Country Lines (A DI Mitchell Yorkshire Crime Thriller Book 8)

by Oliver Davies

  “I understand,” I said, patting the air with my hands to ask her to calm down.

  I appreciated that she’d owned up to taking something from Jackson because it was obvious that she was in withdrawal, and if she’d lied about that, I wouldn’t have been able to trust much of anything else she’d said.

  “This Pete bloke, could you work with an artist to do a picture of him?” I asked.

  “We can do better than that, actually,” Stephen put in, and I turned to him. “That CCTV we have of the group, remember? If he’s Jackson’s friend, he should be on there, right?”

  “Aye, good point. Could you fetch a printout of it?”

  He was already heading out to get one, and I gave him a grateful nod. I took sips of my cooling coffee as I waited for Stephen to get back, giving Lucy a short break from the questioning. From her answers, I was inclined to think she was more of a victim than a perpetrator, but she’d certainly strayed from the straight and narrow.

  Stephen came back before long, sitting back down and sliding a grainy picture towards Lucy.

  “Do you recognise these guys?”

  She leaned over the table to study the poor quality CCTV footage, tucking the hair out of her eyes when it fell in her face again.

  “They’re Jackson’s friends,” she said before naming each of them in turn when I asked.

  “So… none of these are Pete?” I said, resigned.

  She shook her head. “No, they weren’t in the same group, y’know?”

  “When I was upstairs, I remembered something,” Stephen put in, pulling out another piece of paper. This one had an artist’s rendition of an older man on it, his dark hair streaked with grey and his face narrow and long.

  “Who’s this?”

  “This is the guy-”

  “That’s him, that’s Pete,” Lucy interrupted before leaning backwards, looking nervous. “Sorry.”

  “No, that’s good, thanks for telling us. Go on, Steph.”

  “You remember the school kids the DCs talked to? Max’s friends?” he asked, and I nodded. “One of them gave the names of Jackson’s friends, but he said there was another one, right?”

  “Damn, aye, now that you say it…” It was coming back to me now, but I doubted I would’ve remembered it without Stephen’s prompting. “Well remembered, mate. So this is him, then. And he wasn’t with Jackson on the Friday when he died.”

  Lucy made a small noise, and we both turned to her. She flushed again, clearly uncomfortable with the attention. Still, she seemed to steady herself to push on.

  “He came round to the house that night,” she confessed quietly.

  “Pete did?”

  “He was meant to meet Jackson.”

  “What time was this?”

  “Around midnight, I think?” she said, and I made a note of it.

  “Okay, that’s good to know. This picture’s accurate, would you say?” I tapped the artist’s rendition on the table. She pulled a slight face.

  “I can tell it’s him, but the shape- His face isn’t quite right.”

  Stephen and I shared a look. “I think you should see the artist and make sure this is as good as we can get it,” I decided, and Stephen nodded his agreement. “Is there anything else you need to tell us, Ms Page?”

  She looked like a deer in the headlights, then, and I hid a frown. She finally shook her head, but I didn’t quite buy it.

  “Okay,” I said slowly, still looking at her. She was avoiding my gaze now, and I felt sure there was something she was hiding from us. “We’ll keep you in custody for the time being. We’ll escort you there now, and you’ll meet with the artist later. Do you need to call anyone?”

  As I expected, she refused. She didn’t have anyone she could call, I thought, and I couldn’t help but feel for her.

  “Just make sure Eva’s okay, please?” she pleaded when we handed her over to the custody staff. “You’ve got to protect her. Pete could hurt her. You don’t know what he’s like.”

  “I’ll do everything in my power to keep her safe,” I assured her.

  This case already had enough casualties, with Jackson dead and Max and Victor ending up in hospital, and I had no intention of allowing a six-year-old to be added to the list.

  We left Lucy in custody and headed back upstairs. She’d given us some valuable information and confirmed a number of things we already knew. Now, we just needed to piece it together and dig deeper.

  Wrapping this case up, and getting scumbags like Pete off the street, couldn’t come soon enough.

  Fifteen

  I was buzzing with eagerness to get started as we climbed the stairs up to our desks. I sent Stephen to gather up whichever DCs were free to give us a hand whilst I contacted the artist who worked for the York stations, booking her in to visit Lucy and work with her to correct the sketch of Pete. Now that we knew this bloke was a key piece, I might need to talk to Max’s school friend about him, I thought.

  Stephen called me from across the office, letting me know that the DCs were ready when I was, and I hurried over. I paced as I filled them in on what’d happened recently and what Lucy had told us, finding that giving the summary helped me straighten it all out in my head a bit better. It made it easier for me to think through what we needed to do next.

  “It’s a needle in a haystack, I know, but I want someone to try to find this ‘Pete’ guy online. We’ve got a picture, a name, and we know he’s in York, but that’s it. Any volunteers for a challenge?” I gave an ironic smile. “Then I need a couple of you to head over to Lucy Page’s house. She’s given us an address, though I haven’t seen it yet. We want evidence and any extra information on either Jackson or her.”

  The other two DCs volunteered for that, and I thanked them. I looked over at Stephen to see whether I’d missed anything or if he had anything to add, but he shook his head.

  “Alright, that’s great. Thanks for the help, guys.”

  They headed out to get started, and I released a breath, feeling both hyped up and tired at the same time.

  “What did you have in mind for us for the afternoon?” Stephen queried as we returned to our desks.

  I picked up my coat and slung it on. The weather was certainly getting milder, but it was still chilly enough that just my suit alone wasn’t warm enough.

  “I was thinking…” I started slowly as I put my phone and notebook in my pockets. “While we’re waiting for the DCs to come back to us, we could pay a visit to Faith and Elijah.”

  “Yeah?” Stephen sounded surprised.

  “Aye. I was thinking that she had these people going in and out of her house for a couple of weeks at least, didn’t she? Maybe she knows Pete or saw him and can tell us something else about him. His surname, for example.”

  “Worth a shot,” Stephen agreed with a vague shrug. “I have a request, though?”

  “Aye, what’s that?” I said before I spotted the upwards tilt of his mouth and laughed. “Oh, it’s lunch, isn’t it? You and your stomach, man.”

  He grinned. “Yeah, well, nothing wrong with staying fueled up, that’s what I say.”

  “Okay, okay. We’ll get lunch on the way. Let’s roll out, soldier.”

  The drive over to the Women’s Aid shelter didn’t take long, even with a brief stop at a drive-thru. We ate our lunch in the car park outside the shelter, with Stephen making happy noises as he devoured his cheesy panini.

  While he was finishing up, I checked that we had everything we needed, including pictures of Pete and Jackson to show her. Stephen tossed his wrapper in the bin and wiped his mouth.

  “Good to go, boss.”

  “About time. Keep your fingers crossed for more good info, okay?”

  He smiled and held up his crossed fingers. “You want me to find a four-leaf clover, too?”

  “It wouldn’t hurt,” I chuckled.

  We headed into the women’s shelter, letting them know who we were through the intercom before we were buzzed in. The security had t
o be good at a place like this, and I appreciated that they took the time to check our badges and were careful and thorough before they allowed us inside. These women deserved to feel absolutely safe after what they’d been through, Faith included.

  “Is Faith available to speak to us?” I asked the woman at reception.

  “I’ll call her room and ask.” The phone call was a brief one, and I couldn’t tell what Faith had said on the other end. “She says she’ll see you,” the receptionist said with a nod.

  I smiled. “Thank you.”

  We followed her directions up the stairs, followed by a female guard as we approached Faith’s room. I cast the woman a curious glance but didn’t comment. If it would make Faith feel safer to have one of the shelter staff in the room with us, that was good with me.

  I knocked lightly on Faith’s door and stood back. A couple of other women had their doors open and poked their heads out curiously as we went by. I could hear a child crying from somewhere upstairs, but no noise from Faith’s room in particular.

  She opened the door slowly, eyeing Stephen and me for a long moment before she stepped back to let us in. Her eyes were down, and she didn’t speak.

  “Hi, Faith. I hope they’re looking after you and Elijah okay here?” I asked, doing my best to be friendly. Faith looked nervous, and I wasn’t sure how to reassure her.

  “It’s good,” she said quietly, looking over to where Elijah was playing with some plastic bricks on the floor. He’d sent us only a brief glance before dismissing us, and I was glad to see that he looked pink-cheeked and healthy.

  “I’m glad to hear it. You’re not in any trouble, Faith, but we’d like to ask you a couple of questions about the people who visited your house. Would that be alright?”

  The guard was hovering by the door, and I saw Faith glance over at her. The guard gave her a nod in return, and Faith’s shoulders seemed to relax slightly. She seemed to trust her, and I was glad of it.

  “Okay,” Faith agreed.

  “Thank you. Can you remember the names of the people who came into your house?”

  I pulled out my notebook and made note of everything Faith told me, her voice stilted and quiet enough that I sometimes had to strain to hear her. She paused after a moment. I thought she was finished, but she swallowed and went on.

  “And a man called P-Pete. He was in charge or something.”

  She lowered her gaze to the floor and looked deeply uncomfortable. I frowned in concern, even as I was ecstatic that she’d been able to confirm Lucy’s information without any prompting.

  “Is this him?” Stephen asked quietly, taking out the pictures we’d brought and finding the right one.

  Faith blinked at it for a long second. “Yes, I think.” She turned her head slightly at an angle.

  “It’s not quite right?” I guessed. She nodded. “But you’re sure it’s him?” Another nod. “That’s good, thank you.”

  I looked at Stephen, and he got out the other pictures. Faith hadn’t mentioned Jackson’s name, but I was still hoping that she might recognise him.

  “Do you know this man?” Stephen asked, showing her a social media picture, which included both Jackson and Lucy. His arm was around her, but her smile looked strained.

  “I saw them, yes.”

  “Them? Both of them, this woman too?” I checked. She nodded. “Can you tell me their names?”

  Faith looked at me nervously. “I don’t know, Jack, maybe. I don’t remember the lady’s name.”

  “No worries, that helps us. You’re doing great, Faith,” I assured her, and she seemed to relax a little. Her eyes still flickered nervously around the room, checking on her son and then checking that the guard was still watching from the door.

  “What did they do when they came to the house?” Stephen asked.

  “The same as the others.” Faith gave a small shrug. “Drop things off, boxes and packages. I didn’t touch them, and I didn’t let Elijah near them either.”

  “Did they ever speak to you?”

  “No, I stayed upstairs.” She lowered her voice further. “I didn’t want Elijah near them or to see anything.”

  “So how did you see J- these two people?” I asked. I didn’t doubt her, but I wasn’t quite clear on the sequence of events.

  “I watched them come up the drive, from the window,” she said, a small spark of defiance in her eyes then, as if daring me not to believe her.

  “I understand. And Pete, did you speak to him ever?” I said.

  She looked away, her shoulders hunched. She didn’t speak for a long second, and a look passed between Stephen and me.

  “That’s enough for today,” the guard at the door said firmly. “Faith’s tired.”

  “No, no, it’s okay,” Faith said softly. She gave the guard the first, though tiny, smile I’d seen on the woman. It disappeared when she turned back to us. “He- Pete wanted to see us when they first… came into the house. I tried to make him go away.” She teared up, and I grimaced in sympathy for her. I could guess how that encounter had gone if Faith had challenged him.

  “Do you know what his surname is?” I asked, trying to be gentle. She shook her head silently.

  “They called him boss, or Pete, that was all.”

  “Thank you, Faith. Have you still got my card?” I checked, and she nodded. “Okay, give us a call if you remember anything else or if we can help in any way.”

  “I will,” she said softly. I gave her a smile.

  “We really appreciate the help.” I packed up my notebook and got ready to head out. Faith looked exhausted and relieved that we were done. Elijah looked up from his bricks as we were leaving, and Stephen gave him a little wave. The boy stared at him before shyly returning it.

  “You’ve got a friend there,” I teased him.

  “Jealous that you’re not my bestie anymore?” he said, elbowing me in the ribs.

  “Damn right I am,” I chuckled. “Getting replaced by a six-year-old doesn’t look good for me.”

  He laughed at that as we headed down the stairs. The guard saw us out of the building, and I thanked her.

  “Have the DCs been in touch?” I wondered aloud as I checked my phone in the car. Stephen pulled out his phone, too, and shook his head.

  “Nope, not yet.”

  “It’ll be time for Lucy’s sister to be leaving school soon,” I noted as I saw the time on my phone. “Give the station a buzz and check that someone is definitely there to pick the kid up, will you?”

  “Sure thing.”

  Stephen got on the phone while I started up the car, thinking sadly that Eva was going to end up in care, at least in the short term. Not only was Lucy in custody for a crime she undeniably committed, though under duress, but she certainly didn’t qualify as a suitable guardian for a six-year-old. She had no steady income. and she’d admitted to taking drugs. It was blatantly obvious how much she adored her sister and the lengths she’d go to in order to look after her, but love couldn’t make up for not being able to provide the necessities of food and a roof over a child’s head. It hurt my heart because I could see that Lucy was trying, but it was clear to me that Eva would have to live elsewhere, and Lucy would have a steep uphill battle if she tried to reclaim custody.

  “We need to look for other relatives of Lucy and Eva’s,” I said aloud once Stephen was off the phone before sending him a glance. “All okay at the school?”

  “Yep, two officers have met the kid, along with someone from care services. She was pretty upset not to see her sister, apparently, poor thing.”

  “I bet,” I sighed. We couldn’t do anything about it, much as I might like to.

  “God, I sure am looking forward to the weekend,” Stephen said abruptly, leaning back in his seat with a long exhale. “Bit of rugby, a lot of beer and sleep. Sounds good to me. You coming round on Saturday for boys’ night?”

  “Only if you and David don’t go off on a tangent about rugby for an hour like last time,” I teased. He rolled h
is eyes.

  “It wasn’t an hour.”

  “Aye, it was. I timed it.”

  “Okay, maybe it was. You’re the same with running, mate,” he pointed out.

  “I know,” I laughed. “So we’ll have to stay off sports entirely, for everyone’s sake.”

  “What about… bobsleigh? Can’t I talk about bobsleigh if I want to?” he said, needling me for the hell of it. I couldn’t hold back a grin as we bickered back and forth, the mood lifting between us.

  I knew what he was doing, changing the subject to lighten things up between us before they got too heavy, and I appreciated it. If he hadn't been in the car, I knew I would have brooded over Faith and Elijah’s predicament, as well as Lucy and Eva’s, and I probably would have arrived back at the station feeling morose and worn out. Whilst I was deadly serious about this case, I couldn’t afford to dwell on it for every minute of the day, or I’d sink. Stephen knew that, and it was his friendship and silly humour that kept me afloat.

  Back at the station, we caught up on paperwork, and I amended my report with recent updates. I sent a Cliff Notes version off to Rashford to keep her in the loop and typed up the notes I’d made in my notepad today. I was pleased with the progress we’d made, and that made me feel better about taking the weekend off. We were still waiting on the DCs to come back, too, and hopefully, they’d have more good news for us.

  My hands were busy filling in the online forms that had replaced some of the actual printed paperwork, but my mind was off somewhere else, planning the run Sam and I could do tonight. We often did a longer one on Friday evening or Saturday morning, when we’d have the rest of the weekend to take as rest days, though we did sometimes end up at the gym on quiet Sunday afternoons. I wanted nothing more than to spend some quality time with her and burn off some of my stress through good old fashioned exercise, but we still had a few hours of the day left.

  Distracted as I was, I didn’t notice Stephen saying my name until he waved a hand in front of my face. I startled back in surprise and found him giving me an exasperated look.