Det Annie Macpherson 01 - Primed By The Past

by Speake, Barbara Fagan

  Charlie nodded. ‘At that stage she was my big sister, invincible, especially when she came home in her uniform. I wanted to join the army just like her. But now, I need to know what she went through, what she never told me all these years.’ Suddenly, he remembered that email his sister had sent those few weeks ago, when she said there were things about her he didn’t know. But this? It wasn’t at all what he was expecting. ‘Please Gus, finish the story.’

  ‘I guess it must have been soon after she came out of the hospital, although I don’t know that for sure. But I remember Carol saying that she was still too ill to re-join her colleagues, so it must have been around that time. Anyway, Carol described this one occasion where she helped Angela return to her room. When they opened the door, they were struck by the smell. The room was full of flowers, but they were all dead. Carol said that it was the last straw as far as she was concerned and she was ready to report the guy, but Angela begged her not to: said that it would only get worse if she did. So instead, Carol just got rid of all the flowers.’

  Gus hesitated and then said: ‘I remember that bit because she told me it one time when we’d left some flowers and came back after a weekend away. They were dead and she had to get them out of the house before she could even unpack. I couldn’t understand why it was so important to her.’

  ‘What a bastard.’

  Annie hadn’t heard Charlie swear before, but he said what she was thinking herself.

  ‘I’m not sure how long it was after that, but he then started to leave her notes, saying that she’d ruined his life, that she was a bitch. Sometimes the notes would just say that one word. I suspect by now it was also affecting Carol, but Angela still refused to report him, convincing herself that he would stop, if she just ignored him.’

  Gus stopped suddenly and looked at the two of them. ‘Do you think there’s a connection with this guy and what’s happened to Carol?’ His demeanour seemed to change, as if the story telling had completely drained him, but had also made him feel vulnerable and scared. ‘You haven’t told me anything about Angela, only that she’s in the hospital. What’s going on?’

  Annie could hear the desperation in his voice and realised how unfair they’d been, not really being up front about their trip. ‘I’m sorry Gus. We owe you a fuller explanation. We needed to hear what you had to say first, to consider whether there might be any relationship between your wife and Charlie’s sister. I think I’ve heard enough. We told you Angela was in the hospital, but not why …’ Annie hesitated for a moment. Gus would find it hard to take in what she was about to say next. ‘Angela was badly assaulted nearly three weeks ago and is still in a coma.’

  ‘Three weeks ago.’ Gus was repeating Angie’s words as if allowing them to sink in.

  ‘That’s correct, and we have been exploring a number of angles, particularly with past relationships. We thought we had found the perpetrator. A close friend of hers, a Jim Moorcroft committed suicide last week and left a note saying that he was Angela’s attacker.’

  ‘So you got the guy? And is he the one from the army?’

  ‘No, Jim Moorcroft was a friend of Angela’s, a very close friend, definitely not the same man as the one you are describing to us. It’s just that we now have reason to doubt what was left in the supposed suicide note.’

  ‘Supposed suicide note; what does that mean?’

  Annie realised how this all must be sounding to Gus, so tied up in his own grief. ‘I’m sorry, Gus, let me explain. At first the note left by Mr Moorcroft seemed genuine enough, but then we got the autopsy result. Well, the autopsy showed that he was suffocated before he was hanged, so it wasn’t suicide, after all.’

  ‘Oh, my God, so he was murdered? And you think there is a connection with Angela’s assault?’ Gus looked at Charlie who could only shrug. Annie was about to explain further, but Gus came in again. ‘But I still don’t see what Carol has to do with all of this. They hadn’t even seen each other for years. In fact I had forgotten Angela’s name until I looked it up in Carol’s address book, the one she kept for Christmas cards. I guess I hadn’t even thought about the story I just told you, for a long time. It must be a few years since Carol even mentioned it. So, now I’m really confused. How does my wife fit in?’

  The sound of the doorbell interrupted his words.

  When Gus got up to answer the door, Annie and Charlie looked at one another and he squeezed her hand. A few seconds later, an older man followed Gus into the kitchen.

  Introducing himself, he extended his hand to Annie.

  ‘Detective Annie Macpherson, on an exchange with the Westford Police,’ Annie replied, shaking his hand.

  ‘I know, I’ve been speaking to Detective Bronski.’ Malin then turned to Charlie and shook his hand. ‘You must be Captain Hegarty, Mrs Goodman’s brother. Detective Bronski filled me in on the case.’

  ‘Yes, sir,’ Charlie responded as the older man sat down.

  Malin continued. ‘Sorry I’m late: got caught up on my way out. I guess we all know why we are here. Perhaps we better go over what we know and what we’re thinking.’

  Over the next half hour, Gus repeated the connection between the two women and Annie provided details of what had happened to Angela Goodman and Jim Moorcroft. Then she took out the newspaper clipping from the scrapbook. Gus and Malin read it side by side on the table, while she and Charlie stayed silent.

  When they finished, Annie continued with her explanation. ‘So, that article got me wondering if there was a connection between Carol and Angela, as Gus had telephoned Charlie about his wife. I started to read Angela’s old diaries but the two covering her army years are missing.’

  ‘Carol never said anything about a rape. I never knew it went that far, but it has to be the same guy. The rest of the story is the same as Carol told me,’ Gus added.

  ‘It’s still a bit tangential, don’t you think?’ Malin asked Annie.

  ‘I wasn’t sure of the significance myself, or the relationship with what happened to Carol, until I spotted this on the corkboard by Angela’s telephone.’ Annie handed over the Christmas card, and again the two men read it.

  ‘That was last year’s card. We always send the same cards to everyone, but pick a new one each year,’ said Gus. ‘Carol never said anything about seeing someone and feeling frightened. She signed it for both of us, as she always did. I am hopeless with things like Christmas cards. I guess she didn’t want to tell me about what she wrote in the card. Could it be this Hardman guy?’

  Annie hesitated a moment, leaving time for Malin to come in. ‘It sounds like there may be some connection. What we have so far is that the guy who rented the second car in the incident called himself Jason Craven. We’ve traced his girlfriend and she’d reported him missing a couple of weeks back. We now believe it’s a case of stolen identity, as a Jason Craven died three years ago in a plane crash.’

  Annie responded. ‘We’re trying to get more information on John Hardman. My colleagues are contacting the Department of Defense. We’re hoping the information will include a photograph. The article says that he was convicted of rape and sentenced to 10 years which means he could have got out two years ago.’

  ‘Unless he was paroled earlier,’ Charlie added.

  ‘That’s possible. What about the picture of Jason Craven?’

  Malin opened his folder. ‘We have two shots, neither very good.’ He passed the photographs over to Annie. ‘Gus has already confirmed that he doesn’t recognise the guy.’ Gus nodded as the detective spoke. Then Malin added. ‘Too bad there isn’t a photo in that news story you’ve got.’

  ‘Maybe we’ll get lucky with the Department of Defense.’ Annie then turned her attention to the two photos. ‘This first one from the security camera could be just about anyone. The face is quite obscured. The baseball cap doesn’t help, of course. This
second one?’

  ‘Taken by the girlfriend. Again, only a side on shot. Apparently he told her never to take a picture of him but she sneaked this one. When he found out, he told her to delete it and she said she did, but then couldn’t do it. She wanted to keep it, but said he’d go mad if he ever sees it in print.’

  ‘Not a good shot but it’s better than nothing. I guess if someone knew him or if we get a photo from the Department of Defense, we’ll have some idea if it’s the same guy or not. Detective Malin, can we have copies of these photos?’

  ‘I’ll get them to you.’

  Annie glanced over at Charlie and they made their excuses to leave. Gus promised to let them know the details of his wife’s funeral. Annie gave him a hug at the front door and apologised again for putting him through even more suffering. Malin stayed behind, promising again to send an email with the photos attached.

  Then, just before Annie and Charlie got in the car, Gus shouted to them. They waited while he made his way down the drive. ‘I’ve got to start sifting through Carol’s things. I’ve been putting it off, but if I find out any more about this guy, I’ll get in touch.’ Charlie shook his hand again.

  As they pulled away, another car arrived with an elderly couple in it. Annie turned to Charlie. ‘What do you think, his parents or hers?’

  ‘Who knows, but perhaps they can help him sort her things. Maybe they’ll find something that will help.’

  72

  Annie’s cellphone rang just as they got on the highway. Neither had felt much like sitting down to eat, so they’d grabbed a burger and had it in the car. That had saved them some time. Annie mouthed to Charlie that it was Bronski on the phone.

  ‘Good. And the photos from Detective Malin have come through. I know … not that much use. So Dave’s managed to speak to his commanding officer. I see. Oh …’ Annie started to rub her forehead as if she’d a nasty headache coming on, and she just murmured for the next several minutes as Bronski spoke to her. ‘I see. No, we’re going to stop off at the hospital first, to see how Angela is doing. I can fill you in then … talk later.’

  ‘I got some of that, how about filling in the blanks?’ Charlie said, as Annie ended the call.

  ‘Charlie, you might not find this very easy.’

  ‘Annie, just tell me. I’ve been through enough in the last few weeks.’

  ‘I know. Dave Ellison spoke to John Hardman’s commanding officer. He confirmed the details of the newspaper article, but apparently there were parts of the trial where the judge ordered reporting restrictions.’

  ‘Which parts?’

  ‘Charlie, maybe we should get off the highway and pull over for a bit.’ Annie was feeling uncomfortable and wished Bronski hadn’t gone into detail. Maybe she shouldn’t have said anything to Charlie until they got back.

  ‘Just tell me.’

  ‘OK. You know about the rape, but he also held a gun to her head when he’d done it. Said he was going to kill her, but someone knocked on the door – her friend, Carol. Hardman held his hand over your sister’s mouth and cocked the trigger. Eventually Carol went away when Angela didn’t answer the door. Then he threatened to kill her if she told anyone and also threatened to kill Carol. Angela had a breakdown and the only person she eventually did tell was the army psychiatrist who acted on the information.’

  Charlie went quiet for a little while. ‘What I can’t understand is why she’s never told me any of this. She kept silent all these years. I could have helped her.’

  *****

  The hospital seemed quieter than usual as he took the stairs up to the fourth floor. The nurses had joked with him many times about being the fittest priest they knew: able to walk up four flights and not be out of breath. He’d made it a mission of his to keep fit, and not for the purposes of the priesthood.

  ‘Afternoon, Father.’

  ‘Afternoon. How is Angela Goodman today?’ His face held a look of real concern. It was all he could do to keep it like that.

  ‘Can you perform miracles, Father?’ The nurse joked, not for the first time.

  ‘No. If I could you’d be putting me up for a sainthood, but I can pray for one.’ Father Loftus replied. ‘I’ll sit with her for a bit, say a rosary. How is her brother? Has he been in today?’

  ‘Not yet, so it will be good for her to have some company.’ The nurse smiled as she picked up a medical chart and headed down to the other end of the corridor. Then she turned back to the priest. ‘And while you’re at it Father, say a few prayers for me.’

  Father Loftus smiled, thinking: if only you knew my dear, if only you knew.

  He shut the door behind him, so familiar with the routine now that he knew he wouldn’t be disturbed by any of the hospital staff for quite a while. And, Captain Hegarty, well, it sounded like he was out of the picture for the time being. The rosary beads went back in his pocket.

  ‘Now bitch, it’s time we had our final little talk. I’ll do the talking. You just listen.’

  *****

  They pulled into the hospital parking lot.

  ‘Charlie, I need to stop at the pharmacy on the way in and get something for this headache. Shall I meet you upstairs?’

  Charlie locked the car door. ‘I’ll get some painkillers for you. There are one or two things I need anyway. Why don’t you go up and I’ll be there in a couple of minutes. It’s too early for the doctors, so there’s no rush for me.’

  ‘Sure.’

  The lift stopped at all the floors while an assortment of staff got in and out. It was still early for visitors. Annie thought she’d flash her badge if she were questioned. As it happened, when the door opened on Angela’s floor, it was pretty quiet. Walking down the corridor she noticed that there weren’t many staff about. Most of the rooms were singles, so staff could be in any of them. She felt a bit awkward going in to see Angela without Charlie, but he had asked her to and it was the least she could do.

  Angela’s room was the last down the corridor on the right. Somehow Annie had always felt better when the officer was stationed outside. She realised that she should have asked Bronski to reinstate the guard, taken off when Jim Moorcroft was found hanged. He was in the clear anyway, as far as she was concerned. The new worry was this John Hardman. There was no telling where he was. The picture of him flashed into her mind again.

  Getting out her phone, she texted a quick message to Bronski about the guard, and saying that she was at the hospital with Charlie. Closing the phone, she wondered whether to just wait outside the door until Charlie came, but then realised she was being silly. Besides there were no staff about and she didn’t want Charlie to find her lingering in the corridor. She opened her phone again, and switched it off. Couldn’t do with it interfering with the machine.

  73

  Dave Ellison got up and went over to the printer. Attached to the email was a transcript summarising the trial and the conviction of John Hardman. The army couldn’t confirm whether he was still in prison or not, although they thought it was likely he was out. Bronski was waiting for further confirmation from the prison authorities: they were even slower than the Department of Defense. The final page was the one Ellison wanted, a full face photograph of John Hardman, albeit well over a decade old.

  Bronski looked up as Ellison approached his desk. ‘One trial transcript summary and one full colour photograph.’ He proffered them to Bronski, who put the transcript to one side and placed the photo flat on his desk, angling the desk light so that he got the best view.

  ‘You can see the likeness from the side-on photo the girlfriend took. He’s a bit greyer around the temples. The shot on the security camera at the car dealership could be anyone, frankly. Let’s forward the photo to Malin, and get him to run it past the girlfriend. That will get us definite confirmation that it’s him, but tell him not to ale
rt her to anything. Hardman might still show up at her house. Oh, and tell him to get it to the car rental place, get confirmation he’s the man who identified himself as Jason Craven when he rented the car. Thanks, Detective, good work.’

  ‘Sure.’ Just as Ellison went back to his desk, one of the cops who’d been on duty at the hospital over the last few weeks came in.

  ‘Detective Bronski, Sergeant said you wanted to see me.’

  ‘Yeah, take a seat, Cunningham. Detective Macpherson thinks we need cover again outside Angela Goodman’s room.’

  ‘I thought someone was in the frame for that,’ the young cop queried.

  ‘Well we now know he was suffocated and it was made to look like suicide.’

  ‘Oh, so whoever put Angela Goodman in hospital could still be out there?’

  ‘That’s right, but we think we may have a suspect.’ Bronski picked up the printout and handed it to Cunningham. ‘Don’t suppose you saw this guy while you were sat outside her room?’ Bronski wasn’t expecting anything as the logged reports had been minimal, mainly the hospital staff.

  There was an immediate reaction. ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  Ellison stopped what he was doing to listen to the conversation.

  ‘But this looks like a much earlier photo of Father Loftus, the priest who covers Mrs Goodman’s ward. He does his rounds most days; visited her a few times when I was on duty. I always logged him: very friendly guy.’

  ‘Are you sure, absolutely sure?’