Taken to Die: A chilling crime thriller (DCI Danny Flint Book 4)

by Trevor Negus

  ‘That was extremely accommodating of her. It’s a long drive there and back. Did you invite her inside the house for a tea or coffee before she drove all the way back to Leicester?’

  ‘At that time, I wasn’t fully aware of what was happening. I didn’t think it would be appropriate to invite her in. So, the answer to your question is, no, I didn’t. She dropped me off outside the gates and left immediately.’

  ‘Right outside the gates?’

  ‘Yes, outside the gates. Why?’

  ‘Have you worked with Ms Temple for long?’

  ‘I think she’s been at Mulberry for a year or so. I’ve worked with her on a few occasions now. She has a very bright future ahead of her.’

  Brian said, ‘Do you have an address for her?’

  Dominic swirled the ice in his glass. ‘I’m sure the office will have her home address on file. I can’t think of it off the top of my head.’

  A drowsy-looking Rebecca walked into the lounge and said, ‘Come along, Dom, you do know where she lives. Don’t you remember? We went there for drinks in August. She lives in Papplewick; the Temples have that charming little cottage. The address will be on the calendar in the kitchen. Be a dear and go and get it for the detectives, please.’

  Dominic slammed his drink down on the coffee table and stalked out of the room. As soon as he had left, Rebecca said, ‘Why do you want to know about Angela Temple?’

  Brian told her the same story about checking vehicle sightings.

  Rebecca smiled and said, ‘Angela’s such a pretty woman and so very ambitious. She reminds me of how I was at that age.’

  Dominic walked back into the lounge and handed a scrap of paper, containing the scribbled address for Angela Temple, to Rachel.

  He then turned to Brian and said sarcastically, ‘Who knows, Inspector, one of these days you might knock on my door and return my daughter to me. Any chance of that happening anytime soon? Or are you too busy chasing around like headless chickens, following up ridiculous dead ends?’

  Brian flushed at the unexpected angry outburst. ‘We’re all working around the clock to try to find your little girl. I’ve got a daughter myself who’s the same age as Emily. Believe me, nothing would give me greater pleasure than to return your daughter safely to you. We’ll find her, Mr Whitchurch.’

  Dominic picked up his glass of whiskey, took a mouthful and hissed, ‘Well, don’t let me detain you any longer, Detective.’

  Rebecca walked the detectives to the front door and said, ‘Please excuse my husband’s tirade. This is all really getting to us now. The longer it goes on, the more it’s affecting him. Please do what you say and find our daughter soon.’

  The front door was closed behind them, and Rachel said, ‘Are you okay?’

  Brian rubbed his eyes and nodded. ‘I’m fine. I was just thinking of my Laura for a second, that’s all.’

  ‘Your little girl?’

  ‘Not so little anymore. She’s thirteen now. I love her to bits; she’s such a great kid. Now, where does Angela Temple live?’

  78

  7.00pm, 17 October 1986

  Honeysuckle Cottage, Papplewick, Nottinghamshire

  Rachel sighed as the car came to a halt and she saw Honeysuckle Cottage for the first time.

  She said wistfully, ‘Rebecca Whitchurch wasn’t wrong; this cottage is charming. I don’t know about you, boss, but I can’t wait to meet Angela Temple.’

  ‘That must be her Volvo on the driveway. Let’s hope she’s at home as well.’

  The two detectives got out of their car and walked along the gravel driveway, to the front door of the cottage. Brian knocked loudly, then waited for a response. He didn’t have to wait long.

  The front door was suddenly flung open. Both detectives were surprised when they saw who’d done so. Standing in front of them was Professor Brandon Temple.

  Brian said, ‘Hello again, Professor. We’re here to speak to Angela Temple. It’s about the Volvo car, nothing to worry about. Is she home?’

  ‘Angela’s my wife. She’s in the shower. Is it urgent?’

  Rachel smiled and said softly, ‘It’s something we do need to clear up tonight. Would you mind if we came inside to wait? It’s just a few questions. I promise it won’t take long.’

  Brandon Temple tutted loudly and said, ‘Very well, you’d better come in. I’ll let Angela know you’re here.’

  He directed the detectives into the small but comfortable lounge and said, ‘Please take a seat. I won’t be a minute.’

  Temple left the room and ran up the narrow flight of stairs.

  Five minutes later, he returned to the lounge, followed by his wife.

  Angela was wearing a white towelling robe; her long wet hair was hidden by another towel she had fashioned around her head like a turban.

  She flashed a perfect smile when she walked in the room and said, ‘Please excuse me, I was in the shower. Brandon said it’s something important about my car?’

  Rachel said, ‘We’re sorry to intrude at this late hour; it’s just a few things we need to clear up about your car. Is that your Volvo on the driveway?’

  ‘Yes, it is.’

  ‘Does anyone else drive it?’

  ‘No, just me. Brandon doesn’t drive; he’s got a motorcycle that he uses to commute into the city. What’s this all about?’

  ‘We’ve just come from Dominic Whitchurch’s house. He informed us that you recently worked a trial with him at Leicester Crown Court. Is that right?’

  ‘Yes, it is, but Dominic had to return home shortly after the trial started. I had to complete it on my own.’

  ‘When Dominic returned home from Leicester, did you drive him?’

  ‘Yes, I did. He had to get home urgently, and he hadn’t taken his own car. It would have cost him a fortune in taxi fare.’

  Brandon interrupted, ‘You never told me you’d driven back from Leicester. Why didn’t you come home and stay the night?’

  Angela rounded on him and hissed, ‘Not now, Brandon!’

  Picking up on the tension between the couple, Brian said, ‘It’s a fair question, Mrs Temple. It’s a long drive from Leicester. Why go straight back when you only live fifteen minutes away from Mapperley Park?’

  Angela flashed a resentful look at Brian. ‘I had just had a complex rape trial dumped on my lap. I had prepared to be a second chair, not to be the lead defence counsel. If I was going to be ready for trial the next day, I had a lot of prep work to do that night. Does that answer your “fair” question, detective?’

  Rachel said, ‘Have you worked with Dominic Whitchurch much?’

  ‘On a few occasions.’

  Again, Brandon interrupted, ‘It’s much more than a few times, darling. Dominic has taken quite a shine to his star pupil. He always wants you as his second chair.’

  Rachel said nothing, but looked quizzically at Angela. The silence became too much, and eventually Angela said, ‘Alright! It’s more than a few times, okay? We make a good team.’

  Rachel had seen the weakness. She said, ‘So, how would you describe your relationship with Dominic Whitchurch?’

  ‘Excuse me?’

  ‘I said, how would you—’

  Angela interrupted angrily, ‘I heard what you bloody well said! I just don’t understand exactly what it is you’re inferring? My relationship with Dominic Whitchurch is strictly professional. In case it had escaped your notice, Detective, I’m a married woman, and Dominic’s a happily married man. We have to work closely together, that’s all. With the emphasis on the word “work” and not closely. Now, will that be all?’

  Rachel turned to Brandon Temple and said, ‘Mr Temple, do you mind leaving us for a moment? I need to ask your wife a couple of questions in private.’

  Brandon replied, ‘Of course not, but we have no secrets in this house, Detective.’ He turned to walk away, but not before Brian had seen the cruel smirk that crossed his features.

  When he had walked upstairs and was out of ea
rshot, Rachel said, ‘We aren’t here to cause problems in your marriage. What is the truth about your relationship with Dominic Whitchurch?’

  With real anger in her voice Angela whispered, ‘I’ve told you, it’s purely professional.’

  ‘I don’t think your husband sees it that way?’

  ‘What does he know about anything? I work very closely with Dominic and that’s it.’

  Rachel allowed a silence to descend on the room for a few minutes, then said, ‘That’s all for now, Mrs Temple. I’m sorry to have interrupted your evening, and thanks for being so frank with us.’

  Angela shouted upstairs, ‘Brandon, we’re finished down here. Can you show them out?’

  The two detectives were escorted to the front door by Brandon, who smiled and said, ‘Good night,’ as he closed the door behind them.

  Brian and Rachel remained standing outside the door for a few seconds. As soon as the door had been closed, the two detectives overheard Angela Temple shout at her husband, ‘Why the fuck did you let them into our house without finding out what they wanted first? You fucking idiot!’

  As they walked back to their car, Brian said, ‘She’s got some anger management issues, that one. Do you believe her?’

  ‘Do I believe her relationship with Dominic Whitchurch is purely professional? Not a chance. A woman can sense these things. Angela Temple and Dominic Whitchurch are bang at it, trust me.’

  ‘There’s something else, Rachel. I think Brandon knows his wife is having an affair with Dominic.’

  ‘Why do you think that?’

  ‘When you hit that raw nerve with the question about their working relationship, and she began to lose it, he was almost smirking. He was enjoying watching her squirm in front of you.’

  ‘Here’s a troublesome thought. How keen was the professor to keep us out of those caves?’

  ‘Very keen. We need to run all this by the boss. I think we need to keep a very close eye on Professor Temple.’

  ‘Do you think he’s capable of snatching the girl?’

  ‘Who knows? Does he have a motive to hurt Dominic Whitchurch? If he knows about the affair, which I think he does, then I would say yes, definitely. It’s just a matter of whether he hates Dominic Whitchurch enough to harm his young daughter.’

  Rachel said, ‘We need to speak to Angela again, somewhere we can apply more pressure. That’s the only way we’ll find out the real state of her marriage.’

  ‘We can do that first thing in the morning at Mulberry Chambers. In the meantime, let’s talk to Danny and see if he’ll sanction a full surveillance on Brandon Temple.’

  79

  8.15pm, 17 October 1986

  MCIU Offices, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire

  Brian wasn’t surprised to find Danny and Andy still in the office, working on the numbers and figures demanded by Adrian Potter.

  He stuck his head around the door, knocked politely and said, ‘Have you got a minute?’

  Danny looked up wearily and said, ‘Of course. We’re almost done here.’

  He then glanced at his watch and said, ‘Jesus! Is that the time? What did you want, Brian?’

  ‘I think Rachel and I may have just stumbled across something important.’

  Intrigued, Danny said, ‘Why? What did Dominic say to you?’

  ‘We spoke with Dominic alone. He told us that the car he was in when he was dropped off that night belongs to another barrister at Mulberry Chambers. She was acting as his second chair at Leicester Crown Court, for the rape trial. The barrister’s a woman by the name of Angela Temple. She’s married to Professor Brandon Temple.’

  ‘The geology professor at Nottingham Trent University?’

  ‘The very same. It would appear, reading between the lines, that Dominic Whitchurch and Angela Temple are having some sort of extramarital affair. This is unconfirmed, but all the signs are there.’

  ‘Go on.’

  ‘Do you remember how keen the professor was to keep us out of those caves? What if it’s because he knows the Whitchurch girl’s down there?’

  ‘That’s a huge leap, Brian. I know you’re dead keen on your cave theory, but didn’t you say the professor’s assistant was also advising against you entering the caves?’

  ‘Stacey Bloom did echo what the professor said, that’s true. To be fair to her, she’s hardly going to say anything different while her boss is standing there, is she?’

  Danny was thoughtful for a minute. ‘What are you thinking?’

  ‘I’m wondering if we can arrange a full surveillance team to watch Brandon Temple for a few days. That’s all.’

  ‘Bloody hell! You don’t want much, do you?’

  Again, Danny paused, deep in thought. He grabbed the telephone and dialled a number from memory. After a few rings, the phone was answered.

  Danny said, ‘Hello, Mattie, sorry to call you at home. Does the regional crime squad have any capability to run a full surveillance on a single target for the next three days?’

  There was a long pause; then Danny said, ‘How many officers is there in half a team?’

  Another pause. ‘Eight should be fine. The target won’t suspect that he’s being followed, and I doubt very much that he’ll be tactically aware. Can your half team be in this office for seven o’clock tomorrow morning for a briefing? The target lives at an address at Papplewick. I’ll put two of my officers out at five-thirty tomorrow morning to observe the cottage. This will give us some cover until we can get your team briefed and on the plot.’

  There was a shorter pause; then Danny said, ‘By the way, does any of your half team ride a motorcycle? This target’s only means of transport is a small 125 cc motorbike, so a motorcyclist is essential … Two, that’s great. I’ll be in at seven o’clock to brief your officers. Cheers, mate.’

  Danny put the phone down and said, ‘It’s on. Mattie Carlisle is sending over a skeleton surveillance crew tomorrow morning. Brian, I want you and Rachel here at seven o’clock to brief them, okay? Andy, I want you to designate two officers to work an early turn tomorrow morning. I want them to be on duty here at five o’clock tomorrow morning, and on plot at Papplewick no later than five thirty. Can you organise that now?’

  Andy walked out of the office, saying, ‘I’m on it, boss.’

  Brian grinned. ‘Thanks, Danny. I’ll go and give Rachel the good news.’

  Danny grinned back and said, ‘I don’t know if all this will turn anything up, but what have we got to lose?’

  ‘At this moment in time? Fuck all!’

  80

  9.15am, 18 October 1986

  Mulberry Chambers, The Ropewalk, Nottingham

  Angela Temple had been surprised when she walked into the offices of Mulberry Chambers that morning. The surprise had been that Sebastien Dawson wanted to see her in his office straight away. The young receptionist had smiled when she had given Angela the message. When asked why Sebastien wanted to see her so urgently, the young girl had shrugged her shoulders benignly.

  With a growing sense of unease, Angela had walked through chambers until she found herself outside Dawson’s office door. She knocked politely and waited until she heard the barrister’s clerk shout, ‘Enter!’

  Angela walked in and was surprised to see the same two detectives who had been at her cottage the night before.

  Sebastien Dawson said pompously, ‘Mrs Temple, these good people are detectives, who wish to ask you a few questions. You need to understand that here at Mulberry Chambers, we always cooperate fully with the police. Understood?’

  She nodded meekly.

  Dawson raised his huge frame out of his seat and said, ‘Detective Inspector Hopkirk, I’ll leave you and your colleague to ask your questions in private.’

  Brian said, ‘Thank you, Mr Dawson. We appreciate all your help.’

  As soon as Dawson closed the door behind him, Brian said, ‘Take a seat, Mrs Temple.’

  Angela Temple sat down. ‘What’s this all about?’

  Rach
el said, ‘As you know, we’re investigating the disappearance of Emily Whitchurch. Part of our investigation is to find anybody with a motive to abduct that young girl.’

  ‘I understand that, but what’s that got to do with me?’

  ‘We have a witness who was on Richmond Drive when you dropped Dominic Whitchurch off outside his home.’

  Angela Temple said nothing.

  Rachel continued, ‘Our witness has described how they saw Dominic Whitchurch passionately kissing the driver of a dark Volvo before getting out and walking along Richmond Drive towards his home. Dominic was kissing you, wasn’t he, Angela?’

  Angela looked at the floor for a moment, then lifted her head to face the detectives. Her eyes were blazing. ‘Yes, it was me Dominic was kissing! So what?’

  ‘Let me ask you the same question I asked last night. What is your relationship with Dominic Whitchurch?’

  ‘We love each other. He’s going to leave his wife, and we’re going to set up home together. If his daughter hadn’t gone missing, we would have been together already.’

  ‘You seem pretty certain about that, Angela. How long have you been having this affair?’

  ‘It’s not an affair. We’re in love.’

  ‘Whatever it is, how long has it been going on?’

  ‘Ever since I met him. A few days after I started at Mulberry.’

  Brian said, ‘Does Brandon know what’s going on?’

  Angela was becoming indignant. She said haughtily, ‘I really don’t know, and to be perfectly honest, I stopped caring months ago.’

  ‘Do you think he knows?’

  ‘He’s not a stupid man, Detective. I’m sure he has a pretty good idea. Ever since I started working at Mulberry, our marriage has effectively been over.’

  Rachel said softly, ‘Your private life really is none of our concern, Angela. What we do need to know is this: If your husband’s aware of what’s been going on, is he capable of exacting some sort of revenge against Dominic Whitchurch?’