by Liz Mistry
If he’d had the time, he would have been tempted to do a little bit of mischief making on the side – stir things up for them. Alas, time isn’t on his side. He’d targeted her and his research has revealed that she would be perfect from all perspectives. So, he seals the deal and begins planning in earnest. He could always, at a later date, drop the news to the grieving father that he’d been duped. That would serve his sense of justice, without delaying his plans in any way.
All in all, things are progressing nicely and if he plays his cards right, later on he might be able to snatch a glimpse of the grieving DS Cooper – that would certainly make his evening.
Chapter 49
Bradford
Gus spent an uncomfortable half hour filling Alice in on what he’d discovered. Initially he’d been inclined to lie to her, but on reflection, he realised she’d access the files anyway, so he may as well tell her the truth. Perhaps Hopkins’s pornographic masturbatory tastes were best heard coming from him – although he’d give anything for someone else to have that responsibility. Alice hadn’t reacted and that worried Gus. Tears – even a few – would be acceptable – and probably beneficial. Keeping it all inside wouldn’t do her any good at all, conveniently ignoring the fact that Alice’s reactions were exactly the way he coped with the hard things. The only difference was he had his running to release the tension – Alice didn’t.
‘Got something.’ Compo jumped to his feet, nearly being yanked backwards by his headphones which he’d forgotten to remove.
Smothering the sigh of relief at being able to focus on something else, Gus turned to Compo. ‘Go on then. What you got?’
‘Well, somebody with quite a bit of expertise managed to gain access to the server that ran the security cameras and block them off from around half ten last night until when it was discovered at around half two this morning and an engineer reset it then.’
‘So, that means we have no footage of our guy getting in?’
‘Nope, we don’t, but’ – he grinned, bopping his hips from side to side in a macabre dance – ‘we have something else.’
Alice moved closer to Compo. Despite the pallor which made her dark eyes more pronounced and her general appearance more fragile, her tone was sharp. ‘Spit it out, Comps! Can’t be arsed with your dramatics today. Just accept it as read, that we’re all suitably amazed by your genius and just tell us what the fuck you’ve found.’
Gus bit his lip at the wounded animal look Compo directed to Alice and noted that he edged away from her, no doubt recollecting her recently acquired habit of prodding or slapping him on the shoulder when he dilly dallied.
‘So, I then went on to work out which people entered the Lister Mills complex last night.’ Compo pressed a button and a list appeared on the large whiteboard at the front of the room.
While Gus and Alice studied the list, Compo continued talking. ‘I double checked this with the residents’ names. It shows that everyone to enter or leave the building between 5 p.m. and 2 a.m. the next morning were residents – no maintenance men, no cleaners, no visitors with a visitor’s code – nobody, but residents.’
Alice frowned. ‘Why between those hours?’
‘Well, I looked at the security footage and realised that there was nowhere to hide except for the car park, but it was patrolled regularly every twenty minutes – until – the night security guard dozed off at around tennish – he admitted it to Taffy – I just wanted to see who was in the building overnight.’
‘So – our killer lives there?’ That didn’t feel right to Gus. He’d anticipated the killer entering and leaving the building in a clandestine manner. Why would he risk exposing himself to scrutiny by the police by choosing a target in his own building? Of course, they still had no evidence to support the fact that the home invader random strangler was the same as the home invader pregnant women strangler, even so, if Hopkins’s killer was only responsible for his and Smedley’s murders, it just seemed wrong. A glance at Alice’s frowning face, told him that she was thinking along a similar line.
Before either of them could voice their thoughts, Compo began bouncing on the soles of his feet, a sure sign that he had something else important to impart. ‘Not necessarily.’
He pointed at the screen, grinning widely. ‘Didn’t you notice the incongruent comings and goings?’
Incongruent? Gus looked back at the list, shaking his head, as Alice slapped her palm on the table and tutted. ‘Comps?’ Gus nodded at Alice whose pallor had been replaced by an annoyed flush.
Getting the message, Compo hurriedly highlighted the three relevant parts and then waited with an expectant look on his face. After a few seconds of silence, realising that even the highlights hadn’t clarified his findings enough for Alice and Gus, he sighed. ‘Jez Hopkins entered the complex into the garage at 20:35. He accessed the lift from the garage to his floor at 20:37. And entered his flat at 20:38.’
Gus frowned at first, then grinning, clicked his fingers. ‘You’re bloody brilliant, Compo.’ He turned to Alice. ‘So how the hell is Hopkins then registered as entering the complex again at 21:45?’
Alice shook her head. ‘Maybe he went out and came back in again. He is allowed to, you know?’
Ignoring Alice’s tetchiness, Gus turned to Compo. ‘Did he go out again?’
Compo, smile really wide now, shook his head. ‘He didn’t … but his killer came in using his access code.’ Milking the situation, Compo paused for dramatic effect. ‘Which means one of two things. Either Hopkins shared his code…’
He looked at Alice who shook her head. ‘No, Jez was careful about stuff like that after getting caught up with that killer a few years ago. He was verging on paranoid about his personal safety. Despite me being a copper, he wouldn’t divulge his personal access code – not even to me.’
‘That’s what I reckoned – so, it looks like someone gained his access code another way.’
‘Hacking the server?’ Gus wasn’t entirely sure what hacking the server would entail, but he was well used to the fact that Compo was more than equipped to tell him if this was the case.
‘Humph.’
Compo’s derisive snort, made Gus feel like he’d been relegated to the bottom of the class, but he waited, sure that Compo must have come up with another idea.
‘No chance, it’s a hack job. Even I couldn’t get that information – the security system is encrypted, and they’ve adopted a fire…’
‘Compo!’
The tone of Alice’s voice stopped Compo’s detailed description of the security system and focussed him on telling them what he’d found in layman’s terms. ‘No, I think the only way someone would know his code was if they were watching him type in his number and…’ He pressed a button, changing the image on the screen with a, ‘Ta da…’
The highlighted entry times list was replaced by an image of a man with a limp and curly grey straggly hair in a hi-vis jacket, hat pulled down over his forehead. He was recorded outside Hopkins’s flat two days previously at 17:35. They watched him exit the lift and walk directly to Hopkins’s door. Compo slowed the feed down. ‘Look. The bastard does something with his hand near Hopkins’s door pad … but we can’t see what, because his body obscures his actions. I reckon he placed a camera that could record the access code and send it to a secure server, because…’
Another image flashed on the whiteboard this time of the same man, but dated the following day at 14:25. ‘This time he entered Hopkins’s flat using an access code.’
‘That’s your man, I reckon.’ Compo’s face was flushed with the excitement of a possible breakthrough, but Alice wasn’t convinced. ‘But, if he was able to interfere with the CCTV, why not do it then, to cover his access to the flat yesterday and why would he access the flat the day before he killed Hopkins – it all seems a bit risky to me?’
‘I thought about that.’ Compo agreed. ‘But it occurred to me that it would have been noticed if there was interference during the day and probably
would have resulted in a security re-jig – a request for residents to change passwords etc. So, I reckon he took the risk.’
Gus had listened carefully to Compo and studied the still of the man on the screen. ‘I think Compo’s right. But I don’t think our man has got a limp or grey straggly hair, more’s the pity.’
‘No. He’ll have disguised himself and, as it is, we don’t get a proper look at his face. However, when we catch him, some expert or other will be able to find common points from his posture that will match him.’
‘OK, if you’re right with all of this, Comps, what do you think he was doing in Hopkins’s flat?’
‘I think I can answer that.’ Gus’s mind went back to the soiled sock in Hopkins’s bedroom. ‘If our man’s so good with cameras maybe once he had the access code, he couldn’t resist placing a camera in Hopkins’s flat – maybe a few cameras, so he could see what his victim got up to.’
‘Plausible, definitely plausible.’ Compo clicked his fingers together gangsta style. ‘He’ll have removed them when he left, but we might still be able to find evidence that they were there in the first place. I’ll get on the phone to Sid and ask him to check it out.’
For the first time since he’d attended Miranda Brookes’ crime scene, Gus was convinced that things were coming together. He was sure they were on the right track, they just had to keep moving on with this. But seconds later his optimism was shattered.
The door clattered open and DCI Chalmers, dress floating around her, stepped into the incident room, her glare scorching each of the three occupants in turn. Sebastian Carlton trailed after her with a contrite expression on his flushed face and in an overly loud voice said, ‘I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Shoot me now. I hadn’t realised that we were keeping DS Cooper’s relationship with the most recent murder victim a secret.’
Shit, crap, and fuck had all truly hit the fan. Gus gulped. Chalmers was a demon when crossed and, thanks to their resident imbecile, Carlton, she thought they’d deliberately kept her out of the picture. Compo, sensing the tornado that was about to sweep the room, took refuge behind his computer station, leaving Alice and Gus in the firing line. Gus stepped forward, hands out in what he thought would be a vain attempt to placate his boss. Sparing an angry glare for Carlton before he spoke, Gus moved closer. ‘Professor Carlton has it all wrong, Nancy. We’re not keeping secrets from you – we wouldn’t dare.’ Seeing her lips scrunch up in a ‘no, you bloody better not dare’ type of scowl, Gus took heart.
‘Alice, quite rightly, sent me over to the Hopkins’s crime scene. As you know, I’m already working the Erica Smedley case…’
‘Not very successfully, I might say…’
Gus inclined his head, acknowledging Nancy’s caustic response. ‘Well, that’s as may be, but we believe that the Hopkins and Smedley killings are the work of the same perpetrator and Alice has had nothing to do with the investigation so far. I’m SIO on it … and she alibies out for his murder time.’
‘Hmm, what is it with this damn team of yours, Gus? Always some sort of hassle or complication.’
Gus was pleased to note, that her face had returned to its normal colour and her heaving chest was less pronounced. But she wasn’t completely ready to let them off the hook yet. ‘Sebastian tells me there’s a chance the two investigations may be linked?’ She pierced Gus with her glare, daring him to lie to her, but Gus was no fool. ‘Well, yes, that’s a consideration.’
Taking a little creative licence, he shrugged. ‘Al and I were discussing that just before you came in. We’ve decided that if the cases prove to be linked, then both of us would have to resign our respective SIO roles. However, until such time, we can continue, if you agree, of course.’
Nancy thought for a second and then nodded. ‘OK, but as soon as those cases are linked, then we’ll need a new SIO. She glanced round the room, her gaze landing on the only other occupant, DC Compo. With a faint shake of her head, she said, ‘Well, there’ll be nothing else for it, I suppose. If push comes to shove and you two are off the cases, I’ll just have to…’
‘Compo’s not experienced enough, Nancy. You can’t have a DC as SIO.’
‘For goodness’ sake, Gus. Do you really think I’d thrust Compo in that role? No, what I was going to say, before you so rudely interrupted, was that I’d take on the role myself.’
Gus glanced at Compo who looked confused and relieved in equal measure. Gus winked at him, and he promptly ducked his head down and put his headphones on. Compo was a wise chicken – he knew when to become invisible.
‘Now, McGuire. What’s this I hear about you swanning off up to Scotland to talk to Rory Robertson?’
Seeing his chance to get out of an uncomfortable journey with his mum and Sadia, Gus attempted to look forlorn. ‘Oh, don’t worry about that, Nancy. I’ve already decided that my place is here in Bradford investigating the Hopkins’s murder. I’ll cancel, don’t worry.’
But Nancy looked horrified. ‘You bloody well will not cancel and leave your poor mum to go there on her own.’
As Carlton opened his mouth no doubt to say he was also going to be there, Nancy glared at him and his mouth snapped shut. ‘I fancy dipping my toes in the pool, Gus, so bring me up to speed and I’ll step in for you, for now.’
Seeing his chance to extricate himself from the Scottish trip disappearing, Gus played his last card. ‘I wouldn’t dream of it. You’re far too busy. Acting DCS, and all that. No, I know where my place is, Nancy.’
But Nancy was not to be dissuaded. Rubbing her hands together, she plopped herself down on a chair and smiling widely, said, ‘Nonsense. I need a bit of a break from the paperwork – it’s driving me batty. This will be just the thing to keep me sane – besides it’s not like you’re a million miles away. They have phones and Internet and all sorts in Scotland, you know? Now, bring me up to speed.’
Chapter 50
Bradford
The previous evening, Gus and Alice had remained at The Fort, trying to focus on work and then, despite Gus’s early start to head up to Scotland the following day, had gone home to a share a bottle of whisky. Alice explained how she and Hopkins had stayed in touch, even when she’d been in prison. She liked him, had fun with him, and although it hadn’t been a serious relationship, she was shocked and distraught at his death. At one point she’d gazed into her whisky tumbler. ‘Seems like everyone I get close to, dies.’
Gus had his own demons on that score, so he didn’t utter the meaningless platitudes that would have angered Alice. Instead he got up and put the kettle on. ‘Black coffee and then bed for you, Cooper. You’re on your own tomorrow with Nancy to contend with, so you need to be in tip top shape, not hung-over with breath like a dog’s arse.’
Alice leant over and stroked Bingo who had nestled with his head resting on her lap as they talked. She snuggled her face into the dog’s fur. ‘Tell Gussy dad not to be rude. Your arse smells of roses doesn’t it, Bingo?’
With a sleepy tail wag, Bingo blinked at her and then promptly fell back asleep. ‘So, Scotland for you tomorrow? It’ll be good to spend some time with your mum – even if the good professor is there with you.’
So much had happened during the day that Gus hadn’t got round to telling Alice about his mum’s latest betrayal. Sighing, he handed her her cup, shoved a half open packet of Rich Tea onto her lap and settled back in his own chair, wishing he hadn’t made them both coffee. He could certainly have done with another nip of whisky.
Attuned as ever to Gus’s moods, Alice looked over the rim of her cup. ‘OK, what’s up? You’ve been a bit off all day, but I put it down to being worried about me – but clearly that’s not all that’s up.’
Where to start? Gus didn’t want to talk about it, but it would provide a bit of a distraction for Alice. ‘You know that Police Scotland officer my mum contacted to speak to her foster brother?’
‘The one Taffy spoke to, said she didn’t manage to get anything from Rory, that’s why I agreed that you and
Carlton could go up and try your hand at getting something useful from him – off the record like.’
‘Well, what Taffy failed to mention was the name of the officer my mum had reached out to.’ He shrugged before continuing, his voice bitter. ‘And, lo and behold, my mum also failed to divulge the name – and me being the idiot I am, didn’t think to ask, once she’d given the number to Taffy.’
‘I didn’t ask either – I don’t know anybody in Police Scotland, so it would just have been a name to me – what’s the problem?’
Gus snorted. ‘That’s where you’d be wrong, Al. We both know this officer. Me quite intimately…’
Jumping to his feet, Gus began pacing the room as Alice’s quizzical expression changed to one of understanding. ‘No … It can’t be…’
‘Oh, but it fucking is, Al. My mum reached out to Sadia.’
‘How did she know Sadia was working for Police Scotland? How could she?’
Flinging himself back in his chair, legs flopped over the arm rest, Gus snorted again. ‘Oh, seems Mummy Dearest has been in contact with Sadia all this time.’
‘And she didn’t think to mention it to you?’
‘Seems not … but that’s not the worst of it. She’s invited Sadia to drive back up to Scotland with us tomorrow.’
Alice shut her eyes. ‘Nooooo…’
‘Yes … Don’t know what the hell she’s playing at.’