SHADOW OVER THE FENS a gripping crime thriller full of suspense (6 page)

‘You once told me you had a bad mission, was he part of it?’

Joseph closed his eyes. ‘I can’t go there right now, ma’am.’

Nikki knew the answer. ‘Okay. So what do we do next?’

‘I don’t know.’ He scratched his head. ‘Why on earth would he be here?’

‘I suggest we ask him.’

His eyes widened. ‘And how are we going to do that? He’s like a will-o'-the-wisp. Here one moment and gone the next.’

‘Well, did you notice his clothes?’

Joseph thought for a minute. ‘Dark zipper jacket, thin nylon material, black jeans and a T-shirt. Pale, dirty white or grey, maybe. Shoes were some kind of suede trainers, really grubby.’

Nikki nodded. ‘Good. Excellent, in fact. Let’s go back to the control room and get them to track him. Hopefully there’s more than one camera in this town that is actually working, so they should have a good chance of spotting him. Especially if he decided to play chicken in the middle of the Greenborough High Road yesterday, don’t you think?’

‘Good point, ma’am. And I appreciate your concern, but this is hardly a police matter. We’ve got a lot of work to do on Martin’s case.’

‘Naturally the investigation comes first, but I don’t want some creepy shit freaking out my detectives! So we deal with him, then get on with our own work, okay?’

Joseph stood up, looking slightly less harassed. ‘Let’s do it.’

* * *

‘What do you mean, inconclusive?’ Nikki felt her temperature begin to rise.

‘Sorry ma’am, we found the incident that Sergeant Easter described, but the footage is too grainy to identify anyone specific. It’s certainly not clear enough to lift an image.’

‘Oh great! Okay, let me have a tape of it anyway. Thanks for trying.’

The woman left and Nikki sank down in her chair. If they had managed to get a mugshot of the man, she could circulate it and get him brought in. Joseph could then have looked at him close up, and that would have been that. Either a simple case of mistaken identity or Joseph would have to take an unwanted trip down memory lane.

She gnawed on the inside of her cheek. Just say Joseph was correct and this Billy Sweet really was rampaging down a Lincolnshire High Street. What the hell did he want? It had to be something to do with Joseph. She wondered what Billy Sweet had done. If the whole unit despised him, it had to be something pretty grim.

‘Ma’am? You wanted me?’ Cat Cullen leant around the door. Her recently emerald green striped hairstyle was now reduced to just white blond spikes.

Nikki grinned at her. ‘Very good work with the cannabis farms, Detective. An excellent result.’

‘Ta, guv. Dave and me are pretty chuffed with ourselves.’

‘You have every right to be.’ Nikki jabbed her thumb in the direction of a chair.

‘I want you to do me a little favour before we discuss your next investigation. You’ve spent a lot of time on the streets recently, would this man mean anything to you?’ She handed Cat, Joseph’s written description of Billy Sweet.

‘Phew, that could be half the guys that I’ve been hanging out with, but it really doesn’t sound like anyone I could name. Want me to make enquiries, guv?’

Nikki nodded, then looked up as the CCTV operator appeared in the doorway and handed her a CD.

‘Stick this in the machine, Cat. It may help, although I’m told the quality is crap.’

Cat took the CD and switched on the viewer. After a few moments they were watching three lanes of painfully slow moving traffic.

‘This will never make the Cannes Film Festival, ma’am. When does the action start?’

‘About now I should think. There’s Joseph’s Ford, at a standstill in the middle lane.’

‘And what are those yobs doing?’

‘They are the ones that we are interested in. Watch Joseph’s vehicle. One of those men apparently hammered on his windscreen, then ran away.’

‘Wow!’ said Cat. ‘If that’s their idea of fun, they really need to get out more.’

As Joseph had described, the group of men ran in and out of the traffic, dodging and weaving as the vehicles moved forward or stopped. Then one of them broke away and dived in front of Joseph’s Ford.

‘The quality
is
crap. You’re right.’ Cat leaned in closer. ‘What’s he doing?’

‘Looks like he’s slapping the windscreen. Now he’s leaning over the bonnet and staring inside.’

‘What an arsehole,’ Cat frowned. ‘And now he’s off.’

Nikki stared at the screen. No question, the man was unidentifiable. But now she looked at Joseph. He had jumped out of his car and was staring around anxiously, trying to see where the man had gone.

‘The sarge overreacted a bit, didn’t he, guv?’ asked Cat. ‘It was only some prat, doing what prats do.’

Nikki didn’t answer. She’d been thinking exactly the same thing, and whether the man was Billy Sweet or Lord Lucan, Joseph clearly believed he had seen a ghost.

‘Go out for the afternoon, Cat. Ask around. See if this description rings any bells with anyone, and concentrate on the West Street Quarter, those other men were apparently foreign.’

‘Sure. No problem. And if I find him?’

‘Ring me, and steer well clear. Understand? No contact with him. He maybe an innocent party, but just as easily, he may be very unpleasant.’

As Cat stood up to leave, Nikki added, ‘And keep this just between us for the present, okay?’

Cat tapped the side of her nose. ‘Got it, ma’am. I’ll be silent as the grave.’

As the young detective closed the door, Nikki looked back to the photograph of Martin Durham. She was getting sidetracked by Joseph’s problems, but Martin was dead, and Joseph was alive and troubled.

Somehow she’d find time for both.

CHAPTER NINE

The Hammer and Anvil pub was packed with celebrating police officers and civilians.

‘They don’t need much encouragement, do they?’ yelled Dave, above the ear-splitting noise of voices and music.

Joseph forced a grin. He had not wanted to come, but he was part of the team now and he didn’t want to let Cat or Dave down. ‘What are you having, mate?’ he asked.

‘I’m fine, Sarge. I’ve got a pint and that’ll do me.’ He pointed towards the bar. ‘The first drink goes on the DI’s slate. And as that doesn’t happen too often, I’d have a large one if I were you!’

Joseph eased between the packed tables, and found that the bar was least crowded right at the far end. As he shouldered his way into the queue he decided that this kind of gathering really wasn’t his thing. He’d do the rounds, smile, speak to everyone he knew then quietly disappear.

‘As I stand
no
chance of ever reaching the bar, would you be kind enough to get me a G & T while you’re there, Joseph?’

He spun around and saw Bryony standing behind him.

‘My pleasure! Although I could be some time by the look of this lot!’

‘I’ll be over by the door to the restaurant. It’s quieter there. Do you need a ball of string to find your way back to me?’ she asked with a smile.

‘Don’t worry. I came first in orienteering.’ He returned the smile, then added, ‘although I was only twelve at the time.’

She melted into the crowd, and when Joseph had recovered from the surprise at seeing her, he wondered if she were alone, or maybe waiting for someone. Did women go to rowdy pubs alone these days? Maybe they did. He was pretty out of touch with the social scene.

Finally, with their drinks firmly grasped in both hands, he found her.

‘What on earth is going on?’

‘The Old Bill are celebrating slinging a few more villains in the slammer.’

Her brow wrinkled, and he thought it made her look even more attractive. ‘What?’

‘Arrests. We’ve made some good arrests today.’

‘Ah, so you are a policeman.’

Joseph smiled sheepishly and hoped that she wouldn’t throw up her hands and run screaming from the pub. ‘’Fraid so.’

‘Ah, I wondered what you did for a living.’

Relief swept over him. So she’d been thinking about him too.

‘Actually, we’ve met before. Before the fitness club, I mean, but I don’t think you’d remember me. You were pretty poorly.’

It was Joseph’s turn to frown. ‘I must have been half dead not to remember you.’

Bryony laughed. ‘You probably were! It was at the hospital a few months ago. I was visiting my brother. It was Curlew Ward, wasn’t it?’

He nodded. ‘But I’m really sorry. You see I don’t remember much about the first few days there. I was pretty out of it.’

‘It’s all right. Are you fully recovered?’ She laughed again. ‘Silly question! You’d hardly be ‘slinging villains in the slammer’ if you were still incapacitated, now would you?’

‘Probably not, although I am very passionate about my job.’

‘I like passion.’ Bryony grinned broadly, picked up her drink and raised it in salute. ‘Cheers, Joseph.’

‘Indeed.’ He clinked his glass against hers. ‘This is too weird. You know I’d fully intended to accost you at the pool tomorrow, and ask you if you’d like to go for a drink, and voila! Here we are!’

‘Funny that. I had the same plan. Although I was going to give you one chance to get in first, for the sake of your male pride.’

Joseph felt his stomach give a little lurch. ‘So I assume you would have said yes?’

‘Assume nothing, Joseph. It doesn’t pay.’ She looked him full in the eyes, ‘Except on this occasion.’

‘I’m glad to hear that, Bryony. So, how come you’re here tonight?’

‘Don’t ask!’ She gave him a mock frown. ‘Today has been a catalogue of disasters. Although this seems to be making up for it somewhat.’ She sipped her drink. ‘For my sins, my boss has organised myself and a work colleague to arrange a charity event. We are supposed to be scouting out suitable pubs for a scavenger hunt.’

‘My boss never gives me jobs like that! Some might say that was a very enjoyable task.’

‘And it might have been, if we hadn’t picked one that was evacuated because a fire alarm went off, another that was full of hairy bikers, and in the one before this; my friend had a pint of lager tipped all over her and went home in a huff! This was the last one, so I thought I’d check it out and get it over with, and found all this going on!’ She pulled a face. ‘I was just on my way out, when I saw you.’

‘Detective Sergeant Joseph Easter to the rescue, madam!’ He held out his hand.

‘Bryony Barton, ex-damsel in distress. Thank you!’ She took his hand and bowed her head, then laughed out loud. ‘Can we go somewhere quieter? Or is it obligatory to stay until you’re rat-arsed?’

‘Not in the slightest. But tradition demands that I must just congratulate the arresting officers, then I’m all yours.’ He stood up. ‘Excuse me, I’ll be back in five.’

* * *

Niall leant on the bar and dug Yvonne sharply in the ribs, ‘Gossip Alert! Gossip Alert!’

‘For God’s sake, Niall, mind my drink! You know, for a trendy young geezer, you are the biggest old woman on the force!’

‘Shut up and look! The Sarge is chatting up that super-cool bird in the blue dress!’

‘Are you sure she’s not chatting him up? He
is
probably the best-looking bloke in Greenborough.’

Niall snorted. ‘I’m devastated! I thought you loved me, Vonnie!’

‘Of course, I do! In a motherly kind of way.’ Yvonne placed her glass on the bar and tried not to stare across to where Joseph Easter sat talking animatedly to the striking-looking woman. Good luck to you, she thought. After all you’ve been through, you deserve a bit of fun.

Niall was still talking. ‘Well, I don’t know what the DI will make of that! Dear me! Whatever is he thinking of?’

Yvonne threw him a puzzled look. ‘What are you rambling on about? Half a shandy and you’re practically incoherent! You can’t be suggesting that Holy Joe and Old Nik are an item, are you? Are you quite mad?’

‘Oh Vonnie! Don’t be naïve! There are meant for each other!’

‘Huh? The sergeant and the DI! I’ve never heard anything so barmy!’

‘Five squid says she’s going to be pissed off as hell when she finds out about this!’

‘You’re on, honey-child! Although I’m going to hate to take your pocket money quite so easily.’

‘Where is DI Galena anyway?’

Yvonne took a big gulp of her wine. ‘I saw her going into the super’s office just before we left, but she’ll be along soon.’ She glanced back and raised her eyebrows. ‘Uh-oh, looks like the good sergeant has tired of our company already. And who could blame him! That woman has one heck of a good figure!’

‘I’ll second that!’ whispered Niall.

‘Put your eyeballs back in, Niall, and try to stop drooling.’

‘Sorry, Mother. Fancy another?’

‘My turn.’ Yvonne took her purse from her bag, and watched with a smile as the sergeant escorted the woman to the door and they both disappeared into the street.

* * *

Joseph took Bryony to a small Italian restaurant, where they shared a carafe of house red, and ate a chef’s special of four cheese ravioli and a salad. At around ten she said she had an early start the next day, so Joseph walked her down to the taxi rank.

‘Will you be at the pool tomorrow?’ he asked hopefully.

‘Not tomorrow, I have to go to Gainsborough for a meeting, but I’ll be there on Friday.’

‘I’ll see you there then.’ For a moment he felt like a tongue-tied kid, scared to say the wrong thing, but desperate to get the girl to see him again. ‘And when I do, perhaps you would accept an invitation to dinner on Saturday evening?’

‘Ask me on Friday, Joseph. And thank you for being my saving grace tonight.’

‘Anytime.’

A taxi moved slowly up the rank towards them. ‘My number.’ He handed her a card, and gave her a brief peck on the cheek. He wanted to kiss her, really kiss her, but . . . then it was too late. Bryony was leaning towards the driver’s window and telling him an address on the far side of town, one that Joseph immediately made a mental note of. He opened the door for her and watched her get in.

As he closed the door, he glanced across the road to the railway station buildings, and saw a man standing in the shadows, watching them intently. He was hardly visible, but Joseph caught sight of a dull gleam of pale hair in the orange glow of a street lamp

‘What’s wrong, Joseph?’ asked Bryony. There was a tinge of concern in her voice. ‘You’re as white as a sheet.’

‘A man. Over there.’ He pointed.

‘Where?’ She cast her eyes this way and that.

‘He’s gone. You didn’t see him?’ Joseph tried to get the panic out of his voice.

‘Sorry, no. Who is he?’

‘No one.’ He covered his anxiety with a smile. ‘No one at all. See you Friday. Take care, and thank you for tonight.’

Bryony looked at him for a long while, then smiled back. ‘Goodnight, Joseph.’

As the car pulled away, she called from the open window, ‘Got a good memory? Remember this!’ Then she called out her telephone number, and the window closed and she was gone.

Joseph grabbed a pen from his pocket, wrote the number on his hand, and watched the car until it turned on the High Street. Then he sprinted across the road. He paced up and down the railway approach, looked in every hiding place, and tried doors to see if any were open, but the station was deserted.

This time he really wasn’t sure about what he’d seen. The shadows had concealed the figure. All he knew was that
someone
had been there, and he had slipped out of sight quickly enough for Bryony not to see him.

After one last look around, Joseph gave up and walked back towards the taxi rank. As he got close, he decided that he could not face being shut inside a cab. It was a fair distance, but he’d walk. He had so much on his mind, he could do with the time alone to try to make sense of things.

He pushed his hands deep into his pockets and strode off in the direction of his lodgings. As he walked into the night, all he wanted to think about was Bryony. But try as he might, every time he remembered the outline of her face, it was overpowered by the ugly, uneven features of Billy Sweet.