by Neil White
‘Have you ever seen him?’
‘Not since they took him from me when he was born. I didn’t even get the chance to hold him. They told me to just forget about him, but how do you do that? He was my baby. I was nothing more than a child myself, but it didn’t make it hurt any less. You think you’re going to get better, but then things remind you and it comes at you like a train. His birthday. A baby in blue. That Hot Chocolate song. ‘So You Win Again’. It was number one when he was born, and all I could think of was my old school friends hanging out and listening to punk records, and there I was, having a baby, sixteen by then.’
‘Did Don Roberts or Mike Corley ever find out that there had been no abortion?’
Emma shook her head. ‘It was as if it had never happened. Manero’s changed its name. Mike left Blackley to go to college, and I didn’t see him again until he came back to join the police. And Don carried on working the doors.’
‘So no one knows, apart from your family, and his adopted family?’
‘And Simon, my friend,’ she said.
Simon again.
‘How did he take it?’
‘He seemed to be as upset as I was, but friends are like that, I suppose. They share your pain.’
Jack’s fingers tapped on his knee. He thought of what Emma had just said, and knew that Laura needed to know. It seemed more important than Dolby knowing, because when Jack thought of what had happened to Laura, and how it could have been worse, it seemed more than just a story.
‘I hated them for what they did to me,’ Emma said, interrupting his thoughts, ‘but I feel sorry for them now, and especially the girls.’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Think about it,’ Emma said. ‘I don’t know which of them was the father of my child, but one of them was, and so one of those poor dead girls was my son’s sister, if you think about it, and so they were sort of connected to me.’
‘What is Simon like?’
‘Oh, he’s kind and thoughtful.’
‘No, what does he look like?’ The question came out too forcefully, and Jack thought Emma looked scared for a moment, but she recovered as she thought about him, her eyes to the ceiling, her head cocked to one side.
‘He’s tall and slim.’ she said. ‘In his thirties. He’s got a nice smile.’
‘What do you mean, nice?’
‘Well, he smiles with his eyes, and sort of cocks his head to one side.’
Like you, Jack thought. He thanked Emma for her time and said goodbye. He had a call to make. But he had somewhere to go first.
Chapter Fifty-Four
As Laura and Joe approached David Hoyle’s home, Laura shook away the stab of envy she felt every time she saw where defence lawyers lived, because it always seemed like they reaped the rewards while people like her did all the dangerous work. Yet deep down, despite the long hours and hard graft, she was proud of her job. She wondered if David Hoyle felt the same about his.
As she climbed out of the car, she looked at the house, three small almshouses converted into one, with views towards the hills that separated the Lancashire cotton belt from the more cosmopolitan sprawl of Greater Manchester. Stone steps led to a solid wooden door, although it looked like the knocks and dents in the wood were affectations, trying to reclaim the age of the house. She banged hard on the door. It was a while before anyone answered, but then she heard the rattle of a key and a face peered through the door, from behind a small chain.
‘We’re the police,’ Laura said. ‘It’s about your intruder from last night.’
There were some nervous blinks, and then, ‘Do you have identification?’
Laura lifted the police identification. Joe did the same.
There was another pause, but then the door closed and there was a small rattle as the chain was removed. When the door opened, there was a slender woman standing there, barefoot but in tight leggings and a long cream jumper. Her hair was luxurious and dark, falling over her shoulders. Her face was pale and drawn though, as if she hadn’t slept.
‘Is it Angel?’ Laura asked.
The woman nodded.
Laura and Joe exchanged quick glances and then said, ‘We need to talk about last night.’
There was a pause, and then, ‘I’ve got nothing to say.’
‘We know about the man who came to your house last night,’ Laura said. She noticed Angel’s eyes flicker nervously and her hand take a firmer grip on the door.
‘David said it was a client, some kind of revenge, because a case had gone wrong,’ Angel said.
Laura shook her head slowly. ‘He has killed people.’ Angel’s eyes grew wide. ‘If we don’t catch him, he will kill someone else. You can help stop that.’
Angel paused, with her hand on the door, before she let go and the door swung open.
She led them into a spacious living room with views over the lawn at the back, her bare feet padding quietly across the hardwood floor, in contrast to the loud clicks of Laura’s heels. Set in front of the window was an easel, a large piece of paper on it, washed-out watercolours visible. As they followed her, Laura asked, ‘Is Angel your real name?’
‘It used to be Angela,’ she said over her shoulder. ‘My publisher thought Angel was more marketable.’ Angel caught Laura looking and said, ‘I illustrate children’s books. That’s why I like it here, because the light is so fantastic. The window is west-facing, and so is in the shade for a lot of the day, dark and brooding, but all the time the fields and hills are painted by brilliant sunshine or the mood of the clouds. When I get the light later on, it catches the dust and the pollen, like fairies dancing.’ Angel looked down, embarrassed. ‘Listen to me, going on about sunlight when people are dying.’
Laura smiled politely and waited for Angel to continue.
‘So who has he killed, this person?’ Angel said. ‘And how do you know it was the same person who came here last night?’
‘I can’t tell you how we know, but you are an important witness. You can help save lives.’
Angel nodded weakly, her face pale. ‘Tell me about him.’
And so Laura did. She saw Angel’s eyes widen when she mentioned Jane Roberts.
‘Did you know her?’ Laura asked.
Angel shook her head. ‘David has mentioned Don, her father, and he told me that his daughter had been murdered.’
‘What did he say?’
‘I shouldn’t say,’ she said. ‘David was probably revealing confidences, and if he told me things, then they should stay with me.’
Laura didn’t push it, because she knew that she and Jack had a similar arrangement, that she was allowed to come home and moan and gripe, knowing that it wouldn’t be repeated outside their home. She had to keep back the really sensitive stuff though, but everything else was legitimate pillow talk.
Joe sat down on the sofa on the other side of the room, and Laura could tell that he was leaving it up to her, that there was a woman-to-woman rapport going on that he didn’t want to spoil.
‘So tell me about last night,’ Laura said.
Angel rubbed her eyes as if mentally preparing to bring back the sequence of events. ‘David had gone out, to speak with a client,’ Angel said, a slight quiver to her voice.
‘A client?’
‘I didn’t ask him for details, because he often sees clients in their home. That’s the problem with living with a defence lawyer – it feels like your life is always on call, your plans wrecked by some idiot who has got himself locked up. Anyway, so he went out.’
‘He went to Don’s house,’ Laura said.
Angel shrugged. ‘Like I said, a client.’
‘David was out, you were alone, and I reckon your intruder must have known that.’
Angel looked thoughtful at that.
‘I didn’t hear him come in,’ she said eventually. ‘I’d finished drawing. I was in the spare bedroom, where we have the computer. I was on the webcam, talking to a friend. She lives in France and we keep in touch that
way. My friend spotted him, not me. She said that there was someone there, and when I looked round, there he was.’
‘What did he look like?’ Laura said.
‘I didn’t get a good look. I was shocked, frightened.’
‘But you saw him, and at this point anything you remember will help. How tall was he?’
‘He was tall,’ Angel said. ‘I noticed that. And slim, like his height made him awkward. Long arms and legs.’
‘Ethnicity?’
‘He was in shadow, but I would say white.’
‘Facial hair?’
Angel shook her head. ‘I couldn’t see that much detail. It was like a flash and he was gone. I think the webcam scared him.’
‘Close your eyes,’ Laura said. ‘Get rid of all of this visual clutter and think just about last night. Tell me what you see. Imagine you had to paint him.’
Angel sighed, and then she closed her eyes.
‘Okay,’ she said, after a few seconds. ‘He didn’t have a full beard, but he might have been unshaven. And his face was skinny, with pronounced cheekbones. His hair was short, but cut that way, not shaved. His jacket seemed to hang off his shoulders, as if he was all a bit weedy under his clothes.’
‘What was he wearing?’
‘It was all dark,’ she said. ‘Black top, black trousers, I think.’ Then her eyes opened. ‘There was one thing: his smell.’
‘What do you mean?’ Laura said.
‘He smelled musty and dirty, like he didn’t wash his clothes enough. That’s what I could smell when he’d gone.’
‘Anything else?’
Angel shook her head.
‘What did David say to you last night that made you not report it?’ Laura said.
‘He said he thought it was work-related, and that he knew who it was. He said he would sort it out, that the guy was harmless.’
‘But that is a lie.’
‘So you say.’
Laura leaned forward and lowered her voice. ‘There’s something I need you to do for me.’
‘Tell me.’
‘Spy on David.’
Angel sat back and shook her head. ‘I can’t do that.’
‘David is a good lawyer, we both know that, but he is going along with Don Roberts just to keep the money flowing, and right now Don is looking to kill whoever he thinks murdered his daughter.’
‘Is that a bad thing?’
‘It is if he gets it wrong,’ Laura said. ‘And even if he doesn’t, we would have to do something about it, because we can’t allow summary executions. David will get dragged in like everyone else when we start kicking in doors. If you want to carry on living with David, you need to protect him from himself.’
Angel thought about that for a few seconds, and then said, ‘What do you want me to do?’
‘Just let me know if you find anything out, or hear anything,’ Laura said, handing over one of her cards. ‘Please, Angel, you need to do this.’
Angel took the card and looked at it for a long time. Laura could see her struggling – if she helped the police it could end David’s legal career in Blackley, and what’s more, it could end their relationship.
But then Laura saw Angel realise that she had no choice. Angel looked up at Laura and, with a tear running down her cheek, nodded her agreement.
Chapter Fifty-Five
Jack was spotted as soon as he approached Mike Corley’s house.
He wanted confirmation of Emma’s story before he did anything about it. He didn’t want to get a police officer arrested because of some drunken ramblings.
Mike’s wife appeared at the window straight away. Jack guessed that she had become used to having the press outside her house. He didn’t expect to be made welcome, but it seemed like they were jumpier than last time. He tried a smile and a wave, but she just turned away. Then he saw Mike Corley walking towards him, his fists bunched, his cheeks flushed red with anger.
‘I told you last time, we’ve nothing to say to you.’
Jack pulled out his voice recorder. ‘Before you hit me,’ he said, ‘what about Manero’s?’
He stopped and pursed his lips, his fists by his side now.
‘What do you mean?’
‘Come on, you must know the name,’ Jack said. His sympathy for him as a father had waned after hearing Emma’s story. ‘Did you read my article, where I said that there was no real connection between you and Don Roberts?’
‘Go on,’ he said, his eyes darting about nervously.
‘We know that’s not true now,’ Jack said. ‘Why did you keep it secret, Mr Corley?’
He shook his head and stepped forward, trying to push Jack away from his house. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Yes, you do, but I’ll explain it, if you want,’ Jack said, standing his ground. ‘Manero’s. It’s a night club from the seventies. You worked there, with Don Roberts. You were a barman, he was a doorman.’ Mike Corley paled. ‘Why didn’t you say anything?’
He shrugged and tried to look nonplussed, but Jack could tell from the widening of his eyes that Emma’s story was hitting home. ‘So, I might have once worked with him. It’s years since I worked at that club. How am I supposed to remember every face? Christ, it was decades ago.’
‘I thought you might have remembered going with a fifteen-year-old girl, you and Don together, taking turns with a child.’
The angry flush drained away, and Jack thought he saw a wobble. But Corley took a deep breath and straightened himself. ‘I’ve nothing to say,’ he said, and turned to walk back to the house.
‘She was a child, Mr Corley, and you and Don fucked her, two on one. Are you denying it?’
He whirled round. ‘That wasn’t me. And you’ve no evidence of anything, so get away from my house.’
‘No evidence at all?’ Jack queried, and then shook his head, his lips drawn into a tight grimace. ‘What about a walking, talking piece of your DNA? Or is it Don’s?’
Corley paused and looked confused for a moment. ‘What do you mean?’
‘She got pregnant, Mr Corley. The young girl you took turns on. Emma, she was called. She had a baby.’ Jack raised his eyebrows. ‘It was a boy, by the way, Mr Corley.’
Corley took a step back and reached out to his car to steady himself. He looked back towards his wife who was watching through the window. ‘Don’t be making trouble, Mr Garrett. People could get hurt.’
‘I’ve got it all recorded, so if anything happens to Emma, Don will be the first suspect, with you next in the queue. You understand me?’ Jack said, as calmly as he could.
‘But you’re a reporter. You’re going to print something,’ Mike replied. His tone was measured and cold.
Jack smiled, although his heart was beating wildly. ‘I don’t know what will get into print, I don’t edit the paper, but you will get the chance to deny it. So go on, what’s your quote, because at the moment it looks like you and Don Roberts treated a girl really badly, and you ruined her life? No, not a girl. A child.’
Corley stepped closer and lowered his voice to an angry hiss. ‘Why would anyone care now?’ he said. ‘It’s ancient history, a skeleton in the cupboard. I didn’t know she’d gone on to have a baby, but so what? Young people do stupid things. That’s life.’
‘But most mistakes don’t go on to cost lives,’ Jack said. ‘Your mistake has killed people, including your daughter.’
Corley looked confused again. ‘You’ve lost me.’
‘Whatever is happening now is connected with what you did all those years ago. So, Mr Corley, what about a quote, or your story on what happened in that club that night?’
He considered Jack for a moment, and then stepped away. ‘You won’t print it, because you’ve no proof. So there’s no quote from me. And if I see you round here again, there will be trouble.’
Jack held his ground. ‘Even no comment is sometimes worth printing,’ he said, and then turned to walk back to his car. Jack could feel Corley watching
him as he went. As Jack climbed behind the wheel, Corley’s wife was still staring at him through the window. As Mike Corley turned to go inside, Jack wondered what he was going to tell her.
Jack called Laura. Corley was watching him from his window, glaring, his fingers gripped tightly around the curtain.
‘If you want a link between Mike Corley and Don Roberts, I’ve got one,’ Jack said.
‘Tell me,’ she said, and Laura didn’t interrupt as he told her all about the meeting with Emma.
‘Did you say her child was adopted?’ Laura asked.
‘Yes,’ Jack said. ‘Her son was taken from her and handed over to a family friend. She tracked him down once, but she wasn’t allowed to see him.’
Laura went quiet for a few seconds, and then she said, ‘When was this?’
‘She was raped in seventy-six, so she had the baby in seventy-seven.’
‘It fits,’ Laura said, almost to herself.
‘What fits?’
‘I can’t tell you, Jack, not yet, but thank you for this,’ she said, and there was an urgency in her voice. ‘Who else knows?’
‘Just one other person. A policeman. Abbott. Simon Abbott.’
There was another pause.
‘Laura?’
‘Don’t go near Abbott,’ she said. ‘I’ll speak to you later.’ And then the phone went dead.
Jack breathed out deeply as he put his phone back in his pocket. He knew exactly where he was going. As he pulled away, Jack took one last glance at Corley, just in time to see his hand fall away from the curtain.
Chapter Fifty-Six
When they arrived at the police station, Laura didn’t head for the doors.
‘Where are you going?’ Joe said.
‘I’m going to find Ida, Shane’s mother,’ she replied, and held up her phone. ‘That was Jack. Remember the reference to Emma in the emails? She called him not long ago, and so he interviewed her.’
‘Why didn’t he come to us first?’
‘Because he was doing his job,’ Laura said. ‘And perhaps she wouldn’t have spoken to us. She hasn’t been keen up to now.’