‘Absolutely certain. That avenue is blocked to us right now.’
‘You could come in. Your version of events could be put to the editor, and running your own story will provide protection. Nothing could be swept under the carpet then.’
‘I did consider that, Sue. And believe me I was sorely tempted. But only briefly. On the surface it sounds like the way to go. Get my shot in first, start a formal investigation. Fact is, though, I have no idea what sort of evidence they have against me. Whatever it may be is entirely fabricated, but it could be considerable, and it may well be impossible to unravel. I need to know what that is before I put myself at risk.’
‘And how does the information you want help with that exactly.’
‘It doesn’t. But it may just buy me some time. We’re too exposed right now. I need an ally, not another enemy.’
I heard her take a long, deep breath. I could only imagine the thoughts twisting and turning inside her head, buffeted like a plastic bag in a strong wind. I rested the phone against my forehead for a moment, then glanced around. The street was quiet now, with no foot traffic. Still I felt terribly vulnerable.
‘Sue, I guess in the end this will come down to friendship. I know I let you down. I know I hurt you. Just like everyone else who knew me, trusted me. I’ve paid for it in spades, believe me. But if you ever knew me, truly knew me, you will believe that I could not do what’s being said about me.’
Just a heartbeat skipped by this time. ‘Give me your number. I’ll call you back.’
‘No, I’ll call you. Ten minutes enough?’
‘Trust doesn’t work both ways, then?’
Hurting her again. I swallowed it back. ‘I have more to lose.’
‘Ten minutes,’ she said, and ended the call.
*
I chose not to go back inside the library. Instead, I moved out onto the pavement and took in my whereabouts in more detail. It seemed to me that small town centres in England looked pretty much the same wherever you went. Such places were interchangeable. Narrow, often winding streets with nothing much going on, which suddenly, and with no clear boundary, merged into a whirlwind of activity and consumerism. This area was different, and had a relaxed feel about it. It felt safe somehow. Amidst the plethora of betting shops and charity stores, there was still time for old-fashioned charm, with antique markets and quaint tea shops jostling for business alongside the coffee and fast food giants. It was interesting taking time to really look at my surroundings. Odd the things you noticed when you did so.
When I called her back, Susan gave me her mobile number instead of the information I had requested. ‘Give me another ten minutes,’ she said.
I left it exactly that amount of time before using the new number. Every time someone walked past, I turned towards the library, shielding my face. ‘Can you talk now?’ I asked.
‘Yeah, I’m out of the office. Christ, Mike, what the hell have you got yourself into?’
‘As much shit as a person can be in and still be able to breathe.’
‘I can’t believe what I’m hearing. It’s so wild. Outrageous.’
‘What are you hearing exactly, and can you find out more?’
Susan rattled off what she knew: that the police and NCA were looking for me in connection with the murder of Ray Dawson. In addition, there was the possibility that either I had also abducted Melissa Andrews and Charlotte Dawson, or that Melissa and I had acted together. The latter option was the lead police were currently focussing on.
‘They’re actually saying that?’ I felt myself wince, my face contorted by an almost physical pain. Senior Investigator Hendricks had been busy. Now he was laying the foundation for a conspiracy of sorts.
‘It’s top of the pile of several theories. None of which are good for you.’
‘Has anyone offered a scrap of evidence to back up those theories?’ I asked.
‘The investigating team are keeping things pretty close to their chest, Mike. Leaking one or two things at a time. The suggestion is that something may have been found in your car that implicates you in the murder.’
‘Fuck!’ I licked my lips. They’d never been this dry. Aware that I had cursed aloud, I cast a furtive glance around me. I remained alone.
‘Fuck indeed. What happened, Mike? Please tell me.’
‘I’ve already said it’s best you don’t know.’
‘Yes, and I’d remind you I’m a big girl now, Mike. I worked on many similar stories with you, remember. It’s what I do.’
I took a moment. Susan was right. We had taken chances together before. There was no good reason why I should not tell her everything this time, either. So I did. Every detail from the moment I saw Hendricks gun Dawson down.
‘Now you see why I am in the mire,’ I finished. ‘That prick of an NCA cop murdered Dawson himself but is now finding ways to lay the blame on me. Maybe even me and Melissa both if necessary.’
‘Jesus, Mike,’ Susan said after a stunned silence. ‘I don’t know which version is more crazy right now: you killing Dawson or an NCA Investigator doing so and then laying it all off on you.’
‘I was in the wrong place at the wrong time is all. He obviously intended to kill Dawson and then just leave. Given who the victim is people would have suspected a gangland hit. But I saw him, Sue, and he knows I can hang him for it. My word against his won’t do if he has planted solid evidence. And he’s had the time to do just that.’
‘It depends on what it is and how solid he’s made it. He can’t have been planning for this, so he hasn’t had a lot of time to adapt.’
I thought about that. Looked around once more. The sun had broken through the cloud cover and was virtually pulsating in the sky. One or two pedestrians passed by. I turned away again, ensuring my face could not be seen from either inside or outside the library.
‘I guess you’re right,’ I said. ‘But he’s clearly done more than enough to steer things in my direction. He’s probably still working on it as we speak. Which is why I need you to help me, Sue. I need to know what they have, how he’s twisting the story against me and away from himself. We need to figure out where to go from here, and it’s impossible without knowing exactly what we’re up against.’
‘So, not only do you want contact details for Chris Dawson, you also want me to dig around inside a police investigation?’
‘It’s what you do. You just said as much yourself. Remember? And you’re bloody good at it.’
‘Sure. Skip the flattery, Mike. This is something out of the ordinary, you must see that.’
I nodded to myself. ‘Of course I do. But this is the Dawson family, Sue. Big time. You have every right to be involved, asking questions. It’s a major story, with the potential to explode into some kind of conspiracy. Sweet talk your editor. I know you can twist him around your little finger.’
‘Yes, I probably can. The real question is, do I want to?’
I felt my heart flutter. Began to feel vulnerable all over again. I was counting on this. Needed it. Melissa and Charlie needed it as well. My feeble grasp on hope was all but shot. I doubted Melissa had much left in her tank, either. I was no longer used to caring about anyone other than myself; hadn’t done so since Donna and Wendy left my everyday life. I felt it now, though. An intense sensation I could not let go of.
‘Maybe not for me,’ I admitted. ‘And if that’s the case, I can understand why. I respect it even. You owe me absolutely nothing. But for the story? How massive would it be for your career if you blow the lid off this, Sue?’
‘You’re playing me, Mike. I’m not stupid.’
A clutch of pedestrians had turned off the pavement and were heading up the path toward the library. I turned away, hunched into myself protectively. I felt exposed. And so alone.
I did indeed need this.
More than that, though, I needed my friend.
‘Yes, I am playing you,’ I admitted. ‘And no, you’re not stupid enough to fall for it. You are anything b
ut stupid, Sue. But you must admit there is something major going on here, whether I’m telling the truth or not, and I know you won’t be able to let that go. It’s not in your nature. Even if you take me out of the equation, this is big time. With me in it, with what that cop is trying to do to me and, perhaps, the kid’s nanny, it would be the biggest story you’ve ever had. And let’s not forget the kid and everything she is about to be put through.’
‘I take it she knows? About her father, I mean.’ Susan’s tone was more gentle now, the topic having switched to Charlie.
‘No. Mel thought it was best to leave it for now.’ I wondered if that had been the best decision even as I said it. ‘I think she’s probably right to err on the side of caution. It’s hard enough at the moment having to cater for the kid. It would be impossible if she knew her dad was dead.’
I heard Susan sigh. Then she said, ‘Okay, Mike. I’ll see what I can find out.’
I could not recall the last time I felt so relieved about anything. ‘Talk to the right people, Sue, maybe even including this NCA bastard, and ask them all the right questions.’
‘Such as?’
‘Such as how big a coincidence is it that NCA Investigator Hendricks just happened to be in the area where this major criminal was gunned down? And how much more of a coincidence is it that Hendricks was the one who happened to stumble upon Dawson’s body? Those are two good questions to start with.’
I was pleased with myself. They were good questions, and they needed exploring. Even if they were summarily dismissed or explained away, it would at the very least put the notion out there.
‘I’ll talk to the boss,’ Susan said. ‘Get the ball rolling.’
‘Good. And… thank you.’
‘I’m not promising anything, Mike.’
‘No. I mean thank you for not asking me.’
‘Asking you what?’
‘If I did it. If I was guilty.’
She gave a light laugh, and I could almost see her smiling face. I remembered it fondly. The two of us had come close on several occasions to becoming lovers. We had worked closely together, spent long hours forging a friendship that went beyond the mere collegial. In truth, I always thought Susan wanted it more than I did, but at the time my marriage had meant something to me. Even if at that point it had been a faint glow amidst its dying embers.
‘You’re too much of a wuss to murder someone, Mike,’ she said now.
I chuckled. ‘I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘I can certainly get you those details for contacting Dawson,’ she told me. ‘But it will take a bit of time. As you can imagine, I can’t afford any leaks. The source I need the information from isn’t available right now. I’ve left messages, but it’s a waiting game and clearly you’re up against the clock. But listen, on that subject, I’ve just had a thought: how about I put the wheels in motion here and then come to wherever you are and meet up with you?’
I had wondered when she would get around to asking that question. A part of me screamed out for the presence of someone who would be firmly on my side. To be with my friend once more. But another part, a bigger part, recognised the danger.
‘No,’ I replied, reluctantly. ‘I don’t like that idea at all. There’s no need to put you in the firing line as well.’
‘That won’t happen, Mike. It may be off my beat, but you said yourself that this is something meaty enough for a reporter like me to get my teeth into. There’s no reason for me not to investigate, and I won’t be alone. Hundreds of journos are looking into the same story right now.’
‘I guess,’ I said. I felt weak not insisting she stay away.
‘Look, it makes sense, Mike. You are limited by whatever agreement you make with Chris Dawson eventually. If there’s even one to be reached. You are still going to be wherever you are now, still watching your back. I could drive down and then take you where you need to go, bring some cash for you and a burner phone as well. You could tell me everything, and I can record it and send it on to my editor, save it all to the cloud. That way you remain beneath the radar, but your version of events is out there.’
‘It’s too risky.’
‘How? Neither the police nor Dawson will know about it. Not until it’s too late. In fact, how about I get us all a room for the night somewhere, away from the public glare. Mike, it doesn’t take a genius to recognise how big this story is. It’s the kind you and I used to dream about landing on our desks. Now it’s here, and you are involved in it. But now so am I. You don’t have to do this on your own any longer.’
I turned it over – a furious internal debate. Myself, Mel and the kid would be exposed once we left the library. And at the moment only Mel and I could tell the true story about Ray Dawson’s murder. Having a room to hide away in, someone to share this nightmare with, someone to work on our behalf, felt like a great plan. There didn’t seem to be a downside.
‘Okay,’ I said eventually. I walked a few options through in my mind, thought back to the earlier drive as I had made my way to the station, and then suggested the meeting place. I asked Susan how quickly she might be able to get here.
‘I’ll need a good few hours, Mike. There’s a lot to do first, and then the drive itself of course.’ She suggested a time. ‘What will you do in the meantime?’ she asked.
‘I have no idea. We have to find somewhere else to lie low for a few hours, and then figure out what we do and where we go afterwards. We may have to tough it out another night maybe. Hopefully tomorrow will bring better news.’
I really didn’t want to think that far ahead, but knew I had run out of options. I was still debating with myself when I heard Susan speak again.
‘In that case, Mike, I need to make a confession. I used a look-up service to find the payphone number you’re calling me from. Don’t be angry with me; I did it not for the story but because I care about you and the mess you’re in right now. After I tracked the number to Chippenham, I booked a room at a Best Western hotel as close to you as I could find. I booked it in my name using the paper’s credit card, told them a colleague would be arriving before me, and I have a booking reference number for you to quote when you get to reception. I thought perhaps this Melissa woman could use it, then you would figure out a way to get you all in there to wait for me.’
After a brief flare of anger at my friend’s betrayal, I could only feel a further surge of relief. It was exactly what we needed.
‘We won’t need the card you booked the room with?’ I asked.
‘No. I settled up. You just need the reference number. You can’t check in until 2 pm or so, although you might try a little earlier. Having Charlotte Dawson with you makes it difficult, I know, but you’ll figure something out I’m sure.’
Once Susan had given me the details, I cut her short. ‘Look, Sue, I don’t want to rake all this up again in front of Mel and the kid. There’s a lot to discuss, and the kid will get antsy with another stranger in the room. Plus there’s a lot she shouldn’t hear. We need to get a few things sorted out on our own first. So how about we meet up at the place I first suggested, huh?’
Susan agreed. We said goodbye and she told me to take care. That was the second time she had said that to me, and the second time she had meant it.
‘I’ll never be able to thank you enough, Sue,’ I told her. ‘But I hope to at least try one day.’
I killed the line before she could hear me choke back my tears of gratitude.
FIFTEEN
We walked slowly beside the river which meandered its way around the edge of Monkton Park. Many other people were doing the same that humid afternoon in Chippenham. Charlie skipped ahead, waving her arms and calling out to the ducks and swans drifting aimlessly nearby, her life apparently back on track. The ordeal seemed to have left no mark upon her at all. I reflected on the ability children had to recover from adversity, wishing some of that magic dust would sprinkle my way.
After returning to the library, I told Melissa all abo
ut my conversations with Susan. Mel seemed both excited and cautious about having someone on the outside with whom to share our situation. The Best Western was located centrally between the library and the park, which felt like another favourable twist of fate. We could not check in as it was still too early, so we were still left in a bit of a bind. It was Mel who suggested going for a walk alongside the river, having studied a map of the town while she was in the library waiting for me to return. Before setting out, we debated the merits of the exposure. On the one hand, neither of us could think of anywhere to take Charlie at that time of day that would keep her happy and relaxed, and would also keep us away from the public gaze. I reasoned that our faces, even if they had been revealed in old photographs on the Internet or TV news stations, had not yet had sufficient time to seep into the conscious mind. I also suggested that even if people were aware of what had happened and our role in it, no one would be expecting to find us strolling by the river. Mel offered the view that so many people walk around with their heads down looking at their phones that we would probably be better off amongst so many, rather than risking a smaller, closed-in environment again. That combination of arguments seemed to do the trick, but I also knew that Melissa was desperate to spend time outdoors again.
Decision made, it had taken us only fifteen minutes to get here, and now I was enjoying the feel of fresh warm air on my skin.
‘Tell me about her mother,’ I said, nodding in the kid’s direction. ‘What happened there?’
Melissa hugged herself with one arm as she walked, her other hand busy with a cigarette. She strode confidently, with a young woman’s athleticism and vigour. A dove-grey scattering of cloud hid the sun briefly, but the temperature continued to climb and the sky still retained a good deal of moisture. A light wind blew our way across the still water, flushing Mel’s smooth cheeks.
‘I never met Cassie Dawson, and I don’t know a lot about what went wrong between her and Ray. They were childhood sweethearts, from what I understand, even though she was the daughter of a lesser rival. Their union brought the two families together, or so I was told. But from what I can gather, Cassie had an affair and Ray found out. The marriage ended badly.’
Scream Blue Murder Page 10