Unholy Murder

by Lynda La Plante

  She looked at her watch and sighed. It was nearly nine and she still hadn’t started her report.

  Having washed and changed into her pyjamas, Jane went to the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine. ‘God, this kitchen is old and tatty,’ she said to herself, looking at the dripping sink tap and skew-whiff cabinet doors. She needed something to cheer herself up and got one of Father Chris’s kwarezimal biscuits from the tin. Taking a bite, it reminded her how delicious the meal he cooked had been. It had certainly changed her mind about soup being a boring starter. She’d love to be more adventurous in her own cooking and couldn’t remember the last time she’d entertained someone at home, other than her parents. She’d only cooked meals for herself in her new home and wondered if she should invite someone over for a meal.

  Jane set down her glass of wine and got her typewriter out of the cupboard, then sat down at the living-room table, opened her notebook, and started typing her report. Although she was a fast typist, Jane took her time, making sure her report was well written and contained all the relevant facts to assist DCS Barnes in making his decision about the next step in the investigation.

  It was nearly two in the morning before she finished, feeling exhausted. She put the report in a folder and went straight to bed. Setting the alarm for six, she regretted not letting Boon deal with the arrest of Barry the builder, as it would have allowed her a couple more hours in bed before the meeting with Barnes. It wasn’t long before she was in a deep sleep.

  *

  When the alarm sounded, Jane felt nauseous and struggled to get out of bed. After a tepid shower, she put on a smart two-piece grey suit, a dark blue blouse with a bow at the neck and grey court shoes. Pushed for time, Jane had a quick breakfast of tea and toast then grabbed her briefcase, hurried out of the door and drove to the old convent building site.

  Boon was already waiting in an unmarked car with two plainclothes crime squad officers when Jane arrived. He got out of the Hillman Hunter and went to speak with her.

  ‘Morning, sarge. You are looking very smart this morning. Anyone would think you’ve got an important meeting,’ he grinned.

  ‘I didn’t finish my report until two, so I’m not in the mood for any jokes. How many radios have you got?’

  ‘One in the car and a portable as well.’

  ‘Tell the two lads with you to park up the road out of sight. Bring one of the radios and jump in with me.’

  ‘I thought you wanted backup?’

  ‘I do, but the Hillman sticks out as a police car. If Barry sees it, he might turn round and drive off. I can park my car round the back of the workmen’s hut, then if Barry tries to leg it we can radio the others to block him off.’

  ‘But he might not even turn up for work.’

  ‘I know, but we need to speak to the site manager first to find out whether he has or not.’

  ‘OK, I’ll be back in a second.’ He rushed back to the Hillman to speak to his colleagues and quickly returned. Once in Jane’s car, he made a call on the radio.

  ‘Papa Romeo from DC Boon . . . this is a test call . . . are you receiving . . . over.’

  ‘Yes, signal loud and clear . . . control over.’

  ‘Received.’ He turned to Jane: ‘The late-shift detective left a note for you in the office message book. Dr Pullen rang yesterday evening and asked you to call her this morning.’

  ‘Did she leave a number?’

  ‘Yes, I jotted it down for you.’ Boon started to rummage in his trouser and jacket pockets. ‘I could have sworn I . . .’

  Jane shook her head, ‘You’ve lost it, haven’t you?’

  ‘I’m sure it’s here somewhere . . .’

  ‘Don’t bother. I’ll call the office later for it.’

  Approaching the site, Jane noticed the lights were on in the Portakabin and the white Transit van was outside.

  ‘Looks like the foreman might be here already,’ Boon remarked, as Jane parked next to the Transit.

  ‘It could be Dermot,’ Jane suggested.

  ‘Nah, he drove off in an Astra yesterday,’ Boon told her. ‘Isn’t that the man who lives in the old chapel?’

  Jane looked towards the garden wall that led to the site. ‘Where, I can’t see him?’

  Boon pointed. ‘Over there . . . he just came out of the builders’ hut with his dog.’

  Jane saw he looked angry about something. But his expression instantly turned to a smile when he saw them getting out of the car.

  ‘Good morning, officers. How are you both today?’

  ‘Good morning. Everything all right? Jane asked.

  ‘I was just asking the site foreman what was happening about the coffin, as some of the residents are a bit concerned. He wasn’t very helpful. Are you able to tell me what’s going on?’

  ‘It’s still under investigation,’ Jane told him.

  ‘I see,’ he said with a frown. He turned and walked off towards the walled gardens.

  Boon was about to knock on the Portakabin door but, to his surprise Jane just opened it and walked straight in. She saw Lee sitting at a desk, with his elbows on it, rubbing his forehead with his fingers.

  ‘Morning, Mr Holland,’ Jane said.

  Startled, he jumped up from his chair. ‘Christ, I nearly had a heart attack!’

  ‘Sorry, I should have knocked first.’

  ‘What can I do for you?’

  ‘We’re here for a couple of reasons. The first is to let you know we found the body of a nun in the coffin.’

  ‘Does that mean the whole site will have to shut down?’ he sighed.

  ‘I’ve yet to speak with someone senior in the Church to determine if the ground is consecrated or was ever used as a graveyard, but—’

  ‘So you are shutting us down?’

  ‘No, just suspending any digging work for now.’

  He frowned. ‘But nothing else can be done until all the foundations are dug out.’

  Jane could see he was distraught. ‘I’m sorry, but I’m just conveying what my senior officers told me. I’m sure things will be back to normal soon.’

  ‘Have you told Nick Durham about the nun?’ Lee asked.

  ‘Unfortunately, I didn’t get a chance to speak to him yesterday. Did you?’

  ‘Yeah. I spoke to him on the phone. I told him the coffin had been taken to the mortuary, gave him your details and said you’d be in touch. Naturally, he wasn’t happy about the situation.’

  ‘That’s understandable, but we have a job to do. I will speak to him personally, hopefully later today.’

  ‘What’s the other reason you’re here?’

  ‘We need to speak to Barry. Is he coming to work this morning?’

  ‘I don’t know. Dermot was going to tell him to be here for half seven as we’ve got a brick delivery coming in at eight.’

  ‘Do you have a home address for him? Just in case he doesn’t turn up. And what’s his surname?’

  ‘His surname is May.’ Lee went to a filing cabinet, removed a file with Barry’s details and handed it to Jane. She jotted down his address in her notebook and showed it to Boon.

  ‘Do you know where it is?’

  ‘Yes. Crundale Tower is on the Ramsden Estate in St Mary Cray. It’s mostly council flats and maisonettes. What’s Barry done?’ Lee asked.

  ‘Did he say anything to you yesterday about wanting to open the coffin?’ Jane asked.

  ‘Not at first. Dermot told me about the coffin, and I went out to look at it. Barry was worried about the site being shut down. He said if the coffin was empty there’d be nothing to worry about and we could just get rid of it. I specifically told him not to touch it.’

  Jane looked out the window and realised the original position of the coffin couldn’t be seen from the Portakabin. ‘Was Barry with you from the time you called us to the time we got here?’

  ‘No. I went to call Nick Durham. Barry was sulking in the hut when I got back. He opened the bloody coffin, didn’
t he?’

  ‘It appears that someone did,’ Boon said.

  ‘Well, I can assure you it wasn’t me or Dermot,’ Lee replied. ‘Is it even a crime to open a coffin?’

  ‘No, but it is to steal something from it,’ Jane told him. ‘We believe a silver cross may have been taken from the body.’

  Lee was visibly shocked. ‘I know Barry can be an idiot at times but stealing from a dead nun is beyond belief. If it’s true, he’s never working here again . . . or any other site if I can help it.’

  Boon heard the sound of a vehicle approaching and looked out of the window. ‘This looks like Dermot.’

  Jane took him to one side. ‘Go and have a word, just to make sure his recollection of events is the same as Lee’s.’ She turned to Lee. ‘Is it all right if we wait here for a bit and see if Barry turns up?’

  ‘Sure, would you like a tea or coffee?’

  ‘A coffee, please. Just as a matter of interest, who was the elderly man who was with you earlier?’

  ‘He doesn’t work here, but he lives in one of the old convent flats.’

  ‘I know. But having spoken with him again this morning, I realised I don’t know his name.’

  ‘To be honest, I don’t either. I think he’s one of those nosey types who likes to know what’s going on.’

  ‘He seemed a bit angry when I saw him earlier,’ Jane said.

  ‘Probably because I told him to mind his own business when he walked in here asking about the coffin.’

  ‘Yes. Unfortunately, my colleague let slip why we were here yesterday.’

  ‘Milk, no sugar, wasn’t it?’ Lee asked.

  ‘Yes. Does Barry have access to a crowbar?’

  ‘The workmen have their own toolkits. He keeps his in his van.’

  *

  Boon was satisfied that Dermot’s account of events corroborated Lee’s version, and was about to go back to the Portakabin when they heard the sound of a vehicle. Boon turned to see a red minivan driving towards them.

  ‘Here comes the thieving bastard now,’ Dermot said.

  The van suddenly stopped, then started to reverse back down the driveway.

  ‘Are you not going to chase after him?’ Dermot asked, surprised at Boon’s calmness.

  Boon removed the radio from his pocket. ‘Papa Romeo five receiving, over.’

  ‘Yeah, go ahead,’ his colleague in the Hillman Hunter replied.

  ‘Block the red minivan that’s attempting to leave the building site.’

  ‘Received, Boony, we already got eyeballs on him.’

  Boon ran to the Portakabin to tell Jane.

  Barry saw the Hillman approaching in his rear-view mirror and hit the brakes hard, stalling the engine. Pulling up behind him, the two crime squad officers jumped out of the police car. Barry locked the door and tried to start the engine. One of the officers tapped the driver’s side window with his truncheon.

  ‘Get out of the car or I’ll break the bloody window!’

  ‘All right, all right!’ Barry shouted.

  He flung the door open, hitting one of the officers and knocking him off balance. The other officer dragged Barry out of the car, forced him face down on the muddy ground and handcuffed him. Both officers then lifted him up by his arms and escorted him up the dirt path to where Jane and Boon were waiting.

  ‘Barry May, I’m DC Boon. I’m arresting you on suspicion of theft. You do not have to say anything unless you wish to do so, but what you say may be given in evidence.’

  ‘I want to make a complaint about these two assaulting me!’ Barry growled.

  ‘You were resisting arrest and they restrained you,’ Jane said calmly.

  ‘Did you open the coffin and take a cross from the nun’s body?’ Boon asked.

  ‘What! No way. Dermot said he wanted to open the coffin, so you best fuck off and ask him.’

  ‘You really are a piece of shit,’ Boon said, shaking his head. He put Barry in the back of the Hillman and then got in next to him.

  ‘Where you taking me?’ Barry asked.

  ‘To search your premises.’

  Barry grunted. ‘Where’s your fucking warrant, then?’

  ‘We don’t need one as we’ve arrested you on reasonable suspicion of theft,’ Boon told him.

  Jane found a toolbox in the back of the minivan and removed a small crowbar. She knew Lloyd could do some tests to see if it matched the indentations on the coffin. She then followed the Hillman to Crundale Tower in her car.

  ‘Is your wife or any other family at home?’ Boon asked Barry.

  ‘My wife will have gone to work by now.’

  ‘Any kids?’

  ‘Yeah, two girls. Katie drops them off at her mother’s and she takes them to school.’

  ‘My colleagues and I are going to search your premises from top to bottom.’

  ‘How many times do I have to tell you, I didn’t open that coffin or steal any bleeding cross, so you won’t find nothing.’

  Boon shrugged. ‘Have it your way.’

  Arriving at Crundale Tower, Boon got out and went over to speak to Jane.

  ‘I think he might have got rid of the cross . . . maybe pawned it or sold it to someone. If we don’t find it, we’ll have to release him.’

  ‘We might find a pawn ticket – or even the missing knife,’ Jane said hopefully.

  ‘I haven’t mentioned the knife to Barry. I thought if we find a crucifix, he might roll over and tell us what else he took from the coffin. The search could take an hour or two; me and the crime squad lads can do it if you want to head off to your meeting.’

  She looked at her watch, it was a quarter past eight. ‘I’ve still got a plenty of time. I’ll stay for an hour then drive to Orpington.’

  Boon used Barry’s key to gain entry to the flat. Jane told the crime squad officers to search the bedrooms and made Barry sit in an armchair in the living room.

  Jane looked around the room. ‘We’ll start in here, then do the kitchen. Make sure you look inside the cushions, as well as down the sides of the—’

  ‘I know how to do a proper search, sarge,’ Boon interrupted.

  The high-pitched sound of a woman’s screams suddenly filled the flat.

  ‘Stay with Barry,’ Jane told Boon and hurried to the main bedroom.

  A buxom, dark-haired woman in her late twenties was sitting up in bed tightly clutching a white bed sheet under her chin. She looked terrified, her eyes wide open and her body shaking.

  ‘Please don’t hurt me?’ she pleaded, close to tears.

  ‘It’s all right, love, no one’s going to hurt you . . . we’re police officers not burglars,’ the crime squad officer informed her, holding up his warrant card. ‘Are you Barry May’s missus?’

  She still looked worried. ‘Yes, has something happened to him?’

  Jane stepped between the officers and the woman. ‘There’s no need to be alarmed, Mrs May. Your husband is fine and here with us.’ Jane waved to Boon to bring Barry to the bedroom.

  ‘What’s going on, Barry?’ his wife asked, seeing the handcuffs.

  ‘These idiots think I nicked some jewellery and want to search the house for it. I’ve told them they’re wasting their time,’ he said.

  ‘No work today?’ Jane asked Mrs May.

  ‘I swapped shifts with a friend.’

  ‘Are the children in their bedroom?’

  ‘No, they’re with my mother. I dropped them off earlier and came back to bed for a bit of peace and quiet.’

  ‘I’d like you to get dressed, please, then we can search your bedroom,’ Jane told her.

  ‘What, with them in here?’ she asked, nodding towards the male officers. ‘I ain’t got no clothes on.’

  Jane told her colleagues to go to the living room with Barry and start the search. She then closed the door.

  ‘Sorry, Mrs May, but I need you to stay in here while I search your bedroom . . . it’s normal procedure.’

  ‘This is ridiculous,’
she sighed. ‘Can you hand me the dressing gown on the back of the door.’

  Jane lifted it off the hook and threw it on the bed. Katie didn’t move.

  ‘Do you mind turning around while I put it on?’

  Jane sighed as she turned. ‘Please, Mrs May, just get a move on so I can search the room.’

  ‘You can turn around now,’ she said a few moments later.

  Jane noticed Mrs May was holding the dressing-gown collar tightly around her neck.

  ‘Do you have a jewellery box?’ Jane asked. She noticed Mrs May’s hand tremble slightly as she pointed to the dressing table.

  ‘It’s in the top right drawer.’

  Jane removed the jewellery box and looked inside. There were some cheap rings, bangles, and a chain with a K pendant. Jane held it up. ‘Is this yours?’

  ‘Yes. K for Katie.’

  ‘And this is all your jewellery?’

  She nodded and pulled the dressing-gown collar up.

  ‘Are you wearing a necklace of any sort just now.’

  ‘No,’ she replied nervously.

  ‘I’d like you open your dressing-gown collar, please,’ Jane said.

  ‘Do I have to?’ Katie started to cry.

  ‘I understand you’re trying to protect your husband . . . but please don’t put me in a position where I have to arrest you on suspicion of handling stolen goods and forcibly search you.’

  Katie let out a sob. ‘I swear I didn’t know it was stolen. He said he found it on the building site.’ She removed the chain from her neck and handed it to Jane.

  Hanging from it was a silver cross measuring about two and a half by one and a half inches with a Sacred Heart engraved on it, along with a small cross and circle of thorns.

  Jane removed a small exhibits bag from her pocket and placed the cross and chain in it. ‘Thank you for being honest with me,’ she said.

  ‘Please don’t tell Barry what I told you,’ Katie said, looking desperate.

  Jane sensed fear in her voice and now the dressing gown was loose below the neck, she noticed two large bruises above Katie’s left breast. ‘Did Barry do that to you?’ she asked, pointing to them.

  Katie closed the dressing gown. ‘It was an accident . . . he didn’t mean to.’

  Jane wasn’t convinced. ‘Have you got any other bruises?’