Hard Evidence

by Mark Pearson

  Delaney raised an eyebrow at Sally and went back to looking through the paperwork. Sally smiled reassuringly at Jake again. 'You can't remember any of the names?'

  Jake shook his head. 'Just countryside. Jenny would say let's go to the countryside and Howard would drive us all.'

  'To the fields with the cows and the horses?'

  Jake nodded enthusiastically. 'And the river.'

  'The river?'

  'Yeah, we'd go all over on it. Long journeys.'

  'On the river?'

  'Yeah, on the big river in his barge.'

  Delaney came over now. 'He's got a barge?'

  Jake smiled broadly. 'He's got a Dutch barge.'

  Delaney swore under his breath and looked at Sally pointedly. 'A Dutch barge is sea-going.'

  21.

  The gentle swell of the Thames splashed lyrically, rocking the barge slightly from side to side. It was a soothing motion that at any other time, in the hot, still, thick air of the summer's evening, would have lulled Jenny into a gentle sleep. But she wasn't sleeping, she was huddled against the interior side of the boat, her legs wedged under the table that stood against one wall. Her eyes fixed on the still bright sunlight sparkling like a million broken stars on the water outside the window.

  The barge seemed to rock deeper in the water and she heard the sound of heavy work boots walking across the wooden floor. She looked up at the scarred face of her father and seemed to shrink back a little into the cracked and faded leather of the bench she was sitting on.

  Howard Morgan's face creased in a smile, but his worried darting eyes held no humour in them, and Jenny was not reassured. She was confused, and she was frightened.

  'Where are we going?'

  'I told you that when you were old enough I'd take you away, didn't I?'

  Jenny nodded her head. 'Yes.'

  'Well you're old enough now.'

  'Am I?'

  'You're a big girl now. So I'm going to take you away like I promised.'

  He laid his hand over Jenny's small, fragile fingers and she tightened them into a curl, the hot, sweaty feel of her father's hand making her uncomfortable.

  'What about Aunty Candy?'

  Morgan drew his hand away, the anger flashing across his face like the turn of a fast tide. 'Don't talk about her.'

  'Can't she come with us?'

  'No.'

  'Why?'

  Morgan slammed his meaty fist on the table. 'Because I said so.' As Jenny flinched, Morgan caught himself and smiled at his daughter. 'I'm sorry, I shouldn't have shouted, sweetheart. I was angry. But not at you. At her.'

  'Why are you angry with her?'

  'Because she took you away from us. Without asking. She took you away and you could have been hurt.'

  'But I wasn't hurt. She said she was going to protect me.'

  'Protect you against what?'

  Jenny huddled up against the window again. 'She just said she'd look after me.'

  'Well I'm here now. And Daddy looks after you the best, doesn't he?'

  Jenny didn't reply for a moment, and then nodded as she saw the darkness gathering in the corners of her father's eyes.

  'Good girl.'

  Delaney pulled a piece of paper loose from a pile of bulldog-clipped receipts and waved it at Sally Cartwright.

  'What have you got?'

  He pulled out his mobile and hit a speed-dial button as he flashed a small grin at her. 'It's a bill. Mooring charges.'

  'Way to go, boss.'

  'Unless we've already missed him.' Delaney turned his attention back to his phone. 'Bonner. It's Delaney.'

  Downriver, where the large houses on the banks were home to the rich, the famous and the criminally wealthy, the tide swelled, sending eddies and currents that lifted silt from the river bed and gently tugged at the reeds and weeds that lined the banks. Reeds and weeds that held all kinds of wildlife. Fishes that had been sheltering from the hard, relentless beat of the summer sun came closer to the surface, drawn by the insects that crawled and danced and darted in the air. And below, his hair snaking loose in greasy tendrils and his eyes as milky as a dead cod's, the head of Billy Martin was tangled in the deep roots of the bulrushes and clinging weed that held him close. As the surging rise of the tidal water tried to suck him from their tight embrace, the weeds pulled him back as though his bloated body was a treasure that they were loath to lose, and the fish and the crawling things feasted on the rotting parts of his exposed flesh.

  Delaney got out of his car, Candy and Sally beside him as he walked down the riverside path to where Bonner and a horde of uniformed police were gathered.

  Bonner nodded to him. 'Guv.'

  'What's happening?'

  Bonner nodded at the barge, which was rising higher in the water as the tide poured water back from the North Sea and into the Thames estuary. 'Still here. Another twenty minutes he'd have had the tide and been gone.'

  'We'd have got him on the water.'

  'Maybe. Just as well you found that mooring receipt.'

  Delaney waved a dismissive hand. 'That's all down to DC Cartwright here. She managed to get Jake to speak where we failed.'

  Bonner flashed a smile at Sally. 'The gentle touch. Is that what they call it?'

  Sally wasn't amused. 'The human touch, I believe, Sergeant.'

  Delaney looked across at the barge, his hand on his brow shielding his eyes from the low glare of the sun as it flashed off the silver water of the Thames. 'Why haven't we moved on him?'

  'Making sure he's not armed first. We didn't want to risk anything with the girl in there.'

  'So where are SO19?'

  'On their way. And the coast guard and river patrol.'

  Delaney could see movement on the barge and took Bonner's binoculars from him.

  'It's Morgan.'

  Through the lenses he could see Morgan clearly. Could see the tension written in his face like a clenched fist and saw what he was doing. He cursed under his breath and gave the binoculars back to Bonner.

  'He's pouring petrol all over the boat.'

  'Shit.'

  Candy took Delaney's arm and swung him round. 'You've got to let me go and get her.'

  Delaney shook his head. 'That's not going to happen, Candy.'

  'You can't leave her in there.'

  'I don't intend to.'

  Bonner stepped in front of her. 'What are we going to do, Jack?'

  Delaney looked back at the boat, Morgan was still swinging the petrol can. 'I guess someone has to go and talk to him.'

  Sally shook her head. 'We should wait here, boss. Wait for SO19 and the hostage negotiating team.'

  'Haven't got time for that. I'm going over.' Delaney kept his eyes fixed on Morgan as he moved about the boat.

  'He killed his father, probably killed his mother and God knows who else. You should wait for armed response.'

  Delaney looked back at Sally. 'And what about the girl if he torches the boat?'

  'He's not going to do that, is he? Not with him on board too.'

  'From what we've heard, we know he's capable of pretty much anything.'

  Candy stood in front of Delaney. 'If you don't go and get her, then I will.'

  Delaney moved her firmly out of the way. 'You stay here. I'm going.' He looked back at Sally. 'When SO19 arrive, you tell them to take no shot unless I signal it.' He looked back at the sergeant. 'We clear on that, Eddie?'

  Bonner nodded his head.

  Sally stepped forward. 'I'm coming with you.'

  'Absolutely no way.'

  'Think about it. Someone needs to be there for the girl.'

  'That's why I'm going.'

  'If you have to deal with Morgan, then someone has to get her safe. You can see that, can't you?'

  Delaney considered for a moment. She was right. If Morgan lost it, then someone had to get the girl off.

  Candy stepped up. 'Then it should be me.'

  Delaney dismissed the idea. 'Absolutely not. He's unbalanced as it is;
seeing you might tip him over the edge.' Delaney gestured at Sally. 'Come on then. You concentrate on the girl and follow my lead on everything, okay?'

  'Sir.'

  'I mean it, Constable. This is no time for heroics.'

  They walked slowly over to the path and moved towards the boat.

  Inside the barge, Morgan shook the last drops of the gasoline from the container and looked through the window at Delaney and Sally approaching. 'Stay away!'

  'It's Inspector Delaney and Detective Constable Cartwright. We're coming in.'

  As they came down the steps into the cabin, Morgan took a lighter from his pocket and held it up in his left hand.

  'I'll use it.'

  Jenny, huddled in the corner of bench and table, screamed as Delaney stepped quickly on to the small deck on the front of the boat and held his hands up.

  'We're not armed, Howard. How about you put down the lighter?'

  'You've seen what I've done with the petrol. You try and follow us, I'll torch it.'

  Delaney stepped forward, down a couple of steps into the cabin. He cast his eyes quickly around the room. A narrow living space with a galley kitchen and a wood-burning stove, the wraparound bench and table that Jenny was sitting at. A small TV on a built-in sideboard. A DVD player with some films. Delaney recognised one of the titles from somewhere but put the thought aside. He slid his eyes back to Morgan as Sally came slowly down the steps behind him. 'This isn't what you want, Howard.'

  'You don't know what I want.'

  'We found her for you; you can trust us. You don't want Jenny to get hurt, do you?'

  'That's why you have to let us go.'

  'And how's that going to work?'

  'We've done nothing wrong.'

  'She's your daughter, Howard. Of course you've done nothing wrong.'

  Morgan nodded. 'It was Candy. She took her. I'm keeping her away from her, so she can't hurt her. I'm her dad. She should be with me.'

  Sally smiled reassuringly at Jenny, who was still huddled terrified in the corner.

  'You're scaring Jenny. Why don't you let her come to me? I'll take her somewhere safe.'

  Morgan shook his head and looked back at his daughter. 'Jenny, stay where you are.'

  Sally took a step forward and held her hand out to Jenny. 'Come on, Howard, let me take her out of here. The petrol is making her eyes sting.'

  As she took another step forward, Howard shouted at her, holding up the lighter and flicking the flint wheel a little with his left hand. 'Stay where you are.'

  Delaney gripped Sally's arm with steel fingers, holding her in place.

  'It's okay, Howard. Nobody's going anywhere. We just want to talk.'

  'Everyone wants to talk, but what good does it ever do?'

  Delaney paused, not sure he had an answer. 'Just put the lighter down. And let Jenny come to us.'

  Morgan was emphatic. 'She stays with me.'

  'Nobody's saying we will be taking her away from you, Howard. We just need to sort everything out.'

  'You're lying.'

  Sally moved a step forward and Morgan raised the lighter again. She stopped. 'You're her father. Of course she'll stay with you.'

  'Candy took her away. You're going to let her keep her, aren't you?'

  'She shouldn't have taken her. That was wrong.'

  'Are you going to send her back to prison?'

  'We all need to sit down and talk about things. We need to sort everything out.'

  'She told you, didn't she? Candy told you everything.'

  Delaney kept his eyes flat, neutral, but Sally couldn't meet his gaze and Morgan nodded, vindicated.

  'That's why you're here.'

  'Just come off the boat, Howard.'

  'Dad, please . . .'

  Morgan looked over at his terrified daughter. 'Don't worry, sweetheart. This is all going to be for the best.'

  He held the lighter out again and flicked it a couple of times, the sparks darting out and licking the air.

  Chief Inspector Campbell slammed her car door shut behind her and walked angrily over to where Bonner stood with his binoculars held to his eyes. Beside him a couple of SO19 officers were prostrate on the ground with their rifles trained on Morgan as he moved in and out of shot in the window.

  'What the hell's he doing in there, Bonner?'

  Bonner lowered the field glasses and smiled apologetically at his boss. 'He went in to get the girl out.'

  'He didn't wait for armed back-up? He didn't wait for the trained hostage professionals?'

  'He evaluated the situation and assessed that there wasn't time to wait, ma'am.'

  Campbell glared at him, her voice dripping with sarcasm. 'He evaluated the situation, did he?'

  'That's right, ma'am. That was his assessment.'

  Campbell took the binoculars from Bonner and trained them on the boat. 'He should never have let the girl go in the first place.'

  'That was my assessment too, ma'am.'

  Campbell glared at him. 'Shut it, Bonner.'

  'Morgan has poured petrol all over the boat. Threatening to torch it. That's why he went in. To protect the girl.'

  Campbell nodded at the SO19 snipers. What's their position?'

  'They're waiting for the word.'

  Campbell turned to a sniper. 'You take a shot, is it going to set the petrol off?'

  'Shouldn't do, ma'am.'

  'Delaney said he'd signal if it was looking like Morgan was going to do anything and it was safe to take him down.'

  Campbell looked at the prone officer who was watching her. 'You don't do anything without my say-so. Those are my officers out there.'

  The rifleman nodded his head. 'Ma'am.'

  Morgan flicked the lighter once again, the sparks more visible as the sun set lower.

  Delaney held his voice calm. 'Let's get off the boat and talk, Howard. You want something, we know that. And we want something too. And you know what? It's the same thing. We both want Jenny safe. We're singing from the same hymn sheet here. Can you see that?'

  Morgan snaked his tongue between his lips and licked the corner of his mouth. He tried to swallow some saliva but he had to strain his throat muscles. His eyes stung with the salt of the sweat dripping into his eyes and the petrol vapour that was hanging like a fine mist of poison in the overheated air of the barge.

  'Jenny stays with me.'

  Back on the bank, Bonner smiled as he watched Delaney hold his hand up in a wait gesture. 'That's his signal, ma'am.'

  Campbell hesitated for a moment as Morgan moved backwards, giving the marksmen a clear shot at him. She swallowed and nodded to the waiting snipers.

  'Take him down.'

  The marksmen trained their rifles, relaxed their breathing and caressed the steel curve of their triggers just as Delaney moved in front of Morgan again, blocking their view.

  'Take the shot!' Bonner shouted.

  'Shit!' Campbell glared at him. 'What in the name of sweet fuck do you think you're playing at? Are you trying to get Delaney killed?'

  Bonner shrugged unapologetically. 'They had a chance, they could have taken Morgan out.'

  Campbell was about to say more, but the sight of a Sky News mobile camera van parking further up the road stopped her dead in her tracks.

  'What moron fuck tipped those clowns off?'

  But as the tall figure of Superintendent Walker walked hurriedly towards her, with Melanie Jones hard on his heels, she had her question answered.

  'Do you think it's wise to have cameras here, sir?'

  'They've been behind us on this from the beginning, Chief Inspector. Their help has been invaluable.'

  Campbell threw the reporter a pointed look. 'What help? Delaney tracked the girl down both times.'

  Walker glared across at the barge. 'What is he doing on there?'

  'Morgan's poured petrol all over it. Delaney's playing the hero.'

  'That man is a liability.' Walker looked at the armed officers. 'Have they had a clear shot?'


  Bonner nodded. 'Almost.'

  Walker's scowl faded as the cameraman arrived and Melanie Jones moved forward to interview him.

  'Come on, Howard. Put the lighter down.'

  Morgan had tears in his eyes. 'I'm done talking. Get off of my boat.'

  'No one's going to hurt you.'

  Morgan pointed out of the window to where he could see Candy waiting by the uniformed police. 'She hates me. She's going to make Jenny hate me.'

  'Is that why you were taking Jenny away?' Delaney fought to keep his voice level.

  Morgan's shoulders slumped slightly. 'I don't want Jenny hating me like she did.'

  Delaney stepped forward. 'Let her go then. Let Sally take her off the boat. We can sort this out.'

  Sally moved to the side of Delaney and held her hand out again to Jenny, who took it but didn't move from the table, which she kept in front of her like a barrier.

  Morgan looked at his daughter. 'I always loved you, Jenny.'

  Sally crouched down and smiled reassuringly at the girl. 'Come on. We're going to be just outside.' Howard said nothing, but the arm holding the lighter relaxed as Sally led Jenny off the boat.

  Delaney stepped forward to take the lighter, but Howard stiffened, holding it up again. Delaney breathed in, the petrol in the air tasting of bad memories. Tasting of an opportunity to put all those bad thoughts that tumbled constantly in his brain behind him once and for good.

  Morgan's eyes darted back and forth again as he stepped back. 'It's time for you to get off my boat.'

  'Come on, you don't have to do this.'

  'It's over, isn't it?'

  'Is this how you want her to remember you? Setting yourself on fire? Don't you think she's been through enough?'

  Morgan's hand trembled as he held the lighter up. 'I'll do it.'

  Delaney stepped right into Howard's face. 'Then fucking do it! Put us all out of our misery.'

  Morgan took a step back, surprised. Delaney snatched the lighter out of his hand and started flicking the wheel in his face.

  'Is that what you want, is it?

  Morgan backed up against the table. 'What are you doing?'

  'Pest control. It's what I'm good at. Do the world a favour if I torched us both.'

  He flicked the wheel again and laughed as Morgan almost whimpered, 'Don't do it.'

  Delaney gripped the lighter in his fist, squeezing it. Then stepped back and jerked his head toward the exit.