Strange Beginnings: The Freeman Files Series: Book 13

by Ted Tayler

  “I’ll walk up the lane with you,” said Gus. “I’m under orders to shower and change before they let me inside to eat.”

  Bert never took long to demolish a pint, so Gus was on his way to the bungalow in a matter of minutes. Brett and Clemency agreed to keep Suzie company until he returned.

  “We’ll cycle home at eight o’clock when you go for your meal,” said the Reverend. “I’ve got two eulogies to prepare for funerals tomorrow afternoon. Don’t worry, Gus. I’ll be extra-careful not to mix them up.”

  Wednesday, 22nd August 2018

  Gus and Suzie left the bungalow at eight-thirty. After Brett accompanied Clemency to the rectory, he and Suzie had gone inside to eat. When Gus went to the bar at the end of the evening, the landlord told him Bert and Irene left enough money behind the bar to cover the bill.

  “Don’t know what’s got into Bert,” the landlord said. “He didn’t seem himself tonight.”

  “It was the suit,” said Gus. “The only time he’s worn it was at Frank North’s funeral.”

  “No, not the suit. Bert’s usually cadging drinks off the likes of you, Mr Freeman, not putting his hand in his pocket.”

  Gus smiled to himself as he stood by the Focus.

  “See you at the usual time tonight, darling?” asked Suzie.

  “No reason to be later than half-past five,” said Gus.

  “Remember what I said. Take care,” said Suzie.

  Gus followed Suzie along the lane, past the Lamb, and eased the Focus into heavy traffic on the main road. They moved slowly onto London Road before Suzie turned into the Headquarters car park, then Gus watched traffic thin out as he reached the top of Caen Hill. With a following wind, he should be in the office before nine o’clock. Gus realised he hadn’t given the Marion Reeves case a second thought since he drove home last night.

  The team was already hard at work when Gus exited the lift at one minute past nine.

  “Did those temporary traffic lights at Redstocks catch you, guv?” asked Neil.

  “They did. What are the Highways Department digging up the road for now?” asked Gus.

  “It’s on the schedule for this week, guv. They don’t need a reason.”

  “Everyone has things to do,” said Gus. “I need to update my files with what we learned yesterday afternoon. When do you want to hear the highlights?”

  “Luke went through them last night after you dashed away, guv,” said Lydia.

  “Right, well, I’ll carry on then,” said Gus.

  “Before you get stuck in, guv,” said Neil. “Luke’s doing the same as you, updating his files. Alex is arranging the next set of interviews. Blessing is finding Graham Street’s children, and Lydia’s tracing that Family Liaison Officer. I’m hoping to identify the senior police officer that could have attended those parties from 1980 to 1984.”

  “It sounds as if you got most things covered,” said Gus. “Luke, if you get a minute can you check on that gym with Arthur Jackson, please?”

  “I haven’t forgotten, guv,” said Luke.

  Gus had finished updating the Freeman files by ten o’clock. When he glanced across the office at Luke, he was on the phone. Neil Davis looked puzzled while Blessing and Lydia were in the restroom. Gus hoped it was coffee time for everyone. He was right. The restroom door opened two minutes later, and the girls returned with drinks.

  “Your turn tomorrow, guys,” said Blessing.

  “Luke, did you speak to Arthur Jackson?” asked Gus, taking a sip of a well-earned coffee.

  “Just got off the phone, guv. Arthur introduced Martyn Street to the owner of the gym on Churchfields Industrial Estate. Arthur’s son, Keith, was a keen bodybuilder. Martyn joined the gym in 2006 and continued to use the gym once a week for three years. The original owner had sold up by then, and their maintenance problems started soon after the new people took over. Martyn had cut back to training once a month but got frustrated with arriving to find a notice telling him it was closed for repairs. Arthur said Martyn didn’t renew his membership in 2010.”

  “I’d get frustrated if I walked from his flat to the gym and found it closed,” said Neil. “How far is that, anyway?”

  “It overlooks the Wilton House estate,” said Luke. “It’s the same distance Martin used to walk from Oakley Road to work. That took him thirty minutes.”

  “An hour’s exercise without needing to pay for a gym membership,” said Neil. “That works for me.”

  “Thanks, Neil,” said Gus. “A coincidence, I suppose, that the blackmailer chose Stephenson Road and a spot close to a building with an association to the victim’s mother.”

  “We discussed this yesterday, guv,” said Blessing Umeh. “You and Lydia agreed the killer chose to meet there because of its position. The length of the road and the number of vehicles present meant the two cars that arrived at half-past nine that morning were hiding in plain sight. The premises on that road don’t necessarily have any relevance.”

  “I stand corrected, DC Umeh,” said Gus.

  “I still want to know what happened to the lunchbox, guv,” said Blessing. “If we can explain that, then our view of where the cars parked could change.”

  “Have you put in for your Sergeant’s exam yet, Blessing?” asked Gus.

  “No guv. I’m not twenty-two yet, and if my father gets his way, I’ll marry someone I don’t know before I get the chance to get promoted.”

  Gus made a mental note to make sure he kept the best people where he could see them. It was inevitable this team would attract others across the county and beyond in time. He’d suffered the loss of several excellent Detective Sergeants before he retired. His superiors told him it was his fault for training them too well.

  Gus had told them if a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well, but their decisions never got reversed, and he had to start over again with another raw recruit. Enough was enough. Time to dig his heels in. When they solved this case, he would plant the seeds in Kenneth Truelove’s head that if anyone came poaching his team, the Chief Constable had two choices. Tell them to take a running jump or look for another mug to come out of retirement to handle those cold cases piled high on his swish new desk.

  “Everything alright, guv?” asked Lydia.

  “Everything’s fine for the time being, Lydia. I was planning my next move.”

  “I’ve found the Family Liaison Officer who spent so much time with the Reeves family, guv. She’s left the job since 2011, but we can still interview Genevieve Harding. Ms Harding lives on the outskirts of Salisbury, near the Hampshire border.”

  “Alex, can you add the lady to our list, please?” said Gus. “How old is Genevieve? Do we know?”

  “Forty-eight, guv,” said Lydia.

  “Three years younger than Marion Reeves at the time of the murder,” said Gus. “Interesting. Have you got a schedule yet for my interviews, Alex?”

  “The two builders are first on the list, guv. They’re working on a small housing estate in Bemerton Heath. Your invitation to attend Bourne Hill nick did not attract them. They preferred to make themselves available first thing after lunch today. We can drive over to talk to them at one o’clock.”

  “Is there anyone I can fit in this morning?” asked Gus.

  “Phil Youngman is retired these days. I can ring him now if you wish.”

  “Give me his number, and I’ll make the arrangements,” said Gus. “Who else?”

  “I thought it made sense for you to get an overview of how they handled the murder scene before you spoke to Warren Baker, guv. Phil Youngman should remember who did what, when, and where on the day. As he was first on the scene, he was in charge of most of it.”

  “That makes perfect sense, Alex. Good thinking. When can I get to Warren Baker?”

  “I’ll set it up for first thing tomorrow, guv. You can drive straight to Bourne Hill and speak to him before forensics receive their first call. When I contacted them yesterday, they said that Baker and the rest of the crew spend mo
st of the day out of the office.”

  “How long do you think we’ll spend with Milligan and Preston?” asked Gus.

  “They will want to get back to work, guv,” said Alex. “Who did you think we could catch later this afternoon?”

  “The tree surgeon, Ralph Tucker,” said Gus. “I’m prepared to accept Serena Campbell’s word he wasn’t the truck driver talking to Marion Reeves outside her bank, but he could have been at Churchfields on Monday morning.”

  “Arthur Jackson told us they used Tucker on the estate between May and September, guv,” said Luke. “Ralph should be there tomorrow. Bemerton Heath to Wilton House is only a brief trip. Gus should be able to meet him by three o’clock at a push.”

  “Thanks, Luke,” said Alex. “I’ll get onto it.”

  Alex handed Phil Youngman’s phone number to Gus and called Ralph Tucker’s mobile number.

  Gus called Phil Youngman.

  “Phil, it’s Gus Freeman here. Remember me?”

  “Blimey, you’re a blast from the past. Did I hear you went back to work after Tess died? I was sorry to hear about that, by the way.”

  “Yes, it’s been a long time, Phil,” said Gus. “I sat on my allotment with nothing positive to think of for three years until Ken Truelove called me. We’re reviewing unsolved murders now. I’m sure you remember the Marion Reeves case?”

  “Hard to forget the inside of that car, Gus. It was too much for the young PC I had with me that morning. She left the force after a couple of months. What did you want to know?”

  “Can I drive over and have a chat now?” asked Gus. “I should reach you in an hour.”

  “I’ll have the kettle on,” said Phil. “Coffee?”

  “Black with no sugar, Phil,” said Gus. “How’s retirement, anyway?”

  “Always under the wife’s feet. I get tired quicker than I used to when the grandkids are here, and I can’t pick up the local rag without seeing another old colleague who’s dropped off the perch. There is an upside to it, of course.”

  “A lot less paperwork,” said Gus.

  “You got it,” said Phil. “See you in an hour.”

  “Are we good, Alex,” he said.

  “I fixed the meeting with Ralph Tucker for three o’clock this afternoon, guv. Warren Baker will be in his Bourne Hills office at nine o’clock. He can’t think why you need to speak with him.”

  “An interesting start to the day then,” said Gus. “Send directions to the housing estate on the Heath to my phone. I’ll drive there to meet you for our one o’clock meeting with MP Builders.”

  “Will do, guv. Have a pleasant trip.”

  Gus was already striding towards the lift. Alex believed Gus was right. Today was a breakthrough day.

  CHAPTER 11

  Gus arrived in Downton and weaved his way towards Greenacres. He knew the village well because he and Tess had lived not half a mile from where Phil Youngman was spending his retirement. Gus had heard his phone ‘ping’ when Alex sent a message as he drove along the A338. Plenty of time to check the directions later.

  As he stood outside the compact semi-detached house, Gus admired the garden. Someone had green fingers. The flowers that bordered the lawn looked magnificent. A short, grey-haired lady answered the doorbell.

  “Mrs Youngman?” said Gus. “Can Phil come out to play?”

  “Och, get away with you, Gus Freeman. You’ll never change. And it’s Phyllis, as you well know. I worked in the back office at Bourne Hill when you were just a young whippersnapper in uniform.”

  “That’s more years ago than I care to remember, Phyllis,” said Gus. “Somehow, you don’t look any older than when you left to have your first child.”

  “If only, Phil’s in the front room. He put the kettle on as he told you, but I still have to pour the coffee for you both.”

  Phyllis scuttled along the hallway to the kitchen, and Gus joined Phil.

  “Good to see you again,” said Phil, shaking Gus warmly by the hand.

  “You might revise your opinion on that when I tell you why I’m here,” said Gus.

  Phyllis appeared in the doorway with two large mugs of coffee and a plate of biscuits. Gus could tell Phil hoped this chat would fill a quiet morning.

  “Has something turned up after all this time?” asked Phil.

  “You were first on the scene with that unfortunate PC you mentioned,” said Gus. “Let’s start from there. It’s not what we found that concerns us.”

  “Headquarters received a call from a member of the public,” said Phil. “A bloke who worked out at the industrial estate at Churchfields. We arrived on Stephenson Road to find him standing several yards away from a parked car. Vehicles drove past in both directions, and parked cars and trucks were on both sides of the road. The nearest car was about forty yards further up the road on the right-hand side. As soon as I got out of the car, I could see where the bloke had puked on the grass verge. He was in shock and just pointed to the Lexus.”

  “You did everything by the book as far as we can tell, Phil,” said Gus. “Did anyone go near the car before the forensic team arrived?”

  “I got close enough with my PC to see inside the car, Gus. There was blood everywhere. The driver, later identified as Marion Reeves, slumped over the steering wheel. We didn’t touch the car, and there was no point in checking for signs of life. She was gone. I called for more uniformed officers because of the size of the site and the many access points to Stephenson Road. It was lunchtime, and everywhere we looked, there were vehicles on the move and people milling around close to premises on both sides of the road. Somehow, we preserved the immediate area. As soon as I had more people available, we cordoned off the murder scene, plus an exclusion zone that allowed us to evacuate as many people as possible. I had to be on my toes that morning, Gus.”

  “So, you’re positive nobody tampered with the Lexus at any point between you arriving on scene and the forensic team taking over and erecting their white tent.”

  “Positive,” said Phil. “One hundred percent. Why do you ask?”

  “When Billie Wightman showed Theo Reeves a list of the contents of his wife’s handbag retrieved from the Lexus, he confirmed nothing was missing. Her purse, bank cards, keys, and mobile phone were present and correct. But, when Matt Price and Billie did a brief review of the case a couple of years later, there was no sign of the mobile phone in the evidence room.”

  “What, someone nicked it from the evidence room?” asked Phil.

  “Not according to Matt Price. The phone could have provided vital information, and after tagging and bagging it at the scene, that phone should have been available for the service provider to give a detailed history. Billie Wightman concentrated on the family, work colleagues, and neighbours while waiting for forensic test results to get returned to her. Billie had a bee in her bonnet.”

  “The killer had to be a man, either the husband or a lover,” said Phil. “I remember Billie. She was a good detective until her old man cheated on her, then she lost the plot.”

  “Agreed, but the clock is always against you on a murder case. Billie and Matt pursued every line of enquiry they could before their superiors dragged them away to another urgent case. Billie had queried why the mobile phone results were still pending, but before she knew it, she had another case file on her hands. When Billie and Matt did the follow-up review, they sent a DC into the evidence room to hunt for the missing phone. He didn’t stay long enough to search every box, but he didn’t have any luck before he got moved to something else.”

  “That suggests the mobile phone got mislaid earlier in the piece,” said Phil. “Am I right?”

  “We’re assuming after it got tagged and bagged, someone removed it. There are several questions that possibility raises. Who would have wanted to take it? What did they know or suspect on that phone that could prove incriminating?”

  “You would know better than me, Gus,” said Phil. “The murder file has a list of every person who entered
the tent.”

  “We’ve analysed the list, Phil,” said Gus. “Did you spot any suspicious behaviour when you went inside?”

  “I was in and out at the very start of the forensic team’s work, Gus. Then again, as things were winding down, Matt Price asked me to remove the external cordon. I doubt I spent two minutes inside the tent, all told. I certainly didn’t touch the car or get close to getting inside it. PC Gupta didn’t even go near the tent. As for anything suspicious, no, I can’t say I noticed that.”

  “Did the contents of the car stay inside the tent until the forensic team left?”

  “They set up a small table by the door, Gus,” said Phil. “Somewhere to label and pack items after they got removed. They stored things in large plastic boxes under the table. There wasn’t much room inside the tent for people to move around. So, people like Matt and the forensic crew stepped outside often to allow a colleague better access to whatever they were swabbing and photographing.”

  “Is it possible someone removed a bagged item from the box under the table and slipped it into their pocket or wandered outside with it beyond the inner cordon?”

  “There were times it was chaotic that day, Gus,” said Phil. “If you had asked me that question seven years ago, I would have said, never, but I don’t know now, looking back. Maybe it slipped through the net. Why, though? Do you think the killer was inside the tent? A copper, or someone working with the forensics team?”

  “We’ve learned much more about this case since we first discovered the mobile phone was missing,” said Gus. “I can’t say too much, but Marion Reeves had lived another life before she met her second husband, Theo. It’s possible the phone disappeared to prevent a search of its history. The details of names, numbers, times of conversations, and text messages could have incriminated important people.”

  “Blimey, it was a brutal murder, but I never imagined anything such as this being behind it.”

  “Did you ever meet FLO Genevieve Harding?” asked Gus.

  “Of course,” said Phil, “she worked in Salisbury for twenty years. A good lassie. Why?”