CHAIN REACTION an absolutely addictive crime thriller with a huge twist

by Bill Kitson

  Clara stared at Nash in surprise. His cheery disposition and light-hearted comments were so at variance with his recent downbeat mood that she wondered why. Once Nash had vanished into the small kitchen, she muttered to Viv, ‘I’ll bet Mike got his leg over last night, and that’s why he’s so happy this morning. He always used to be this way after he’d scored.’

  Viv grinned. ‘Yes, and it shows.’

  Clara continued staring at the closed door until she heard Nash returning, and then she and Viv hurriedly began rustling papers and trying to look busy.

  * * *

  Days before the end of term, as his school friends were busy packing their belongings ready for the Easter holiday, Daniel sat in the back of his father’s car as Nash took him, along with Clara and David, to the airport. As he hugged his father before leaving, the boy was unaware that in addition to caring for him and giving him a good holiday, his Aunt Clara had a hidden agenda in spending time alone with him.

  Nash watched as they queued at check-in and waved farewell before they disappeared towards the security checkpoint and departure gates. Glancing back at her boss, Clara saw the expression on Nash’s face, the one she disliked. It was a look of sadness compounded by loneliness, and nothing like that of the cheerful, upbeat character she was used to. She looked at Daniel and noticed that the boy was biting his lip, as if hiding a powerful emotion. It strengthened Clara’s resolve to try and set matters right. Once they’d boarded the plane and were airborne, Clara turned to her unofficial nephew, who was seated between her and David and explained about her plan.

  Daniel’s eyes opened wide with surprise as he listened to her idea. As a solution to the problem she had identified, one that worried him, it would be ideal — if it worked. ‘How are we going to do it?’ he asked.

  ‘We’re not, you are; this has to come from you. But that’s only if you’re sure you want to. It has to appear to have been your idea from start to finish. Otherwise, it won’t work. Believe me, I know the people concerned, and because I do, I can guess what the reaction would be if it came from an outsider. So what do you think, Daniel? Is this something you want to happen?’

  Clara felt confident that Daniel would understand her logic and would agree to the scheme. Although he was only ten years old, Daniel was mature for one so young.

  ‘I wanted it all along, but didn’t think it could happen. It’s a great plan — but I don’t know how to do it.’

  Clara gestured to the tablet computer resting on the fold-down table in front of Daniel. ‘Why not start with Mr Google? You’ve enough information about the subject to use as input.’

  ‘Brilliant, but I’m not allowed to do it here.’ Daniel gestured to the plane’s interior. ‘I’ll try as soon as we’ve landed and I can get a Wi-Fi signal.’

  * * *

  Later, at Helmsdale police station, Sergeant Jack Binns was awaiting a report from the officers he’d sent to Tyler Swift’s flat in Bishopton. He’d all but forgotten the task he’d sent the two local officers to perform earlier but remembered it soon after lunchtime; then dismissed it as unimportant. Tyler Swift was in safe hands across at the Drug Rehabilitation Clinic in Netherdale so the job of informing his next of kin, or similarly interested persons, could wait until more pressing matters had been dealt with. He knew from a brief report that the officers’ visit to Bishopton had been delayed when they’d been diverted to attend a road traffic accident where at least two of the people involved had life-threatening injuries. That, as far as Binns was concerned, took priority over a drug addict-cum-failed-mugger.

  Nash was being optimistic. ‘Right, we seem to have wrapped everything up nicely. Hopefully, we’ll be able to relax a bit. Let’s call it a day.’

  His complacency was shattered when, as they walked out through reception, Lisa reminded him of unfinished business. ‘We’ve still got the okra to deal with.’

  Binns overheard, but was puzzled by the reference. ‘What’s she talking about?’

  ‘She’s referring to the remains found at the hotel at Thornscarr. Ladies fingers, in case you didn’t know, is a term used for the vegetable okra.’

  ‘Oh, very droll. It’s all right for you part-timers in CID to be disappearing early, but some of us round here still have work to do.’

  The remark was by no means original, but on this occasion, Binns delivered it with little of his usual humour.

  Nash eyed him with mild concern. ‘Is something wrong, Jack?’

  ‘I’m not sure,’ Binns replied. ‘I was told something a while back and I have a feeling that it might be important, but I can’t for the life of me think why. On the other hand, it might be nothing more than my imagination working overtime. I suppose that’s what comes of hanging around with CID types.’

  Nash smiled wickedly. ‘More likely down to getting old,’ he retorted.

  Binns waved a dismissive hand. ‘Go on, get out of here, and spare a thought for us poor, elderly uniform blokes while you young whippersnappers are sitting with your feet up.’

  * * *

  The spate of muggings had made headlines in the local media. When the anchorman on the evening news introduced the topic, announcing the arrest of a suspect believed to be responsible for the assaults, Lee gasped, audibly enough to disturb his mother.

  ‘Something wrong?’ she asked.

  ‘Er, no.’

  She looked at him. He seemed to have paled in the reflection from the screen. ‘Come on, Lee. Something’s worrying you, I can tell.’

  ‘It’s OK, Mum, honestly.’

  ‘Yes, and I’m the Sugar Plum fairy. What is it?’ She knew him too well for him to get away without telling her the truth.

  Lee gestured to the screen, hesitated, then said, ‘I was in Chapel Street on the way back from the swimming baths when one of those muggings took place. The owner of the pet food stall was being robbed, and I actually saw the man attacking him. Not only saw it, but I took photos and a video on my phone.’

  ‘You did what?’ His mother was aghast.

  ‘I got the whole thing, and I got a good shot of the attacker’s face. I followed him and got more footage when he stole money from the Market Cafe.’ Lee bit his lip. ‘Then I forgot about it,’ he muttered.

  ‘No, Lee, you couldn’t forget something that dramatic. So why keep quiet?’

  He looked at her for a few seconds before replying. ‘Er, it slipped my mind because the minute I got home, I had a load of homework.’

  ‘Oh, they give homework out at the swimming baths, do they now? What exactly were you doing at the baths on a school day?’

  ‘Hmm, I wasn’t feeling well that morning. And, hmm, I felt better by the afternoon and thought a swim might help.’

  His mother sighed. ‘We’ll deal with that later. Have you still got those photos and the video?’

  ‘Yes, they’re in my phone.’

  ‘Let me have a look at them.’

  Lee opened the camera gallery and passed the mobile to his mother. After examining both sets of stills and the video clips she told her son, ‘I think it would be a good idea to tell the police about them, but first, I’ll phone them and explain.’

  ‘But I can’t do that!’

  ‘Why ever not?’

  ‘He might try to find me.’

  ‘You’re not scared are you?’

  There was a slight nod of Lee’s head.

  ‘Oh, Lee. Do you think he’d have let you walk away if he knew you were filming him? Let you catch the bus and come home?’

  ‘Er, well I suppose not. But what if the police want to take a statement from me? Or do a line-up ID.’ Lee was panicking. His eyes were like saucers.

  Suddenly he thought of the street cred he’d lost earlier; now, it could be resurrected. He tried not to smile. ‘Er, I think your right, Mum. They might need my witness account to back up the images. It’s called being a good citizen, isn’t it?’

  His mother sighed again. ‘Yes, Lee, it is. You’ll have to go to the police stat
ion. I’ll come with you.’ She reached for the phone.

  ‘I suppose that would be all right.’ His shoulders rose and the grin he’d tried to conceal emerged as he grabbed his mobile.

  ‘What are you doing now?’

  ‘Just texting my mates.’

  His euphoria ended when his mother told him, ‘And then you’ll have to think up a more convincing reason for skiving off school. One that your headmaster will believe.’

  * * *

  Next morning, Nash asked Viv Pearce, ‘Have you checked to see how the stabbing victim is? The last I heard he was on the mend, so perhaps we should ask the doctors when they think he’ll be ready for release. Then we can swap his ward for a nice comfortable cell.’

  ‘No, Mike, I haven’t, but I’ll get onto it straightaway.’

  Lisa had just walked in, heard the instruction, and looked at him, her expression like a teacher with an unruly pupil to control. ‘And what will you be doing?’ she asked.

  ‘I’ll be thinking,’ Nash replied, ‘something I haven’t had much chance to do recently.’

  ‘You weren’t planning on doing anything useful, like making coffee, I suppose?’

  ‘I could probably fit that into my crowded schedule. And when you’re both done, come through to my office. I’ve got some interesting photos and a couple of videos to show you.’

  Having provided the coffee, Nash retired to his office and closed the door. Lisa eyed it for a few seconds. Obviously, Mike intended to do exactly as he’d said.

  ‘What’s he up to, Viv? He’s got something on his mind, don’t you think?’

  ‘Hasn’t he always?’ Viv replied.

  Nash was concerned about the safety of Aishe, should her half-brother be released on bail. She needed somewhere to stay, a refuge where he couldn’t reach her and inflict further abuse, possibly even carry out his threat to kill her. In larger towns and cities there were centres where women could seek shelter, but in a rural area such as this, no such places existed. He was still pondering how to overcome this difficulty when a solution was offered, from a most unlikely source.

  The phone rang. The call was an internal one, from Sergeant Binns. ‘Olivia Brook is here again, Mike. Shall I ask her to wait?’

  ‘No, Jack, I’ll come straight down. Did she say what she wants to see me about?’

  ‘No, just that it was important.’

  He greeted the visitor. The farmer looked at him, and for once seemed less than her usual confident self. ‘It’s about the girl, Aishe,’ she began, ‘I wanted to know how she is, and what’s going to happen to her. I realize you might not be able to tell me everything, but I . . . er . . . we thought we’d like to help if we can.’

  ‘By we, I take it you mean you and your brother?’

  ‘That’s correct, as you know John doesn’t go out, except occasionally after dark, and there are times when he’s working and I’m on the land when he could do with someone else in the house. It’s a big task taking care of him and doing the chores, plus the farm work, so I thought, or we thought, that Aishe might suit the role of housekeeper for us. She’d be well paid and have her own room. That’s what I came to ask you, but if it isn’t practical, please let me know now rather than later.’

  ‘It isn’t quite as straightforward as that,’ Nash told her. ‘I shouldn’t really say at this stage, but as it happens, you’ve offered a possible solution to a problem I was mulling over when you arrived.’

  He reminded her that unless the Crown Prosecution Service cooperated Aishe could well face criminal charges. ‘However, I’ve made it perfectly clear that I will be opposed to that and will provide ample evidence of the mistreatment she suffered and her predicament when we found her. With all that in front of them, I doubt whether they’ll proceed against her and even if they do, I don’t think a jury would convict, especially if she has a competent defence counsel who can present the facts in a sympathetic light. That’s for the future, but at present, I’m concerned about her safety. Hajdari has already threatened to kill her, and I must ensure she’s kept in a place where he can’t reach her until the trial is over. There’s little doubt in my mind that he’ll be convicted, sentenced and then deported. That leaves another problem for Aishe, in that she could also face the threat of deportation, but again I’ve asked my superiors to look into the possibility of giving her asylum, citing the danger she would face back in Albania. Meanwhile, do you think the farm would be a suitable place to shelter her? My doubts centre round the fact that Hajdari might head there if he’s given bail.’

  ‘Well, he won’t be welcome if he does,’ Olivia looked horrified at the thought. After a moment, she said, ‘There is one other solution that might serve, but I would need to ask first. My aunt and uncle live in Bishopton and they have spare rooms in their house. I think they’d be more than happy to look after Aishe for a short time, I can find out and let you know if you wish.’

  ‘You seem to be going to a lot of trouble for this girl,’ Nash said, his tone deliberately neutral.

  Olivia smiled. ‘You said that last time I was here, and the answer’s the same. There are very few people John is comfortable with, and Aishe is one of them. Actually,’ she added confidentially, ‘I think John’s taken quite a shine to her. Aishe isn’t put off by his disfigurement, which is most unusual. Added to which, I like her enormously and what you’ve told me about the abuse she’s suffered merely confirms my opinion. Together, John and I are determined to try and help give her a better future, and let’s face it, that can’t be too difficult.’

  ‘I’ll keep you up to date with developments as and when they occur, but it might not be for a while. We’re a bit short-handed at present and we’ve quite a case load. Some of it going back years.’

  ‘That sounds intriguing.’

  ‘Unfortunately, there isn’t enough evidence to tell whether it’s a criminal case or simply a terrible accident. Some workmen at Thornscarr found human remains while they were renovating the hotel. Only fingers,’ he added, at her shocked expression. ‘Unfortunately, beyond knowing that they belonged to a woman, we’ve no other clues.’

  ‘It had a strange reputation, that place, as I recall, not that I know much about it. The man you need to talk to is a neighbour of ours in Wintersett, Jonas Turner.’

  Nash looked surprised. ‘I hadn’t thought of asking him, but I will now you’ve mentioned it. I know Jonas well. In fact, he helps me by doing some gardening.’

  ‘Of course, Inspector Nash, I’d forgotten you live up the road from the village.’

  He thanked Olivia, and before leaving she promised to let Nash know as soon as she’d spoken to her aunt and uncle. In return, he reiterated his promise to keep her up to date with any developments regarding Aishe’s case and that of Hajdari.

  Before Nash returned upstairs, Jack Binns stopped him. ‘I’ve got one of my lads coming in to cover the desk. There’s something I need to do.’

  ‘That’s not like you, Jack. Running errands during working hours,’ Nash laughed.

  Binns did not look amused. ‘It’s work, not personal, and I won’t be long,’ he growled, before he turned and went through to his office.

  Nash looked surprised. Something was obviously a problem, but no doubt he’d hear in good time if it concerned CID. He headed for the stairs.

  Chapter Thirteen

  When Lisa and Viv entered Nash’s office they were expecting to see nothing more exciting than some holiday snaps sent through by Daniel. They certainly weren’t prepared for the images that proved conclusively the identity of the mugger who had attacked the market trader and the cafe owner.

  ‘Blimey, Mike, where did you get these?’ Viv asked.

  ‘A sixteen-year-old who was playing truant.’ Nash laughed. ‘He happened on the scene and, as most of the younger generation seems to do, filmed what he saw. Having captured the first incident, he had enough courage to follow the mugger and shoot the second instalment. It’s only just come to our attention because hi
s mother found out and contacted us. Reading between the lines, I think the young man was scared by what he’d seen and that, coupled with the fact that he was skiving off school, made him keep quiet until his mother convinced him to do the right thing. She rang in last night and then emailed them through. She’s bringing him in this morning to make a statement.’

  Nash continued, ‘Far more importantly, these photos and his eyewitness account will make a great bargaining tool when we interview our market mugger, as you insist on calling him.’

  ‘You can do that today, Mike. He’s just been released from hospital and is on his way to custody at Netherdale,’ Viv told him.

  ‘That’s good, because now I have these to back up my argument. I reckon I can persuade Hajdari via his brief to make a full confession. If he does that, we might be able to keep the girl out of it entirely. She’s had more than enough suffering to contend with.’

  ‘Do you think the solicitor will go for that? Wouldn’t he be more likely to want the girl implicated to lessen the weight of guilt on Hajdari?’ Lisa asked.

  ‘Not if I also show him another photo, the one Clara took of Aishe handcuffed and naked on the bed, and explain that if his client cooperates we’ll overlook the sexual assault charge. However, if he fails to play ball, we’ll throw the book at him, and instead of a possible five-year sentence he’ll be looking at a much longer term inside — and moreover, one where he’ll be branded as the worst kind of pervert. My guess is that if we had to do that, Hajdari’s life won’t be worth living once he’s inside.’

  * * *

  As Lee had hoped, his mother received a call requesting that she and Lee attend Helmsdale Police Station that morning for him to give a formal statement.

  On arrival, they were escorted to an interview room where Nash greeted them, shaking hands before thanking Lee for his cooperation and introducing him to Lisa. ‘DC Andrews will take your statement, but I hope it will be no more than a formality and that you won’t need to testify, because with all the other evidence at our disposal, we intend to persuade the offender, via his solicitor, to plead guilty to these offences, rather than face more serious charges relating to another offence.’