Dave Slater Mystery Novels Box Set Three

by P. F. Ford

  ‘I should warn you I’ve not done the training,’ admitted Slater, ‘so I’m making this up as I go along. I should also warn you, all I’m really interested in is solving my case and saving my own skin.’

  ‘And I should warn you this is my confession,’ said Diana, ‘but I’ve no intention of going to prison.’

  Slater knew exactly what she was suggesting, but he was shocked to find he didn’t much care if she jumped. He wondered where this new callous streak had come from, then quickly remembered his situation. Of course he didn’t much care about her; it was her fault he was hanging onto this bloody wall in fear of his life, and that’s what was dictating his feelings. He took a deep breath and decided he wouldn’t be able to keep this up for much longer. He needed to get things moving.

  ‘And then what happened?’

  ‘Once he had run for his life, I got out of the car. It was deathly quiet. I went to the girl, but there was no pulse. I couldn’t do anything for her.’

  ‘What about the baby she was carrying? She had only gone out to try and get him to sleep!’

  ‘I didn’t know she was carrying a baby at first. It was only when I started to roll her towards the ditch that the baby started crying. I would have lost my licence, and my job, and my husband . . .’

  ‘So you decided it would be all right to steal the baby and shove his mother into a ditch and forget about her,’ suggested Slater.

  ‘It wasn’t like that,’ snapped Diana.

  ‘Oh, but of course it was,’ said Slater. ‘All you cared about was covering your arse. Did you ever think about that girl’s family? What about her boyfriend? Did you know who he was?’

  She said nothing.

  ‘Ah, but of course you did, didn’t you? I bet Colin Norton called you as soon as the guy came in and started asking questions.'

  'That's where you're wrong,' she said. 'Norton never mentioned Hudson.'

  'I find that hard to believe,' said Slater. 'He was living on the farm right next to your house. You even socialised with him!'

  'That was purely coincidental. When we moved in next to the Major, Hudson wasn't living there. All we knew was the man had served under the Major, and he had moved into the cottage on the farm because he was working there. We only found out much later that he'd done time, but even then we didn't know why, and he didn't talk about it so we didn't ask.' She could see Slater was unconvinced. 'I promise you I had no idea who he was.'

  Slater thought this part of her story was highly unlikely, but he knew he couldn't prove it one way or the other.

  'At least now I understand why Norton didn’t take Hudson seriously when he reported Kylie missing,' he said. 'So, not only did the poor guy lose his girlfriend and baby, but he got six months and a prison record, all because of you!’

  ‘It was Norton’s fault, not mine!’ she snapped.

  ‘No, Diana, the decision to get involved with Norton was yours, and yours alone. Anything that happened as a consequence of that was a result of you making that choice.’

  There was a stony silence as Slater’s words faded into the ether.

  ‘Hudson never knew your Sonny was actually his son, did he?’ asked Slater. ‘He even helped with the searches, didn’t he? How ironic is that? How could you do that to the poor man?’

  Diana said nothing for a minute or two. Slater thought that was quite appropriate, after all, what could she say really?

  ‘I suppose you know I had an abortion?’ asked Diana, eventually.

  ‘Yes, we guessed that must have been Norton’s baby.’

  ‘I’d never even thought about having a baby before and getting rid of it wasn’t difficult, but then soon after I began to realise just how much I wanted to have one. I even turned one of our bedrooms into a nursery so that it would be ready if I ever got pregnant.’

  ‘Yet you had told Alan you couldn’t have children.’

  ‘Yes, that was a stupid thing for me to do,’ she admitted. ‘It certainly complicated things. But then, quite unexpectedly, I found Sonny, and he had no mother to look after him and love him, so taking him home just seemed to be the right thing to do.’

  Slater had been starting to think Diana was perhaps a little disturbed, but now he was becoming convinced she was more than a little bit. ‘Where does Alan come into all this?’ he asked. ‘It’s not as if you can hide a baby. He must have known what you’d done.’

  ‘He was away when it happened. When he got back, the baby was already there. He knew how much I wanted a baby and we’d always agreed that he would be a stay-at-home dad so I could carry on with my career. We agreed that if anyone ever asked, we would say we’d adopted the baby.’

  ‘So he turned a blind eye to the fact you’d killed someone and taken their baby?’

  ‘It’s not his fault,’ she said. ‘He did it for me.’

  ‘Oh, that’s all right then,’ muttered Slater, bitterly, before adding, ‘So, let’s move on to when Sonny disappeared.’

  ‘That was the worst day of my life,’ she said. ‘I died inside that day. I’d never known what depression was, but it’s been there with me ever since.’

  ‘So leaving the job because of depression was a load of crap?’

  She sighed. ‘I told Norton I wasn’t going to be blackmailed any more, so he sent an anonymous letter to my chief constable about me having an affair with a junior officer. The CC made it clear I had to go, but at least he was prepared to lie about why.’

  ‘But you carried on seeing Norton?’

  ‘He told me next time he would tell everyone about the body in the ditch. What else could I do?’

  ‘So, who took Sonny?’ asked Slater. ‘At one point we thought it might have been you or Alan.’

  Diana looked horrified. ‘How could you possibly think that? We loved him.’

  ‘So who do you think took him?’ asked Slater.

  ‘I always suspected Norton,’ said Diana, ‘but there was never any proof. I always knew that if I ever found out who had done it, I would kill that person. When I heard Ramlinstoke had been given a tip-off about a body in a ditch, I was confident it was the girl’s body and there was a good chance no one would ever connect her to me, but then when you came to see me about finding Sonny, I knew it could only have been one person behind all of it.’

  Another penny dropped for Slater. ‘Of course,’ he said. ‘Norton was the only other person who knew you’d pushed Kylie Mason’s body into that ditch, but why did he have to kill Sonny?’

  ‘Only he can answer that,’ she said, ‘but I suspect it was to punish me because I refused to play his game any more.’

  ‘Why wait ten years before the tip-off?’

  ‘Again, you’d have to ask him. But I can tell you he never stopped contacting me over the years, telling me I had to see him or else. I used to keep changing my mobile number, but then he’d turn up at our house, like the good friend Alan thought he was. I gave up in the end and took the calls without speaking. It used to annoy the hell out of him so at least I got some small satisfaction from that.’

  ‘But he must have known we’d find Sonny’s body as well as Kylie’s,’ said Slater.

  ‘Of course he knew, but he doesn’t care. He’s got a brain tumour and barely six months to live. The important thing for him was that it would lead you to me.’

  ‘He could have just told us.’

  ‘I think he wanted to see me suffer slowly as you put it all together.’

  ‘So he’s been calling you with updates just to make sure you knew we were closing in?’

  ‘That’s about the size of it,’ she said, holding Slater’s gaze. ‘I knew from the first day you came to see us that you wouldn’t let it go until you worked it all out.’

  She stared into space for what seemed like an age to Slater, but in reality was no more than thirty seconds. ‘I’m not really a bad person, you know,’ she said, finally. ‘I could have really been someone and had it all, but instead I made a complete mess of everything. This is goin
g to ruin Alan’s life when he learns everything I’ve done.’

  * * *

  Still perched on the wall, Watson heard the slight click in her ear, but this time, instead of another rant, the voice was much calmer. ‘This is Styles. I’ve just been informed Colin Norton has passed away. I thought you should know.’

  ‘Right, sir, thank you. I’ll tell DI Slater when I get a chance.’

  * * *

  Diana had been sidling closer to Slater, who was still clinging grimly to the wall, and now she was almost directly in front of him, with just the wall between them.

  ‘Will you hold me?’ she said. ‘I think I’ve had enough of this now.’

  Slater really didn’t want to let go of the wall, but if this was a chance to get a hold of her, he couldn’t ignore it. ‘Of course,’ he said and reached his arms around her shoulders as she slipped hers around his neck and rested her head on his shoulder.

  They stood like this for a minute or so, like two awkward lovers after something had come between them, in this case a four-and-a-half-foot wall.

  ‘We’d be a lot more comfortable if this damned wall wasn’t in the way,’ said Slater.

  Diana leaned her head back so she was looking into Slater’s eyes, just inches away. She gave him a beautiful smile. ‘Why, Detective Inspector, what are you suggesting?’ she said with a twinkle in her eye. ‘Are you going to come and join me?’

  Slater peered over the side, and closed his eyes as nausea threatened to take control again. ‘I just think you should climb back over this side,’ he said, looking back into Diana’s eyes.

  ‘You know you’re right,’ she said. ‘I really should, shouldn’t I? But you’ll need to give me a bit of room, won’t you?’

  He studied her face. Was she for real? He was trying to figure out how he could give her some space and keep hold of her when she suddenly reached her face up to his and gave him the softest peck on the lips. Slater was momentarily so surprised he relaxed his hold of her, and in that instant she smiled, whispered, ‘Thank you,’ and stepped back off the ledge.

  ‘Diana! No!’ Desperately, Slater scrambled onto the wall, reaching out for her, but she was gone. He looked over the edge and watched in horror as her body tumbled from sight. There was an eerie silence followed by a dull thud as Diana hit the ground below. He stared vacantly down into the darkness, quite unaware of the figures running towards him or of Watson holding onto his legs, trying to drag him down off the wall.

  Chapter 43

  David Hudson's French wife, Monique, had contacted Watson the day after Diana Randall had jumped to her death, to ask if she could bring her husband over to ensure the bodies were given proper burials. Watson had explained to her that all that remained were bones, and she wasn't sure how soon they would be released, but had agreed to Monique's request that it would be good for him to come over and visit the scene of Kylie's death. After years of wondering what had really happened, it should at least give him some closure.

  Now, as they stood together staring at the excavation site, Watson thought that for such a big man David Hudson looked remarkably small and almost child-like as he stood and stared at the excavation site, clutching Monique's hand, rather like a small boy might cling to his mother.

  'And she actually died here?' he asked Watson. 'Two police officers ran her down, pushed her into that ditch and just drove off and left her?'

  'I'm afraid so,' said Watson, feeling somehow responsible by association. 'Diana Randall told DI Slater it was very dark that night, and she lost control of her car and that's how she came to hit Kylie.'

  'So, she says it was an accident?'

  'We'll never know for sure, of course, but we've found nothing to suggest otherwise, so we believe she was telling the truth.'

  'That's not much consolation, is it?'

  'It's no consolation at all,' agreed Watson. She wanted to say more, but felt whatever she said would be inadequate.

  'All those years I lived a stone's throw from that woman's house,' said Hudson. 'I'm sure I recall I even kicked a football around with Sonny at the Major's house once…' he fell silent briefly as he choked back a sob. 'And all that time I never knew he was my own son, or that she had killed his mother.'

  His wife tightened her grip on his hand, stroked his arm reassuringly, and spoke quietly to him. 'Be strong,' she said. 'You need to do this. Trust me, you will feel better afterwards. At least now they have paid for what they did, and you can stop wondering what happened.'

  'I've spoken to the authorities,' said Watson. 'Now that everyone has agreed who was responsible for what happened, and as those two people are now dead, there will be no trial, so I've asked for the bodies to be released as soon as possible.'

  'Do you know when that will be?' asked Monique.

  'I think it will be in a couple of days. There are just a couple of formalities to clear up. It's just paperwork really. I can let you know as soon as I know.'

  'We're going up to see the Major for a few days while we're over here,' said Hudson. 'Monique's never met him, and I haven't seen him for years.'

  'You've been in touch, then?' asked Watson.

  'I think I owed him that,' said Hudson. 'I should have kept in contact with him, he was very good to me. We're going to try and build some bridges.'

  'I'm sure you will,' said Watson. 'He seems like a very decent man.'

  'One of the best,' said Hudson. 'He's pretty confident he can persuade his local vicar to conduct the funerals.'

  'Have you decided what you're going to do?'

  'Cremation,' said Hudson. He looked fondly at his wife. 'Monique suggested it. This way we can take the ashes back to France with us. I know Kylie would have loved France, and we think where we live is the perfect place for a little boy.'

  Chapter 44

  ‘Hi, Norm, it’s Sam,’ said Watson.

  ‘Oh hi,’ said Norman. ‘If you want to speak to Dave, he’s sleeping right now, and I really don’t wanna wake him.’

  ‘No, that’s okay, how is he?’

  ‘Not great. He looks like he hasn’t slept more than a couple of minutes this last week. He says every time he shuts his eyes, he sees Diana smiling at him as she steps back off that ledge.’

  ‘It wasn’t his fault,’ said Watson. ‘She had intended to do that all along.’

  ‘Yeah, but he blames himself for getting close enough to have a hold of her and then letting go at the vital moment.’

  ‘She conned him,’ said Watson.

  ‘You know it, and I know it,’ said Norman, ‘but none of that matters if he doesn’t accept it.’

  ‘It wouldn’t be so bad, but even her confession counts for nothing because he was the only one who heard it, and the only guy who could have confirmed any of it died in hospital.’

  ‘Yeah, I know. It’s tough, but that’s life,’ said Norman. ‘Shit happens.’

  ‘He needs Jenny,’ said Watson. ‘Has she come back yet?’

  Norman sighed. ‘No sign of her so far,’ he said, ‘but Dave doesn't seem worried about it. He tells me they had been arguing almost every night while he was away. He thinks she might even have left him.’

  ‘What do you think?’

  ‘Honestly? I have to admit I’m concerned. I've been poking around while he's asleep, and if she has left him, she hasn't taken much of her stuff with her. And if I know Jenny, she wouldn't just walk out like that. Don't take this the wrong way, I do like her, but she does like to be the centre of attention, and she does like a drama. She's the sort who would take the scissors to his clothes, but there's no sign of anything like that. I'm sure, if she was going to leave him, she would have waited until he came back and then made a really big deal out of the whole thing.'

  Watson didn't have time to speak before Norman continued.

  'And another thing, Dave says she mentioned going to see her parents. As far as I know she burnt her bridges with them a long, long, time ago. Something about this whole situation doesn't seem right to me, b
ut I don’t want to worry him. He’s got enough to deal with right now.’

  'You said he doesn't seem worried.'

  'I probably didn't put that right. It's like he's almost unaware of what's going on around him. I think he's been so affected by what happened, he's still in shock, and those stupid pills they've given him don't help. They just seem to make his brain go numb, that's why he sleeps so much.'

  ‘She could call,’ said Watson, her annoyance clear. ‘Surely if she knew what had happened she would be there for him even if they had fallen out?’

  ‘Well, that’s another thing that worries me,’ said Norman. ‘I’ve tried calling her at all times of the day and night, but her damned phone’s always switched off.’

  ‘That’s not helping anyone, is it?'

  'Of course not, but it's a good way of making sure you don't have to talk to anyone,' said Norman. 'There again, maybe I'm being unfair and she's lost her phone somehow.'

  'But he needs someone there to look after him, and help get him over this.’

  ‘Yeah, well, I’m not exactly rushed off my feet right now, so I’ve moved in for a few days.’

  ‘But you’re still supposed to be resting and recuperating from your heart attack!’

  ‘I am resting and I’m keeping an eye on him too. It's not difficult because he’s not exactly Mr High Energy at the moment, he's more like Mr Zombie. I’m having to bully him into going out for a walk with me every day, but he’s only doing it because he thinks it’s for my benefit. Really it’s as much for him as it is for me.’

  ‘I’ve been told he’s been signed off work for another month. He can’t come back until he’s passed the psych evaluation.’

  ‘That’s normal after a major traumatic event,’ Norman assured her. ‘We’ll get him through it, he just needs some time, that’s all.’

  ‘I wouldn’t rush him if I were you,’ warned Watson. ‘I think they might be preparing a lamb for the slaughter.’