Ugly Duckling (6 page)

John arrived home put the T.V on but turned the volume right down and poured himself a whiskey from the new bottle he had bought on his way home and sat starring at the T.V, he took a sip from the glass.

'Ah! That’s better' he said out loud, but to himself, there was no one else there to hear him. As he rested his glass on the table next to him he picked up a photograph of Sonia, it was taken on their last holiday together in Corfu, she looked so happy and very glamorous in those designer sunglasses he had bought for her, There was something about Jenni that reminded him of Sonia. He closed his eyes and almost instantly, as had happened many times before, the picture of Sonia laying in the morgue came into his head, he shook his head slightly but the image of her laying there remained.

'I'm so sorry Sonia' he said

'What for?' came the reply

'The crash'

'John, it wasn’t your fault, you had to work, I knew when I married you that you were a copper and everything that came with it, sometimes I got a bit peeved when we'd made arrangements and had to cancel because you were called in, but I knew that was the way it was, I loved you. And nothing would ever change that.

'But look at you; this is where it got you'

'No John, this is were an accident got me, nothing to do with you or your job, let it go now, tell me about our holiday in Corfu'

'You already know about it'

'I know but I'd like to hear you describe it to me, will you do that? For me?'

The picture in Johns mind instantly changed to Corfu, It was sunny, and he could feel the warmth on his skin and the smell of citrus trees seemed to be everywhere, he could see Sonia standing at the edge of the water she was wearing a bright translucent floral summer dress and was holding her shoes as she paddled in the water, the light shining through her dress showed off her perfect figure. She looked so happy, smiling and laughing, she had such a great laugh and a smile that could melt the coldest of hearts.

'Do you remember when we hired that little boat?' Sonia asked.

'Oh yes, that was a great day, it was so hot that day wasn’t it? But on that boat with the wind and the spay from the sea, it was really nice, perfect in fact. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky that day.'

'That's right John, and do you remember we sailed the boat round to that little cove?'

'Yes! That was such a beautiful place and completely deserted apart from us,

the water was so clear you could see the bottom and all the fish's swimming around, it was deep though, I remember when we dropped anchor I thought it was never going to stop sinking. That water was great to swim in though, so warm and it just seemed to hold you on the surface. Do you remember the wine?'

'That was awful wasn’t it?' Sonia laughed.

'Yes, screw top as I remember and plastic cups, but it was so warm by the time we opened it, I'm sure there was steam coming off it'

'You said we could use it in the engine if we got low on fuel' they both laughed

'We made love on that boat, do you remember that John?'

'Of course, you were so beautiful, your eyes sparkled your skin was shimmering, your body lovely and tanned, I remember the boat was rocking so much I thought we were going to cause a tsunami, and my back got sunburnt, you had to rub that cream in for me. It was a great day, wasn’t it Sonia?'

'Yes it was.' she paused and smiled her most radiant smile 'John, that’s how I want you to remember me. Remember the good times when you think of me, I don’t want you to forget the good memories, but I also think you deserve to make some new good memories'

'What do you mean?'

'I mean its time to move on John. You've been alone now for three years with just your job for company, You'll always have those memories of us together and I know you love me, and I will always love you, but you need to be with someone, you need to move on. You'll meet new people and there's someone you already know that loves you very much'

'You're talking about Liz, Do you want me to get together with her?'

'Not necessarily, I'm just saying she's there, and if you wanted too get together with her that’s fine with me, but you also seemed quite taken with that girl in the pub'

'Jenni, she was upset, but something about her reminded me of you'

'So perhaps you should get to know her more, I know you'll never forget me, and will always love me, but I want you to live your life and be happy. Sleep now and when you want to think of me, we shall forever be in Corfu.'

That night John slept where he was on the sofa, but it was the most peaceful, relaxing, regenerative sleep he'd had in years.

The next morning John found himself singing “Oh What a Beautiful Morning” in the shower. He felt good, no better than that, he felt great. It was like a huge weight had been lifted, he actually felt physically lighter, he stepped onto the bathroom scales 'they must be faulty' he thought, and got off again. He made his coffee and went through to the lounge where the T.V was still on, as it had been all night, with the volume turned down. “Local Man's Dog hero in the hunt for the Bournemouth Butcher” it read at the bottom of the screen.

'Bournemouth Butcher, I don’t believe it, they've given him a name' he said as he reached for the remote and turned the volume up.

'I'm here now with local man and war veteran Frederick Dunn' the reporter said. Fred was stood to attention next to the reporter; he looked very smart and was wearing all his wartime medals, Patch sat obediently next to him.

'Mr Dunn, thank you for talking to us, can you tell me how your dog “Patch” has helped the police in their hunt for the Bournemouth Butcher'

'Yes of course' said Fred, puffing his chest out even more as he realised the camera was pointing his way 'You see it was Patch here that found the body of what I now believe was the Bournemouth Butchers second victim'

'Oh God' thought John 'this is all we need, I can just picture it now “police cuts lead to pensioners and their Dogs being recruited”'

'And then Patch actually went and searched for the weapon you see' Fred was saying 'The police probably wouldn’t have found it, but my Patch did, and despite the danger and injury he caused himself he bravely bought it back to me'

'Patch injured himself?' The reporter asked

'Oh yes, you see it was a very sharp knife with a long blade, but patch carried it in his mouth, he doesn’t have arms and hands you see. But in doing so got quite a nasty cut in his mouth'

'Did he need treatment for it?'

'Just a bit of cake' Fred replied

'No' the reporter said 'I said treatment, not treat'

'Oh, Treatment. Em, no he didn’t want any treatment, he's a very brave and strong dog you see.'

'Thank you Mr Dunn and thank you Patch. So there you have it, the brave Dog Patch helping the police to solve the case of the Bournemouth Butcher'

John couldn’t stop himself from laughing as he switched the T.V off and left for work. He was looking forward to the day ahead, getting on with this case, meeting the criminal profiler, and, of course, he needed to go and speak to Jenni. He was unaware that the person now dubbed the Bournemouth Butcher had also seen the T.V report.

'Mr Dunn and his hero Dog. Perhaps I'll need to pay you a visit sometime, but not yet, the times not right yet.'

John sat in the Briefing room looking at the board, the two victim’s names written up and the info they had on each written below.

'There's just not that much to go on' John thought to himself

'Morning J.D your here early, Shit the bed?'

John laughed 'Good morning Ian, how are you today? Ready for a busy day? I think we're going to make a breakthrough today, I can feel it in my bones'

Ian stopped in his tracks and just starred at John

'What?' John asked

'Let me see. Its only 7:30 and you’re already here; you're cheerful which is not like you, especially at this time in the morning. Its not you're birthday, and I doubt you got laid last night after I left you. Oh my god! Should I drive you to the hospital, you must be really ill'

'Funny fucker' John said 'I just got a really good nights sleep, and I'm feeling fine for the first time since I can remember, don’t knock it, it might not last.'

Ian laughed and went to get them both a coffee, when he returned handing one cup to John he said

'So, you think we're going to get a break today, any particular reason?'

'No, I just think its time we did, and today’s the day. How did we get on with the neighbours Mr and Mrs Lovitt?

'Wallace went to speak to them, Turns out he wasn’t at Mrs Brooms for long

He did go there but got a phone call asking him to go into work; he’s a chef at Hungry Horace’s just around the corner from the Pig. Says he didn’t bother to tell his wife, that’s why she thought he had spent so long with Mrs Broom. We have confirmed that he was working that night from about 8 till 11:30 pm.'

'Didn't bother to tell his wife, and she didn't think it odd that he was so long next door?'

'It seems that's a regular occurrence, there's definitely something going on between the two of them, which confirms what Jenni told you last night'

'Yes but Jenni said that she had promised to end the affair if William did the same so they could try again'

John and Ian looked at each other for a moment

'Think we need to speak to Peter Lovitt again'

'I think you're right Ian, I think we do'

As they left the station John handed a large brown envelope to the desk sergeant.

'I'm expecting a profiler to call in for me today, don't know his name yet, but when he comes make my apologies and give him this envelope, it should have everything he needs, tell him I'll be in touch.'

Ian rang the doorbell at the Lovitt house and Mrs Lovitt answered, already dressed and ready to leave,

'Good morning Mrs Lovitt, I'm Detective Inspector Dickie and this is D.S Cripp, I wonder if we might have a word with your husband?'

Mrs Lovitt invited them in then called up the staircase

'Pete, the police are here to speak to you! I'm going now.'

She turned to Ian, he'll be down in a minute, sorry I've got to go, said I'd take next doors kids to school and I'm running late. Make yourselves at home. Pete! I'm going now, the police are waiting!'

With that she left slamming the front door behind her.

John and Ian looked at each other, then around the hall where they had been left waiting.

'Sorry' came a voice from the top of the stairs 'Late shift last night'

'No problem, I'm D.I Dickie and this is D.S Cripp, we just have a few more questions relating to Mr Broom's Murder we think you might be able to help us with'

'Yes, of course anything I can do to help, Would you like some Tea?'

'Not for me thanks' they both said in unison

'So how can I help?'

'Well Mr Lovitt, we know you were in work on the night of the murder, but I'm a bit confused that you're wife didn't, she thought you were next door with Mrs Broom'

'That's right, I got a call to go into work, it should've been my night off but they had a really busy night so I went in to help.'

'But you didn't inform your wife' Ian Said

'She never really pays any interest in where I am, so I just don’t bother any more'

'What’s your relationship with Mrs Broom?' Ian asked

'We're friends, Debbie, My wife takes her kids to school, I do a few odd jobs for her and Bill, that’s about all really'

'Did you know that Bill was having an affair?'

'Gill mentioned it, but I didn't really want to get involved, extra marital affairs are not really my thing'

'Really?' Ian said surprised by the answer

Just then there was the sound of the back door opening and closing,

'Pete, its Gilly, she’s taken the kids, are you upstairs? I'm coming to get you'

'Morning Mrs Broom, Nice to see you're bearing up so well'

She was just about to go upstairs, her dressing gown lay on the floor in the hallway and she was wearing a tight fitting Basque and stockings.

'Perhaps you'd like to come and join us' John Said picking up the dressing gown and handing it to her.

She sat next to Peter both looking slightly embarrassed.

'Now, this is nice isn’t it?' John said 'so you were saying extra marital affairs weren’t your thing Mr Lovitt.'

Peter shuffled uncomfortably in his seat

'You see we know that you two are having an affair, we have also been told that you Mrs Broom had told your husband that you were going to finish it'

Peter looked at Gill

'No that’s not true' she said

'You told your husband that you would finish this affair if he finished his affair, for the sake of the kids'

'That's not true!' she protested. ‘He’d had so many affairs I've lost count, Even if he finished that one there would be another, and another'

'Why didn't you leave him?'

'Where would I go? Some scrubby old bedsit somewhere? What about the Kids? The only way I could keep the house and Kids is if he went off with some tart he'd picked up'

'Or he was dead' Ian said.

There was a long pause, until John eventually said

'What time did you finish work that night Peter?'

'It would have been about 11:30'

'And where did you go then?'

'I went to Gill's for an hour then came home'

'How did you get to work?'

'I took the car, parked it in Madeira Road and Walked down'

'Madeira Road?'

'Yes'

'And walked to your work from there?'

'Yes'

'Did you walk the same way back, after work?'

They all sat and looked at each other, Peter and Gill just beginning to realise the implication.

'Mr Lovitt, what’s your relationship with Jeremy Green?'

'Who's Jeremy Green' Peter said

Neither John or Ian Answered

'Oh, he's the other one that got murdered. Now hang on, what are you trying to say? That I murdered Bill and this other one, is that what you're saying?

'Did you?'

'Don't be so bloody ridiculous of course I didn't, I've told you, I had to go to work and then I went to Gill's for an hour and came home'

'He was with me before he went to work and he came to see me after, in between he was working, why don't you check with them?' Gillian said

'We already have, but that still leaves the time you left work and walked to your car, either passing, or crossing Horseshoe common. You've got to see it from my point of view, you weren’t telling the truth, right up till Mrs Broom let herself in through the back door, and I'm still not sure that either of you are being honest, but I'm going to find out. Peter Lovitt and Gillian Broom, I'm arresting you both in connection with the murder of William Broom. You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence."

Gillian go with D.S Cripp and put some clothes on I'll wait here with Peter.

Within 25 minutes Gillian and Peter were taken to the station booked in and sat in separate interview rooms awaiting the arrival of their lawyers.

'I told you this was going to be a good day' John was saying 'He's got to be good for this and if we can find a link between him and Jeremy Green case closed.'

'Can’t help feeling you're being a bit optimistic J.D. At the moment there is no link to Green and what about DNA?'

'We won’t get the result from that yet, but if we can get a confession to Brooms murder we'll charge them with that and then find the link to Green.'

John’s internal phone buzzed.

'Yes. OK, good we'll be there now.' he listened for a while 'get that information to Elizabeth Collingsworth. Thanks.' he replaced the receiver.

'Right, let’s go, the lawyers are here, and they found the CCTV of Broom at McDonalds that should help Liz,'

John entered the interview room with Ian just behind him, they sat opposite Gillian Broom and the tape was started, after the preliminary introduction, who was present and the time, were said out loud for the benefit of the tape. The interview began.

John. 'Gillian, I just want to say I don't think you killed your husband. I think somehow you've become involved in something that got way out of hand, you didn't really want him killed did you?'

Gillian. 'No, of course not, he was the father to my children'

John. 'But I wonder Gillian, if during the heat of the moment, you said something to Peter, you were having an affair with Peter Weren’t you?'

Gillian. 'Yes, you know I was'

John. 'Did you ever mention to Peter, perhaps in a moment of passion that you wish you're husband was dead?'

Gillian. 'No! I would never have said that!'

John. 'But you were having a passionate affair with Peter?'

Gillian. 'Yes'

John. 'He seems like a nice feller, you and he seem quite well matched, would you say that was a fair comment?'

Gillian. 'Yes'

John. 'He would do almost anything for you?'

Gillian 'Yes, almost, but not murder, even if I had asked him too, which I didn't.'

John. 'You see Gillian, I think that you did ask Bill to end his affair and that you would end yours with Peter, but when Peter came around that night he persuaded you there was another way'

'No!'

'You had told Peter, at some point, that you wished Bill was dead, and Peter told you he would kill Bill rather than loose you, with Bill out the way you didn't need to worry about where you and your children would live and you still had your lover, Peter, next door.'

'No, No! It wasn't like that; Peter would never have done that!'

John sat for a moment without speaking.

'Well if it wasn’t like that Gillian, how was it? Did you and Peter plan the whole thing together; perhaps Debbie Lovitt was going to be next?'

'That's ridiculous. No!'

There was a knock at the door and a police officer gestured towards John.

'Interview suspended at 11:45' John said and he and Ian left the room.

'What is it?' John asked

'Elizabeth Collingsworth on the phone for you sir, says it’s important.'

John went to the phone.

'Hello Liz, this had better be good'

'Hello John, I'm sorry to interrupt but I thought you'd want to know this straight away. You got the CCTV of William Broom buying the McDonalds, the time stamp on the tape shows 6:17 pm. And you can see him sitting at a table eating it.'

'I've got a feeling I'm not going to like this, but go on'

'Well John, that means the time of death would have been no later than 10pm'

'Are you sure Liz?'

'Absolutely no doubt John.'

'I knew I wasn’t going to like it, Thanks Liz'

He put the receiver down.

Ian was looking at John 'what is it J.D'

'Peter Lovitt, What time did you say he was working till?'

'It was about 11:30 pm'

'Bollocks! We'd better let them go, time of death was about 10pm, he couldn't have done it, and without him we've got nothing on her. Fuck! And I thought it was going to be a good day!'

'OK, I'll tell the boys to cut them loose. Then we'll go talk to Jenni Everitt'

'Good Idea' John said, his mood lifting slightly once again.