Confession at Maddleskirk Abbey (13 page)

‘You must have had enquiries about them? From other police forces?'

‘For a while, yes, but their links with Lancashire faded away. Recently we learned that Michael had set up a business somewhere in Yorkshire making shockproof and waterproof cases for mobile phones and vulnerable things like pocket calculators, cameras and even spectacles. Another cover for his drug dealing. Word has it that he's a successful businessman in the York area, and his wife is still with him, but they have no family. I'm sure his wife never knew he had killed the children. Jacobson carried all the blame. If the Goddards are around and involved in their usual business, they'll be operating under false names, they always do.'

‘Still violent, is he? Is that something you know?'

‘Yes, we are fed snippets from time to time. As I've said, it's
known he's a violent but charming rogue, Brian, the worst of the worst. And he can silence witnesses. On top of that, he's become extremely rich.'

‘If he's in the York area, we can check him out. I wonder if he's come across Jacobson, who's also living in Yorkshire? You know he's out of prison, do you?' Brian put to Pauline.

‘Our last information was that Jacobson would never admit to the crime, so he would never be granted parole. You say he's out now?'

‘Yes, on licence. Much to everyone's surprise, he admitted his guilt and was granted parole. He has been out for ten years or so, living under an assumed name in our force area, which is why I'm aware of this. I am sure there will be a record somewhere in your offices, perhaps in a top secret file.'

‘We should have been informed. He'll be under strict supervision, surely?'

‘Naturally. But I have to say this – he is now known as Father John Attwood and is a monk at Maddleskirk Abbey deep in the moors near Aidensfield. He disappeared on Saturday shortly before a murdered man was found near the monastery. There's a search going on for him right now.'

‘That sounds ominous! Someone's not been too careful with their supervision. Who's the dead man?'

‘We're not sure. Very few people know about Father Attwood's past and it is not for public consumption. From what we are told, it seems he admitted the crimes simply to get out of prison so that he could set about proving his innocence.'

‘You say he has disappeared? Was that voluntarily?'

‘He might have been tricked into leaving the monastery.'

‘That sounds nasty. Have you met him?'

‘No, I haven't, but we are investigating the murder of an unknown man in the woods near the abbey. He was killed with a stiletto wound, the trademark of a drugs baron. The circumstances are puzzling but my boss, Detective Chief Superintendent Napier, wants to know more about the crime
for which he was convicted, hence my visit here. He reckons it's relevant.'

‘He's not suggesting this force manipulated the conviction of an innocent man, is he?'

‘I'm sure he would suggest no such thing, Pauline. The evidence was enough to convince the jury. That's pretty final. The case appears to have been conducted according to the rules.'

‘It was, but I have to admit there were doubts about that conviction. Before you arrived, I spoke to officers who remember the case and out of the three I spoke to, two expressed doubts. They felt Jacobson had been set up for the murder and that the crime was the work of the girls' stepfather. The possibility was investigated discreetly but evidence of Jacobson's guilt was too strong – enough to convince the senior investigating officer and a jury.'

‘Do you think your chief constable would sanction a cold-case review? It would help us to deal with the present murder.'

‘Your boss needs to speak to my chief,' suggested Pauline. ‘But I would add my support – after all, I've read a summary and must say that gave me doubts about the safety of Jacobson's conviction. There are some points of evidence that seem not to have been checked, overlooked by both the investigating team and Jacobson's defence counsel.'

‘And it would be necessary to re-examine the forensic evidence.'

‘That can be done,' she said. ‘But I am powerless to help – a cold-case review is a matter for our chiefs, yours and mine. And don't forget, Brian, cold-case reviews can take a long time.'

‘I'll bear that in mind. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me like this and thanks for producing this disc, it will be most useful. Now I'll let you go home.'

‘You'll keep me informed?'

‘Of course.'

‘Y
OU WERE LATE
back, Brian!’ commented Detective Chief Superintendent Napier the next morning, Tuesday.

‘There was a lot to investigate, boss.’

‘So what’s your verdict? Was your trip useful?’

‘Yes. Very.’ He provided a short resumé, adding, ‘It takes us a step or two forward. Of major importance is confirmation that the stepfather of the Jacobson victims, Michael Goddard, has moved from Manchester. No one is sure where he’s gone, he has disappeared with his wife, and they’re thought to be living in the York area under assumed names. He is a known killer, taking out those who get in his way, but he appears to be a highly successful businessman. A cover story. One of his enterprises is making safety covers for mobile phones, calculators and so on, but the Criminal Intelligence Bureau along with Manchester CID believe his real wealth comes from drug dealing under the guise of various forms of manufacturing. He shouldn’t be hard to trace if we can find the right people but this inquiry has shifted firmly into our lap. We should realize that if Goddard is currently operating on our patch, he might have seen Father John somewhere and recognized him despite a few years of ageing and John’s new identity.’

‘If that happened, what would be Goddard’s reaction? Any ideas?’

‘Shock at first, then disbelief at seeing John free from prison, especially if he had framed him. Goddard would want to make sure his own future wasn’t at risk. If he saw John out of prison and moving around the countryside quite freely, Goddard would do his utmost to eliminate him to safeguard himself. He would take whatever action necessary to stop him – such as death or framing him for another murder?’

‘That’s how I read the situation, Brian, but I can assure you that John is safe for the time being. I’ll explain eventually. Now we must concentrate on Goddard, who is a dangerous and slippery customer. We must persuade him to come into the open – where we shall be waiting. The only way to nail him is to trap him, Brian.’

‘He’ll smell a rat, surely? Whatever tactics we use.’

‘Not if we’re cunning! There are matters you don’t know yet but Father John is the bait. He has something that will be bothering Goddard. Father John has a file stored in a secret place – it contains evidence that could convict Goddard. We’ve made sure he knows about it and he intends to destroy it. Even if he kills John, he can never be safe with that file lying around. And there’s another thing, Brian. The dead man in the wood, the undercover police officer, was watching Father John, not trying to catch him committing a breach of his licence, but protecting him. And see what happened to him!’

‘Goddard got rid of him?’

‘Who else? Who else would have a motive? Goddard is quite capable of killing an undercover agent to protect his own back.’

‘That woman we’re trying to identify? The one in the confessional? Could she be Goddard’s wife, mother of the dead girls? Conspiring with him to eliminate Father John?’

‘Mrs Goddard is involved with all his projects, legal or not. She might even be the brains behind some of her husband’s endeavours. We can’t ignore her, Brian.’

‘I find it difficult to understand why she doesn’t suspect that her husband killed her girls?’

‘That’s Goddard for you. It shows something of his treachery and cunning. I’m sure she has no idea.’

‘So will she be with Goddard now, somewhere on our patch?’

‘Almost certainly. In fact, Nick Rhea discovered a witness who saw a woman with Radcliffe near St Valentine’s Well. I showed the witness – Claude Jeremiah Greengrass – a still from the CCTV coverage of the south transept but he couldn’t be sure it was the same woman. All he said was that it might be her, not that it was. That’s not good enough for us, Brian, we need to be sure – but in spite of that, it’s a lead. So how much detail of the Jacobson murders is available to us?’

‘I’ve got the entire file on disc including photos and Detective Chief Inspector Hammond has promised all the assistance she can give.’

‘We need our best officers to concentrate on finding Goddard without approaching him or alerting him. We must establish where he is and what he’s up to.’

‘Do we need to consider his wife’s sister?’ asked Brian.

‘Do you think she’s involved?’

‘It’s possible. On the night of the murders Geraldine Goddard was having a night out with her sister, celebrating their birthdays. In the plural. Twins in fact. She could know more than anyone has realized. That woman that Greengrass noticed talking to the murdered detective could have been her.’

‘Are you saying the sister is working
against
the Goddards? That’s dangerous but not impossible. Certainly the woman who met Father John outside Scarborough Beach Hospital looked very similar to the one who used the confessional. Maybe the sister is working for the security service, Brian? Something undercover. Police even!’

‘We have no information about the sister except her first name is Jenny.’

‘There are a lot of tangled strands to unravel, Brian. You’re the man to sort it all out so I’ll release you from supervising the murder room – DS Salkeld can continue. It’s good experience for
her. So there we are, your job is to catch Goddard.’

‘I’ll be pleased to tackle it.’

‘Good. Select two good detectives from those working here. They’ll be your specialist team. Spread the news among the criminal underworld that you’re trying to trace the Goddards under whatever name they’re operating. Get the local small-time criminals stirred up while you’re at it. Get them worried … they’ll soon filter information down to your team just to get you off their backs. Leave Father John to us.’

‘Right, boss.’

‘Now let’s go. I’m going to brief the teams.’

Quite deliberately, Napier had withheld some information from DI Lindsey and he had also decided not yet to release the true identity of the murder victim to his other officers. But he would tell them about Father John Attwood. He believed his criminal record would encourage the teams to respond with more enthusiasm if they believed they were hunting a convicted child killer.

Napier therefore instructed his team leaders to inform their detectives that finding Father Attwood dead or alive must be given the highest priority. He stressed the monk was in possession of information that was important to the current investigation. ‘You must find him; we need to hear his full story.’

Napier followed with a brief account of Attwood/Jacobson’s conviction for two child murders whilst reinforcing earlier orders that this information was not for public consumption and, at this stage, definitely not for the media. He explained that DI Lindsey and his team were concentrating on a branch of the investigation in the York area, but told them that the information about the monk’s former life was known only to the people in the murder room – and that included the shocked monkstables.

He exhorted them to continue their search for witnesses, particularly the woman who had been seen by Claude Jeremiah Greengrass, and he stressed they should not abandon efforts to
trace people who had attended confession on Saturday. It was vital they traced the woman with the umbrella whose grainy photograph was now posted on a board in the murder room. Napier reminded them that much of the interviewing and searching would be repetitive or even boring, but added, ‘The answer is out there somewhere and it’s our job to find it. Now, Nick Rhea, can you hang on a moment, I’d like a word?’

‘Sure.’

As everyone set about their actions and updated their own personal files, Napier signalled to Nick. ‘My office, Nick. Now.’

When they were settled in the cramped accommodation, Napier said, ‘I have an unpleasant job to do, Nick, and I’d appreciate your presence whilst I’m doing it.’

‘Why me?’

‘Because you have one foot in our police camp and another one in this abbey and its complement of monks. I just need you to be present, to make sure I don’t do something that’s markedly off limits.’

‘What on earth are we going to do?’

‘Search Father John’s room.’

‘That is not a very pleasant thing to do, is it?’ Nick expressed his own views. ‘It’s an invasion of a monk’s privacy.’

‘That’s why I want you with me. You know about these things, the niceties in such cases.’

‘I wouldn’t bank on that, Mr Napier, but of course I’ll help. Wouldn’t the prior be a better companion?’

‘I thought about him but he’s too close to the men under his wing. You’re independent. I know it’s not a pleasant job but for the progress of this investigation, it must be done. I’ve got the abbot’s reluctant approval.’

‘What will you be looking for?’

‘I’ve no idea until I find it. Hopefully, it will be something that guides us to John’s present whereabouts; a diary entry perhaps, a letter. But I suspect he has something else that’s very valuable, and not merely to us. As this man spent a long time in
prison and several years on release wanting to prove his innocence, he must have gathered information that he could present to the police or to an appeal court. Even to the press. We need to find whatever he’s collected and examine it – and safeguard it from Goddard. Where do I get his key?’

‘The prior will have a spare. I expect Father John will have his own with him.’

‘If he’s being held against his will, his key might have been found and the villains might come looking for that file, to destroy it. Can anyone gain entry to his room? How secure is the monastic area of the abbey?’

Nick explained about the coded entry door, telling Napier there were no names on any of the monks’ rooms whilst security devices were in place to protect the private areas used only by monks, such as their library and lounge.

‘And,’ said Nick, smiling, ‘there’s a large notice saying “No Admittance to Women”.’

‘That won’t stop a determined wrong-doer, or a determined woman!’

‘From my previous experience, I believe each monk is responsible for the security of his own cell. All doors are self-locking and the windows overlook the cloister and courtyard, both of which are secure.’

‘Fair enough. Let’s get the key. If the abbey authorities try to prevent me, I shall obtain a search warrant on the grounds we’re looking for evidence of murder. And that means we could smash the door down.’

‘That would make us popular!’

‘Tough. But I don’t want to do that unless there’s no alternative. Come along, lead me to Friar Tuck.’

Napier explained his requirements when they found the prior in the Postgate Room but despite the abbot’s consent, the prior shrank from the idea of anyone searching a brother monk’s private quarters. Napier, however, was not going to be diverted. After he had explained and then expounded his actions if he
was refused access, Father Prior capitulated.

‘I’ll get a key. Meet me at the entrance to the monastery.’

Nick led the way through the network of corridors until they arrived at the entrance to a long wide corridor with a succession of identical doors along its route. There were also staircases leading to two higher floors. Here they halted to wait.

‘I always thought the term monastery means the entire place,’ admitted Napier. ‘Now I realize it’s only that part where the monks live and sleep, have their own rooms, library, refectory, library and lounge.’

‘Right.’ Nick nodded. ‘The abbey is the all-embracing name for the entire complex. The abbey church is self-explanatory. There are other places such as the theatre, sports complex, infirmary, reception, visitor centre, transport department, estate manager, farm and so forth – all making up one huge establishment called an abbey. It’s more than just a ruined church! In this particular case, there are additional buildings. I mean, the college with all its classrooms, lecture theatres, accommodation blocks, sports areas and so on – but all part of this abbey.’

‘In this job you learn something new every day. Ah, here comes our man with the key. You’d better come with us, Friar Tuck.’

The accommodation was made up of a single bedroom with en suite bathroom, a lounge and a study. It was meticulously tidy but somewhat sparsely furnished, the walls being covered in emulsion in a neutral shade. There were no ornaments or wall pictures, except for those associated with religion. There was a small desk supporting a computer and printer. Around the room were a bookcase, a wardrobe and a chest of drawers that also served as a dressing table with a small rug under its chair. A small wooden crucifix stood on the dressing table.

‘This won’t take us long,’ muttered Napier and for a few minutes he stood in the centre of the room and gazed around, absorbing all the detail. ‘Here, we’d better wear these,’ and like a magician he produced from his pocket some pairs of Latex
gloves used by SOCO for such searches. Then he addressed Nick.

‘Can you search the wardrobe, open any suitcases and check the pockets of every garment in there. If you ask what you’ll be looking for, I have no idea – you’ll know if you come across something that might be relevant. I’ll have a look around his desk, checking any files or papers, and I’ll go through that chest of drawers. We might also have to dig into the stuff stored in his computer but that means taking it away.’

‘We’ve the skills to do that,’ Prior Tuck reminded him.

Their searches were brief simply because they produced nothing of interest. They replaced everything as they had found it in the knowledge that Father John, when he returned, would never know his room had been searched.

He had very few personal possessions whilst the bathroom contained his toothbrush, razor and washing materials.

‘He didn’t expect to be away for long – he didn’t take his overnight stuff,’ commented Napier, acting as if he was not aware of the background to these actions. ‘This hasn’t produced anything of interest and there’s no loft entrance here.’

‘How about under the bed?’ suggested Nick, noticing the covers reached almost to the floor. He bent down, lifted up one side of the cover and found a large cardboard storage box of the kind used to store dead-section files. He gave it a push and it slid easily on the polished floor, emerging at the far side of the bed.