Taking another deep breath, Hunter beat the front door loudly with the heel of his hand. He could hear the sound travel through into the hall. The noise was louder than he expected and he glanced upwards at the bedroom bay window. A light came on. Seconds later a voice shouted down the stairwell. ‘Just a minute.’ Hunter heard quick footsteps getting louder and a brief juggling with a key before the door opened.
Saville Chambers stood there, a striped dressing gown fastened around him, bleary-eyed and in need of a shave. As he looked from Hunter to Grace his face visibly paled. ‘What on earth’s this?’ There was a nervous inflection in his voice.
‘This Mr Chambers is your morning wake-up call.’ Hunter replied.
For a couple of seconds, he stood with his mouth open. Then recovering, he said, ‘I hope you’ve got a warrant?’
‘Certainly have.’ Hunter thrust a folded piece of paper towards his face and pushed him into the hallway.
Stumbling backwards, Saville Chambers seemed lost again for words. But once more it was only momentary. He said, ‘This had better be good Sergeant Kerr.’
Grace stepped into the hall and closed the front door so that there was no escape for Chambers.
Hunter pressed in close to Chambers, deliberately invading his space and tapped the warrant on the bare upper part of his chest close to his throat.
Saville tried to step back but found himself hindered by the wall.
Hunter said, ‘Is he here?’
Gulping Saville answered, ‘Is who here?’
Hunter probed Chambers face, his eyes narrowing. Slowly he responded, ‘Mr Chambers let me make myself very clear here. I am not in the mood to be fucked about. You did that at Bridlington Police station when you pretended to be Terry Braithwaite’s solicitor, when in fact you are a solicitor’s clerk, and I can tell you I’m pretty fucking annoyed about that, so don’t wind me up any more than you’ve already done.’
Saville straightened, ‘If you did your research you’ll know that a solicitor’s clerk can represent a suspect in a police station.’
‘Oh I know that Mr Chambers, but on that occasion you were not there on behalf of your firm. We’ve spoken to them. They’ve had no official request to represent Terrence Braithwaite.’ Hunter steadied the words leaving his mouth. He could feel himself getting tense and was doing his best to stay in control.
‘You’ve spoken with my firm?’ Saville nervously answered.
‘We have. We know a lot about you Mr Chambers. Now I’ll reiterate what I said a few seconds ago, I am not in the mood to be fucked about.’ He paused and gave Saville a hardened stare. Then he said, ‘Now where is your stepfather, Terrence Braithwaite?’
‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. He’s not here if you think he is. You can take a look if you don’t believe me.’
Hunter pressed in closer until his nose was almost touching Saville’s. ‘We will take a look don’t you worry. You, Mr Chambers, are in a heap of shit. We’re already looking at a charge of assisting an offender. I am going to give you one minute to run things around in that stupid head of yours and give you the opportunity to make this right. If at the end of that minute you choose to carry on in this vein then you will suffer the consequences.’ Hunter held off mentioning Becki Turner’s abduction; that had been decided at the early briefing; although one of the descriptions fitted Terrence Braithwaite, there was nothing to suggest Chambers had been involved, although seeing the Ford Mondeo on Saville’s driveway was making that a lot more promising now.
Saville made an attempt at moving sideways but Hunter slapped his hand against the wall to prevent him. He said, ‘Thirty seconds!’
‘You’ve no right to treat me like this. This is against the law.’
Hunter turned and exchanged looks with Grace. He said, ‘Do you see me acting against the law here DC Marshall?’
Straight-faced she answered, ‘Everything according to The Police and Criminal Evidence Act as far as I can see, Sergeant.’
Hunter turned back to Chambers, ‘You heard that and now your time is up. What’s it to be? Are you going to tell us where your stepfather is?’
‘I don’t know what you are talking about.’
Hunter stepped back and said loudly, ‘Right, we take this place apart. Call in the others Grace.’ Looking Chambers in the face he added, ‘You are under arrest for assisting an offender.’ He reached into the back of his waistband, pulled out his handcuffs and, grabbing hold of the solicitor’s clerk’s wrists, ratcheted them on and dragged him into the kitchen where he pushed him against a work surface. Looking him in the eyes he said, ‘I don’t want to hear one peep from you.’
As he finished speaking Hunter heard the front door opening and, turning, saw Tony Bullars and Mike Sampson trooping in. He called to them, ‘Start upstairs and bring forensics in.’
‘Forensics!’ Saville cried.
Hunter turned around to face him, ‘We are going to go through this house with a fine toothcomb. Did you not hear me when I said you’ll suffer the consequences?’
For the next twenty minutes Hunter listened to the sounds of furniture being moved, cupboard doors and drawers being opened and closed, as the house was searched. He would like to have been with them but he knew his team would be doing a thorough job, whether he was there or not. From time to time he took a glimpse at his prisoner. He’d caught him squirming uncomfortably a few times and at one stage had seen him wiping sweat from his brow. He knew Chambers was getting worried; a sure sign that there was something here he hoped they wouldn’t find.
Suddenly a call went up, ‘Here!’ It was Tony Bullars.
Hunter picked up the sound of hurried feet moving upstairs and wondered what they had found. Less than thirty seconds later Grace called down, ‘Hunter you need to come up and see this.’
Hunter glanced at Chambers. His face was ashen. Grabbing him by the cuffs and hauling him up, he felt him wobble slightly. ‘Upstairs, now.’
He led Chambers back along the hall and pulled him upstairs. On the landing he saw everyone congregated at the doorway of one of the rear bedrooms. Hunter left Chambers and walked to the doorway. Inside the bedroom Mike Sampson was standing beside a double wardrobe, both doors open. In his outstretched arms he was holding two blonde wigs. One was long and straight and the other was collar length with curls. He scrutinised the find for a few seconds and then switched his gaze to the open wardrobe. Inside, hanging from a rack, was an array of women’s clothing. He shot his eyes back to the wigs held out in Mike’s hands, then swivelled to meet Grace.
She said, ‘You thinking what I’m thinking?’
Everyone’s sight zeroed in on Saville Chambers.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
In the interview room at Barnwell police station Hunter slipped off his jacket, draped it over a chair, undid the cuffs of his shirt, and slowly folded them back exposing his muscular forearms, all the time staring at Saville Chambers. It was mid-afternoon – seven hours since the solicitor’s clerk had been arrested and placed in a cell, and though he was trying his best to hide his nervousness Hunter could read the signs, both in his face and his body language. Studying his prisoner’s features as he seated himself opposite, Hunter knew he already had the advantage and couldn’t help but issue a smile. Then, straightening his face he opened with, ‘You’ve chosen not to have a solicitor Mr Chambers?’
Saville tried to respond but the words caught in his throat. Giving a slight cough, he answered, ‘It seems pointless when I can represent myself.’
Hunter rolled his neck. ‘Your choice, Mr Chambers. Now me, I’d be looking for all the help I could get right now.’
‘And what’s that supposed to mean? You shouldn’t be talking to me in this manner.’
‘I was only trying to give you some friendly advice. What’s wrong with that?’
‘Can we get on with this?’
At that point Grace walked into the room. She was carrying three brown paper exhibit bags.
&
nbsp; Hunter watched Saville Chambers switch his gaze, casting his eyes on the bags as she set them down on the table.
Taking a seat, Grace switched on the recorder. Following a short buzz from the machine she spoke the formal preamble for recorded interviews and announced who she was. Hunter followed suit and, on finishing, invited Saville Chambers to give his name. He did so.
Hunter then said, ‘Mr Chambers this morning you were arrested for assisting an offender. That offender being one Terrence Arthur Braithwaite. Can I confirm you understand why you were arrested?’
‘Yes, but I think you’ll find you have no proof of that. All I did was support him when you interviewed him at Bridlington Police station.’
Hunter held up a hand. ‘I’ll get around to that in a moment. First I want to talk through this morning. Following your arrest, we executed a warrant to search your home. You were present during that search – is that right?’
‘Yes.’
‘And during that search we found several items of women’s clothing in the wardrobe in one of your rear bedrooms plus two blonde wigs. Is that right?’
Following a short pause and a loud gulp Saville answered, ‘Yes.’
‘Can you tell me who that clothing and those two wigs belong to?’
‘No comment.’
‘Are those items yours Mr Chambers?’
Saville blushed and said, ‘No comment.’
‘I’m not trying to trip you up or embarrass you Mr Chambers, but can I ask you – are you a cross-dresser?’
Flushing even further he answered, ‘No comment.’
‘It wouldn’t be incriminating to admit that you wore women’s clothing you know.’
Saville narrowed his eyes, ‘You’re enjoying this aren’t you Sergeant Kerr?’
‘Not at all, Mr Chambers. I’m simply trying to ascertain who the women’s clothing in your wardrobe belongs to?’
‘And I don’t wish to answer that. Can we move on?’
‘Of course, no problem.’ Hunter momentary glanced at his hands, stretched out his fingers and interlocked them. Lifting his gaze, he said, ‘The reason why I asked you that question is because following a thorough examination of each item of clothing we found among them three pieces of female clothing which are of particular interest to us.’ Hunter picked up one of the exhibit bags Grace had bought in, and flipped it over to reveal a plastic window, allowing sight inside the bag. The contents were a single piece of black and white checked clothing. Hunter continued, ‘I am showing the prisoner item TB 1, which is a pair of female checked trousers, size twelve. Mr Chambers these trousers are fashionably referred to as Oxford bags and I understand were very popular in the nineteen-seventies. Do you recognise them?’
Saville had lost the redness of his earlier blushing and now looked ashen. ‘He stuttered, ‘No comment.’
Hunter pulled across the other two exhibit bags and flipped these over revealing an item of pink clothing, and what appeared to be a folded woollen garment made up of large black and yellow squares. He said ‘I am now showing Mr Chambers items TB2 and TB3, which is a female yellow cotton blouse, size twelve, and a black and yellow checked pullover, fashionably referred to as a tank top and also popular in the nineteen-seventies. Do you recognise these items Mr Chambers?’
‘No comment.’
‘As I say these items were found among the female clothing in the wardrobe at your home. Is there any reason why they should be hung up there?’
‘No comment.’
‘Fair enough Mr Chambers. I’ll hold talking about them for now because I want to talk about something else. I want to talk to you about your home at sixteen Chapel Street. Is that okay?’
Saville threw a puzzled look, ‘If you wish.’
‘When did you go to live at that address?’
‘From when I was born. It was my parent’s home.’
‘Those parents being?’
‘Fred and Sheila.’
‘I understand your dad died when you were young?’
‘Yes, in an accident at work. He worked at the pit. He got crushed in a roof fall.’
‘I’m sorry about that.’
‘It was a long time ago. I was only eight.’
‘Nevertheless, it’s still sad when you lose a parent.’
Saville shrugged.
‘And so you were brought up by your mum?’
‘Yes.’
‘Until Terrence Arthur Braithwaite came on the scene?’
Saville took a deep breath. ‘Yes.’
‘And what age were you when that happened.’
‘I knew Terry before my dad died. He used to deliver our meat from the butchers.’
‘How did you get on with him?’
‘He was okay. He used to chat to my mum.’
Hunter nodded. ‘And after your dad died, how long was it before your mum struck up a relationship with him, or you became aware that they were in a relationship?’
‘I can’t remember exactly. I was around nine – ten when he moved into our house.’
‘And how did you feel about that.’
‘Okay I suppose. I can’t really remember.’
‘And how did you get on with him?’
Saville again shrugged. ‘Okay. He was all right.’
‘Did you have a good relationship with him?’
‘It was okay.’
‘How did he treat you?’
Saville reddened. ‘Look where is this line of questioning going?’
Hunter gestured with open hands, ‘We all know what happened to Terry – what he was accused of and charged with. I mean the things he did made headline news. Not nice stuff at all, especially when you were so young and at an impressionable age. I’m only trying to find out what your relationship with him was as a young boy. Did he ever do anything that you were uncomfortable with, or act in a strange way that you didn’t like?’
‘I’ve said he was okay. Things were okay. Can we move on?’
Hunter drew back his hands and smiled. ‘Of course. How long did Terrence Braithwaite live with you and your mother?’
Saville threw him a puzzled look. ‘I don’t understand. You know how long he lived with us. He was with us until the police arrested him.’
‘What I’m getting at is, was there any period of time when he didn’t live with you? Did Terry and your mum ever split up over anything?’
‘No. There was only that time he went to prison for burglary.’
‘Oh yes of course. What did you think about that?’
‘I can’t really remember.’
‘Okay. And when he came out your mum married him, didn’t she?’
‘Yes.’
‘What did you feel about that?’
‘Nothing. It was her choice.’
‘So she must have loved him?’
‘I suppose so.’
‘Did you ever see Terry abuse your mother?’
It was a couple of seconds before he replied, ‘No.’
‘You hesitated there. Any reason?’
‘No,’ he snapped. ‘I-did-not-see-Terry-ever-abuse-my-mother. Satisfied?’
‘If you say so.’ Hunter paused before asking, ‘How did your mother react when Terry was arrested for the murder of Glynis Young?’
‘I don’t know. I can’t remember.’
‘What did you think?’
‘Nothing.’
‘What? It didn’t affect you? Your step-father being arrested for murder.’
‘Can’t remember how I felt.’
‘It must have had some effect?’
‘Look I’ve said I can’t remember. Okay?’
Hunter studied Saville. After a couple of seconds, he said, ‘Mr Chambers did you ever see Terrence Braithwaite do anything bad at your house. By that I mean hurt or kill anyone?’
‘No! Definitely not.’
Although the response was immediate and emphatic Hunter caught that the words he spat out were fractured.’
‘I tell you why I’m ask
ing you that Mr Chambers, it’s because, as you’re aware, we’ve found a number of female bodies recently. One was in the old chapel and the other near the back garden of your old home, which is what we started to talk about when you and Terry were at Bridlington police station. Since then we have found two other bodies and it’s those two I’m especially interested in because they were found in the cellar of your old house. Do you know anything about two female bodies buried beneath your cellar?’
‘No.’
‘I caught your answer there, but you don’t seem surprised that two bodies were found in the cellar of your home. Is there something you want to tell me?’
‘No. I’m not surprised because I’ve already heard on the news that you’ve found them.’
‘Them? Mr Chambers. As far as I’m aware the news only broadcast that we found one body in the cellar.’
Saville coughed a couple of times before returning, ‘I said them because you’ve just said you’d found two bodies. Look the cellar was off limits. Terry kept it padlocked. I never went down there.’
Hunter smiled. He had to give it to Saville Chambers – he was quick to pick up on the mistake he had just made. ‘Okay, yes I suppose I did. Anyway we’ve spent a good few days trying to identify those bodies and we’ve learned that one of them is a woman called Wendy Lomas. Does that name mean anything to you?’
‘No.’
‘Wendy Lomas was reported missing on the twenty-eighth of October nineteen-seventy and I can tell you that since that date, thirty-nine years ago, nothing has been heard of her until we dug her body up from the cellar of your old home just over a week ago. Do you know anything about that?’
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