Riddled on the Sands (The Lakeland Murders) (7 page)

‘I did, aye.’

‘Excellent.’

Gorham interrupted. ‘So we’re upgrading this to a murder enquiry then, are we, Andy? That’s your recommendation?’

‘Absolutely. I’d like to begin a level two enquiry ma’am, because of the level of violence deployed in this instance. I know we don’t have a body, and like I say my guess is that we’ll never get one, but we do know that someone has been firing an automatic assault weapon on our patch. I called firearms before I came down here, ma’am, and they’ve no record of that kind of weapon being discharged in the county in recent times, nor have we recovered any.’

‘Level two? You’re talking about a big team, Andy.’

‘I think the seriousness of the case demands it.’

‘Agreed, but I’m wondering if you could manage with a smaller team? We could log it as a level three, for costing purposes, but I’d let the Chief know that we’re treating it as a level two.’

‘Perhaps it might be worth talking through our resource needs and investigative plan at this point then, ma’am. This is obviously an unusual case. That might help you form a settled view.’

‘Yes, but I do expect you to write it up in the normal way, and today please.’

Hall inclined his head. There was no point discussing which came first, the investigation or the form-filling, because he already knew the answer.

‘I’d like to mobilise whatever forces we can lay our hands on - our coppers, Lancashire’s, Coastguard, rescue services, maybe even the military - to sweep the coast from Fleetwood to St Bees at low tide today, with eyeball inspections of the same locations at each low tide thereafter for a number of days. I’ve already asked Jane, DC Francis, to make contact with an academic at Lancaster University who seems to know all about the tidal patterns.’

‘Agreed’ said Gorham. ‘What else?’

‘I’ll come back to the victim and possible suspects and witnesses in a second, but I’d also like every slipway and access point, for a boat or a vehicle, to be checked out. I’m thinking north Lancashire coast and the whole Bay area.’

Gorham nodded. ‘How many additional bodies do you need for the usual enquiries?’

‘I’ll need half a dozen uniforms for the door-to-door in Flookburgh, for two days, with Ian supervising and following up on the ground. I’d like DC Francis to do all the background on Jack Bell and his family, and Ray Dixon to look at this Pete Capstick character, plus anyone else who might look like a suspect.’

Gorham nodded. ‘Very well, but we will classify as a level three for now. I will take care of the inter-force and agency co-ordination personally. So, what do your instincts tell you, gentlemen?’

Hall looked across at Ian Mann, and gestured for him to reply first.

‘Well, I don’t see Jack Bell being mixed up in anything that involves heavy artillery, ma’am. His only previous is for a bit of poaching, and he’s always been a bit of an activist, but only trying to keep the fishing industry going, and looking after the local environment. So I’m guessing that he’ll come up clean, suggesting that he was probably just in the wrong place at the wrong time.’

Gorham looked at Hall. He made a non-committal gesture. ‘That’s certainly possible, but it’s a bit early to say. I certainly wouldn’t want to close off any lines of enquiry at this stage. What about this Capstick bloke then, Ian?’

‘He was nervous and upset when me and Ray spoke to him, but you’d expect that, wouldn’t you? We’ll see, but as to him either shooting Jack, or being mixed up with the kind of people who would, then that doesn’t seem likely. Sorry.’

‘No. I’m with you’ said Hall. ‘He’s got no previous, beyond the usual poaching and a couple of minor motoring things, and the local bobby hasn’t heard any whispers to suggest he’s up to anything.’

‘Who have we got on the ground out there?’ asked Gorham.

‘Local bobby is Jan Wilding’ replied Hall. ‘There’s a Sergeant at Grange but he’s pretty new too, still getting to know the patch. Jan lives in a Police house in the next village, and seems to be well-liked locally, but she is still a young and inexperienced officer. So how much she’d pick up, or people would tell her, I’m not sure.’

Gorham pursed her thin lips until they almost disappeared. ‘We’ve lost a lot of experience lately, I’ll grant you that.’

‘On that point, ma’am’ said Hall, sensing his opportunity. ‘I was wondering if it might be possible for me to ask Geoff  Atkinson to help us out, maybe even come in and work with us here?’

‘Who is he? A former officer? You know my views on this, Andy. We can’t afford any consultants, and I don’t believe that we need any.’

‘I understand, but Geoff comes from the village, he still lives there in fact, and he was a good copper. Very good in fact, if a bit old school. He retired a few months back, before you took over, and he was the Sergeant at Grange. He’d be really useful, I’m sure of it.’

‘I don’t know.’

‘What if he’d work for free?’

‘Why would he do that?’

‘Like I say, he was a good copper, and this is his community. He knew Jack Bell too, knew him his whole life. I’m sure he’d want to help us on this.’

Gorham looked annoyed. ‘So you’ve already spoken to former Sergeant Atkinson?’

‘Just a general chat, ma’am. No promises, no agreements.’

Gorham didn’t look convinced. ‘And he didn’t retire under a cloud?’

‘Disciplinary, you mean? No, absolutely not, his record was as clean as a whistle. He just had his years in, and they made him walk the plank. No pun intended. And with this being classified as a level 3, well, we can do with all the help we can get.’

Gorham smiled. ‘Are you playing me here, Andy? If so, nicely done. Very well, if he’s willing to work for expenses, at the usual rate mind, then bring him on board. But he’s your personal responsibility, Inspector. Is that quite clear? So keep a proper eye on him.’

‘Will do, ma’am.’ Hall paused, and when Gorham didn’t say anything else he picked up his pad. ‘Come on Ian, we’d better get on with it.’

‘Before you go’ said Gorham quickly. ‘I just wanted to say well done, Sergeant. This enquiry is the product of some excellent, committed Police work. I know that we’ve had our differences in the past, but I wanted you to know that I intend to add a note to your file today, making clear my admiration for your work to date, even if it looks as if the enquiry is going to cost us an absolute fortune.’

‘Long way to go yet, ma’am’ Mann mumbled.

‘That’s what I’m afraid of. So let’s hope for a nice, quick result, shall we?’

When they were back in Hall’s office, but before Jane and Dixon arrived, Mann asked, ‘Are you sure about Geoff?’

‘Yes, why shouldn’t I be?’

‘I heard he’s been drinking, you know, since he left the job.’

‘Wouldn’t be the first time that happened, would it, mate? This will give him a bit of focus, make him feel useful.’

‘It’s not supposed to be therapy, boss.’

‘Point taken, but he’ll be a huge help, you’ll see. And God knows we’re short-handed enough as it is. You heard what Gorham was like just now. She’d downgrade it to ABH if she thought she could get away with it.’

‘Aye, fair enough. You know best.’

‘Very rarely, possibly never. And I meant to say I’ll show my gratitude in the form of a few beers when this is all over, but you really done have a brilliant job to get us this far. I really think that’s the most brilliant bit of detective work I’ve ever come across.’ Mann looked unconvinced, fearing a wind-up, and Hall spotted it. ‘No, honestly, I mean it. But be honest, had you spotted one of those slugs when you were out there?’

Mann was pleased now, but had no intention of showing it. ‘No, of course not. That museum piece of a tractor was half buried in sand when we got there, it was all a total mess. And I’ll tell you the truth, Andy. When those lads were all bitching about digging the bloody thing out and dragging it all the way back to the shore I very nearly told them to stop.’

‘Why didn’t you?’

‘Because I’m an awkward bugger, that’s why.’

Hall didn’t leave his office until after 10pm. He was exhausted, but at least the investigation was properly underway. Far out in Morecambe Bay the sea had long since ceased its retreat, and was rushing back towards the shore in the dusk. All around the Bay beaches, inlets and foreshores had been searched, and the last of the searchers were heading for home. There was still no sign of Jack Bell’s body, and Hall had no expectation that he would turn up. He hated having to go to PMs, and even reading the reports made him queasy, so it wasn’t all bad news.

When he did reach over and turn off his desk light he felt the tiredness wash over him, and he just sat there in the half-dark. Ten years ago he wouldn’t have felt like this. When he walked out into the open office only Ian and Jane were still there.

‘I’m off home, Jane.’

‘I’m going to do another hour. See you in the morning, yeah?’

‘OK. Fine. See you then.’

In a way he felt disappointed that Jane wasn’t coming back to his house that night, but he was slightly relieved too. And Hall knew that until this case was over there’d be little room anywhere in his mind or his heart for anything beyond this case, and his kids. He wondered briefly if Jane knew that, too.

Jane worked on until she found herself reading the same sentence three times, and still not understanding it. The station was Christmas Day-quiet when she left. But as Jane slept, in a garage on a lane behind Greenside, a fire was taking hold. It started among the electronics, then through the hanging rails of clothes, and by the time it reached the books it was laying waste to everything that it touched.

Because the garage was detached the fire didn’t spread, but by the time the fire engines turned up the job was one of containment, and when dawn broke all that was left was a concrete pad and a few blackened beams from the roof. Everything else had been consumed.

‘Fuck’ said John Perkins to neighbour, who was standing next to him in his dressing gown.

‘You are insured, though?’

Perkins vaguely remembered that the bloke had worked for Provincial Insurance years before.

‘No. I can cover it myself.’

‘How much did you lose?’

‘If the taxman’s asking, ten grand.’

‘And if I’m asking?’

Perkins turned round. He was too trusting, that was his trouble.

‘Still ten grand’ he said, and walked back up the path to his house, feeling the water squelching in his slippers.

‘At least those bastard coppers will have to take me seriously now’ he said to his mother, who was looking at the garage from the kitchen window.

‘How much did we lose?’

‘Nothing I can’t make up, don’t you worry.’

‘How much?’

‘Cost or retail?’

‘Cost.’

‘About thirty grand. I’ve started buying stock for Christmas, you know, while stuff’s cheap. Good business, that is.’

‘Not this year it isn’t. I’m going back to bed. You should take a shower, John, you smell like a bonfire.’

But Perkins had no intention of taking a shower. He was going to get dressed and drive straight round to the Police station. And he was going to stay there until whoever was in charge turned up. And then he was going to complain about those two coppers who didn’t take him seriously.  After that he was going to demand compensation, and sue if he didn’t get it. By the time he was in the car he was working out how much compensation to demand. Taking into account his loss of earnings and all that, he decided that seventy five grand was fair, generous even. They had the money, of course they did.

Wednesday, 19th June

‘I appreciate you helping us out with this, Geoff, I really do.’

‘Not a problem, Andy, glad to help. But I wanted to ask, have you cleared it with young Jan? I don’t want to tread on her toes.’

‘Yes, I did it myself, when the Super had given me the go-ahead.’

‘How did she take it?”

‘Who, Jan or the Super?’

‘Either. Both.’

‘The Super took a bit of persuading.’

‘What persuaded her?’

‘The fact that we’re not paying you.’

Atkinson laughed.

‘Par for the course, that is.’

‘Seriously, I told her you’re a good copper.’

‘Was, Andy, was. Not that I’m saying I was good, mind.’

‘I don’t think you can stop being who you are when you retire, Geoff. You’ve got the all the skills, you know how this works, plus you’ve got local knowledge that no-one else can match. This is your community.’

‘True enough, lad. So how did Jan take it, when she found out that you were dusting down an old fossil like me?’

‘Honestly, I think she was relieved. After I’d asked her about fifty questions that she couldn’t answer I think she understood that there’s more to community policing than knowing all the old folks’ names.’