Riot

by Heather Atkinson

  “How often did she look after the children?”

  “Hardly ever. She was too much of a party girl. She’d lost all interest in them.”

  Dwyer frowned. “You asked this woman who you say had lost interest in your children to babysit them while you married your second wife?”

  “We had no choice. Everyone in my family was at the wedding, our nanny was unavailable and Amber’s parents were away on holiday. She was the last resort.”

  “Yet she agreed to look after them so you could marry your new wife, even though you said she was a disinterested mother.”

  “Like I said, there was no choice. Cathy, Jez’s wife, said she’d pick them up from Amber’s after the reception, so it was only for a few hours. But Cathy never managed to get there because of the attack on us at the barn.”

  “So who did collect your children from Amber’s house?”

  “Mark Cameron, who works for me and Riley Cutter.”

  “Half brother to Ryan Law, your wife’s older brother.”

  “Yes.”

  “Why send them to collect your children?”

  “Because we’d just been attacked, we wanted to ensure they were safe, all of them, Amber included. They were sent down to Devon with the rest of the family until the danger had passed. Amber flew back with everyone to Manchester, handed the boys back over to Riley at the airport and he brought them to see me and Jules in hospital. I never saw her again after she collected them from me the day of the wedding.”

  “She never contacted you at all, not even about the children?”

  “As I said, Amber had very little interest in them.”

  “So she didn’t call to say where she was?”

  “No. I only know she went to Spain because her mum told me.”

  “You didn’t find that strange?”

  “No. Amber was all about herself.”

  “We’ve looked into her financial history and found you stopped making regular payments to her around the time she disappeared. Why did you do that?”

  “Because of the way she treated the boys. She had no time for them, so I failed to see why I should keep supporting her and we were no longer married.”

  “If she was as disinterested a mother as you claim why did she babysit your children on your wedding day? You never did clarify that point.”

  Mikey couldn’t very well tell him it was because, unbeknownst to them, she’d been trying to ingratiate herself back into the family so she could spy for the very people who had almost killed them all at the wedding. That would give Dwyer all the motive he needed. “I think she was after more cash. By making herself look good she was hoping to wheedle more money out of me. That was usually her way. I think she’d already planned to go to Spain and wanted more funds for her trip.”

  “You weren’t afraid of her running off with your children then?”

  “God no. She wouldn’t have done that because it meant she would have had to take care of them full time. Look, you’ve not given me any proof that she is dead and I refuse to believe it until I see some. I mean, why would anyone bother?”

  “You want proof,” he said, gesturing to the television screen mounted on the wall. “Here you go.”

  He brought up a photo of what appeared to be a severed leg.

  “You expect me to ID that?” said Mikey.

  “You don’t need to. DNA tests have confirmed it’s Amber.”

  Mikey furiously shook his head. “No, you’re lying. It can’t be her.”

  “You’d like more proof? I trust you knew your ex-wife’s body intimately?” He zoomed in on a small patch of freckles on her upper inner right thigh. Mikey’s stomach dropped. Amber had the exact same patch of freckles.

  Dwyer watched Mikey curiously. The man had gone white as a sheet, his mouth falling open in astonishment. So he really hadn’t known his ex-wife had been shoved off a cliff. Ray had been telling the truth but he wasn’t going to let a little thing like that get in the way of finally sending down Mikey Maguire.

  “I can show you more proof,” said Dwyer. “But I warn you, it’s not pretty.”

  He pressed a button and Mikey looked down at his hands, feeling sick and slightly dizzy. The red hair might have been matted with seaweed and her face ravaged but there was no denying it was her.

  “Turn it off,” he rasped.

  Dwyer obliged, looking very pleased with himself. “Naturally she’s not so well preserved now. Those photos were taken by the Spanish authorities when they found her remains about eight months ago. They reckon she’d been in the water just a few hours and had washed down the coast. Not only did her remains show evidence of high impact injuries, such as being pushed from a great height but they’d also been nibbled at by sea creatures. There are sharks in the Mediterranean you know, which surprised me to be honest. No doubt one or two took a bite.”

  “Shut up,” rasped Mikey, running a hand through his hair.

  “I must object to this ghoulish display DCI Dwyer,” said Rupert. “It seems you’re positively revelling in what happened to the ex Mrs Maguire.”

  “I apologise if it came across that way. All I want to do is get justice for her.”

  “I didn’t kill her,” glowered Mikey. “If you remember, eight months ago I was laid up in hospital after being shot twice in the back then attacked by an insane police officer, the same officer whose position you now occupy.”

  “I’m not suggesting you did kill her Mr Maguire. The charge against you is conspiracy to murder. I’m saying you paid someone to kill her on your behalf.”

  “I wouldn’t do that. She was the mother of my children.”

  “I have here a statement,” he said, producing a piece of paper from the folder on his desk and placing it before Mikey, handing a copy to Rupert. “Made by one Ray McGinnis. Does that name ring a bell?”

  “I’ve heard of him but I’ve never met him personally.”

  “And how do you know his name?”

  “He’s a local legend and a known bank robber wanted by the police.”

  “Have you ever spoken to him face to face or over the phone?”

  “No, never.”

  “He was acquainted with your uncle, Frank Maguire.”

  “Frank knew a lot of people. Doesn’t mean I knew them too.”

  “If you’ll read Mr McGinnis’s statement, who was recently extradited from Spain to face charges here in the UK, you’ll see he mentions you specifically.”

  Mikey hunkered down to read the statement, body jumping with fury when he realised why he was here. “The lying bastard. I never told him to kill Amber.”

  “Then why would he say you did Mr Maguire?”

  “Isn’t it fucking obvious? He’s been nicked, he’s looking at a long stretch so he’s feeding you a pack of lies to wriggle out of it. Everyone knows you’ve been after bringing me down for years.”

  “He also mentions he spoke to your brother-in-law and business partner, Jez Law, who likewise told him to execute Amber.”

  “Another lie. Jez wouldn’t do that and neither would I. He’s using us to save his own skin.”

  “Normally I would be inclined to agree with you had not the results of Amber’s autopsy supported his story, which was that he pushed her off a cliff in Galicia while she was taking a walk. Unfortunately for him the tide dragged her body down the coast and washed it up there, giving a number of sightseers the fright of their lives rather than taking her out to sea like he’d hoped.”

  “He could have killed her for any number of reasons - maybe he tried to rob or rape her and she fought back? Who knows what his motivation was. Or maybe she simply tripped and fell and he saw her go over the edge. Amber loved wearing ridiculously high heels. But I know one thing - I did not give that order and neither did Jez.”

  “Do you have any proof of contact between my client and Mr McGinnis?” said Rupert. “I’ll take that as a no,” he added smoothly when Dwyer just scowled.

  “Our family had just been attacked
too,” said Mikey. “It was probably one of our enemies who killed her.”

  “But why target your ex-wife when there were plenty of other, more vulnerable targets such as your children?”

  “Our children were too well guarded. When she went off to Spain, Amber was unprotected.”

  “No one was arrested or even interviewed about the attempted murder of your entire family.”

  “That’s down to you lot, not us.”

  “At the same time a bunch of unidentified bodies were discovered in a burnt-out house in Liverpool. Also Katia and Hayden Brody from down south mysteriously vanished. On top of that Estelle Law was killed eight months ago, right around the time of the attack on your family and Amber’s death. Coincidence?”

  Mikey shrugged. “Must be.”

  “So, let’s recap. Your ex-wife is found dead. We have a witness testifying that you and your business partner paid him to kill her. He pushed her off a cliff, which fits in with the pattern of injuries. You stopped paying Amber her allowance around the time of her death and this woman, who you say was a disinterested mother, cared enough to look after your children so you could marry your second wife, the woman you threw her over for. When you look at it that way it all seems rather suspicious.”

  “And circumstantial DCI Dwyer,” said Rupert. “All supposition and innuendo. Nothing more.”

  “You’re right.”

  Mikey didn’t like the way Dwyer leaned back in his seat and clasped his hands behind his head, looking so smug it made him want to tear him apart with his bare hands.

  “So, are you going to let my client go now you’ve traumatised him with those disturbing images?” pressed Rupert. “He needs time to recover and grieve.”

  “I very much doubt that.”

  The door opened and one of Dwyer’s officers poked his head around the door. “Sir.”

  He smiled and got to his feet. “If you’ll excuse me for a moment,” he said before switching off the tape and leaving.

  “Christ,” sighed Mikey when Dwyer had gone, resting his elbows on the table and burying his face in his hands.

  “Is there anything I should know about this Mr Maguire?” said Rupert.

  He raised his head to frown. “No there sodding isn’t. I didn’t kill her, I wouldn’t do that to my boys.”

  Rupert studied his client before nodding. He was well aware who he was defending and was surprised to find that he actually believed him. “There’s nothing to worry about as far as I can see. He has absolutely nothing connecting you to this crime, if a crime has even been committed. This could just be the result of a tragic accident. He’ll have no choice but to let you go.”

  “You’re right,” said Mikey, stamping down the panic wanting to rise inside him. “He’s clutching at straws.”

  Dwyer returned to the room and retook his seat, hitting the record button. “Well, well, well Mr Maguire, things just keep getting murkier.”

  “What are you on about now?”

  “A second witness has stepped forward claiming he heard you and Mr Law plotting to have Amber killed.”

  “What?” he roared. “They’re fucking lying.”

  “Oh dear, it seems everyone’s lying today.”

  “Who is this witness?” said Rupert.

  Dwyer’s gaze was turned on Mikey. “Your cousin, Declan Maguire.” He smiled when Mikey’s fists clenched and unclenched. “He’s informed us he was having an affair with your ex-wife while you were still married. You caught them together and you were so furious you attacked him and put him in hospital. We’ve already accessed his medical records and he was indeed admitted to Manchester Royal just over two years ago after being so badly beaten he spent weeks in hospital, taking all his meals through a straw. He also states that you mentally and physically abused Amber.”

  Mikey shot to his feet, upturning his chair. “He’s a lying fucking bastard and so was she,” he bellowed.

  “Calm down Mr Maguire.”

  “She shagged Declan and told him I was a wife beater as revenge because she thought I was sleeping with Jules while we were married.”

  “Sit down and calm down right now. You’re not helping your case.”

  Mikey looked to Rupert, who nodded in agreement.

  Breathing hard, he slammed himself back down in his seat and folded his arms across his chest.

  “That’s better,” said Dwyer. “Now, by Jules you mean your current wife?”

  He gave a terse nod.

  “And were you having an affair?”

  “No. She was happily married to her first husband at the time. Nothing happened between us until we were both single.”

  “Now that is interesting. You filed for divorce just as your current wife filed for divorce from her first husband, Jackson Driscoll.”

  “So?”

  “So the timing was very propitious.”

  “I divorced Amber because she didn’t care about me or our children. I had to hire a nanny because she wasn’t capable of looking after them herself. She was a silly spoilt brat who only cared about jewellery and shoes but I did not kill her. Why would I? I’d got the divorce I wanted and she’d gone abroad. What would I have to gain?”

  “She was going to apply for custody of your children.”

  “No she wasn’t, she couldn’t give a shit about them.”

  “You mean the children she willingly took care of when they were ill so you could get married again and the same children she accompanied down to Devon when you and their stepmother were shot so she could look after them and make sure they were okay?”

  “She didn’t look after them, the rest of the family did that. Ask them. Any one of them will tell you Amber hardly bothered with them when she was in Devon, she was too busy filing her nails and messing with her hair.”

  “Her parents said she was a loving wife and mother whose only crime was marrying you.”

  “That lot trapped me into marriage. Amber seduced me when I was drunk and got purposefully pregnant. I thought I was getting a sweet, loving woman but she turned out to be a selfish narcissist who only cared about herself.”

  “And you felt short changed, didn’t you Mr Maguire? You felt you were tricked into marriage then you met someone you really loved and dumped Amber like a shot. Then, when she decided to go for custody, you decided to have her killed, so she couldn’t take your children from you.”

  “That’s not true.”

  “And what better time to get rid of her when you were stuck in hospital and she was in another country. I bet you never thought anything would be traced back to you.”

  “I didn’t kill her,” he yelled.

  “You clearly have a temper Mr Maguire. It must have really damaged your ego to learn she was sleeping with your cousin. She was also in the way of you being with your first cousin and true love and then she has the audacity to go for custody of your kids.”

  “Have you any proof that she was going for custody?” said Rupert. “Did she for instance approach a solicitor?”

  “Both her parents and Declan Maguire have already given a statement that she was.”

  “Then you have hearsay, nothing more,” said Rupert. “Mr and Mrs Sweeney have an axe to grind against Mr Maguire as he paid for their home and all their bills while he was married to Amber. When they divorced he cut them off without a penny, meaning they had to move back to the sink estate they used to live on. Declan Maguire wants revenge for an alleged attack on himself. None of this will stand up in court Dwyer and you know it. Now I suggest you release my client before he decides to sue you for harassment. After all, your family does have a history of harassing the Maguires.”

  For the first time in the interview, Dwyer’s smug smile dropped. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

  “Your brother attacked and tried to kill Mr Maguire’s sister-in-law, Rachel Law. He also shot one of her bodyguards and murdered her first husband. He had an obsession with her and it could be said that you are continuing where he left off.
”

  The corner of Mikey’s mouth lifted into a smile as Dwyer glared at the solicitor.

  “I’m simply doing my job and attempting to catch the murderer of a young woman with her life ahead of her,” he said, jaw so taut he could barely get the words out.

  “You look tense DCI Dwyer,” pressed Rupert, eyes dancing. “I do apologise if I touched a nerve.”

  “You told Rachel, my sister-in-law,” said Mikey. “And I quote, the only regret I have is that my brother didn’t finish the job he started. You said that in reference to the attack on Rachel by your brother, Superintendent Benton.” He looked to his solicitor. “Interesting, don’t you think?”

  “Very interesting indeed,” replied Rupert. “Would Mrs Law be willing to put that down in a statement?”

  Mikey grinned at Dwyer. “Absolutely.”

  “Then I think we have everything we need to file an harassment complaint.” Rupert looked to Dwyer. “Are you going to let my client go before you dig a deeper hole for yourself? Hello, DCI Dwyer?” he said, waving his hand before his face when he didn’t answer, glaring at them both.

  “Fine,” spat Dwyer. “You can leave, for now but this is far from over.”

  “Yes it is,” said Mikey, getting to his feet and fastening his suit jacket. “You have nothing and I didn’t kill my ex-wife.”

  “Just get out before I change my mind,” snarled Dwyer before storming out, slamming the door open so hard it bounced off the wall.

  “You see what he’s like?” Mikey said to Rupert. “He’s obsessed and an obsessed man is a dangerous one.”

  “Do you want to proceed with the harassment complaint?”

  “Absolutely. We’ve plenty of witnesses.”

  “I’ll get right on it,” said Rupert with a wolfish smile.

  They exited the interview room together, Mikey grinning when he saw Jules in reception, arguing with a uniformed officer.

  “Babe,” she beamed, leaping at him, greeting him in a tangle of limbs, arms around his neck, legs around his waist. “I knew these idiots would let you go.”

  “It’s all bullshit. I didn’t hurt Amber.”