Death on Account (The Lakeland Murders)

by Salkeld, J J

  ‘Aye, Nobby Styles told me that he had his concerns about her, and asked if I’d look in on her.’

  ‘An informal request?’

  ‘Aye, just as a mate like.’

  ‘Were you surprised that he asked you?’

  ‘In a way, yes I was.’

  ‘Why was that?’

  ‘Because Nobby knows I’m suspended, so I couldn’t arrest Terry or his kids or his mates, even if they were behaving like twats right in front of me.’

  ‘And did they?’

  ‘Aye, when I was round there. Terry came out of the house, pissed up, and chucked a beer bottle at the house.’

  ‘And what did you do?’

  ‘I cleared it up.’

  ‘And that’s all? You didn’t have a word with Terry, give him a little something to remember you by as well, mebbe? No one would blame you if you had.’

  ‘I didn’t. I didn’t so much as touch him.’

  Dixon nodded slowly. ‘Ian, if you don’t mind me saying, that’s a bit out of character for you, isn’t it?’

  ‘You don’t see it, do you, Ray? If I’d still had my Warrant Card that stupid bastard would have been biting the pavement with his arm right up his back five seconds after he chucked that bottle. And I’d have been more than happy if his lads came out to try to help their old man out. But I didn’t do a thing, because I was trying to keep my nose clean, trying to keep my job. If I’d stood up for Eleanor, like a man, like I should have, then she’d still be here. I’m fucking ashamed of myself, and that’s the truth.’

  Ray Dixon couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard Ian Mann say so much all at once.

  ‘Don’t beat yourself up, mate, you did your best. It’s a shame that we didn’t do the same. They’re going to hang Charlie Coward out to dry for this one, poor bastard.’

  ‘I know how he feels. Now, can you write that up and I’ll sign it, unless there’s anything else?’

  ‘No, nowt. You may get called at the inquest, but you’ll be back on the job by then. So it’ll be on company time, I expect.’

  When Mann had signed his statement Dixon phoned Hall, and offered Mann a brew again.

  ‘Blimey, Ray, are you feeling all right? You’ve spent the last twenty odd years avoiding the brew run.’

  ‘I’m making up for lost time.’

  ‘You’ll never be out of the bloody kitchen then. It’s not long until you retire now, is it?’

  ‘Don’t remind me, mate. I’ve been trying to hang on, but Robinson was really getting on my wick earlier, so I went out of my way to piss the bastard off.’

  ‘What’s the word that Andy always uses about him?’

  ‘Sanctimonious.’

  ‘That’s the one. I looked it up, what with all the free time I’ve had lately, and you know what it means?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Twat. Ocean going, four masted, twat.’

  Dixon laughed, but stopped when Hall knocked briefly and walked in. Hall shook hands warmly with Mann, and Dixon made for the door.

  ‘Any news, Ian? I can’t tell you how much we could do with getting you back here.’

  ‘That’s what I’ve come to tell you. I’m putting in my papers, Andy. The Federation lawyer has been talking to personnel, and they’ve offered me a deal. Quite generous, apparently.’

  Hall shook his head slowly.

  ‘Are you sure you want to do that. Ian? I thought you were dead set on staying. And how about the Abbey thing? Are they saying that there’ll be no charges if you go quietly, as they say?’

  ‘Aye, CPS says a prosecution wouldn’t be in the public interest. But that’s not why I’m going. All this business with Eleanor made me realise that I’d never be able to do the job right if I came back. The likes of Robinson and Gorham and the rest of them would just be waiting for a chance to get me out, and I’d be thinking about that the whole time.’

  ‘I see that, Ian, but I wonder if you’re maybe getting things a bit out of proportion. I’ve been in the job all these years and I’ve hardly ever had to use any kind of force. I don’t think it’s reduced my effectiveness.’

  ‘But you rely on your brains, Andy. I’m more of a hands-on copper.’

  ‘Really? Is that all there is it to it? I think there’s something else going on here. Come on, out with it.’

  ‘Honestly, it’s lots of things. Having Robinson accusing me of giving Williams up to Cafferty, the fact that we won’t be able to touch Walker for what he did to Eleanor...’

  ‘Hang on, Ian, what makes you think we won’t be able to charge Walker with something?’

  ‘Come on, Andy, we all know how this works. There’ll be a lot of big talk, and when the fuss in the press has died down the CPS will tell you that’s there’s not enough evidence to secure a conviction, and that will be that. Walker will get away with it again, just like he has all these years. It’s just getting worse mate, can’t you see that?’

  ‘I think you’re drawing general conclusions based on one situation’ said Hall. ‘I agree that we’re under resourced, but you jacking it in won’t help us sort that out, will it? If you go I’ll probably get some wet behind the ears DC from HQ, who’ll be worse than useless for a year at least.’

  ‘Sorry to be an inconvenience, Andy.’

  ‘Come on, mate, that’s not fair. It’s you I’m thinking about here. What the hell will you do if you’re not a copper?’

  ‘I was thinking about setting myself up as a gardener. You know, little van, mower, strimmer, all that.’

  ‘Really? I’m sorry, but I don’t see it. Look, if you just hang tough for another week or two I’m sure that you’ll be back in the job, and we can all just get on with our work. You might even get the chance to feel Terry Walker’s collar. How good would it feel to get that bastard put away for a while? Stay in and you get the chance to do it, leave and you won’t. You’re a good copper, Ian, and I’m not saying that you wouldn’t be just as good at something else, of course I’m not. But I just don’t think you’d be a massive loss to the horticultural industry if you decided to stay on with us.’

  For the first time in days Mann laughed.

  ‘So you think I should tell the Fed’s lawyer that I want the bosses to stuff their offer?’

  ‘More or less, yes. They’re never going to charge you with anything over the Abbey, and you can ride out a disciplinary, if they’re brave enough to try, which I doubt. It would be terrible for morale, not just here but right across the county, and the way things are with the redundancies and everything they just can’t afford it. You’ll have everyone who was there right behind you. And for what it’s worth you know where I stand as well. You’re one of us, Ian, and the likes of Robinson and all the bloody bureaucrats in uniform at HQ can get stuffed. We’ll not let you down.’

  ‘All right, Andy. Thanks. Look, I’ll think about it, but no promises. I’d made up my mind, and you know what I’m like.’

  ‘Stubborn.’

  ‘I know my own mind, aye.’

  At five in the afternoon Terry Walker woke up from a nap on the sofa. Kylie had the TV on with the sound turned down, but his lads were making a racket upstairs. That must have been what had woken him up.

  ‘I was asleep there, Kylie. Why didn’t you shut them up?’

  She smiled apologetically. ‘Fancy a Chinese for tea?’

  ‘Aye, that would be good. Nothing like home cooking, eh?’ He smiled at his little joke, but Kylie didn’t. It wasn’t the first time she’d heard it. ‘And I thought I’d go out later like. I could do with cheering myself up like.’

  Kylie pretended to be watching the television for a few seconds. ‘That’s good’ she said, and hoped that Terry wouldn’t pick anything up on her hesitancy. He didn’t. But she’d been shopping that day and a few people had turned their backs on her, and one or two had made comments about Terry. She wasn’t really surprised, but he seemed unaware for some reason. Terry closed his eyes again, and Kylie started to think about what might h
appen down the pub later. She smiled slightly, turned off the TV, and went to look for the menu.

  When the food was delivered Terry’s lads took theirs back to their rooms, and Kylie was pleased that they did. Her two were still small, and they sat next to her on the sofa as they ate.

  ‘My compliments to the delivery boy’ said Terry, when he’d finished, just like he always did. And Kylie laughed, just like she always did. ‘There’ll be a few in by now. I might head down there in a bit.’

  Kylie cleared up the empty trays, called up to the boys for theirs, and got no reply as usual. She heard the front door close while she was outside, putting the rubbish into the bin. She tried not to look at Eleanor’s house, about what her husband and step-sons had done, and about what she’d failed to do. But most of all she tried not to think about Gemma. When Kylie turned to go back inside her cheeks were wet.

  Terry hadn’t been expecting a hero’s welcome in the pub, but it was still quiet when he walked in, so he wasn’t particularly surprised that no-one came over to chat. That meant he’d have to buy his own pint too. Half an hour later the football started, and the place was pretty busy. A couple of the lads had nodded to him, but no-one had been interested in a bit of banter. Then, at half-time, he took an elbow in the ribs on the way back to his table, and he turned quickly to face whoever did it. But it was Alan Frostick, and Terry knew much better than to mess with him.

  He wasn’t sure whether it was the Chinese food or the beer, but Terry could taste the acid in his mouth. The pub felt really hot. ‘They’ll soon forget about it’ said Barry, the only mate who’d come and sat with him.

  ‘If they knew what they put us through’ said Terry, reaching for his pint and then putting it back unsipped. ‘It was like living next door to a freak show. Depressing is what it was.’

  ‘I think people know how it was’ said Barry, and Terry looked up to see if he was taking the piss. Barry wasn’t the brightest, but he was still a good lad.

  ‘Another?’ asked Barry, gesturing to Terry’s almost empty glass.

  ‘No, you’re all right. I better get off.’

  ‘Busy day tomorrow?’ asked Barry, looking surprised.

  ‘Aye, I’m due at the fucking United Nations at ten.’

  ‘Oh aye. Look mate, it’ll all calm down. People are just a bit upset, you know?’

  ‘About what? It’s not my fucking fault that she fucking topped herself. What kind of mum tries to kill her kid as well? It’s not natural that, is it?’

  Barry didn’t answer. He knew enough to realise that there was no point.

  Terry left the pub and set off or home. He found himself walking a bit faster than usual. He told himself it was because of the gassy lager. It was a warm evening, and he was starting to feel hot, so he slowed down. He said hello to a couple of people on his way through town, but they both blanked him.

  ‘Wanker’ he said out loud, both times. But only when the blokes were well past him. He found himself walking more quickly again.

  As he got nearer to his own house Terry started to relax, and he slowed down. He didn’t even notice the car pull up just ahead of him, but when the back door opened and Alan Frostick jumped out he tensed up fast. But not fast enough, because the first blow fell before he was ready. There was no point running, and anyway he was only fifty yards away from his own house, so neighbours might be watching. So he needed to fight back. But Terry didn’t land a blow properly, and when he went down he curled up and waited for the kicking that he knew was coming.

  ‘You need to fucking move’ said Frostick, punctuating his words with kicks.

  ‘But we’re behind with the rent. The Housing Association won’t move us.’

  ‘That’s your problem. Why not be a man and leave Kylie and her kids in the house? Do something decent for a change. But just so we’re clear, we want you out in the next week. If you’re not, we’re going to come and find you, and we’re going to feed you what Eleanor gave the kid. You understand?’

  A couple of kids were walking along the pavement and Frostick waved to them as if nothing was happening.

  ‘All right lads?’ he said, and gave Walker a parting kick in the head. They lads heard Walker’s nose break as they walked past, and the last thing Walker saw before he passed out was one of them giving Frostick a big thumbs up.

  It was Ray Dixon who texted Nobby Styles when he heard the news, and no-one was surprised when Nobby turned up at work for the back-shift.

  ‘Heard the good news?’ asked the sergeant when Nobby was ready to go out. ‘Up to you, but if you want you can go to the hospital and take Terry Walker’s statement. And Nobby, do me a favour. Please make sure that he knows that we’ll do everything we can to put the person who did this away for a very long time. Tell him everyone here is thinking about him.’

  Nobby laughed all the way to the car, even if the only one left was the Fiesta with the dodgy starter-motor. But he’d have happily walked the whole way anyway, so that wasn’t a problem at all.

  They’d put Terry in a room on his own.

  ‘Is he in a lot of pain?’ he asked the nurse who showed him the way.

  ‘Yes, I’m afraid he is. He’s got lots of nasty soft tissue damage. But he’s conscious, and other than a broken nose and a couple of ribs he’s not too bad. No skull fracture, and no internal bleeding that we’re aware of.’

  ‘Still, early days yet’ said Nobby, pushing the door open. ‘How are we doing then Terry?’ he said, loud enough to wake patients two wards away. ‘How’s the headache then, lad?’

  He didn’t bother taking his notebook out. Everyone on the estate already knew exactly who had given Terry a seeing to, and that included PC Nobby Styles, and he also knew that the chances of Terry grassing up Alan Frostick were rather less than the square root of bugger all. Still, it would be fun getting Terry to relive every second of the attack.

  Monday, 13th May

  ‘Don’t be daft’ Hall had said when Jane had said she needed to go to the loo before they went upstairs to the office. ‘Unless you’ve got the weakest bladder in history you’re just trying to avoid walking in to the office at the same time as me.’

  ‘Tongues will wag’ she said.

  ‘They already are, so I wouldn’t worry about it’ said Hall. ‘If our colleagues were just half as good as observing criminals as they are keeping an eye on each other then the cells would be full to bursting.’

  ‘And the divorce courts would be empty.’

  Hall forced a smile. ‘Granted, but we only got together after Carol had gone, and you played absolutely no part in what happened. We know that, the kids know it, and that’s all that matters. Look how welcoming they were to you. I reckon they think I deserve a bit of luck.’

  ‘I thought you were going to say fun.’

  ‘Let’s not get ahead of ourselves’ said Hall, laughing.

  Ray Dixon was whistling loudly and tunelessly when Jane and Hall walked in to the office. He stopped, looked at them both and grinned. ‘Morning both’ he said, with heavy emphasis. ‘Another lovely day in paradise.’

  ‘Stop it, Ray’ said Jane, ‘I get nervous when you’re this cheerful.’

  ‘I can’t help it. I expect you heard the news?’

  ‘That Terry Walker took a hiding off Alan Frostick, the world’s least convincing righter of wrongs?’

  ‘Oh yes. Nobby phoned me at home first thing and said that not only is Terry in loads of pain, but he’s shitting himself about what Frostick might do to him if he doesn’t get the hell out of Dodge, as they say.’

  ‘Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke’ said Hall, ‘but you do know we’ll have to calm this down, don’t you, Ray? I assume that someone has had a word with Frostick? And that it isn’t Nobby who’s doing it. He’d have his fingers crossed the whole time.’

  ‘And who could blame him, boss?’

  ‘Maybe so, but Frostick isn’t any better than Terry Walker. We all know that.’

  ‘Well, boss, all I know i
s that we’re not going to be able to charge Walker with anything, so I don’t care where a bit of old fashioned retribution comes from.’

  ‘Have you been watching those old Clint Eastwood films again, Ray?’ said Hall, smiling. ‘We have had to speak about that before. Now, do you want to go and make us all a nice brew, since you’re in such a sunny mood? And try not to make it the most powerful cup of tea in the world, would you?’

  Half an hour later the three of them were sitting together in Hall’s office.

  ‘I’ve had an email from Tony Sheridan. Their Chief has spoken to our Chief, and the long and the short of it is that Tony and his team are being stood down on the Williams killing. They regard Murphy as a road block which they’ll never get past. He’d obviously do jail time for Cafferty if he had to. And they’ve concluded that Gill McGrath’s mum knew nothing, or next to nothing. So she’s not worth a charge.’

  ‘So does that put Gill in the clear?’ asked Ray.

  ‘It does, and Robinson has asked her to come in so he can tell her personally, and ask her if she’d like to carry on as a Special.’ Hall paused for a moment. ‘So that’s good.’

  ‘So are we giving up on Williams too?’ asked Dixon.

  ‘No way. Let’s keep on at it from this end for as long as we can. Have you got anywhere on that print on the file, Ray?’

  ‘No, it’s a proper whodunnit. I’ve eliminated everyone who I think should have touched it.’

  ‘Could it have been a re-used file?’ asked Jane.

  Dixon shook his head. ‘No, not unless we’re so broke that we’re re-using paper inside it too. We’ve got a print inside too, see.’

  ‘OK’ said Hall, ‘so how do we move this forward? Ideas?’

  There was long silence.

  ‘Ray, have you listened to the tape of the Murphy interview?’ asked Hall.