Snow Kills (22 page)

‘From what I’ve heard, it’s not Dylan that needs to worry,’ Lisa said, pulling a face.

‘Get out of my sight,’ Dylan roared.

The door flew open and Lisa and Vicky turned away.

‘You’ll regret this. If I lose my job... if I lose my pension because of you, you’ll pay. Mark my words, you’ll pay,’ Maude said.

‘You threatening me, Sergeant?’ Dylan shouted after him. Sergeant Maude stormed through the CID office, his face like thunder, slamming the door in his wake. The girls flinched. The door almost came off its hinges as it crashed back into the frame. Dylan’s eyes followed Sergeant Maude out of the CID office. He was tempted to go after him and arrest him, but he knew gathering the evidence first was necessary. Maude was the sort of officer that gave the police a bad name. With his length of service, he should know better.

‘Guess you’re off his Christmas card list then this year,’ said Vicky as she cautiously entered Dylan’s office waving a white napkin a couple of minutes later.

‘No one is above the law, Vicky. D & C have taken charge. I’m required to make a witness statement. Ned called him Thumper didn’t he? He’s already under investigation. I can’t get over the fact that he thought he could simply walk in and interview someone in a case of mine like that.’

Dylan put his pen to paper. ‘The sooner the statement’s completed, signed and faxed to D & C, the better,’ he said.

‘Guess our interview with Longbottom will be delayed?’

‘It will now,’ he said.

Within the hour, rumours were flying around Harrowfield nick, quicker than any intelligence system could ever circulate information. On leaving Dylan’s office, Sergeant Maude had picked up his coat and left the police station, telling his supervisor he felt ill. The internal team of D & C were already in the cell area interviewing Donny Longbottom, who confirmed to them what the Sergeant had told Dylan. Longbottom was being medically examined and his injuries would be photographed as evidence.

‘It’d be only right to wait, or even do a prison visit to talk to Longbottom after he’s remanded tomorrow. An interview now will be frowned upon in the future and seen to be unreliable as well as pressurised,’ he said, with venom in his voice.

‘Well, Sergeant Maude was always said to be someone you didn’t want as an enemy but he met his match with you boss. I know a lot who’d have turned a blind eye.’

‘No one frightens me Vicky,’ he said. ‘One thing I won’t do is walk away.’ Glancing at his watch, a look of horror crossed his face. ‘Oh, my God, I should have left for home half an hour ago. Jen is going to kill me.’

Vicky laughed. ‘No one, boss?’ Jen had definitely got under the once confirmed bachelor’s skin.

Seven o’clock, there was a rap at the front door. Jen had just got Maisy settled and she flew down the steps to avoid further commotion that might wake the sleeping child. She couldn’t make out who the person was standing at the other side of the patterned glass but guessed it must be Dylan’s guest. She practised her false smile in the hallway mirror as she passed and hoped the make-up she’d applied earlier had survived Maisy’s bathtime antics. Once tonight was over, she would speak to Dylan and tell him the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth about her past and DI Shaun Turner.

Opening the door, she gasped. It couldn’t be. Her stomach flipped. Max hurtled past her to greet their guest. It was true, dogs didn’t forget.

Andy and Ned arrived back at the nick, just in time to see Dylan jogging out of the building.

‘Sir, hold on! We need to speak to you before you go, it’s urgent,’ shouted Ned.

‘Jesus, make it quick, Turner must be on his way to ours by now,’ called Dylan.

‘I think we’d better go inside boss,’ said Andy as they met in the middle of the yard.

‘Can’t it wait?’ Dylan said.

‘No sir, it can’t.’

The men followed Dylan back into the nick.

‘Vicky, here now,’ shouted Dylan from the CID office door. Vicky threw down the papers she was reading off the spewing fax machine, took off her coat, tossed it on her desk over her handbag and followed her colleagues into Dylan’s office without a word.

‘Ryan Merryfield has just put Donny Longbottom on Manchester Road for us the night Kayleigh went missing,’ said Ned.

‘Never,’ said Vicky.

‘And not only that, her car...’ said Andy. Vicky stared at her workmate wide-eyed.

‘Merryfield told us that Longbottom and him went their separate ways, after a man shouted at them when a drunken Longbottom banged on a pink coloured car. He also said Longbottom knew the woman inside the car,’ said Andy.

‘And it also appears Longbottom might just be the flasher that was reported that night, according to Merryfield,’ Ned said.

‘So you think the man they heard that night is our man, Norris Regan?’ said Vicky.

‘It fits in with the timeline,’ said Andy.

‘And Longbottom, who is already out perving, just happens to come across Kayleigh who he’s been stalking for weeks, vulnerable and alone in her car. Coincidence?’ said Ned, cocking an eyebrow.

‘We can corroborate some of what Merryfield says and we know he did go home afterwards. What I’d like to know is where Longbottom went after he and Merryfield parted company?’ Dylan spoke his thoughts out loud.

‘We’ve been faxed a list of Council workers on duty that night who might be able to support what he’s saying, although I’ve noticed there’s a couple with previous which might not be a good thing as far as reliable witnesses go,’ said Vicky.

‘Good work. We need to prioritise the Council workers that were working, however. Vicky will you update these guys regarding recent events here for me? I really have to go,’ said Dylan, looking up at the clock. ‘God, is that the time?’

‘Armitage Arms lads, for a swift one?’ said Vicky.

‘Sounds good to me,’ said Ned.

‘Count me in,’ said Andy.

‘You coming Lisa?’ asked Vicky. ‘They’re buying,’ she said throwing the men a glance over her shoulder.

‘Yeah, I can give you a quick one if you like,’ said Ned as he walked past Lisa’s desk. Lisa put one finger up at him without looking in his direction.

‘You wish. I’ve got other fish to fry tonight,’ she grinned.

‘I’ll see you all early tomorrow,’ Dylan laughed. ‘Talking of frying, I’ve got to go to the chippie on my way home to get some tea... er supper, now,’ Dylan said, looking anxiously at his watch again, ‘for Shaun Turner.’

Lisa’s hand flew up to her mouth, ‘Oh, God,’ she said.

‘What?’ said Dylan.

‘I forgot to ring him with your address. He didn’t come back to the nick.’

‘Well he’s not here now, so I guess he must be there?’

Lisa shrugged.

‘No worries. He’ll have got our address from Dawn.’

Jen could feel her heart beating rapidly against her breastbone. She opened her mouth but found she couldn’t utter a word. Her knees buckled and the only reason she didn’t fall was because Shaun Turner reached out to hold her upright. She stepped away, forcing him to release her. His smile faltered, but he thrust forward the bunch of freesias he was carrying.

She had a choice, she could slam the door in his face and wait for Dylan to come home and bare her soul, or she could let him back into her life again. Her first instinct was to fall into his arms. She never could resist that smile.

‘Your favourites,’ Shaun said sheepishly, nodding at the flowers. He laughed a deep laugh that came from the pit of his stomach, amused at her surprise. He leant forward to kiss her cheek. ‘And I remembered,’ he continued, producing a bottle of Chateauneuf De Pape that he’d hidden under his arm. ‘It might help the shock,’ he offered. His mouth was upturned and his eyes were dancing, with adorable crinkles at the corners that she had not remembered being there the last time she had seen him. But how could she recall such things? It was nearly a decade since they‘d been face to face. She thought time had healed the wounds but she was wrong, her heart still bore the scars – and the longer she looked at him, the more they seemed to open.

Shaun put his unclaimed offerings on the hallway table. ‘You look good. Motherhood suits you. Can I come in?’ he said awkwardly but with affection. Jen stood resolute. His voice was like a knife turning in her stomach. He stepped forward, and without taking his eyes off her he pushed the door closed gently behind him.

‘What the hell are you doing here?’ she said in a hushed tone.

‘Didn’t Dylan tell you I was coming for dinner?’ he said.

‘Go, please, just go before he gets home,’ Jen said quietly. He tried to step around her but she blocked his way.

‘I just want the chance to explain. I’ve waited such a long time for this opportunity and I’m not going to leave without telling you how I feel now.’

‘It can’t be that important. It’s taken you ten years to find me.’

‘I’m sorry,’ he said softly. ‘I was a total asshole.’

‘You’re right about that. Did you think for one moment what I went through?’

‘When I found out you couldn’t have chil...’

‘Children, go on, you can say the word,’ she snapped.

‘I thought I couldn’t live without having kids... but now, I know it’s you I can’t live without.’

‘Tough,’ she said lifting her head defiantly.

‘Obviously, big style,’ he said, nodding towards Maisy’s pram.

‘What’re you saying?’ she said, crossly her voice rising. ‘I lied?’

‘No of course I know you didn’t lie. The doctors were wrong, weren’t they? If they hadn’t taken... If they hadn’t operated?’

‘I’d have been dead Shaun, dead. Would you rather that?’

‘No, No I didn’t mean that, but if the doctor had said you could still conceive, then our lives could be so different now. We’d still be together, wouldn’t we?’ he pleaded.

‘You don’t get it do you? My mum’s dead, my dad’s three hundred miles away and I’m here, all because of you. If I’d  still been living on the Isle of Wight, my Mum... well, she might not be dead.’

‘Surely, you can’t blame me for your mum being killed?’ he pleaded. ‘You didn’t have to leave the Island because we split up. Look, I couldn’t stop thinking about you.’

‘And you think I could?’

‘I can’t live without you...’

‘Tough!’

Shaun held her gaze. At least he had the decency to look ashamed. ‘If it is any comfort, I was there for your mum that day; I was on duty and went to the scene. I stayed with her until she got to the hospital. I saw you there and watched over you at the funeral. I should have come to talk to you then, I know that now, but it didn’t feel it was the right time or the place to come clean about my feelings. Come back with me Jen. I need you. Your dad, he needs you now. I saw him recently, he’s been unwell.’ Shaun reached to take her hand. Jen pulled away quickly.

‘Don’t you dare bring my dad into this,’ she said, as tears slid down her cheeks. She wiped them away with one swift hand movement and let out a sob.

Shaun could see the door to the lounge was open and slowly he stepped forward. Delicately, he put his hand on her shoulder and guided her into the room. He helped her to the sofa and sat next to her, talking to her softly all the while. Jen sobbed quietly and, handing her his handkerchief, he pulled her to him. She didn’t allow her head to fall on his chest but looked ahead so she didn’t have to meet his gaze. She stared at the flames dancing in the fire, blocking all the painful thoughts from her mind, but she let him hold her.

There were a lot of things Dylan didn’t share with Jen. He didn’t want to upset her with the triviality of the office and he wasn’t a gossip. Neither did he want to upset her with the gore and detail of some of the incidents he went to, but the incident with Sergeant Maude had infuriated him. Just wait ’til I get home and tell her about it, he thought.

Dylan put his key in the front door and shouted that he was home. He saw the wine on the telephone table next to the clock in the hallway and picked it up. No one came to greet him and, noticing the lounge door closed, he walked straight through to the kitchen where he took the plates out of the cupboard. He heard a noise behind him. Shaun Turner stood in the doorway. His shirt sleeves were rolled up and he looked relaxed.

‘Oh, good, you found us then?’ Dylan grinned, over his shoulder. He unwrapped the fish and chips. ‘I’m sorry I’m late. You know how it is?’

Shaun nodded. ‘No worries,’ he said, softly.

The food was hot and Dylan blew on his fingers after he scooped a handful of chips onto a plate.

‘Chessell Pottery?’ Shaun said, nodding towards the distinctive blue star painted Emma Bridgewater crockery on the kitchen worktop.

‘Don’t know about that mate, they were Jen’s before I moved in,’ he said. ‘Lisa was worried she hadn’t given you our address,’ he added absentmindedly as he reached back into the cupboard for the mugs.

‘I’m a detective aren’t I?’ he said, tersely. Dylan nodded agreeably.

‘Everything has to match,’ he said, looking down at the mug in his hand and smiled. ‘Where is that lovely lady of mine?’

‘Upstairs with the baby,’ Shaun said.

‘Oh good, you’ve met them then,’ Dylan said, counting out the cutlery from the drawer. He didn’t wait for a reply. ‘Great choice of wine mate, Jen’s favourite. That’ll have put her in a good mood. Guess I could do with all the help I can get tonight,’ he said as he handed Shaun Turner a tray with a plate full of food upon it. He picked up his meal. ‘There’s nothing like fish, chips and mushy peas with bits on for tea,’ he said.

Shaun looked puzzled.

‘Oh, yeah it’s dinner where you come from, isn’t it mate, not tea?’ he said. ‘Fancy a beer to go with it?’ Dylan added reaching into the fridge and throwing Turner a can with his free hand.

‘Thanks,’ he said following his host back into the lounge.

Shaun sat in the chair facing the door, Max laid at his feet. He pushed his food around the plate.

‘Good?’

‘Yes,’ he said agreeably as he watched Jen come down the stairs.

‘You’re honoured,’ Dylan said to Shaun as he nodded at Max.