His Third Victim

by Helen H. Durrant

  “The super is still keen on you making an appeal. You could try to reach out to whoever took Olly, ask them to give your boy back.”

  “I don’t feel up to that just now, Alison. Perhaps later.” Bella understood why they wanted her to do it, but for the time being, she just couldn’t.

  Alison smiled kindly. “You have to be guided by Superintendent Dyson. He’ll tell you when the time is right.”

  “I’ll let him know.”

  Alison was about to reply when Joel Dawson stuck his head around the door. “Bella, I’m sorry, I had to come. Find out how you are, and what’s happening. Your son . . .”

  Joel Dawson was in his mid-forties. He was tall and slight with narrow shoulders. He had cropped brown hair and was obviously growing a beard. It didn’t suit him. The dark shadow round his chin made him look older than he was. Still, he was a friendly face, someone Bella trusted. She looked into his familiar eyes and felt as if she were sinking into the pit of despair all over again.

  She began to cry. “They say they’re doing everything they can, but I don’t believe them. They think Olly’s disappearance and Alan’s murder are connected, but they won’t tell me any more than that.”

  Joel moved a tray of uneaten food from the sofa and sat down, frowning. “You’re not eating?”

  “I can’t. It would choke me.” Her voice sounded bleak. Bella drew her long fingers through her hair. She was a mess. When she’d returned from the police station, she’d had a shower and put on her dressing gown. She hadn’t even bothered to comb her hair. She wiped at her cheeks. “I’m in no fit state to see people.”

  “Look, come and sit down. I’m not ‘people.’ We work together, and we’re friends.” His voice wavered as he said the last bit. “What happened, Bella? Who took him?”

  Bella sat next to him on the sofa and allowed him to put an arm around her. “I have to go out to work. I need the money. It was that damned meeting. I asked a neighbour to pick Olly up. She stopped to talk to someone, and the next minute, Olly was gone. She said she only looked away for a few seconds. My boy must have been terrified.”

  “They will find him. The police, the public, they will all be looking.”

  Bella gulped. “He’s so little, Joel. And he’s not strong. Olly has asthma. He uses an inhaler. He doesn’t have it with him. He will be struggling, particularly if he’s frightened.”

  Her tears were falling freely now.

  “Have you told the police this?”

  “I don’t know. I can’t remember what I’ve said.”

  “You must. They will let the press know. It will be on the news. Whoever is holding Olly will hear and maybe get him a replacement.”

  That was providing someone was holding Olly, and he wasn’t already dead. “Thank you, Joel. I’ll tell Alison what you suggested. She’ll know what to do.”

  Bella wanted to smile, to thank him for his concern. But all she really wanted was for him to go. Joel was a considerate man, but irritating. He was the same at work, fetching her endless coffees, picking up her photocopying. When all she wanted was to get on with the job. Was she being too picky? After all Joel was a good sort, dependable and sensible. The type of man she should go for but never did. She always went for the chancers, or the ones that were taken already. It didn’t matter now anyway. The only man she’d loved was dead. In her heart of hearts, she knew there’d never be anyone else.

  He whispered into her ear. “I’m here if you need me. I know it’s hard. I lost Emma a few months ago, remember?”

  Bella looked at him. She understood now what he must have gone through when his new bride had been taken from him. “Why is loving someone so painful? I know one thing — I’ll never love anyone else. From now on it’s just me and Olly. No one else will get a look in. Stuff the lot of them. I can do without the heartbreak.”

  Joel Dawson said nothing. Bella gave him a wan smile. “I’m no sort of company right now. But I do appreciate your concern, and the visit.”

  “Everyone at college sends their love,” he said. “They’re all worried about you. Any news, or if you need any help, let us know.”

  She grabbed hold of his hand, and looked into his earnest dark eyes. “I can’t bear much more of this, Joel. I’m desperate. I just want Olly back, but no one understands. I lost Alan, and that was bad enough — but this! The police questioned me, and I felt like a criminal.”

  “What have they said about your boy?”

  “Nothing. The woman who let you in is from the police. She is staying here, and is supposed to keep me informed. But they aren’t doing anything. I feel so helpless. These first few days are important. They should put everything they’ve got into finding Olly, not waste time and money harassing me.”

  “You have to keep strong, Bella.” He kissed her cheek.

  It was a mere peck, but Bella wiped it away. Joel was a good friend, but there was no way she wanted to cross that boundary. She could talk to him because he was a gentle soul. He was like her, he had suffered and he understood. His wife of only two months had died, collapsed on the kitchen floor of their new house. Joel had found her, but not until hours after it had happened, when he got home from work. Emma had been way beyond help by then. Bella knew he must blame himself. He even said he should have left work earlier. Rang her at lunch. But there had been an open night at college and he’d stayed behind. He’d regret it for the rest of his life.

  “I know how hard it is for you losing Alan. I’ve been there with Emma, but to lose Olly on top . . . you will only survive this if you work hard at keeping it together.”

  “But I can’t, Joel. I’m sinking, going down for the last time, and no one is listening to me.” She looked down. “If they don’t find Olly, if I can’t have him back, then I don’t want to go on.”

  “That’s tiredness and stress talking. I don’t blame you. I know only too well how that feels. But please, Bella, get professional help, someone to talk to. A counsellor. You have to keep going. Olly could come back to you at any time. You don’t know for sure that anything dreadful has happened to him.”

  She patted his arm. “Joel. You are trying to be kind, but you’re not stupid. We’ve all seen the news. Small children go missing and how many times do they turn up okay?” She shook her head. “He’s gone, I know it.”

  * * *

  “Bella, Robert Nolan is here.”

  “Send him through.” She turned to Joel. “Robert is helping me. He’s a solicitor, and like you, he knew Alan well. I don’t know what I would have done without him.”

  Of the two men sitting in the room with her, Bella preferred Robert. Although they’d only recently met, she trusted him. Joel was sweet, and a good friend, but there was something needy about him that occasionally creeped her out. She couldn’t shake the notion that he was somehow feeding off her grief.

  “The police found nothing from the search,” Robert began. “They have taken your laptop for analysis. You will get it back, don’t worry.”

  She smiled at him. “Alison made sure they didn’t make a mess. They were gone by the time we got back from the police station.”

  “They’ve searched your home?” Joel looked surprised.

  Robert was sitting facing the two of them. “Just routine. Nothing to get excited about. They are still digging for evidence.”

  Joel turned to Bella. “Were the police hard on you? What did they ask? What can they think you know?”

  “They wanted me to describe the man who took Alan away at the railway station.” She gave a small, throaty laugh. “He was dressed as a policeman. The perfect disguise because all I saw was the uniform.” She gave a sob. “I looked him right in the face, but I can’t bring it to mind, no matter how hard I try.”

  “You’re tired, that’s all. You don’t know what will come back, given some rest and time,” Robert said.

  “They want me to do an appeal on TV. Speak to whoever took Olly. But I can’t. I’ll break down and make a fool of myself. Will y
ou tell them for me, Robert?”

  Robert gave her a quizzical look. “It might help, you know, and it is usual in these cases. Are you sure?”

  Joel glared at him. “She’s said no. Leave it at that. Bella has enough on her plate without the police and you hassling her.”

  “Perhaps leave it for a day or so, until you’re feeling better.” Robert smiled at her.

  “If I don’t get Olly back, I’ll never feel better, Robert. You don’t have children. I’m hurting from losing Alan, but losing Olly is ripping me apart.”

  Robert checked his watch. “I have another client to see, but I’ll be back, and I’ll bring some food. I bet you haven’t eaten much, have you?”

  Bella shook her head. “I can’t eat.”

  “You’ll eat tonight, even if I have to cook you something myself. I seem to remember Alan telling me that Chinese is your favourite?”

  Bella nodded resignedly. Why fight? She could already see that Robert was quite a force when in the mood.

  Chapter 11

  Day 10

  For the rest of that day and most of the night, Matt thought about his conversation with Dyson, and the offer he’d made him. He wanted terribly to jump at the chance, dive in and get his life back. The problem was, would his mind and body hold up? And what about the project? Everything was ready for the off. Freddie and his team of builders were all set to start next Monday. Then, of course, there was his mother to consider.

  Evelyn Brindle was not happy. “I knew it. The moment I saw him. That man has turned your head. You are not fit to return to the police yet, if ever. You have to face up to that fact, Matthew. What has he promised you? What yarn has he spun you this time?”

  “It was me that rang him, Ma. It’s a murder case the team are working on. I knew the victim. I was only at his funeral a few days ago. I keep hearing things on the news and I can’t just sit by and wonder what’s going on. I might make a difference. A small boy has gone missing too, and his disappearance is likely to be linked to it. Plus, I’ve met his mother, and I want to help.”

  “You will be run off your feet. You won’t have time for anything else. You know what the job does to you.” She sighed. “I worry that you won’t cope.”

  “I’ll have to get a grip then, won’t I? The fact is, I have no choice. I have to investigate. I can’t leave it be. Talbot has asked me to give it a couple of weeks. If I can’t hack it, then I walk away.”

  He saw the look his mother gave him. Like him, she very much doubted that that would happen.

  “And that’s where you are going today? Into the station?”

  “Yes, Ma. I’ll have a word with Freddie later.”

  * * *

  Matt Brindle stood outside Oliver Richards’ primary school. He checked the map on his mobile. Oliver and his mother, Bella, lived a few hundred yards away. He traced the route with his finger. Along the road from the school, past the row of shops and then onto the small housing estate. It was a walk that shouldn’t take more than ten minutes.

  It was a bitterly cold day, but he hardly felt it. He was too excited at being back in the job. He’d sworn he would never return, that nothing and no one could tempt him. But he’d been wrong. It was in his blood and wouldn’t let him be. Matt had made a deal with himself. This case would be the testing ground. If he managed to get through it without falling prey to a panic attack, then he would give his career another shot.

  One of the news reports on the local radio had mentioned that Oliver had been seen talking to a man outside the newsagents. Before he checked into the nick, he’d start there.

  The road was on a busy through route to Huddersfield. It was unlikely that a small boy could cross it on his own. Beyond the newsagents, where Oliver had been seen talking to the man, was a junction with a side street. That was a likely spot to park a car.

  The newsagents was owned and run by Asif Bhatti and his family. Today, his son, Sadiq, was behind the counter.

  Matt walked in. A bell jangled at the shop door and Sadiq looked up.

  “I’m enquiring about the child abduction that took place outside your shop.”

  “You police?”

  “Yes.” Matt showed him his badge. “Detective Inspector Brindle, East Pennine CID.”

  A lump rose in his throat and he swallowed. He’d never expected to say those words again.

  “Do you know Bella Richards and her little boy?”

  Sadiq Bhatti nodded. “They come in here most days. Olly gets sweets after school and his comic at the weekend. She’s nice, always asks how I am, and he’s a good kid. I was on that afternoon. I saw that man talking to the boy. I told the other detective who came asking.”

  “Would you mind going over it again for me? It might help.”

  “The lad was staring through the window at the books and comics. I didn’t notice much until that bloke came up and joined him. He was pointing stuff out and such. They spoke for a bit, then they walked off.”

  “Did you see which way they went?”

  Sadiq shook his head.

  “Do you recall anything about the man? What did he look like?”

  “He looked odd. Tall, with a baseball cap on and a ponytail. It was a cold day but he was wearing a T-shirt, and no jumper or jacket.”

  “Good. You’re doing well. I’m impressed that you remember so much.”

  Sadiq shook his head again. “I know Bella and Olly. It’s awful what’s happened.”

  “The man?” Matt urged him.

  “It was the tattoos that made me remember him. Huge things up both his arms. I wasn’t close enough to see properly but one was a dragon, I’m certain of it.”

  “Did you tell the police what you’ve just told me?”

  “I told the uniformed officer who took my statement.”

  “Thank you. That helps a lot.”

  Matt left the shop and walked the few metres to the junction with the side street. The kidnapper must have had a car, otherwise the pair would have been seen walking along. He looked around — no CCTV and no more shops with nosey staff. This spot would have been perfect.

  “It was a Ford, an old red one.” The voice came from behind him. “Didn’t think much of it until I saw the lad’s photo in the paper.”

  Matt Brindle spun round. The voice belonged to an elderly man on a mobility scooter.

  “You’ve just been asking Sadiq about what happened. I was in the shop, and I overheard. I come this way every day. I take my grandson to school and pick him up in the afternoon. I get the evening paper from the shop. The lad were with some bloke. Big fellow with tattoos all up his arms. He were showing them to the boy. His car were parked there.” He nodded towards the side street. “I crossed the road here and trundled on home. I don’t know if the lad got in or not.”

  “Have you spoken to the police?”

  “I rang them this morning, but no one’s shown up yet.”

  “Do you know what model of Ford it was?” asked Matt.

  “It were an early model ‘Ka,’ and a 02 plate I think.”

  Matt thanked the man and returned to his own car. Back to the nick to read through the other statements.

  * * *

  The CID offices at Huddersfield station were much as Matt remembered them. Only the personnel had changed. In the main office, the desk where Paula Wright had once sat was now occupied by a fresh-faced young man in his early twenties. There were a couple of familiar faces, but most were new. Well, the past was gone. All he could do now was make a try at rebooting his career, as Talbot wanted him to.

  Dyson came up behind Matt and slapped him on the back. “You are officially the SIO on the Oliver Richards’ disappearance. You can have an occasional loan of Beckwith and one other.” He beckoned to a young woman seated by the office window. “I thought our Lily here. DC Lily Haines, this is DI Matt Brindle. He’s a good lad, won’t give you any bother.”

  Lily Haines was tiny, no more than five foot tall, with brown wavy hair bobbed on her shoulder
s. She had an infectious smile that made people warm to her.

  “Our Lily is young enough to be streetwise — you know, ‘down with the kids,’” Talbot said. “She will be useful.”

  Lily couldn’t have been much older than twenty-five. She was dressed in jeans and a T-shirt and there was a leather jacket hanging over the back of her chair. Paula had liked her jeans too. The day they’d entered that building, she had been dressed much as Lily was now. The memory hurt.

  Lily broke the silence. “I’ve sorted the statements for you.”

  Matt returned to the present. “Great, Lily. Thanks. Will you put them on my desk?”

  Talbot nodded towards a desk by the wall which had a handy bookcase behind it. “Thought you’d like that one. Before we make a start, would you get us a brew, love?” Much to Matt’s surprise, Lily trotted off towards a table in the corner that was cluttered with mugs and packets of tea.

  “Not very PC that, Talbot. Female staff aren’t here to run after the blokes. Things have changed, or haven’t you noticed?”

  “I carry on as I always have. Sorry if it offends, but during the day this office runs on tea. After dark it’s the single malt that keeps things going. And I can’t stand that muck from the machine, hence the brew corner over there.”

  He was a dinosaur, but Dyson got results and he was well liked, so the staff forgave him.

  Matt grinned. “The Oliver Richards case — I’d like to look over the incident board for the ‘Mr Apology’ murders too. Something on there could feed into my case.”

  “You’ll find Carlisle through there. Go easy, he’s not having much luck.”

  Matt went next door. Carlisle was out, but DC Beckwith was hard at it on his computer. “Have you found any connections with the ‘apology’ killings?”

  The DC shook his head. “Random, aren’t they?”

  This had been said so often that it was now taken for granted, and it bothered Matt. “Even Fisher? That must have taken some planning, surely? He wasn’t just spotted and gone for. The killer knew his name. He knew he had a wife. That suggests to me that he’d done some research. Have you discussed that possibility with the others?”