by Peter Boon
I just couldn’t get Noah’s words out of my head. Maybe someone killed him to stop him from coming out. But who would want to prevent it so much that they would murder him?
The club and his agent were doing their best to keep it quiet beforehand, taking Fiona’s phone and threatening legal action. But that wasn’t tantamount to planning murder. Although Patrick had emphasised the enormity of the revelation, saying that it would change everything forever for Kieron, the club and English football. Wasn’t that enough to kill for if someone didn’t want that to happen?
And how could it even be murder? Kieron had driven off in his car, alone, and either accidentally or intentionally, his car had been driven off the cliff. Unless…
DC Wood picked up the phone almost straightaway, as I sat up straighter in bed to speak to him. I asked him what I wanted to know.
‘Forensics on the car? Yeah, they’ll do them as matter as routine, I think, but I’ll check with Appleby. We’re not treating it as suspicious though, unless anything changes.’
I asked him my next question.
‘Jesus, Edward! Is that what you think happened?’
‘Not necessarily. It just occurred to me it could have,’ I explained. I didn’t give him any other context or tell him about the revelation before Kieron died. Not yet.
‘I’m pretty sure they’d check for that anyway, but I’ll give them a ring and make sure they do,’ he said.
‘Thanks, Dean, I appreciate it.’ I had a feeling he’d help me. DC Wood had been promoted on the strength of his work with me on the snow day case, and he’d remained grateful since. Not to mention, people in our village show a loyalty to each other.
‘I was going to call you anyway, but it was too late last night by the time we finished,’ he said. ‘I’ve got something for you. Don’t let on I’ve told you anything though, Appleby will be after my head on a plate.’
I rolled my eyes. Appleby had bent the rules enough himself in that regard; he’d even had me dealing with a case on his behalf when the snowstorm stopped him from accessing the village. ‘Of course, go on.’
‘We found something on the grass bank just before the cliff edge. It looks like he threw his phone out of the car before it went over.’
‘What? Why would he do that?’ I wondered out loud.
‘I was hoping you could tell me,’ Wood replied. ‘Didn’t you mention something last night about an important note on there, that the girlfriend saw? Could it be a suicide note?’
No, not a suicide note. Of course, I heard Ellie say she’d seen a draft message in notes about coming out.
I explained briefly to Wood (without going into detail about the coming out) and he promised to let me know as soon as he heard anything about what was on the phone, as well as the results of forensics on the car.
Maybe he’d thrown the phone out of the window to make sure his coming out story still got heard. But if he wanted that, what was the reason for plummeting to his death?
The thought entered my head again. Maybe he didn’t choose to. Maybe someone really didn’t want that coming out message being seen.
11
My original plan for that Saturday was to spend the day reading. I’d received a delivery of some lovely antique editions of Miss Marple novels and I had my weekend planned around re-reading Murder at the Vicarage, The Body in the Library et al.
Instead, I’d spent the last two hours on my laptop at the kitchen table, reading up on Kieron Juniper and the general antics of the Beachy Head United team. Juniper himself seemed well behaved; most news stories I found were about his success on the pitch or his successful relationship with Ellie.
They were very much the media dream couple: childhood sweethearts in Brighton long before Kieron’s fame, they’d entered the spotlight together and seemed happy in it. They’d got engaged last year, and though they’d announced a long engagement, the press were having a field day speculating on the wedding. No public rows, no scandals, no affairs or one-night stands, and certainly nothing to suggest Kieron was secretly gay. To the public eye, they were a happy and much loved young couple.
Similarly, Kieron’s football career seemed exemplary. Signed with Beachy Head United from a young age, he was credited for the team’s rise through the football ranks to the Premier League: first with his fantastic goal scoring form, and later with his leadership and influence as team captain.
He also had many caps playing for England, won several ‘player of the year’ awards and been the subject of bidding wars between all the big teams, but always stayed loyal to his home club. Then there was his charity and community work, most famously leading a campaign to provide more computers for schools. I found so many quotes from players, celebrities and even MPs praising him; no one had a bad word to say.
The same couldn’t be said for some of the other players in the team. As I’d guessed, Ricky Roberts had a colourful history which involved scraps on and off the pitch, several kiss and tells and unsuccessful flings with numerous reality TV ‘stars’ from Love Island and similar shows. One of these young women had also accused him of sharing inappropriate pictures of her after their split.
Even Danny Higgins had a mixed reputation in the media, despite his friendship with Kieron and relationship with Chloe. He appeared to have a ‘party boy’ name for himself, with lots of sightings of him in the usual trendy nightspots, often with girls who weren’t Chloe. His most recent scandal was being caught attending a house party during national lockdown. There had also been rumours of several rows and splits between Danny and Chloe over his wild ways, but nothing had been proven and the couple always closed ranks and stuck to the same story under the spotlight. In fact, they too had recently got engaged and were planning a big wedding later this year.
I’d just started reading an article about the rumours of a gay player on the team, when I heard a knock at the door. Patrick and Becky had gone out, and I wasn’t expecting anyone.
One thing I’ve learned though, is that you should always expect Noah.
‘Good afternoon, Edward! We have a lot of work to do!’ he said cheerfully, without waiting to be asked in.
It was only after he strolled past me I saw he wasn’t alone; Fiona was standing on my doorstep with an apologetic smile on her face. ‘He has a bit of a bee in his bonnet after last night.’
‘That’s Noah for you,’ I said as I gestured for her to come in. I noticed she had another vintage outfit on, very similar to yesterday’s but following a green and yellow colour scheme and a bit more relaxed for daytime wear. I felt a pang of nerves when she walked past me, but didn’t know why or what that was.
I followed her back into the kitchen to find Noah already sitting at the table and about to commandeer my laptop for his own purposes.
‘I wrote that article,’ Fiona said proudly as she spotted it on the screen. ‘Although I had no idea it would end up being Kieron when I wrote it.’
‘That part of the story’s not got out yet then?’ I asked her as she took a seat. I tried not to look too suspicious of her, but I’m not sure I managed it. I’d seen a few articles reporting his death, but nothing on Ellie’s bombshell yet, though I thought it would only be a matter of time.
‘No press know about it yet apart from me,’ she replied. ‘And it doesn’t look like anyone from the team’s leaked it. Jackie Luton will have all their mouths clamped shut. How’s Beaumont?’
I was thrown by the question, and it must have shown.
I’m not writing a story on him,’ she added huffily. ‘I just wondered how he was. Last night was meant to be his big night.’
‘He was quite upset when we got back here,’ I said.
‘Especially when I told him that another gay player had committed suicide,’ Noah added. ‘But we think Kieron’s death is murder now, so maybe he’ll be happier about it.’
‘We don’t think it’s murder, Noah,’ Fiona corrected him. ‘You think it’s murder. I think your theory is ridiculous. Isn’t it, Ed
ward?’
I didn’t reply.
‘You must be joking, not you as well!’ she said. ‘You’ve been spending too much time with your foster brother.’
‘Yes!’ Noah called out with a fist pump. ‘Are we going to solve another murder together, Edward?’
I had been wondering if there was more to the case than met the eye, but I also wanted to manage Noah’s expectations. ‘We don’t know anything yet. And if it turns out to be something suspicious, let’s leave it to the police.’
‘You always say that,’ he replied, while engrossed with the laptop screen.
‘Come on, guys! It’s not going to be anything suspicious. It’s a clear cut story to me. Ellie found out Kieron’s secret, told everyone, he wasn’t ready for everyone to know and couldn’t cope, got in his car and drove straight off the cliffs that just happen to be down the road from the stadium.’
I looked at Fiona in shock. At least Noah didn’t mean to be blunt.
‘What?’ she said on seeing my face. ‘Okay, it’s a clear cut story, but obviously it’s a sad one too.’
‘Have you heard how Ellie is?’ I asked. I hadn’t seen anything of her after her bombshell announcement; she’d probably left the party early. I just hoped she had someone with her when she heard about her fiancé’s death.
‘No, I’ve called and texted Chloe a couple of times, but no answer. Though Jackie will have the WAGs on lockdown as much as the players.’ She paused and looked at me. ‘You don’t really think someone did this to him, do you? How would that even be possible? He was on his own in that car.’
I was debating whether to explain the crazy theory I had about what might have happened when my phone rang.
I saw the name and excused myself into the hall, not wanting Fiona to hear until I knew what it was about. I took a breath and accepted the call.
‘Edward Crisp, bloody hell, you’ve done it again. How do you always manage to be the last one to see them alive?’ The voice at the other end blared out of the phone, making me jump a little.
‘Hello, Appleby.’
‘So, you just cut me out and go straight to DC Wood these days, do you?’
I knew he’d say this the next time I spoke to him. DI Appleby and I had an interesting relationship. Formerly my school bully, Appleby had been the SIO on the cases I’d helped with so far. Yes, he’d got to be a detective while I’d spent years reading about it.
But now we’d formed some sort of… what? Partnership? No. Alliance? Still no. An understanding, I guess you might say? Yes, we’d formed an understanding. Appleby feigned annoyance that I kept stumbling across his murder cases, but I liked to think that he didn’t mind, really. Though I wasn’t sure at the minute.
‘If you have any information about a case, or want any information, you bloody well ask me. Then I’ll tell you to mind your own business and leave it to the police.’
Wow, I’d really upset him dealing with Wood first. ‘Come on, Appleby, I saw Wood at the scene, you know that. And I knew you were too senior to deal with the trivial things coming from me.’
‘Nice try attempting to boost my ego,’ he said with a half laugh down the phone. ‘And how come you’re so involved, anyway? How do all these murders keep happening around you, everywhere you go? Enough of this Jessica Fletcher crap.’
I ignored the insult, picking up on one word in particular. ‘You said murders.’
‘Yeah, so?’
‘As if this one counted amongst them. Was Kieron murdered?’
I heard a deep sigh on the other end of the phone before he answered. ‘I don’t know how you bloody do it, mate. But yeah, the thing you asked Wood to check has come through.’
I felt my heart racing. It was a possibility that occurred to me, but I didn’t actually expect it to come through. ‘No, you mean…’
‘Yeah, you were right,’ he said, cutting me off. ‘The brakes on Juniper’s car have been cut. It looks like someone wanted him dead after all.’
12
‘I’m hoping this will be a straightforward case, to be honest, mate. Forensics and CCTV should sort it soon enough.’
I tried to process things as quickly as Appleby was speaking. So, this was ‘a case’ now. But it certainly wasn’t a straightforward one. Even if the culprit was quickly identified, there was nothing straightforward about why Kieron Juniper had been killed. It definitely felt like someone didn’t want him to be gay.
I took a breath and told Appleby everything I knew, including the forced coming out at the hands of Ellie.
‘Wow, Juniper a fairy, who’d ever have thought of it.’
I couldn’t believe my ears. ‘I’m sorry, what did you just say?’
The usually never lost for words Appleby spluttered in embarrassment down the phone. ‘Oh yeah, your brother. Sorry, mate.’
No, it’s not just because my brother’s gay, I wanted to say, it’s because that’s a stupid, hateful, homophobic name and you shouldn’t be using it, not least as a so-called professional senior police officer about a murder victim. What kind of idiot are you?
But I simply said, ‘yes, don’t worry.’
Appleby continued. ‘Anyway, like I said, this will be a straightforward one. I reckon either CCTV or forensics will show that it’s a case of the woman scorned.’
‘You think it’s Ellie?’
‘Who else, mate? Whether or not what she said is true, or maybe her and her mate cooked it up between them, either way she hates him. That much is obvious. And no one saw her after that. I bet she cut his brakes and got the hell out of there.’
I shook my head at the experienced detective going for the most obvious solution. I knew what he’d say if I questioned it: ‘some suspects are obvious for a reason, mate.’ But that wasn’t the part that stood out for me.
‘You said “whether or not it’s true.” You know that in her outburst she referred to a draft coming out statement on his phone she claimed to have seen?’
‘For God’s sake, am I the last to bloody find out everything?’ he shouted down the phone. ‘Right, so I need to chase up CSI team again about what was on that phone. I’ve already asked them to hurry up with it.’
‘Yes, surely that’s the reason he threw it out of the window,’ I continued. ‘When I thought it was suicide, I thought it was to make sure the world knew about his coming out. It still might be, but what if he also did it to help us catch the killer?’
‘I dunno, mate, he would only have a few seconds to throw that phone once he realised what was happening.’
‘And yet he still threw it,’ I countered.
‘Why do I feel like this isn’t going to be the straightforward case I hoped?’ he barked. ‘It never bloody is with you around. I don’t know why I even entertain your ideas.’
Because I know what I’m talking about and you just think you do. ‘The other thought I had,’ I added, on a roll now, ‘is Ellie said she saw the coming out statement but didn’t say where. Let’s remember that this news came from her best friend Chloe, who’s engaged to Kieron’s best friend, Danny Higgins. Maybe Kieron had sent it to Danny first and Ellie saw it that way.’
‘It will still come up on the checks of his phone, then, and in our interviews with Danny and Chloe,’ Appleby said decisively. ‘Anyway, thanks for the information. One of my officers will come take your statement, and Patrick’s, about your conversation with Kieron.’
I was being dismissed. Before I could stop myself, I replied. ‘Wait, Appleby, there’s more to this and you know it.’
I heard him scoff. ‘You what?’
‘Stop and think about it. One of the most famous footballers in the country is about to make history and come out, literally the first premier league player ever to do it. And he was about to do it. He was talking to me and Patrick about “the biggest dilemma of his life.” He was going to go through with it, we could tell. Then, suddenly, he just happens to have his brakes cut and go careering off a cliff? Boom. History prevented. And you thi
nk it’s as simple as a crazy ex-girlfriend?’
I finished and came back to reality. Where had that come from? I’d been thinking a lot about what happened, about my brother, about Noah’s research and Patrick’s words on gay footballers. I just had a feeling there was more to it. But modern detective work wasn’t done on feelings. And I wasn’t a police officer. As I was about to be told.
‘You’ve been spending way too much time with Noah,’ Appleby replied before a pause. ‘Look, mate, you know I like you so I’m gonna be nice about this. But who the hell do you think you are? I don’t need you to tell me this is a high-profile case. I’ve had every rung of the ladder above me on my arse already. All the way up to the Chief Constable. Not to mention our Divisional Commander, with her stupid bloody Criminology Masters, reminding me it has to be evidence based.’
I could tell he was under a lot of pressure from senior police, and probably felt embarrassed to learn half the case details from me. ‘You’re right, I’m sorry.’
But he went on. ‘No, Edward, it’s happening too much now. Every major case I get you pop up out of nowhere. You’re an amateur, mate. This isn’t a bloody Agatha Christie book, this is actual police work that we’ll solve with evidence: forensics, fingerprints, CCTV. Not by the school librarian poncing about, thinking he’s Poirot. Got it?’
He hung up the phone and left me to my inevitable anxiety attack.
13
I’d taken the call in the hallway, but stumbled my way through to the living room and close the door, eventually finding the sofa beneath me as I focused on breathing. In, out. In, out.
As I did this, Appleby’s harsh words stabbed through my thoughts, refusing to go away.
Who the hell do you think you are?
In, out.
You’re an amateur.
In, out.
The school librarian poncing about, thinking he’s Poirot.
In, out.
Concentrating on my breathing wasn’t working, so I tried the 54321 technique that Doctor Albright recommended.