by El Edwards
THIRTY-SEVEN
I arrived home to find Rob waiting for me. “What are you doing here?”
“Nice to see you too. He smiled, seemingly oblivious to just how mad I was with him. “I have a case for you.”
“I’ve already got a case, if you hadn’t noticed. What do you really want?”
“Can I come in?”
I shrugged. “Suit yourself. Can’t promise what state the place is in though. Been busy.”
“As long as you have some chocolate biscuits, that’ll be fine.” He followed me into the kitchen and put the kettle on.
“You’ll be lucky.” I sat down at the kitchen table and watched as he found mugs. “Coffee please. Milk, no sugar.”
“I know how you take your coffee Charlie.” He made a show of putting milk in before the boiling water, just how I liked it.
When the coffee was made he sat opposite me. “So how have you been?”
“Since you saw me yesterday you mean?” I rolled my eyes. “My arm has a bruise, thanks to you.”
“Sorry about that. I took that last sample to the lab. The guy there said we might be lucky and get something back a bit quicker than expected.”
“That’s good.” I took a sip of my coffee, watching Rob as I did so. I couldn’t understand how he could be so brazen. All this time he’d known what was in that place but still he played along with the soil samples. “We don’t need it now though.”
“Why?”
“I know what the smell is.”
“You do?”
“You can drop the act now Rob, it’s insulting.”
“What are you on about?” He looked genuinely puzzled. “Have you been sniffing the gin again?” He smiled.
“I can’t decide what I’m most upset about. Is it that you felt you had to lie to me or that you didn’t trust me enough with the truth?” He opened his mouth but I held my hand up to silence him. “Oh I know what you’re going to say. It was a work thing, but this is my work thing. And you let me run around, playing me for a fool. It’s humiliating!”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
“Give it a rest. It’s fine, I’ll tell your bosses you kept it quiet, they won’t hear about it from me.” I was so angry with him, the words came out in a rush.
“Hear what?” Rob shouted. “I don’t know what the bloody hell you’re on about!”
“Cannabis Rob. I know about the factory.” I spoke quietly now, all the fight gone out of me. I wanted to punish him for lying to me, for keeping me in the dark, but more than anything else I was upset that he’d decided he couldn’t trust me.
“Well that makes one of us.” Rob smiled. “Really Charlie, I don’t know anything about a cannabis factory. Where is it?”
“The hotel.” I looked at him, watching him for a tick or some other sign that he was lying. “You really didn’t know?”
“The place in Burry Port?”
I nodded.
He gave a low whistle. “But that place is huge.”
“I know.”
“You could grow, I dunno, hundreds of plants up there. Thousands maybe”
“Yep.”
“And you thought I knew and didn’t tell you?”
I nodded again.
“No wonder you were pissed off!” He smiled but then his face clouded over. “How did you find out?”
I took a deep breath before speaking. “Before I tell you, you have to promise not to go mad.”
“I don’t like the sound of this.”
Half an hour later, when he’d had time to calm down and stop lecturing me on the dangers of climbing around derelict buildings alone, I made us a second cup of coffee and turned my attention to the real reason I’d wanted to talk to him about it.
“You didn’t know about it because you were taken off the case.”
“That’s right. They didn’t tell me why though.”
“It’s okay, I believe you. What I don’t understand though is why they’re not doing something about it.”
“Who says they’re not?”
“I saw the set up Rob. That place is still very much up and running. And I’m pretty sure someone’s using our local postal service to deliver the finished product too.”
“Drugs busts are a big operation. They probably want to be absolutely sure, have all their files in order.”
“And in the meantime, poor unsuspecting postmen are delivering drugs round the country? It doesn’t seem right.”
“I agree, it’s not, but what do you want me to say? I was taken off the case. I can ask around a bit, put some feelers out, but if they’ve closed ranks, there’s not much I can do about it.”
“But it’s dangerous. I’m lucky I didn’t get killed, or worse, ending up in that place.”
“I know! Haven’t I been trying to tell you that for days?”
I sighed. “Okay, you win. No more poking around hotels for me.”
“Speaking of dangerous, anything else happen you want to tell me about?”
“Don’t think so. I had coffee with Shaun this morning.”
“How’d it go?”
“Not sure. On one hand, he’s charming and pleasant, but he said something about his brother that got me wondering.”
“And still no sign of the dog?”
“Well there was one thing …” I felt myself hesitating. I needed to tell him about my special delivery but I didn’t know where to start. Thankfully, Rob spared me the trouble.
“I know about the dog turd Charlie.”
“Oh. Who told you? If it was Grace …”
“Don’t blame the kid, she’s worried about you.”
“I told her I’d take care of it.”
“Yes, and usually that would mean telling me. But she was afraid you’d be too stubborn to do that. So …”
He let his sentence hang unfinished. I couldn’t argue with him. He was right and he knew it, but that didn’t mean I had to like it.
“I’m afraid for you Charlie.”
“I’ve had threats before, it’s no big deal.”
“This is different. It’s not often that you find yourself tangled up in a drugs bust. People like that, they’re not nice. Promise me you’ll back off?”
I crossed my fingers under the table before speaking. “Promise.”
THIRTY-EIGHT
Although I’d promised Rob I’d stop looking for Tortoise, I saw that as a general guideline to stay out of trouble and not put myself in any more dangerous situations rather than a direct instruction. As such, I decided it wouldn’t do any harm to pay Beverly’s neighbour Claire another visit. The poor woman was housebound, it would almost be like doing her a favour, I told myself. The reality was, I needed a fresh perspective on Shaun, and Claire felt like as good a person as any to help me with that. And so it was, having waved the girls off to school and despatched with the dishes, that I found myself on Claire’s front door step the following morning.
I knocked and waited patiently. When she opened the door to see me standing there she smiled. “Hello Charlie. I hoped I might see you again. Come in.”
She led me into the same room where we’d sat and chatted during my last visit, although I noticed it took her a little longer to get settled this time. She struggled with the attachment on the oxygen tank and even after she was done, her breathing seemed more laboured.
“Are you not well today Claire?” I asked. I knew she appreciated straight talking so it felt only right and proper that I should say what I was actually thinking.
“Not today. Good days and bad days.” She sighed. “But some days, it’s like trying to swim through treacle.”
“Would you prefer me to come another day?” I didn’t want to go but the last thing she needed was me quizzing her if she was feeling rotten.
“It’s okay, just give me a minute.”
With each breath she took, the oxygen seemed to help more and more. She had a slight blue tinge to her lips that hadn’t been there the last
time I’d visited. It soon faded to pink and she smiled.
“The doctors say it’s to be expected.” She took another breath and then smiled again. “Anyway, you didn’t come to hear my troubles. What can I do for you?”
Not wanting to waste any of her precious energy, I didn’t bother with small talk . Instead, I got straight to it. “I met Beverly’s friend. His name’s Shaun.”
Her face brightened. “You did? Oh, marvellous. What’s he like? Told you he was handsome, didn’t I?” Her eyes twinkled.
“He seems nice. Beverly’s besotted with him.”
“But?”
I’d forgotten just how direct Claire could be and it took me a moment to gather my thoughts.
“He has a brother, Declan.”
“Nasty piece of work?”
I laughed. “You could say that, but how did you know?”
“Call it a gift. I can read people.”
“I wish you could have been with me the other day when I spoke to Shaun.”
“Oh?”
“I’m not sure, there’s just something about the two of them, Shaun and Declan. But I can’t quite put my finger on it.”
“Sounds frustrating.”
“Totally! Did Beverly mention Shaun had a twin?”
“To me? Never. She’s quite a private person. She could sit opposite me, like you are today, for an hour or more, and never actually tell me anything.”
I nodded in recognition. “They’re identical, Shaun and Declan. But they’re like chalk and cheese when it comes to personality.”
“But he makes her happy. I can tell that,” said Claire. “She’s been like a different person since he came back.”
I decided to ask the one thing I’d been wanting to ask since arriving. “Do you think there’s any chance she’s wrong about him?”
“What makes you say that?”
“She’s just so in love, so totally besotted, that frightens me a little. What if he’s not who he says he is? Someone like that would run rings around Beverly.”
“Don’t be so sure. She’s not the pushover she might seem to be.”
As much as I wanted her to be right, I couldn’t match Claire’s picture of Beverly to the person she’d morphed into since Shaun had arrived back on the scene. He could do no wrong and instead of the strong, confident woman I’d met when I took this case, Beverly had become like a shadow of her former self.
Claire’s voice broke into my thoughts. “Sometimes people simply get tired of being the strong one all the time.”
I nodded. “You could be right. But if someone is so different, doesn’t that worry you?”
“But who’s to say which version is the real Beverly? Maybe all this time she’s been waiting in the wings, and now he’s here, this is who she really is. He’s in and out of her place an awful lot, would make sense that he’s become the centre of her world.”
“He’s not living there though?”
She shook her head. “Doesn’t look like it, not officially at least. But he might as well be for how much time he spends there.” Colour flooded her cheeks. “Not that I’ve been nosing or anything.”
“It’s okay. A girl’s got to have something to occupy her time. Besides, you’re just the kind of inside help I need.”
“Glad to be of service,” she said, doffing an imaginary cap.
Official business over with, I made us both a cup of tea and we sat and chatted about nothing. She was an interesting woman and I wished I could have met her under better circumstances. She talked about her parents and the anticipated progression of her illness but not once did she complain. If put in the same situation myself, I was certain I’d make sure the whole world knew just how unfair my life was but Claire was not me and for that I could only be thankful. When it was eventually time to leave, I thanked Claire again for her help, reminding her to call me if she saw anything. With her hawk like attention to detail, I felt sure Claire would be a real asset, if or when anything remotely suspicious went down.
THIRTY-NINE
My second visit of the day was to Norma and Ted. Having classified Shaun and Declan’s parents as definitely not a risk to my personal safety, I decided I was still well within Rob’s guidelines so I knocked on their door without the slightest hint of guilt. Having decided that I was Declan’s angel for arranging the work for him with Rob, Norma greeted me warmly and offered me tea and cake. Never one to pass up the offer of cake, especially when it looked homemade, I accepted and soon found myself sitting in their front room, complete with refreshments.
“How’s it going with your investigation?” Ted asked. “Found ‘er yet?”
“Unfortunately not. She’s been a bit of a tricky one.”
“If you ask me, that Beverly’s being a bit selfish, sending you off all over the place. Haven’t you got better things to be doing with you time?” Norma frowned as she spoke and, for the first time, I could see where Declan got some of his looks from.
“I don’t mind. I mean yes, there’s always work on, but I like a happy ending, always have.”
“‘Fraid you might be out of luck this time then lass. That little pup is long gone.”
“What makes you say that Ted?” I wondered if he might have some inside information that I didn’t know about.
“Just a feeling I got, in me gut.”
“Oh Ted, that’s just indigestion!” She turned to me. “Pay him no heed love. I just hope Beverly knows how lucky she is to have you.”
“I’m sure she does. Has your son known her long?”
“Longer than I’d like.”
“You and Beverly don’t get on?” This was news to me and, if true, they’d done a superb job of pretending when we’d visited them.
“I think it would be fair to say I’m not her biggest fan.”
“May I ask why?”
“I just don’t like the way she has him jumping around after her. I blame the Internet. If it wasn’t for that crazy letter she wrote, none of this would have happened.”
“He doesn’t strike me as one who’s jumping around.” I put air quotes around the end of my sentence. “Can you give me an example?”
“Take the nonsense with that damned dog. He was away working but she complains to him and he comes running back to help. She’s got him on a short leash, I can tell you.”
“What does he do for work Norma? Beverly said something about computers.”
“Not a clue, it’s all gobbledygook to me. Might as well be talking French!”
“But you speak a little bit of French love,” Ted reminded her.
“Oh you know what I mean!” She shook her head at him. “Stop being so picky. The point is, I don’t know. And if I did know it wouldn’t make any difference because she’s determined to keep him at home. He’ll be lucky if he has any work left at all, the rate she’s going.”
“She’s stopped him from working?”
“Tried to. That’s why I gave him the money for petrol a couple of weeks ago.”
“The trip to Brighton with Declan?”
“It was only Shaun, but you know about that trip? Bet Beverly didn’t tell you, did she?”
I shook my head.
“See?” She looked at Ted. “Now do you believe me? She’s trouble that girl, you mark my words.”
Having gone there to find out how much trouble her two sons might have gotten themselves into, I hadn’t expected an assassination of Beverly’s character. Beverly had always struck me as a nice woman, down to earth, genuine. I was having a hard time reconciling what I knew of her with the picture being painted by her boyfriend’s mum. I decided to change the subject.
“Do Shaun and Declan work together often?”
“Never, but don’t get me started on that boy!”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “What’s he done now?”
“What hasn’t he done? He’s nothing but trouble. And I’m sure he’s persuaded Shaun to cover for him. I wouldn’t put it past him.”
“You
mentioned that he’d turned over a new leaf?”
“Ha! That was last week. He took that leaf, put it with all the other leaves, and blew up the whole damned lot!”
“I’m not sure I follow …”
“Got himself sacked! After Ted here persuaded the manager in the little shop in town to take him on, they caught him thieving.”
“Were the police involved?” If he’d been arrested, I wondered if they might have grounds to search his home. That was one job I’d be more than happy to help with.
But Norma shook her head. “The police were called but he got off with a warning, goodness only knows how. I can’t understand it at all.”
“Sometimes it just comes down to evidence,” I offered, although I too would love to know why they didn’t at least take him in for questioning. I made a mental note to ask Rob about it.
“They caught him on bloody CCTV!”
“Norma love, that’s enough.” Ted patted his wife’s hand. “You know it isn’t good for your blood pressure.”
“I’m sorry to have upset you Norma.” I turned my attention to Ted. “Are your sons close?”
“Not any more. Like Norma said, Declan tries his best, but I don’t think it’ll ever be like it was when they were lads. He’s just a wrong ‘un. And Shaun doesn’t like that.”
I wondered what Ted and Norma would have made of my conversation with Shaun just twenty-four hours earlier. He’d been adamant that they’d gone to Brighton together, that his parents would confirm it, but all they’d succeeded in doing was raising my suspicions of both men. I knew now that Shaun had lied to me and it didn’t matter how much he tried to persuade me otherwise, there was something behind the charm and the winning smile that simply didn’t add up. I was swiftly coming to the conclusion that the two brothers were as bad as each other. What that meant for Beverly, I didn’t know, and a small part of me, the part of me that liked her, really didn’t want to find out.
FORTY