Double Jeopardy (Hero Book 4)

by MA Comley

  As soon as he arrived at the station, he motioned for Julie to join him, and they set off. Julie rang the insurers to warn them they were on their way while Hero drove.

  ‘Star Insurers, here we are.’ Hero drew up in the firm’s car park.

  ‘Let’s hope they hand over the information willingly and without the need to serve a warrant,’ Julie said as they exited the car.

  Hero held the main door open for his partner. A blonde receptionist greeted them with a brilliant white smile that displayed her perfectly straight teeth. ‘Hello there. I’m DI Nelson, and this is my partner, DS Shaw. We rang earlier and spoke to a Miss Boxall. She’s expecting us.’

  ‘Ah, yes. If you’d like to take a seat, I’ll give her a call to let her know that you’ve arrived.’

  Hero and Julie stepped away from the counter, and Hero flicked through a few of the leaflets lying on the table in front of a leather sofa situated in the bay window of the room.

  ‘Plush surroundings for an insurance brokers,’ he muttered.

  ‘I was thinking the same. Have you ever heard of them before?’

  Hero’s mouth turned down. ‘Nope. You?’

  ‘Never. I don’t suppose they come up on GoCompare.com. That’s who I always use.’

  Hero sniggered, earning a stern glance from his partner as if he’d just offended her.

  Luckily, Miss Boxall appeared and called them into her office. ‘Please, take a seat.’

  Sitting down, Hero smiled at the woman, hoping to gain her trust. ‘Thank you for seeing us at such short notice.’

  ‘My pleasure. You were quite evasive on the phone earlier. May I ask why you’re asking about Mr. Spalding’s policies?’

  ‘We really didn’t want to say over the phone. My partner said that she thought you hadn’t heard the news.’

  ‘What news? I’m sorry, I’m confused.’

  ‘Ross Spalding was murdered just over a week ago.’

  Hero watched the colour drain from her confused face, and she bounced back into her chair. ‘My God, I had no idea. And you’re the detectives in charge of the case? Have you apprehended anyone for the crime yet?’

  ‘Yes, we’re dealing with the case, and no, we haven’t caught the culprit yet. The thing is, we need to know what kind of insurance policies Mr. Spalding had in place. We believe we may find a clue there.’

  ‘Really? You’re saying that you suspect someone close to him?’

  ‘It’s a possibility that we’re not willing to rule out at this stage. Did you handle all Ross’s policies, I mean the personal and business side of things?’

  ‘Yes, he trusted us. Not many people nowadays put their trust in one insurance firm. Saying that, we look after our customers. He has – sorry – had been with us from the day he started up his business. I was thrilled to see his business grow the way it had over the years. It’s so sad to hear that he’s no longer with us. May I ask how he died?’

  ‘I’m afraid I can’t go into details at this time. What I can tell you is that it wasn’t pretty and that no one deserves to die in that way.’

  She gasped and shook her head. ‘How dreadful. He was such a kind and considerate man.’

  Hero’s interest heightened. ‘Considerate? In what way?’

  ‘Just the way he spoke and treated people. He was an utter gentleman to everyone he met. To think that someone set out to purposefully end his life comes as a great shock to me. Do you think it was business-related?’

  ‘Clues are difficult to come by with this case. You’re our final stop, to be honest. If you can’t give us anything, then I fear the whole case will probably grind to a halt.’ Hero hoped the white lie would prompt her to furnish them with the information they needed rather than forcing them to resort to obtaining a warrant.

  ‘I will definitely give you everything you need.’ She flipped open the large file in front of her then looked up at Hero again. ‘What exactly are you looking for?’

  ‘I take it the house was in Ross Spalding’s name, or was it in the company’s name, perhaps?’

  ‘No, the house was solely in his name.’

  Hero nodded and looked out of the corner of his eye to see Julie jotting down the woman’s answers. ‘Okay, did he have a life assurance policy with you?’

  ‘Yes, actually, he changed that in the last month or so.’

  ‘He did? Can you tell us who the beneficiary was before and after the alteration?’

  ‘His parents before, and his fiancée, Rachel Elliott, after April eighteenth.’

  ‘I see. Moving on to his business policy, or policies, if I may?’

  ‘Ross set these up a few years ago and was happy for them to remain the same when he altered his personal policy. His partner, Laurence Whitehall, was the beneficiary if anything happened to Ross. I suppose I better ring the man this afternoon to let him know.’

  Hero cleared his throat and looked the woman in the eye. ‘Ah, I’m afraid Laurence Whitehall is also dead.’

  Miss Boxall’s eyes widened. ‘What? Are you saying they were murdered at the same time?’

  ‘No, nothing of the sort. He fell ill and unfortunately died.’

  ‘Goodness me, what are the odds on that happening?’

  ‘Precisely. Very harsh indeed. Can I ask what would happen to the policy in that event?’

  ‘The proceeds would be paid out to Ross’s parents. Blimey, I hope they’re not suspects in this?’

  Hero smiled. ‘No, I think at this point, we can honestly say that we’re not going down that route. Thank you for your assistance. Our chat has been most helpful to our enquiries.’

  ‘Glad I could be of assistance. I hope you catch the bastard who killed Ross. He’ll be greatly missed. You couldn’t wish to meet a more genuine guy. He was the same at the end to when he first contacted me, despite the wealth he had amassed over the years.’

  Hero and Julie rose from their seats.

  ‘We’re hearing that a lot. It’s very sad when this type of thing happens to someone of his class. Thank you again for all you’ve shared with us. It’s been very insightful.’

  ‘My pleasure. Good luck.’

  Hero and Julie left the building and strapped themselves into the car before either of them spoke.

  ‘If he was such a nice man, then why would someone contemplate killing him in such a gruesome way?’ Julie asked, shaking her head in disgust.

  ‘I have no idea. Maybe we’re missing something crucial here.’ Hero stretched out his arms, tightening his grip around the steering wheel.

  ‘Like what?’

  ‘Let’s think for a second. There was all this talk of floating the business on the market, and yet Ross seemed dead set against it. Then Laurence had a heart attack. Because of the stress he was burdened with after killing his partner?’

  ‘Hmm … you could be right.’

  ‘Could? I think I’ve nailed it, Shaw. He had Ross Spalding killed so that he would be handed the business after the man’s death, then he could do what the hell he liked with it. The only thing he hadn’t bargained on was the guilt.’

  ‘Maybe,’ Julie said, not sharing in his enthusiasm.

  ‘Okay, I’ll think on it more overnight before I present it to the team tomorrow. Let’s get back to the station. I think I’m going to call it a day soon and shoot over to the hospital to see my folks.’

  Hero walked into the hospital, trepidation gnawing at his insides. He went directly to the ICU. The nurse he’d spoken to before welcomed him and filled him in on his father’s condition. Behind her smile, she seemed a little concerned.

  Hero asked, ‘What aren’t you telling me, Nurse?’

  ‘You’re very astute, Mr. Nelson.’ Her cheeks blushed.

  ‘It goes with the territory. I’m a police officer.’

  ‘It’s just that we’d expect him to show signs of coming out of his coma by now. The doctor wants us to start trying to bring him around.’

  ‘And what? You’re against that?’


  ‘No, it’s not my place to question how the doctor wishes to proceed. I’m just being overly cautious and think he should be left a little while longer. Some people heal quicker than others.’

  ‘Thank you for being honest. Has my sister visited my father today?’

  ‘Yes, she was here this morning. She looks exhausted. Can’t you persuade her to go home? She’s been here all weekend.’

  ‘She’s stubborn. Won’t listen to me at all. I’ll try, but I’ll be wasting my breath. Can I sit with him for a little while?’

  ‘Sure, talk to him, let him know you’re around.’

  Hero smiled and moved towards his father, whose skin had taken on a murky grey colour since Hero’s last visit. He bent down and kissed his father’s forehead. ‘Hello, old man, how are you doing? It’s about time you were up and about. Can’t have you spending all your day in bed. It’s not healthy, for one thing, and for another, Louie is missing his kick-about partner.’

  He watched his father carefully for any signs of movement or recognition of his voice, but there were none. ‘Hey, remember that day we went white-water rafting in America? That was such a hoot. You nearly went overboard at the first rapid we encountered. They were the good old days, right, Dad? You really didn’t want to go on that adventure, but on the other hand, you didn’t want to let Cara and me down, either. I think that day set us on the path to thinking we’d have a lot of fun joining the Territorial Army. The day we told you we’d signed up, you beamed at us both. We were going to be living the dream that you wanted for yourself. Mum had other ideas about that, though, didn’t she?’ Hero giggled.

  The nurse breezed past on her way to another patient and squeezed his shoulder, encouraging him to talk to his father more. So he did. He spent the next twenty minutes reliving the fun times they had shared as a family. By the end of his visit, Hero’s eyes were misting up with tears, and his heart felt lighter for some reason. Maybe it was hope pumping through his veins that his father would soon return to them.

  He said farewell to his father and the nurse then made his way back through the hospital to the women’s ward, where his mother and sister were. The trepidation filled him once more. He pushed it down, telling himself he was being foolish. He entered the ward, and immediately his sister’s gaze homed in on him. Instead of Cara giving him the evil eye, she smiled at him. He walked towards them with a spring in his step. Cara flew into his arms as he got closer.

  ‘Hello, Sis. I’ve missed not seeing your ugly face.’

  Cara pushed him away and slapped his upper arm. ‘Maybe I should fall out with you more often.’

  ‘Don’t say that, even in jest. I’ve had a hellish couple of days.’

  ‘Good, you deserved it.’

  ‘Now, now, children. Less bickering. You know it doesn’t suit you both to be at each other’s throat. Come and give your old mum a kiss.’

  Hero bent over, held his mother’s face in his hands, and kissed the tip of her nose. ‘How are you?’

  ‘Not so bad, son. Being wrapped up in plaster is a pain in the rear, but I’m doing well. Have you visited your father?’

  ‘Yes, spent the last twenty minutes with him. He seems a little better.’ Hero looked up at Cara, who was standing on the other side of the bed.

  She raised her eyes up to the ceiling in despair.

  ‘Let’s hope he comes out of the coma soon. The nurse suggested I speak with him. I talked about the time we went white-water rafting.’

  ‘You didn’t?’ Cara asked, shocked.

  ‘I did. He might have feared it to begin with, but he soon grew to enjoy getting sprayed by the water. We came off that ride soaked, didn’t we?’

  Cara’s sour face lit up at the memory. ‘We certainly did. If those two guys hadn’t spent the journey bailing out the water, I think we would have sunk halfway through the course.’

  Their mother shuddered. ‘I remember watching you come down to the finishing line with my heart in my mouth. You definitely had some guts, the lot of you. Your father admitted that night that he only went on the ride to please you two, however, he did admit that once the initial shock had passed he really enjoyed himself.’

  Hero pointed at his sister. ‘See? I told you. He’s always said that he regretted that ride, but I knew he was telling porkies.’

  ‘I’ll let you off. How’s the case going?’ Cara asked.

  ‘Hit-and-miss still.’ He turned his attention back to his mother. ‘Any idea when you’re going to be well enough to go home, Mum?’

  ‘The doctor said in a day or two. I think I’d rather stay here and be near your father, but I suppose they will need the bed soon. I wish he would wake up. I hate the thought of him being in a coma all this time.’

  Hero placed his hand over his mother’s. ‘It’s only been a few days, Mum.’

  ‘I know. But time passes so slowly when you’re stuck in bed. Poor Cara hasn’t had a decent night’s sleep yet. Try and persuade her to go home with you, love. There’s little she can do here. She needs her rest.’

  Hero tilted his head at his sister. ‘Are you going to listen to Mum and come home with me? She’s right. There’s nothing you can do here, and …’ He smirked.

  ‘And what? As if I can’t guess what you’re going to say next.’

  ‘And you smell.’ Hero chuckled.

  Cara picked up an empty water bottle from the table and threw it at him. ‘I do not. How dare you say that?’

  He grinned. He loved winding her up. ‘It’s a deal then – you’re coming home with me, right?’

  ‘Okay. You win. I know when I’m beaten, guys.’

  ‘Why don’t you two run along now? Hero has had a long day at work, and you’ve had a couple of boring days sitting here at the hospital. It’ll do you both good to get a rest.’

  ‘Ha, I don’t think Cara will get much of a rest once the kids lay their eyes on her.’

  Cara nodded. ‘Let’s leave in five minutes. Is there anything you need before I go, Mum?’

  Their mother thought for a second or two then said she would like a chocolate from the vending machine, just in case her evening meal wasn’t up to scratch. Cara left in search of the machine.

  His mother looked behind Hero, watching Cara leave, then whispered conspiratorially, ‘How is your father really, Hero? You can tell me the truth.’

  Hero shrugged. ‘I can’t tell you any more, Mum. It’s a waiting game. That’s how the nurse put it.’

  ‘Do you think he’ll come out of the coma soon?’

  ‘I wouldn’t like to say. I think it’s up to us to remain positive. No point doing otherwise.’

  ‘I suppose so.’ A tear dripped onto his mother’s cheek. ‘I miss him terribly. Yes, he gets under my feet at times, but not having him around is killing me.’

  ‘I know, Mum. He’ll be back with you soon. Before long, you’ll be wishing he was back in a coma.’

  She dried her eyes on a tissue and sniggered. ‘You’re right, of course. Silly to be so maudlin. Make sure your sister has a decent meal tonight. She’s been living on sandwiches from the little coffee shop along the hallway. Refused to go to the canteen, foolish child. Here she is now. Ooo … I spy a bar of Galaxy. I’ll try and refrain from eating it all in one go. Now shoo, the pair of you. I’ll be fine with my book.’

  ‘If you’re sure, Mum?’ Cara asked, looking apprehensive.

  Hero hooked his arm through his sister’s and turned towards the door. ‘Come on, we’ve had our orders. See you tomorrow, Mum.’

  11

  Hero dropped his sister back at the hospital at eight the following morning. As predicted, the children had made a huge fuss over their Auntie Cara. Hero watched her play with the children before dinner, even though she was dead on her feet. He was relieved their falling out wasn’t permanent. He would have missed not having her around, so would Fay and the kids.

  He continued into work, escaping the build-up of traffic by the skin of his teeth. Julie and Sally were already at
their desks when he arrived. He felt blessed to have such a conscientious team around him. It had taken him a while to get used to Julie and her notorious mood swings, but just lately he seemed to be seeing her in a different light. Maybe I was too hasty putting her name forward for DI.

  ‘How are your parents doing, boss?’ Sally asked. She leapt out of her chair and headed towards the vending machine.

  ‘Both good and bad. Mum’s a lot better in spirits, although her injuries will keep her in a hospital a few days longer. Dad is a different story. He’s still in a coma, and I can’t see him coming out of it any time soon.’

  ‘Sorry to hear that, sir.’ Sally placed a cup of coffee in front of Hero and another in front of Julie.

  The phone on Julie’s desk rang.

  ‘Hello, DS Shaw. How can I help?’ She sat upright in her chair and stared wide-eyed at Hero.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Hero asked. The blood in his veins cooled with apprehension.

  ‘Okay, thanks for the call. We’ll be right there.’ Julie hung up and shook her head in disbelief. ‘It’s the worst news possible. Miranda Jackson has been gunned down as she left for work this morning.’

  ‘What? Bloody hell. Come on, time to make a move ASAP,’ Hero said, already marching towards the door.

  Twenty minutes later, Hero and Julie were standing outside Miranda Jackson’s mansion in Didsbury. SOCO were in attendance, as was the pathologist, Susan Rendell. A small marquee had already been erected over the body, not to keep the weather from damaging the corpse, but to hide it from the glare of the cameras. Like vultures, journalists had already gathered beyond the cordon.

  ‘What do we have, Susan?’

  ‘You’ll need to get your suit on before going near the body, Inspector.’