Strange Beginnings: The Freeman Files Series: Book 13

by Ted Tayler

  “Did it happen again?” asked Gus.

  “Dad fitted a lock on my door, so that was the end of that,” said Stephanie.

  “Did Martyn ever get accused of doing anything inappropriate at work?” asked Gus.

  “He didn’t go near the main house or the garden centre,” said Stephanie. “Martyn worked with the ground staff. They took care of the lawns, trees, shrubs, and river banks. Martyn said he could go days without seeing a visitor to the estate.”

  “We know you were at school on the eighteenth of March,” said Gus. “Let’s talk about the aftermath of the murder. When did you start drinking?”

  “A week later, perhaps. For days, the police kept coming to the house asking Dad questions. They stressed they knew none of us was responsible but insisted we knew the killer. It had to be a man Mum knew. We didn’t know anyone, apart from people she worked with or people who worked with Dad. When they told us they had arrested Simon, it just seemed ridiculous. I went into town that night and kept drinking until I puked. That was the start of the downward spiral.”

  “How long did it last?” asked Gus.

  “Months,” said Stephanie. “Dad was suffering, Martyn too. We went to Centre Parcs at Longleat for a weekend break. It chucked it down with rain all the time we were there. I was never sober.”

  “Martyn made sure you got home safe from town when you were drinking, didn’t he?” asked Gus. “Theo told us he was returning the favour for when you stood up for him when you were both younger.”

  “I was vulnerable,” said Stephanie, “Danny and Becky could see that. They saw off several blokes looking to take advantage of the state I was in. How I never got raped, I’ll never know.”

  “What happened when Martyn carried you home on nights when you could barely stand?”

  “He used to cop a feel,” said Stephanie. “I’d slap his hand, and he’d just laugh and do it again. The night Dad saw us by the front door, he thought something more had happened, but it hadn’t. There was something wrong with Martyn. He was slow-witted; we knew that. You could tell him something once, and he’d remember it. Another time you could repeat it a hundred times, and it never sunk in.”

  “Do you think he took in what Marion told him?” asked Gus.

  “He always listened to Mum,” said Stephanie. “After his Dad disowned him, Mum was all he had. He used to tell her he trusted her to the moon and back.”

  “What did you mean when you said you left Oakley Road because you couldn’t stand it any longer?” asked Gus.

  “Dad was a mess. He wanted to get rid of Martyn as soon as he could after Mum died. Then I had my meltdown, and that made Dad tougher to live with. Martyn had moved out. He was so confused. I’ll never forget the look on his face when that boss of his picked him up to take Martyn to his new place. He couldn’t understand what he’d done. Then there were the neighbours, who kept sympathising or crossing the road to avoid us. I just had to get away.”

  “What about the builders?” asked Gus.

  “They were as lecherous as before, but only one day a week. They knew Dad wouldn’t make a fuss, so they squeezed every pound out of the job they could. All the while, Stuart was trying to get me alone.”

  “Did anything happen you want to tell us about?” asked Blessing.

  Stephanie shook her head.

  “I think that’s everything for this morning, Stephanie,” said Gus. “Many thanks for the coffee. We’ll be in touch if we need more information.”

  “One final thing, guv,” said Blessing. “Stephanie, you said your mother took a packed lunch to work every day.”

  “She did.”

  “There wasn’t a packed lunch in the car or her handbag, guv,” said Blessing. “Did Marion Reeves know she wasn’t going to work that day?”

  CHAPTER 8

  “I enjoyed your Lieutenant Columbo moment, Blessing,” said Gus when they reached the car.

  “Who, guv?” asked Blessing.

  “A TV detective, way before your time, Blessing. It was a trademark move of his. Just as the villain thought he was off the hook, Columbo asked a telling question.”

  “We don’t believe Stephanie Reeves is a villain, guv, do we?

  “Of course not, but the packed lunch could be a game-changer. Theo never mentioned it. It adds another item that requires an explanation. We already have a missing mobile phone. Did the same person remove them from Marion Reeves’s car, and if so, why?”

  “I wonder if the builders saw Mrs Reeves carrying it when she left the house that morning?” asked Blessing.

  “I’ll ask tomorrow,” said Gus. “Along with questions about their behaviour while they worked at Oakley Road.”

  “They sound a couple of creeps, guv,” said Blessing. “But because they took a close interest in everything Marion and Stephanie did in the months they worked at the house, those men can help check what we’ve learned from Theo Reeves and his daughter. Although they got distracted by the females in the property, they had a unique view of the way the family interacted.”

  “That’s an excellent point, Blessing,” said Gus.

  As he drove them back to the office, Gus thought listening to Milligan and Preston would be like watching a dreadful reality programme where the builders would be the camera. The Reeves family would become celebrities that were a complete mystery.

  As long as it helped explain some questions that remained, Gus was happy to sit through it. That was tomorrow’s torture; this afternoon, he had to face Martyn Street.

  “I wonder whether Serena Campbell will be working this afternoon, guv?” said Blessing as Gus parked the Focus.

  “I’ll keep an eye out for the lady, Blessing,” said Gus. “I need to concentrate on getting the most out of my conversation with Martyn Street. Luke’s car is here already. I’ll take him with me to Wilton later.”

  Gus and Blessing exited the lift and entered the office.

  “Can we spend five minutes agreeing on our plan for this afternoon’s meeting, Luke?” asked Gus. “I want you to prevent Arthur Jackson from contributing too much to the conversation. It might paint you as the bad guy, but I need Martyn Street to trust me throughout the meeting so we get the maximum benefit.”

  “I understand, guv,” said Luke. “I’ll drive to Wilton if you wish. We need to leave by a quarter past two. When do you want that five minutes chat?”

  “Let’s do it at two o’clock, Luke,” said Gus, checking the clock on the far wall. “We’ll get our files updated with what Blessing and I learned from Stephanie Reeves this morning.”

  “What were the major points you took from the meeting, guv?” asked Alex.

  “Stephanie has a lovely home,” said Gus. “She and her partner are in full-time employment and doing well. She’s five months pregnant. As for her relationship with her father, I would describe it as cordial. Stephanie is an independent young woman these days, with her drink problem firmly behind her. Since Martyn moved into the flat near where he works, Stephanie hasn’t seen or spoken to him. Despite Theo Reeves’s concerns that something physical occurred while living under his roof, Stephanie denied it. I believed her.”

  “That was pretty comprehensive, guv,” said Lydia. “You had a good morning.”

  “There’s more,” said Blessing. “Theo Reeves had two lecherous builders working at Oakley Road for months on end, and Marion Reeves was in the habit of taking a packed lunch to work every day.”

  “Do either of those things help identify Marion’s killer, guv?” asked Neil.

  “The deeper we delve into this case, Neil,” said Gus, “I no longer imagine there’s a magic bullet to blow everything wide open. These unimportant and unrelated scraps we’ve uncovered will provide the solution. We just need to be patient.”

  “When do you want to go through my Graham Street background information, guv?”

  “It will have to wait until tomorrow, Neil,” said Gus. “Have you entered it into the Freeman files?”

  “I’ll
do it this afternoon while you and Luke are in Wilton, guv,” said Neil.

  “What do I do about those two builders, guv?” asked Luke. “They’re playing hard to get.”

  “That’s easily sorted,” said Gus, “Call Bourne Hill nick and book a room for tomorrow morning. We’ll kill two birds with one stone. Ask Milligan to attend at ten o’clock and Preston at ten-thirty. If they say that they’re too busy, inform them that uniformed officers will collect them from whichever property they’re working at and escort them to the custody suite for an interview under caution.”

  “Who do I contact to arrange that, guv?” asked Luke.

  “Who said anything other than informing them?” said Gus. “I’m not running after these people. Our second bird is Warren Baker, the forensic guy. Arrange for Baker to be in whichever room Bourne Hill assign to us at eleven o’clock. I want to get to the bottom of this mobile phone fiasco.”

  “Got it, guv,” said Luke.

  Blessing was halfway through updating her digital files. Gus took a second glance at the clock and got his head down. He could still get his part done before he left for Wilton House. As he loaded the appropriate files, he had a thought.

  “Lydia, are you busy?”

  “If you need my help, I’ll find the time, guv. What do you need?”

  “Call DS Mercer at London Road,” said Gus. “We need a photograph of everyone who entered that tent at the murder scene. Retrieve those names from the crime scene logs in the murder file. It will give exact times of arrivals and exits and should be comprehensive. Explain we must be discreet. I don’t want Bourne Hill knowing we’re checking up on their people. Once you’ve got photos for the various disciplines that attended, call Theo Reeves, and tell him you’re driving over straight away and you need his help. Don’t let him fob you off. We need to know whether one or more of those faces was someone Marion knew.”

  “Will do, guv,” said Lydia.

  Gus started typing. Around him, the team was hard at work. Were they making progress or just being busy fools? Gus wished he knew.

  “Two o’clock, guv,” said Luke. “Are you ready?”

  “Two minutes, Luke,” said Gus. “I could murder a coffee if you’re not doing anything while I keep you waiting.”

  “On its way, guv,” said Luke. He walked to the restroom and fired up the Gaggia.

  Gus and Luke then made their preparations for their meeting with Martyn Street and Arthur Jackson and travelled to the car park together in the lift. Lydia called after them to wish them luck. She was about to pick up the phone to speak to Theo Reeves.

  “Lydia won’t be far behind us, guv,” said Luke.

  “She’d better not overtake you, Luke,” said Gus. “That girl is a crazy driver. Have you ever travelled with her?”

  “Of course, guv,” said Luke, “it’s an experience and no mistake.”

  Gus relaxed in the passenger seat of Luke’s car and thought about Serena Campbell. Stephanie hadn’t known enough to tell them where Serena fitted into the life Marion lived before she met Theo Reeves. Perhaps, at last, he’d discover who Marion really was.

  “This is a busy spot, guv,” said Luke as he hunted for a parking space close to the Garden Centre café.

  “I don’t mind walking a few hundred yards, Luke,” said Gus. “Leave the spaces closest to the café for the old folks.”

  “Sorry, guv,” said Luke.

  They entered the café at two minutes to three. Luke spotted Arthur Jackson and Martyn Street in the far corner. Arthur had chosen well. Martyn had his back to the crowds, and a large table featuring upcoming events to their left meant they wouldn’t get overheard.

  “Far right-hand corner, guv,” said Luke.

  “I was checking name tags on the staff,” said Gus. “They gave me a few odd looks. I think they thought I was staring at their breasts.”

  “Did you see anyone you recognised?” asked Luke.

  “Not so far; perhaps Serena Campbell doesn’t work on Tuesdays. To avoid getting thrown out, I’ll ask Arthur Jackson if he knows.”

  “Did you want another coffee, guv,” asked Luke.

  “If you’re buying, Luke,” said Gus. “Let’s get over to their table first. We don’t want to unsettle Martyn by keeping him waiting.”

  As they moved between the tables filled with older people enjoying afternoon tea, they saw Arthur Jackson heading their way. A waitress was now sitting beside Martyn Street, holding his hand.

  “Is Martyn okay?” asked Gus.

  “Serena will keep him calm. She’s known him since he was a baby. I just thought I’d put you in the picture if you aren’t aware of how his condition affects him. Martyn’s social behaviour is immature and unstable. He lacks judgement and can sometimes get aggressive over petty issues. So, we do our best here to keep everything on an even keel. Martyn is self-conscious, so he prefers working alone. We can accommodate that here. Martyn has never enjoyed working in a group. When we’ve tried it, his mood can change in a split second.”

  “Is he likely to become aggressive or violent during a simple conversation?” asked Gus.

  “Not in my experience,” said Arthur, “which stretches back to the first day he came here straight from school.”

  “You must be near retirement age,” said Gus, knowing the answer already.

  “I don’t know how Martyn will cope,” said Arthur. “Serena‘s good with him, but whether one of the younger managers could cope with his mood swings, I very much doubt.”

  “What would happen to Martyn if they had to let him go after you retired?” asked Luke.

  “I dread to think,” said Arthur. “Perhaps his family will reconsider.”

  “Theo Reeves isn’t a blood relative,” said Gus. “Did Serena Campbell ever mention Martyn’s father?”

  “A bad lot, from what Serena told me,” said Arthur. “He washed his hands of Martyn after he divorced poor Marion. How could anyone do that?”

  “I’ll tell you this in confidence, Mr Jackson,” said Gus. “I’m sure it will soon be common knowledge, but Graham Street, Martyn’s father, died in hospital last night from a heart attack. It’s unlikely Martyn will benefit from Street’s estate, but you probably know better than us how Martyn might react when he hears the news.”

  “Thank you. I’ll keep an eye on the lad. Well, more than I do already. I still call him a lad, but he’s thirty now. We’d better let Serena get back to serving tables. Martyn seems calm enough for us to make a start.”

  Arthur Jackson led them to the table where Serena stood beside Martyn with a hand on his shoulder. Gus couldn’t hear what she was whispering to him. Serena turned away without looking towards the three men approaching and attempted to escape to the safety of the kitchen.

  “Not so fast, Mrs Campbell,” said Luke Sherman. “Wiltshire Police, we need to speak to you later. Please don’t leave the building. I’ll collect you from the kitchen or the main hall when we’re ready.”

  “It’s Ms Campbell,” spat Serena Campbell.

  Gus could tell she was annoyed at Luke for letting everyone within earshot know she was a person of interest to the police. Stephanie Reeves was right. Serena Campbell looked every inch a woman from an upper-crust background, with looks that, even at fifty, could see her gracing the catwalk at a London fashion show.

  Serena Campbell disappeared from view, and Gus turned his attention to the interview. Luke was seated opposite Martyn Street and Arthur Jackson. Martyn watched every step Gus took as he walked behind Luke to take the remaining chair. His eyes never left Gus’s face.

  “Good afternoon, Martyn,” said Gus. “Has Mr Jackson told you who we are and why we’re here this afternoon?”

  Martyn nodded.

  “We want to ask you a few questions, Martyn,” said Gus. “We’d like you to answer them as best you can. You might not know the answers, but that’s okay. Just remember as much as you can and tell the truth.”

  “I should always tell the truth,” said Martyn.


  “Your parents raised you well, Martyn,” said Gus, “Mr Jackson tells us you do a good job here, working on the grounds. What do you enjoy best about what you do?”

  “I keep the lawns and the shrubs tidy, so the visitors say how pretty the gardens are. I can’t climb the trees like Ralph, but I clear away the branches he removes with the chainsaw. I enjoy that.”

  “Ralph Tucker is the tree surgeon we employ,” explained Arthur, “He’s worked on the estate since before Martyn started working here.”

  Gus saw the look Arthur gave Luke. There must be something Arthur wanted to add. Perhaps it was best to wait until later.

  “What can you remember of the time when you and Mum lived in Salisbury?” asked Gus.

  Martyn looked confused.

  “Do you remember living in another house before you moved to Oakley Road?”

  “Mum didn’t want me to talk about that,” said Martyn. “I tried to forget like she told me, but I couldn’t.”

  “You lived with your Mum and Dad in a big house, didn’t you? You were only young, and perhaps you don’t remember your Dad?”

  “He hurt Mum,” said Martyn. “I didn’t like him. We stayed with Serena after he hit Mum again, then Mum married my other Dad, and the hitting stopped.”

  “Theo Reeves, yes, we spoke to him yesterday. Theo raised you and Stephanie as brother and sister, didn’t he? I expect you were happy living with Mum, Dad, and Stephanie?”

  “I was happy when I was at home, but I didn’t enjoy going to school. The other children were nasty because I wasn’t clever like them. I was glad when I left school and came here to work. I could be alone, and only a few people make fun of me. If I do what I get asked the best I can, then nobody will bother me. That’s what Mum said.”