Death on High (The Lakeland Murders) (23 page)

Mann nodded.

‘Nice one, but the bloke the lead goes to is in a different league from Fraser. Not a man to be messed with, know what I mean?’

Mann kept quiet, and hoped that Brockbank hadn’t finished. But he had.

‘I’ll be staying here’ said Mann, nodding towards the window, ‘I prefer our weather. But thanks for the tip. So is that what stops you jacking it in then Ben? Not knowing how the likes of Fraser will react if you wanted to drop out.’

Brockbank looked out of the window.

‘Honestly marrer, it’s partly that. I shouldn’t ever have got involved with the likes of Fraser, but I needed a market for the stock I was nicking so I did. And he wasn’t too bad at first, he said he understood why I was doing it like. It was all bollocks obviously. But now it’s different. I sort of enjoy it. There’s the buzz like, plus I’m nicking from the types of people who are forcing the likes of me off the land, and keeping my old dad working ‘til he drops. There’s no other way of sticking two fingers up to them that I know of, except stealing from them. And believe me, I’ve tried to think of one.’

Andy Hall was having second thoughts about talking to Vicky’s son, but on the dot of three Jane was at his door, coat already on, and with the kind of intense expression that he’d become so used to. Maybe he had it too. He turned off his computer, got his coat, had a quick word with Ray Dixon and followed Jane out of the office.

Peter Harrison was a tall lad, wearing fashionable glasses. He already looked like an architect somehow. Hall recognised him straight away, and wished he’d run a PNC check before they’d left. Had they nicked the kid for something? Then it came back, he’d been at the same school as his kids, and he’s played the lead in a school play a year or two back. He hadn’t been bad, either.

Hall and Jane Francis showed their Warrant cards and Peter asked them in. His laptop was open in the sitting room and music that Hall didn’t recognise was playing quietly on the stereo. He rather liked it.

‘Is it about my dad? My mum said you were still looking into what happened, but I couldn’t really see why.’

‘We’re still completing our background enquiries’ said Hall. ‘And we’re very sorry for your loss. You must miss your dad.’

The kid might have been a competent actor, but he made no effort to hide his feelings. He just shrugged. Suddenly Hall was glad they’d come.

‘So didn’t your parents get on?’

‘They didn’t row if that’s what you mean.’

‘That’s a good thing, isn’t it?’

‘It depends why they don’t. My mum had just given in, you know, she knew what dad wanted, and what would happen if he didn’t get it, all the time.’

‘What do you mean Peter?’

‘I don’t mean he hit her. I’m pretty sure he never did before I went to uni anyway, but it was just pressure all the time, you know. He was always the centre of everything. And when I came home at Christmas it had got worse I thought, but it might just have been that I was more aware of it. I don’t know.’

‘But you’ve been thinking about it?’

‘Of course. I’ve been thinking about my dad a lot since he died. I don’t want to be like him.’

‘You’re studying to be an architect.’

‘Yeh’ Peter smiled sadly, ‘it was what he wanted, I know that. And of course I’ve thought about changing course now that he’s gone. But you know, it’s what I really want to do. Nothing to do with him though, absolutely nothing to do with him.’

‘How has your mum been since it happened?’

‘Not too bad. Look, what has that got to do with anything? Why are you here again?’

Hall knew that he didn’t have long to complete the interview.

‘Peter, do you know a woman called Lillian Hill?’

‘No. Who is she?’

‘Has your mum ever mentioned her?’

‘No.’

‘That’s fine, thanks. We’ll leave you to get on with your work.’

‘You never asked him about his mum contacting that domestic violence helpline, did you?’ said Jane, as they drove back to the station.

‘There wasn’t much need really, was there?’

‘So you do think that we’ve got enough to suggest a motive.’

‘I do. He may not have assaulted her physically at all, although I think it sounds like that he might have started after the boy had gone to college, but he obviously dominated her totally for many years. To tell you the truth Jane, I sometimes wonder if I was like that at home too.’

Jane laughed out loud, but stopped herself. ‘Did your wife say that?’

‘Hinted at it, and she was probably right. She always did more than her fair share at home.’

‘It’s not quite the same is it?’

‘No, but then my wife didn’t end up pushing me off a cliff - maybe - either.’

‘Look Andy, it’s really not my place, but don’t you think that maybe you’re over-thinking all this just a bit?’

‘You mean my marriage, rather than the case?’

‘Yes, of course. I know what you’re like Andy, and I understand the over-analysis; that goes with the territory when you do what we do all day, but I do wish that you’d blame yourself a bit less. In my experience most people who divorce seem to do nothing but blame the other party, which is obviously bloody stupid, but I just think you’ve probably gone a bit too far the other way.’

‘Really?’ Hall went silent, until he was reversing, somewhat laboriously, into an awkward parking space at the back of the station. Jane wondered if she’d said too much, and she soon got her answer. The emotional shutters had come down; Hall was very firmly back in work mode.

‘I think we should get them both in, formally, at the same time and see if we can anything out of either of them. Go through their stories in fine detail. You never know, we might get a toe-hold somewhere. I just have a feeling it’s all we’d need.’

‘What about Robinson?’

‘You think he might change his mind about moving you if we got some kind of result, or at least proved that there was a case worth investigating?’

‘No’ said Jane.

‘Nor do I, more’s the pity. But there’s nothing he can do. I’m SIO, and unless he wants a formal complaint from me that’s how it’s going to stay. He’s conflicted, it’s as simple as that, so I’m within my rights to follow up on this. So unless you have any objection I suggest we proceed on that basis. Meanwhile, do me a favour and go over the PM again, and make sure we’ve got the file, with all the pictures, when we do the interviews.’

‘His head was pretty bad boss.’

‘I know that Jane, and I don’t want to do it. But we’re running out of options here, we really are. This will be our absolutely last chance to shake one of them, so we need to try anything we can think of.’

Ian Mann wasn’t an easy man to take by surprise but Joey Spedding very nearly managed it. Mann had just put his key in the door lock when he heard someone behind him, and a second later he was looking down at Spedding, who looked more than a little surprised to find himself on the pavement, his left arm on the edge of hyperextension.

When Mann saw who it was he let go, and Spedding got up. He looked angry now.

‘Where did you learn that move then Gary? The Marines, or the cops mebbe?’

‘Girl Guides’ said Mann. ‘No one can take a Girl Guide in hand-to-hand combat.’

Spedding laughed, but his expression hardly changed. ‘Aren’t you going to ask me in?’

Mann gestured for Spedding to go in ahead of him. Spedding hesitated for a moment, then walked in to the house. Mann scanned the parked cars and couldn’t see anyone in them. But he still slid the bolt when he followed Spedding in to the hall. Spedding was watching him as he did it.

‘What, don’t you trust me then Gary?’

‘Not really Joey, no.’

‘Fair enough. Got any beer?’

‘No. I can do tea.’

‘Now that’s funny Gary. You’re for ever in that shitty pub we go to, but you’ve got no beer at home. What’s all that about?’

‘I prefer proper beer. Bottled is too gassy.’

Spedding nodded, and Mann gestured to the sitting room. They sat down.

‘What can I do for you Joey?’

‘You were very cool up on that roof.’

‘It was no height, Joey. And it was the size of a bloody football pitch.’

‘I didn’t mean that. You didn’t seem worried about the law.’

‘Why would I be? There wasn’t anyone around, unless you know something I don’t.’

‘Marines wasn’t it?’

‘Yeh, you know that.’

‘Special forces I’ll bet.’

Mann shook his head. ‘You know how this goes Joey. Anyone who tells you they were in that lot wasn’t, and anyone who tells you they weren’t might have been.’

‘And you’re saying you weren’t?’

‘That’s right. Now unless you’ve come to compare cap badges can you please get to the point, if there is one.’

Joey Spedding rubbed his arm.

‘And you’ve rented this place recently?’

‘That’s right, when I came back from Spain. Look, what is all this?’

‘Couple of people asking questions, that’s all. You’ve dropped in from nowhere Gary, and you’re like this model worker. Most of my blokes forget things, or turn up late, but not you. It wouldn’t surprise me if you could open a bank vault if you wanted.’

‘Give me the keys to the ordnance stores and a few trial runs and I’ll give it a go’ said Mann.

Spedding smiled. ‘All right Gary, I believe you. Thousands wouldn’t mind. I don’t think you’re a copper, too fit for a start. And I phoned your old regiment too. Not very chatty are they?’

Mann shrugged.

‘I told them that I was looking to hire you, and wanted to check your CV. The posh woman I spoke to confirmed you’d been in, then started asking me questions.’

Mann smiled. ‘They can’t be too careful.’

‘A bit like you, eh Gary? Anyway, you on for another visit to the Abbey? I think they’ve still got some gear that by rights belongs to us.’

‘Yeh, why not? By the way, you know there’s a better way of getting the stuff off the roof?’

Spedding didn’t, so Mann explained. He even drew a diagram on the back of an envelope and gave Spedding a list of the extra equipment they’d need. It would double the capacity of the hoist at least.

‘Like it, thanks. But it’ll still take us two more trips anyway’ said Spedding, pocketing the envelope. ‘We’ve got a buyer who wants as much of the gear as we can get. Sunday night again, all right?’

Mann nodded. ‘Have you got anything for me today Joey?’

‘I thought you’d never ask. Yeh, as a matter of fact I do.’

Spedding put a wad of notes on the table. Mann didn’t pick them up.

‘What, you trust me now do you Gary?’

‘Nah, but I’ll be up on that roof with you on Sunday night, and I’m the one with the Girl Guide training remember.’

Friday, 22nd March

Andy Hall was awake at five, and at the big out-of-town supermarket before six. He saw a couple of uniformed coppers in the cafe and waved as he passed. The kids ate so much, especially at weekends, that he’d taken to coming in early on a Friday or Saturday most weeks, and he’d started to notice the same people, usually men, doing their weekly shops. He’d read that single women who were on the look-out used supermarkets as a good place to spot single blokes, but if they did he’d be in with no chance. He imagined they’d be looking for the blokes buying fresh, gourmet ingredients for one, while his family-sized trolley was always piled high with prepared foods that the kids seemed to love, and which they were even willing to warm up if he was still at work. And he also always seemed to end up with a big bale of bog rolls perched in the kiddie seat. He doubted that it was a good look.

He took the stuff home, restocked the cupboards, the fridge and freezer, put a load of washing on and then headed in to work. He’d tried to persuade the kids to do a bit of cleaning round the house, with limited effect, so he thought that would be a job for the weekend. But at least the grass didn’t quite need cutting again yet.

Jane Francis wasn’t at her desk when he got in, but to his surprise Ray Dixon was.

‘All right boss?’ he said as Hall approached.

‘Wife threw you out, did she Ray?’

‘Very funny. I’m in the good books at present as it happens, so no chance of that. It won’t last mind.’

‘I’m sure it won’t. So how’s it going for Sunday?’

‘Pretty good boss. I think five units will cover it, because that lorry has got to work its way back to the A69, whichever way it’s going, so we’ll pick them up from there.’

‘What vehicles are you using?’

‘Two cars and three vans. I’ve called in a few favours and borrowed a couple of vans from the local utility companies.’

‘Nice one Ray, that’s smart thinking.’