Reprobates (30 page)

‘
Never more so. Like I have just been saying I believe that operational experience is essential for taking charge of, and dealing with current issues. I believe I am more than ready to meet the challenges of the next rank.’

‘
Err... quite. Yes. Right, well let’s have a chat sooner rather than later then, please.’

Dylan smiled to himself. Hugo-Watkins really didn
’t know what to make of Dylan and Dylan wanted to keep it that way.

‘
Oh, should I tell Victoria Hardacre about your decision or shall I tell her to nip in to your office? She is working.’

‘
Would you ask her to pop along? I’d like to inform her in person. Thank you, Jack for your contribution this morning. I found it most helpful.’

‘You
’re welcome, sir.’

Dylan shut his office door quietly. Janet smiled.
‘Did you enjoy the cookies, Dylan?’

‘
I didn’t get a chance. Gaskin had them in his mouth before I got a look in,’ he said, his lips turned downward.

Janet opened her drawer and took out a packet.
‘Thought he might. Here, don’t tell anyone,’ she said handing him a packet containing the last two.

***

The more time Dylan spent with Hugo-Watkins behind closed doors the more they seemed to get on. The man was growing on Dylan, even if his choice of women, in Dylan’s opinion, left a lot to be desired. God knew what he saw in Avril Summerfield- Preston? Dylan made his way to the Incident Room with a promise to ring Janet with times he was available.

As he strode back through the Incident Room he wore a very serious face. He headed for his office without speaking to anyone. At his office door he turned and stood quiet. In a serious and loud voice he called out.
‘Victoria, my office now, please.’

The office went quiet. You could hear a pin drop as all eyes were upon Vicky as she walked into his office. Dylan told her to close the door.

‘The Chief Superintendent wants to see you immediately,’ he said. His head was down and he was reading a report he had picked up from his desk.

‘
Why?’

‘It
’s about your application so look sharp,’ he said. ‘When you go in don’t sit down until you’re asked. Sit up straight and don’t fidget. Be polite and most of all don’t keep crossing and uncrossing your legs, which you do when you’re nervous by the way.’

‘I do?
’

‘
Yes, you do.’

She laughed nervously.

‘Smile. I’m sure it will be good news,’ he said. His mouth twitched upwards at the corners. ‘Then get back here we have a lot of bloody work to do.’ Dylan smiled. ‘Practice that dead pan serious face when you walk out of here and don’t say anything in the office yet.’

Vicky gritted her teeth in a fake smile.
‘Eek…’

‘
Go on then, what’re you waiting for?’ he asked with a wave of his hand.

***

It was thirty minutes before she returned carrying some documents under her arm.

‘
You knew all the time didn’t you?’ she asked. Her face was flushed. She looked happy.

‘
Of course, but I had to stop your mate Inspector Gaskin blackballing you for his favourite, a PC Graham Thornton. Piece of advice, he’s going to like you even less now. We need to talk about the next stage of the promotion process, you’re not home and dry yet, but it’ll have to wait till we have sorted these murderers. The last thing I want is bloody promotion boards getting in the way.’

‘
On a serious note, thanks boss, if it wasn’t for you pushing me I know I wouldn’t have even applied.’

‘
Just shows, we all need someone to kick us up the backside every now and then. He’s obviously given you a lot of reading material,’ he said nodding towards the paperwork she carried over her arm. ‘So make sure you do read it.’

‘But..
’

‘
No excuses. Find the time.’

‘
He says he will speak to me again before the boards.’

‘
Good. So you know you have our support. All you need to do now is get your mind set.’

Dylan
’s day had been somewhat derailed but he was glad he had been to the meeting. If only to stop Inspector Gaskin.

Detective Sergeant Robinson walked into his office his face full of optimism.
‘We have good news about the trace of blood on the shaft of Bryant’s knife. Vicky’s just getting coffee. I’ll let her tell you the rest... ’

‘Promising?
’ Dylan asked.

‘
All good sir, all good.’

***

Jen sat at her desk. She had been happier than she had been in a long while. Her home life settled, the love of Jack Dylan and the birth of their daughter Maisy had all helped her move on from the death of her mum in a road traffic accident.

Her dad Ralph was enjoying a new found freedom with the use of the Internet and his new love interest. Jen had felt at peace with the world lately
– until now. Now the sun had gone out of her sky and her stomach felt heavy with foreboding. She put her head down on her hands, and tried to think. Think! What was there to think about? Nothing. Now she was finding it hard to begin to know how to deal with the fact that someone she had considered her friend, her only friend for a while when she had relocated, had not only used her, and to what extent she was unsure, but to think that Penny could have potentially put her life and the lives of those she loved whether intentional or through naivety at risk was hard to bear. What she did know was that she would never speak to Penny again. It astonished her how deeply she felt the disloyalty. Dylan could never begin to understand how good Penny had been to her in the early days when she had felt dreadfully alone and isolated, three hundred miles away from her family, with only Max for company. They had been through a lot together had Penny and her in the last few years. She had once potentially saved Dylan’s life when she had found him collapsed due to exhaustion when Jen was at her dying mother’s bedside… now she had to accept that their friendship had come to an end.

‘
I hear Penny Sanderson was putting it away at the King’s Head last night,’ said Rita breaking her

reverie.

Jen sat up. She put her elbow on the desk and cupped her chin in her hand. ‘I feel sorry for her in a

way
… but more so for her kids.’

Rita
’s face was like stone. Her eyes were as cold as those of a seagull. She had always given Jen the impression that she had become hardened by her life experiences, learned to live with the unpleasant things she dealt with in her work, that her sullen eyes looked upon the whole world as tainted. Albeit Jen had also seen the softer side of her at times. Rita set her eyes on Jen. ‘Don’t you dare go losing any sleep over her,’ she said crossly. ‘You hear?’ she said rising from her chair at the desk opposite. Jen nodded her head but her eyes swam with unshed tears. Rita walked past and stopping behind her chair she put a loving arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. Nothing more was said.

***

Dylan’s head turned to door at the sound of Vicky’s rat-a-tat-tat. Paul stood to let her in.

‘We
’ve hit the jackpot... it’s Billy Simpson’s blood,’ she said glancing up from the drinks tray to Dylan. She put the tray down on his desk and handed a cup to Dylan and Paul before taking her own. She sat cradling it smugly in her lap, before reaching out to take a biscuit from the plate.

‘
So the bastard was there, and it was him that more than likely inflicted the fatal stab wound. But why?’ asked Dylan. ‘Why did he want to kill him and Kirsty Gallagher? Had he wanted to kill and got the taste for it. Maybe it excited him?’

Vicky took a noisy slurp of her coffee.

‘I’m really hoping by listening in on the cell corridor that we can glean something else to put to them in interview. Let’s have another interview with Bryant before we put our plan in action. I want to drop this on his toes and we’ll have to re-arrest him for Billy Simpson’s murder now we have this new evidence.’

***

Dylan was informed that two of the prisoners were already in the cells and the anticipated third was en route. It was game on. He was looking forward to seeing Bryant’s reaction when they put to him the new evidence and he wouldn’t have long to wait. Dylan’s mind was set on the forthcoming interview and Lisa’s news that Yvonne Best had arrived was another step closer. He could feel his heart quickening. He needed to speak to her and disclose the fact that her client Richard Bryant would be re-arrested due to new evidence in the Billy Simpson murder case and there would be further disclosure in connection with the offence of murder for which he was already charged.

Thirty minutes later and he was sitting in the interview room with Richard Bryant, his solicitor Yvonne Best and acting Detective Sergeant Vicky Hardacre. The relevant caution was read.

‘You are being arrested for the murder of Billy Simpson,’ Dylan said. He looked directly at Bryant.

Richard Bryant grunted. He appeared as if he had been struck dumb. Dylan eyed him narrowly for a moment or two.

‘So what’s new? It’s bollocks.’ He leaned back in his chair and appeared to reflect.

‘
The double edged stiletto knife, the one you identified as yours from your toolbox. You said you used it for cutting plasterboard. We’ve found blood on it.’

‘
Yeah, and no doubt mine. I’ve cut my hand on that bugger a time or two.’ He wiped a hand over his face.

‘It
’s Billy Simpson’s blood.’

‘
No fucking way,’ he said his eyes widening to the size of a golf ball. ‘Jane admitted that to you, did she?’

‘
But what you need to explain to us is why a knife in your toolbox has got blood from the deceased on?’

‘
How the fuck would I know. You tell me,’ he said turning to Yvonne Best. Yvonne didn’t take her eyes off Dylan.

‘
The pathologist tells us that it was a double edged knife that was thrust into Billy Simpson’s chest. And this was the killer wound,’ Dylan said.

‘
I didn’t do it. Ask Jane she’ll tell you I wasn’t involved.’ Richard Bryant remained calm.

‘
God knows why but the sad thing is Jane would probably do anything for you wouldn’t she, and you’d let her,’ Vicky said.

‘I can
’t help it if women find me irresistible.’

‘
Why do you think women are so besotted by you?’ asked Vicky.

Richard Bryant shrugged his shoulders.
‘You tell me?’ he smirked. ‘How the hell would I know? As far as I’m concerned it was all just a bit of fun. Look, for fuck’s sake, the fact is Jane’s ex has broken into her house, she has to fight for her life and then she ends up killing him. You two might not like it, but that’s what happened.’

‘
That’s what you would like everyone to think happened, but the facts speak for themselves,’ said Vicky. ‘There was no break in. Oh yeah, there was a poor attempt to make it look like there was. Was that your idea?’

He made no reply.

‘Billy Simpson was stabbed whilst wearing a mask, your mask that he just happened to come across in the hallway you would have us believe, wouldn’t you?’

He made no reply.

‘Billy Simpson was stabbed three times, once in the chest and twice in the back. The latter we know was inflicted when he was already down on the floor. It has been shown that these two subsequent wounds were caused by a different knife to the one used to strike him in his chest; your knife, from your toolbox, which we can now prove has got Billy Simpson’s blood on it. This knife is the right length, thickness and it has a double edged blade. A dead ringer for the murder weapon,’ Dylan said. ‘Isn’t it about time you starting telling us the truth?’

He made no reply.

‘Well?’ Vicky said after a moment or two.

‘
She must have taken it. Put me back in the cell. I’d rather be in there than listen to this load of shite.’

‘
If that’s true, Richard,’ Dylan said. ‘She must have also managed to get it out of the house after the incident and back into your toolbox without your knowledge. Can you tell us how you think she could do that?’

He made no comment.

‘Your present girlfriend we understand is a Penny Sanderson. She has admitted to printing off information from police computers she says was for you. Is that right?’

‘
Might be.’

‘
We have also found other such material at your home address. Did you encourage her to do that for you?’

‘
Might have.’

‘
Why do you think anyone would risk the chance of being sacked from her job and face prison for the likes of you?’

‘
I didn’t make her do it. She said she could and she did.’ Richard Bryant shrugged his shoulders.

‘You don
’t care how many lives you wreck with your deviant lifestyle do you? Or maybe you do and you enjoy the power you seem to have over others? The truth I suspect is that you killed once and enjoyed the thrill.’

Richard Bryant didn’
t answer but turned his head away.

‘
Is there anything further you wish to say to us?’ asked Vicky.

He made no reply. The interview was terminated.

The prisoner was escorted back to the charge desk where in the presence of his solicitor he was charged with the joint murder of Billy Simpson. He was then brought back to the interview room. ‘What the hell’s going on now?’ he asked. ‘You’ve charged me.’

His outburst was ignored as they all took their seats and invited him to take his. He sat down reluctantly. Vicky made the relevant caution.

‘We wish to inform you that in respect of the Kirsty Gallagher murder we now have further evidence that we feel you should know. The blood found in the rear of your van has been forensically examined and it has been identified as belonging to Kirsty Gallagher. How do you wish to explain that?’

‘It
’s not, not, not, not. Lies, lies, lies, lies,’ Bryant chanted over and over again.

‘
That depends on which side of the table you’re sitting at,’ Dylan said. Richard Bryant raised an eyebrow at Dylan.

***

Richard Bryant was taken back to his cell. Dylan could hear him dragging his feet on the corridor. The smirk had been well and truly wiped off his face and Dylan hoped he would think about what had been said in the interview and offer some explanation to his solicitor. Dylan gave the nod for the next interview with Jane Simpson to commence. Again the interview procedure was instigated in the same interview room. She was told of the developments in connection with the offence for which she was charged which was the murder of her ex-husband Billy Simpson and the fact that Richard Bryant had also been charged jointly with his murder. She remained silent.

‘
I also wish to inform you that you are being arrested in connection with the murder of Kirsty Gallagher,’ said Paul who further cautioned her. Her expression changed to one of utter disbelief as she turned her head sideways to glance at Lin Perfect, her solicitor.

‘
Can they do this?’ she said.

‘
Have you ever been to 14, Bankfield Terrace, Harrowfield.’

‘
I don’t…’ she said hesitantly touching her nose. Dylan saw the slight tremor of her bottom lip.

‘
Your fingerprints had been found at that address.’

‘
They have?’ she said.

‘Yes.
’

‘
I remember Richard, Bryant, was doing some work up Bankfield Terrace.’ Jane Simpson’s face was flushed. Her mouth opened and shut without her speaking. The hands she clasped on her lap began to fumble with the hem of her cardigan.

‘
Is there anything else you want to tell us?’

‘
We, well we... we .... Richard was working on his own there.’

‘Go on...
’

‘
We had sex there.’

‘
Where?’

‘
In the bed.’

‘
Were you aware that Richard Bryant was having a relationship with the owner of the house, a Kirsty Gallagher?’

‘
No, no I didn’t,’ she said. Jane Simpson looked as if the wind had been taken out of her sails.

***

The interview over, Dylan opened the door for Vicky to go before him. There were certain times in an investigative officer’s life that were more exciting than others and that was no more so than when updates of proven facts and evidence on an enquiry were coming in thick and fast from all different departments and partners. Dylan, Paul and Vicky worked through the paperwork and took the phone calls.

‘
Fingerprints have almost concluded the examination and identification of all marks but for one fingerprint that had been lifted from the rear door of Richard Bryant’s van. It’s important as it has traces of Kirsty Gallagher’s blood in it and it doesn’t belong to Simpson, Harper or Bryant,’ Paul said.