Outside Looking In

by Michael Wood

  ‘Any developments overnight?’

  Aaron, swallowing a large bite of a bacon sandwich and licking his fingers said, ‘there’s still no sight of Lucas Branning. However, his flat was torched yesterday.’

  ‘I thought it was being watched?’ Matilda asked.

  ‘Only until yesterday lunchtime.’

  ‘How bad is it?’

  ‘It’s been gutted.’

  ‘Deliberate?’

  ‘It looks like it. The fire officers say there are traces of an accelerant on the doormat.’

  ‘Either Lucas has some powerful enemies or there was something in his flat he didn’t want us to see and torched it himself,’ Matilda said, thinking aloud. ‘Are we sure his sisters don’t know where he is?’

  ‘That’s what they’re saying.’

  ‘Right. Sian, go round to Alice’s this morning, take Faith with you, tell her about her brother’s home being torched and try and get as much out of her about Lucas as possible. This is one loose end we don’t need right now and it’s starting to really piss me off.’

  ‘Will do.’

  ‘Has anyone been looking into Lucas Branning’s background?’

  ‘I have,’ Rory said, flicking through his notebook. ‘He’s been in jail three times. The first was when he was twenty, in 1991, for six months. He burgled his next-door neighbour and his grandmother. The second time was in 1995. He stole his boss’s Mercedes and went on a joyride. He crashed into a bus stop, narrowly missing four people. He fled the scene and was later picked up in a bar. He was also banned from driving for three years. His last jail spell was in 2001. He was sentenced to three years for burgling seven properties in a month. He served his full term as the parole board believed him to be a recidivist.’

  ‘Well he sounds like a delight. I bet his family are very proud of him,’ Sian commented.

  ‘What’s he been up to since his release?’ Matilda asked. ‘I find it hard to believe a recidivist has kept his nose clean for fifteen years.’

  ‘He’s had a few scrapes with the law for fighting while drunk but apart from that, he really does seem to have been a good boy,’ Rory said. ‘Maybe he has turned over a new leaf.’

  ‘And maybe I’m a size eight. What about the Cravens? Do they have any dodgy family members who could be our killer?’

  ‘No,’ Aaron said. ‘They’re like the Waltons.’

  ‘I must have missed that episode where Ma Walton had multiple affairs and a child with another man,’ Sian said, raising a giggle from around the room.

  ‘You know what I mean. There’s nothing in their backgrounds to attract the attention of a killer.’

  ‘So what are we saying then, this is a random event? A killer just happened to come across Kevin and Lois and killed them for kicks?’ Matilda asked of no one specific.

  ‘Judging by the lack of suspects it would appear so.’

  ‘No. I refuse to believe that,’ Matilda was getting riled. ‘Like we said before, if this was a random killing Kevin and Lois would have been shot dead where they sat in the car, not subjected to torture. No. The killer was known to them. There must be something in their shared lives that seriously pissed someone off.’

  ‘Well if there is it’s so deeply hidden we haven’t uncovered it yet,’ Sian said. ‘We’ve been through their bank accounts, savings, debts. We’ve contacted friends, relatives, neighbours, former schoolmates – nobody has a motive to kill them.’

  Matilda released a heavy sigh. Her positivity was beginning to wane. She turned and saw the smiling photograph of Gerald Beecham staring back at her. ‘And where does Mr Beecham fit into all this?’

  When the room remained silent, Rory chimed up, ‘Maybe Lois decided to have a taste of a more mature meat.’

  ‘Thanks Rory,’ Matilda replied, rolling her eyes. ‘So—’

  There was a knock on the door and Faith stepped inside. ‘Am I all right to interrupt?’

  ‘Of course you are. What can we do for you?’

  ‘There was another robbery last night. This time, one of the victims was killed.’

  This revelation stopped everyone in their tracks.

  THIRTY-SEVEN

  SECRET AFFAIR OF SHOOTING VICTIMS

  By Alex Winstanley

  The victims of the shooting in Clough Lane were having an illicit affair. Lois Craven and Kevin Hardaker were viciously attacked by a masked assailant in the quiet lane close to the Peak District National Park. Mr Hardaker, 43, was shot twice and died at the scene. Mrs Craven, 41, was shot three times and is currently recovering in the Northern General Hospital.

  Friends and family members of the two have since found out about the pair’s secret love and commented that both families, and their communities, have been shocked by the news.

  Dora Leeves, a neighbour of the Craven family said yesterday: ‘I have known the Cravens for years. They always seemed like a loving, happy family. The kids have always been so well behaved. I can’t believe Lois was having an affair. It’s really knocked me for six. It’s shocked everyone in the road.’

  Lois, an administrator at the Sheffield College, has had several previous affairs, according to one of her colleagues. Janet Temple said: ‘Lois has been unfaithful in the past. I felt sorry for her husband and the kids, but Lois was just one of those women who enjoyed life and enjoyed having fun. Yes, it was wrong what she’s done but she didn’t deserve what happened to her.’

  Mr Craven was seen with his three children at their home in Williamson Road yesterday but was unavailable for comment.

  ‘Bastards! Complete and utter bastards!’ Martin swore, hurling the newspaper across the kitchen. It skidded and came to a stop as it hit the carpet in the hallway.

  ‘I thought you’d want to see it before you left the house.’

  Margaret had brought the newspaper round first thing. She didn’t usually read the local, believing it to be a waste of money for the amount of adverts that seemed to take over each page; however, since her daughter was in hospital, she wanted to see how the story was being reported. Up until now, she had been pleased by the lack of gossip. It was only a matter of time before Lois’s past indiscretions came to light.

  ‘I can’t believe this. Who around here’s been talking?’ Martin was fuming. He paced the kitchen, unable to control himself. ‘Have you mentioned her affairs to anyone?’

  ‘Of course I haven’t, Martin. What do you take me for? They’ve been talking to her colleagues by the looks of it. She’ll have mentioned it to them. You know what a bunch of women in an office are like.’

  ‘They’re all going to be talking aren’t they?’

  ‘Who are?’

  ‘The neighbours. Jack used to deliver the local paper around here. Almost everyone in the street has one. They’ll all see it. They’ll all know that Lois has been having affairs right, left, and centre and I’ve just put up with it. I should never have taken her back.’

  ‘Martin!’ Margaret called out. ‘If you hadn’t taken her back you wouldn’t have Thomas in your life. I know he’s not yours but you love him like he is. Who knows what would have become of him if you hadn’t been in his life.’

  Martin looked up at his mother-in-law. ‘You obviously don’t think much of Lois either then.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘If I hadn’t have taken Lois back she would have had Thomas and brought him up alone. Or don’t you think she was capable of raising a child by herself?’

  ‘She’s not one for responsibility,’ she eventually accepted. ‘Oh God. I tried to do right by her. I tried to bring her up to be a responsible adult. I taught her right from wrong, taught her respect and to get a good education and a good job. Where did I go wrong with her, Martin?’ Margaret slumped at the kitchen table and put her head in her hands.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Jack said on entering the kitchen. He picked up the newspaper from the floor and placed it on the table, not looking at its contents.

  ‘Nothing,’ Martin lied unconvincingly. ‘S
houldn’t you be at college now?’

  ‘Free period. What’s happened? Is it Mum?’

  ‘No. She’s fine. Look, Jack, there are things in the press that are—’

  ‘You mean about Mum having affairs.’

  ‘How do you know?’

  ‘It’s all over the Internet.’

  ‘What?’

  ‘The Star’s website, Twitter, and Facebook pages.’

  ‘Oh my God,’ Martin slumped forward. ‘I’m so sorry Jack. I should have realized these things were going to get raked up. I should have prepared you.’

  ‘I don’t think you can prepare. Anna’s been reading some of the comments people have been saying.’

  ‘Do I want to know?’

  ‘No. You might want to talk to Anna though. She’s pretty upset.’

  ‘I’ll go and talk to her,’ Margaret said, wiping her eyes. She placed a comforting arm on Martin’s shoulder as she passed him to show she cared, and hurriedly left the room.

  ‘I’m sorry Jack.’

  ‘Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault.’

  ‘I’d suggest going away for a few days but I think we might need more than a long weekend to get over this.’ Martin smiled through the pain.

  ‘It’s Easter in a few weeks, we could go to the coast or something.’ Jack hinted.

  ‘I don’t think I’d want to come back.’

  ‘We don’t have to.’ Jack leaned forward and placed a hand on top of his father’s. ‘Me, Anna and Thomas will all come with you wherever you want to go, Dad.’

  Jenny Evans had stayed the night but had spent very little of it asleep. The ordeal of being held against her will by a masked intruder was agony and continued to replay itself over and over again in her head. Eventually she gave up on the idea of falling asleep and went downstairs to make a hot drink and find something fattening to eat.

  By the time Alice woke up it was daylight and Jenny was on her third Mars Bar. ‘How long have you been up?’

  ‘All night practically.’

  Jenny turned to face her sister and Alice realized she needn’t have asked the question. It was written all over her face. The heavy eyelids and thick bags under the eyes were evidence of a sleepless night.

  ‘What have you been doing all night then?’

  ‘This.’ She slid a pad across the coffee table to her sister who picked it up and began reading it.

  ‘What is this?’

  ‘It’s as much as I can remember about that bloke last night. I’m going to take it to the police this morning and report him.’

  ‘What? Jenny, you can’t do that.’

  ‘Why not? He threatened us. He’s demanding money and he threatened to kill your kids. How can you possibly sit there so calmly and say you’re not going to report it?’

  ‘You have no idea what we’re dealing with here.’

  ‘And neither do you. Whatever it is, it’s way out of our depth. We can’t cope with it on our own. We need the police,’ she said slowly, trying to hammer the point home to her unwavering sister.

  ‘No.’

  ‘Alice. Next time he comes do you think he’s just going to issue a few more threats then go away again? No. He’ll go further this time. He could maim, rape, kill. Are you willing to risk that on your own sister, on your own kids?’

  ‘And what if the police can’t catch him? Then he’ll definitely kill us, the kids too. I can’t handle any of this right now,’ Alice stood up and stormed off into the kitchen. Jenny quickly followed.

  ‘You can’t just walk away and hope he decides to try his luck on another family. He will be back. You have to do something.’

  ‘Do what?’ Alice exploded. ‘I have no idea what’s happening. A week ago everything was fine, or rather I thought it was. Then I find out my husband has been having an affair for God knows how long and gets himself killed. Then my brother seems to have gone missing and a bloody cartoon villain comes round demanding money. When did my life become an episode of The Sopranos?’

  Alice collapsed into the sofa in the kitchen and, with her head in her hands, began to cry a torrent of tears. Jenny sat next to her.

  ‘I’m sorry for what you’ve had to go through recently, Alice, I really am, but now is not the time to go to pieces. You have to do something about this bloke or he’s going to come back and all hell will be let loose.’

  ‘Jenny, my life has been turned upside down—’

  Jenny couldn’t listen anymore. ‘Look, Alice, I’m sorry Kevin’s dead, I really am. And I’m sorry he cheated on you. But you’re not the first woman in the world to find out her husband has been unfaithful, Alice. So he had an affair; it wasn’t the first time for crying out loud. No man is worth tying yourself up in knots about.’

  ‘What?’ Alice looked up. Her face deathly pale. ‘It wasn’t the first time? You mean he’s had an affair before? How do you know this?’

  Jenny was silent. The look of concentration as she tried to come up with a lie or an excuse was etched on her face. Her eyes darted from left to right. She avoided her sister’s glare but could feel her eyes burning into her.

  ‘I don’t,’ she lied. Her voice was quiet and quivering.

  ‘Jenny, if you lie to me,’ Alice suddenly appeared calm but inside she was a seething mass of rage. ‘I will throw you out of this house and I’ll never want to see you ever again. Now, tell me, has Kevin had an affair before?’

  Jenny couldn’t speak. She nodded.

  ‘When? Who with?’

  ‘It was a long time ago. Before the kids were born. Remember Carole who used to lived two doors down from me? She had a part-time job at Currys where Kevin worked and they got together. It didn’t last long. Only a few weeks.’

  ‘How did you find out?’

  ‘Carole told me she was seeing someone from work. She didn’t know I knew Kevin but I worked it out from how she described him. I went to see him and told him to stop or I’d tell you. He did.’

  ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’

  ‘You’d just found out you were pregnant with Warren and you were constantly ill with morning sickness. You had enough on your plate. I decided to deal with it myself. I was protecting you.’

  ‘Don’t you think I should have known what the father of my children was really like?’

  ‘He promised me he’d end it and he did. I didn’t think he’d do it again.’

  ‘Which shows how much you know about men. They’re all bastards, Jenny. You should know, you married two of the biggest ones around. I can’t believe you didn’t tell me. I’ll never forgive you for this, Jenny.’

  Alice shrugged off her sister’s oncoming hug and walked out of the room, heading upstairs. Jenny leaned back into the sofa, cursing herself. She should have kept her mouth shut. There was no reason why Alice should ever have had to find out.

  Her eyes fell on the door at the corner of the room where the masked man forced his way in last night and terrorized them both. It wouldn’t be long until he was back, and, despite what Alice said, Jenny knew the next time would be a thousand times worse than last night. She had to convince her sister to go to the police. The clock was ticking.

  THIRTY-EIGHT

  Matilda took Faith into her office so she could fill her in on the details of the latest aggravated burglary to hit Sheffield.

  ‘An elderly couple in Low Edges were asleep when they were woken by a noise. Mr Frank Ackersby got up and went to the top of the stairs to look down. He could see a shadow and heard drawers opening and closing. He went back into the bedroom where his wife, Trudie, was waiting. He closed the door and wedged a chair under the handle. He told her to be quiet and hopefully the robber wouldn’t come up the stairs.’

  ‘Was there no phone in the bedroom?’ Matilda asked.

  ‘No. They usually take the cordless handset up from the lounge but had forgotten. Anyway, they’re in bed when they hear the sound of footsteps on the stairs. The door handle is tried, but he can’t get in. They think he’s give
n in when suddenly the door comes crashing open and the chair is literally smashed to pieces. In comes a man dressed from head to toe in black, waving a gun at them. He points it directly at Mrs Ackersby’s head. Mr Ackersby sees red and jumps up to attack the gunman. The gunman pushes Mr Ackersby back and he smashes his head on the corner of the dressing table and he’s dead before he hits the floor. The burglar, taking no notice of this, then goes and empties the jewellery box and drawers before running off.’

  Matilda was shaking her head in disbelief at such a heartless attack. ‘How’s Mrs Ackersby?’

  ‘The last I heard she had to be sedated.’

  ‘Please tell me she gave a good description first,’ Matilda said, hopefully.

  ‘Unfortunately not. However, the bloke over the road had been up all night with chronic wisdom toothache and when he heard a loud noise, which we assume was the bedroom door being kicked in, he had a nosy out of the window.’

  ‘And he got a good look at the bloke?’

  Faith turned a page in her notebook. ‘About six foot two, broad shoulders, heavy build, light brown or blond hair, pale skin, and a tattoo on his neck but he couldn’t make out what it was.’

  Matilda frowned while Faith looked on with a beaming smile. ‘How did he know all that?’

  ‘The bloke went to his car, opened the boot to put his bag in the back and took off his hat and mask. He was parked directly under a lamppost.’

  Matilda joined Faith in a beaming smile. ‘God bless the crippling pain that man is in.’

  ‘That’s exactly what DI Brady said.’

  ‘Thanks for keeping me informed, Faith. I’m not sure what use it will be to us but it’s a step in the right direction. I’ll run it past Lois next time I speak to her.’

  Rory burst into the office, no knock, no apology for interrupting. ‘Ma’am, Lucas Branning has been found.’

  ‘Found’ wasn’t the word Matilda would have used. Nobody had actually found him at all. Instead, a tired and dirty looking Lucas Branning had walked into Woodseats Police Station and given himself up. He had been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and taken to South Yorkshire Police HQ where he was processed then led to an interview room.