Behind a Closed Door (The Estate, Book 2) (33 page)

‘This doesn’t look good,’ Andy said with a shake of his head.

‘I’m right, aren’t I?’ 

Andy scanned over the paperwork again. He sighed loudly before shaking his head. ‘But
Debbie
?’

‘I was fooled, too.’ Josie lowered her eyes briefly in embarrassment. ‘She’s such a devious cow. I’m struggling to look at her at the moment, never mind speak to her. All the people they’ve hurt. I want to slap her.’

‘You need to stay calm for now. Keep this to yourself and I’ll do a bit of digging, see if we can link it all up. We haven’t got a scrap of evidence from any of the burglaries, nor any fingerprints or sightings.’

Josie decided to tell him what she had been thinking about at the weekend. ‘I’m not sure if this will work, but maybe we could set something up. If it is down to Matson, we’ve never known where he’s going to strike next, until now. I have a bungalow that’s come empty over in Ryan place. It’s quiet there. How about I set it up as if someone has moved in and give Debbie clues when I’m in the office?’

Andy gnawed on his bottom lip. ‘Go on,’ he said.

‘You know how we have a few weeks to collar tenants if they don’t move in right away?’

‘Because they claim benefits and then sometimes don’t move in at all?’

‘Yeah, or they use the address to apply for loans, white-goods and the likes – no matter how much we’ve pre-checked them beforehand.’

Andy nodded.

‘I could say something to Debbie like, ‘I’ve just called to see Mrs Marley but she hasn’t moved in yet. I’ll have to get in touch with her daughter. She hasn’t put curtains up and there’s a bloody TV and a microwave all still boxed up. She’s asking for trouble with all these burglaries lately.’ Something like that – what do you reckon?’

‘Don’t mention the burglaries because it might be too obvious,’ Andy suggested. ‘Say that she’s asking for trouble or something similar.’

‘Right,’ said Josie. ‘Then if Debbie tells Philip, it will be over to you then. Would your lot be able to set up some sort of surveillance? Catch them in the act?’

‘Yeah, it’s worth a shot. I’ll speak to my sergeant. It would be great to clear up this case. People are so frightened on the estate.’

Josie gave him a half smile, glad she had finally got the weight off her shoulders. ‘So you don’t think I’m mad, then?’ she asked.

Andy shook his head. ‘Sadly, I don’t. Though I do think you should become a police community support officer. With your mind, we’d solve far more crimes.’

Josie smiled properly this time, even though she hadn’t thought of how to solve her own problems yet. ‘Not for me, Andy,’ she told him. ‘I like to stop the crimes on the estate
before
they happen.’

But as Andy stood up to go, Josie thought of something else.

‘Oh, God, you don’t think he could have had anything to do with Edie Rutter’s murder, do you?’

Andy sighed. ‘It’s highly likely, given what you’ve just told me.’

‘But you don’t have evidence from that either.’

‘Not yet.’ Andy shook his head. ‘But leave that with me.’

As Andy left, Josie shuddered at the thought of Debbie being involved in all this – because if she was and Josie hadn’t reacted quickly enough, not only would she have Edie’s death on her conscience but, she realised, she could have stopped the rest of the burglaries and assaults on the estate too.

Even though the transformation of The Workshop wouldn’t take many weeks to complete as most of the layout of the building would remain unchanged, fascinated by the on-going makeover, Josie took it upon herself to visit the site every day. Since she’d had a word with the project manager from the local authority and found out he was up to his ears with other work, Josie had volunteered to oversee most things. Every now and then he’d ring in to check on something, but other than that, it had been pretty much left up to her. It felt like her project now, and she’d had more input because of it – a fact that she loved. She decided to invite Kelly around to see how things were progressing.

‘You’ll need to wear this,’ Josie handed her a yellow hard-hat before they set foot inside the building.

Kelly gazed around in awe, shocked by the amount of work that had been done already. Now that the wall had been removed in the reception area and the metal sheeting taken down from the windows, it was easier to picture a bright and airy reception area. The stained burgundy carpet had gone and there were three men plastering the walls, ready for decoration. In the main corridor, workmen walked its length and breadth, carrying all sorts of tools and accessories.

Kelly beamed at Josie. ‘It’s amazing,’ she said. ‘It looks much bigger than before.’

Josie nodded. ‘It’s really coming on but I’ve spent so much time here that I’ve hardly been into the office. Lord knows how much work will have piled up on my desk. Still, do you know what? I’ve enjoyed every minute of it. Can I get you a coffee for a change?’

Kelly rummaged inside her bag and pulled out a thermos flask and a packet of biscuits. ‘I bought some, just in case.’

They made room for two little ones in the makeshift kitchen.

‘So what do you think?’ Josie asked, as she dunked a digestive into her drink. ‘Are you pleased so far?’

Kelly nodded enthusiastically. ‘But I’m still worried that I won’t be up to doing it.’

‘You’ll be okay,’ said Josie. ‘And I’m sure your business grant will be approved.’

‘How many applications have you had so far?’

‘Fourteen at the last count.’

 Kelly clapped her hands eagerly. ‘Great! That means fourteen possibilities for me to work my charms on, too.’

Josie smiled. ‘It’s good to see you excited. So come on then, tell me what’s been happening with you lately. It seems ages since I saw you. Last week flew by.’

Kelly explained the falling out between Scott and Jay and about Jay’s mum and the predicament he found himself in.

Josie was flabbergasted. ‘It goes to show, doesn’t it? Gut feelings can be right. I always thought more of Jay. There was something I couldn’t quite put my finger on.’

Kelly thought back to the conversation. ‘It shocked me too at first but once I knew, everything started to make sense. Is there any way you can help them out?’

Josie nodded. ‘The hardest part will be persuading Mrs Kirkwell to accept it. People are so proud. But the trick I use is to suggest a solution, plant a seed – I usually hear a ton of excuses – and then I wait for the idea to sink in. Sometimes it takes a matter of hours, sometimes days, but it always comes out in my favour.’ Josie waved a hand around the room. ‘I did the same with you about this place.’

Kelly laughed at her audacity. Josie was a mastermind: she
had
come round to her way of thinking eventually.

‘If you ever need a favour you know where I am,’ she volunteered.

‘Now that you mention it, I’ve put you down as a member of the task and finish group to get this place right from the very beginning.’ Josie rushed for her mobile as it vibrated across the worktop. ‘There’s a meeting to attend, once a week for the next month, until we open. You’re the perfect person to put forward an idea for a crèche or after school club. It’d be great for clients and unit holders alike. Hello, Josie Mellor speaking.’

Kelly smiled as Josie moved away to take the call. Josie was so full of confidence at the moment. She seemed happy, more positive. Surely it couldn’t only be a haircut and a change of environment. Although she was working in dusty, messy rooms, Josie was dressed in new clothes. She wore black tailored trousers and a fitted blouse, the jacket to the suit draped carefully over the back of her chair. Kelly had also spotted a pair of heels in the corner by the window. Josie had her work boots on now but she must have brought them here to change into whenever necessary.

Josie, however, wasn’t looking happy when she disconnected the call. Momentarily, she gazed out of the tiny window to her right. It overlooked a brick wall, something she thought she might hit again and again over the coming days.

‘Bad news?’ Kelly questioned, noticing her distress.

‘Just another nasty phone call from my bloody husband. He’s now threatening to move back into my house until he gets half of everything –
half
of everything, idiot. I don’t know where he got that notion from.’

‘But…’ Kelly was confused, ‘it’s your house, isn’t it?’

Josie nodded.

‘So he can’t do that!’

‘He’s intent on fighting me for every penny. Stewart’s really tight where money is concerned. He’s told me he’s willing to pay a solicitor to get what is rightly his, so I know he’s serious.’

‘But what about his mother?’ Kelly had to bring the subject up now.

‘His mother died a few years ago. I’m sure I’ve told you that already.’

Kelly watched as Josie stared ahead deep in thought, a frown on her face. In a matter of seconds she was faced with her worst nightmare. Should she tell Josie what she knew about Stewart? Was it really any of her business to interfere?

But how
could
she tell her?

Then again, how could she
not
tell her? How would she feel if it was kept from her?

Josie turned to her with a smile but she could see her eyes brimming with tears. Before she gave herself time to bottle out, Kelly spoke out.

‘Josie, I have something to tell you.’

‘When did you find this out? More to the point,
how
did you find this out? You’re telling me that his mother is alive? That he pretends he isn’t married to me, like I don’t exist? They think he’s a single bloke at the factory?’

The questions all came out at once. Kelly hardly had time to answer one before Josie fired another at her. She watched the colour fading from her face.

‘It can’t be true.’ Josie clasped her hands together to stop them shaking. She sat down with a thump.

‘I wouldn’t have told you without checking everything out first,’ Kelly said.

‘It’s not that I don’t believe you.’ Josie shook her head. ‘Quite frankly, I wouldn’t put it past Stewart to do such a thing the more I’ve seen of him lately. It’s just that I don’t want to believe he would do it to
me
.’

‘I’m sorry, but I couldn’t let you give away half of your house to a fuckwit like him.’

‘How long have you known?’

‘Since I saw that photo, the one that fell out of the books you gave to Emily.’ Kelly gulped. This was the moment of truth, the moment where she’d find out if Josie hated her for not telling her sooner.

Josie’s right eye twitched. ‘But that was weeks ago! Why didn’t you tell me then?’

‘I… I… didn’t know how to.’

Josie was lost for words. Her mind formed question after question. What Kelly had told her would make perfect sense to anyone who knew Stewart. He was sneaky enough, she knew that. But would even he do something as bitter and twisted as this? And why, what would be his reasoning?

‘I’m sorry,’ said Kelly.

But Josie didn’t blame her. ‘This isn’t your fault. I’d have done the same thing in your predicament.’

‘Really?’ Kelly didn’t sound convinced.

‘Absolutely. Besides, knowing this allows me to be one step ahead for a while until I figure out what the hell is going on.’

As soon as Josie got home that evening, she raced up to the spare room where she had stored all of Stewart’s belongings. He hadn’t collected them, no matter how many times she had asked. She wondered if he thought that the longer he left them there, the more chance there was of him coming back, when in actual fact there was no chance at all. If what Kelly had told her earlier turned out to be true, his stuff would be thrown at the gates of Miles’ Factory.

She checked through the things she’d bagged up for him, and inside the boxes that she had filled with items from the drawers of his desk: lots of papers, magazines, notepads and car brochures, old bill reminders. Then she paused for a moment before dashing downstairs to the hallway. Rummaging through the recent pile of mail that had accumulated in Stewart’s name, she found the envelope she was after. With shaking hands, she reached inside it and pulled out the letter.

For what seemed like forever, she stood in the hallway. Still in denial, she read the salutation again.

Dear Mrs Sarah Mellor.
Mrs
S Mellor.

Was it any wonder the bank hadn’t stopped sending the statements out after she’d complained? There hadn’t been any mistake in their wording. The letter shouldn’t have been addressed to Mr S Mellor.

Stewart’s mother was called Sarah.

Mrs Sarah Mellor.

Mrs
S Mellor.

Josie looked down to the bottom of the letter. The balance on the enclosed statement was twenty-two thousand, seven hundred and twenty-nine pounds. And twenty-one pence; mustn’t forget the pennies.