where?’ Letitia strained forward to look towards the bar, not in the least bit subtle.

  ‘Oh no.’ Maya’s heart sunk as she found herself in full eye contact with the suspect from the warrant at The Farmhouse. He was wearing a black shirt with short sleeves that flashed a hint of tattooed, toned biceps. His wavy hair had been carefully styled and he had a hint of stubble which gave him an edgy look. He was smiling wildly, flashing his dimple and those electric-blue eyes. As soon as he saw her looking he made a frantic drinking motion towards her.

  Completely blanking him and turning away so she could avoid further eye contact, Maya gathered her handbag towards herself. The others were looking at her intrigued and bemused as Maya hissed at them urgently, ‘He was arrested at a warrant I went to. This is really awkward. Come on, let’s go somewhere else.’

  The others didn’t even have a chance to respond as he suddenly arrived at their table, waving at Maya as if they were old friends.

  ‘Hello again, this is a lovely surprise. How are you?’ He leaned towards her to kiss her cheek, but she pulled away.

  ‘Just going actually,’ she replied sternly.

  ‘Oh really? That’s a shame. Hi, I’m Spencer James, Spence to my friends.’ He leaned across the table to shake Caitlin and Letitia’s hands.

  Letitia seemed reluctant to let go of him, melting as she gazed at him. ‘Well, Spence, I’m Letitia and this is Caitlin and I believe you already know Maya?’

  He turned to Maya, grinning as he held his hand out to her.

  ‘It’s certainly a pleasure to see you again and nice to be properly introduced… Maya.’ He said her name slowly, rolling his tongue around the vowels as if he was tasting the word.

  She stared fixedly at him, refusing to acknowledge his hand which hung awkwardly. It suddenly felt as if everyone around them was watching the exchange.

  ‘I don’t want any trouble, okay?’

  ‘Well, neither do I.’ Spence laughed amicably. ‘I just wanted to say hello and see if I could have the pleasure of buying you ladies a drink.’

  ‘Like I said, we were just leaving.’ Maya glared at Caitlin and Letitia and gestured her head sharply towards the exit.

  ‘Well, there’s no rush. I’m sure we can stay for another quick drink. We hadn’t actually said we were ready for moving on,’ Letitia gushed as she grinned at Spence, impervious to the cold, hard stare she was getting from Maya.

  ‘Erm, why don’t you two have a quick catch-up while we nip to the bar? We’ll only be over there.’ Caitlin smiled reassuringly. ‘We’ll fetch an extra glass if you want to join us Spence. Tish, give me a lift, eh?’

  Practically dragging Letitia off her stool, Caitlin gave Maya an encouraging thumbs-up sign behind Spence’s back and left the two of them together. Maya was not happy. This was not only an awkward situation to be in but completely inappropriate.

  ‘So how have you been?’ He sounded so casual, as if there was nothing the slightest bit strange about catching up with someone he had met briefly having just been arrested. He sat on Caitlin’s chair, pulling it closer to Maya so he could lean in as he spoke to her. He was so close she could smell his Tom Ford aftershave.

  ‘Look, I don’t think it’s a good idea for us to be sat chatting, do you?’

  ‘Hey, they released me without charge.’ He raised his hands defensively. ‘I told you I hadn’t done anything wrong. I was there because I’d been given a job which included accommodation, that’s all. I didn’t know that Donnelly bloke was a bloody criminal. If I had, I wouldn’t have gone within a hair’s breadth.’ His eyes widened imploringly.

  ‘Fair enough. But I’m sure you can appreciate that the situation is a bit awkward from my point of view.’

  ‘I suppose so. It’s okay, I can take the hint.’ He sighed heavily. ‘I’ll leave you in peace. It was nice to see you again though, Maya. Really nice.’

  He looked thoroughly dejected as he took exaggerated care to place the stool back under the table. Caitlin and Letitia arrived back at the same time, clutching a fresh bottle and several glasses.

  ‘Ladies,’ he said, giving a half bow, ‘it was a pleasure to meet you both, I hope you enjoy the rest of the evening.’

  ‘Oh, aren’t you joining us for a drink?’ Letitia sighed.

  ‘As much as I’d love to, it has been made perfectly clear to me that I’m not wanted,’ he inclined his head towards Maya, ‘I’m sorry to have interrupted your night out.’

  ‘Just for the record,’ he turned back to Maya and fixed his gaze with those impenetrable blue eyes, ‘I’m not who you think I am.’

  His words resonated deeply with her. No, none of us are, she thought to herself. Shaking her head, she gestured towards the stool he had just vacated.

  ‘Oh, for God’s sake. I suppose you can join us for one drink. What harm can it do?’ If only she had known, she would have followed her instinct and left the pub there and then, taking her friends with her.

  10

 
Jim Baron had had the same stupid, shocked look on his face as Karl Gorman when he realised that it was me at the door.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ he had blustered as he clung to the wall, gasping with the exertion of having waddled down the hallway. When I told him I just wanted to talk, he’d submitted just as easily as Gorman. Curiosity had obviously got the better of him, and he invited me in, so I didn’t need to use the persuasion I had anticipated. Louisa always said I had the gift of the gab, so I knew that convincing a lairy Jim Baron to let me in would be an easy task if I needed to.

  I had already decided that after Gorman, I wanted to watch Jim Baron suffer. I wanted him to plead and beg for his life. I had carefully and meticulously planned how I was going to kill him, without arousing too much suspicion and ensuring I didn’t leave any forensic evidence behind. I had hardly slept the last few days, as I had gone over the plan time and time again. In the end, I needn’t have bothered.

  A lifetime of abusing his body with cigarettes, alcohol and processed food finally caught up with Jim, and he conveniently dropped dead right in front of me. Thankfully, I hadn’t even needed to lay a finger on the repulsive bastard. Still, it had been incredibly satisfying watching him suffer as it wasn’t a quick death. Not like Gorman’s. His disgusting fat face had grown so puce at one point, he reminded me of Violet Beauregarde from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

  I knew beforehand that nobody would disturb us, or indeed, arrive in time to potentially save Jim. I had been watching the flat for long enough to know when Terry Brewer and the community nurse called. I was satisfied that he didn’t appear to have any other visitors. Hardly surprising, considering what an odious shit he was.

  Anyway, when I told Jim why I was there, he had started to get himself into a bit of a state. It was hot in the poky little flat and Baron was perspiring underneath his tatty blue cardigan. He’d begun flapping his podgy arms and squawking like a tantruming toddler. He had heaved himself up from his filthy armchair in an attempt to hit me, but in his haste tripped over his own fat feet. Oh, the indignity!

  He had lain on the floor floundering, sweaty, gasping for breath, and becoming more and more agitated at his failed attempts to pull himself up. He had been wheezing heavily, sounding like a dilapidated steam train. He had gesticulated wildly towards the table next to his armchair where his nebuliser and inhaler lay. He actually believed I would pass them to him. After a good twenty minutes watching him become more and more distressed, he had suddenly begun to grasp his left arm and started to grind his jaw.

  Every time a fist of pain squeezed his chest, he would grunt like a pig and screw his face up, so he looked as if he was trying to shit. His face grew more and more ashen and fresh beads of sweat appeared on his top lip. As he took his final few breaths, his lips turned a curious blue colour. Once he rattled his last breath, I had a quick root around his grubby little hovel, curious to see if I could find where he had hidden his legendary cash.

  Then I had slipped back out through his front door, completely unnoticed by anyone; including the CCTV camera situated in the corner of the car park that had been broken since Easter. Terry Brewer would most likely be the first person to find Jim Baron’s dead body in three days’ time when he returned to do his bidding. I hoped that the shock would kill him too. That would be a bonus.

  11

  It was a blisteringly hot Monday afternoon as Maya rode into Beech Field police station ready to start her late shift. She spotted her colleague Connor Dearing loading up the van and wandered over to say hello.

  ‘Hiya. Have we got much on today?’

  ‘Yeah – loads. It’s chaos in there. I’m just heading off to a raft of burglaries.’ Like Maya when she had worked at Alder Street, Connor only attended volume crime scenes.

  ‘Can I take any breaks off your list?’

  ‘Thanks for the offer, but there’s already a job waiting for you.’

  ‘What’s come in?’

  ‘Well, to start, Piotr Nowak has been arrested.’

  Maya’s eyes widened. ‘Aiden Donnelly’s right-hand man?’

  Connor nodded. ‘He’s the muscle behind most of their nastier jobs. Op Chrysalis have been looking for an opportunity to arrest him for ages.’

  ‘Oh, wow, great result. How did they get him?’

  ‘His name came from a guy called Ryan Johnson. Apparently, in the past both Donnelly and Nowak have put pressure on him to store a firearm for them. Johnson’s not been out of prison long. The thought of going back was scarier than crossing Donnelly, so he gave us Nowak’s name.’

  ‘What are the chances Nowak has put pressure on Johnson since we raided The Farmhouse?’

  ‘Exactly. Andy is searching though Nowak’s house. Johnson seems adamant that there are items of interest in the address and DC Stevenson thinks there’s no reason to disbelieve him.’

  ‘Fantastic.’

  ‘Hey, not only that, but there was also a shooting in the early hours. Warning shots were fired at Damian McCluskey’s house. Nobody was injured, but on Saturday evening, his brother David was stabbed at his house. It wasn’t reported at the time and we only became aware of it when cops gave David a knock to let him know about his brother and saw the injuries and blood. The job’s got Nowak’s name all over it.’ Connor rubbed his hands together, an infectious grin on his face.

  ‘By the way, Connor. Do you know which car belongs to Chris?’

  ‘Yeah, the white Mazda over there. Why?’

  ‘I still haven’t got him back for telling you lot about my embarrassing situation with Karl Gorman. Got your fingerprint case handy by any chance.’

  Connor gave her a conspiratorial grin. They approached Chris’s car like mischievous schoolkids and began to cover the driver’s door in black powder. The signature office-banter touch was the white-powdered phallus on the windscreen. Maya’s booming laugh filled the air as they high-fived each other before going their separate ways.

  She was still chuckling to herself as she took the stairs two at a time. The office was a hive of activity and sobered her up. Amanda was engrossed on the phone, furiously taking notes. Chris was also on the phone, reading from his handwritten crime-scene report and reeling off a list of exhibits. Kym’s door was shut, and Maya could see through the side window of her office that there were several people crammed into the small room. The only people she recognised were Kym, DI Alison Mitton and DC Stevenson, who was the detective currently dedicated to Operation Chrysalis.

  The hum of office activity was punctuated with the sound of erratic banging emanating from the custody suite downstairs: somebody clearly wasn’t happy.

  ‘Hi Maya,’ Nicola Warne called out from one of the two small side offices that were used as examination rooms. Maya walked in to see Nicola perched on a stool at one of the examination benches, surrounded by a large amount of property which had been packaged in police exhibit bags.

  ‘Been finding clues?’ Maya said, nodding to the bags.

  ‘Just a few! I’ve just finished a warrant for Operation Chrysalis. It’s all happening today.’ Nicola grinned. She was slightly older than Maya. Her brown hair was scraped back into a ponytail and she had a smudge of fingerprint powder under her left eye, reminiscent of Adam Ant.

  ‘I’ve just seen Connor and he’s filled me in. Which address have you been too?’ Maya asked as she reached out to wipe the smudge of powder from under Nicola’s eye. It streaked even further.

  ‘Eugh, black powder? It gets everywhere. Am I covered in it?’ Nicola used the camera on her phone to scrutinise her face as she continued. ‘I’ve been to Markita Milani’s place. She’s Nowak’s partner. He was arrested there. The place is packed to the rafters with designer gear,’ Nicola continued. ‘I’ve not finished yet. I’ve just come back for some refs and Kym has said I can have overtime to stay on and finish off. Andy is at Nowak’s house, he was pissing and moaning about having to do a bit of work as I’m sure you can imagine.’

  Maya rolled her eyes
in acknowledgement. At least if Andy was busy there, she might get through her shift without having to see him. Amanda finished on the phone and beckoned Maya over. She looked uncharacteristically flustered.

  ‘Maya, love, step into my office.’ She patted the chair next to her. ‘Glad you’re in. I feel like I’m spinning plates, but at least I can get rid of one action.’ Amanda repeated what Maya already knew, before flicking through an array of paperwork and producing a typed-up forensic strategy and handing it to Maya.

  ‘Nowak is in custody waiting to go. DC Stevenson will update you once he’s finished in Kym’s office.’

  ‘What’s with the closed-door meeting?’ Maya was curious.

  ‘Sensitive Chrysalis information. We’re anticipating a retaliation following the shooting. DC Stevenson seems to think something may happen in the next few days so he’s making sure the troops are aware. Obviously, because we suspect there have been leaks in the past, it’s all being kept on a need-to-know basis.’ Amanda tapped the side of her nose with her forefinger.

  ‘Are they positive that someone from the station has been leaking police information to the gangs?’ Maya was horrified. Corruption was a very disturbing thought; one she couldn’t countenance.

  ‘It seems the only logical explanation. From what I know, quite a lot of the Chrysalis jobs have proved fruitless. The cops always seem to be one step behind the suspects. In the last few months, we’ve been tipped off about drugs farms and the locations of firearms, but by the time the warrant has been executed, the scenes have been cleaned. It’s too much of a coincidence if you ask me and there’s no such thing as a coincidence in the cops.’

  Just then Kym’s office door opened. DI Mitton headed back to her own office accompanied by the detectives. DC Sean Stevenson gave Maya a nod. ‘Give me five minutes to get someone to accompany you to custody,’ he called as he left the room.