A Village Not So Green (John Harper Series Book 1)

by Edward Holmes

  He had spent the rest of the day since leaving the police station re-interviewing people on Spencer’s lists of suspects, with no breakthrough. He had also gone out as part of the search parties that were scouring the surrounding farmland and forests, trying to coordinate them to be more efficient. There were far too many hiding places for his liking.

  John would have preferred to have eaten at the Bird I’th Hand but there was a party on that night, which he was in no mood to crash. Hannah as such was busy for the night and Lewis had gone into Liverpool to see a friend leaving him alone.

  John was slowly getting more frustrated when one of his suspects walked through the door. Jeremy Bradhurst was with his son laughing at some shared joke as they went to the bar. The younger Bradhurst spotted John first and made a comment to his father whose expression changed in an instant and he changed direction making a beeline for the detective. He was wearing clothes of a much younger man which made him look ridiculous compared to the official nature of the way John dressed.

  “What are you doing harassing my son Detective? I’ll have your badge for this,” Bradhurst threatened, raising his voice enough that a couple of patrons looked over.

  “I don’t know what you are talking about,” John replied and went back to studying at his notebook before looking up at the man, “I merely had an informative conversation with your son.”

  “Are you calling my son a liar?”

  Closing his eyes for just a little longer than usual John returned his gaze to the man, “No more than his father. I don’t like threats Mister Bradhurst and with the disappearance of Miss Mayer, I’m in no mood for yours.”

  “You think that I care for how you feel. My threats have a lot of power Detective I’m a Mason.”

  John laughed, “Half of the cops I know are in the order you think that means anything to me? You are a liar as is your son; you’re also particularly nasty pieces of work. He told me all about you nocturnal visits to the city.”

  Bradhurst’s eyes widened momentarily but he quickly recovered, “I do a lot of work in Liverpool sometimes it makes more sense for me to spend the night in the city than to return home.”

  “And you’d be spending those nights with prostitutes, wont you? Now I’m thinking that maybe you like them young and receptive. Maybe you thought that Kirsty Mayer was like that. Maybe you met her outside here last night thinking you can have your way with a young woman like you do with your prostitutes. I think she resisted because why would she go near a midget like you and you hit her. Fearing what people would think about you hitting a woman you had to hide her away. Any of this sound familiar to you Mister Bradhurst?”

  “How dare you?”

  “No how dare you?!” John yelled back at him watching the man flinch, “I know that you’re a bully and every time I’ve seen you I’ve felt my skin crawl. Everybody I’ve met has the same opinion of you as a disgusting human being, so how about you tell me the truth or do I have to treat you as hostile and take you down the station?”

  “I think you are the bully Detective. Just because you have that badge you think you can boss me around. I know what you did last night assaulting Keith Birkett and then flaunting your power. Maybe the police’s time would be better served looking into you. I think I might suggest that to your superiors.”

  John stood up from the table watching the small man take two steps back, “There you go with your threats again. Tell me Mister Bradhurst where were you last night at around midnight?”

  “I didn’t get to be where I am by answering questions from imbeciles. Good night Detective,” Bradhurst said as he went to walk away.

  “Not yet it isn’t. You’re not going anywhere until I have my answers,” John was around the table in an instant and grabbed Bradhurst’s arm.

  “Get off me, this is assault.”

  John rolled his eyes, “Not even close, legally or otherwise,” he twisted the man’s arm behind his back, “Now do you want to answer my questions here or do I frogmarch you out and down to the station?”

  “You’re making a big mistake crossing me Harper.”

  “I take that as outside.”

  “No, no wait let’s be civil,” Bradhurst said finally coming to the realisation John was serious.

  The detective was still not impressed with Bradhurst and he pushed the man towards the table, away from the prying eyes of the other patrons. John took a chair opposite him, “So last night where were you?”

  “I was out in Liverpool,” Bradhurst managed to say after a protracted silence.

  John looked the man over. Staring at the Bradhurst’s face his eyes partially covered by drooping eyelids, his hands folded and resting on the table next to John’s notes. Bradhurst showed little emotion but John could tell he was scared. The defensive way the man held himself was enough to suggest that, any other emotion was clouded by anger. He’s worried but there is no way I’m going to play nice with him, “I take it you were working. You look tired, did you spend the night?”

  “I stayed over.”

  “Were you working or were you with a working girl?” John pushed.

  “I had some company.”

  “Anyone who will be able to vouch for you or is it more of a brief encounter thing?”

  Bradhurst furtively looked around and lowered his voice, “Could you be a little more discreet I have to live here.”

  “That is me being discreet. My first thought was to say do you have a regular paid mistress of do you prefer street walkers?”

  Rubbing his face with his right hand as if to wash away his sins, Bradhurst left a small indent in his skin that did not move when he answered in an even lower voice, “I see a couple of girls regularly.”

  “How do you arrange that?”

  Bradhurst took out his phone and tapped on it a couple of times and then passing it over to John, revealing a website with a contact number, “I use an agency. They’re rather particular on secrecy but I’m sure that they would be willing to provide an alibi for me.”

  “Finally some cooperation from you Mister Bradhurst. The problem is that’s a paid for alibi, you could be a very generous client. How do I know that they would be willing to tell the truth?”

  Letting out a long sigh the smaller man answered, “Because of the clauses you have to sign to become a member. There’s a lot of stuff you have to agree to; you know medicals and the like.”

  John smiled at the man’s discomfort, “That’s why you started with a regular set of girls isn’t it? You caught something of one of the girls on the corner and had to sort yourself out, wouldn’t want it happening again especially trying to explain it to the missus. Makes sense considering your son said he saw you picking up someone in your car a long time ago so it was within the last year maybe.”

  “What good does it do you knowing all of that?”

  “It keeps you quiet and it means you won’t be harassing people I like anymore. Unfortunately I have a feeling that you’re telling the truth. I take it the medical that this exclusive agency made you have, picked up on your Bells palsy.”

  Bradhurst nodded, “How did you know?”

  “Your drooping eyelid and the lack of muscle movement on the right hand side of your face. Let me guess you have acute sensitivity to loud noises?”

  “Yes.”

  “Fine well I guess you’re free to go, just one more thing. How do you manage to sleep around behind your family’s back without caring? I’ve asked that question a lot and it always fascinates me the answers I receive.”

  “Men need what they need. I just have to go out and get it from someone other than my wife. Sometimes it’s difficult, like last night when I get a phone call from my son saying he is in a hospital with a friend. When I first heard the message my blood went cold over the thought of him being hurt whilst I was out, luckily it was just Keith Birkett.”

  “What time was that?”

  “He left the message at about half past eleven, they were there most of the night. If
that’s it I’m done speaking to you,” Bradhurst said standing and walking away after John had nodded.

  Left there once again on his own, John moved back into the seat opposite the door, he sucked his front teeth in frustration. There go my last two suspects. Birkett being in the hospital and Bradhurst with a prostitute leaves me completely devoid of answers. I know I need to confirm their alibis but my gut is telling me it’s not them. With that palsy it rules out Bradhurst from Bailey’s murder as well, that shotgun going off would have been excruciating for his sensitive hearing. So who is bloody well left in this village, Billy?

  Chapter Forty Nine

  John walked out of the pub and onto the street. The yellow light of the streetlamps complimented the fading evening sunshine. For a Saturday night there was a healthy amount of foot traffic. Police and community support officers patrolled and stood on the street corner; which to John seemed like bolting the door after the horse had gone. Other the public protectors, civilians were out in force. No one was on their own, groups of couples walked the pavements. Flyers with pictures of the missing girl were taped to every surface; the small community pulling together.

  John passed the church noting the car park was full; the lights on inside as the parishioners prayed for the safe return of Kirsty Mayer. He to bowed his head in silent prayer as he walked his mind racing. One of the couples passed him a leaflet which he did not have the heart to refuse. He looked down at the colour photo of the girl; a snapshot from her eighteenth birthday party. John had looked at photos of her hundreds of times that day but that picture showed her so at her best.

  Kirsty was attractive and brunette just like Janine Bennett and John could see why comparisons had been made between the two. In that photo she was so full of life smiling to the camera, her best dress on raising a glass of champagne, she was happy. Her mother had made an appeal for her return earlier and John had recommended using that picture. Personally he had thought that it was a bad idea making the appeal; the abductor had not sent any ransom, so it was something else that was driving him and John felt that it was likely an enjoyment of power over the mother, the village, the public and most importantly the girl herself. However he had been overruled on the matter and hoped that his expertise could help in some way.

  Right the killer of Bailey and Fleming must be involved in the abduction as it seems everything is pointing to Wills. It’s like a rather elaborate frame, making him look the chief suspect but it backfired when the police didn’t notice that the deaths were crimes, whoever did them was too subtle for the local plod. So how about I work backwards.

  The abductor most likely knew the girl, but that doesn’t help I’ve seen her at the bar talking to everybody, now that I remember who she is. They must know the village; but again that leaves me with a mile long list of suspects. People like this tend to try and get involved in the investigation but with this community trying to help that doesn’t narrow down the field of suspects either.

  Turning to go down the hill towards the cottage and noting that there was no one on that part of the street; John decided to get rid of the flyer. He was not heartless enough to throw it away, so he went to one of the street lights and attached it with a piece of tape from another flyer. That was one for a missing dog; it was dated two months ago.

  Hold on there were kids with flyers around here last week. This paper is older than that it’s been here much longer than a week. If this guy’s been experimenting on animals, practicing killing, then this is even more worrying. Serial killers don’t usually progress to orchestrated killings first, usually they start on easier targets, maybe he’s done all of this before. I know I’m likely jumping to conclusions but the evidence stacks up here; which makes this person even more dangerous.

  Knew the girl, knows the area, knew they could get away without being seen with her so roughly her age and well known enough not to arouse suspicion. That being said if they’re around her age then they’re unlikely to have their own place to hide her. So I need a hiding place around here. This is why I need a sidekick to find out these boring little things; Lewis would be useful at that, maybe I can convince him to work with me full time, if I do leave the force. Actually he may have helped, what did he say about the tunnels and caverns, that everyone know their way down there. They must have looked down there surely but I can’t remember any of the searchers mentioning it.

  John dug out his phone when he was still half a mile away from the cottage and rang Spencer since he was heading the investigation. The call nearly rang out but the other detective finally answered; the tiredness of the day evident in his voice, “What do you want?”

  “Are you still questioning Wills?”

  “Yeah I am, so can you hurry this up.”

  “Right, I need a little help and I may have something for you. Firstly can you get someone to confirm that Keith Birkett was in hospital last night when Mayer went missing? Secondly do you know which parts of the caverns have been searched?”

  “You could have just rang one the office for that information.”

  “I know but I thought it better to get the info from the horse’s mouth as it were.”

  “Fine, I’ll ring you back in a couple of minutes. You said you had something useful for me.”

  “Find out the information first then I’ll spill the beans, I don’t want you racing off and forgetting all about me,” John said and cancelling the call. He had reached the Bailey farm by the time his phone rang, “Harper.”

  “Yeah I thought it might be you considering it’s your number I rang,” Spencer replied.

  John rolled his eyes but could not be bothered fighting with the man, “What have you got for me?”

  “Keith Birkett was indeed in the hospital last night, having his nose set, apparently he had it broken. As for the search into caverns there hasn’t been any. Apparently they’re not that stable and there are only a few entry points, so no one bothered looking.”

  “I thought the caverns were a well known feature of the village.”

  “Just an old piece of history that no one really cares about, as far as I know. People occasionally go down there but like I said apparently it’s dangerous. Fleming had to get permission off the council to take the kids on one of his expeditions.”

  John stopped walking, “Fleming was going down into the caverns?”

  “Yeah that’s where he used to take the kids. There’s an entrance in the village over, which he used to use, since the church across from the Bird I’th Hand won’t let anyone use their priesthole to get down there.”

  “Oh my God that’s where he took her. Spencer, go ask Wills what he knows about the caverns. He’ll clam up I’m sure of it, I just want to know his reaction to the question. I’ll stay on the line hurry,” John said breathlessly as he turned around and started back up the hill. It did not take long for Spencer to reply.

  “Wills knows something, he went white as a sheet when I mentioned the caverns to him. You thinking he hid her down there?”

  “I don’t think it was Wills but I’m positive I know why he is so scared. Wills didn’t get rid of Janine Bennett’s body in the incinerator or feed her to his dogs; he got his old pal Harry Bailey to hide it in the caverns near his farm.”

  “So why did he kill him then?”

  “He didn’t, or I don’t think he did. Bailey’s farm was being sold out from beneath him, which is funny because what was beneath him was the important thing. Someone didn’t want that body being discovered or the caverns being used.”

  “Which points to Wills surely?”

  John was jogging now, as he made his way up the hill, “It makes him a suspect but what’s gone on is too clever for him.”

  “He’s had years to think this over whilst he was in prison, it explains the timeline and why all of this has happened.”

  “True but that goes further down the road of framing him and I know it sounds stupid but in this case I think it was a coincidence that has made it all the worse. And
yes I know what I said about coincidences but if you think about it there should be more of them. What I need you to do is mobilise the people on the ground here. We need to shut down any and all known routes in or out of the caverns. Get Hannah Kirkham to help, her grandfather was a miner and I think she knows enough to help you.”

  “And whilst I’m doing that what are you going to do?”

  “I’ll get some of the people around here to help but I’m going to go in.”

  “On your own? You don’t know what’s down there.”

  “I think Kirsty Mayer is down there Detective and that’s a good enough reason in my book to go. Harper out,” John pressed the cancel button. I just hope I’m wrong about who she is with.

  Chapter Fifty

  Remember how I said how all those fears were unfounded well as of a day I was totally right. I overestimated my enemy, a terrible folly as the great detective once said. I expected people to want to search down here, like they did during the Bennett disappearance but no; they didn’t want to go into the scary caves. It’s too dangerous to go down there, they told me. That’s how close they came and when they never find Kirsty’s body they’ll regret it. In some ways I’d love for them to find her, just so they can figure out how stupid they really are.

  Ah Kirsty, she’s asleep now or pretending to be anyway. Getting her down here was easier than I thought. “Oh we should go for a walk.” She didn’t want to go with me though so a little persuasion was needed. Luckily it was so close to the dummy stone grave. Surprisingly she was also relatively light getting her down into the ‘Cathedral’ so much easier. Shame she scratched herself so badly trying to make an escape down the rat run though.