by Joy Ellis
‘The thing is, she thinks someone is watching her.’
Carter sucked in air. ‘Oh?’
‘How can we help?’ asked Jackman.
‘I know that you have the missing woman to contend with, but I would like you to allow DS McLean here, and possibly DS Marie Evans, to make a few discreet enquiries.’ She sat back in her chair and stared at Carter. ‘Look, I know we don’t always see eye to eye . . .’
Too bloody right, thought Carter. And after all the hell you’ve put me through over the years, I have no intention of becoming your best buddy just because you suddenly need my help. And why me? You hate me. Ask Jackman to help you, not me.
‘. . . and I can’t expect you to know how I feel. My niece is the child of the sister I lost last year, and I’ve rather taken her under my wing.’
Carter bit down hard on the inside of his cheek and said nothing.
‘But I do know that you and Marie can be trusted to act, er, tactfully, especially considering that this is a personal matter.’
‘Oh good, so it’s nothing to do with the fact that DI Jackman here has a priority case, there’s a major drugs case to tie up for the CPS, and everyone else is up to their necks in paperwork from the money-laundering scam that they’ve just put to bed?’ Carter couldn’t help himself, it just came out.
He felt Jackman grow tense beside him, but Ruth Crooke got in first.
‘I knew that would be your attitude, McLean.’ Her face tightened, then she sighed. ‘Look, we both know that you’ve always worked on the edge. You treat the Police and Criminal Evidence Act like a vague set of guidelines to be disregarded at will, you bend the rules, and—’
‘And I get results,’ said Carter calmly.
‘You get results, and I hate to say it, but that’s why I want you to help my niece.’
Carter wanted to laugh. Suddenly his methods were acceptable, were they? Just because the crime was close to home. He took a deep breath. Careful, Carter. He needed to keep this job. It was all he had left. He would have to treat this unwanted request professionally, just like any other case. He must forget all the shit the woman had dumped on him. With a huge effort, he straightened up. ‘Okay, ma’am. If it’s alright with DI Jackman, we’ll go and see her straightaway. What can you tell me, and where can I find your niece? We’ll obviously need to talk to her.’
Ruth Crooke nodded. ‘Thank you. Is that alright with you, Jackman?’
‘It’s fine by me, ma’am.’
‘McLean?’ She handed him a sheet of paper bearing names, mobile numbers and addresses. ‘You get on. I need a few words with Rowan.’
Carter left, unsure of how he felt. His dislike of her clouded rational thought, but he supposed it was a compliment of sorts. But why had she asked him in particular? He sighed. He hadn’t seen this coming, but he’d show willing. A few enquiries wouldn’t take him long anyway.
* * *
Robbie Melton scanned through the notes he had made at the morning meeting. Suzanne Holland was beginning to occupy his every waking thought. His method of working an enquiry like this was to get inside the victim’s head. He was certain that the solution was to be found in the woman herself. Someone, a person as yet unknown to them, was responsible for her disappearance. Robbie just needed to find her, dead or alive.
He had read all the reports. The main thing that emerged from them was the lack of forensic evidence. Apart from the quantities of blood at the house, whoever attacked Suzanne had been very careful. Robbie knew what the old adage said. Wherever you go and whatever you touch, you leave a trace. Well, Suzanne’s assailant seemed to have blown that hypothesis out of the window.
Marie was smiling down at him. ‘You look pensive.’
He held up a photograph of Suzanne Holland. ‘This woman fascinates me. It seems that despite being married, she had an awful lot of men friends. But there are so many different sides to her that it’s hard to get a clear picture of what she was like.’
‘Have you managed to contact the ex-husband in Spain?’
Robbie grinned. ‘Kind of. I’ll try again when he’s sober.’
‘Any idea of why they got divorced?’
‘No idea. He was too pissed to string a coherent sentence together.’ Robbie laughed.
Marie sat down opposite him. ‘Robbie, I’d like you to look deeper into her marriage to Tom Holland. And if you could do it rather quietly? I need to know if there’s any skeletons in the cupboard that the initial interviews missed.’ She frowned. ‘As you know, Carter is back today on full duties, but Jackman and I don’t want him getting involved with this case. Best he doesn’t hear the name Tom Holland too often. He reckons he’s fine with it, but we don’t think so, okay?’
Robbie nodded. ‘I totally agree. Don’t worry, Sarge, I’ll come to you directly if I find anything of interest.’
She nodded. ‘Oh, by the way, have you read the memo about dropping the formalities? First names and all that?’
‘Sure have, Sarge. But I’d never be able to manage it. If there’s a choice, I’d rather keep the status quo.’
‘Good man! You and me both.’
Marie walked off, leaving Robbie staring at the photograph.
Suzanne Holland had rich auburn hair just a shade or two away from red. She stared out of the picture from beautifully made-up hazel eyes. Her smile was seductive, full-lipped. Robbie shook his head. ‘Not my type. But I can see what her admirers saw in her.’
‘Me too.’ Max Cohen leaned over his shoulder. ‘That’s one hot lady.’ He slumped down in the chair Marie had just vacated. ‘I’m beginning to think this was a random wrong place, wrong time thing. I’ve spent days interviewing her acquaintances and friends, and all I’ve got is a big fat nothing. No one wanted her dead.’ He grunted. ‘And for once, I bloody well believe them. Maybe it was a bungled burglary, or she just met someone with a grudge against red heads.’
‘No, I’m certain she was the target.’ Robbie looked at her hazel eyes. What secrets did they hold? ‘She is a mystery woman.’
Max stood up. ‘Well, I hope she bleedin’ well hurries up and spills the beans, mate, ’cause this case is becoming a right pain in the arse.’
‘Indeed, it is.’ Robbie nibbled on a thumbnail. ‘But we’ll get there in the end. We’ll find out what happened.’
‘You reckon she’s brown bread?’
‘Oh yes. Don’t you?’
‘S’pose so.’
‘We’ll find her, Max. She’ll talk to us, when she’s ready.’
‘Typical woman. Gotta be on her terms.’ Max strolled back to his desk. ‘Even if she is bleedin’ dead.’
* * *
Marie sat in front of her computer, staring into space.
‘Penny for them?’ Carter said.
She jumped a little, but then looked up hopefully. ‘Hey! Scrap the financial negotiations, how did you get on in there? What did the super want?’
Carter screwed his face up. ‘Mmm, that was sincerely weird! She actually showed a human side.’ He gave a shrug. ‘This is most likely just a time-waster, but she wants you and I to check something out for her.’
Marie frowned. ‘So what about the case I’m already working on?
‘This is no big deal, just a few inquiries. Jackman’s okay with it, and we’ll be back here in no time.’
‘So what is all the urgency about?’
‘Because, believe it or not, she wanted you and I specifically to deal with it.’ He lowered his voice. ‘Apparently it needs tact and diplomacy and she thinks we’re the right people to do it.’
‘She said that? About you?’
‘As good as. In fact, yes, she did. And I think Jackman was as shocked as I was.’ He gave a rueful grin. ‘Although Jackman wasn’t quite as rude to her as I was.’
Marie gave an incredulous laugh. ‘Jackman is never rude. You on the other hand . . . Still, that’s a first, isn’t it? You and Ruth Crooke are like Sherlock and Moriarty. There has to be a catch, doesn’t t
here?
‘Oddly enough, I don’t think there is.’ He lowered his voice to a whisper. ‘It concerns the super’s niece. Now, let’s go somewhere more private and I’ll bring you up to speed.’
Carter led the way downstairs and out of the building. They could talk freely in the car.
‘You’ve seen the girl here once or twice, haven’t you? Visiting her aunt?’ Carter turned on the ignition and let the windows down.
Marie nodded. ‘Leah, isn’t it? Tall, skinny, long dark hair in a ponytail and teeth white enough to spook horses?’
‘That’s the one. She’s nineteen and studying psychology at the Fenland Uni.’
‘And?’
‘She thinks she’s being stalked.’
‘What? With those teeth?’
Carter grinned. ‘Naughty! Apparently the kid is pretty upset.’
‘Sorry. Ignore me. I’m probably just denture envious. Being stalked is horrendous, actually.’ Marie’s face darkened. She had once been in a bad situation with a man who was obsessed with her, and knew the fear it generated.
‘Yeah, so let’s go talk to her, shall we?’ He started the car. ‘Oh, and when we’ve finished tonight, do you fancy a beer on the boat?’ His tone was light, but Marie could tell that something was worrying him.
‘Now that sounds more like it.’ She smiled brightly, but her heart sank. Going to the boat meant he wanted to talk, and that meant going over it all again. Yet another harrowing evening listening to a dear friend hating himself for simply being alive.
Marie tried to concentrate on Leah’s stalker. It was far less draining.
* * *
‘It first started when I found a bunch of flowers on my doorstep.’ Leah Kingfield looked from Carter to Marie. ‘I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but now . . .’ She shrugged.
‘Was there a card with them?’ Carter asked.
She nodded. ‘It had a single X on it, and sorry, but I threw it away.’ She looked down. ‘I have a boyfriend, you see.’
‘You’re certain they weren’t from him?’ said Marie.
‘Flowers? No. Definitely not his thing. A book on parapsychological phenomena maybe, but twenty-four red roses? No way.’
Marie raised her eyebrows. ‘Two dozen! Wow. He’s no cheapskate, that’s for sure.’
Carter frowned at her. ‘When was that exactly?’
Leah picked up a sheet of paper from the coffee table in front of them. ‘Auntie Ruth told me to list everything that had happened — times, dates and places.’
‘I should have known.’ Carter smiled wryly, taking the list from her slender hand. ‘Very professional.’
Marie glanced around the flat. It was a far cry from the usual student’s grotty pad. It wasn’t quite as antiseptic as Carter’s place, but it was dusted and tidy. Marie suspected that Leah’s allowance was subsidised by her auntie, and probably stretched to a cleaner. ‘Do you live here alone?’
‘No. I have a flatmate, but she’s on holiday in the Algarve with her parents.’
‘So, you are on your own at present?’
‘Sounds pretty feeble, but actually I’m staying with Auntie Ruth until she gets back. I’ve only come here now to meet you and to grab some more clothes and things. I’m afraid all this has freaked me out a bit.’
‘It’s not feeble at all,’ said Carter. ‘It’s very sensible.’
Marie was still taking in the surroundings. Not cheap. Nice area. ‘How about CCTV?’
‘Yes, that’s weird, isn’t it? Somehow he avoided the cameras, although I have no idea how. They seem to be everywhere.’ She stood up abruptly. ‘Sorry, where are my manners? Can I get you a drink? Police officers thrive on tea, don’t they?’
They both nodded. ‘White, no sugar for both of us, thank you,’ added Carter.
Leah disappeared into the kitchen. Carter passed Marie the list and she scanned it quickly. It began with notes under her car windscreen wipers. Then amorous notes through the door, followed by a sense of being watched, then actual sightings of a shadowy lone male staring at her flat. More recently she thought that a dark van was following her every time she drove away from the apartment block. She had never been able to get close enough to see the number plate and she couldn’t identify the make and model. Now it was telephone calls. The caller never spoke but Leah was certain she could hear soft, rapid breathing down the line. The calls often came at dead of night, and it was these that scared her most of all.
Marie took her mug of tea and placed it on the coffee table. ‘Have you any idea who it could be? A jilted ex? Someone from uni? Maybe some guy who’s too shy to actually talk to you?’
Leah sat down on the sofa and drew up her long legs beneath her. ‘I’ve gone over it again and again, Detective. Auntie Ruth asked the same questions. But no, I really have no clue, and I find that very disturbing.’
Marie found it disturbing too. There was nothing normal about a stalker. It was a perverse and creepy way to approach someone. She glanced out of the big picture window and saw dense woods, close to the block of flats. Oh, great! The perfect spot for a peeping Tom. She caught Carter’s eye and nodded towards the window. He returned the nod. He’d seen it too.
Carter looked at the girl. ‘Okay, Leah. We are going to take this very seriously. I would suggest you continue to stay at your aunt’s house until we get a fix on this guy, and make sure that wherever you go, you always have someone with you. I’ll organise an officer to keep an eye on you, and we’ll both give you our direct mobile numbers. Anything scares you, don’t hesitate, call us straightaway. If he persists, we’ll see about getting your phone tapped as well. Are you happy with that?’
Leah nodded. ‘What do you think he wants?’
You really don’t want to know, thought Marie.
Carter said, ‘Probably nothing, Leah. It’s most likely just some love-struck kid with a crush on you. If you met him in the street he’d probably run a mile, too scared to even speak to you.’
A love-struck kid with enough spare cash for two dozen best red roses? He’s a pervert, and if he goes according to pattern, he won’t stop at a bit of heavy breathing down the phone. Marie gathered up a reassuring smile. ‘I’m sure Sergeant McLean here is quite right. We’ll catch the little sod, give him a blistering ear-bashing and you’ll never hear from him again.’
Carter stood up. ‘So, if you’d like to grab your things, we’ll follow you back to your aunt’s place. Okay?’
Marie wondered just how much of their crap Leah had actually believed. Very little, probably. She looked like a smart kid. She was studying psychology, after all. No, she would know the score as well as they did. They’d sounded so patronising! Marie opened the door, wishing they’d told Leah the truth. At least she would know exactly where she stood. Even if it was a horrible place to be.
* * *
Jackman spent the rest of the day trying to understand how Suzanne Holland’s life fitted together. It wasn’t easy.
Robbie Melton was by far the most committed officer on this particular case. He seemed to have taken it up as a personal crusade. Well, Jackman wasn’t complaining. Max and Charlie both disliked old cases. They wanted the adrenalin charge of fresh evidence, witnesses that actually remembered something.
Unsolved cases were tedious to begin with, until the moment when you uncovered something new, and then everything changed.
So far they had found nothing, apart from a dipsomaniac ex-husband, who was always too drunk to speak to them.
Jackman looked at the clock. End of play. Maybe tomorrow something new would come to light.
* * *
Stone Quay was a lonely spot, and rarely visited. It sat on a wide stretch of the Westland River, miles from anywhere. Years ago there had been a small boatyard here. Now it was deserted, and the only building left standing was tumbledown and windowless.
And the only remaining boat was an ancient lifeboat called the Eva May. She was a Liverpool Class vessel, built in the 1930s and
had been a fine rescue boat. In her day, she had braved mountainous seas and terrifying storms to bring both survivors and her brave crew home to safety.
Not that she was actually in the river. She stood raised up on heavy wooden support trestles, waiting for the summons to set off back into the water.
Carter and Marie sat together on the smooth, sanded wood of the aft deck with bottles of craft beer. The sun was setting in the western sky, staining it with dazzling streaks of lilac, pink and flame orange.
‘If I were the super, I’d be well worried about my niece,’ said Marie.
‘Even more worrying because she’s a police officer’s niece, isn’t it?’
‘Sure is. Threats to families aren’t common, but there are some nasty bastards out there, and I’ll bet Ruth Crooke has thrown an awful lot of them in the slammer in her time.’
Carter nodded. ‘Yeah. She may not be my favourite person — in fact I wouldn’t piss on her if she was on fire — but she’s made her fair share of good arrests. If I had kids, I’d be shit-scared for their welfare. I must say I was surprised by Leah. She’s nice, isn’t she? Nothing like her aunt.’
‘I know the super can be a battle-axe, Carter, but I find her fair enough. I always feel she’s on my side in a crisis.’
‘Good, and that’s how it should be. It’s an old grudge, Marie, and it’s to do with me, no one else. Let’s not go there, huh?’
Marie nodded and sipped her beer.
For a while they sat in companionable silence, and Marie began to hope that all Carter wanted was to enjoy the peace of a summer’s evening out on the river.
‘I know what Ray wants me to do,’ Carter broke the silence.
Ah, here it comes, she thought.
‘He has a nest egg, and he wants me to find it and give it to his fiancée, Joanne.’
‘Sounds simple enough. Why the long face?’
‘Because I don’t know where it is.’
‘Mmm, I see the problem.’
‘He said it wasn’t in his own name, so that indicates a bank or a savings account of some kind. So how could an ordinary, honest bloke like Ray get himself another name?’
Marie shrugged. ‘Simple enough, if it was really important to him.’