‘DS Murphy has identified someone we’re very keen to speak to. We’re hoping that will help us identify a key suspect, but we’ve got very little to go on.’
CHAPTER 27
‘Mr Dukes, when questioned about knowing Barry Gibson on Friday, the fifth of June, in your statement you said: “Look, I know him from the Stores, but that’s it. He’s just another pisshead.’ Blake glanced at the report. ‘That’s not true, is it, Mr Dukes? One of my officers has contacted your employer, M8 security, and their records show that on the ninth of February you were manning the door of the Burton Stores. At ten forty-five p.m., you and Mr Craig Dobson, another doorman, used force to remove Mr Gibson for being drunk and disorderly. CCTV footage outside the pub shows Barry Gibson waded into you with a stream of punches. In your defence Craig Dobson knocked him to the floor, and in an act of sheer aggression, you retaliated by repeatedly stamping on his arm. Mr Dobson had to use brute force to stop you from continuing to kick Gibson.’
‘Sadly, no one reported the incident to us and, so it’s gone unnoticed until now. Being a conscientious citizen, Mr Dobson filled out a report with M8, who are on record saying: “This is Nathan Dukes’ second and final warning for using unreasonable force against a member of the public. Any further incidents will result in instant dismissal.”
‘Furthermore Royal Stoke A&E Records show Mr Gibson was treated for multiple fractures to his arm around twelve forty-five a.m.: an injury sustained from a fight. Two days later you had an x-ray done at Royal Stoke, for a suspected broken nose. What do you have to say about this?’
‘He was bang out of order. I had to do something. He’s a maniac!’
‘Whilst we can appreciate the deceased attacked you whilst doing your job, you completely lost it. Instead of restraining him and calling the police, you attacked him. He had to have reconstruction surgery and three metal pins in his arm.’
‘That bastard broke my nose!’
‘I get it, being a bouncer can be dangerous; especially when people are pissed. You need to protect yourself, so you carry a knife just in case?’ Murphy tried to prise him open.
‘Do you think I'm stupid? As if I’d carry a knife. I protect myself with self-defence,’ Dukes said.
‘Since when is stamping on someone’s arm classed as self-defence?’
Dukes ignored the remark.
‘Do you take steroids Mr Dukes? A lot of doormen do, they think being pumped up gives them an edge over the punters. Thing is, steroids mess with testosterone, and make you aggressive. We’ve seen it before; bouncers on the dreaded ’roids losing it big time.’
‘You’re clutching at straws with this. I don't take steroids, never have done. They make your dick limp.’ Dukes responded.
‘Here’s what I think,’ Murphy said. ‘You had a grudge against Barry Gibson and he gave you grief on Friday. So, you waited until he went for a pee. Knowing he was drunk, you head-butted him, resulting in him slipping on a urine-soaked floor, and smashing his skull open. In a panic you blocked off the door, moved his body into the cubicle, and stabbed him to death; then climbed out of the window, before returning to the pub from a different entrance later. Nobody would have suspected you because you were present when Dave Millburn called emergency services.’
‘That’s total bollocks! I admit kicking him outside Burton Stores but he was asking for it. Gibson grabbed my missus in the women’s toilets and got his dick out. God knows what would’ve happened if she hadn’t managed to get out and fetch me and Craig.’
‘Why wasn’t this incident reported to us?’
‘She didn’t want the embarrassment or her name going public.’
‘So, you’re saying Barry Gibson exposed himself to your girlfriend on the night you put him in hospital?’
‘Yeah.’
‘And she’ll verify this?’
‘If need be, but I’d rather you didn’t ask her. At the time, she didn’t want her name mentioned in the papers if we reported the vile bastard to the police. She still doesn’t.’
‘I understand that, but we only have your word for this. Seems you had the opportunity and a strong motive to attack Gibson,’ Blake continued.
Dukes raised his voice. ‘Yeah, me and plenty of other blokes. That nutter was always winding someone up.’
‘That’s quite a temper you have, Nathan. This isn’t the first time you’ve used violence to deal with punters, is it?’ Blake said.
‘What are you talking about?’
‘You haven’t been listening. M8 security also have you on record for using unreasonable force when breaking up a fight in the Slipware Tankard four years ago. On that occasion you broke a young lad’s jaw. Again it went unreported to the police. Clearly M8 have some serious questions to answer.’
‘These things happen. You should know; police are always in the news for battering people when it’s kicking off. You do what you can to break it up. Most the stupid wankers are so hammered, they’d glass you given half a chance.’
‘Public relations is not your strong point then?’ Murphy mocked.
Dukes shot him a contemptuous look. ‘Whatever!’
‘We know you were working at the White Horse on Friday, but can you tell us exactly where you were between ten-twenty and eleven?’
‘I was in the pub, obviously.’
‘Don’t get smart. You know what I mean. Did you visit the gents between those times?’
‘Having a piss isn’t something you’d make notes about, is it?’
‘We can appreciate that, Mr Dukes but, to eliminate you as a suspect from this enquiry, it would help if you remember.’
‘Obviously I used the gents during the night, but I can’t remember the exact times.’ He paused. ‘Thinking about it, a lad asked me the time as I was going for a piss, around nine-twenty. I didn’t go after that.’
‘Sounds convenient.’
‘Can you describe this lad to us?’
‘Seriously? I didn’t pay attention to him.’
‘I’d rack my brain if I was you, Mr Dukes, because this lad could be a key witness?’
Murphy asked. ‘Was he a regular? Someone you might have seen before?’
‘No.’
‘I thought you said you didn’t pay attention to him. How can you say he wasn’t a regular if you didn’t look at him?’
‘I don’t know, you’re messing my head up!’ Dukes blurted, getting flustered.
‘Furthermore, Dave Millburn told us in his statement he never entered the gents, just popped his head around the door. Whereas you and the landlord went into the toilets, and in the process got the victim’s blood on the soles of your shoes whilst trouncing through the crime scene.’
‘We were only trying to help; he could’ve still been alive.’
‘That may be the case, but the crime scene report states your footprints only showed tiny traces of the victim’s blood – which is strange considering you waded through pints of the stuff. Very suspicious, wouldn’t you agree, DS Murphy?’
‘Definitely.’
‘Do you have anything to say regarding this, Mr Dukes?’
‘No.’
‘I’ll tell you why, shall I? You washed your soles in the sink in the ladies’ toilets. You might think you were being clever, but some of the leather from them transferred onto the taps.’
‘That’s bullshit. I stepped over the blood.’
‘Well, it was you or the landlord, because as I mentioned earlier, Dave Millburn claims he never set foot in the gents. One of you is lying. Anyway we’ll soon know when the forensics come back.
‘That’s not the only lie you told us, Mr Dukes. When asked if you’d stayed in the pub all night, you said yes. Under caution, Mr Millburn informed us when the blocked door was discovered he couldn’t find you for around thirty minutes. So where were you?’
Dukes’ lawyer glared at his client willing him not to answer. ‘I think it’s time to take a break, Inspector?’
But Blake wouldn’t b
e interrupted in full swing. ‘Furthermore your M8 time sheet for the fifth of June shows that, after we’d finished questioning you at the White Horse, you worked the doors at the Northern Soul All-nighter at the King’s Hall, Stoke. Seems to me the trauma of discovering a body left little impression on you?’
‘DI Blake, I demand to speak to my client?’ insisted Dukes’ lawyer.
Nathan Dukes’ lawyer returned from consulting with him. ‘My client has requested immediate release. You have no real evidence to charge him with, in relation to Barry Gibson’s murder.’
‘Well, that’s where we beg to differ, Mr Collins. He had opportunity, motive, means and there’s forensic evidence. Either your client or Darryl Connor washed the victim’s blood from the soles of their shoes in the ladies’ toilets. Considering Mr Dukes’ history of violence with the victim, we have more than enough to detain him.’
Dukes’ face turned crimson with fury. ‘You can’t be serious? For chrissake, I didn’t bloody kill him!’
‘Mr Dukes, until you can prove otherwise, we’re detaining you on suspicion of murder.’
‘This isn’t right. I need to let the missus know; she’ll be worried about where I am.’
‘I’ll get the desk sergeant to call her?’
‘Whatever. What about my car on Glass Street car park? The ticket’s only for three hours. It’ll get clamped.
Blake sensed an opportunity for forensics to give it a once over. ‘If you tell us the make, model, colour and registration, we can get that brought over to the compound for you.’
‘BMW 840CI graphite grey, reg DUKE B16.’
‘Interview with Nathan Dukes suspended for comfort break, at one-thirty p.m.’
As a classic car owner, Blake knew the market, and Nathan Dukes’ BMW was over ten years old, with a book price of thirty thousand, which begged the question, where does a brickie’s labourer and part-time bouncer get that kind of money?
He made his way out of the front entrance over to the compound facing the city’s ring road. Glancing across the road he spotted Fia Reilly’s white forensic suit perched behind the wheel of Dukes’ immaculate BMW. She turned in through the galvanised spike-topped gates and popped it next to a row of recovered stolen motocross bikes, caked in mud.
‘Any problems?’ Blake asked her through the open driver’s window.
‘Gears are a bitch,’ she said in a soft Edinburgh lilt.
‘Lovely motor though, isn’t it?’
‘Aye if you’re into retro,’ she said, retrieving her silver case from the passenger seat before climbing out.
‘Pop the boot first?’
‘OK.’
Blake stood hands in pockets, speculating what secrets it would spill. He hoped to find the knife, but doubted anyone could be that stupid. Initially he was disappointed at the contents. An old cardboard box stuffed with shopping bags for life and another containing valeting products.
That was until Fia emptied the boxes onto the tarmac. Under the bags was a folded black cagoule. She held it up for Blake to scrutinise. Grabbing the right-hand sleeve he stretched the arm out, and there it was. A circular stitching mark left by a removed badge.
‘Bag it up. I’ll get this over to Langford straight away.’
‘That important?’
‘Looks very similar to the coat worn by our key suspect captured on CCTV. We definitely need to do more digging into Nathan Dukes’ background. We’re going to speak to his employer, and give his house a going over.’
CHAPTER 28
Disappointed the search of Nathan Dukes’ house didn’t uncover any new evidence linking him to Barry Gibson's murder. Blake decided it was time to pay an unannounced visit to the door security firm he worked for.
M8’s upper floor premises in Gilbert Street, Hanley looked like they hadn't been refurbished since the 80s. The wood panelled waiting room with red carpet, and stackable gold conference chairs was a real blast from the past. A white melamine TV stand glared from the corner of the room; underneath several violent Xbox games; including Mortal Combat and Medal of Honour lay on top of it, four controllers were tossed on the carpet. On the wall there was a cork board with several flyers advertising local martial arts centres.
‘It's all a bit macho,’ DS Murphy commented to Blake, looking at the flyers.
Blake knocked on the office fire door with a faded M8 security sticker on it.
‘Hello,’ replied a male voice from inside.
Blake opened the door and entered followed by his sergeant. ‘Mr Millburn we meet again.’
‘What can I help you with?’ Dave Millburn asked, slouching in a reclining office chair with a copy of the Sun laid out on his desk.
‘Your sparring partner Nathan Dukes is currently helping us with our enquiries, and we’d like to have a look at your security records to clear up a few things.’
‘He's not my partner, just works for us.’ Do you have a warrant?’ Millburn asked.
‘Do we need one, to look at routine staff records?’ He glanced at DS Murphy.’
‘Probably not, but we can always sit here for the next couple of hours until one is issued, boss,’ Murphy said.
Millburn's face reddened as they called his bluff.
‘Is there any reason you didn't disclose that M8 security was your company, when we interviewed you in the White Horse?’
‘You never asked,’ Millburn said arrogantly.
‘You should have told us.’
‘Yeah right I think you'll find we cooperated fully with you on Friday.’
‘Why were you working on the doors, surely you've got enough staff? You’re not exactly a spring chicken any more.’
‘Well, that’s the problem of running a business Inspector; people let you down. One of my guys was taken ill, so I had to stand in.’
‘I don't deny that, but if you’d told us it would have provided some context. Anyway Mr Millburn, we’re not here to argue the minor details, can you dig out Nathan Dukes’ time sheets and incident reports since he’s been employed?’
‘What do you want those for?’ Millburn protested.
‘Like I said he’s helping us with our enquiries.’
He got up and moved over to a large grey filing cabinet in the corner. After a minute of rummaging he reluctantly dropped a pale green swing file onto the desk. DI Blake picked it up and had a quick browse. Millburn slid his chair back in front of the cabinet, and sat down almost as if guarding its contents. Blake had a suspicion they’d be back to look at the other files.
‘Nathan's a decent doorman you know. We were there all night when that Gibson bloke got killed. None of us saw anything because the door was jammed. What's all this really about?’
‘All you need to know is Nathan is helping us with our enquiries, if we need any further assistance from you, Mr Millburn, we've got your number.’
‘What exactly are you looking for in his records; I may be able to help? They’re real boring reading, just time sheets, venues, dates and any recorded incidents; which I think you'll find are very few and far between. Some punters can get real nasty when they’ve had too many. It can be really dangerous especially if a group kicks off and you're outnumbered.’
‘Enlighten me? What normally happens in that type of situation then?’ Blake asked him.
‘All depends on manpower. If there’s a full-scale brawl we can transfer staff from other doors onto the situation; after calling the police that is. Thing is, it doesn't always go as planned, sometimes people get caught in the crossfire.’
‘So, what you're saying is if there’s enough bouncers you dish out a kicking to anyone who gets in the way?’ DS Murphy chipped in, rattling his cage.
‘No sergeant, that’s not at all what I’m saying. You should know; when you send out a Maria – things can get a bit nasty; especially when groups of young blokes are bladdered. If you don’t restrain them properly they’ll rearrange your face with a glass.’
‘Do some of your guys practice martial ar
ts?’
Millburn gave him a quizzical look. ‘It’s like any other line of work; piss poor preparation leads to piss poor performance. So yeah, some of the guys do martial arts and weights, but there’s no law against that is there?’
‘Just as long as they don’t use it on the punters.’
‘Your guys carry batons, cuffs and PAVA, but it doesn’t mean at the first sign of trouble they’ll dish it out.’
Blake ignored his derisory comments, ‘Speaking of tools of the trade, have you ever dismissed a staff member for using any kind of weapon on punters; knuckle dusters, or perish the thought, a knife?’
‘You can’t be serious? Every one of my blokes has attended an SIA approved training course, and they’ve all passed the required SIA criminality checks.’
‘We understand that, but you can’t keep an eye on them all the time. If there’s a bad incident it’s possible they could take extra steps to frighten off their aggressors.
‘Bloody unlikely, I’d say. The door security industry is heavily regulated,’ Millburn explained.
‘Well Mr Millburn, this is now a murder inquiry. Barry Gibson's killer stabbed him in the head with a knife. Do you understand what I’m saying?’
‘Sounds like your implying one of my door staff killed him; if you are that’s a serious accusation, Inspector.’
Blake ignored his bluster. ‘Okay, that's all we need for now. We'll be in touch about returning Nathan Dukes’ records.’
Indicating to pull out onto the main road Blake said, ‘Something not quite right about that bloke. Reading between the lines, I’d say he likes getting stuck in when it kicks off. I think we’ll be bringing that whole filing cabinet over for scrutiny, before he gets a chance the doctor anything.’
‘Definitely Tom, it would be interesting to see how many of his thugs for hire have been involved in fracas. Judging by all the violent games knocking about in that room I reckon they thrive on it.’
CHAPTER 29
The Killer Shadow Thieves (DI Tom Blake, #1) Page 10