It had all seemed simple enough when Mann had run through it, but as he approached the taxi office Bill Iredale felt very far from confident. He wasn’t sure why, but he wasn’t quite convinced by his story now, and he doubted that George Hayton would be either. So he stopped, told himself not to be so daft, then pushed the door open.
And this time he did have to wait. Ten, twenty, thirty minutes went by. Eventually Bell appeared, and he didn’t look happy to see Iredale.
‘I thought I told you to call.’
‘It’s urgent. Important.’
‘It had better be. George is bloody furious.’
‘Well I know…’
‘Save it. Not here. Come up. This had better be bloody worth it.’
Iredale felt calm, fatalistic almost, when Hayton pushed open the conference room door.
‘I thought Stringer told you, not here. I don’t want to see you here. Turn up again and I’ll throw you down the bloody stairs myself.’
‘I’ve got something. Something solid.’
‘You better have.’
‘They’ve had the analysis of that tape done. Matt incriminates himself, and they’re nicking him.’
‘When?’
‘Soon. Tonight, tomorrow, I’m not sure. Keith was bloody excited, that’s all I know.’
‘How long ago did you hear this?’
‘An hour, that’s all.’
‘How? Did you see the lad?’
‘No, we spoke on the phone.’
‘Give’ said Hayton. ‘Give Stringer your phone. Now.’
Iredale reached into his jacket pocket and passed his phone to Bell. He looked at it for a few seconds.
‘He called the lad, not long since. What’s this number in Carlisle, Bill? You’ve called it a lot.’
‘It’s the hospital.’
‘Oh, aye. Right.’ he passed back the phone.
‘You’re sure you’re right about this?’ said Hayton. He spoke more slowly, and less loudly now.
‘Aye, certain.’
‘All right, and I’m grateful, Bill. You did right, coming to see me. But what about the other issue?’
‘Sorry, I still don’t know who they think it is. The lad’s not saying owt. Maybe he just doesn’t know.’
Ian Mann was standing in the doorway of the closed shop fifty yards down from the taxi office. He’d watched Iredale go in, and now he was just starting to feel nervous. Iredale had been in there for almost half an hour. He’d strolled past quarter of an hour before, and Bill was just sitting there, on a chair with his back to the window. Mann had almost decided to take another stroll past when he saw a familiar figure walking along the street towards him, and on his side of the road. Mann turned his head away, but from the corner of his eye he saw that the man had crossed over, and was approaching the taxi office. He stopped, looked up and down the road, and then pushed the door open. There was no possible doubt, it was Ron Waters. Even out of uniform Mann was quite certain it was him. And it was equally obvious that he hadn’t wanted to be seen. His counter-surveillance technique was so bad that it was actually counter-productive, thought Mann. He couldn’t have been more obvious if he’d been wearing a fedora and a raincoat with the collar turned up.
Mann smiled to himself, then realised that there was a risk that Waters would see Iredale. He wasn’t certain why that was a problem, but he was instinctively sure that it was one. He stepped out of the doorway, and walked decisively towards the taxi office. But he’d barely halved the distance to the door when Waters came out fast, and headed away from him. He hadn’t looked over his shoulder. So Mann turned, strolled slowly back to the doorway, and called Andy Hall.
‘I know who Hayton’s man is. It’s Ron Waters, that arsey uniformed sergeant from Workington nick. I just saw him go into the taxi office, and come out about a thirty seconds later. In a hell of a hurry, like.’
‘Bill Iredale is in there now, is he?’
‘Aye. He’s been in there a while, too. Chummy must have been warned off as soon as he got inside.’
Hall didn’t reply.
‘What are you thinking, Andy? You think I’m wrong?’
‘I doubt that very much. No, I’m just thinking about how to play this. Because if I tell the ACC Crime then I’ll have a job stopping her from starting the formal investigation into Waters right now. I had him second on my list of possibles anyway, as it happens.’
‘Who was top?’
‘Never you mind. What’s that expression you always use?’
‘Keep your neb out?’
‘Exactly. Look, tell Jane tonight, write it up in your notebook, and note that you’ve called me. But I don’t want us to move on this until after we’ve interviewed Hayton.’
‘It’s not like you to go all al fresco, Andy.’ Hall laughed. ‘The ACC won’t like it, mate. You know she won’t.’
‘Probably not, and I’m going to have to tell her, and soon. Just not tonight, that’s all.’
‘All right.’ Mann saw the taxi office door open, and Iredale walk out. ‘Bill’s out. He’s clear.’
‘Right. Just hang on for a bit, and make sure he’s not being followed.’
Mann laughed.
‘You’re really enjoying all this, aren’t you? Pulling the strings from the comfort of your bloody sofa.’
‘It’s interesting, certainly. Let’s face it, Ian, we spend most of our working lives dealing with disorganised crime, usually committed by the feckless against the helpless. It’s almost enjoyable to be going up against someone who thinks at least one move ahead, most of the time at least.’
‘Aye, Andy, but who’s actually doing the thinking?’
‘It’s a good question, and I do see what you mean. It’s as if there are two competing factions, isn’t it? One’s the good old-fashioned bully boy, who ordered the bloody stupid showdown at Uppies and Downies that got this whole investigation started, and the other is much more subtle, and aware of how we’re likely to respond to their actions. And that is clever. Anyway, did Iredale have company when he left?’
‘No. He’s not being followed. You want me to debrief him?’
‘Yes, this evening if you can. Do it on the phone though, Ian. Just in case.’
Tuesday, May 6th
DS Mann always enjoyed a dawn raid. It reminded him of the old days. The briefing was always the best bit too. The jokes, then the serious questions, finally the quiet before the off. Ideally he’d have liked to have been in the van with the lads, but he and Jane drove to the house. When he knocked Matt Hayton answered the door almost immediately, and he was already fully dressed.
‘How come you’re up so early?’ he said, as he walked Hayton to the car. He already knew why, but he was interested to hear what Hayton had to say.
‘Couldn’t sleep, like.’
‘You’ll be needing a lawyer today, Matt.’
‘Aye. And I’m way ahead of you. He’ll be at the nick by eight. Can we stop somewhere for breakfast on the way though? We’ve got time.’
‘Don’t play silly buggers. You’ll be processed, and then we’ll get you a bacon buttie or something.’
‘What if I’m a vegetarian, like?’
‘I’ll eat your bacon. Anyway, are you?’
‘What?’
‘A vegetarian?’
‘No, course not. What fun would that be?’
It was just after nine when Jane Francis asked Mann to turn on the recorder, and the interview commenced. She asked Matt Hayton if he had attacked Chris Brown, thinking that he was Tony Gambles, during the Good Friday game, and Hayton said that he hadn’t.
‘I’m going to play you an extract from an audio file, item 957/L, made during the good Friday game. Here’s a copy of the transcript, with the sections I’m going to play you highlighted in yellow. Is that all clear?’
‘Aye.’
Jane played the tape, and Hayton looked at the lawyer and nodded briefly. The lawyer nodded back.
‘Do you recognise
the voice identified as voice nine?’
‘Aye, that’s me.’
Jane didn’t react, and nor did Mann. It was as if he’d merely confirmed his name, or his phone number, and not that he’d killed a young lad.
‘You’re sure?’
‘Certain.’
‘So you’d be willing to have us make a recording for comparison purposes?’
‘Aye. Right now, if you want.’
‘And how about any of the other voices? Can you identify them?’
‘No.’
‘Would you like me to play the tape again?’
‘You’re all right, love.’
‘Well, if you’re sure. So what did you mean when you said: ‘Aye, the fucker’s down. It’s him’? Did you deliberately assault Chris Brown during the Uppies and Downies match on Good Friday night, at about 10.58pm’
Matt Hayton looked at his lawyer, who nodded again.
‘Aye. But it were a total accident, like. I didn’t mean to kill no-one, honest. It was just supposed to be a bit of a beating.’
‘Was Chris Brown the intended target?’
Hayton glanced at his lawyer.
‘No comment.’
‘Come on, Matt. You’ve been honest with us so far, so why go all ‘no comment’ on us now?’
‘No comment.’
‘Is it because your learned friend has told you not to admit to anything that might involve a conspiracy? Is that it?’
‘No comment.’
‘Well it won’t get you very far I’m afraid, Matt. You see we’ll find out who those other voices are, and they’ll be charged with conspiracy to commit GBH, maybe manslaughter. And if we find that they’re all known associates of George Hayton as well, and we both know that we will, then he’s going to be appearing on the charge sheet too. There’s really nothing you can do to stop it. You admitting to this doesn’t make it go away for your bosses, no matter what you’ve been told.’
‘No comment.’
Jane sat back, and glanced at Ian Mann.
‘Look, Matt’ he said. ‘This is all on tape, so you know I’m not trying to bullshit you here, right?’
Hayton made eye contact, firmly enough, but he didn’t reply. So Mann went on.
‘The thing is that the CPS is going to have to decide what to charge you with. It might be murder, manslaughter or GBH, and then there’s the conspiracy on top. At worst you’re looking at doing ten years, and maybe more. And like DS Francis says, we’re going to put your mates anyway. You’ve admitted doing it now, so they’ve got nowhere to go. So why not help yourself here, by helping us? Save the poor bloody taxpayer a few quid. Just tell us who else was in on the conspiracy.’
‘No comment. I done the kid, like I said, and I’m sorry. But I never meant to kill anyone, and that’s the truth. Now take my statement and charge me, because I’m not saying another fucking word.’
An hour later Jane called Andy Hall, and put him on speakerphone so that Mann and Charlie West, at the CPS offices in Carlisle, could join in the conversation. Hall said that he’d read Hayton’s statement, and asked West what charges would be brought.
‘Well you can forget murder, Andy, and if he goes guilty I’d say that manslaughter would be a stretch.’
‘So you’re saying GBH with intent?’
‘I’d say so. It’d be a quick, clean result and would save the taxpayer Christ knows how much. He’d probably get eight years if it was manslaughter, and six for going guilty on GBH, and there’s a big risk that we might have to come down to GBH anyway, during a manslaughter trial. So it’s win-win going for the lesser charge.’
‘Not for the people of Workington’ said Mann. ‘The man’s a killer, and he’ll be out on the streets again in three years time.’
‘Point taken, Ian’ said Hall, ‘but that’s really out of our hands, isn’t it? At the very least the man who killed Chris Brown is going to have to stand up in court and admit that fact, and you should all be congratulated for that. It’s a great result.’ Hall paused. ‘Is the door closed, Jane?’
‘Yes. You’re thinking about the conspiracy?’
‘I am. Let’s get those other voices identified, especially the one with whom Matt Hayton clearly interacts. Charlie, are you happy to look at conspiracy?’
‘Absolutely. It would be an absolute pleasure. Again, we can forget murder, but if we start with affray we may well be able to work our way up the scale a bit, because a death did result.’
‘Good. So, Jane, that’s top priority. Get all of Hayton’s associates in, and get them recorded. I wouldn’t be surprised if another one, voice four I think, just grasses himself up, exactly the way that Matt Hayton did.’
‘You think they’re trying to insulate George Hayton?’ asked West.
‘I do. But will it work, Charlie?’
‘I’m afraid so, yes. Realistically we’re not going to be able to lay a glove on George Hayton over this, even if we can prove conspiracy. Not unless you can get some solid evidence linking him to the conspiracy itself. And at the moment you’ve not got a thing.’
‘Agreed, and I can’t see that happening, I’m afraid. But how about his number two, Lee ‘Stringer’ Bell? We do have him in the car that we know was used for the burglary of Alex Baker’s hotel room. It’s a start, surely?’
‘That’s tenuous at best, Andy’ said West. ‘You’ll need more than that, plenty more, if you want to draw anyone beyond the blokes in the scrum into this. And we all know that they’re just foot soldiers. The poor bloody infantry of the criminal classes.’
‘Absolutely true, but as Ian rightly says there’ll also violent criminals in their own right, and putting a couple away for a few years is always a proper bit of public service, as far as I’m concerned. But listen, Charlie, is there anything else we need to discuss?’
‘No, I’m done for now. Just let me know if you manage to get any of the others to admit to taking part in the assault. Like I say, it’s happy days if they do.’
West couldn’t help but notice Ian Mann’s scowl as he got up to leave.
‘Has he gone?’ said Hall.
‘Aye,’ said Mann.
‘Right then, let’s talk about our mole. I talked to the ACC as soon as you’d got the confession from Matt Hayton. Needless to say she was absolutely made up about it, so it seemed like the perfect time. And I really stressed how closely connected Waters is to the wider conspiracy case, and how dangerous it would be to let the vultures at him immediately.’
‘But you didn’t manage to convince her?’ said Jane.
‘Oh, ye of little faith. No, she went for it. I must admit that I was a bit surprised myself. Here’s the deal. So long as there’s a live conspiracy case involving George Hayton, or any of his people, then Waters is ours, and ours alone. So the question is, how do we use him? After all, we can’t try to turn him, can we?’
‘Why not?’ asked Mann. ‘Oh, aye, I see. You’ve already got George Hayton thinking about that possibility, because of what Bill Iredale has been feeding him.’
‘Exactly. It was one of the downsides of that strategy, and in retrospect it was an error. But at the time it looked as if we’d get nowhere with the Brown killing.’
‘Isn’t the first step to get Waters in, and have him admit it?’ said Jane.
‘It’s too soon, isn’t it?’ said Mann. ‘The man’s a copper, so he’ll soon know we’ve got nowt of any real value. Last time I checked it wasn’t an offence to walk into a taxi office during the hours of daylight, like.’
‘Exactly’ said Hall, ‘he’s a copper. So he knows how this goes from here. He knows as well as we do that if he denies it every aspect of his life will be gone into in minute detail, and if he’s dirty then we’ll know soon enough anyway. Meanwhile his family will be drawn right into the whole bloody mess. So I think there’s a fair chance that he might just spare us all the trouble.’
‘Blimey’ said Jane, ‘is this the Andy Hall we know and love? Suddenly you’re the eternal
optimist.’
‘I’m just saying that I think it’s worth a try. And I won’t be able to keep Val Gorham off our backs indefinitely, remember.’
‘All right’ said Mann, a hint of uncertainty in his voice. ‘What could we offer him? Something for full co-operation?’
‘Yes, certainly. You know the score here. The one thing he’ll really fear is going to prison. We all know what it’s like inside for ex-coppers. He’ll have zero confidence that he’d be protected properly, and maybe not without reason. So that’s your pressure point. Co-operate now, and we’ll do everything in our power to either keep him out of jail, or else get him sent to a nice open prison.’
‘Our pressure point?’ said Jane. ‘Don’t you want to handle this one personally?’
‘I don’t think there’s any need, is there? I can’t see any reason why I should be there. He’s either going to go for it, or he’s not. Plus I’ve been warned off by Val, and I do need to at least look as if I do what she says.’
‘And if he doesn’t? Go for it, I mean. I have to say that I agree with Ian. I can’t really see it happening.’
‘Then Val will unleash the dogs on him. It’s as simple as that. So I suggest that you two get the interviews and recordings with the Hayton associates who were in that scrum set up right now, and then talk to Waters.’
‘Here?’ said Mann.
‘No’ said Jane, before Hall could reply. ‘Don’t worry, Andy. We’ll get it sorted.’
Keith Iredale was still buzzing after the briefing. He couldn’t remember so many smiles among a gathering of coppers since the day the last Super had retired. An old PC, who’d been off sick for most of the time that Iredale had been at Workington nick, did a kind of slow war dance, to laughter and applause, when Jane announced that Matt Hayton was in the bag for the killing of Chris Brown.
‘But listen up, everyone. What he gets isn’t up to us. What matters is that we got him. Every one of us played our part, and we can all be very proud of what we’ve achieved. But we’re not done yet, not by a long way, so let’s push on and get everyone who was involved in this killing nicked. So keep it down for a minute, and DS Mann will divvy up the tasks.’
Hail and Farewell (The Lakeland Murders) Page 24