by Jay Nadal
Karen raised a teasing brow. “Dates?”
Jade blushed. “I’m not a nun you know, boss. Believe it or not, I try to have a life outside of work… sometimes.”
They both laughed, commiserating over the complete lack of work-life balance.
“So, is there a man in your life? I remember you were seeing someone a few months ago? Greg something or other?”
Jade winked. “No, boss. And it wasn’t Greg; it was George. I’m keeping my options open. If a dashing young accountant wants to take me to dinner, then I won’t be saying no. Quite the opposite. And I’m sure my parents would approve.”
Jade’s tone was prim and polite Karen thought, and in marked contrast to some around her who could barely string a sentence together.
“Oh my God!” Jade said as she paused the footage.
They were looking at footage from a property about two hundred yards from Taylor’s. The CCTV camera covered the resident’s front garden and some of the main road. For a fleeting second, Jade picked up a Saab 93 that slowed to a halt before moving off again. She zoomed in on the image and made out a partial index plate.
“The partial index matches the start of Harry Coleman’s plate. I’d say that’s more than just a coincidence, wouldn’t you, boss?”
“I agree. It’s the same car. I noticed the additional rear strip of brake lights flashing I saw on the Saab from the Copthorne state. Have you got any other footage from further down the road to help us identify where the car went?”
“No, boss. There are some other residential cameras further down that way, but the Saab isn’t picked up and there are two turnings between where this camera is positioned and the next available footage. So, I guess the Saab parked up on a corner.”
Karen circled with her hand, urging Jade to continue running the footage. By now McQueen had joined them and was perched over Karen’s shoulder.
They watched in silence for the next few minutes until a lone figure in dark clothing walked past. Tension rippled amongst them like static electricity.
Karen checked the timestamp. The figure walked past at three eleven a.m.. The odd car passed by in full view of the camera but there was nothing until three forty-four a.m. when what appeared to be the same figure darted past at speed headed in the opposite direction. A few more minutes passed before the Saab came into view and disappeared.
“The time frame fits, boss. Wainwright put the estimated time of death at between three and five a.m. Harry Coleman drives a Saab, and we presume he was in the car when he left Molly’s less than an hour earlier. There’s nothing else before the sighting that ties in with our case.”
“That’s all we need. We can pull in Harry Coleman in connection with the murder of Jack Taylor. If it wasn’t him in the footage, then maybe he was the driver and we can find out who else was involved.” Karen jumped up and out of her seat, ready to move. She instructed Brad to continue looking at all the footage around Macholl’s apartment to see if a Saab had been in the vicinity.
Karen was relieved they hadn’t encountered Coleman on their earlier visit. The lad posed a greater risk since he may have been involved with firearms and a murder. Whilst the team busied themselves, Karen arranged for an arrest warrant and armed backup. After the events of the past, she was in no mood to take any risks.
“Boss, you should see this.” Brad handed Karen a printout from background checks that support staff had been doing for him. It was a housing record from the council and a birth certificate.
Karen took a double take as she pored over the details. Number fifty-four Eric Street used to have a tenant called Elaine Atkins. Elaine Atkins had a son, Harry. Her eyes widened as she read the details of both parents on the birth certificate.
Karen’s mind bubbled as she processed the connections and stared at Brad.
Brad nodded in return. “Harry changed his surname from Atkins to Coleman seven months ago. He’s Elaine’s son. And yes, you read the father’s name correctly.”
“Fuck, fuck,” Karen fumed as she rubbed her temples. “We didn’t see that one.”
The darkness added an extra layer of animosity and intimidation to Eric Street as Karen and the other officers gathered. The street was empty, not a soul in sight. She could hear a dog barking somewhere in the distance in someone’s back garden. Karen, Jade and McQueen donned their stab jackets before two uniformed officers and two firearms officers joined them. The tactical entry team were positioned further down the road in case Karen needed them. She instructed McQueen, a uniformed officer, and one firearms officer to cover the back of the block whilst the others went with her through the front door.
The next few minutes would make or break the case.
44
Karen and McQueen exchanged updates over their radios as they positioned themselves. Karen knew they couldn’t hang around, since it wouldn’t take much for the heavy police presence to alert all the residents. They made their way towards the front door of fifty-four. Being a council property, the door was thin. Karen leant into the door to test its strength. A solid door would have required the tactical entry team, and she didn’t have time for that.
Karen glanced at those gathered and gave the nod. The uniformed police officer with her was built like an ox, a little overweight, but his bulk provided an added advantage as he readied himself to kick the door in. The armed officer stood by with her Heckler shouldered, the Maglite torch attached to her weapon switched on and aimed at the door. She would be the first in, followed by the others.
Jade knocked on the door. There was no answer. She crouched and peered through the letter box to see the faint glimmer of a light towards the far end of the hallway. She could hear the TV from somewhere within the property. Karen knocked again. When no answer was forthcoming, she stepped away from the door.
Karen keyed the radio. “Steve, we’re going in on a count of three.”
“Confirmed.”
Karen counted to three on her fingers before screaming, “Go, Go, Go!”
The heavy boot of the officer crashed into the door, but it didn’t cave in. He stepped back and launched at the door again. Cracks appeared in the frame, and the door creaked. On his third attempt, the door flung back and slammed against the wall, its latch surrendering.
“Police! Stay where you are!” the armed officer screamed as she tore down the hallway, glancing in each room as she made her way through. A solid pure beam of light cut right through the darkness as the armed officer waved her weapon in small arcs looking for any sign of movement.
McQueen came over the radio. “Movement at the rear, movement at the rear.”
At that moment, the armed officer with Karen screamed instructions from a bedroom off to Karen’s left. “Move away from the bed, and get down on the floor, face down with your arms spread out in front of you! Do it now! Now!” the officer screamed.
Karen’s attention was drawn in different directions before she nodded towards the back room. Jade and a police officer rushed past her. Karen turned into the bedroom just as the armed officer switched on the light, her gun still trained on the shaking figure on the floor. The unmistakable long, dark brown hair, and slim figure belonged to Molly Brennan. She sobbed, her slight body quaking with fear.
“It’s okay, Molly. We are not here to hurt you. Are there firearms in this premises that we need to be made aware of?” Karen asked as she knelt over the girl and secured her arms behind her back with handcuffs.
There was a tremble in Molly’s voice as she shook her head in small violent jerks. Her voice was soft and laced with fear. “No.”
“Molly, I’m arresting you on suspicion of involvement in the murder of Jack Taylor and Dean Macholl. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something that you later rely on in court. Anything you do or say may be given in evidence. Do you understand?”
Molly lay in silence, shivering on the floor as if locked away in her own world.
“Molly, do you understand?” Karen repeated.
“Yes,” came a timid reply.
Karen nodded at the firearms officer to remain in the room as she rose to her feet and rushed through to the lounge at the rear of the apartment. She joined Jade who peered out of a large open window that looked out across a row of gardens that spanned across the back of the apartments. The other uniformed officer had already raced back out of the apartment to join the chase to apprehend the other suspect.
Together, Karen and Jade watched as McQueen and the officers tracked down the fugitive who they hoped was Harry Coleman. The light from torches darted back and forth in jerky movements as the officers raced through the gardens and back alleyways.
Fearing the suspect might get away, Karen reached for her radio in readiness to call for backup but paused when McQueen came over the airwaves. “Suspect detained. I repeat suspect detained.” His message came through as the sound of screams, commands and raised voices echoed through the darkness.
Karen keyed her radio. “Steve, can you confirm it’s Harry Coleman?” A few seconds of silence followed, but in Karen’s mind it felt like minutes as she waited for a positive ID. She glanced at Jade, and noticed the same concern etched on her face as she narrowed her eyes and stared out into the darkness beyond the window.
Karen’s radio crackled into life. “Yes, boss. I can confirm we have detained Harry Coleman.”
“Yes!” Karen punched the air. “Well done, Steve. Can you bring him back here?”
“That’s a good result, boss.”
Karen nodded and agreed. “Jade, can you organise SOCO to attend? We need to put these two in paper suits and secure all their clothing for forensic analysis. With luck, we’ll find gunshot residue on something belonging to Harry Coleman, and perhaps even Molly.”
Jade wandered off as she contacted the control room to organise extra resources.
“Oh, and Jade, stand down the tactical team!” Karen shouted as she snapped on a pair of blue latex gloves.
Jade waved her hand over her shoulder in acknowledgement as she walked through the hallway.
Now that the scene was secure, Karen could take in the apartment for the first time. It wasn’t the worst she’d seen, but from its appearance, it hadn’t been maintained recently and lacked a bit of TLC. The sofas had seen better days. Large indentations marked out where occupants had sat over the years. There was a free-standing shelf unit in one corner, featuring pictures dating back over the years of Harry at different ages. Karen paused at a few showing him in school uniform, grinning with delight into the camera lens. Karen thought that he looked happy, a child untainted by the harshness of life. There were other photos of Harry alongside a woman which she assumed was his mum. The woman had an arm wrapped around him, poised with her lips against his cheek much to his embarrassed, scrunched-up face.
The snapshots depicted happy days, but she felt a tinge of sadness as she wondered how happiness had turned to sorrow, and what Harry must have experienced after the death of his mother. He must have felt alone and abandoned. God knows what must have been going through his mind at the time.
The rest of the apartment had a similar undertone. A warm, family home neglected in recent years. Both bedrooms were tidy but not clean. The walls could have done with a lick of paint, and fresh carpet would have spruced up the appearance. Karen wandered through the kitchen which was basic and functional. She noticed that the plates had been washed and sat on the plate dryer beside the sink. She raised an eyebrow and nodded in approval. The work surfaces were free of clutter, and she cast an eye over the row of cereal packets. Cornflakes, cheap own brand rice crispies, and Coco Pops neatly stacked towards the far end of the counter.
No wonder Molly escaped here. Karen thought back to the state of Angie Brennan’s apartment. Harry’s apartment felt like a palace in comparison.
45
No firearms were discovered at fifty-four Eric Street, and as a result, firearms officers were stood down. Forensic officers spent most of the night going over the property with a fine-tooth comb. Items of clothing belonging to both Molly Brennan and Harry Coleman were secured as potential evidence.
For the first time in over a week, Karen slept peacefully without the help of alcohol or a one-night stand with a random stranger. Harry Coleman had been detained in the cells overnight, and because of Molly’s age and her mum in hospital, social services had taken her into care before returning with her this morning.
“How are you going to play this, boss?” Jade asked as she stood over Karen’s shoulder. They watched the monitors of the interview suites holding Harry Coleman and Molly Brennan.
“We’ll speak to Molly first,” Karen replied. She scrutinised Molly’s movements in the interview suite. The young girl pulled her shoulders closer into her chest and looked around, chewing on her bottom lip. She looked frightened and nervous. A social worker from the local council had been appointed to support and assist Molly. Their presence made sure that Molly understood her rights and ensured that the police treated her fairly and properly whilst being interviewed. “Any news from forensics?”
“Not yet, boss. I chased them about thirty minutes ago. They promised to have preliminary results for us in the next hour or so.”
Karen huffed and hoped that would be the case. It was another reason why she’d decided to interview Molly first. Between the pair, Molly was the weakest link, and more likely to give up information than Harry. It would buy time, so she had more evidence to present to Harry when she interviewed him.
As Karen and Jade stepped through to the interview room, Molly’s eyes widened, and her lips tightened into a thin line as she sat bolt upright. The social worker, a thin lady with a soft smile, placed a reassuring hand on Molly’s arm.
Karen began by explaining the reason for the interview and announcing those present in the room for the benefit of the recorder.
“Molly, to help our investigations could you answer some questions for us?” Karen’s voice was soft but firm. She needed Molly’s full cooperation, but equally, she needed to create a rapport that didn’t intimidate the young girl.
Molly nodded.
Karen told Molly to verbalise all her questions and answers for the benefit of the tape recorder.
“Molly, can you tell us how long you’ve been in a relationship with Harry Coleman?”
Molly stumbled and stuttered with her words, which were soft and timid. “Um… hmmm… just over a year I guess.”
“And how long has Darren Finch been staying at your mother’s apartment?”
Molly shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure, to be honest. It seems like ages.”
Karen sensed a cracking in Molly’s voice at the mere mention of Darren Finch. She explored the angle further, and Molly eventually opened up about how domineering and controlling Finch had been with her mum. And how her mum had been a soft target for Finch and his gang. The true horrors of Angie Brennan’s relationship with Finch began to unfold as Molly’s voice quivered, and her eyes moistened as she revealed details of the abuse her mum had suffered at his hands.
Karen and Jade exchanged glances when Molly revealed Finch had got her mum so high on drugs that Finch, along with his thugs, had gang-raped her to ensure compliance.
“And where were you when this was happening, Molly?” Karen probed.
“Finch shut me in my bedroom and told me not to come out unless I wanted the same.” Molly glanced down at the table. She squeezed her eyes, and the first tears dropped on to the table.
The social worker squeezed Molly’s arm and rubbed her back.
“Molly, are you okay to continue?” Karen asked.
“Yes.”
Karen let the silence sit between them. She was in no hurry to push Molly and wanted Molly to continue at her own pace.
“I hated Finch. Things were just about okay with me and my mum. Then Finch came along and ruined everything. I just wanted to be out of there whenever I knew Finch was going to turn
up. He would touch me.”
Karen and Jade focused. Jade scribbled down a few notes.
Karen probed further around that last point. Molly revealed how he would come into her bedroom and touch her inappropriately, or when she was in the kitchen trying to find something to eat, he would come in and shut the door behind him. Molly shuddered as she recalled how he would pin her up against the work surface from behind and thrust his groin into her backside, saying how he was going to ruin her. She told Karen about being trapped and groped in the stairwell, if she was unfortunate enough to bump into him.
Karen reminded Molly how brave she was. Further details about the sexual assaults only confirmed that they would have additional evidence to use against Finch. Karen felt angry and disgusted with Finch’s behaviour. He had not only preyed on the vulnerable but had preyed on the young. Molly was still a minor, and he had intimidated and conditioned her as a precursor to his disgusting plans.
Karen wanted to shake her head in frustration and sadness but held back. The depravity she came across in her job left her feeling helpless.
“I knew about his gun and the drugs, so when I told Harry about the shit we’d been going through, he said he had an idea of how to get Finch out of my life once and for all. I didn’t know what he meant, and I didn’t want to know. I wanted this to all end.” Molly stared at Karen through bloodshot eyes, her eyelids red and sore. “I wanted to be… happy. And Harry made me happy. For the first time in my life I felt loved and wanted. There was no catch with Harry. He wanted to care for me. Harry promised that everything would be okay, and that the people who had hurt me and him would never get the chance to do that again.” Her voice petered out.
Molly confirmed that she had given the gun to Harry, and that he had returned it. She also revealed that Finch kept a sizeable amount of cash and drugs in the storeroom of a local café. Molly had followed him one day and had found him round the back of the café, screwing a waitress up against the wall. She added it wasn’t the last time, either.