Against a Dark Sky (23 page)

Chapter Forty Nine

B
evan and Calder were in the process of discussing with DS Driscoll whether the photographs were enough to justify arresting Micky Ford, when Dani’s mobile phone began buzzing in her pocket.

              The DCI formed her face into a frown when she saw the caller was Sally Irving-Bryant. ‘Sally?’ She answered warily.

              ‘Hello Dani, I’m sorry to bother you again.’

              The woman sounded unsettled. ‘Not a problem, how can I help?’

              ‘I’m really not sure. It’s James. We haven’t heard from him for a couple of days.’

              ‘Is that unusual?’

              ‘Not necessarily. But he was planning to take some time off work. He’d mentioned coming to visit us for a weekend. Then Mum and Dad heard nothing more. Radio silence, as it were. The thing is, I told James something the other day that perhaps I shouldn’t have.’

              Dani felt her heart begin the race. ‘What was it?’

              ‘I had spoken to a judge friend of mine who said he’d recently issued a warrant to search a property in connection with the Joanna Endicott case – a cottage up in Crianlarich owned by someone called Michael Ford. I mentioned it to James, I don’t really know why, I suppose to reassure him that progress was being made in the investigation. Now I just have this awful feeling my brother may have decided to do something foolish, although it would be incredibly out of character if he did.’

              ‘Thank you for letting me know, Sally, can you ring me as soon as you or your parents hear from James, okay?’ Dani swiftly ended the call. She turned back to her colleagues. ‘I think we may have a problem.’ 

The wind was blowing a gale. Andy pulled the police 4X4 up onto the side of the track leading to Micky Ford’s cottage. They were still about half a mile away and not visible from the house. Dani zipped her puffa jacket right up to the neck and tried ringing James Irving’s mobile number one more time.

              ‘Still no reply,’ she stated.

              There were several squad cars and a van positioned in the village itself, waiting for Dani’s signal to move in.

              ‘Let’s go the rest of the way on foot,’ Andy suggested. ‘We don’t want to alarm Micky, if he has got James in there.’

              Dani nodded, slotting a walkie-talkie into her pocket. She took a deep breath. ‘We do this entirely by the book. We’ve got an arrest warrant for Ford, but our main priority is to ensure James Irving’s safety, although if we can use the situation to gain more evidence against Ford, then let’s take advantage of it.’

              ‘Got that, Ma’am.’

              The two detectives climbed out of the vehicle and proceeded cautiously along the track. After a quarter of a mile, they came across a BMW sports hatchback, parked at the edge of the road, jammed up against the hedgerow.

              ‘That’s James’ car. What the hell is he playing at?’ Dani muttered.

              ‘He thinks this guy may have brutally murdered his two best friends in the world. James wants some answers,’ Andy responded levelly.

              ‘But it’s not in his nature to go all Dirty Harry on us.’

              ‘He’s upset.’

              ‘Not as much as he will be when I get my hands on him,’ she fumed.

              As they approached the run-down cottage, Dani saw the dark profile of Micky Ford in the back garden. He was chopping wood with an axe. The sight made Bevan feel sick. The man turned as they marched closer. Dani stepped over the low stone wall, scanning the cottage and outbuildings as she passed.

              ‘To what do I owe this pleasure?’ Micky called across, laying the axe down on the grass.

              ‘Have you seen a man by the name of James Irving?’ Dani asked calmly.

              ‘Nope.’ Micky gave a sly smile. ‘I don’t get many visitors out here.’

              ‘Mr Irving’s car is parked just up the road. Where else would he have gone?’ Dani was beginning to lose her patience.

              ‘Maybe he went for a walk in the hills, although I wouldn’t recommend it from this glen. There are too many steep drops.’

              Dani could stomach the man no longer. ‘Then you won’t mind if I take a look around?’

              Micky shook his head but he appeared uneasy.

              Bevan entered the house through the kitchen door and swept up the stairs, checking each room. Nothing. ‘James!’ She cried out.

              Dani pounded back down to the hallway, glancing into the grubby living room, looking for any signs of James having been there. Maybe they were too late, she thought desperately.

              Then she heard a noise. It was very faint, but it sounded like a pipe being tapped. Dani whirled around the ground floor, opening cupboards and kicking against panels. She started shifting the stack of bags and shoes that were piled up at the bottom of the stairs. Behind them all was a small doorway. Bevan wrenched it open.

              The DCI had to crouch down low to get inside. But once through the narrow frame, the space beyond it was slightly larger. She saw his feet first. His legs were bent round into an unnatural position. There was blood seeping from a wound on his head. Every so often, the prone form before her was making the monumental effort to jolt his body, so that his boots knocked against the metal pipe he was tethered to.

              Dani reached out and touched him. ‘I’m here. You don’t need to do that anymore. I heard you.’

              The body slumped down in relief.

              She released the tape from James’ mouth and made sure he could breathe properly. ‘I’m coming back for you, I promise. But I’ve got to make sure we can nail this bastard, for everything.’

              James nodded. ‘Do what you have to do,’ he croaked.

              Dani crawled backwards out of the cramped chamber. As soon as she emerged into the hallway, the DCI got onto the walkie-talkie and demanded immediate back-up and an ambulance. She jogged out into the garden, where Andy was keeping an eye on Micky. Dani scoured the ground for the axe, which she kicked out of reach with her boot. Then she got out her cuffs and firmly secured Micky’s hands behind his back. ‘Michael Alan Ford, I am arresting you for the assault and unlawful imprisonment of James Irving and the murder of Joanna Endicott, Daniel Goff, Amit Batra and Ronnie Sheldon.’

              Whilst Dani continued reading Micky his rights, Andy rushed back into the cottage, following the trail of discarded rubbish bags to the cupboard under the stairs. ‘James?’

              ‘I’m in here,’ the man hollered in reply.

              Within moments, the back-up team arrived. Andy and Ian Kendal shifted James carefully out of his cubby hole and rested him on the filthy sofa until the ambulance got there. But Dani and Driscoll had already guided Micky Ford straight into the back of a van, whisking him away to the nearest police station.  

Chapter Fifty

J
ames Irving was recuperating in a very pleasant private room at the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. Dani waited until he was fully awake before she entered.

              His handsome face was badly bruised and a bandage secured tightly around his forehead, obscuring his left eye.

              ‘What on earth did you think you were doing?’ Dani sat gently on the edge of his bed.

              ‘Is this part of my official questioning?’

              ‘No, it’s the shocked disbelief of a friend.’

              James smiled and then winced. ‘When Sally told me there was a suspect - who he was and where he lived, something sort of clicked in my head. This incredible rage took over. I’m not the brave type, as you know, but I felt I needed to confront this fellow. For the sake of Jo and Amit.’

              ‘I do understand. But you could easily have been killed. Micky Ford has murdered four people. He’s extremely dangerous. You could have called me to find out how the investigation was progressing.’

              ‘I didn’t think we were still on speaking terms.’

              Dani sighed, realising how her irresponsible behaviour had put a civilian at risk.

              ‘Andy told me all the details in the ambulance. This Micky Ford sounds like a clever guy. I don’t think I would have approached him if I’d known how well he’d covered his tracks. I thought he was just some mindless thug. He was keeping me in the cupboard under the stairs until it was dark enough to take me out into the hills. The plan was to march me up one of the mountains and push me off a precipice. When he told me what was to be my fate, his voice was almost gleeful.’ James shivered.

              ‘What did you say to him when you arrived at the cottage?’

              ‘I’d formed this sort of crazy plan on the way up from London. I told Ford I’d witnessed him killing Jo and Daniel. I had a Dictaphone in my pocket and my idea was that he would begin confessing everything to me and I’d catch it on tape.’

              ‘Just before he murdered you and then destroyed the tape,’ Dani responded dryly.

              ‘Yes, I can see now that it wasn’t a very good plan.’

              ‘But it would have shaken him up, just the same. Do you still have the recording?’

              ‘I think so, the guy never knew it was in my pocket, he was too busy beating me about the head and tying me up.’

              ‘Did he actually say anything incriminating?’

              ‘I’m not sure I recall. I was too busy being absolutely bloody terrified.’

              ‘Well, we’ll take a listen back at the station. It might make an interesting addition to the evidence we’ve already got on him.’ Dani sounded philosophical.

              ‘You
have
got enough to nail him, haven’t you?’ James shifted himself up slightly.

              ‘You can never be totally certain. I had cast iron forensic evidence in my last case and the guy got off. I’m not counting my chickens.’

              ‘Well, that’s bloody depressing.’

              ‘Oh, we’ll get a conviction for his assault on you and most likely for the murder of Ronnie Sheldon. It’s the other three where I think he’s got a chance of an acquittal. Micky Ford has been extremely smart.’

              ‘But he had Goff’s camera in his possession. He’d tried to incinerate it, for heaven’s sake.’

              ‘It’s good, but it’s circumstantial. The best hope we have is the statement from Jack Ford. He’s prepared to testify that he informed his son I was about to question Ronnie Sheldon, the evening before the fire was started. He’s also willing to tell the jury all about his affair with Kathleen Harris in 1983. I don’t think the man wants to be a party to any more deaths. He is devastated that Joanna is dead. He genuinely didn’t know Kathleen had gone on to have his baby.’

              ‘Does Micky know yet that Joanna was his half-sister?’

              ‘I’m honestly not sure. I think he must have worked it out and that was why he refused to give me a DNA sample. But Andy is going to spring it on Micky during the interviews, see if it rattles him enough to confess.’

              ‘I don’t reckon he’ll tell you anything. That guy’s a hard bastard. No remorse at all.’

              Dani nodded sadly, she was inclined to agree.

              James lifted his hand and placed it gently on top of hers. ‘Are we still friends?’

              ‘Of course,’ she replied. ‘But wait for me to call you next time. It’s a bit melodramatic to get yourself kidnapped just so I can come and rescue you. It’s actually a little kinky.’

              James started the chuckle and then reached for his ribs. ‘Oh, don’t make me laugh; I’m in bloody agony here.’

              Dani squeezed his hand and stood up. ‘Don’t worry I’m leaving. Make sure you get some rest.’

Dani Bevan observed her team closely. They looked absolutely exhausted. Now that Micky Ford was on remand, with no chance of being bailed, the adrenaline they’d been running on for the past couple of weeks had dissipated. She herself was fighting the fug of fatigue. But there was still more to do. Dani wanted all the evidence ready and in place.

              ‘There’s no hope of getting a confession out of him, Ma’am,’ Andy began. ‘Micky didn’t even flinch when I told him Joanna was his sister.’

              ‘We knew it was a long shot. I still think we’ve got enough. Micky took part in a line-up and Bruce Glasser identified him as the man who took the flowers up to the memorial. Then we’ve got the photographs, the witness’s description of Micky’s van parked up in Crieff and James Irving’s testimony relating to the assault, with taped proof of the entire incident on Irving’s work Dictaphone. The forensic team are currently working on the prints from the petrol can found near the Sheldon house. They believe Micky may have left his fingerprints on it when he handled the container back at his place, before he put the gloves on.’

              ‘Jimmy Cavanagh has also withdrawn the alibi he provided for Micky when he was staying at his place in London. When he found out Ford was in the frame for three other murders, he admitted that after they got back from the pub, Jimmy was so out of it he had no idea if Micky left the house again that night,’ Andy said.

              ‘So the flowers,’ Dave Driscoll put in, ‘the ‘M’ on the card was for his mother, Mary, is that right? Our Micky
can
be sentimental about some things then.’

              ‘Yes, once Micky had found out the truth from Joanna, he realised that his mother’s life had been effectively ended on the day the children died. She was as much a victim of the Ardyle tragedy as they were. The poor woman was never happy again.’

              ‘Perhaps Micky should have blamed his father for that, not all these other poor people,’ Sammy Reid stated firmly. ‘I refuse to feel sorry for the man, or any member of his family. The only innocent victims in all of this were Katrina, Neil and William. May they rest in peace.’

              ‘Come on,’ Dani suddenly announced. ‘I’ll buy you each a pint at the pub. Then we can all drink to that.’

Bevan had texted Sam Sharpe to invite him along. They deliberately avoided The Rob Roy, opting instead for a quaint little pub on the Market Square. When the officers had all piled inside there was barely a spare table remaining. Dani left a handful of notes with the landlord, who smiled gratefully at the unexpected business.

              Dave Driscoll began to take orders. Dani found herself squashed up beside Andy Calder at the bar. ‘Perhaps I’d better stick to the cokes, after my track record in the pubs of Ardyle,’ he said lightly, flashing his boss a cautious glance.

              ‘We’re celebrating, Andy. Allow yourself a half at least.’

              He chuckled. ‘Look, Dani, I know Sam told you I called him in the States. I had absolutely no idea he was going to come to Scotland. I thought he might just send you a bunch of flowers. It was out of order, I’m sorry.’

              Dani turned towards her friend. ‘You could have placed me in a really awkward position. Just imagine what you would have thought if I’d contacted Carol about something you’d done.’

              The man nodded. ‘Aye, I’m not sure what came over me. It just seemed clear that you were making a colossal mistake getting involved with that Irving bloke. He’s a smooth-talking, public school, lawyer-type. He’s not one of us, like Sam.’

              ‘Carol isn’t a police officer either, she’s a nursery nurse. I’ve never said she’s not right for you. It’s a double-standard, Andy.’

              ‘But my phone call encouraged Sam to step up to the plate – or am I wrong?’ Driscoll handed Calder a half of 70 shilling.

              Dani said nothing. She couldn’t disagree.

              The detectives glanced towards the door, where Sam Sharpe was entering the pub, followed by Bill and Joy Hutchison. Andy leaned closer and murmured into her ear, ‘I happen to think that the guy is good for you. He’s uncomplicated and decent. You’ve had enough difficulties in your life without having to deal with a man who doesn’t know what he really wants.’

              Bevan beamed broadly as the trio approached. Sam placed an arm around her and landed a kiss firmly on her mouth. The rest of the team let up a hearty cheer and a few wolf whistles. Once the bevvies were in, the police officers drifted off to their own individual tables. Dani found herself in a foursome with Sam, Joy and Bill.

              ‘I met these two in the town,’ Sam explained, ‘so I dragged the pair in for a quick drink. I couldn’t allow them to slope off without saying goodbye.’

              ‘When are you heading back to Falkirk?’ Dani asked the couple.

              ‘We check out first thing in the morning,’ Joy explained. ‘It’s time for us to return to the house.’

              ‘Poor Rita will wonder what on earth has happened to us,’ Bill chipped in.

              ‘Will you be in touch with Louise after you get back?’ Dani asked tentatively.

              ‘Oh yes,’ Joy added with enthusiasm. ‘I thought it might be a good idea to offer to have the boys for a weekend, so Louise and Fergus can have a few days away together. They haven’t done that for a while.’

              ‘I think it’s a wonderful idea. There are so many great attractions to take kids to now. I’m sure they’d love Edinburgh Castle.’

              Sam looked at Dani in surprise. He’d not heard her speak in this way before.

              ‘It occurred to me that I should bring Neil’s train set down from the loft. I’m not sure why it’s been hidden away up there for so long. Ben and Jamie would get plenty of use out of it.’

              Dani grinned stupidly at the sound of this, slipping her arm around Sam’s waist and taking a healthy swig of red wine.

              Joy and Bill finished their brandies and stood up.

              ‘Are you going so soon?’ Dani was genuinely disappointed.

              ‘We must leave you and your team to celebrate properly. We’ve an early start in the morning.’

              Bevan left Sam at the table and escorted the older couple to the door. Joy kissed her on the cheek and Bill briefly took her hand.

              ‘Keep in touch,’ the DCI said quietly, embarrassed to find that tears were welling up in her eyes.

              ‘Oh, of course we will.’ Bill seemed to hesitate for a moment on the threshold. Then he turned back and said, ‘have you been following the case up in Stonehaven?’

              ‘It’s a long way outside my jurisdiction, Bill. I’ve not seen any of the details.’

              ‘A young man was found murdered in a boat shed. His throat had been cut and he was carefully placed. He’d been seated in a chair with his hands laid palm up on his lap.’

              Dani stood very still and blinked.

              ‘It’s him, DCI Bevan. Richard Erskine has killed again. This time, you need to stop the man.’

              And with that, Bill and Joy were gone. 

              Dani turned and looked back into the room. She saw Sam chatting animatedly to young Ian Kendal by the bar and Dave Driscoll deep in conversation with Andy, a hand resting on his shoulder. The detective took a deep breath and smiled. She’d deal with Bill’s words tomorrow. Tonight, they needed to celebrate.

*

DCI Bevan will return…