Collide-O-Scope (Norfolk Coast Investigation Stories Book 1)

by Andrea Bramhall

  “Right-o lads, fetch it up here, then, and we’ll get it bagged.”

  Kate watched as they recorded the find and sealed it in an evidence bag. “Do you think you’ll be able to figure out what kind of weapon was used now?”

  Wild studied the remains of the camera. “Yes. It’ll take me a day or two, mind.”

  “Is there a memory card in there?”

  He flicked open a small flap with the camera still sealed in the bag, peered through the plastic, and then closed the flap again. “There is, but after twenty-four hours submerged, I wouldn’t hold out much hope of getting anything off it.”

  “I won’t. But if you can, I’d be forever grateful.”

  “I’ll see what we can do.” He stood up and started walking. “Let me get you that key and diary. See if you can make anything of those numbers.”

  CHAPTER 10

  Gina put the plate down in front of Sammy and sat down to her own lunch. The girl sniffed, wiped her nose on her sleeve, and picked up a square of cheese on toast.

  “Use a handkerchief, not your sleeve.”

  “Don’t got one.”

  “You don’t have one, and, yes, you do,” Gina corrected. “You have several, in fact. Hidden somewhere in your bedroom. After lunch you will go and find one.”

  “But—”

  “Do not argue with me, Samantha.”

  Sammy’s lower lip quivered and she poked at the melted cheese with a grubby finger. Gina sighed, Sammy hadn’t left her room all day, but somehow she’d still managed to get dirty.

  “What’s wrong?”

  “Nuffink.”

  “Don’t lie to me, Sammy.”

  Sammy dropped her uneaten piece of toast back onto her plate. “I heard you tell Dad to leave me alone.”

  Gina sighed. She hadn’t been looking forward to this conversation. As much of a prat as Matt was, Sammy idolised him. Not surprising, since he spoiled her with guns, take-aways, and sweets at every opportunity.

  “Yes, I did. Do you know why I did that?”

  Sammy nodded. “’Cos I killed Connie.” She pushed her plate away, folded her arms on the table, and laid her head on them. Sobs racked her body, and Gina slid from her seat, kneeling next to her, she tugged a reluctant Sammy into her arms.

  “No, sweetie. I didn’t tell him to stay away to punish you.” She rubbed her back to soothe her as she had since she was a small baby. It was an action that was comforting to both of them. “I don’t blame you for what happened yesterday.”

  “Then why can’t I see him anymore? He’s my dad.”

  “Yes, he is. But he’s not a good influence for you. After yesterday, you can understand that, right?”

  Sammy nodded against her neck. “But I love him.”

  “I know. And he loves you too. That’s a good thing. And maybe when you’re older you can spend time with him again.”

  “When?”

  “I don’t know, sweetie. When you don’t have to be dependent on him to look after you if you’re with him.”

  “So when I’m like, ten or something?”

  Gina smiled. “Maybe a bit older than that. Maybe sixteen or twenty-one.”

  “Mum, that’s a million years away.”

  “No, it’s not.” She tugged Sammy away from her and looked into her eyes. “Your dad should never have let you use his gun. He should never have put you in the position where yesterday could have happened. Do you understand that?”

  Sammy nodded, fat tears rolling down her cheeks.

  “But he did. Then he should have met you like he promised. But he didn’t. Instead he left you to deal with a situation you couldn’t possibly be expected to deal with on your own.”

  “He didn’t know.”

  “I don’t care. He should have been there like he promised. It’s just one more in a string of promises he’s broken to you. One more time he’s let you down. But this time, he can’t make this mistake right. He can’t make this up to you. He doesn’t protect you, so I have to. Right now, you’re not old enough to protect yourself.” She ruffled Sammy’s hair. “That’s my job.”

  “I’m not a little kid anymore, Mum. I can look after myself.”

  “I know you think so—and I know you’re not going to like this—but, no, you can’t. You’re nine years old, and I intend for you to remain a child as long as possible. So, until you can keep yourself out of the trouble he can get you in, he can’t be around you.”

  “So you’re punishing him not me?”

  Gina thought about that for a second. Was she doing this to make Matt suffer? Did she want to make him pay the price of his stupidity, given that she and Sammy were going to have to live with the consequences of his poor choices for the rest of their lives? Maybe. Could she admit that to Sammy? Hell, no. “No, sweetie. I’m doing this to protect you. It has nothing to do with him. It’s all about protecting you. I would do anything to make sure that nothing ever hurts you, or makes you feel sad, or bad.” She wiped the tears from Sammy’s cheeks. “I didn’t do a very good job of protecting you from your dad.”

  “But I love him.”

  “I know, sweetie. I know.” Doubts assuaged her constantly. Was she doing the right thing by keeping Sammy and Matt apart? Her head said yes, but her heart ached as she cuddled Sammy. What Sammy had described to her was an accident. Would Social Services really take her away for that? She couldn’t be sure. One thing she was sure of is that the investigation would delve into every aspect of her life. Of Matt’s life. And they would keep her away from Matt anyway. That’s if he didn’t end up in prison. Holding her daughter like this was the only moment’s peace she felt. The only time she felt certain of the choices she’d made. She only hoped her choices weren’t as bad as the ones Matt had made yesterday.

  CHAPTER 11

  Kate stared at the diary page until her eyes began to hurt. She rubbed them and squinted back at the scrawled jumble of letters and numbers. She shook her head, picked up the book and a pen, and walked over to the whiteboard to copy what she was staring at.

  LN353, 03.06.15, MK52 UXB, 54.4, -3.03, 20

  YH971, 10.06.15, KL51 KLD, 54.4, -3.03, 25

  LN353, 12.06.15, MN02 MRS, 54.4, -3.03, 15

  LT554, 19.06.15, MK52 UXB, 54.4, -3.03, 30

  “What the hell is all that?” Brothers asked.

  “Not sure,” Kate replied. “It’s part of the last entry in Connie’s diary.”

  “It’s a code,” Jimmy said, earning him a swiftly tossed paper ball at the head for his trouble.

  “Yes, I got that, Jimmy. Any idea what it means?”

  Stella got to her feet and walked over to the board. She drew a box around 03.06.15 down to 19.06.15. “Those are dates,” she said pointing at them. “Third of June down to the nineteenth.”

  “Yup.” Kate drew another box around MK52 UXB down to MK52 UXB. “And those are registration numbers.” She pointed to the rest of the board. “What’s the rest of it and why the hell did Connie put it all in her diary?”

  “Not sure,” Tom said. “Want me to run the registration numbers?”

  “Please,” Kate said, distracted. “And put those dates in the computer while you’re at it. Let’s see if anything pops up.”

  “Looking for anything specific?”

  Kate shook her head. “No, but we’ve got so little to go on right now, I don’t want to rule anything out. She’s written these dates down for a reason.” She tapped the board. “I want to know why.”

  “On it.”

  “Anything on that key?” she asked Stella, while still staring at the code.

  “I’ve got a serial number on it, but so far nothing. I’m running it through all the databases we have, but it looks like it might be a padlock key.”

  “No padlocks at the house?” Kate asked.

  “None that it fit.”

  “What about padlocks at the campsite?”

  “Wild didn’t check that.”

  “Well, perhaps we should.” Kate turned t
o her and held her hand out. Stella tossed her the evidence bag with the small key inside it. The blade was thicker than most keys she normally saw, and the head was rounded, not flat. The cuts and profile contours were quite subtle but the collar and shoulder were quite pronounced. If it was a padlock key, it was the weirdest one she’d ever seen. “Jimmy, want to join me?”

  “Erm, yeah, sure,” he said, lifting his coat somewhat reluctantly from the back of his chair. Tom sniggered and Stella wiggled her fingers in farewell as he headed for the door, as if it were the walk to the gallows.

  “Need me to take it slowly for you?”

  He chuckled nervously. “No, ma’am.”

  She clicked open the car and checked her mirror as he climbed in and secured his seat belt. “You know, Jimmy, I’ve never had an accident, a speeding ticket, or a parking ticket. I’m a good driver.”

  “I’m sure you are, ma’am. I’m just a nervous passenger.”

  Kate threw her head back and laughed. “Sure you are.” She gunned the engine and chuckled, as he gripped the handle above the passenger door, before backing slowly out of the car park.

  “Any news on your car?” she asked.

  He sighed. “Yeah. Wasn’t the battery after all. The cam belt’s snapped.”

  “Ouch. Much damage?”

  “Yup. The mechanic said it’ll cost more than the car’s worth to fix it.”

  “Uh oh.”

  “And the insurance is only third party.”

  “Not your day, Jimmy.”

  “You can say that again.”

  She sniggered and said, “Not your day, Jimmy.”

  “Ha bloody ha.” He fidgeted in his seat and seemed to relax a bit as she kept to a moderate speed along the sixty-miles-per-hour section of the road. “So who are we going to see now?”

  “We’re going to the campsite.” She lifted the evidence bag out of her pocket and tossed it to him. “See if we can figure out what this opens.”

  He looked at it, a frown forming on his brow. “You think this opens something at the campsite?”

  “Not a clue. But it’s the only other place I can think to look, as it didn’t fit anything at her house. Why would you have a key if not to open a lock?”

  “True, but my mother has a drawer in the kitchen that’s filled with all kinds of junk. She’s got keys in there from bike locks we don’t even have anymore, and even my grandad’s old house, and she sold that ten years ago when he died.”

  “Glad it’s not just me then.”

  “So how do you know this isn’t the same thing?”

  “I don’t. But the SOCO guys said it wasn’t in a drawer, it was hung up with all the other keys on the rack. All the others there fit something. House, car, safe, office, and so on. So it stands to reason that the keys there were all ones that she regularly used.”

  He grunted. “Still don’t think it looks like a padlock key.”

  “So what does it look like to you?”

  His frown deepened. “Does she have a boat?”

  Now it was Kate’s turn to frown. “Not that I know of. Why?”

  “Well, it looks a bit like the key for my dad’s boat. Same kind of round head and thick blade.”

  “What kind of boat?”

  “Oh, he lives on a narrow boat on the broads. Gorgeous sixty-footer.”

  “Your parents live on a barge?”

  He shook his head. “Just my dad and his dog. They split when I was a kid.”

  “Oh, I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. They were better parents when they were apart. Together all they did was fight. Me and my sister hated it.”

  “Older or younger?”

  “My sister?”

  Kate nodded.

  “Younger. She’s at uni at the moment. Studying to be a vet.”

  “Admirable career.”

  “Yeah.” He stared out of the window. “What about you?”

  “Only child.”

  “Mum and dad?”

  She clenched her teeth. “My mum died when I was a baby. My dad worked on the oil rigs, so I went to live with my gran. She brought me up.”

  “I’m sorry about your mum.”

  She nodded. What else could she say?

  “You close to your gran and your dad?”

  Kate hated answering the questions she knew would come if she told Jimmy the rest of her story. The words Piper Alpha and cancer were blights on her history that she couldn’t erase. But it was her history and one she was happy to keep to herself for a while longer. The looks of pity that accompanied the truth were something she could easily live without. She pulled into the gravel car park at the back of the campsite information centre and jumped out of the car before Jimmy could wonder at her lack of answer.

  The lights were off and the door locked as she approached. Then she remembered that Gina had said she would remain closed today. She detoured immediately round to the farm cottages, Jimmy close on her heels, scuffling pinecones across the road as he stepped.

  “Pick your feet up, Jimmy.”

  He laughed. “I don’t need another mother.”

  “Good, I have no intention of being one.” She knocked on the door and waited for Gina to answer as Jimmy caught her up. She reached over and jovially fiddled with his tie, cinching it a little tighter about his throat. He slapped her hands away and loosened the knot, scowling at her for good measure as the door opened.

  “Good afternoon, Miss Temple. How are you?” Kate asked.

  Gina smiled. “A hell of a lot better than I was feeling when you saw me this morning.” She opened the door wider and swept her arm towards the kitchen. “Come on in.”

  “Thanks.” Kate stepped inside and made her way down to the warm, sunny room at the back of the house.

  The large, south-facing windows and today’s sunshine made the room warm and bright. The smell of coffee and toast hung in the air, and the radio imported the sounds of Jeremy Vine on his Radio 2 talk show. Gina turned it off as she walked into the room.

  “This is Detective Powers.” Kate pointed to Jimmy as he held out his hand to Gina and exchanged pleasantries.

  “How can I help you, Detective?”

  Kate held out the evidence bag. “We found this key next door and wondered what it opened. We thought perhaps something at the campsite or hostel. Do you have any idea?”

  Gina took hold of the small plastic bag and examined the key carefully before shaking her head. “It’s not a key we use onsite.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Positive. I have a bunch of key’s here. Spares for every lock over there. You can take a look.” She retrieved three huge sets of keys. All different shapes and sizes hung off three climbing karabiners. “This one is for the office, storage barn, and laundry area.” She handed over the largest set of keys to Kate. “This one’s the hostels and information centre.” She handed those to Jimmy. “And these are for the toilet block, bin areas, and store cupboards on the campsite.” She held up the smallest set, flipping through them. Each of them sorted through bunches of steel, brass, and iron.

  Kate could see quickly that none of them fit the key they had, the rounded head a dead giveaway. “It didn’t fit any lock in Connie’s house or car. Do you know of anything else she would be holding keys for?”

  Gina ran her fingers through her hair. Kate and Jimmy handed back the keys she had given them. “I don’t think so.” She studied the key again before handing it back. “I’m sorry, I don’t know what this is for.”

  Kate took hold of the evidence bag and tried to ignore the tingling in her fingers when her skin touched Gina’s. “Powers here thinks it reminds him of a boat key.”

  Gina frowned and shook her head. “Connie didn’t have a boat. She didn’t sail.”

  “What about Leah? Could the key be hers?”

  Gina shrugged. “I guess it could be, but I’m almost certain Connie packed all her things and sent them to her or put them in storage.” She slowly pulled her hand away fr
om Kate’s and Kate immediately felt the loss. “I suppose the only way to know for sure is to ask Leah.”

  “Of course.” Kate stuffed the key into her pocket. It was time to leave. To move on to the next set of questions, the next witness, or suspect. But Kate didn’t want to go. She wanted to stay talking to Gina. “How’s Sammy doing?”

  “She’ll be fine. It’s hit her hard.”

  “She’s a tough kid.”

  Gina laughed and leaned on the back of her chair. “That she is.”

  “And she has you.” Kate wanted to tell her what a difference a mother made to a child going through a tragic loss. She wanted to tell her that Gina’s love would get her through to the other side of this and she’d be so much stronger. That they’d be stronger. She found herself wanting to find a way to erase the sorrow and grief from Gina’s face. “Thanks for your time.”

  Pathetic!

  Gina smiled sadly and walked them back to the front door. “Anytime, Detective. You know where to find me.”

  She could feel Jimmy staring at her as they got back in the car but, thankfully, he didn’t say anything. Little bastard didn’t need to. The grin on his face said it all. Bollocks.

  * * *

  Kate knocked on Ally’s door. The curtains were closed and she could hear raised voices from inside. Great. Looked like Leah wasn’t alone. She knocked again, louder, hoping to be heard over the row. The shouting stopped and the door opened quickly. Ally scowled at them.

  “What?”

  “Is Leah in?”

  Ally sighed and opened the door for them to enter. “Leah, you’ve got company.”

  “What? Who?” She stood up and poked her head around the kitchen door. “Oh, for fuck’s sake. What do you want now?”

  Kate smiled, grateful Leah was wearing a T-shirt this time. It was grubby, hung off one shoulder, and was one she had obviously been wearing for a while, if the smell was anything to go by. “Nice to see you again, Leah. Mind if we sit down?” She addressed her question to Ally.

  “Help yourselves,” Ally said as she dropped down onto the only clear seat in the room. The sofa was strewned with bedclothes, an armchair being used as a magazine stand, and the dining chairs all had numerous articles of clothing on or draped over the back of them.