by Mel Sherratt
‘I know, but you’d think he’d have some sort of respect or honour amongst thieves or what have you.’ Then, knowing how it sounded she added, ‘Oh, you know what I mean. What a result though!’
‘I have to go. They’re still questioning them both but Johnstone has mentioned something else that needs checking out. I’ve been asked to go along.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘I can’t say yet but it might become clearer soon. If it does, I promise you’ll be among the first to know. Are you still there?’
Josie had gone quiet because she didn’t believe what she was seeing.
‘Yes, I’m still here,’ she whispered. ‘But Debbie’s walked in.’
‘Keep cool! Don’t do anything that might make her suspicious. It’ll be better for us with her out of the picture anyway. Does she look any different?’
‘In what way?’
‘Worried? Nervous? Does she look as if she suspects anything?’
Debbie was checking her mobile phone as she waited for her computer to load up. She smiled as she caught Josie’s eye.
Josie smiled back. ‘I don’t think so,’ she whispered to Andy. ‘But I’d better go in case she comes over to me.’
‘Okay, but remember what I said. Keep cool. Oh, and keep her there if you can. If she does do a runner, then ring me straight away.’
For the next hour or so, Josie observed Debbie furtively while trying to keep her happy demeanour. She wished she had a bit more fight in her, as she wanted to march right across there and slap her hard. Maybe then she would get rid of this rage burning inside. Debbie was being her usual chatty self. The only thing Josie particularly noticed was that she was checking her mobile phone constantly to see if she had any messages.
Finding out that Scott Johnstone was involved in the burglaries had blown Josie’s mind. It was going to be hard to break that to Kelly too. Josie was certain that she had no idea what had been going on, but she also realised that she’d be mortified that she had been lied to about something else.
She picked up her pen and glanced across at Debbie again. She had her head down, working on something or other. She didn’t seem to be bothered about anything.
Unable to concentrate, Josie was thankful when Andy finally walked in, along with Mark.
Andy came across to Josie first. ‘You won’t believe what we’ve found,’ he said. ‘I can’t wait to get her into custody.’
Confused by his remark, Josie quickly followed him and Mark across to Debbie’s desk. It took a few moments before Debbie looked up. Her eyes ran over the three of them suspiciously.
‘Debbie Wilkins,’ said Andy, ‘I’m arresting you on suspicion of obtaining information under false pretences and aiding and abetting a known criminal. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.’
A silence fell across the room.
Debbie stood up. ‘You can’t arrest me,’ she said defiantly. ‘You don’t have anything on me. I might live with him but I had no idea what he was doing and that’s my final word on the matter.’ She folded her arms.
Josie half admired Debbie’s stance as all eyes fell on her. She hadn’t even bothered to question the whys and wherefores.
‘What’s going on?’ Irene asked. She’d been joined by Ray; Doug wasn’t too far behind him. Sonia and Craig were already close by.
‘She’s involved with Philip Matson and she’s been passing on addresses for him to burgle,’ Josie told everyone.
‘I never did!’ cried Debbie.
‘You used me to get information – you used us all for your own means. Have you any idea how much damage you’ve caused? How long it takes for the victims to get back on their feet, if they ever do?’
‘I told you,’ said Debbie. ‘It’s got nothing to do with me.’
‘Save it,’ said Mark. ‘We have bigger fish to fry.’
For a split second Debbie froze, but then she regained her composure. ‘You can’t prove anything.’
‘So you haven’t been supplying Matson with addresses of vulnerable people?’ said Andy.
‘No, I haven’t been supplying Phil with anything.’
‘And you had no idea that he was a thief and a murderer?’ said Mark.
Debbie sighed dramatically. ‘No, I had no idea that he was a thief and a….’
Andy reached into his pocket and pulled out a small evidence bag. He held it up to Josie.
‘I need you to verify this for me until I can check with the family.’
Josie gasped as she spotted the pearl necklace with its unique butterfly clasp. She held onto the desk for support.
‘What’s that?’ asked Debbie.
‘You bitch!’ Josie seethed. ‘That necklace belonged to Edie Rutter.’
Debbie frowned. ‘But what’s that got to do with me?’
‘It was found at your house less than an hour ago,’ said Andy.
‘But that was missing from –’ Debbie paled as she worked out its significance. ‘You don’t think that Phil did… no, he wouldn’t do that.’
‘Scott Johnstone reckoned he did,’ said Mark.
‘No.’
‘He told us where to look for it, inside the rose of the light in the hallway. Not every thief goes to so much trouble to hide things and we would have found it eventually, but it was great to know where to go.’
‘No.’ Debbie shook her head vehemently. ‘He wouldn’t do that. He wouldn’t!’
‘Don’t give me that,’ said Josie. ‘You knew perfectly well what he’d done. He left Edie Rutter to die in a pool of her own blood. You might as well have been there with him.’
‘Josie’s right,’ said Ray. ‘How could you do that? We trusted you.’
‘But I wasn’t involved in her murder. I wasn’t there!’
‘You set her up though, didn’t you?’
‘No... please!’ Debbie faltered. ‘I didn’t know he’d left her there to… to…’
Josie moved past everyone to stand in front of her. ‘And to think that I helped you out when you first started here,’ she hissed, prodding her in the chest. ‘I could slap your face for what you’ve done. But that would make me just as bad as you.’
‘I didn’t know!’
Not a sound was heard but a ringing phone as Debbie Wilkins was handcuffed and escorted off the premises.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Andy was ensconced on one of three new settees in the reception area at The Workshop while Josie tried out the coffee machine again. She was so looking forward to the opening next week, but dreaded the pace upping further as the day drew nearer. Still, Andy turning up made her find time for a break: any excuse to rest her legs at the moment.
‘Who would have thought it, though?’ Andy shook his head yet again. ‘Debbie Wilkins giving out inside information to that creep Matson so he could then go and rob them all blind.’
‘Yep, she conned me good and proper,’ Josie replied. She handed him a plastic cup and sat down beside him. ‘And I thought I’d exorcised vulnerable Josie over the past few months.’
Andy stretched out his legs as his radio crackled in the background. ‘It wasn’t your fault. She seemed so nice every time I saw her. I would have done the same things in your position.’
Josie sighed. ‘I suppose so, but when I look back I wonder how it went on for so long. She was always so keen to learn anything about my job. I just thought she aspired to be a housing officer. But all the time she was gleaning information from me, using me to scope out which tenants to rob. And because of that, I told her everything and took her into their homes.’
‘But you would have done that with any housing assistant, wouldn’t you?’ Andy tried to ease her conscience.
Josie nodded. ‘If they expressed an interest, yes. Not everyone wants to do this job – and who can blame them? Sometimes I wonder why I’ve done it for so long.’
‘Because you’re good at it. And because you care.’
‘And look where that got me.’ Josie snorted.
‘I hope they throw the book at her when she’s up in court again next month.’
‘I reckon that’s why she was so keen to go on his eviction, too,’ Josie acknowledged, going off at an angle slightly. ‘She thought it’d take the scent off her.’
‘I bet she didn’t think the greedy prick would register for benefits from there afterwards,’ Andy added. ‘Which indirectly linked us to her.’
‘And directly linked her to him,’ Josie noted.
‘But if he hadn’t registered to claim his benefits, you might never have twigged what was happening, unless he really did slip up.’
‘I’m glad that he did. It was his downfall after all.’
‘That and the fact that Johnstone grassed him up.’
‘Hmm.’ Josie thought back to the time she’d seen Debbie across the shops talking to Scott Johnstone. She’d thought Debbie had been taking grief for doing her job when she was probably handing out addresses of vulnerable tenants that she’d been to visit.
‘And with Matson and Johnstone on remand,’ she added, ‘the Mitchell Estate is that little bit safer.’
Andy laughed. ‘The Mitchell Estate will never be safe.’
Josie smiled. ‘What I can’t work out, though, is why she turned up for work that last morning. I know if it was me and my boyfriend hadn’t come home from the take the night before, I would have gone on the run immediately. Where to, I don’t know, but I wouldn’t have come into work.’
‘She denied everything on the day, though didn’t she? And Johnstone told us that Matson often stayed with him after a robbery, to take the heat off Debbie if they did get caught. So she had no idea we had him in custody.’
‘That’s why she was constantly checking her phone,’ Josie nodded again. ‘She must have been waiting for him to text her.’
‘Yep,’ said Andy. ‘And if Johnstone hadn’t come forward with that little gem – or rather, necklace – we would have been none the wiser for Edie Rutter’s murder.’
Josie involuntarily shuddered. ‘I still can’t believe he left Edie to die. I mean, why didn’t he call an ambulance after he’d left the property?’
‘Perhaps she could identify him?’
‘Sadly, we will never know,’ Josie said. ‘I still miss calling round there for a cuppa.’
Andy pointed to the room. ‘But you have this place to concentrate on now. It looks amazing, by the way.’
Kelly had decided to take a few days off between leaving her job at Miles’ Factory and the opening of The Workshop. Now on her last shift, she was helping Sally to remove the wrappings around the many plates laid out in the staff canteen. As a leaving gift, everyone had provided an item of food for a buffet. About a dozen people had come into the room so far.
‘I can’t believe you’re leaving today,’ Sally moaned.
‘Well, I can’t believe all the fantastic presents I’ve had,’ said Kelly, eyeing the flowers she’d received along with other personal gifts. ‘I feel like I’ve only been working her for five minutes.’
Sally gave her a hug. ‘I’m going to miss you so much, but I know you’ll do okay with Office Options. If anyone deserves to, it’s you.’
‘Are you going to miss me as well?’ Leah swapped places with Sally, not to be outdone.
‘Like a hole in the head,’ muttered Sally, then looked away all innocent. Leah frowned at her for a moment before grinning.
‘Course I’ll miss you, you big nerd,’ Kelly told her. ‘I’ll miss you both. And you can always pop over and see me.’
‘You’ll be too arty-farty-in-your-new-office for us, won’t she, Sal?’
As Robbie was warming up, threatening to sing another cover version from the real Robbie Williams, Stewart walked in. Kelly took immense pleasure in the fact that ‘Mummy’s Boy’ looked miserable. It was laughable really, but it still shocked her to think that he could have been so cruel.
She couldn’t help herself when she beckoned him over to join them.
‘I think you’re in need of some cake to cheer you up,’ Kelly said, handing him a plate. As he was about to take a bite, she turned down the radio and spoke again. ‘Does your wife bake cakes?’
Stewart’s fork hung in mid-air. Everyone stopped what they were doing amidst the silence.
‘It was you!’ Stewart slatted the plate and its contents down onto the table.
‘Christ, Kel,’ said Robbie. ‘Have you been upsetting our Mummy’s Boy?’
‘He’s not a mummy’s boy,’ Kelly remarked. ‘Until last month, he lived with his wife. This snide creep has been married to my friend for years.’
There was a gasp around the room.
Stewart launched himself at her. Kelly stood her ground but Robbie and some of the other male workers watched her back regardless, blocking him access to her.
‘He told her that his mother was dead,’ she continued. ‘He never told his mother he was married, either. I reckon he was waiting to inherit all of her money, live with my friend rent free and then do a runner when his mum really died.’
‘You sneaky bastard!’ Leah was the first one to speak out.
‘What does she mean, you’re married?’
‘When did this happen?’
‘That can’t be true! It’s like something from Jeremy Kyle.’
‘Why didn’t you say anything?’
‘You’ve ruined everything, you stupid bitch!’ Stewart pushed into Robbie but was held back again.
‘Back off!’ he was told.
‘Or fuck off,’ said Robbie. ‘We don’t want you in here. You’re not invited to this party.’
Knowing he was beat, Stewart stormed off.
‘And don’t come back, you sneaky prick!’ one of the packers shouted after him.
Sally gave Kelly a hug. ‘Well done, girl. You certainly put him in his place.’
‘Yeah,’ said Leah. ‘I bet he’ll be looking for another job soon. Those boys can be bullies when they all gang up on someone. You make his life hell, Robbie,’ she shouted over to him.
The lively atmosphere of the party soon came back again and, with the undercurrents of the rumour spreading like wild fire, everyone had a good time. Sally changed the music from radio to a CD and turned the volume up again.
‘Let’s make a toast: to Kelly!’
‘To Kelly!’ cried everyone.
‘To Office Options,’ added Kelly.
With one week to go, all stops were pulled out to get The Workshop ready to face its public. On Monday, Josie and Kelly returned after the weekend to a burst pipe. Two of the rooms had been completely flooded; carpeting had to be ripped up and replaced. Luckily, the water had been dripping rather than gushing, so the walls had been spared.
On Wednesday, the caterers turned up. Great news – but they weren’t due until Friday, the scheduled date for opening. Even though it was clearly written on Josie’s confirmation order, the woman had gone off in a tizzy, insisting the date was correct. But when Josie had checked with the owner of the business, she hadn’t been able to apologise enough. As it had been their mistake, she said everything would be redone on Friday without a further charge.
Even their last day had its moments, with items going missing and turning up unannounced, but by five o’clock everything was in its rightful place. Now they were sitting on the chairs behind the reception desk. The last workman had gone roughly an hour ago and, after checking every room was exactly how they wanted it to be for the big unveiling tomorrow, they’d opened a bottle of wine to celebrate before going home.
‘Here’s to The Workshop. I can’t believe it was finished on target!’ Josie chinked her wine glass with Kelly’s. ‘And here’s to our futures in it, too.’
‘Did you ever think we’d get this far?’
‘Are you referring to the building or us?’
Kelly grinned. ‘I suppose I mean
both.’
‘Things have certainly changed since the beginning of the year,’ Josie acknowledged.
‘For me too,’ said Kelly. ‘I lost my home – which, while we're on the subject, you forced me out of –’
‘For a very good reason.’
‘– I survived on my own in Clarence Avenue, found a job to tide me over, passed a secretarial course, sacked a loser, applied for a grant and got ready to set up my own business – that goes live tomorrow.’
‘Yes, and once it does, maybe you and Jay could share some quality time together afterwards. You’ve worked so hard lately.’
Kelly blushed. ‘I don’t know about that.’
‘You’ve a lot of catching up to do.’
‘I… maybe –’ Kelly didn’t want to say anything aloud in case it all went wrong. Jay had been shocked when she’d told him about Scott, even more shocked when he realised how guilty she’d felt.
‘What?’
‘I think it’s too late.’
‘It isn’t! You’re mad about him, anyone can see that. And you know how he feels about you, don’t you? Lord knows, he ribs you about it often enough.’
Kelly puffed out her cheeks and then blew out her breath. ‘Would it sound stupid if I think that he’s too perfect?’
Josie shook her head. ‘Not at all.’
‘I knew Scott wasn’t right for me but it was only when he went inside that I realised exactly how much.’ Kelly began to tick things off with her fingers. ‘He blamed me for everything. Then there was all that business with Anne-Marie. And then to find out that he was involved in all of those robberies makes me wonder exactly what he was capable of. I suppose until he threatened me, I thought he’d never lay a finger on me.’
‘But Jay’s not like that,’ insisted Josie.
‘I know.’ Kelly’s face lit up as she thought of him. Sweet, loyal Jay, who’d become her saviour over the past few months; loving Jay who she realised she loved back with every atom of her being. He’d stood by her through everything, even when she didn’t think she’d deserved it.
‘I still think that too much has happened,’ she added.
Josie disagreed. ‘He knows Scott’s an idiot and he doesn’t blame you. And he adores Em. That’s something extra special, isn’t it?’