When The Killing Starts

by RC Bridgestock

  ‘We will need to take away these original documents in relation to the hire of the vehicle. If you want to take copies, we’ll get the originals back to you as soon as possible.’

  ‘Not a problem.’

  ‘Where is the vehicle now? Has Mr Devlin still got it?’

  ‘No, the car’s been hired out for a wedding but it should be back with us shortly.’

  ‘There is no home address given by Mr Devlin?’

  ‘No, come to think of it every time they come to hire a car from us it seems they have either just come back from abroad, or are going. Damian Devlin told me when he returned the car this time they were going away again for a bit of sun.’ Mike Talbot looked at his watch.

  ‘Did he say for how long?’

  ‘No, but he did say they would be in touch on their return so I assumed that his brother was going with him - they seem to be joined at the hip. Perhaps they live abroad?’

  ‘How many times has the Merc been out since Mr Devlin returned it?’

  ‘Once,’ he said. As Mike was speaking he seemed to be distracted. He looked out of his window. The same window that he must have spotted Dylan and Jon from when they entered the big iron gates. ‘Thought I caught a reflection of a car in the mirror facing the entrance. I can see the vehicle in question’s just being driven back into the parking lot. You couldn’t have timed your visit better if you’d tried.’ Mike Talbot pushed his chair backwards and it scraped noisily on the wooden floor. ‘Do you mind if I go and deal with this customer, it will only take a couple of minutes?’

  ‘No, not at all. We’ll wait for you here.’

  ‘Once I’ve checked the vehicle over with the client you might like to take a look over it yourself?’

  With the Mercedes car keys in Mike Talbot’s hand, a short time later he led Dylan and Jon outside. The first thing Dylan noticed was that the vehicle had the immaculate showroom finish the witnesses had described.

  Jon whistled. ‘How do you get a shine like that?’ he said. ‘That’s impressive.’

  Mike bristled with pride. ‘We have experts,’ he said indicating with the nod of his head towards the workshop. ‘They work hard at keeping the bodies of our cars in that condition. It’s all part of the service. Our customers come to us because they want something a bit different, something a bit special and that’s why they’re willing to pay that bit extra.’

  Mike unlocked the vehicle for the detectives. ‘This will need a good valet. Not everyone wants confetti in their hire car.’ He opened all the doors wide. ‘Help yourselves, have a good look around and I’ll go and get a copy taken of the file.’

  ‘Don’t forget we’ll need the original paperwork of the agreement.’

  ‘Not a problem,’ he called over his shoulder before vanishing into the office building.

  Dylan was more concerned about the condition of the exterior of the car and both him and Jon walked very slowly around it looking for any damage that appeared recent.

  ‘Genuine do you think?’ said Jon to Dylan as they circled the vehicle.

  ‘Possibly.’ Dylan’s mouth formed a straight line. He breathed in deeply. ‘What worries me is that he isn’t offering information, although to be fair, his answers to the questions put to him are plausible. He doesn’t strike me as daft enough not to keep legitimate records either.’ He stood still and looked about him at the numerous different high spec models on display. ‘It’s obvious he makes a reasonable living out of renting quality cars, but who does he rent them all out to? You wouldn’t have thought there would be the call for so many in this area, would you?’

  Jon stopped at the nearside wheel arch and spent a moment or two looking at one area in particular with interest. ‘See that,’ he said pointing out a shallow indentation that wasn’t readily visible unless viewed at a specific angle, at close quarters. ‘I’d say someone has been to work on that. And I wouldn’t call them an expert as our man suggests. Jon looked up at Dylan who bent down by his side. ‘Can you see it now sir?’

  ‘I can now you’ve pointed it out. Remind me to take you with me when I change my car will you?’

  Jon smiled.

  ‘We’ll see how genuine our Mr Talbot is in a moment or two. It might have been some time ago since this car left Merton Manor but I want CSI all over it ASAP. Get on the phone. Arrange to get a low loader down here pronto. I want a forensic examination, paint samples, as well as debris samples taken from inside the wheel arches. The so called experts can do what they will but hopefully no one has touched the under-carriage. I’ll break the news to our host shall I?’ Dylan said as Mike walked towards them. Jon was straight on the phone making the arrangements, he turned and walked out of ear shot.

  With a smile on his face and the expectation of a swift exit from the detectives, Mike had a spring in his step and a large brown envelope that he was waving at Dylan. ‘Here you go,’ he said. Dylan took the proffered paperwork.

  ‘Just one thing,’ Dylan said pointing to the near side wheel arch. ‘I understand you check your vehicles thoroughly when they’re returned?’

  Mike looked a tad uncomfortable. ‘Yes, we do why?’

  ‘When did this vehicle take a hit on the front nearside?’

  Mike reddened from his neck upwards. ‘When it was in the hands of Mr Devlin,’ he said slowly. ‘But it was no trouble. Damien Devlin gave me a grand to cover the cost. They’re good customers. It really is no skin off our nose - it’s not like we don’t have an in-house body workshop.’ His laugh was false to Dylan’s ears.

  ‘So you’re telling me this vehicle was fixed up after Mr Devlin returned the vehicle to you?’

  Mike nodded.

  ‘Then tell me again. How well do you know the Devlin brothers if you’re now saying what good customers they are?’

  Mike’s arms were open, his hands splayed. ‘I don’t, really I don’t know them at all, they’re just customers. They come in, hire a car, pay me and bring it back. I’ve never had any trouble from them. Honest! Look, they were even upfront about the damage -now that’s a first.’

  ‘I’m surprised and disappointed you didn’t mention the damage to us though,’ said Dylan with a shrug of his shoulders. ‘It’s going to have to go for forensic examination.’ Dylan was angry that he hadn’t been more forthcoming with that information in the first instance, but he remained calm. He needed Mike Talbot on their side.

  ‘I’m sorry, I honestly never gave it a second thought. I’m obviously never pleased when a car comes back damaged but when the customer pays for repairs without a fuss what more could I ask? Accidents happen. Look, I understand if you have to take the car away to be examined, I’m not objecting. Take it, take it for as long as you need it.’

  ‘Good, we do have the power to seize the vehicle anyway, but it’s always nice to do it with the co-operation of the owner. I’m aware it has been re-hired since the Devlin’s used it, but since they had it at the time of the incident we’ll be leaving nothing to chance as far as obtaining evidence goes, not when we’re running an investigation into such brutal murders.’

  ‘I know, I totally understand. Please, all I ask is that your guys don’t leave it in some compound somewhere for years. It takes ages to get a shine on it like this.’ Mike ran his fingers lovingly over the bonnet. ‘Thankfully it’s not the only car of its kind I’ve got in the fleet.’

  Jon was still talking on the mobile phone. ‘Invoice the incident room for the low-loader sir? The local lads are asking,’ he said taking a moment to look Dylan’s way.

  Dylan nodded.

  ‘You’re bringing a low loader?’

  ‘It’s a necessary expense, we don’t want any potential evidence lost en route,’ Dylan said matter-of-factly. ‘Should the Devlin brothers be in touch; I want you to say nothing of our visit or the examination of the vehicle they hired. Is that clear? Otherwise you may be assisting offenders.’

  ‘I promise. Is there anything else I can help you with?’

  ‘Actually yes, if
either of them contacts you, you could obtain an up-to-date phone number for them - just in case they have ditched their mobiles and have new ones, since they filled in the forms.’ Dylan waved the brown envelope in front of him. ‘And, if you do get it, you could ring me, that would be very helpful, and I’d be extremely grateful.’ Dylan handed Mike his business card. ‘Someone will be in touch shortly; we’ll need a full statement from you regarding the hiring of the vehicle by the brothers, and incorporated in that statement will be the exhibiting of the documents you have given us today. Details of the damage to car, and work that was done to rectify it by yourselves.’

  It was just over an hour later before the detectives left the garage and headed back to Harrowfield. As Jon drove, Dylan spoke on the phone to the on-call crime scene investigator, Mark Hamilton. ‘I want photographs of the vehicle when it arrives with you. It would be great if you could find something, anything to connect the vehicle to Merton Manor. Damage has been repaired to its front nearside and we’ll need paint samples for forensics to compare with those recovered at the scene.’

  ‘We’ll do our best sir,’ Mark said.

  ‘Can you finger-print the interior of the car. For your information it has been hired out once since the Devlin brothers returned it and it appears the car hire place does a bloody good job valeting the cars. So, I’m well aware they may have been wiped away and only if we’re extremely lucky will we find any marks belonging to the Devlin brothers now. We can prove they hired the vehicle but without Mike’s evidence, disputed or if he refuses to give evidence at a later date, we will need to put the Devlin’s in the car, for continuity.’

  Just before four o’clock Dylan and Jon arrived back at the Harrowfield police station. ‘I’ll leave you to complete the necessary paperwork Jon, and let’s see what we can find out about the mobile phone number given on the car hire agreement,’ Dylan said, as the two walked across the car park towards the outer door of the CID office. ‘Including updating the incident room staff for the database. I’ll give DI Hawks a call to let him know we’ve seized the Merc. But before I do…’ he said, holding the door open for Jon to enter the office before him. ‘I need to see how they’re doing with the Knapton murder.’

  Chapter Twenty Three

  Within thirty minutes, all those working on the Knapton murder enquiry team, including civilians and office staff, had assembled in the incident room.

  ‘First,’ Dylan said. ‘How far have we got with Farah Ruwal today?’

  ‘We’ve only managed one interview.’ Vicky sipped from a can of Red Bull.

  ‘Is that your dinner?’ Raj asked.

  Vicky looked surprised. ‘Breakfast, dinner, tea and probably supper.’ She pulled a face.

  Raj frowned at her.

  ‘When the hell do you think I’m going to get out of this god forsaken building today to get something more substantial? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the shiny arses at headquarters have a lot to answer for. Never once did they give a thought to the shift workers when they closed the canteen - can’t you have a word?’ she pleaded with Dylan. ‘Tell them we don’t all have bloody nine-to-five jobs and chuffin lunch breaks?’

  Seeing the look on Dylan’s face Raj quickly interjected. ‘Still, my thoughts are that they’ll all be charged at the absolute minimum with threatening behaviour, public order or affray, but who knows what forensic will find on their shoes or what their clothing may reveal. It could be that more of them will be facing a murder or an attempted murder charge.’

  ‘And, don’t forget we have mobile video footage which promises to corroborate some evidence, if not all,’ Vicky said as she peeled the skin off the banana that Raj had handed her.

  ‘For now we have the majority who tell us they knew about the plan to taunt and scare Knapton, and they admit to going along with it. But it’s what we can prove, as to who did what, that really matters. We may have a clearer understanding when we have viewed all the mobile footage, which should also help us in discussions with Jackie Stanley at the Crown Prosecution Service,’ said Dylan.

  ‘Farah Ruwal admitted to me in interview this morning that she knew about the knife,’ said Vicky.

  ‘They are all consistent in saying that Farah Ruwal started the stabbing of Knapton, and then Dean took the knife off her to finish him off. There is corroboration from some of them that these two also dealt with Knapton’s dog Satan, although this is only circumstantial,’ Ned added.

  ‘Let’s not forget what the pathologist said, Knapton was dead before he was thrown over the car park wall. None of them admit to knowing he was dead, but they no doubt intended him to die when they threw him over the edge,’ said Dylan. ‘So, any more from Farah?’ he added.

  ‘She’s more concerned about her flat door being smashed off its hinges than being arrested for murder,’ said Vicky. ‘We dropped it straight on her toes and her response was that, like I said earlier, she knew Dean had a knife. She tells me and Ned that she was more than up for teaching Knapton a lesson with Dean because, “it was about time somebody stood up to him.” She says Dean wasn’t scared of him. She says he isn’t scared of anyone. She even goes as far as to say that they had every intention of, scaring the shit out of Knapton. She fully admits taking drugs that day with Dean and being so high that after the attack on Knapton her and Dean had sex in the car park. She puts herself there at the time of the incident with the others and she says she knew what was going on, but states she didn’t see who did what as she was otherwise occupied.’ Vicky raised both eyebrows. ‘It was only when they had finished canoodling, she says, they walked back to the group and Knapton wasn’t moving and that is when they picked him up and dumped him over the edge.’

  ‘I don’t think we expected anything other from her did we?’ said Dylan.

  ‘Okay, we have her clothing and footwear let’s get that checked. Do we have her DNA?’

  ‘Yes, we swabbed her. The only time she has come to our attention in the past has been for possession of a small amount of cannabis, she claimed at the time was for personal use and the more recent shoplifting incident.’

  ‘We need their mobile phone evidence back as soon as possible. I want to see not only who’s been saying what to whom but also who has been ringing who, when and from where. Don’t forget to check their social media accounts. I want you, Vicky and Ned, to continue interviewing Farah Ruwal. I’m hoping she might relate more to you two than strangers. I’ve heard the saying “the more the merrier” but not on a murder enquiry. It’s bad enough when there’s one or two suspects, but nine?’

  ***

  Farah Ruwal had her solicitor present. Keith Parkin, new to the Harrowfield district, had previously worked on the Redchester circuit. They commenced the next interview.

  ‘Farah, you’re aware that seven other people have been arrested in connection with Freddy Knapton’s murder aren’t you? And, they are all people who know you.’

  ‘So what? Lots of people know me.’ The big woman sat reclined in her chair her arms folded atop of her very large stomach.

  ‘We’ve been told by some of those that it was you that had hold of Dean’s knife, Knapton was calling you names, so you were the first to stab him.’

  ‘Well they’re lying. I were in’t car park but I weren’t nowhere near Knapton when he was stabbed. I were shagging Dean like I said before. It were the rest of ‘em that were messing about with Freddy Knapton and his dog.’ Farah’s facial expression resembled that of a bull dog.

  ‘You told us it was your friend Tara that fancied Dean McIntyre and that’s why you were hanging around with the gang in the park in the first place, to keep her company. Why lie?’

  ‘I told you I ain’t lying. Just because he ended up with me, not her, I can’t help it can I?’

  ‘First time you had sex with Dean was it, in the car park on the day Knapton died?’

  Farah ran a sleeved arm under her running nose. ‘So what if?’

  ‘Just asking. Can you tell u
s what’s been going on between Dean and Knapton leading up to his murder?’

  Hands flat on her thighs she leaned forward and spoke in a quieter voice. ‘Look, Freddy was a little shit. His dog was the Devil. He set his dog on us. We’d be like doing nothing, minding our own business in the park but he went out of his way, every bloody day just to annoy the hell out of us. He thought he was some sort of tough guy. Well he weren’t.’

  ‘We understand from the others that there was some sort of plan, can you tell us about what the gang intended to do to Knapton on that day?’

  Farah slouched and looked up to the ceiling, then back at Ned a moment or two later. ‘Well, my boyfriend Dean...’

  Ned’s eyes were wide. ‘Ah, so he’s your boyfriend now?’ he said teasingly.

  ‘Yeah.’ She shook her head from side to side and her jowls wobbled.

  The interviewers knew that although she had replied in the affirmative her body language was suggesting it was perhaps an untruth.

  ‘You can ask him,’ Farah continued. ‘He told me he loves me.’ She stuck out her tongue.

  ‘Okay, let’s carry on,’ said Vicky.

  Farah’s demeanour changed. She prickled like a proud peacock. ‘My Deano’s scared of nothing, or nobody. He said we should teach Knapton a lesson.’

  ‘By we, do you mean the others in the gang too?’

  ‘Yeah, but like, Deano’s the leader of the gang.’

  ‘So, you were going to tell us about this plan to teach Freddy Knapton a lesson?’ said Vicky.

  ‘It were sort of a plan,’ she said tossing her head from one side to the other. Tendrils of her dark greasy fringe fell over her face and she flicked them out of her eyes. ‘It started when Knapton started throwing stones at us and we threw them back. He ran away but he were so thick the next day he came back for more and this time we were waiting for him with a cart load of dog shit we’d gotten out of the bin. He still didn’t get the message so we agreed a plan to get him into the multi-storey where he couldn’t run away so easy and where we were going to scare the crap out of him once and for all.’ A little smile flickered upon her lips and mischief danced in her eyes.