Dead Jealous

by Helen H. Durrant

  “He was a bad bugger, but even he didn’t deserve that. The way he was, I suppose someone was always going to try, sooner or later.”

  “Was anyone else with you, Josie?”

  She shook her head.

  “Did you see anyone on the lower decks looking over? Even the back of their heads?”

  “No, there was no one. Whoever he was fighting with must have gone back into their flat, or legged it down the stairs.”

  Josie looked done in. “Do you want me to get Tracy?” asked Calladine. “I could ring her work, get her to come and sit with you.”

  She seemed to shrink. “She doesn’t like it when I disturb her at work.”

  “She won’t mind. You’ve had a bad week. You shouldn’t be on your own. Do you have a number for her?”

  Josie hesitated. She picked up her mobile off the table and held it to her chest.

  “It’ll be okay, she won’t mind,” Calladine assured her.

  She found the number, and handed him the phone. “You speak to them. It’s ringing.”

  “Social Services.”

  Calladine asked to speak to Tracy Wilkins. Once he was put through, he told Josie’s sister what had happened. Tracy sounded peeved, but finally agreed to come home.

  Calladine left Josie and Heron House and walked towards the Pheasant pub. He passed two forensic officers on their knees, going over the hard concrete ground inch by inch.

  One of them pointed down. “The concrete is worn away along here. The soil and weeds are coming through all over. Just here, though, there is a fresh bare patch, like a foot has scraped it away.”

  “You think this is where it happened?”

  The officer pointed at his colleague. “He’s just bagged up some hair and an earring he found, so yes. If the hair proves to be that of the murdered girl, I’d say we’ve found the spot. Busy round here today, isn’t it?” The CSI nodded at Heron House.

  “Bad time all round.” Calladine looked about him. He and the CSIs were in the shadow cast by the tower blocks, just out of sight of the pub. With the poor lighting, and on a wet night, they’d be lucky to find anyone who saw what happened.

  Chapter 15

  The team arrived back at the station in the early afternoon. Calladine tidied up the incident board and wrote Sean Hopwood across the top. He was about to start the meeting when the incident room door opened. Rocco walked in. Calladine, Ruth and Joyce all shouted at once.

  Ruth was smiling broadly. “Just in the nick of time, I reckon. We’ve got our hands full.”

  Rocco looked sideways at Calladine. “I legged it from the course. Hope you don’t mind, sir. It wasn’t up to much. The place was in the middle of nowhere and there was nothing going on at the hotel either.”

  Calladine smiled at him. “Plenty going on here. A young girl killed and dumped on the Hobfield, a cold case come to life again. And someone has just done for Sean Hopwood, local villain of this parish.”

  “Sorry.” Rocco looked sheepish. “I feel bad about leaving you all like that, but I really needed a change of scene. I spoke to Long and he let me register for the course. I felt I had to put some space between me and you lot, from everyone who knew Imogen in fact. But now that I’ve had time to think, I know that running away wasn’t the answer. I know things will never be the same. I just need to get down to work, get back into the usual routine.”

  Ruth nodded at him. “We know how you feel, Rocco. It’s the same for all of us. I’m going about in a sort of daze. I still can’t believe it happened.”

  Calladine smiled again. “If it’s the usual you need, we’re up to our eyes in it.” He grew serious. “We’re the medicine you need, Rocco. We have to work through this together, as a team. Help each other.”

  Calladine was very pleased to see Rocco back at the nick. The place didn’t feel right without him. Losing Imogen was bad enough, but the idea that Rocco might want out too didn’t bear thinking about. He completely understood how the young man felt. Rocco and Imogen had been friends, they’d joined CID at the same time.

  He turned to the board, marker in hand. “Right then, let’s get started. Sean Hopwood was found dead at the foot of Heron House on the Hobfield this morning.” This was for Rocco’s benefit.

  “Hopwood the loan shark?” Rocco asked. “Used his fists to settle every beef, mostly about the money folk owed him?”

  Calladine nodded. “That’s him. Hopwood upset everyone he came across. No one on the Hobfield has a good word to say about him. Apart from it being murder, we are interested because Hopwood was stabbed, same as Flora Appleton. We have nothing yet to suggest it, but the two cases could be linked.”

  Ruth held up the data stick. “We spoke to his brother, Ricky, and gave him the bad news. He was surprisingly forthcoming. This has everything we need. He might have been a tough bruiser, but Hopwood did keep good records.” She handed the data stick to Nigel, to produce a printed list for later. “Ricky told us that Sean went out this morning to chase up non-payers from the day before. He wasn’t in the best of moods either.”

  Calladine picked up the thread. “We know that the two clients who were bugging Sean the most were Bernie Logan and Dolly Appleton. What we don’t know is whether he caught up with them or not. Logan was attacked last night. He was beaten so badly he had to be taken to A & E. But he won’t say who attacked him. Then someone tried to set fire to Dolly’s flat. She is Flora’s mother, another link to the Hopwoods.” Calladine pointed to the incident board. “She maintains that she can’t tell us who tried to torch the place. She says she doesn’t know, but I’m not so sure. Those two have to go to the top of the list.”

  “We should speak to them again,” said Ruth. “Get their alibis for this morning.”

  Calladine nodded. “I think we should do a sweep of Heron House, speak to everyone. There will be very few who kept to the fine print of the agreement they had with Hopwood.”

  “I agree, sir.” Rocco looked eager to start immediately.

  Ruth was less enthusiastic. “That’s a lot of people to get through. We should speak to Logan and Dolly Appleton first. Hopwood had singled them both out for special treatment. I didn’t get much about Flora out of Ricky. He tried to make out that there was nothing special between them, but he could be covering up. Isla Prentice certainly thinks they were an item. Word soon gets round. For all we know, Dolly might lay the blame for what happened to Flora at the Hopwoods’ door.”

  Rocco looked doubtful. “You think it was the mother that had a go at Hopwood?”

  Ruth shrugged. “It’s possible. She wouldn’t be human if she didn’t harbour a grudge. We could do with knowing a lot more about the relationship between Ricky and Flora. I’ll give him a little time to get his head together, then I’ll go and speak to him again.”

  “I spoke to Josie Wilkins when I was at the scene,” Calladine told them. “I hadn’t planned to, but she was out on the deck. She’d heard Hopwood scream when he was attacked.” He scratched his head. “Shame it had to be her. Josie has got enough on her plate right now.”

  “Did she see who it was?” Nigel asked.

  “No, but she did hear two men arguing. It was definitely male voices. She said nothing about any woman.”

  Ruth shrugged. “That puts paid to Dolly Appleton being involved, then.”

  “That’s if we believe her,” Calladine pointed out. “Thinking about the cold case, I’m not inclined to take anything Josie tells me at face value.”

  “Best keep an open mind. Rule nothing out.” Rocco nodded sagely.

  “We’ll hit Heron House together,” Calladine decided. “I’ve already got uniform going door to door. Nigel and I will find Bernie Logan.” He nodded at the young DC. “Ruth, you and Rocco have a word with Dolly. Tread carefully, but see what she has by way of an alibi.”

  Nigel waved a handful of paper at them. “The list is huge. The whole of Heron House must be on there.”

  “We’ll try and eliminate the obvious first,” Cal
ladine replied. “We’ll start with those who haven’t paid the Hopwoods anything in the last month.”

  He looked at the team. “While we’re at it, don’t forget about Flora. People might not want to say too much about the Hopwoods, so take the opportunity to ask about her, and particularly her relationship with Ricky. The clientele of the Pheasant is a good place to start. Also, just this morning forensics found hair and an earring on the ground near to where the car was parked — the one that had Flora’s body in. We should know pretty soon if it’s significant.

  Now for the hard bit, thought Calladine. “Unfortunately the murders of Flora and Sean Hopwood aren’t all we’ve got on our plates.” He paused for a moment. “None of you will remember this case, it was a long time ago. It relates to a missing toddler, Jessica Wilkins, Josie’s daughter. She was never found, either dead or alive. There were no clues, and no helpful witnesses. Someone has just handed in a jar of ashes, and a couple of items that have been identified as belonging to the child. Julian is doing DNA tests on bits of bone found amongst the ash, but it will take a while.” He decided not to tell them about the bullet hole yet. “Pushed as we are, this find means we have to reopen the case. The file’s on my desk. Would you make copies for everyone please, Joyce?” She nodded. “Josie Wilkins was also one of Hopwood’s clients.”

  “Does she have a motive for killing Hopwood?” Rocco asked.

  “Not that I’m aware of. Josie dealt with Hopwood the same way she dealt with everyone else she didn’t like. She avoided him. If things got heated, she’d most likely set her sister Tracy on him. Nigel and I will talk to her.”

  Rocco was looking puzzled. “How do we tackle the cold case, sir? Who can we interview after so much time?”

  “We will wait and see what forensics turn up first. The Duggan have the items from back then, and are redoing some tests. For now we have to prioritise the murders of Flora Appleton and Hopwood. I’ll allocate tasks on the Wilkins case as we go along.”

  * * *

  Ruth and Rocco drove towards the Hobfield. “Feeling better now?” Ruth asked. “The week away, has it helped you get your head together?”

  “Not really. I still miss her. I don’t think that will ever go away.”

  Ruth sighed. “It’s the same for all of us, you know. Imogen was great, and we loved her, but we have to get on with it. She’d expect that, being the practical type that she was.”

  “Well, running away didn’t help. The course was a washout. There was only me and three others on it. Two of them didn’t drink and the third had brought his girlfriend along. She was staying at the pub in the village.”

  Ruth laughed. “Rocco, you are an idiot.” She thought for a moment. “A girlfriend might do you good. You don’t say much, but there must be someone, surely?”

  Rocco grinned. “I have been seeing someone. She was another reason I came back. She was giving me earache.”

  Ruth was curious and pleasantly surprised. Rocco hardly ever talked about his private life. Ruth had met his parents on a couple of occasions, but that was it.

  “Come on then — spill. Who is she?”

  Rocco looked embarrassed. “You’re going to think I’m mad.”

  “So I know her?” Ruth smiled. “Let me think. Who do I know that you’d be shy about?”

  “We all know her. We’ve met her before, a while ago, during another investigation.”

  Ruth laughed. “So she’s in the force! You are mad! You do realise that there’ll be no social life. When you’re working she’ll be off and vice versa.”

  “I’m sure we’ll cope. At least she knows what to expect.”

  “Never mind the she. What’s her name?” Ruth couldn’t understand why he was being so cagey.

  Rocco shrugged. “I’ll tell you later, when we’re all together, back at the nick.”

  “Okay, if that’s how you want it. Must be serious, though, if you’re going to make some big announcement.”

  “I didn’t say that. But it’s best if I tell you all at once.”

  Ruth was really curious now. “Go on! Aren’t you going to give me a clue?”

  “Remember that course they sent me on a couple of months ago? She was there too and we had a few drinks. We’ve been out a few times, and hardly stopped emailing and talking on the phone. The lease on her flat has just run out. I hope I’m not rushing things, but I’ve said she can have a room at mine.”

  Ruth knew that Rocco lived alone. He was an independent soul. “You’ve gone from having us all wondering, to a live-in lover, and none of us knew a thing.” Ruth shook her head. “We’re on your side, you know. We all just want you to be happy.”

  “I know that, Ruth. It’s only been a short time, and we’re still getting to know one another. It does feel right, though, us being together.”

  Ruth stared grimly at the road ahead. “That’s how me and Jake started. Now look at us. At each other’s throats mostly.”

  “You and Jake are sound. Anyone can see that.”

  Ruth shook her head. “Me and Jake are a mess. I’m beginning to think that the relationship has run its course.”

  Rocco stared at her. “But you’ve got Harry. You have to make it work.”

  “Rocco, you are such an innocent. Me and Harry will be fine, with or without Jake Ireson. I don’t fancy it much, the single mum bit. But if needs must, I’ll give it a go. One thing I do know is that I can’t stand much more of the sniping that’s gone on recently.”

  The tower block loomed ahead of them. “There it is. Heron House.” Rocco shivered. “Hate the damn place.”

  “Still haunts you, does it?”

  “Well, I’ll always have the scar from where that lunatic clobbered me.” Rocco rubbed at his short, dark hair.

  “You had us all worried that day, especially Tom,” Ruth told him.

  “My parents weren’t best pleased either. They went on at me for weeks to give it all up. My mum even got me an interview with the bank she works for!”

  Ruth smiled. “They worry about you, Rocco. It’s understandable.”

  “What’s she like, this woman we’re going to see?”

  “Dolly Appleton is okay. But she is naturally hurting from losing her daughter. Flora was seeing Ricky Hopwood, but they’d fallen out apparently.”

  “Motive for murder?”

  “I don’t know. It was Sean Hopwood that got it, not Ricky. So it doesn’t make much sense. Anyway, we’ll speak to her, and see what we think.”

  Chapter 16

  “She’s not in, love.” Annie Chadwick was out on the deck near Dolly Appleton’s flat, gossiping with another woman. She flashed Ruth a brief smile.

  “Any idea where she’s gone?” Ruth asked.

  “She’s a funeral to see to.”

  The two detectives were about to leave when Annie called to Ruth. She held out a leaflet. “Have one of these! It’s about that trip at the weekend. The one to Shrewsbury that Len told you about. We could do with bumping up the numbers. Make it worth our while getting the minibus.”

  “I don’t think I’ll be able to make it,” Ruth replied, but took the flyer anyway. That was when she noticed Annie’s hand. The sight of the two mangled fingers was quite shocking. “What on earth happened to you?”

  “An accident, love. They did their best at the hospital but it looks like I’ve got an infection in them now.”

  “What sort of accident?” Ruth took Annie’s hand and examined it. Annie had applied a makeshift dressing, but it was hanging off.

  Annie grimaced. “A burn. I’m far too clumsy, that’s my problem. I’ll have to be more careful in future.”

  Ruth gently released the hand, and she and Rocco turned to leave. “I’d get that looked at as soon as, if I were you. The health centre’s open. Have a word with Dr Hoyle, he’ll sort you out.”

  They got into the lift.

  “That looked really bad,” said Rocco quietly.

  “It didn’t happen that long ago either. Funny tha
t Frank never mentioned it.” Ruth was frowning.

  Rocco looked at her. “What are you thinking?”

  “A burnt hand, a beaten man, plus Dolly’s flat nearly gets torched. Heaven knows how many more ‘accidents’ folk around here have met with. I’m wondering if this has anything to do with Hopwood. Remind me when we get back to check if Annie and Frank Chadwick are on that list of Nigel’s.”

  * * *

  Calladine and Nigel Hallam found Bernie Logan at home in his flat, nursing his sore head.

  He greeted them with a scowl. “What d’you want now? I’ve given a statement. There’s nothing else I want to say.”

  “This isn’t about the beating,” Calladine told him. “You may not have heard yet but someone took a knife to Sean Hopwood. Not content with that, they shoved him over the rail of the first-floor deck.”

  Logan broke into a happy smile. Through swollen eyes, he looked from one detective to the other. “Dead, is he?”

  “Yes.” Calladine replied simply, and watched Logan’s smile widen.

  “I won’t pretend I’m sorry, but it’s got nowt to do with me, so you can get lost, copper. Shame it didn’t happen sooner, then I might have been spared this little lot.” Logan touched his face.

  This was surprisingly candid from a man who must have realised he’d be a number-one suspect.

  “What have you been up to today?” Calladine asked.

  “I’ve been in bed all morning. Look at the state of me. Do I look like I could take on Hopwood and win? Anyway, our Kyle is asleep in the next room. He’ll confirm it. Poor lad’s had a long, hard night at the Pheasant. First they have a lock-in, then Wallace wants him to serve up breakfast. Our Kyle works there. I say work, but in reality he’s nothing but a bloody skivvy. No good refusing. That landlord is a brute. You’ll have seen his eye. Toss-up between who’s worse — him or Hopwood.”

  Calladine looked at him. “Wallace did that? Kyle told me he got the injury knocking his head on a pan.”

  Logan shook his head. “You didn’t believe that story any more than I did.”