Angel

by Anita Waller

  ‘It’s a good stage to be at,’ Dunbar agreed. He pulled out the pictures and fanned them across the table. He had put post-it notes on the two photographs that had shown a man and a woman behind Jeanette and then the two men on the bench.

  Pointing to Treverick, he said, ‘Do you know this man?’

  Eric shook his head. ‘No, but I know the artist. Not by name but she’s out there quite a lot in the height of the season. She’s only been a couple of times lately but it’s not been warm enough to wield a pencil, has it?’

  ‘It definitely hasn’t.’ He reached inside his briefcase again and produced the picture that Jeanette had drawn of the two men on the bench. ‘She drew this.’

  Eric Merton looked at it and whistled. ‘Well! This is wonderful. What a talent this young lady has. I’ll look at her with different eyes next time I see her.’

  Dunbar took back the sketch and put it away before continuing. ‘That drawing was just to show you what led me to you. I came down to Padstow yesterday specifically to make sure she wasn’t there even though I knew she wouldn’t attempt to draw in all that rain. And you were there, instead.’

  ‘I’m pleased I could help but I’m even more pleased to get this back.’ He patted the camera inside its protective carrier bag.

  ‘Please don’t wipe any photos off it,’ Dunbar said. ‘I know my tech team will laugh at me and tell me they’ve downloaded this and downloaded that but if they disappeared, it wouldn’t help our case.’

  Eric pulled the other tagged photo towards him. He looked at it for some time before pushing it back towards Dunbar.

  ‘I feel as though I know him.’ He tapped the second man on the bench.

  Dunbar shifted in his seat and picked up his mug of tea. ‘Really?’

  Eric stared at the picture and then pushed it away. ‘It’s in my head somewhere but it won’t come out.’

  ‘Okay, just think about it and if the name comes to you, call me. I will need you to come down to the station soon, preferably tomorrow, to make a statement. It’s really just to validate the photos were taken by you. Will it be okay if I send a car for you about ten o’clock tomorrow?’

  Dunbar was mindful that Eric was around seventy years old and he didn’t want to push him too much.

  ‘That will be fine. I’m always up by about six.’ He turned to the pictures on the table that hadn’t had post-it notes attached. ‘They’ve turned out really well, haven’t they? Look at this one. These people leaning on the harbour wall are all wearing different shades of blue. That was the reason I snapped that one, but I had to do it pretty quickly before they all split up and spoilt the composition.’

  Dunbar picked it up and looked at it. ‘It would never have occurred to me to look for something like that in a photo,’ he said admiringly. ‘But you’re right. It’s a blue picture: the sky, the sea, the people, really quite spectacular. I envy your ability to see something like that.’

  ‘But I can’t catch crooks. Each to their own, DI Dunbar, each to their own.’

  Eric looked at the other pictures and then said ‘I know her.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘That woman there.’

  Dunbar took the picture from him and looked at the figure Eric indicated. He could only see the back view of the figure but thought he also knew who she was; he needed Eric to continue the conversation.

  ‘Who is she?’

  ‘I don’t exactly know her as in being able to put a name to the face, but she left the area with both of these men.’ He pointed at the two men on the bench. ‘I’m sorry if I’m not being very helpful...’

  ‘Eric, I could kiss you. You’re confirming lots of different angles for me. Everything you’ve told me today will need to be in that statement tomorrow.’

  He stood and shook Eric’s hand before gathering up the pictures. ‘Please thank your wife for the tea. The car will be here at ten o’clock for you tomorrow.’

  He left St. Merryn and headed back to the station. It was time to get organised.

  Chapter 46

  The following morning, Dunbar called the team in for four o’clock and they went through the details of what was to happen before dawn. Nobody yawned; alertness was part of their DNA when a result was expected. They knew just how important this day was going to be, what reports would be needed, who would be accompanying Dunbar on the early morning activity; nobody queried any part of it, recognising that Dunbar was showing real genius in these final hours of such a long investigation.

  Some of the team were to stay behind; he chose the older members, the ones he called his brainbase. They were skilled in acting efficiently, digging up information and basically being the back-up for the more active younger members of the team.

  At five o’clock, with dawn not yet breaking, they met up in the car park and quietly moved towards their designated vehicles. The armed response unit was already there and Dunbar checked that everybody was in communication with everybody else. They all confirmed their codes and Dunbar then put them into quiet action mode; no talking unless it was deemed necessary for their own safety.

  The vehicles were parked quietly on the side streets and without fuss; a lone dog walker stared in astonishment then hurried home, keen to get out of the way. He had seen the armed response vehicle.

  They followed the instructions to the letter and moved into position. Dunbar signalled to his DC who had been trained to use the Enforcer, that he needed to lower his eye protection and place his gauntleted hands ready for the swing of the battering ram.

  The armed officers stood close by ready to enter the premises as soon as the door was breached.

  In a low voice, Dunbar said,

  ‘Go!’

  DC Craig Lomax, a huge 6’7” mountain of a man, swung the Enforcer. The door gave way after one swing and Dunbar shook his head in admiration.

  Within seconds, there was uproar. The noise was horrific as six armed men took over the operation closely followed by Dunbar.

  They burst through the bedroom door that was partially open and

  pointed guns at the two men struggling to surface from their sleep. Treverick moved his hand towards the nightstand where a handgun was clearly visible; the first man through the door raised his gun and shouted,

  ‘Armed police! Stop!’

  Treverick didn’t stop and the bullet entered his head; blood and brains spattered all over the pristine white bedding, up the wall behind the bed head and turned the beige velour of the bed head into a dark red river.

  The strangled scream from the other side of the bed and the absolutely devastated expression on the man’s face was something to behold. His head was covered in blood and he tried to wipe it from his eyes with only limited success. Dunbar stepped into the room once the handgun had been secured and looked at the figure now kneeling on the floor, leaning on the side of the bed and trying to reach the body that would never move again. His sobs would have been heartbreaking if Dunbar hadn’t known all the facts.

  He stepped forward. ‘Mark Carter, I am arresting you on suspicion of being an accessory to murder. You do not have to say anything. However, it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’

  Mark continued to lean on the bed, seemingly unable to move. His moans became louder and Dunbar stepped forward to pass him some clothes.

  ‘Get these on, Carter, or I’ll take you as you are.’

  Mark looked up and tried to stand. He was clearly struggling; his grief was threatening to completely overwhelm him. Blood and brains dripped from his body and he tried ineffectually to wipe it away.

  Dunbar turned to one of his officers.

  ‘Okay. Put the handcuffs on him, I’ve warned him we’ll take him like this.’

  The DC stepped forward and Mark took the trousers from him. He put them on, his white, grief-stricken face all the time looking at Treverick. He was handed the shirt from the bedside chair
and fumbled as he buttoned it up.

  ‘No tie, Carter,’ Dunbar growled. ‘We’ll only take it off you at the station.’

  He was hustled downstairs and Dunbar breathed a sigh of relief. It had gone as smoothly as he had hoped; he had always been prepared for the fact that Treverick might be killed when it was time to arrest him but it would have been good to see him die in prison.

  He now turned his attention to Treverick. Death had been instantaneous; the top of his head had disintegrated in quite a spectacular fashion. He could hear the pathologist coming up the stairs and he shook his hand as he came through the door.

  ‘You’ve finally got him, Jake.’

  ‘Yes, Don, finally got him. It’s a pity he had to die; I’d have liked my day in court with this one. I’ll leave you to it, now. I witnessed everything that happened so I’ll get back and fill in my report. He was warned not to touch his own gun and he still went for it.’

  ‘Killing by cop?’

  Dunbar shrugged.

  ‘Could be. Wouldn’t like to say. I know it was the whole prison thing that set him off on this journey. He blamed his first victim for putting him in prison so when we came in like the wrath of Zeus he must have known it was over. He never hesitated after the warning. Just carried on going for the gun.’

  ‘Okay, leave it with me. Now get out, you’re contaminating my crime scene. Oh, and well done, Jake. It’s been a long time coming, but that little girl is safe at last.’

  Dunbar went back down the stairs and round to the front of the building. The crime scene tape extended to cover both doors and Dunbar knew there was one last thing to tidy up.

  He left four men at the scene and called for Sarah to accompany him. They climbed into his car and he drove once again towards St. Merryn; he turned off before the town and headed for Harlyn.

  Linda Chambers lived with her mother in a small, whitewashed cottage; the garden was starting to look very pretty with daffodils and primroses bringing it to life after the long winter.

  He walked down the path with Sarah following closely behind him. His knock was loud and it was Linda who answered it.

  She imploded as soon as she saw who it was. Her face turned grey and she choked back a sob. She crumpled to her knees and her head sank.

  ‘You’ll not be going into work today, Linda. You’re coming with me. I think we need to have a chat. You haven’t got a job anyway. Carter Security just went into voluntary liquidation.’

  She said nothing; he helped her to stand and as she climbed into the back of his car with Sarah, he saw Linda’s mother pull the net curtain to one side and look out. They drove away with her eyes still on them, following the car until it was out of sight.

  Chapter 47

  ‘Is he dead?’ There was anguish in her voice. ‘He has to be dead or else...’

  ‘Or else what, Linda?’ Sarah asked. She could feel the shaking coming from Linda. She was one terrified woman.

  ‘Or else he’ll kill my mother,’ she sobbed. ‘I couldn’t do anything. He’s destroyed everything since Friday.’

  ‘Look, Linda,’ Dunbar said from the driving seat, ‘don’t talk now; wait till we get to the station. Your mother is safe.’

  There was a long low moan from Linda who cried quietly to herself all the way back to the police station.

  Sarah booked her in and then went to join Dunbar in the interview room with her. She heard Dunbar say WPC Sarah Millar had entered the room and she sat down by his side.

  ‘Okay, Linda, tell me what you know.’

  She screwed the tissue round and round in her hand and gulped.

  ‘I know very little except Treverick was in Mark’s flat above the office. I went to work as usual last Friday.’ She paused while she gathered her thoughts. ‘I went in a bit earlier than usual because I had lots of work piling up on my desk. Mark seemed to be going through a phase of passing everything on to me. I worked out rotas for Hillside and Moorgate, stuff like that and all things he used to do.’

  ‘When did you start your employment with him?’

  ‘He came to see me at home – just like John Thornton did all those years ago. It was in May last year. He said he needed a PA because the work was building up and would I like to work for him? I said yes straight away. I’ve always liked Mark.’

  ‘And what were your duties.’

  ‘Everything really. As you know, I had the little office across the corridor from Mark. He set up an intercom between the two rooms so that he could just call me if he wanted me and everything worked brilliantly. When I first started, I did all the invoicing, sending out of letters, photocopying – the usual sort of office work. I was basically my own boss. He was out a lot because of the situation up at the Farmer’s homes and he trusted me to just get on with it. Which I did.’

  She gulped back tears that threatened to overflow again.

  ‘And what was different about last Friday?’

  ‘It was sunny for a start. As I said, I came in early and then just as I was going to have my packed lunch, a potential new client came in. Mark had gone out – I think up to Hillside but I’m not sure – so I took him into my office, talked him through our rates, showed him our references from other clients and had a very pleasant hour getting him on board. He left about two o’clock and I decided to take my lunch down to the harbour. I sat on one of the benches down there. It was lovely in the sunshine. I actually ate my lunch before walking along the harbour to come back here. If I hadn’t done that I wouldn’t have seen them.’

  ‘Who?’

  ‘Mark and Treverick. They didn’t see me at first but I could tell they were deep in conversation. I actually think it was an argument because there was a lot of hand waving and pointing, but I couldn’t tell what they were saying. And then Mark saw me.’

  She stopped for a moment and asked if she could have a drink of water. Sarah left the room and returned a couple of minutes later with a plastic beaker of luke-warm water.

  ‘Sorry, it’s tap water,’ she apologised and smiled at Linda. She hoped Dunbar was seeing what she was seeing; this girl was terrified and it wasn’t of the possibility of a prison sentence. It went much deeper than that.

  Linda took a sip and continued.

  ‘Mark went deathly white. He stood up and for a second I thought he was going to fall over. That was the point I realised who the other man was. They moved to either side of me and Mark spoke first. He said, “Shall we go back to the office, Linda?” I nodded and then Treverick spoke. His words were flat.’

  ‘Flat? What do you mean?’

  ‘Emotionless. Totally spaced out. He said, “My gun is in my right hand pocket. Don’t make me use it.” I freaked, I tell you. I walked back to the office with a man either side of me and they took me round the side and up into Mark’s flat.’

  She looked at Dunbar, her face a mask of terror.

  ‘I’ve never been so scared in my life. Treverick grabbed hold of me and dragged me over to the settee by my hair. Chunks of it came out and the pain was bad. He forced me face down and then twisted my arm up my back. I need to stand up to show you. Is that ok?’

  Dunbar nodded and Sarah stood at the same time. She moved round to Linda’s side of the table and said,

  ‘Can I help?’

  Linda nodded and took her left arm out of the sleeve first. She then slid her jacket carefully off her right arm. She had on a flimsy white blouse and Dunbar could see the bruising through it. He winced.

  ‘I’m sending for a doctor, Linda. This needs documenting.’

  ‘Nothing’s broken, DI Dunbar, just my spirit. He hurt me so much and Mark just stood by and watched it happen.’

  She leaned forward and took her hair out of the pony-tail she was wearing. As it cascaded around her face, it revealed bald patches and angry red weals on her scalp.

  ‘Are you okay to carry on? I can have a doctor in here in two minutes.’

  ‘I’ll be fine. All of this really is nothing because after he’d finished
hurting me and I was laid on that damned settee like a quivering jellyfish expecting to die any minute, he played his coup de grace. He said that if I said anything to anyone about what had happened, or the fact that I had seen him, he would kill my mother. Please, DI Dunbar, is he dead? I have to know.’

  He nodded. ‘Rest easy, Linda. He’s dead.’

  She crumpled as the relief of hearing that statement washed over her. ‘And Mark?’

  ‘In custody. You can relax. Had you really no idea Treverick was there?’

  ‘Not at all. I’ve thought and thought about it since Friday, trying to remember when Mark changed. Because he did. One minute he was on top of everything, organising the rotas, visiting the families of Alan Shimwell and Sam Marks and then just after we had all that commotion with Father Christmas being Treverick, he changed. Now I stop and think about it, I guess that’s when Treverick moved in. But they must have been in contact before – you don’t just walk up to a man who is in a high-flying position as Mark is and say hey, I know I’m a murderer but can I stay at yours because I’ve just lost my flat. My head’s spinning with trying to remember pointers, maybe things I could have picked up on but the biggest way Mark changed was that he kept nipping up to his flat at odd times during the day.’

  ‘Linda,’ Dunbar frowned. ‘Did it not occur to you on Friday to come and tell the police what was going on?’

  ‘No, it bloody didn’t.’ There was anger in her voice. ‘For a start I was in horrific pain. All I wanted to do was get home to my mum, make sure she was safe. And to be honest, DI Dunbar, you’ve not exactly handled this case very well, have you? A lot of people have died. I know I’ve done nothing wrong but I sure as hell wasn’t going to risk my mum’s life by going to you. I dealt with everything the best way I could. If you want that doctor to take pictures of my injuries, that’s fine, but then I’m going home. I need my mum.’

  ‘I’ll get the doctor now, Linda. I will need a statement from you but we can do that another time. All I ask is that you ring me if you think of anything else. And just for the record, I never thought for one minute that you were involved. We’ve known for a while that Treverick had an accomplice, because he was two steps in front of us all the time. We just never considered it might be Mark Carter. And logically, he had to be the one. You two are the only people who knew the movements of all the security people and I’ll be honest, I didn’t know that you did the rotas. I thought Mark did it all.’