by Anita Waller
‘What did the police say about this?’
‘They don’t know. Nobody’s ever asked me. They knew he lived at home with me, but nobody ever said when was the last time you saw him. I suppose that’s because I said but I only saw him this lunchtime, when they came to tell me they’d found his body, late that night. In my statement it says we had lunch together, but nothing about the conversation.’
‘And you still don’t know who he wanted the money for?’ Kat reached across and touched Sally’s hand. The woman had gone through hell; and still was, fifteen years later.
‘I’ve an idea. I asked a couple of his friends the next day – they called round to say how sorry they were – but two days later they’d disappeared. One is in prison for murder, and I’ve never heard anything of the other since that one and only visit.’
‘Would you be prepared to give us their names? I realise we probably won’t be able to track them down, but it gives us the whole picture. And I promise you, Mrs Adams, we’ll give this our best shot. You’ve been honest with us and you didn’t need to be,’ Kat said, and pushed her empty cup to one side.
‘Of course I will. The one in prison is Don Truman, used to live in Bakewell but arson seems to have been his speciality and he burnt a shed down on an allotment not realising there were two teenage girls in it, smoking joints. They didn’t get out. His best friend, and the one who has disappeared, is called Mark James.’
‘And do the police know of their connection to Craig?’ Mouse was beginning to think the police had done very little to find Craig’s killer.
‘Not from me. They may have found out from other sources, but nobody asked me, and I was shocked, mainly not in this world for a long time after I lost Craig, so I didn’t really tell them anything. I didn’t say much yesterday, but they did tell me Craig’s death had cropped up in another investigation. It’s brought it all back and I spent last night with it churning through my mind. Thank you for coming. I think I needed to talk.’
Kat passed her a card. ‘You ever want to talk again, and not just about this, about anything, you give me a ring. Beth and I are accidental private investigators, we don’t have a licence to do the job, but Beth is the girl who was shot when Anthony Jackson was killed in Eyam. What we’re looking for is information that will lead us to her attacker, and Craig’s murder was thrown up by our following another lead.’
Sally nodded. ‘Then thank you. I hope you solve it all, it will be everything I have ever wanted.’
Kat and Mouse stood. ‘Thank you, Mrs Adams…’
‘It’s Sally,’ she said, and followed them to the door. ‘If I remember anything else about that conversation, I promise I’ll ring you. And Kat, give my regards to your mum. I’ve known her many years. We were in junior school together, although went to different secondary schools.’
‘I will,’ Kat said with a smile, and headed back to the car.
Chapter 26
Doris was asleep when they returned home. Mouse quietly collected her laptop and headed back down to the kitchen.
‘Nan’s sleeping,’ she said. ‘I think taking that shrapnel out of her was a bit more debilitating than she let on.’
‘Mouse, how old is she?’ Kat asked.
‘Okay, she’s sixty-seven, but…’
‘Exactly. She’s sixty-seven. My mum is fifty-seven, and she nods off in the afternoon. I think it’s more because they can, rather than because they need to. So let her sleep all she wants, she’s earned it.’
‘It scares me that she’s getting older,’ Mouse said thoughtfully. ‘I’m not sure how I’d manage without her. She’s not just my nan, she’s my mentor, my… everything.’
‘I can tell.’
Mouse switched on the laptop and sat at the kitchen table.
‘You doing anything I don’t need to know about?’ Kat asked, not wanting an answer.
‘I’m looking up getting a licence to be a private detective. I think this is why I’m with you. Your negotiating skills and my technical skills give us the perfect working relationship, and I think this is more than a possibility for us.’
‘I wasn’t looking for a job,’ Kat smiled. ‘I’ve got one.’
‘You haven’t, you don’t get paid for it. That’s not a job, that’s a calling. It’s different, and you can still do that while you’re setting up our business. I’ll finish my degree, because Business Studies will come in damn handy and will motivate me to get it, and we can advertise complete confidentiality. We need to be licenced, I think, so I’m doing the research, getting the forms and stuff… what do you think?’
‘Talk to me when you have details. Have you really thought this through? And what do you think Leon would say?’
‘Kat Rowe, be your own woman. Leon will love you no matter what. Tell him it’s better than being an astronaut, your second choice of career,’ she said with a grin. ‘I’m serious, Kat, I think we’re really close to finding out who the hell shot me, and I won’t kill him because to be a PI you have to have an impeccable record. So you’re saving me from prison by agreeing to this really.’
Kat walked over to the window. ‘We would need premises, a shop of some sort…’
‘Already thought about it. I need to find somewhere to live. I’m quite happy for that to be around here, but supposing I buy a shop with a flat above it. When the business starts to make money I can rent the shop to the business, but until then it’s peppercorn.’
‘And Nan? What do you think she’ll say?’
Mouse was quiet.
‘She’ll say it’s crazy, we know nothing, and it’s dangerous,’ Kat said. ‘And she’ll be right, but bloody hell, it’s exciting.’
‘You’ll do it?’
Kat walked back from the window, her hand held out. She shook Mouse’s hand. ‘Of course, partner. We need full details though, and I won’t lose Leon through this. If it looks as though I might, I will have to pull out.’
Mouse’s smile lit up her face. ‘You were the first one to suggest this, you know, right here, in this room. My memory serves me well.’
‘Mouse, if there’s one thing I’ve learnt about you, it’s not your phenomenal memory that’s going to be a major help in our business, it’s the black belt.’
Neither of them noticed Doris leaning against the door jamb. They did, however, hear her.
‘It’s a brilliant idea,’ she said. ‘I won’t need a job with DI Marsden, I can have one with you. I know I don’t have a black belt, mine’s only brown, but I’ll be back to full fighting fitness when my leg and arm are working properly again.’
Kat laughed. ‘Hi, Nan, you heard all of that?’
‘Enough.’
Kat and Mouse exchanged a glance. ‘You think it’s feasible?’ Kat asked. ‘It’s not just some airy-fairy thing Mouse thought up?’
‘I think it’s logical, clever, tailor-made for you two, and I’ll be your receptionist, won’t I? I don’t want paying, just want to be involved, to keep an eye on you. I can do lots of the research stuff from the office, while you two are out and about.’
‘You sure? You’re sixty-seven, and retired. Why would you want a new career at your age? You should be settling down.’ Mouse put her arm around Doris’s shoulder.
‘I want a new career because I’m sixty-seven, retired and bored. These last couple of weeks have brought me back to life. Now do you want my brown belt skills or not?’
‘Is she serious,’ Kat asked. ‘She has a brown belt?’
‘Oh, she’s serious alright,’ Mouse said. ‘The only reason she doesn’t have a black belt is because she won’t do the grade.’
‘I feel inadequate,’ Kat moaned.
‘You are,’ Doris said with a smile, ‘but Mouse and I will soon sort you out. We’ll get you into a class with five-year-olds aiming for their white belt, you’ll be fine.’
Kat shivered. ‘No thanks. I’ll stick to prayer as my skill. The only thing I will say is that you have no financial stake in this, Nan, because
if it doesn’t work, I don’t want you losing anything. This will be a fifty-fifty business for Mouse and me, equal partners. And if you insist on not being paid, all car expenses will be covered by us. Understood?’
Doris nodded as she thought that over. ‘Okay, understood.’
After much discussion, Doris agreed that as she was a retired old lady, albeit one with a brown belt in karate, she would take on the task of finding out the pros and cons of her two girls making what they were doing more official, and booking them on to any courses that might be going. She would sort out the licensing, and begin to look for premises that would incorporate a flat upstairs.
In return, Kat and Mouse had to go step up a notch and find a murderer.
Easy.
Chapter 27
Peter Swift was surprised to see the lady vicar, but actually quite pleased.
‘Hello,’ he said with a smile. ‘They let you in then?’
Kat returned the smile. ‘They did indeed. He checked my ID, and here I am. I just thought I would see if there’s anything you need, and if you’re a practising Christian I can offer you communion.’
‘I received communion last Sunday,’ he said. ‘So, thank you, no. I take it with my partner every week, so I’ll wait until we’re back in our own church, even if he has to carry me.’
Kat nodded. ‘Anyway, my name’s Katerina, Kat for short, and here’s my card. If you need to talk, or need anything, I’m available on that number.’ She handed her card to him and he placed it on his locker.
‘You’ve broken your leg?’
He touched the cast. ‘I certainly have, so prayers would be appreciated. I would hate this to end my career prematurely, but I am nearly thirty-one…’
She pretended to be unknowing. ‘Ending your career at thirty-one? I don’t understand.’
‘I’m a footballer, Kat. And the fracture’s pretty bad. I had a car accident, although the police think it maybe wasn’t so accidental, this tumble down a mountain side. I was blinded by a laser beam.’
‘Oh, no! How awful. Who would want to do that?’
‘Somebody who wants me dead, presumably. Hence the policeman sitting outside my door.’
‘And you don’t know anyone who wants you dead?’
‘Maybe the Arsenal goalkeeper, I scored last week. I’ve never known a goalie want to kill somebody before though,’ he joked.
‘So nobody from your past, maybe?’ Kat knew she had to tread carefully.
‘Not that I can think of.’ His eyes stopped smiling.
She changed her tone. ‘Then let’s hope they find whoever did this awful thing. Is it just your leg that’s injured?’
‘I took a blow to the head that knocked me out for a while. In fact, I think that’s the reason I’m still in here; they’ve sorted the leg, just need to keep an eye on my head. Kat, will you ask your congregation to pray for me? Which is your church?’
‘St Lawrence, in Eyam. And of course I will. We pray for all the patients I visit in any of the hospitals.’
‘So I’m not the only one?’ Suddenly she knew she needed to leave.
‘No, I’m moving down the corridor now.’ She stood. ‘Take care, Peter. Stoke needs you.’
She moved towards the door and he picked up her card.
‘Kat,’ he said, reading her name, ‘you knew I played for Stoke?’
‘Not until you said you’d scored against Arsenal. I’m an Arsenal supporter,’ she lied.
‘And your surname is Rowe? Are you married?’
‘I am. Don’t forget, if you need anything, call that number,’ and she slipped out of the door, said goodbye to the officer and left the hospital.
Peter Swift followed her figure as she quickly left the room; he was deep in thought. He picked up his phone and rang Michael Damms.
‘Michael? Can you talk?’
‘I can. You okay, pal?’
‘No. It seems it was attempted murder. Somebody shone a bloody laser beam into my eyes, blinded me. I was lucky to survive. The thing is, that DI thinks Oliver died the same way. There was nothing on the road the night he died, and she thinks the same thing happened to him.’
‘Stop panicking. Caroline and Sarah are in safe houses, and I’ve got police cars running round here like there’s no tomorrow. I told them I was staying put. You and Isla have got the entire police force on high alert, I think.’
‘For God’s sake, don’t get blasé about it, Michael. Go to a safe house, tell that DI Marsden that you’ve changed your mind. We may have to start talking before that murdering bastard Leon Rowe kills any more of us.’
‘We can’t tell anybody. We’ll always be looking over our shoulders for the rest of our lives if we do that. Do you think Leon Rowe in prison is any less dangerous than Leon Rowe in his bloody chemist shops? If we talk, Peter, we’ll all be dead within a year.’
‘As opposed to six months, you mean? Can’t you see he’s working through all of us? He started with Oliver, it now appears, then Anthony, Isla, me – that’s four of us targeted already, and three are dead.’
‘You can’t say anything without agreement from Caroline and Keith. And me. We promised.’
Peter groaned. ‘I know, but we never expected this. I’ll bite my tongue for the moment, but there’s something we’ve not talked about. Who told him? And why? Somebody’s talked, Michael, and there were only seven of us that knew, because Sarah had already left by then. So who broke our promise?’
‘That had occurred to me,’ Michael conceded. ‘And the only one I’m sure didn’t talk is me. But somehow he’s found out, and somehow he knows all our names. For fifteen years or so we’ve been safe, and now…’
‘And now we’re not. If we tell the police, where does that leave us? Criminal charges because we didn’t say anything at the time? Or possibly now, ’cos we’ve not said anything even though our friends are dying.’
‘I imagine there would be charges of some sort but a good solicitor would sort it. But it’s not about that, Peter, it’s about a promise we made. We seem to be okay for the moment, people are in safe houses, you’re in hospital and presumably guarded, and I have… my own security.’ Michael held up a thumb to Jack Mitchell; he had called Jack in as protection, after being forced to explain why he couldn’t go into work at the present time.
‘Okay, we’ll wait,’ Peter said, ‘but if anyone else is injured or killed, I’m straight on the phone to this DI, whether we made a promise or not.’
‘Speaking of being injured, how are you?’ Michael finally got around to the enforced part of the conversation.
‘I’m fine. On enough painkillers to floor a baby kangaroo, but getting there. Speak to you soon, stay safe, Michael.’
‘You too, pal,’ Michael said, and disconnected.
Shit, Peter thought, as he cleared the call, I didn’t mention this bloody vicar woman’s surname.
Kat walked quickly through the hospital, aware that there had been a change in Peter Swift’s attitude. She didn’t know why, and she hadn’t wanted him alerting the policeman outside the door, so she thanked God for the bit of information that she’d managed to glean from him and left. The pale green painted corridors seemed to stretch forever, and she breathed a sigh of relief as she exited the automatic doors of the Huntsman building. She took out her phone and rang Mouse.
‘Mouse, can you hear me?’
‘Roger.’
‘Who’s Roger? Anyway, I’ve just spoken to Peter Swift. He was blinded by a laser beam, which could very easily be what caused Oliver Merchant’s death. Luckily Peter has survived.’
‘Roger.’
‘Mouse, for Heaven’s sake, I’m not on a two-way radio.’
‘You coming home?’ Kat heard the laughter in Mouse’s voice.
‘Roger.’
She grinned as she climbed into her car, hoping that Mouse had managed to track down Caroline Boldock who seemed to have vanished.
Much to Kat’s surprise, Mouse had managed to track down Ca
roline, in a not very useful sort of way.
It seemed that Caroline wasn’t allowed to answer her phone, so she had slipped it into her pocket, gone to the toilet and texted Mouse.
Mouse handed her phone to Kat, and Kat clicked on the message.
Hi Beth. Sorry can’t speak. In a police safe house. Three people dead and they scared it will happen to me. Will contact when they let me out.
Kat laughed. ‘Short and sweet. She doesn’t sound too bothered, does she?’
‘I don’t know her all that well, but she is a little bit scatter-brained. Clever though. I would have thought she would have recognised it’s a serious situation. Depends how much the police have told her, I suppose. And Peter Swift? How did you get on with him?’
‘Fine, until I asked him if he’d upset anybody in his past. Then he shut down, so I got out as fast as I could. I left my card with him, and came back here. Where’s Nan?’
‘Working upstairs. Leon called in to collect his suit, said he’s off to London, might be home, might not, and he’ll ring you later. He asked where you were, so I said you’d some church business to see to.’
‘Maybe an early night then. I don’t feel too well, got a sore throat and that’s not good when I’ve a sermon to deliver tomorrow. I’m going to nip down to the village to Neil, get him to tell me what I need. Do you want anything bringing back?’
Mouse shook her head. ‘No, I’m fine thanks. Drive carefully.’
Kat picked up the car keys she’d only just put on the table, grumbling to herself that she should have called in to the village on the way back, instead of having to go out again. She met Doris at the bottom of the stairs and gave her a kiss.
‘You okay? I’m nipping down to the pharmacy if you need anything.’
‘No, nothing I can think of. Can we all have a talk when you get back?’ She waved a file at Kat. ‘I’ve got loads of information we need to go through if you’re both serious about this.’