The Determined Widow (The Matthew Holland Mystery Series)

by Adam Melrose

  By now Eva’s eyes were wide, and she spoke faster than before.

  ‘And you think hiding a Freeport in this place is madness? Even after all the construction effort and alteration, no one knows it’s here; it’s hidden in plain sight for everyone to see. That’s why I chose to put it here. It cost only five percent of my wealth to construct, so it’s good value at twice the price. The portal is so much larger than a standard canal tunnel, so its associated infrastructure gave my engineers plenty of scope for building what I needed to build behind its façade. The original landscaping hides its true size; and for security, there is the Shadow Tide machine. As for its creation my dear Bella, you can thank your husband for that; it was all his own design and idea.

  Bella screamed with rage at Eva.

  ‘No way, there is no way my husband would have any part of something that killed innocent people; you’re a lying bitch.’

  Her obvious anger seemed to please Eva. ‘Oh no, I concede I had to promise no one would come to any harm. I gave him my word, which is worthless of course, and we had long arguments about the previous deaths. As I had done with Evo, I assured him they were genuine accidents, but he was threatening to go to the police. I lured him here to be killed in his own invention.’

  Max, like the others was deep in shock, and now cold, but his brain was still analysing, still trying to fill in the gaps.

  ‘But you realise Pete guessed what you were going to do to him. He hid a clue of some replacement tattoo’s, a stone and a handful of peat in some gloves at The Portal entrance.’

  ‘He was a bright man, that doesn’t surprise me, I wish he hadn’t done that, and then you might all have been spared. We will blame him then shall we?’

  Matt wanted to buy some time to try and work out an escape plan. He hoped the others were doing the same, and hopefully having more luck than he was.

  ‘You say Pete built this, but what is this exactly?’ He very much hoped the ego in Eva would love to explain and give him a chance to think. After all, it seemed to work in spy novels.

  ‘He did, it’s all his own work. I am afraid the story Evo told you about him working security was total nonsense. This was what he built for me. There is a massive manmade reservoir above us. When the water was dropped into the portal direct from there, it didn’t have the momentum. Pete used his technology knowledge from working in hydro dams. This is basically a copy of a chamber that avoids water hammer damaging turbines. It gives the water somewhere to go. We adapted it here to get momentum into the water so that when it’s released it has an awesome, unholy power and energy that created the effect I was looking for. We had to tweak a few things like lowering the water level before release and paint a low friction surface on the tunnel walls so as not to reduce the power of the Shadow Tides when they erupted. Things like that. It worked. It kept people away, and the police could never find this room, so they took it to be subterranean waters or some sort of flooding anomaly, which was perfect. That made logical sense as there was no proof of what we were up to. I don’t think anyone would ever have guessed… do you?’

  Joe was beginning to shiver from his immersion in the water.

  ‘So that’s why you invested in German hydro.’

  Eva nodded, ‘Oh you know about that – you have done some homework then.’

  Matt still hadn’t come up with a plan, so he jumped to the first question that was in his head.

  ‘There is a blood spatter down on that plinth, I guess that’s where you killed Pete. How did you manage to recreate the blood spatter at the quarry?’

  He hoped this pandering to Eva’s ego was keeping them alive for now.

  ‘That was improvisation at its best, would you believe the internet showed us how to do it? It’s insane what you can find on the internet.’

  ‘So did you kill Pete?’

  Eva took a moment to consider what she had to lose. They were going to have to kill them all so she could at least give some closure.

  ‘I did. It was more luck than judgement. We argued here by the railings. I pretended to drop my pen on accident, then managed to grab his ankle and upend him. Like everyone else in life he underestimated me and he paid the price. I guess I don’t look like the sort of person who would go to the effort of learning combat moves that allow me to compensate for my size.’

  So you and your people had Bella under supervision, you knew she had been up here poking about, that’s why Norton was asking those questions at the interview. He already knew she had.’

  ‘Indeed.’

  ‘And the moving of the body, the mucking about with the concrete samples, the breaking into the pathology lab buildings to swap out samples etcetera; that was all you and your henchmen?’

  ‘It was. It was our first time dealing with such things. We had no time to change his clothes and footwear. I might have guessed the Fullers Earth would get me in the end, its constantly trying to destroy the tunnel, its cost me millions. ’

  Matt ignored the melodramatic remark. ‘And the messing about with the padlocks and the concrete stairs? That was you lot as well?’

  ‘It was. We were lucky it was so dry, that our vehicle didn’t leave any tracks. It was too far to carry a body up there. It would have taken too long; we might have been spotted.’

  ‘And you used another proxy to pose as Pete’s boss during the inquest and to the police?’

  ‘I did.’

  Matt breathed a sigh of relief; he had no wish to die, but if they were about to meet their maker at least Bella had closure; they had managed to give her that at least. He was desperately trying to think of the next question to ask whilst leaving the other part of his brain to work on an escape, but was struggling with either. At that moment there was an enormous boom sound as the metal door that been ajar was thrown open, and in rushed several armed police officers shouting get down and pointing their weapons at everyone. Following behind them was DCI Stimpson with Alastor, who was already cuffed.

  Chapter 52

  The guards lowered their guns and everyone got down on the floor except Norton and Eva. Stimpson moved to quickly secure Norton’s pistol. Matt looked at each of the team, and then at Bella. At each one of them he mouthed I’m sorry. He could not bear the look of despair on their faces. He began to close his eyes when he heard DCI Stimpson yell at the top of his voice.

  ‘You two, I said get down on the floor, now get down on the floor.’

  Matt looked across, Stimpson was coming straight for him.

  ‘Mr Holland, are you OK? Please, you and your team should get up. I’m sorry we took so long to get to you, but I did specifically request that you stay out of here; which you and your team seemed to take as an invite to treat the place like a drive thru. I assume that is your car parked in the Freeport loading bay?’

  ‘If it’s black, I suspect so.’

  ‘Well, it looks like we have a fair number of prisoners to shift, so we may need to commandeer it for a few runs in and out; I don’t think everyone will fit in ours. You and your team members may have to walk; those that can anyway.’

  ‘Whatever you want, I’m just glad we are all alive.’

  ‘So am I.’

  Matt was delighted to see a friendly face. Stimpson motioned to one of his men who brought over a rucksack. Soon those that needed foil blankets had them, and the policeman with medical skills was tending to Bella as best he could.

  ‘Eva confessed to killing Peter Stone.’

  Stimpson shook what looked like an adapted mobile phone in his hand.

  ‘I know, we got it all on tape. They were kind enough to leave the door ajar. I have been working with Serious Crime and Interpol, who have had their eye on Evo and this little operation for some time. We didn’t realise he was a fake though, so thanks for that. They were watching someone else, a client of the Freeport here, and when Evo appeared on the scene and two of the items they were tracking ended up here; well, that is what brought this place to their attention. It’s been under observat
ion for months, in fact almost a year. Being a local man born and bred, I was their local liaison. That was why I was trying to persuade you lot to stay away, and appeared to not be interested in what you had to say. If we had done anything to jeopardise the investigation, it would have been more than my job is worth. I was watching out for you guys though.

  ‘It is all to do with smuggling stolen goods. Let’s just say some of the owners of the artworks being stored here would like them hanging back where they belong. We don’t think Evo, sorry, Eva realised they were stolen; but that aside, this is all nothing to do with Pete’s case I’m afraid. I do promise to make sure his wife will get all the help she needs to see that justice is brought for him. I have to commend you guys; you don’t give up, and you certainly got there when no one else did. I bet you are glad it’s all over.’

  ‘I think I can speak for everyone in saying we are glad it is all over. In respect of getting there, we had some luck along the way, and ultimately it was Bella who cracked the case open.’

  ‘Indeed. If you’ll excuse me.’

  Once all the guards, Eva and Norton were cuffed and on their knees, Stimpson gave orders to find the control room and seize the CCTV; that would show evidence of who killed Evo. That would do for starters.

  Matt motioned to Ava, I guess you or Bruno still have the second key card, we best give them both to DCI Stimpson.

  ‘These will give you access to everywhere here. You’ll work it out I’m sure.’

  Stimpson nodded. ‘Thanks.’

  Ava wandered over to Alastor.

  ‘So Alastor – sorry – Jeff, I have one question for you.’

  He didn’t look up to meet with her eyes. ‘Go on then.’

  ‘Why did you try and scare us at The Portal that first day.’

  He nodded in the direction of Eva. ‘She told me I had to try and put you off. She gave me no time to get down here and think of something plausible, so I just came up with the spooky stuff. Stupid I know, but it’s what came to my mind. I’m an engineer, not a story teller.’

  Ava shrugged, ‘Fair enough. One last question if I may?’ She looked to Stimpson for permission, he nodded. ‘You are not exactly a young man; when you left us, I followed you up the road but you had vanished, how did you manage that? It’s been bugging me.’

  ‘Nothing impressive, I assure you, I rolled under the hedge and was lying in the ditch. Covered in mud and all I got for my efforts was a slight chill and stiff joints.’

  ‘I appreciate your honesty.’

  Alastor just stared at the floor, silent and forlorn.

  Before he could stop himself, Matt wandered over to Norton, grabbing him by the chin and forcing him to look directly into his eyes.

  ‘Why… what did any of us ever do to you that could turn you like this. What you have done is beyond comprehension. I cannot compute the level of betrayal you have shown towards us. We’re your friends. We have been friends since we started school.’

  ‘No Matt, we never really were friends at school. You were popular, so I stuck beside you, but I never really rated you. Nothing personal, you’re just not the sort of person I like.’

  Matt looked shell shocked at this revelation.

  ‘But – but I liked you, I thought we were genuinely good friends. I know we lost touch on and off for years afterwards apart from the odd phone call, but after our meeting again, and you joining the agency; I thought we were good.’

  ‘Sorry, I’m not really sure what to say. It was Eva’s idea I join the agency. I read about your first case and told her. Another case of billionaire’s seeing things so far out in front. She thought one day it might come in handy to have a tame Private Detective agency. I only joined because she felt it might be beneficial to her cause. She was right as it turned out, and more than she could possibly have imagined. She hadn’t made the connection to Pete, Bella and Max when I signed up. When we discovered how lucky we were, we couldn’t believe it.’

  Eva butted in, ‘I don’t like to leave things to chance Mr Holland. I even had one of my men follow you on holiday.’

  Matt bowed his head, shaking it slowly, ‘Did your goon have a shaved head?’

  ‘He did.’

  ‘I did spot him, but I had no idea.’ He then muttered under his breath, ‘Well maybe I did.’

  ‘Yes,’ said Ava, ‘He mentioned you gave him an odd look on the shore of the loch, on the last day of your holiday.’

  Norton butted back in; he seemed desperate for Matt’s attention. ‘I was able to plant the fliers knowing Bella would trust Max, and then I would be able to try to get you to doubt her honesty and decency, but you just wouldn’t, would you. You kept giving her the benefit of the doubt and caring. It makes me sick. Every time I tried to plant some doubt, it was just ignored.’

  Matt was getting more and more angry, and he was certainly done talking with Norton. ‘How do you two know each other anyway?’ he asked Eva.

  ‘I knocked Norton off his bicycle when he was a teenager. He was shouting and swearing at me. I offered to pay him to keep quiet and he told me straight out, I could give him a job or he would report me to the police. I realised at once I had met someone who would be able to get things done. So I agreed. He became the family I never had, and I his. He’s basically the only human never to betray me. All this will be his one day.

  ‘He told me he had grown up without, around those with plenty, and it made him hungry. I was the same, and it terrified me, the thought someone could come to your door and throw you out for a defaulted loan, not having enough to eat. I was determined to build such a robust empire to ensure that never happened. I knew some rules would need bending, and Norton would be fine with that. I’m not a nice person; I’m not a pantomime villain either though.

  ‘I realised quickly that Norton was the same. He did talk of you Matt. Your always wanting to see the best in people, your naiveté in believing everyone is basically good at heart. We used to laugh at it, but I guess you won in the end. At least where I am going, money won’t be an issue any more, I won’t have to worry.’

  DCI Stimpson gave a grave shake of his head, ‘No, you won’t have to worry about money in prison. At least seven death’s, at your age, you won’t see freedom ever again.’

  For the first time, the team witnessed Eva smile.

  ‘I… we have a contingency plan for that, don’t we Norton.’

  ‘We do.’

  As he spoke, Norton lunged towards Eva. In one move he picked her up, flipped her upside down and dropped her headfirst over the railings. Initially there was no sound, then a loud crack of bone splitting wide open on concrete, and then the boom of a thud echoed around the chamber. Both Bella and one of the police officers, a young recruit on their first time out instantly threw up at the sound. No sound related to a human head should sound like a large stick snapping in half.

  Stimpson and the other officers rushed at Norton, he backed up quickly towards the railings holding his arms out in the position to be cuffed.

  ‘It’s OK, relax, it’s all good.’

  As he reached the railings, he jumped up backwards, brought his arms in to his chest, crossed them and disappeared over the balcony backwards. Again, there was no sound except the crack and the boom. Everyone froze. Some time passed before anyone spoke.

  DCI Stimpson just shook his head. Everyone was in shock, but he needed to secure the site. He looked over the railings, it was abundantly clear both Eva and Norton were dead. You didn’t need any medical training to be able to tell that given the state of the heads.

  ‘Right lads, get down there, get those bodies covered up.’

  Stimpson turned to Matt with a quizzical look, ‘How did you get to the bottom of all this?’

  Matt pursed his lips and widened his eyes, ‘Well, I have to say we didn’t really. It both major breakthroughs were Bella. She turned up at the hotel when she wasn’t supposed to, and one of the hotel staff recognised her from a photo Pete had shown them; things started to snow
ball from there.’

  We kept looking because there were always too many coincidences, and you having done such a thorough job, left us free to look elsewhere. Obviously we are not constrained the same way you are.’

  Stimpson gave an appreciative nod. ‘And the other breakthrough?’

  ‘Bella again, she would not let it drop, and as I was getting ready to pull the plug and send everyone home, she pushed Eva into admitting Pete died in The Portal; the rest I think you heard.’

  ‘Yes, pretty much. So a team effort then?’

  ‘Very much a team effort. There is no way that left to me; I would have let things run on as long as they did. We wouldn’t have got there if it had been left to me.’

  ‘Stimpson gave a wry smile, ‘I think Bella may have missed her calling as a detective.’

  Matt managed a small laugh, ‘I think you might be right Edward. But so have you; missed your true calling, I mean.’

  ‘I have? As what?’

  ‘An actor, you had me convinced you were in Evo’s pocket, or at the least that you wanted an easy life. Clearly, you are seriously competent DCI at the top of his game. Fair play.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  Stimpson looked around at everyone, ‘let’s get you lot out of this place. I need you to do me a favour. Can you head back to Nalebury Park and secure it. Perhaps you would stay there for the night until we can get someone officers along to take over and secure it tomorrow? It is full of insanely valuable artwork, and we have no idea who knows about it being there, or who it really belongs to. It would be more than my job’s worth if any of it goes wandering off into the night.’

  Matt agreed they could, and Stimpson felt he was helping them. They could focus a little on a job and feel helpful, rather than just going back to an empty hotel room. They all made it to Bess and with some juggling managed to get her facing out of the portal. Stimpson’s men had managed to turn the lights on now. They slowly drove out in silence, the lights casting a modern stark brightness that now replaced the inky darkness; showing this place to be nothing more than a pile of bricks and stone. Any suggestion of the supernatural or the mystical was completely dispelled.