by M A Comley
“You’re a good person, Inspector. I can tell that by the gentle manner you have.”
Kayli winked. “Just don’t tell my team what a soft touch I am. I’d never get any work out of them if they discovered that. Look after yourself and keep your strength up.”
“I’ll do my best. It was lovely to meet you. I feel confident the right person is in charge of my father’s case and his destiny.”
“Speak soon.” Kayli left the house and jumped back in the car. She checked in with Dave and then had a sudden need to ring Mark. She dialled his mobile and put it on speakerphone while she drove back to the station. “Hello, you. How’s it going?”
“Kayli, I’m going to have to ring you back. I’m en route to a job interview at present. I need to keep my head clear, if that’s all right?”
“That’s wonderful news. Give me a call later to tell me how you got on. Good luck. I love you.”
“Thanks. I love you too,” Mark said, sounding a little distracted.
Kayli ended the call with mixed feelings, wondering if he was being deliberately evasive about what job he was being interviewed for. The thought crossed her mind to ring her father, but she stopped herself. Mark would have a fit if she went behind his back to find out. She would just have to wait and see what the outcome of the interview was when she got home that evening.
She drove back to the station on autopilot then walked through the reception area and up the stairs to the incident room without seeing or acknowledging any of her colleagues, which was unusual for her. When she arrived, she found Donna standing at the whiteboard, noting down the information they had gathered so far on the case.
“Hi. Are you okay, boss?” Dave asked as she swept past him in a daze.
“Huh? Sorry, yes. All is well with me. What have you managed to find out in my absence?”
Donna smiled at her then pointed at the names she had written on the board. “Our main man, Bob Nuttall, is thirty-five. He’s been in and out of prison since his early twenties.”
“For what?” Kayli asked, perching on the desk beside her.
“Mainly stealing cars, some of which were used in subsequent robberies. Others, he sold on to unsuspecting garages. And the biggie is that he was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer who was trying to arrest him.”
Kayli’s eyes narrowed. “The nasty piece of shit. That snippet alone makes me even more determined to find him. Any news from the uniformed officers at the scene on that, Dave?”
Her partner shook his head. “Not heard anything yet. Do you want me to chase it up?”
“Let’s give them half an hour then ring them. Damn, why didn’t I realise there was a bloody fire escape he could use?”
“You can’t blame yourself,” Dave said.
“Easier said than done. You know what a perfectionist I am.”
“Yeah, I think we all know that by now. To the point of being anal about it. Give yourself a break. We’ll find the bastard soon enough.”
Kayli turned sharply to look at him. “Anal? Did you really say that about me?”
Dave’s cheeks coloured up under her scrutinising glare. “A figure of speech,” he replied uncertainly.
Kayli’s smile made him let out a relieved breath. “You can be so gullible at times.” Turning back to Donna, she said, “Okay, I’m glad you put him at the top of the suspect list. I think we’re onto something with him. Why else would he run? What have you got on the others?”
“We have Nigel Hawkins, aged forty. Also spent most of his time in and out of prison on relatively minor offences, which include an attempted robbery at a small supermarket and ABH on a bouncer a few years ago.”
“Nice to know that the rehabilitation these guys receive inside is working… not! More taxpayers’ money wasted by the system. Don’t get me started on that topic, for God’s sake. Next one, Donna?”
Donna pointed at the third name she had written on the board. “Stuart Rawlinson. He’s fifty, mostly banged up for pickpocketing, seen as being more of an opportunist rather than a hardened criminal, I guess.”
“He didn’t really strike me as being a man capable of harming anyone else, if I’m honest. Next?”
“Michael Beech. He’s forty-three. He’s been inside for minor crimes over the years, such as shoplifting. On one occasion, he nicked a complete woman’s outfit, including all the underwear, from a major store on the high street.”
“Not Marks and Spencer’s?”
Donna nodded.
“At least he has good taste in underwear. That’s where I buy most of my stuff.”
Dave cleared his throat. “Umm… too much information, boss. Not sure I’ll be able to shift the image you’ve just conjured up in my mind now.”
Kayli rolled her eyes at Donna. “Let’s ignore him. Anything else? There are six flats at the house. One of those was inhabited by a young woman with a baby, Colleen Porter, if I remember rightly. Do we know who lives in the other flat?”
“I’m aware of Colleen. Do you want me to add her to the list?”
“Might as well, Donna.”
The constable added the name and put a ring around it like she had to the others on the board. “She has no significant other. Lives alone with the child on welfare.”
“Any prior record?”
“Nothing of interest. She was arrested for being abusive to an officer whilst she was drunk, but the charges were later dropped.”
“Fair enough. That leaves just the one flat unaccounted for.”
“I have the name Lee Russell. His record goes back a while. He was found guilty of robbing a warehouse. Since then, he’s kept his nose clean.”
“Good job, Donna. It makes things a whole lot clearer from the outset. Can you do me a favour and start delving into the family’s background now? Anita Potts is Paul’s daughter. There are two stepchildren, as well, Sharon and Dylan Potts. They took on his name when Anita and Paul got married. I haven’t had the privilege of meeting either of them yet, but Anita was beside herself earlier when I called at the house.”
“On it now, boss.” Donna marched back to her desk and began tapping at the keys on her keyboard.
Kayli’s mobile rang. She answered it on the second ring. “DI Bright.”
“Hello, ma’am. This is Constable Lockard. We met earlier. Just wanted to inform you that we’ve had no luck at the scene. Even the dog didn’t pick up a scent. The K9 officer said if that was the case, it usually means the suspect escaped from the area in a vehicle.”
“Damn! Thanks for letting me know.” Kayli ended the call. “No sign of Nuttall at the scene. Dave, do me a favour and get on to DVLA. See what car he drives, then issue an alert for it.”
“Will do. Will it be worth calling on the media for help?”
Kayli chewed her lip. “I know he’s on the run, but that doesn’t mean that he’s guilty of anything yet. For all we know, he could owe a loan shark money, and that’s who he thought was at his door.” She threw her arms up in the air and pushed herself off the desk. “I don’t know. I’m just playing devil’s advocate there. I think we’ll play it cool for now, try and trace his car and him, then go from there. Agreed?”
“Agreed. I’ll let you know when I’ve got the information to hand.”
Kayli walked over to Graeme. “Any news on the CCTV or the ANPRs for Potts’s car?”
“Nothing yet. That area is super busy with vehicles.”
“Stick with it, Graeme. Let me know as soon as you have anything. I’ll be in my office, guys.” Kayli stopped off at the vending machine to get her regular fix of caffeine then sat at her desk, weeding through her paperwork for the next hour or so until Dave knocked on her door. “Come in. What have you found? Anything?”
Dave hobbled towards the chair and dropped into it. “I managed to trace Nuttall’s car. Can’t imagine he’ll get very far. He drives an old car. An Opel Manta. Not many of those around nowadays, I can tell you.”
“That’s great news. I
t should mean he’ll be easy to track down then, right?”
Dave hitched up a shoulder. “You’d think so, unless he hides out somewhere and places the car in a garage.”
Kayli pulled a face. “Not sure that’s a likely scenario, Dave. Have you circulated the details?”
“Yep, just done it. Is there anything else you want me to do?”
Kayli looked at her watch. It was almost five thirty. “I think we’ve done enough for one day between us. I say we wrap things up and get ready to leave at six.”
“Fine by me. Do you want to start early in the morning?”
“Let’s get here around eight thirty. Ask the team if they concur. Thank them all for their effort today. I’ll just work my way through the rest of this crap and be on my way.”
“See you tomorrow, then.” Dave leaned on his crutches to stand up.
“Have a good evening.”
“You too.”
After completing her paperwork, Kayli walked through the deserted office, switched off the lights for the evening and left the station. She rang Mark’s mobile before she pulled out of the car park. “Hi, only me. I’m on my way home now. We discussed getting a takeaway this morning. Any idea what you fancy? Chinese or Indian?”
“Nothing. Dinner is all in hand. I picked something up on the way home. Just get home soon. I miss you.”
Her heart melted. “I’ll be twenty minutes. How did the interview go?”
“Impatient, as always. I’ll let you know when you get home.”
“All right. See you soon.”
Kayli placed her mobile on the passenger seat and selected first gear. The traffic was dying down at this time of night, thankfully, an added bonus for deciding to delay her departure. She couldn’t wait to see Mark again.
She parked the car outside their two-bed terraced house and rushed up the path. Entering the house, she slipped off her shoes in the hallway before making her way through the lounge and into the kitchen. “Wow! What’s all this?”
The table was laid with a deep-red tablecloth, and two glasses of red wine adorned two place settings. In the middle of the table was a huge bunch of bright-coloured flowers.
Mark walked towards her, his arms outstretched, ready for her to step into. “I thought I’d spoil my princess for a change. You always look after me so well. I’m just repaying the compliment.”
“You shouldn’t have. I don’t expect this from you, Mark.”
“I know you don’t. I’m glad you’re surprised.” He kissed her then pulled out a chair at the table. “Would madam care to take a seat? Dinner will be a few more minutes. Enjoy a glass of wine while you wait.”
“Blimey, a girl could get used to this. Dinner smells divine. What are we having?”
“Nothing too fancy. A nice piece of steak I picked up from the butcher’s down the road. He gave me strict instructions on how to cook it so I didn’t mess it up. By the looks of things, I think I’ve done a grand job. Oops, I better get back to it before I tempt fate.”
“You’re the best, Mark. I wasn’t expecting this. It’s such a lovely surprise to come home to.”
“Good. Life should all be about surprising the ones you love now and again. We have a lot to be thankful for, right?”
She smiled lovingly at him. “We do indeed. You haven’t told me how the interview went.”
“Ssh… let’s eat dinner first.”
She narrowed her eyes as she watched him turn the steak in the pan and press it down with his fork. He then opened the oven, removed the pan of chips and set it on the top of the stove. He expertly plated up the meal under her watchful gaze. She felt so proud of him. He’d never even knocked up an omelette for her in the past, let alone attempted a proper dinner—a steak dinner, at that.
He deposited the plate in front of her and kissed her cheek. “I hope it tastes as good as it looks. Enjoy.”
“It looks and smells wonderful.”
“Fillet steak with a creamy mustard sauce, oven chips, peas, mushrooms and tomatoes, m’lady.”
“Gosh, maybe you should take over cooking the meals. It’s a darn sight better than anything I could tempt you with.”
His gaze dropped to the table.
“Mark? What is it?”
He lifted his head and smiled warmly. “Just eat your meal before it gets cold. We’ll talk afterwards. How was your day at work?”
Hmm… a swift change of subject. What the hell is going on? Rather than put a dampener on the evening, she decided to play along with him. “Tricky case we’ve taken on, but then, aren’t they all to begin with?”
“I have every confidence in you and your team uncovering the facts. What is it? A murder case?”
She swallowed the piece of succulent steak before she replied. “No. It’s a missing persons case at present. However, we have a list of suspects who all have extremely dodgy pasts, and one of them is on the run, which has obviously raised our suspicions.”
“Daft thing to do. I wouldn’t want a ballsy character like you on my tail. That’s for sure. The idiot has no idea what he’s let himself in for. I hope you catch him soon. I take it the runner is a male?”
“He is. We’ve put an alert out on his car.” She sipped her wine. “This is scrummy. You can definitely cook this again.”
“I don’t mind doing it on special occasions, if you let me.”
“You won’t get any arguments from me.” They ate the rest of the meal in a satisfied silence, each of them savouring the quality of the meat.
Once they had finished, Mark ordered Kayli to stay put. He removed the plates and walked over to the fridge, where he extracted two tall glasses. Kayli tried to work out what the dessert was but failed.
“What is it?” she asked, peering into the glass.
“Summer fruit fool.” He smiled triumphantly. “Yeah, I know, but it’s the middle of winter. The butcher had a packet of summer fruits in his freezer and threw them in free of charge. He told me to add either cream or natural yoghurt, and voila! This is the result.”
“You never cease to amaze me. What did you go for in the end? Cream or yoghurt?” She dipped her spoon in and tasted a mouthful. “Cream, right? Bang goes my diet for the day.”
Mark tutted. “You’re still too skinny anyway. You could do with fattening up a little. Yes, it’s cream. Is it good?”
“Scrummy. Hey, you’ll be entering MasterChef on the TV soon if you keep this up.”
“Hardly. I’ll definitely take that as a compliment, though. Eat up.”
They finished their dessert, then Kayli insisted she should do the washing up while Mark put his feet up in the lounge. During her chores, she rehearsed how she should broach the subject again about his interview. The last thing she wanted to do was to put a dampener on the perfect evening.
She heard him laughing at a programme on Sky as she cleared the last of the dishes away. Taking her glass of wine and the rest of the bottle, she walked into the lounge and slipped onto the sofa beside him. Mark flung an arm around her shoulder and continued to laugh at the comedy show. Kayli felt nervous, eager to find out what was going on, but too worried to raise the subject. They sat like that until the show ended. Then she reached for the control and switched off the TV.
“Hey, I was watching that.”
Kayli shook her head. “I need to hear how you got on today, Mark. Don’t keep me in suspense any longer.”
He tried to tug her against him for a cuddle, but she pulled back and remained upright. “All right. God, you can be such a stubborn…”
“You were about to say?”
“Stubborn mule. Although yes, I was tempted to call you something far worse.”
“Sticks and stones, matey. Get on with it.”
He took a sip of his wine, yet another form of delay. Kayli took the glass from his hand and placed it on the coffee table in front of them. “Speak.”
He swept a hand over his face. “You’ll be pleased to know that I got the job. That means I can co
ntribute to the household expenses once again.”
She nodded slowly. “Okay, that’s good. Now tell me what the job is. Why are you being so evasive, Mark? I’m not going to like this, am I?”
“I’m not sure.” He inhaled a deep breath.
Kayli swiped at his chest. “Tell me,” she ordered through gritted teeth, her patience finally snapping.
He looked ahead of him and announced, “I’m going to be a bouncer at the nightclub in town.”
Her heart sank. “Oh crap! You’re kidding me!”
“Nope. It’s a temporary measure until something more suitable comes along. Anyway, don’t blame me. Blame your dad. He’s the one who put my name forward.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be having a quiet word in his ear. This means that we’ll never see each other. We’ll be working opposite shifts.”
“Bear with me, Kayli. You know what they say: it’s far better to get employment if you’re already employed.”
Kayli collapsed against his chest. “I know. We’ll both scour the job-vacant ads to find something more suitable. Bloody hell, a bouncer. At the club in town, the StarGazer?”
“That’s the one.”
“Jesus, we get more calls about that place than any other establishment in town. It attracts trouble like a bloody magnet. Did they say why they have a vacancy?”
“The previous bouncer moved on. That’s all the manager would tell me. I’m sorry, love. It’s not the best start to married life. Look at it this way—at least I won’t be under your feet all the time around here.”
Kayli sat upright. “I think I’d prefer it if you were under my feet.”
He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “You know you don’t mean that. Let’s give it a chance. A month at the most. If we both feel the same after that, I’ll jack it in. How’s that?”
“Okay, that’s fair enough.”
The topic was forgotten after that, and they spent the rest of the evening snuggled up on the sofa, sipping their wine.
CHAPTER FOUR