Mortal Men (The Lakeland Murders Book 7) (19 page)

‘We found these when we searched your house.’

‘Fuck off. That’s a fucking lie. You planted them, you bastards.’ For the first time Taylor looked really frightened, and he started to get up. But Ian Mann was round to his side of the table before he could even start to reach across the table towards Jane. Taylor sat down again, and he did it fast.

‘You didn’t even hide them very well, did you?’ said Jane. She hadn’t even flinched when Taylor had got up, Hall noticed, but he thought that he probably wouldn’t have either, if Mann had been sitting beside him.

‘I’ve never seen them before, honest. You’ve got to believe me.’

‘Well, we didn’t plant them.’

‘Someone else, then.’

‘Like who?’

‘I don’t fucking know, do I?’

‘So you’re telling us that these cartridges have nothing whatever to do with you. Is that right?’

‘Aye, I just fucking told you. I bet they don’t have my prints or what-you-call-it on them, do they?’

‘No, there are no prints, or other forensic traces. So someone was careful. And that someone was you, wasn’t it? Come on, Jez, do yourself a favour. We know that you loaned Foster money, we know you argued, and now these shotgun shells. And I’m sure it won’t surprise you to know that they match the ones that were used in the killing.’

‘No, that doesn’t fucking surprise me.’ Taylor looked up at Mann, almost pleadingly, but he smiled back. ‘Come on, mate’ he said, ‘you’ve been here before. There’s no point denying it, not any more. Do us all a favour, and let’s get it over with.’

‘I’ve done nowt. I didn’t kill Frankie. All right, he owed me money, and we might have had the odd word about it, like. But I never killed him. Why would I? I’ll never get my money back now, will I?’

Taylor sat back, as if he’d made an especially convincing point. But it was Jane who was smiling.

‘So you’re changing your story? You’re saying that you did lend money to Foster, and that you argued with him about it?’

Taylor looked across at his lawyer, who shook his head.

‘Aye, I am. There’s no law against it, is there?’

‘There is if you lend money to other people commercially, unless you have a license of course.’

‘Aye, well, I only lend to a few people. Mates, like. Just between friends, it is.’

‘So you’re not denying that you’re an illegal money-lender?’

‘I’m sorry,’ said the duty solicitor, ‘but haven’t you cautioned my client in connection with the death of Frankie Foster? You now seem to me to be seeking to intimidate my client by referring to other possible offences.’

‘I’m not trying to intimidate anyone. So let’s try another question then, Jez. What happens when a friend that you lend money to can’t, or won’t, pay you back?’

‘Then I talk to them. See what’s wrong, like.’

‘And if they still don’t pay? Do you take them to court?’

‘No, of course not. Like I said, it’s just among mates. I’d be….. disappointed, that’s all. Aye, disappointed.’

‘So if we find everyone else that you’ve loaned money to, and believe you me that’s exactly what we’ll do next, we’ll find that they’ll all say that the worst you’ve ever been with them is disappointed. Is that right?’

‘Aye, that’s right. They’ll not say a word against me.’

‘But if that’s not the case, and any tell us that you’ve threatened them with violence, or actually inflicted any injuries, then you can see how that’s going to look, can’t you? I’m no lawyer, but I’d say you’d be buggered. In layman’s terms, as it were.’

‘Ignore the Inspector’ said the lawyer, ‘as she rightly says she has no legal competence.’

‘But I do understand how a jury works, and so do you, don’t you Mr. Taylor? And if we find that this is your usual pattern of behaviour then you know exactly how that will look. Of course you do. It’s obvious, isn’t it? So, why not tell us what happened at Frankie Foster’s that day? Your solicitor will confirm that a confession always goes down well with the courts.’

‘I’ve told you. I did not fucking do it. I didn’t shoot Frankie. I’ve never shot anyone. And as for those shotgun cartridges, I’ve never even fucking seen them before, and that is the God’s honest truth.’

Jane Francis spent most of the next hour with the CPS, trying to persuade Penny Trussle, the Case Officer, that they now had enough to charge Jez Taylor with Frankie Foster’s murder.

‘I don’t doubt that he did it, Jane, but you know how it is. The bean-counters will make the decision, and this would be an expensive trial, so…’

‘So you’re not willing to charge him?’

‘I didn’t say that. I’m going to have to refer up, that’s all. Look, I know how important this is to you, but in the end it’s not my decision.’

‘But you’d charge him, if it was down to you?’

Penny hesitated. ‘Probably, yes. Lift some viable DNA off those cartridges and you’d definitely be in business. But it looks as if they’re clean, doesn’t it?’

‘Yes.’

‘And there’s no other evidence that Taylor handled or bought them, anything like that?’

‘We’re working on it, but no. Not so far, anyway.’

Penny Trussle got up. She knew Jane well enough to know that she’d keep trying for as long as she stayed. Jane was nothing if not a trier.

‘Keep at it, and let me know if there are any developments.’

‘Will do. And you do your best for me with your bosses, Penny. Just show them the photographs of the scene, if they need any convincing.’

When Penny had gone Jane sat for a while, trying to come up with any arguments that she’d forgotten, because a follow-up email would do no harm. But she couldn’t think of any. So she got up, and walked up to Andy Hall’s office. His door was open, and she was sure that he’d been expecting her. He offered a brew, as she knew he would, and she accepted, as he knew she would.

‘It’s a funny thing’ he said, when he came back. ‘But when I was first made a DI the station Superintendent, you remember old Robinson, he saw me in the kitchen making tea for a few of the lads. He didn’t say anything at the time, but a couple of days later I received the summons. You know, the way he used to do it. His PA called, and gave me an appointment for the next day, so I knew I was in for a bollocking over something or other. Trouble was, I couldn’t work out what it was for. Not for the life of me. It gave me a sleepless night anyway, which I expect was his intention.’

‘It’s the way they play the game’ said Jane, hoping that he’d come to the point.

‘Anyhow, when I saw him he asked how I was getting on, and how people were dealing with my promotion from DS. I said they were fine about it. But he kept probing away, and eventually he got to the point: he didn’t like me making them all a brew. He said it wasn’t befitting of my rank.’

‘He was a pompous old bastard. So what did you say?’

‘Nothing. I’ve been a copper my whole working life, but I have been in to normal workplaces, and everyone takes their turn there, don’t they?’

‘You’re just a hippy, Andy.’

‘Even I’m a bit young for that, Jane.’

‘A communist, then.’

‘I’m way too young for that, love. Anyway, what can I do for you? Are you charging Taylor?’

‘Would you?’

‘So you’re not, then?’

‘Not at the moment. The CPS is getting its office abacus out and seeing if we can afford it. Christ, Andy, what’s the world coming to when the decision to prosecute a murder comes down to the bloody cost.’

‘It’s a factor, certainly.’

‘You don’t sound disappointed.’

‘I’d certainly like Foster’s killer to be arrested, and as soon as possible.’

‘But you still don’t think it’s Taylor? Christ, Andy, what about those cartridges?’

Hall took his time before he replied.

‘I hear you, but I believed him as well, I’m afraid. I don’t think he’s ever seen them before.’

‘Bollocks. You just want to believe that. So how did they get there, then?’

‘I don’t know. Planted by the killer perhaps?’

‘By which you mean Tyson or Winder?’

‘Possibly.’

Jane got up, leaving her tea half drunk.

‘I don’t know why I bother’ she said. ‘The bloody evidence doesn’t matter a damned bit to you, Andy. When you get an idea in your head you just won’t let it go, will you?’

‘I will when a better one comes along to replace it. You know that.’

Jane shook her head.

‘No, that’s not it. This is just wilful on your part. Is it because I’ve been proved right about this? Is that it?’

‘Come on, love. You know me better than that. When have I ever claimed the credit for the team’s work? I hate it when people do that. I want you to be right. I want you to get a great result here. Nothing would make me happier, honestly.’

‘Maybe, but you still like being the centre of attention.’

‘Don’t we all?’

Jane turned to leave. She knew how it would go if she stayed. Hall would be reasonable and self-deprecating, which would just make her even more annoyed.

‘Hang on a sec, Jane’ he said. ‘There’s something I wanted to ask you.’

‘What?’

‘I’m going to go and see Rachel Armstrong.’

‘Will’s widow? Why? What possible good could it do?’

‘None, I suppose. But if I could understand what happened…’

‘You’re looking for the motive? For Christ’s sake, Andy. You already know why it happened.’

‘They’re going to hang Pete Thompson out to dry because of it.’

‘Couldn’t happen to a nicer bloke. You’ve said so yourself. The man’s a bully, plain and simple, and he’s finally going to pay a price for it. You should be pleased about that, because it’s the very least he bloody deserves.’

‘Thompson came to see me earlier. He said the Chief was bullying him. That’s why he did it.’

‘And you believed him? He’s just like any other con, Andy. It’s always someone else’s fault, isn’t it?’

‘Maybe he’s right though. In this case, I mean. Where does it all stop, after all?’

Jane walked back over to Hall’s desk, reached over and took his hand.

‘Would you take any notice if I said that I thought you shouldn’t go?’

‘Of course I’d listen.’

‘But you’d go anyway?’

‘Probably.’

‘Then go. I know what you’re like. If you don’t you’ll only worry about it for months, years even. Just don’t get your hopes up. I doubt that justice and fairness are what Rachel Armstrong is thinking about right now.’

‘Maybe they’re all she’s thinking about. How could we possibly know, or even guess?’

‘Fair point, but you be careful, Andy. You know what victim’s families are like. Terrible pain does terrible things to people’s minds, and to their memories. Even when they’re trying their very best to be truthful. You’ve said as much yourself.’

‘I know. And I’ll be careful, I promise.’

Hall thought about his conversation with Jane as he drove to the Armstrong’s house, but mainly he thought about their two young children. How would they cope without a father? And not just now, when they married, when they had kids of their own. All those years, and all that pain just echoing down the generations. When he was younger Hall had often worried about how his own children would fare if he wasn’t around, killed on duty or something, and yet in the end it was his wife who’d left. But he hadn’t, and never could. The kids could spit on him in the street, and he’d still feel the same about them. So what could possibly have motivated Will to do what he did? Was he mentally ill at the time of his death, and would it make any difference if he was?

Hall sat in his car, just along from the Armstrong’s pretty little cottage in a street quite close to the centre of Penrith. He could feel the nerves knotting his stomach, but he forced himself to get out of the car. He’d phoned Rachel earlier, before he’d seen Jane, and she knew that he was coming. He told himself to listen, to ask nothing, and only to follow where Rachel led. He was only there to express his sincere condolences, after all.

Rachel Armstrong opened the door, and led Hall through to the small sitting room. The children’s toys were piled up in a couple of red plastic boxes, but the house was quiet.

‘They’re with my mum’ said Rachel, noticing his glance, ‘we’ve not told them yet. I don’t know what to say. I can’t understand it myself. Why would he leave them? He loved them so much. I thought he loved me too.’

Hall nodded, and waited.

‘He talked about you, you know. He said you were one of the decent ones.’

Hall nodded again, and smiled slightly.

‘Of course that changed at the end. He told me that he begged for your help, when it all got too much.’

‘I don’t know about begged.’

‘He was a proud man, and you’re probably a bloody insensitive one, aren’t you? Years of doing that horrible job, working with so many slime-balls, it must knock all the humanity out of you.’

Hall waited. He wouldn’t have interrupted, even if he could have thought of a single thing to say.

‘But he thought you were different. He really did. It shows how wrong you can be, I suppose. But anyway, why are you here, Superintendent Hall?’

‘As I said on the phone, I wanted to pay my respects.’

‘Respects? You should have done that when Will was alive, not now. No, I know why you’re here. You just want to salve your own precious conscience, don’t you? You want to hear me say that it’s not your fault, and that you did all you could. Isn’t that right?’

‘But I didn’t do all I could. I do know that, Mrs. Armstrong.’

Rachel looked at Hall, as if seeing him for the first time.

‘Aye, well, that’s good of you to admit, I suppose. Your mates are all so busy covering their arses that they won’t own up to anything. They just keep going on about an internal enquiry like it’s some kind of divine justice. Like hell it is. The Federation rep said that he reckons that shit Thompson will go down for this. That he’ll get the boot. Well I hope they do sack the bastard, and strip his pension while they’re at it. I hope he ends up with nothing, like me.’

Hall couldn’t restrain himself any longer.

‘Did Will ever talk about ACC Thompson?’