by Helen Fields
‘And they couldn’t care less about European money laundering regulations,’ Callanach said. ‘At least we have the internet cafe. Perhaps someone there will remember him.’
‘He accessed SugarPa through their system on at least three occasions. Once was to set up his email and make the international payment, the next to put up his SugarPa profile, and the third time he arranged the meeting with Kate. I’m emailing you the dates and times of those sessions now.’
‘So did you manage to do anything about the SugarPa website? I know it was asking a lot. Ava is worried that the killer might have identified other profiles through which he could find more victims.’
‘Why do you think it took me so long?’ Ben laughed. ‘Have a look at their new website. I strongly suspect they’ll be avoiding too much publicity about it. Their members are going to get a nasty shock when they realise that all the data from the site is in the hands of someone so self-righteous.’
‘You’re a good man, Ben. Ava will want to thank you in person when this is over.’
‘Tell her from me to string the bastard up, that’s all the thanks I need. Only sorry I couldn’t do more.’
‘You’ve given us somewhere to start. That feels pretty good to me. Talk soon.’ He hung up, quickly typing the SugarPa web address into his laptop. The sugar-coated prostitution club had been replaced with a site that advised women on their rights and legal remedies for abuse, sexual harassment and domestic violence, with a petition calling for organisations profiting from prostitution in all but name to be criminalised. Callanach allowed himself a small smile. A tiny fragment of good had been done in the midst of a dreadful and bloody waste of human life. It was a reminder to celebrate the small victories.
Alone in the dark, Kate felt exactly the same as she finally managed to wriggle one wrist free of its restraints. For the first time in days, she felt a rush of hope.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Anthony McGowan, the Leverhulme School’s headmaster, appeared frazzled when Ava and DC Salter were shown into his rooms at 9 a.m. His clock chimed prettily as they entered. He scowled at it in response.
‘DCI Turner, I rather thought we’d concluded our part in your investigations on your last visit,’ he said.
‘So did I,’ replied Ava. ‘Then it occurred to me that as Leo Plunkett almost certainly never goes through the Meadows alone, and as we know from his key that he uses the path where one of the attacks took place, his friends might have witnessed something of use to us.’
McGowan raised sceptical eyebrows.
‘Witnesses often have no idea what they’ve seen until we prompt them, sir,’ Salter said. ‘Especially young people who were probably distracted, talking about rugby or girls, or which universities they’re applying to. We just want to see if there’s anything we might have missed.’
‘Exactly,’ Ava continued. ‘And I’m sure that given the sort of community ethics your school encourages, they’ll be pleased to do their civic duty.’ That was possibly overdoing it, Ava thought, but McGowan was the sort of man who would be unable to resist the call to moral arms.
‘Well, all right then, but I have no choice other than to notify the parents of any child you wish to speak to. They will then have the choice of whether to attend themselves to accompany their child, or to allow a staff member to stand in for them.’
‘Absolutely, we’d have insisted on that if you hadn’t suggested it,’ Salter said. Ava raised her eyebrows at the detective constable. Salter was such a natural police officer. It made it all the more unfair that fate had treated her so cruelly. Still, Ava had decided to do all she could to put that right.
‘So to start us off, could you tell us the names of Leo Plunkett’s closest friends, the young men he normally spends time with, especially if you’ve seen them entering or leaving the school grounds together,’ Salter said, smiling as she poured a cup of tea from the tray the headmaster’s assistant had left them, and handing it to McGowan before serving herself and Ava. He smiled graciously and took a sip before answering.
‘That’s the easy part. All the boys have been here for some years, so by the sixth form they have firm friendship groups established. Leo Plunkett is particularly close to Oliver Davenport and Noah Alby-Croft. Bright boys. Spirited and confident. I’ll have my assistant contact their parents straight away. Naturally I’ll need your assurance that this will not take long. I can’t have parents paying for the boys to be in lessons while they are actually in conversation with the police, no matter how well-intentioned.’
‘Ten minutes with each boy should suffice. I believe we’ll know straight away if any of the boys has seen anything that might prove useful to our investigation,’ Ava smiled.
‘That sounds fine. Excuse me a moment. I’ll just pop out and get this underway.’ He left the room, leaving them sipping their tea in front of a roaring applewood fire.
‘You all right?’ Salter asked Ava. ‘You made a funny face when he was saying the boys’ names.’
‘Alby-Croft,’ Ava said. ‘I know the name, and it’s unusual. I just can’t place it. Probably a coincidence. Well done, by the way. You charmed him so completely that I forgot why we were really here.’
‘We haven’t told any lies,’ Salter grinned. ‘I’ll just bet the boys are spirited and confident. How many times do you think he’s used those euphemisms?’
‘My headmistress once told my parents I was independently-minded with strong views on the world that defined my sense of natural justice,’ Ava said.
‘Meaning?’ Salter asked.
‘That when the school bully told a friend of mine she was too ugly to be allowed to fancy one particular boy, I shouldn’t have hit her in the face with the raw chicken we were about to roast in our home economics class.’
Salter clapped a hand over her mouth to avoid spraying tea across the room. Ava joined in laughing with her. The memory was precious, as was the moment. A few seconds of feeling an emotion other than desperation was as good as a vacation. It buoyed her. She would do her job, find out what the boys knew and shift the stagnant investigation. Luc was on his way to Livingston with a squad to shut down the Coffee in the Cloud internet cafe until they had some information on the bastard who was holding Kate Bailey. Finally, the pace had shifted and there seemed to be progress.
‘Right,’ Anthony McGowan said, as he reappeared through the grand oak doorway. ‘Oliver Davenport’s mother will be here in a few minutes. Noah Alby-Croft’s mother has asked that I accompany her son during the questioning. We’re still attempting to make contact with Leo Plunkett’s father, whom I gather you’ve met.’
‘That’s quite all right,’ Salter said, setting her cup down on the tray and standing up. ‘We can get started with Oliver. We don’t want to keep you longer than necessary.’
The introductions were made quickly. Mrs Davenport had either dressed up for the occasion or she naturally spent every day in a Chanel suit, ready for whatever the world threw at her. The headmaster allowed them the use of his rooms, which had the added benefit of making everyone relax in front of the fire.
‘Oliver, we just want to know if you might have seen anything strange in the Meadows. I believe you’re friendly with Leo Plunkett,’ Ava began.
‘Uh huh,’ was the reply.
‘Were you with him when he dropped his locker key?’ she continued.
‘I’m not sure when he dropped it, so I don’t know,’ he said.
‘Well, this would have been near the playground area. Do you take that route regularly?’ Ava asked.
‘Sometimes,’ Oliver said, with a sideways glance at his mother.
Ava wrote a note on a piece of paper and handed it to Salter without a word. Oliver’s eyes followed the progress of the note, and he watched Salter’s face carefully as she read it. Salter gave a single nod to Ava.
‘I should be in physics,’ the boy said.
‘A woman is dead, Oliver,’ Ava said, noting the wobble of his throat. ‘So I’m
sure your tutor won’t mind spending a few minutes covering the lesson with you.’
‘Who’s dead?’ Mrs Davenport interrupted. ‘I thought this was about an assault that happened in the park.’
‘We believe that the same people who attacked the man in the park also injured a woman who ended up in the road and was hit by a bus. That lady died from her injuries,’ Salter said. Mrs Davenport pressed a hand against her mouth. ‘We’re so sorry to have to talk about such awful things. I appreciate this is difficult. Of course, the people responsible are now wanted for murder, given that the traffic accident was a direct result of the assault.’
Oliver opened his mouth to say something then quickly closed it again. ‘I don’t think I saw anything that would help you,’ he muttered.
‘Have you ever noticed a group of homeless adults hanging around the park area? Or drug users, perhaps?’ Salter asked.
Ava watched as he slid one foot on top of the other and pressed down. He was stressed. Everyone had a tell-tale sign.
‘I’ve seen homeless people in the Meadows sometimes. I always feel sorry for them. It’s not so bad in the summer, I suppose, but in the winter it must be dreadful. I wish they had somewhere to go,’ Oliver said.
Mrs Davenport patted his arm, gazing lovingly at her boy’s face. In another year or so he’d be a man, Ava thought, but now he was still sufficiently naive that he believed he could get away with delivering what was obviously a prepared speech.
‘That’s a kind thought, Oliver,’ Salter said. ‘I don’t suppose you’ve ever come across any Spice users, have you?’
‘What sort of spice?’ Mrs Davenport asked.
‘It’s a drug. Users are occasionally referred to as zombies, because it makes them unaware of their surroundings,’ Salter explained.
‘We tell Oliver to stay away from drugs and the people associated with them. He’s not that sort of boy,’ Mrs Davenport assured them.
Her son’s half eye-roll told a different story. He was embarrassed by his mother’s protectiveness and sick of being lectured. He also knew a lot more about drugs than she would be happy about.
Ava leaned forward to make eye contact with the teenager. ‘Do you ever use the word cretin, Oliver?’
He blinked, coughed, acted confused. ‘Um, no. I mean I’ve heard it. I know what it means. But I don’t use it.’
He didn’t ask the relevance of the question. Ava waited until he looked away from her.
‘That’s fine, no need to worry. What about Noah? Do you and Leo spend a lot of time with him?’
‘Quite a bit,’ Oliver said.
‘We’re very friendly with the Alby-Crofts,’ Mrs Davenport said. ‘We holiday with them occasionally. We’re skiing with them in February, in fact.’
‘Are you? How lovely,’ Ava said. ‘Gosh, I did promise Mr McGowan I wouldn’t keep you from your lessons for more than ten minutes, and it’s been that already. You’re free to go, Oliver.’
He looked from Ava to Salter to the headmaster. ‘That’s it?’ he asked.
‘Were you expecting something more?’ Salter responded.
He shook his head and made for the door as his mother picked up her handbag and coat.
‘Send Alby-Croft in, would you please, Oliver? He should be waiting outside,’ the headmaster said.
‘Sorry, one last thing,’ Ava said. ‘Do you, Leo and Noah ever stay round each other’s houses, or are you too old for sleepovers?’ The headmaster frowned at the question. ‘Forgive me. I’m just curious about what teenagers get up to these days. Coming into a school, I suddenly feel horribly out of touch.’
‘I can sympathise,’ Mrs Davenport said. ‘It all seemed so easy when he was little. We restrict sleepovers to weekends unless the boys have special plans. They all have a lot of studying to do for their end-of-year exams.’
‘Come on, Mum,’ Oliver moaned from the doorway, his knuckles white pebbles as he gripped the handle.
Salter screwed up the note Ava had sent her and tossed it into the fire. The words ‘Read this then nod at me’ went up in flames as Noah Alby-Croft drifted with lazy self-assurance into the study.
‘Noah, these police officers would like to ask you a few questions to ascertain if you have any useful witness testimony about an assault,’ the headmaster said. ‘Would you like a cup of tea?’ He motioned towards the tray.
‘Let me pour you one, sir,’ Noah said, picking up the pot and straining the tea before handing over the china cup and saucer to McGowan.
‘Noah will be going to Oxford, no doubt about it.’ The headmaster glowed. ‘Studying mathematics and philosophy. One of our best students.’
‘That’s kind of you, headmaster, but we have a lot of talented students here. I’m sure I’m no brighter than any of the others,’ Noah said, but the tilt of his chin and his straight back suggested otherwise. Noah was a young man who knew exactly where he was going, and he was on the fast track. ‘DCI Turner, my father has spoken highly of you on many occasions. I think initially he was slightly surprised about your promotion given that you were suspended for a while, but he says you’re beginning to prove yourself in your new post.’
Salter was unable to mask her surprise and Ava did little better. She had imagined taking the boy by surprise, breaking down whatever defences he’d prepared. This boy was an adult in all but years. He took a chair and raised one leg slowly to rest across his other knee, smiling broadly at the women before him.
‘That’s right,’ Ava said. ‘I thought I recognised the surname. Your father’s on the Police Scotland board. A relatively new appointment. Were you expecting a visit from me then, given that you know so much about me?’
‘As you know, Leo Plunkett and I are close friends. Isn’t that why you’re here? He mentioned that he’d had a visit from you and I discussed it with my father. I’m afraid that’s the only reason I was discussing you, although if I’d known how attractive you were I might have asked to attend some of the police social functions my father always claims are so dull.’
‘Noah,’ the headmaster chided with a small smile. ‘I’m not sure the detective chief inspector should be the subject of your charms. Perhaps save those for women more your own age.’
‘You can’t blame me for trying.’ Noah raised an eyebrow at Ava. So that’s how it was. His father discussed police matters with him. His headmaster thought he was Leverhulme’s golden boy. And Noah thought he was cleverer than the lot of them. ‘So, please, let me know how I can help you. At this school, the students take social responsibility very seriously. Ask me anything you like. Anything at all.’ He flashed a row of perfect white teeth and settled himself comfortably into the armchair.
‘Leo Plunkett lost his locker key. No doubt you were aware of that,’ Ava began. ‘Did you—’
‘Yes, that’s right,’ Noah interrupted. ‘I’m not sure where he lost it, and I doubt he was aware of it at the time. After all, if you knew you’d dropped something you’d stop and pick it up. Certainly at school when he needed to open his locker, he asked me if I’d picked it up by mistake. A few of us had a look around the corridor but couldn’t find it. I’ve done it myself a few times. It’s annoying but not a big deal. Did you find it somewhere?’
‘In the Meadows,’ Salter said.
‘Ah, well that makes sense. We go through there regularly, and I have to say there’s a fair amount of horsing around. I lose coins from my pockets all the time when one of the lads rugby tackles me as a joke. Frankly, it’s a wonder any of us ever finds our key where we think we left it.’
‘Where were you two nights ago?’ Ava asked. ‘Late in the evening.’
‘At home, I would imagine.’
‘What time do you normally go to bed?’
‘Why are you interested?’ he countered.
‘A woman was attacked on George Street. She ended up dead. Did you hear about it?’
‘I must be getting my dates confused. This isn’t the same day as the attack in the Meadows that yo
u’re here to ask me about.’
‘No, that was some days earlier,’ Ava said.
‘And you think that because we use the Meadows as a route into the city, I might have noticed something there that might help your investigation.’
‘That’s right,’ Ava said.
‘Great, I’m here to help. The Meadows can get a little rough at times. There is a homeless problem in the city, as I’m sure you’re aware. We are warned not to go through the park after dark and it’s my policy to follow school regulations that affect my safety. I’ve witnessed the odd drunken brawl there. Occasionally you’ll see someone looking furtive, an exchange of money. It doesn’t take much imagination to see that it’s a prime area for drug dealing.’
‘Do you know much about that then? Drug dealing?’ Salter asked.
‘We’ve been fortunate to have been given a number of drug and alcohol awareness lectures at this school. This may look like a traditional educational establishment, but I find it very forward looking.’ Noah smiled.
‘Thank you, Noah,’ Anthony McGowan muttered.
‘I’m afraid that at the time of the attack in the Meadows, I don’t recall seeing any incidents. Certainly, if I’d seen a violent attack, I’d have intervened immediately to offer my assistance.’
‘Noah, that’s a very unwise stance,’ the headmaster said. ‘You should leave the area and phone the police. We’ve been through this. There is no sense putting your own life at risk.’
‘So, two nights ago. We were discussing where you were,’ Ava said.
‘Yes, in bed, if it was late at night. I’m afraid the rugby team and the need to study make late nights a rarity, unless I have a test the next day. That usually keeps me up all night,’ he said, laughing.
‘I’m sure with your grades you don’t need to worry too much,’ Ava responded. ‘The attacker two nights ago used an unusual word. Cretin. Is that a phrase your friends use regularly?’
‘I thought you said an unusual word. I must hear it ten times a day. At school, at my sports clubs, at social events. Honestly, when you’re with intelligent people there is an admirable depth to their lexicon. If that’s the only lead you have, DCI Turner, it’s no wonder you’re at a school asking for help.’ He checked his watch. ‘Sir, I have Mandarin now. I probably shouldn’t miss it given that I have a mock exam next week. May I go?’