Pale Horse, Dark Horse (The Lakeland Murders)

by Salkeld, J J

  Jane paused, and she and Mann looked across the table at Williams. He stared straight back at Jane, but eventually broke eye contact. They always did, the guilty ones.

  ‘So where were you yesterday, Mr. Williams? From early evening until the early hours of this morning?’

  ‘Let’s see. After work I got a take-away, went for a walk, and I was home by about ten. I was still there when you lot turned up.’

  ‘What time did you leave work?’

  ‘Quite early, about four. I had a bit of flexitime to use up, and it’d been a long week, so...’

  ‘And where and when did you get your take-away?’

  Williams told them, and Mann made a note.

  ‘You’re sure?’ said Jane. ‘There’ll be CCTV, and we will check.’

  ‘Check all you like. I was there, just like I said.’

  ‘And then what?’

  ‘I went for a walk, like I told you. And before you ask I saw a couple of dog walkers, that’s all.’

  ‘Where did you go?’

  ‘Just along Scout Scar. I just wanted an hour in the fresh air, you know? I thought about going fishing, but I just couldn’t be bothered, like.’

  ‘We’re going to need the exact route that you walked, and what time you got back to your car. By the way, where did you park?’

  ‘By the school on Kirkbarrow, just up from there.’

  ‘That’s near the East View development, isn’t it?’

  ‘Aye, I think so. Why?’

  ‘Because that’s where the assault happened, Mr. Williams.’

  ‘Oh, aye? Well, like I said, that was nowt to do with me.’

  ‘Let’s talk about when you got home, after your walk. Were you online, did you talk to anyone on the phone?’

  ‘No, no I wasn’t. Oh, I went online for an hour late on, about one-ish, maybe a bit later, but only because I couldn’t sleep.’

  ‘Does that happen often?’

  ‘How do you mean?’

  ‘I mean do you often go online in the middle of the night? When we check your web usage, and we will, are we going to find that this is a regular occurrence?’

  Williams thought about the question for a long moment. ‘I don’t know, maybe you will. But it doesn’t prove anything either way, does it?’

  Jane smiled.

  ‘No, you’re right, it doesn’t. But do you know what the standard of proof for a conviction in the criminal courts is, Mr. Williams? No? It’s ‘beyond reasonable doubt’, which means that when we get lots of small pieces of evidence, which might not prove anything in themselves, and we put them together and place them before a jury, well, sometimes they remove any doubt. It’s the combination of facts, all pointing in one direction. You see what I mean?’

  ‘Aye’ said Williams, reluctantly.

  ‘Do you know anything about forensics, Mr. Williams?’

  ‘No, why should I? I work in a bank. You know that.’

  ‘I thought perhaps you watched cop shows on TV, or read books about forensic-led investigations. I used to work in a lab, cutting up all sorts, so I don’t read them. It would be a total busman’s holiday. But maybe you do.’

  ‘No, I don’t.’

  ‘So you won’t know what’s happening at the victim’s house, right now, will you?’

  ‘No, I won’t. So what?’

  ‘Well, it’s just that before, our offender struck outside, which makes it all much more difficult for our forensic team, but this time he made a bit of a schoolboy error. This time there’s every chance we’ll track him down, if he’s on our DNA database, because they’ve got a nice contained environment to work in. And you’d be amazed what microscopic samples contain DNA, Mr. Williams, you really would. And you’ve given us a swab to compare against, haven’t you, Mr. Williams?’

  ‘Aye, but like I said, I’ve done nowt. I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now, if you haven’t got any actual questions to ask me I’d like to get off home. If that’s all right with you, that is.’

  ‘Just a couple of questions, Mr. Williams. Was it you in Mrs. Baker’s house last night? Or, to put it another way, was it you who got your arse kicked by a 45 year old woman who was still half-asleep, and who has since told us that she could have taken the man, the ‘pathetic little perv’ was the phrase she used, with one hand tied behind her back. Was that you, Mr. Williams?’

  Mann was sure he saw a flicker of anger on Williams’ face, but it was gone before he could be sure.

  ‘Like I keep saying, I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  Jane sat back. ‘Yes, that’s what you keep saying, isn’t it? Now, here’s my last question. Are you ready?’

  ‘Aye. I just want to get home.’

  ‘Do you know where I live, Mr. Williams?’

  Mann thought he looked genuinely surprised at the question.

  ‘You? No, of course I don’t. I don’t know you from Adam.’

  ‘From Eve, you mean. So you don’t know where I live, then?’

  ‘I’ve told you. Can I go now?’

  ‘Yes, in a second. I’m trying to give you a chance here, Mr. Williams. If you tell us what really happened last night we can get you treatment, and because you were overpowered by Mrs. Baker last night you’d probably not even go to prison. I can’t promise, because it’s not up to us, but if you own up now it’ll save everyone, including you, from a much less favourable outcome.’

  ‘Treatment? What do you mean, treatment? It’s you who wants treating, love, not me. You seem to think that every man in the world fancies you, and let me tell you that’s not true. Not by a bloody long way. Is it, mate?’ he added, looking at Ian Mann.

  ‘Then that’s it for today, thank you, Mr. Williams’ said Jane calmly. ‘But I do have to remind you that our investigation is ongoing, so don’t be surprised if you get a knock on the door from us sometime in the next few days. It really could come at any moment.’

  Andy Hall had come in to the station, intending to collect Jane and take her home after she’d interviewed Williams, so he went straight to the observation room to see if it was over. Jane and Ian Mann were on their own, talking, and he found himself standing and listening, rather than going in to join them.

  ‘He’s your man, Jane, not a doubt in my mind.’

  Even through the glass Hall picked up the look on her face long before Mann did, but eventually Mann saw it too. ‘You don’t think so?’

  ‘I’m not sure, honestly I’m not. But I am certain that whoever attacked Rita on the Windermere Ferry also did this one, I can just feel it.’

  Hall watched Mann carefully through the glass. He took his time before replying.

  ‘Come on, Jane, there’s no evidence of that. None at all. I reckon you’ve just lucked out finding Williams, that’s all. My brother told you that Williams never left the car on that crossing, and I promise you that’s true. So it can’t have been Williams.’

  ‘I believe you, Ian. I do, honestly. And I believe Phil too. There’s no chance of me interviewing him again now, and not just because Andy wouldn’t let me. Like you say, your brother told us the truth. But if that’s the case then I can’t be certain about Williams, I really can’t. I just know we’re looking for one man for all three attacks. But maybe SOCO will turn something up.’

  ‘Come on Jane, we know that’s not going to happen. I know you were trying to wind him up, but you know as well as I do that the chances of getting anything are slim. They got nowt from under the victim’s fingernails, and that was always your best chance. They’re not going to spend days doing a full forensic sweep, it’ll just have been a quick in and out.’

  Jane nodded.

  ‘It’s so frustrating, Ian, because I know I’m right. And I just know he’s going to succeed next time, the bastard. He just picked the wrong woman this time, but next time we won’t be so lucky.’

  ‘Maybe he’s got a scare, and he certainly knows we’re on to him now. He can’t be daft enough to try it again, not round her
e anyway.’

  ‘Maybe you’re right. But what if you’re not?’

  ‘Come on, Jane, keep it real, lass. We’re coppers, not miracle workers. It’s not our fault when bad people do bad things, it’s theirs. And you can bet that Andy won’t let you out of his sight from now on. We’ll all be watching out for you, and keeping a close eye on Williams as well, I can promise you that.’

  Andy Hall had seen enough. He opened the door quietly, and walked out into the corridor.

  At the end of his shift Ian Mann walked home, made a salad, and sat down to read the paper. But he couldn’t settle, and he couldn’t concentrate. He got changed and went for a run, telling himself he’d decide on his route as he went. But Ian Mann knew exactly where he’d end up, and an hour and a half later he was standing on his brother’s doorstep, asking his brother’s wife Melissa if Phil was at home.

  ‘What is it, Ian? Is it dad?’ asked his brother, hearing Ian’s voice and coming to the door.

  ‘Don’t worry, nothing like that. I wondered if you could spare ten minutes, come for a quick stroll, like? I can’t come in like this, I don’t want to drip sweat on your carpet.’

  Melissa started to tell Ian not to be so daft, but Phil cut her off.

  ‘Aye, let’s go. I’ll just get my shoes on.’

  Neither man spoke until they heard the front door closing behind them.

  ‘What is it, Ian?’

  ‘I wanted to talk to you about your mate, Tim Williams.’

  ‘Oh aye. Official, like, then is it?’

  ‘No, not official. Not official at all. It’s just that there’s been another attack, probably two in fact, and your mate looks favourite for them. Tell you the truth I reckon he’s a shoe-in for them, but that’s between us.’

  Phil didn’t say anything.

  ‘You’re not surprised then, mate?’ said Ian.

  ‘Oh aye, I’m surprised. But it’s your business, is the Police job. What would I know about it?’

  ‘Maybe more than you think. That’s what I wanted to ask you. Has anything about Tim William’s behaviour, or anything else about him, ever struck you as odd?’

  ‘No, not that I can think of. Sorry.’

  ‘Don’t worry, that’s fine. And you told my colleague Jane that when you were on the Ferry you were both in the vehicle the whole time.’

  ‘Aye, like I said.’ Phil stopped, and turned to face his brother. ‘But you’ve changed your tune, haven’t you? I thought you said that she was off on one, and not to worry about it? And now all this, checking up on me, like.’

  ‘I did say that, aye, but I might have been wrong. I think Williams is guilty, like I said.’

  ‘I see. Well, it still doesn’t change anything. Tim was in that car the whole time. He didn’t attack that girl on the Ferry, and so I doubt he’s your man for these other attacks either. But what do I know, like?’

  ‘OK, I just wanted to be sure.’ They walked on in silence for a few minutes. ‘But if you wanted to change what you’ve said, for any reason, it’s not too late. You could do that, if you wanted to, like.’

  Phil stopped and grabbed his brother’s arm. He didn’t let go.

  ‘Why would I change what I’ve said though, Ian? I’ve told you the truth. You’re my brother, for Christ’s sake. And anyway, why would I lie?

  This time it was Ian who walked on in silence.

  ‘I don’t know’ he said eventually. ‘And I believe you, of course I do. But what we find, sometimes, in cases like these is that the offender has some sort of power over the person who they get to lie for them. Something on them, if you like.’

  ‘Blackmail, you mean blackmail? Don’t be soft, Ian. What could Tim Williams possibly have to blackmail me about?’

  Monday, 24th June

  It felt like an autumn day to Hall, as he battled against the wind to get his car’s passenger door open so that Jane could get in. They drove most of the way to work in silence, because they both knew that they weren’t thinking about the same case. Jane had spent half of Sunday talking to SOCO, to the point where one of the lab team had suggested that she leave them to get on with their work, while Hall had been going over everything on the Morrow case yet again. As they drove it became so dark that Hall had to switch his headlights on, and when the rain started, just before Shap, they both had the feeling that it wasn’t going to stop, not for a long time.

  The incident room was almost empty when they arrived, and Hall knew that it would stay that way from now on. There had been no meaningful developments over the weekend, so he decided, reluctantly, to clear a bit of his admin backlog, and he was half way through his budget report when Ian Mann loomed in the doorway. Hall still found it disconcerting that such a big man moved quite so quietly, and so fast.

  ‘I think I’ve got it, boss. I’ve found a connection between Morrow and Christopher Plouvin. Not totally definite like, but I’ve got something, I’m sure of it.’

  ‘Then I’m sure of it too. Come on in and share the good news.’

  ‘On Friday I noticed that Christopher Plouvin used to be a JP. Bit of a family tradition apparently, judging the local population at very opportunity. Anyway, he stood down just under two years ago.’

  ‘Interesting’ said Hall, ‘and...’

  ‘And so I had a look at his record as a magistrate. I wondered if he’d ever had contact with Cliff Morrow.’ Mann only hesitated for a moment. ‘But he didn’t. So then I had a look at his records in general, and saw that he did some mentoring, pre-release stuff, over at Millom jail. He saw quite a lot of one con, a lad called Terry Miles, who’s a bad lad from out west. I’ve never had the dubious privilege of meeting him but the name was familiar, and I spent all weekend trying to remember where I’d seen it.’

  ‘One of Cliff’s KAs?’

  ‘Got it in one, boss. He was spoken to by a DS based in Whitehaven early in the investigation, and looks like he said sod all of interest.’

  ‘So you’re thinking that this Miles character introduced Christopher Plouvin to Morrow?’

  ‘Aye, I do.’

  ‘So Plouvin contacted Miles, knowing that he wasn’t exactly a pillar of society, mentioned that he had an older brother who was surplus to requirements, and did Miles happen to know anyone who might be willing to do something about it?’

  ‘That’s it, aye. Miles hasn’t got much of a history of violence, he’s more your thief, pusher and general chancer, and judging by his record he’s equally shit at all of them. Plouvin must have known that he wasn’t the man for the job.’

  ‘So you’ve arranged for this Miles to be picked up?’

  ‘Aye, I put a call in to one of my mates in Whitehaven. Last he heard, though this might have changed given the usual length of Miles’ relationships, he had shacked up with his ex-girlfriend’s mum. Apparently she’s on the sick and has a Nissan 4x4 that Miles has taken a bit of a shine to, which is why he ditched the daughter.’

  Hall laughed. ‘True love, eh? You can’t whack it. That’s great work, Ian. I’ll call the Super out west and ask that finding this lad be given top priority, as of now. I’m going to ask for them to ship him straight down here, and give him the silent treatment on the way. But, having said that, a mention of conspiracy to murder might just be enough to get him talking.’

  ‘No doubt about it, boss. My mate says he’d grass his granny up, if they weren’t estranged due to the fact that he nicked her telly a while back.’

  ‘Fantastic’ said Hall. ‘This is all so much more familiar. At last it looks like we might have one of my favourite kind of customers. Idle and stupid, like the Plouvins, but without the benefit of the kind of legal advice that only money and connections can buy. So let’s get Miles down here as soon as. By the way, I’ll tell the Super that we’ll send a few bodies up to help nab Miles, if he’s short. I assume you’d be happy to lead a raiding party?’

  ‘It would be my pleasure, boss.’

  Hall was barely off the phone when he heard a commotion
out in the open office. Ray Dixon’s voice was audible, as usual, but Hall was sure he could hear Jane too. And that was decidedly unusual. So he left his office and saw four or five of the team crowding round Jane’s desk. And since they didn’t all scurry off to their own workstations when he appeared he was sure that something must have happened. They weren’t all looking at a picture of a cute cat, that was for sure.

  ‘We’ve got them’ said Jane. ‘I know where the bloody money was going. It was only paying the school fees of the Plouvin kids.’

  Hall laughed out loud.

  ‘Fantastic, well done, Jane. And well done everyone. But are we quite sure?’

  ‘Absolutely certain, boss. The money left Rupert’s account in South Africa every month, then made its way back to a UK account in another name and from there straight to the school. I’ve emailed it all to the external forensic accountant for confirmation, but there’s no doubt. No bloody doubt at all.’

  ‘How much are we talking?’

  ‘All of it, bar two hundred and fifty a month. No wonder the bloke who called in, the one who’d been impersonating Plouvin, was so pissed off. So shall I have them all brought in, ideally in chains?’

  Hall smiled. ‘No, not yet. You all know about Ian’s discovery as well, I expect? So let’s interview Miles first and then hit the Plouvins with the bloody lot. Breaks in cases are like buses, aren’t they? You stand in the pissing rain for days waiting, then two come along at once.’ Hall paused. ‘It’s interesting that the money has been paying school fees, isn’t it?’

  ‘How do you mean?’ said Jane. ‘I’d have thought it was obvious that the Plouvins would go in for social apartheid.’

  Hall smiled. He’d had the lecture on state education before, and didn’t like to say that he might have paid for his kids’ education if the local comp hadn’t been pretty good anyway.

  ‘No, I didn’t mean that. I meant that it’s kind of symbolic, something that all the brothers believe in, or believed in, bringing through the next generation to take over the house, the estate.’