Retriever of Souls

by Lorraine Mace

  “We had a fight and Larry got mad at me. I think he’s having an affair, Barbara. He’s always going out without telling me where he’s going and leaving me to cash up. I got fed up last night and when he came back I told him I wasn’t going to take it anymore and he freaked. Started chucking stuff around upstairs in the flat and when I tried to leave... well, you can see what happened when I tried to leave.”

  “You can’t stay with him, Sharon. Not if he’s hitting you again.”

  “I drove him to it. He didn’t mean it. He’s a good man really, Barbara. I know you don’t think so, but he is. He wouldn’t have hit me if I hadn’t kept on at him. He was so sorry this morning when he woke up and realised what he’d done.”

  Barbara was furious, but before she could say anything more a customer on the other side of the bar called for a refill. By the time Sharon came back Barbara had an argument well prepared. Sharon could stay with her for as long as she needed to. No way would she let Larry anywhere near Sharon, but she never got a chance to outline her plans for Sharon’s future because the door opened and Larry came in, peering out from behind a massive bouquet of roses. He walked up to the bar and handed them over to Sharon with a flourish.

  “These are for my special girl.” He turned to Barbara. “Did she tell you about her fall? Frightened me half to death, it did, seeing her lying at the bottom of the stairs. Still, she seems to be okay now. We don’t usually see you in here at the weekend. You want something to eat? Now I’m back Sharon can rustle you up something, no problem.”

  Barbara’s phone rang, saving her from having to answer Larry, which was just as well because he wouldn’t have liked what she had to say. More to the point, she might make things worse for Sharon. She sighed, snapped open her phone and turned away from Larry to take the call.

  “What? It’s the weekend. Why me? Oh, okay. Ja, I’ll get there as soon as I can.”

  She slipped the phone into her handbag and gathered up her shopping.

  “I have to go,” she said, “but I’ll be back later. Chat then.”

  Barbara could only hope that Sharon realised the last bit was aimed at her. She had to find a way to help Sharon stand up to Larry and stop being his punch bag.

  ***

  The illegal dump site was on the western boundary of Bradchester; right next to the open countryside. The view of rolling hills and trees was marred by only one thing, the mountain of black bags, rotting mattresses, broken televisions, fridges and computers. The pile was finished off with an assortment of plastic garden furniture, which looked as if it could come toppling down if the swirling gusts battering the garbage heap were any stronger. Paolo stood upwind, away from the stench, to question the council worker who’d found the dead woman, while Barbara and her team worked with the body.

  “How long has this been here?” he asked, pointing to the mass of refuse.

  “The council have known about it for six months or more, but we only started clearing this week. People have been complaining, but you know what the council’s like, never do nuffink if they can get away with it. They said with the budget cuts, there was no money to pay us lot overtime. That’s what they always say. No money, no overtime. Simple as that.”

  “If that’s the case, how come you’re working today? Why not send you out during the week?”

  “They did,” the man said with a grin, “the pile was twice as high a few days back. It’s been classified as a health hazard, so now the tight bastards at the top have to pay us to work non-stop until it’s cleared. Good for us, this is. I’m putting the extra towards a nice holiday for me family.”

  Paolo took the man’s details and moved over to where Dave was chatting to the young WPC who’d been first on the scene. Paolo smiled. From the look on Dave’s face, it didn’t appear as if this was one of his partner’s easy conquests. It looked more like a full-scale argument had erupted, so Paolo stopped to enjoy the sight of Dave being given a tongue lashing by a slight figure who barely reached his shoulder. Maybe the idiot would learn that not all women would fall at his feet. This one looked like she’d rather chop them off. The wind changed direction and a few words drifted across, just on the edge of Paolo’s hearing.

  “...she lied. I never did...” Dave said, sounding really pissed off.

  “That’s exactly right, Mr I’m an important policeman, she said you couldn’t...”

  “... fuck you...”

  “Rebecca says... can’t... up,” the WPC said, grinning at Dave who’d flushed a vivid fiery red.

  Paolo decided it was time to step in. He pulled his phone out and opened it. Holding it to his ear, he spoke loudly enough for Dave and the WPC to look up.

  “Hmm, yes, that’s right. Thanks for the call.”

  The WPC glared at Dave and moved away. Paolo walked over and stood next to his partner, waiting until the WPC was out of earshot.

  “This is your last warning, Dave. I catch you using a crime scene as a dating agency just one more time and you are off my team. Do I make myself clear?”

  Dave nodded and turned away, but Paolo thought he saw a tear fall down the man’s face. Considering how insensitive Dave usually was, that seemed really out of character and Paolo regretted speaking as harshly as he had.

  Dave turned back, wiping away the tear. “Bloody wind makes my eyes water every time.”

  “Here comes Dr Royston,” Paolo said, glad of the chance to change the subject. “Shall we find out what she’s got to say about our latest victim?”

  Paolo waited for the pathologist to reach him. Remembering their last encounter, he prayed she would give him a break. He didn’t think he could cope with any more disapproving looks today.

  “What can you tell us?” he asked, determined to keep his voice light and friendly.

  “Not much until I get her back to the lab.” As Paolo opened his mouth, she continued. “No! Don’t ask. I don’t have any instant answers and I don’t want to start making guesses just to give you something to write in your report. The only thing I’m sure of is that this body has been here for quite some time. Weeks, possibly longer, which means she was killed before the other two. Make of that whatever you want. I was hoping to have some time to myself this weekend and I’m not in the best of moods, so unless you really want me to let rip at you, it might be best to stop asking bloody silly questions that you know as well as I do I can’t answer.”

  As she stormed off Dave’s mouth dropped open. “Blimey, what rattled her cage?”

  Paolo sighed. “I have no idea, but right now a monastery with really high walls and padlocked gates sounds like the safest place for me to be. Have I got hate me written across my forehead?”

  CHAPTER 7

  After a weekend spent alone, despite several ineffective calls trying to make it up with Katy, Paolo was relieved when Monday finally came round and he was able to go to the station without anyone asking him why he was working when he should have been enjoying his time off. His tiny bedsit felt more like a prison cell than the cells in the nick, so he’d escaped the place on Sunday by going to work. Maybe he should just move into the station and be done with it.

  He walked along the corridor leading to his section, wondering if he’d ever get his problems with Lydia sorted out. Surely, to remain so angry with him after all this time must mean she still had feelings for him?

  He stopped dead as he reached his office. Bloody hell, this was just what he needed on a Monday morning. Talk about the worst possible start to the week! Leaning against the wall was Matthew Roberts.

  Matthew smiled at Paolo as if they were friends, making Paolo’s head throb with anger.

  “What the bloody hell are you doing in here? Who let you in?”

  Matthew laughed. “Which question would you like me to answer first, Paolo? I’m here to stop you from harassing my client. Your desk sergeant let me in to wait for you. Aren’t you going to invite me inside, or do you chat to all your visitors in the corridor?”

  Paolo unlocked his
office door and gestured for Matthew to go ahead.

  “Where would you like me to sit? Your chair looks more comfortable than that rickety old thing,” he said, pointing to the visitor’s chair.

  Paolo didn’t bother to reply. He moved behind the desk and sat down. “Well, I haven’t got all day. Why are you here?”

  Matthew sauntered over. “Hmm, I hope the stains on the seat aren’t fresh,” he said as he sat down. “Paolo, we’ve known each other for too long to play games. Let’s not mess around with the niceties. Either you leave my client alone, or I’m going to go after you with everything I’ve got. Frank Azzopardi has many, shall we say, less than savoury activities, but that doesn’t mean you can drop in and threaten him whenever the mood takes you. He tells me you and your latest sidekick accused him of murder. I was under the impression no charges had been brought against him involving the Albanian prostitute – and also that the CPS didn’t intend to bring charges in the near future. But maybe I was hallucinating that day.”

  “She’s dead, Matthew. That’s why she disappeared and her disappearance meant the CPS had no case to bring. Now, if you take into account the fact that she died before she could testify against Azzopardi, doesn’t that seem a little suspect to you? It did to me, so I thought I’d have a nice, friendly chat with him to ask about his movements.”

  Matthew stood up. “Now that you’ve had your chat, just bear in mind that the next time you visit Frank at home, or at any of his businesses, you’d better come armed with a warrant, because he isn’t going to let you in to have, as you put it, a nice, friendly chat without one. Now that we’ve got that over and done with, how’s Katy doing? I hear she’s causing a few raised eyebrows at school.”

  “How do you know about that? Don’t tell me it’s got as far as the school board?”

  “No, it hasn’t, not yet at any rate, but Father Gregory mentioned her behaviour to me privately. He seems to think it might become a school board matter and, as chairman, I would have a strong voice in any decision that was made.”

  “Are you threatening me through my family?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous, Paolo. It was a genuine desire on my part to let you know that Katy’s place at the school is in danger unless she changes her attitude. You need to talk to her. Don’t let your approach to God cause Katy to lose her way. That’s meant as a friendly warning. Telling you to stay away from my client is a non-friendly warning.”

  Matthew smiled and walked to the open door just as Dave arrived. Matthew stood to one side to let the other man pass into Paolo’s office, then he turned back.

  “See you at the next fund raiser,” he said, smiling in a way that made Paolo’s hands itch to punch him right between the eyes.

  “I didn’t know you two were on social terms, sir,” Dave said as Matthew strolled away.

  “We’re not,” Paolo snapped. “He’s on the board of my daughter’s school. We bump into each other occasionally and it’s always too often for me.”

  “Apart from the fact that he represents Azzopardi, what have you got against him? He sounded friendly enough towards you.”

  “You don’t think his dealing with that piece of shit is reason enough for me to dislike him? It’s his hypocrisy that gets to me. Mr Perfect. He dresses right, says all the right things, and yet he is happy in the company of trash like Azzopardi.”

  Paolo knew he was irrational when it came to Matthew Roberts. The man was everything Paolo wasn’t – successful, in control of his life, admired. He made Paolo feel like a complete failure by comparison – and, if he was honest with himself, always had done.

  Dave shifted across from the doorway and sat down. “He has a point about Azzopardi, though, sir. That prostitute you spoke to said Lisa Boxer might have been lying about who attacked her.”

  “She might have been lying and so might that prostitute who was ready to say anything to get her next fix. One way to find out is to lean on Lisa’s pimp. We didn’t need to look for him while Lisa was alive, but if she was put up to making a false claim, and I’m not convinced yet that she was, then finding her pimp is a priority now. Get on to it, Dave. When you find him, invite him down here to chat.”

  Dave nodded, but didn’t move. He opened his mouth as if he had something to say, then closed it again. Paolo waited.

  “Sir, I, er, do you mind if I have a word?”

  Paolo nodded. Now what?

  “Look, I know we didn’t get off on quite the right foot. You think I’m being looked after by my uncle, but I’m not. I’m here on merit, sir.”

  For the first time that morning Paolo felt like smiling. At last, a breakthrough. “I’ve never doubted that, Dave. If I’d thought otherwise, I wouldn’t have taken you on my team.”

  “But you don’t like me.”

  “I don’t need to like you. I need to be able to trust you to do your job. I don’t like your attitude at times, or the way you treat women, and I don’t like the way you use crime scenes to find new conquests. Other than that, you’re a good copper. So, if you keep your personal life out of the job, we’ll get on better. Okay?”

  Dave looked relieved. “Okay, sir,” he said, standing up. “I’ll go and find the pimp. I don’t suppose anyone is up and about yet over in that part of town, but I can hammer on a few doors.”

  “You can swap places with me if you don’t want that job. I’m off to the autopsy of our fragrant corpse.” Paolo laughed at the expression of horror on Dave’s face. “Don’t fancy that?”

  “Christ, no! Good luck with that one.”

  ***

  Barbara spoke into her dictaphone machine, recording the minute details of the victim’s death and only glanced across at Paolo when she’d finished. She signalled to her team to tidy up and pulled off her gloves. As she walked towards the door, she nodded to Paolo to follow her. There was no need to stay with the body; they could talk outside where the air was fresher.

  She led the way to her office and moved behind the wide mahogany desk. Every inch of it was covered with paperwork. Folders stacked on top of each other made a paper leaning tower of Pisa. They looked as if the slightest nudge would send them toppling to the ground, but Barbara knew from experience that they were safer than they looked.

  She flopped into her chair and motioned for Paolo to sit opposite. She deserved some eye candy after what she’d seen this morning and looking at Paolo was no penance, that was for sure.

  “This one was older than the other two, by quite a bit. I’d estimate her age to be at about fifty-one, fifty-two – early fifties anyway. But that’s the only significant difference between her and the others.”

  Paolo nodded. He was writing as she spoke and she watched his hands, allowing herself to remember how good they’d felt on her skin. He looked up and she flushed at the questioning look on his face. Damn it, she’d been so engrossed in her memories, she’d stopped speaking.

  “Sorry,” she said, “I was miles away. Thinking of something else. From the point of view of when this occurred, I’d say three months ago, give or take a few days. She’d been there quite some time, but the long hard winter we’ve had, plus the fact that this month has been bitter, has helped to preserve her remains. Such as they are. You need to catch this one pretty quick, Paolo. He’s really sick the way he goes at these women.”

  He nodded. “I know that. He’ll be working on another one soon unless we can find him first. Trouble is, if it isn’t Azzopardi, I have no idea where to even start looking.”

  Barbara wanted to reach across the desk and wipe the frown from his brow. Instead she gripped her hands tightly together in her lap, where Paolo couldn’t see them.

  “...and so I’ll be off.”

  “Sorry, what did you say?” Barbara asked. “I missed that last part.”

  “Are you okay, Barbs?”

  “Don’t call me that. I’ve told you often enough I don’t like it.”

  “Barbara, please, let’s clear the air once and for all. I...”

&
nbsp; Barbara forced herself to smile. “Paolo, if I’m honest, I read more into our night together than you did. I don’t usually sleep with someone I’m not romantically involved with and, I don’t know, I suppose I just wanted it to mean more than it did.”

  Paolo reached forward and took her hand. Why the bloody hell couldn’t her heart beat normally? Surely he could hear it pounding? Just to make matters worse, he smiled. He had the most gorgeous smile.

  “Barbara, it meant something to me, don’t think it didn’t, but you knew how I felt about Lydia. We’d spent most of that night talking about her. It’s not as if I pretended I was over my marriage. I know you most probably won’t believe this, but you are the only woman I’ve slept with since I first met Lydia – and I’ve known her since my teen years. I’m sorry, Barbara, really sorry. I should never have let it happen, but I don’t regret that night, apart from hurting you, of course.”

  She pulled her hand away, but gently so that he wouldn’t think she was still mad at him. “It’s okay. But you behaved like a jerk afterwards. That was the problem; you avoided me and I felt like I’d been used. That’s a crap feeling for any woman.”

  “Jesus, Barbara, I’m sorry. The next day I was called out first thing to work the Standerton case. Remember how bad that was? The entire force was working flat out for a month. I barely slept for the first three weeks and then, when I had time and tried to call you, you wouldn’t take my calls.”

  Barbara sighed. “I know. I wanted to speak to you and I didn’t want to speak to you. It was easier to think of you as a bastard than to hear you say what you’ve just said. I knew how you felt about Lydia. I just didn’t want to hear it. Sorry, Paolo. Pax?”

  Paolo stood and walked around to her side of the desk. “Is it okay to hug you?”

  Barbara smiled; trust him to ask such a stupid question. “Sure, why not?” She stood up and leaned into his open arms.

  “I’m sorry, Barbara. Friends?” he said.

  She hugged him back and tried not to want more, but it wasn’t working. “Ja, of course we’re friends. Go on, get back to work. We’re fine.”