DEAD & BURIED a gripping crime thriller full of twists (18 page)

“I get the feeling she doesn’t like you much.”

“It’s mutual. She’s a mad bitch. I’ve told her, much more of her nonsense and I’ll sue.”

“The place is quiet, sir. Most of the rooms are empty.” Eliza hung back, her arms folded. She didn’t look at Costello.

The barman called across. “Whisky, sir?”

“Bring the bottle over, Robin.”

“I’d feel happier if you were less visible.”

“Sorry to disappoint, Inspector. I’m not in the habit of hiding in a corner. This scumbag wants me, he’ll have to come out into the open.”

Rocco was standing in front of the table looking through the window. He was nervous. This situation could become very dangerous at any moment. Costello was a volatile man. Rocco moved aside to allow the barman access. The barman was carrying a heavy tray. It held a bottle of single malt and a tea towel, under which Rocco presumed were glasses. But he let it slip. The tray landed on the table with crash and the bottle hit the floor. During the split second when everyone’s attention was diverted, the barman snatched a revolver from under the tea towel.

“Stay put!” he ordered. “Don’t even flinch.” He pointed the weapon at Calladine, who was about to get to his feet.

“You are Trent?” Rocco asked.

“No. Tell them who I am, Costello.” He held up his hand. Half of his little finger was missing.

“Robert Silver.”

“But you’ve been calling yourself Trent.”

“Yes, Inspector. Although we’ve never met, Silver is a name Costello knows too well.” He jabbed the gun in Costello’s chest. “Get up!”

“You can’t hope to get out of here. His people are all over the building.”

Silver looked at Calladine. “You don’t get it, do you? This is about getting him. Getting even, not getting away.” He shrugged. “If I do get out of this, it’s just a bonus.”

“What did Costello do to you?”

“He killed my son, Ryan. Shot his arms and legs to pieces then threw him in a lake and left him to drown.”

“You should have come to us.”

Silver snorted. “You lot are useless. Look at you now. You’re drinking with the bastard. Ryan took part in that Cheshire job. Then this piece of shit thinks Ryan spilled his guts to the police so he punishes him. Made an example. That’s what you called it, wasn’t it Costello?”

Wearily, Costello got to his feet. “We’ll take this outside.”

Silver pushed him, the gun poking into his back. As he manoeuvred between the tables, Eliza King stuck out her foot. Calladine lunged forward, sending Silver face forward onto the floor. The gun jolted from his hand and slid across the carpet. But not before he’d fired it. Costello fell, blood pouring from his back.

Chapter 22

“What are you lot doing here?” DC Imogen Goode asked as the ambulance and police car pulled into the hospital car park.

“Costello’s been shot,” Rocco told her. “And we’ve arrested Silver — or Trent as we thought he was called.”

“Well done!”

“It was down to DCI King really. She’s a cool one alright. Silver was about to make off with Costello and she sticks out her foot, trips him up. Foolhardy, the boss said, but it worked. Silver has been working as a barman at the Pennine Inn for weeks. Called himself Robin. The same Robin who backed up Tanya’s story. But for the purposes of getting Costello he set himself up as Trent. The only person who’d have known his true identity would have been Tanya Mallon.”

“Where is the boss?”

“That car over there.”

What she was about to tell him wouldn’t make Calladine happy. “Sir, Tanya Mallon is dead.”

His eyes shot up to meet hers. “How? When did this happen? She was locked up, for God’s sake!”

“She was taken ill in the cells. An ambulance picked her up from the nick. But it can’t have been genuine. By the time the real ambulance turned up she was gone. The doctors here think that something lethal was administered on the journey here. Doctor Bower is coming here straight away to do the post-mortem.”

“She certainly wasn’t blameless but she didn’t deserve to die.” He was furious. No Tanya, no more case against Costello. The chances had been slim before, but now they were non-existent.

“Oh, and Ricky Blackwell phoned. They are coming home tomorrow but want picking up at the coach station. They are terrified of some man who has been threatening them.”

“Silver.”

“Ricky didn’t say. What have you done with Silver?”

“He’s locked up at the station. He’s virtually admitted he’s behind the lot. Killing the lads and making out it was down to Costello. And the scam about having information. We’ll talk to him later.” He checked his watch. “It’s getting late. We might leave it until tomorrow.”

“And Costello? Is he badly hurt?”

“I’m just going in to find out.”

* * *

Costello grinned at him. “They tell me I’ll live, Inspector. Be sure to thank that bad-tempered bitch for me. I bet she can’t believe what she did! Hates me, she does. She blames me for that stupid kid of hers being like she is.”

Calladine didn’t comment. Eliza had spoken only briefly about her daughters. “What’s the damage?”

“Thankfully I’m a tad overweight.” Costello pointed to the dressing at the side of his waist. “The bullet went through here. Straight through. Hit nothing but blubber.”

“You were lucky.”

“What will you do with Silver?”

“Charge him. After we’ve heard what he’s got to say.”

“His son was a muppet. He deserved everything he got.”

“So you did know Ryan Silver?”

“Yes, but not like his father said. I wasn’t responsible for any robbery. The lad worked on my security team. He had an accident. I can’t see to everything. Things go wrong.”

“I will have to talk to you again, Mr Costello.”

Costello shouted to the hulk standing guard by the door. “Gregor! Give the inspector my card.”

Calladine walked out into the evening sunshine. He doubted they would get anything to incriminate Costello. The Cheshire robbery had been thoroughly investigated at the time. “You might as well call it a day,” he told the others, who were waiting in the car park. “Where’s Eliza gone?”

“Back to the nick,” Rocco replied. “DCI Birch has been on. Ken Blackwell was killed this afternoon in Strangeways. He was knifed in the showers.”

Calladine groaned. He knew what this was. Costello was clearing up. Costello might or might not know that Tanya was Mary Slater’s daughter but she was still a threat. Ken Blackwell had driven the van used to move Carol’s body. Now there was no one left to tell the tale but Costello himself.

“What really gets me is that all this was done while he was quietly supping whisky in that bar.”

His phone rang. It was Shez Mortimer.

“I’m waiting for you in the Wheatsheaf. I’ve been here ages. Where are you?”

“Case got complicated.”

“You’re the complicated one, Tom Calladine. I can’t get near. Are you coming for a beer or what?”

He could do with speaking to her about Robert Silver. “I’ll be with you very soon. Get me a pint in.”

Imogen was looking at him. “Monika?”

“No, it’s someone else,” he admitted. “A woman I met the other day. She is loosely connected with the case. She might have some more information. So if anyone asks — it’s work.”

* * *

Ruth was getting at him behind his back again. From the way Imogen and Rocco had looked at each other, Calladine knew she had been talking to them.

The Wheatsheaf was busy. Three TV screens were blasting out a football match, and the patrons were noisy. Every time boot touched ball there was a storm of swearing or cheering. The quiet corner at the far end had been taken by three women and a horde of kids. A pushchair blocked the way to the table by the window where Shez was sitting, and spilt juice was all over the wooden floor making it slippery.

“This place gets worse,” he grumbled to Shez, kissing her cheek.

She smiled. “I don’t know. It’s quite entertaining. Don’t you like football?”

“I can take it or leave it,” he said.

“I was beginning to think that’s how you felt about me.”

“The case got a bit heavy earlier. I couldn’t get away.”

“What are you doing this weekend?”

“A bit of R and R if I’m lucky.” Then he remembered. “I’ve got a christening on Sunday. My sergeant, Ruth, is having her baby son done. I’m the godfather.” He grinned.

“I was hoping we might go away somewhere.”

Calladine’s face dropped.

“What’s the matter? I’m not that bad, surely?”

“I can’t. Sunday’s taken, and if I get Saturday free I’ll spend it in bed.”

“It’s too soon, isn’t it? I’ve always been a fast cow. I should learn how to control myself. Here we are, practically strangers, and I’m asking you away for the weekend.”

Calladine put his arm around her. “It’s not that. I liked you the instant we met. It’s the job. It’s always the job. But we’ll have our little break together soon. Promise.”

“Who’s your plus-one for the christening?”

He pulled a face. “My mother.”

She was looking at him expectantly. “You could take me. All you have to do is ask.”

“Okay, why not? The do is in here afterwards. You can stay at mine on Saturday.”

“Will I get to meet your friends?”

Panic gripped his stomach. Monika! He’d have to speak to her — and Ruth. Set them both straight. Monika was never going to work anyway. He changed the subject. “Robert Silver. What do you know about him?”

“Nothing much. He was a customer who at the first opportunity went off with the cheaper option. He came into the office to book someone to accompany him to a function and she stepped in — Annette. Thought she could set up on her own with my customers, cheeky mare!”

“Did you ever meet him?”

“Once or twice. He is friendly with some other customers on my books. I’ve told you this already,” she reminded him. “Is it important?”

“Not anymore.”

Chapter 23

Saturday

“Tell me about Tanya Mallon.”

Robert Silver sat opposite Calladine and Rocco in the interview room, with his solicitor beside him.

“She had information I needed. My son worked for Costello. He found out about the girl, Carol. Costello talks about her a lot. Drives his wife wild.” He sniggered. “After Ryan was killed I did a little research. Carol had had a friend — Emily Blackwell. I found Emily and leaned on her. She told me what had happened that night. She also told me about Mary’s Slater’s daughter. Some more research and I found Tanya. We were drawn together. We had something very powerful in common: a mutual hatred of Costello.”

“Did you kill Emily?”

“She stopped being helpful. I gave her money but she clammed up. Emily Blackwell had Costello’s gun. Even he didn’t know that. He’d no idea what had happened to it. Emily kept it as a form of insurance.”

“She gave you the gun?”

“I threatened to kill her son if she didn’t.”

“What did you do with Emily’s things, her bag and phone?”

“Threw them in the canal.”

“Why did Davey and Garrett have to die?”

“I needed to flush Costello out. I paid Archer to promise information to you lot. Stuff that would put Costello away.” He laughed. “Don’t we all wish that that bit was true! Archer thought he was working for one of Costello’s rivals. Stupid fool didn’t think it through. They had to die. Costello would get the blame and he’d be forced to show himself, clear his name.” He went quiet. “You were supposed to go after him. Bring him in, charge him.” He paused. “He’s not paying you too, is he?”

“Your plan had merit, Silver,” said Calladine. “Except for one big flaw. Costello is way beyond wanting anything to do with the Hobfield. He’s not interested.”

“But the plan worked. He did show himself, didn’t he? He got worked up about something and made mistakes. If you hadn’t blundered in when you did, he’d be dead now.”

Calladine knew what that something was: Carol Rhodes. Emily’s murder must have shaken him. He’d come to Leesdon for the police interview without demur. He’d wanted to assess the situation for himself.

* * *

“That’s quite a confession, sir.”

“He’s got nothing to lose. Silver is a man consumed with grief after what happened to his son. He was willing to die in the process of getting his revenge. But he wasn’t thinking right. The things he did — shooting Davey, beating and killing Emily. He went too far, but getting Costello overrode everything.”

“Enid Mason and Ricky Blackwell are here, sir,” Joyce told him. “And Professor Batho would like a word.”

“Rocco, you and I will speak to them but I’ll just ring Julian first.”

“Tanya Mallon was given a massive dose of insulin, Tom, by injection. Sedated first then finished off.”

“The ambulance that left her at the hospital. We’ve been unable to trace it, or the doctor that came to the cells. Both he and the solicitor must be in Costello’s pay.”

“Did the solicitor give a name?” Batho asked.

“Yes. He doesn’t exist. Not as a solicitor anyway.”

“The gun. There is a name etched on the barrel. It’s badly worn and difficult to make out but it could say ‘Vinny.’”

“Can we prove that?” asked Calladine.

“Doubtful. It looks as if someone’s taken a grinder to it in an effort to obliterate the letters. To the teenage Costello it must have seemed like a good idea, scratching your name on a weapon. Whoever ground it clean did him a favour.”

“Okay, thanks. If you get anything else, let me know.”

Enid Mason and Ricky were drinking tea in the soft interview room. Enid looked ill.

“I’ve been terrified,” she admitted. “The threats, and after what happened to Emily. We had to leave. I couldn’t take much more.”

“We’ve arrested the man who killed your sister,” Calladine assured her. “It would have helped if you’d spoken to us earlier. You knew things. You knew about Jet Holdings and Costello, didn’t you?”

She nodded. “It’s never wise to talk about that man, Inspector. He has a wide reach.”

“Did Emily speak to you about that night? We know she brought Tanya to your flat. You must have wondered about the child.”

“Yes, she told me the whole story,” Enid said. “We looked after Tanya for a day or two but we knew we couldn’t keep her. I took her to the children’s home in Oldston. I told them I’d found her wandering about Clough Bottom on her own. The police investigated, I imagine. But they couldn’t find Mary, so Tanya went into foster care.”

“Did Emily ever say what happened to Mary Slater?”

“She was shot.”

“What happened to her body?”

Enid stared out of the window for a few seconds. “It makes me go cold each time I think about it. And now someone else is living there. Supposing they find her?”

“Enid. Where is Mary Slater?”

“Vinny Costello threw her down that well of theirs.”

* * *

“The well has been dry for years,” Imogen told them. “The Nadens are having a new water system installed. I’ve been up there. The place is a mess.”

“What will be left of her after all these years, sir?”

“Bones, Rocco, and not a lot else I would imagine.”

“Julian is up there now with a team,” Imogen said. “It might take a while. All sorts of rubbish has been thrown down there.”

Eliza King came into the office. “I’m off now. It’s been okay working with you lot. Just a shame about the outcome.”

Calladine looked up from Ruth’s desk. “Not getting Costello, you mean.”

“That would have been the icing on the cake. Never mind. I’m sure I’ll get another crack at him.” She smiled at Calladine. “And thanks for putting me up.”

DCI Birch entered the office. “Silver was a good call,” she told the team. “You leaving us so soon, DCI King?”

“Yes. And it’s DI King now that I’m no longer seconded to this station.”

“Back to Yorkshire?”

“Via Daneside. DCI Greco is back and wants to brief the new team. That includes me, apparently, for a week or two.”

“Best of luck with that.” Calladine just couldn’t begin to imagine it. The red-haired firebrand and the detail-obsessed Greco. What a combination!

“That grave, Calladine. I’ve got special permission for it to go ahead tonight,” said Birch.

Tomorrow was the christening. Would they recover the remains and have it closed in time? The last thing he wanted was Ruth on his back for this too.

“I’ll take a ride up to Clough Cottage. Imogen, want to come?”

“Not really. The place upsets me. We nearly bought it. If we had, I could never have lived there. I don’t know how Annie Naden is going to manage.”

“I’ll come,” Rocco piped up.

Calladine rolled his eyes at the others. “Morbid interest.”

* * *

The fine weather had broken and there was a sharp wind blowing across the hill. “It’ll rain before long,” Calladine said, looking at the blackening sky.

Rocco was looking around him. “Weird place this. And now that we know what went on it’s even worse.”

“Nonsense. Done up, that cottage will be a great place to live.”

“Julian’s over there, sir.” Rocco pointed.

The forensic scientist was rooting through a pile of debris. He was wearing a white coverall, and shrouded in dust and dirt.

“What have you got there?”

Julian Batho was moving an object around with a small trowel. “If I’m not mistaken, it’s part of a human radius.” He looked up. “One of the lower arm bones.”

“So Mary Slater is down there?”

“It looks like it. But we’ll have to do the DNA testing to make sure.”

“We have nothing of hers to match it against.”

“We have her daughter’s DNA. That should give us the answer.”

“Thanks, Julian. Do you know about the grave later on?”

He sighed. “I’ll have a team standing by. Excavating the well is going to take some time, Tom. And it will be weeks before we have a definitive answer as to who this is. Who have you got in the frame?”

“It’s down to Vinny Costello but we have no evidence. So the short answer is no one.”

“And the rogue body in the grave?”

“Carol Rhodes, we suspect. But again — no evidence. This is a retrieval exercise, Julian.”

Calladine and Rocco walked away towards the car. “Pity. Two women dead and we can’t bring anyone to book.”

“I know, Rocco. It gets to me too. But we got Silver. There’s plenty of evidence to send him down for a long time.”

“And Costello?”

“Walks, doesn’t he? As always.”