Cold Justice

by Lee Weeks

  ‘Six pallbearers carried the coffin in. Toby didn’t want to do it.

  ‘The coffin came out with flowers on it but nothing personal. I guess that was no surprise. I don’t know whether you know or not but for most of Toby’s life he didn’t see his father.’ Lauren sighed heavily. They had been walking for half an hour now. Willis wiped her frozen nose with a paper tissue from her pocket.

  ‘How was Toby coping?’ she asked.

  ‘I looked across at him – he was chewing the inside of his cheek as they carried the coffin inside. Does that when he’s stressed. I knew what was worrying him most – the speech. For Toby, that’s far more difficult than you can imagine. He is so shy, so cripplingly shy.’ She paused as she collected her thoughts. ‘I tried to help him. I knew it was the worst day of his life – the final humiliation by his father. Toby hates to attend any gatherings of more than two other people. He sneaks away early if we ever have a dinner party. But yesterday he had to read a poem and talk about a father he hated; and who, for some reason, hated him. Jeremy Forbes-Wright was a lot of things to a lot of people – but to Toby he was a controlling bully. Toby didn’t find much to say that was good about his father. The Home Secretary got up and told a few funny stories about Jeremy. Then someone read a psalm.’

  ‘How did Toby cope with it all?’

  ‘After the service, Toby didn’t answer anyone, whatever they said. He just stuck out his hand and let people shake it. I said, “Thanks for coming,” but it felt stupid. I had no idea who they were, except for the guy who’d written me about the house in Cornwall – Stokes, who introduced himself to me. Toby seemed to be in meltdown. We’d opted for a private burial so luckily we could get away from the crowd. The coffin was put back inside the hearse and driven further into the cemetery. The vicar said a few words. Toby said nothing as we stood around the grave and then Samuel started to really whinge.’

  ‘Do you remember seeing anyone else there then?’

  ‘There were people tending graves, laying flowers, and groundsmen. There seemed to be a few joggers. It all seemed quite a buzzing place. People were walking their dogs. The burial was over quickly and we headed home. We stopped on the way to get something for Samuel to eat. That’s it really.’ She looked across at Willis and shrugged. ‘We got back to our flat but we just were so deflated. I suggested we should head down to take a look at Jeremy’s house in Cornwall. I wanted to see it.’

  Willis didn’t interrupt as Lauren talked and they walked on.

  ‘Toby and Samuel don’t have a great relationship. I mean, they do, but he doesn’t usually care if Toby is there or not. I have had to make big compromises where Samuel is concerned. You must have noticed the age difference. For me, I wanted a child whatever. But Toby didn’t. I must be honest, I think he married me thinking that I was past it.’

  Lauren stopped and grabbed Willis’s hand. ‘Please, please, just tell me it will be all right. Tell me that he will be found safe and alive. Please tell me they won’t make him suffer – he’s my world.’ Lauren looked about to collapse.

  Willis was thinking of an honest but hopeful response and wishing Carter hadn’t made her do this. Lauren watched her closely.

  ‘I can promise you that we’re doing everything to find him.’

  ‘What? What are you doing, tell me.’

  ‘We have to cover all bases until we have more of an idea why he was taken. So, we have posted extra officers on every exit out of London and out of the UK. We are looking into every known paedophile who is on the sex register and who lives in this area. We are searching houses. We are also looking into the possibility that there will still be a ransom demand. The person who took Samuel may know that Toby has just inherited from his father. We are looking at all the CCTV footage of Toby and the route he said he took when Samuel went missing.’

  ‘What do you mean, “said”? Don’t you believe him?’

  ‘I don’t mean to imply anything by that – it’s standard procedure that we look into every possibility. The truth is that Toby was with Samuel when he was abducted. He is the last contact we have with Samuel. Whether I believe him or not, we still have to do that in order to try and pinpoint the exact spot Samuel was taken. Tell me what you were doing.’

  ‘I was working for a while. I tried Toby’s number but he didn’t answer and then the weather outside seemed to be getting really bad so I stood and went to see if I could spot them. A woman had stopped outside. She was staring up at me. Then something distracted me and when I looked back she was gone. Toby phoned and I went down to the foyer.’

  ‘What was she like, the woman you saw?’

  ‘She was dressed in dark clothes. She had a scarf around her face and her hood was up.’

  ‘Did you recognize her from the funeral? Do you think you could have seen her before?’

  ‘I didn’t see her face but I would have remembered what she was wearing probably. She wasn’t smart enough to have been one of the mourners. Her coat was a shiny oilskin type, too big for her. It was dark green.’

  ‘How old would you say she was?’

  ‘I have no idea. I didn’t see her face at all. Only her eyes and she was too far from me to tell anything.’

  ‘Her body language? Was she slight, short? Tall?’

  ‘As I looked down at her I remember thinking she was able to stand the gusts of wind and hold her own.’

  ‘So stocky?’

  ‘Not stocky but steady on her feet. I don’t know – that doesn’t make sense, does it?’

  ‘Keep thinking for me and we’ll get her drawn up when we get back to the apartment. Jeanie will help. So, when you took the call from Toby, how did he seem?’

  ‘He was distracted. I guessed he was battling the wind, he wasn’t used to the buggy. I should never have said they should go out. I knew Toby wasn’t in the right state of mind and Samuel was just getting a cold – grizzling.’ She looked across at Willis.

  Willis thought to herself: If he’s still alive that’ll be the least of his worries. She stopped and turned her head away from the icy wind. Below them the Maritime Museum was lit up. Willis noted the officers around the entrance.

  ‘Lauren – I think it’s time we got back.’ Willis was a few steps ahead before she realized Lauren wasn’t following. ‘Is there something else you wanted to tell me about yesterday?’

  Willis looked at Lauren’s expression. She seemed to be struggling with something.

  ‘Not about yesterday.’

  ‘Then what?’ Willis was distracted by the commotion going on. There was a flurry of activity around one of the bins by the entrance to the museum. She wanted to get Lauren away just in case they’d found Samuel’s body.

  Lauren caught her up. Willis sped up as they walked towards home.

  ‘Toby and I haven’t really been getting on for a while. We don’t share a bed any more. I sleep in with Samuel.’

  ‘Has that been going on for long?’

  ‘Two years.’

  ‘I’m sorry, Lauren. I suppose the pressure of having Samuel changed your life?’

  ‘Toby’s not interested any more. I knew he was bisexual when I married him. I thought we’d be fine. I thought we were well matched in our own way. I don’t need a macho-man. But I think he’s become interested in someone else. I don’t know whether that’s a man or a woman. Could it have anything to do with Samuel going missing?’

  Chapter 7

  When Willis got back Carter was still there, waiting for her. They went into the kitchen to talk privately.

  ‘They’ve found something.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Just been verified now. It’s Samuel’s suit,’ answered Carter.

  Willis and Carter went to join the others in the lounge and share the news. Jeanie sat next to Toby on the sofa as Lauren stood, shell-shocked, in the middle of the room.

  ‘It means he’s dead,’ Toby said as he stared dumbstruck at his wife.

  ‘No, it doesn’t.’ Carter was stern.
‘They changed his clothes for a reason. They wanted to disguise his identity. That means there is still hope he’s alive.’

  ‘Lauren,’ said Willis. ‘Can we sit down and draw the woman you saw on the street below?’

  ‘What woman?’ Toby asked. ‘You never said about a woman before.’

  ‘There was a woman staring up at me, that’s all. I’m trying to remember every small detail, anything that will help.’

  ‘Was she at the funeral?’ asked Carter.

  ‘I didn’t see her there.’

  Lauren went to her desk to get some paper. She sat with Willis and Jeanie at the kitchen table.

  Lauren shook her head as she looked at the finished drawing. ‘It isn’t much to go on, is it?’

  Jeanie picked up the drawing and went to show Toby and then Carter. ‘Toby, did you see a woman like this, while you were out?’

  He shook his head. ‘I honestly never looked at anyone. I pushed Samuel around in the buggy. I looked at the view across London but most of the time I had a lot to think about. My father had just died. A father who hated me and then left me a dog and a load of debt. Sorry I can’t be more helpful.’

  ‘Toby, we need to look into your father’s affairs, his personal correspondence. We would like to search his flat and look into his phone records. We need to look at every possible lead now. Do you have a set of keys?’

  ‘The solicitor is dealing with all that,’ Toby answered, looking from one person to the other.

  ‘Yes, I understand that, but can we have your permission?’ Carter pushed. ‘It saves getting a search warrant – saves time.’

  ‘Of course you can, for Christ’s sake,’ Lauren spat out angrily as she came in from the kitchen. ‘You can do anything you want if it will help find our son.’

  Carter watched as Lauren took several paces towards Toby and looked like she was about to hit him. Toby recoiled from her. ‘Just fucking do it, Toby. Just do it without thinking about yourself for one fucking moment,’ she screamed in his face. ‘You lost our son. You lost our son . . .’

  Jeanie stepped towards her and led her away. Toby got up and left the room, and when he came back he handed a set of keys to Carter.

  ‘The solicitor gave me a set.’

  Carter felt his phone vibrate and excused himself. ‘Willis, can you cover for me a min? I need to make a call.’

  Carter left the door on the latch as he stepped outside onto the landing and stood looking over the view of the building site around them; the lift shaft was at his back.

  ‘Cabrina?’

  ‘Dan, I’ve been trying to get you for hours.’

  ‘I’m sorry, love – we’re in the middle of that missing-child case in Greenwich.’

  ‘Oh yes, I know. I heard about it on the radio.’

  ‘What is it? What’s wrong?’

  ‘We’ve had a break-in. I’m not sure what they’ve taken. It looks a mess here.’

  ‘Shit. Are you and Archie okay?’

  ‘Yes, we’re okay, it happened when I was at work and he was at nursery. Sorry to bother you – I know how big this case is but I don’t know whether to get the locks changed?’

  ‘How did they get in?’

  ‘Through the flat downstairs. They busted her window and then climbed up and through our landing window.’

  ‘Bastards.’

  ‘Yeah . . . horrible. I feel so angry.’

  ‘Look, I’m going to be late again tonight. I might just catch a bit of sleep here.’

  ‘Please, Dan, come home. You didn’t come home last night.’

  ‘I’m sorry, love – this is a crucial time. We’re all working flat out. Are you taking Archie to your mum’s?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘I’ll get Robbo on to it and send a couple of Archway officers round to see what needs to be done.’

  ‘There’s nothing they can do.’

  ‘We have to add our name to the statistics, love, otherwise we can’t claim on the insurance. I’ll get them to dust for fingerprints.’ There was a silence at the other end of the phone. He heard Cabrina sigh. ‘Can you manage?’

  ‘Of course I can manage, but that’s not the point, is it?’

  ‘Sorry, honey, I really am but . . .’

  ‘Yes, I’m sorry too. I’m just so upset and I need you. I know you can’t spare anyone to help. It’s nothing. I’ll sort it. I’ll get some help in to run the shop while I clear it up.’

  ‘That’s why I love you, Cabrina. Come hell or high water, I’m going to be sneaking into your bed tonight so you’d better warn your mum to put her earplugs in.’

  Cabrina laughed.

  ‘The key will be under the mat and I’ll make sure Archie sleeps in with Mum and Dad. Love you, babe.’

  ‘I’ll see you later, honey.’

  Jeanie appeared at the door to the flat and mouthed, ‘Can I have a word?’ Carter nodded. He watched Jeanie walk across towards him. She smiled and looked away. The awkwardness between them always caught her off guard. He knew it. Sometimes she was able to forget it, ignore it. Other times she looked like it was going to affect their working relationship but it hadn’t, because, in the end, she went home to Pete and he went home to Cabrina. He looked away. He didn’t want her to think he was still smarting.

  ‘Okay?’ he asked, as she got within hearing distance. She stood by the landing window and gave a small shake of the head. ‘What’s bothering you?’

  ‘He can’t sit still for a minute. He’s forever jumping up and going off into the next room. He makes calls that he’d prefer I didn’t hear.’

  ‘Shall we bug his phone?’

  ‘Yes, we have to. Willis told me that Lauren confessed her and Toby’s relationship is not the best. He definitely didn’t marry her to carry on his name.’

  ‘Why did he, do you think?’

  ‘Maybe he was trying his hardest to fit into a certain-shaped mould. Maybe he knows he can’t but he’s too frightened to face it.’

  ‘Gay, you mean?’

  ‘Gay, bisexual, apparently. Lauren suspects there could be someone else. He’s had relationships with men in the past.’

  ‘Most likely to be someone at work, if he doesn’t meet people online, that is. What are your thoughts about the missing suit found in the bin?’ asked Carter. ‘I’ve been thinking about what kind of person would risk changing the child rather than bundle him into a car and get away fast?’

  ‘They obviously didn’t have a car within a few feet,’ answered Jeanie.

  ‘But, they threw the suit in a bin nearby the scene. Didn’t they realize we would find it?’ Carter said.

  ‘I don’t think they could have,’ Jeanie answered.

  ‘Which means this is an amateur or a first-timer, do you think?’ asked Carter. ‘The established paedophile network is too slick to make a mistake like that.’

  ‘But if it was opportune?’ asked Jeanie.

  ‘Can’t have been, can it? Because they had a change of clothes ready and they had an exit planned.’

  Back inside the flat, Willis was waiting for Carter. ‘Robbo’s come up with some interesting stuff to show you on film.’

  ‘Okay, good. I think we’ll grab ourselves a respite and regroup.’

  They said goodbye to Toby, Lauren and Jeanie and drove towards the centre of Greenwich. They parked outside the Cutty Sark museum. When they walked past it, it was winding down for the day and a young male assistant was cashing up at the desk.

  Carter cocked his head towards the entrance.

  ‘Let’s just go and chat; see how his day has been.’

  Willis smiled to herself as she followed. She knew Carter would have many ‘off-piste’ episodes, as he called them, on the way through an investigation.

  They walked across and Carter knocked at the window and showed his badge. The young man looked nervously around but Carter’s broad smile had opened many doors and the lad nodded and came forward to unlock.

  They stepped inside. ‘Getting brass monke
ys out here.’ Carter gave an exaggerated shiver. He showed his warrant card. Willis showed hers.

  ‘Okay if we take up five minutes of your time?’ Carter asked. The youth nodded cautiously. Carter wandered around the displays of London souvenirs and the plastic rats, the miniature glass bottles with tiny Cutty Sark models inside.

  ‘Do people still buy all this stuff?’

  The lad nodded.

  ‘What’s your name, mate?’

  ‘Rex.’

  ‘Well, Rex, you’re obviously doing a grand job here. We’re not here to cause you any trouble. I just need your help with something. Yesterday, about this time in the afternoon, a man walked past here pushing a buggy. He was probably walking quite slowly. Look, let me show you a photo.’ Willis took out a folded sheet of paper, which had been given to the search officers, and opened it. It was a still from the CCTV cameras around the museum.

  Rex studied it. ‘He’s the man whose kid was snatched?’

  ‘Yes, that’s him.’

  ‘I was already asked if I saw him and I didn’t.’

  ‘Good – good that my officers are doing their job, but I just want to ask you about the other people you had in that afternoon. Was it busy?’

  ‘It was. We seemed to have large groups of foreign tourists in. I think it must be cheap to come to London in February. We had a big party of Japanese, some schoolchildren from France. There was a Dutch tour.’

  ‘What about UK accents? Did you hear any of those?’

  ‘Yes, I did. Some people up from Cornwall.’