Mortal Men (The Lakeland Murders Book 7) (16 page)

Hall smiled. ‘I’ll be careful. And I might not be a Superintendent for much longer anyway.’

‘Not that bloody enquiry again, Andy? You did nothing wrong, love. In fact you did more than you should have for that lad.’

‘The Chief’s going to want a scapegoat, and I fit the bill. If I get demoted it’ll really hit my pension hard, and then how will I take care of us all?’

‘It won’t happen. And I’m working, Andy, remember that. We discussed this right at the start, didn’t we? We’re a team, from here on in. I know you’ve got trust issues, and all that. But I’m not your ex-wife, Andy.’

‘Of course. I’m sorry. So how’s the Foster case coming on? I haven’t had a chance to have a look at the file today.’

‘Really? Well, anyway, it’s a simple answer. We’ve got sod all more on either of them. And don’t say ‘I told you so’, or start going on about bloody John Winder again. We’re getting Taylor in first thing in the morning, to have another go at him. And he’s a cocky bastard, isn’t he? They’re always the ones that make mistakes.’

‘I wouldn’t know’ said Hall, smiling, and Jane reached across the table and took his hand.

‘Stop worrying, for Christ’s sake, Andy. I told you, we’re a team now. If that slime-ball Longley does try to drop you in the shit you’ve got the Superintendent’s Association behind you, haven’t you? And me too. If they go for you I’ll come out snarling, believe me. You never abused Will Armstrong, not in private and not in public, and the ACC did. They can lean on the civilian staff all they like, and I expect they will, but they won’t be stupid enough to lie and say that you said or did things that you didn’t. They’d be mad to do that. So you fight your corner, and you’ll be fine. Because I’ll be in it with you.’

‘I’m not sure that I’ve got it in me to fight, that’s all. I’m too old. The Chief senses it, the chinless bastard.’

‘That’s crap, and you know it. You’re just a bit tired and pissed off tonight. You’re the most determined man I know. And look at it this way. You won’t just be defending yourself. Because if you can help to make sure that the truth comes out then you’ll be getting a kind of justice for Will Armstrong and his family too, won’t you? And that means something to you, love, I know it does.’

Hall smiled, and put his fork careful down on the edge of his bowl. ‘You’re right. Pete Thompson is a cowardly, bullying bastard, and he mustn’t get away with this. If he does he’ll just do the same again, just like any other bloody con. Because if we don’t catch them, they just keep on doing whatever they want, don’t they? It’s what we’re there for, in the end.’

‘Absolutely, Andy. So you just do what you do best. Treat the ACC like any other lying con, and respond accordingly. And I’ll tell you one thing. I wouldn’t want to be in his shoes, or the Chief’s come to that. It sounds to me like they’ve underestimated you, love, and there’s plenty of offenders who’ve learned the hard way that it’s not a very bright thing to do. It’s time to teach those bastards what a real detective does. What a real man does. Being a copper’s not all about blue-and-twos and fisticuffs, is it, love?’

Sunday, 27th July

Superintendent Hall slept straight through Jane getting up, throwing up and getting dressed. So he didn’t see her leave for work. He wasn’t on duty again that day, but then neither was she. And he didn’t see her until after ten in the morning, when they met in the corridor outside the interview rooms.

‘Have you interviewed Taylor already?’ he asked.

‘Yes. Ian’s taking his statement, although he might as well be taking his temperature. A total fucking waste of time. He’s just sticking to his story, and denying any financial relationship with Frankie Foster. They were just mates, and if he ever loaned Frankie money it was a trivial amount, and strictly without interest.’

‘But doesn’t the forensic accountant’s report say otherwise?’

‘It does, or at least it did. The CPS had a quick scan of it for me and they say that while it’s almost certainly true there’s very little in it that would have a chance of standing up in court. There’s no absolutely direct connection between them, but as I tried to explain there wouldn’t be, because these are all cash transactions. Christ, how do they think loan sharks operate? Anyway, the defence would tear us to shreds, they reckon, and it could undermine our whole case against Taylor.’

‘Shit.’

‘Exactly. So all this has done is muddy the bloody waters even further.’

‘You mean that you’re now wondering why Taylor’s lying about this, assuming that he is?’

‘He’s lying all right, Andy. Written all over his bloody face it is. I’d call him smug, if I thought he knew what that meant. But, like you say, the real question is why. Is it because he killed Foster and doesn’t want us to establish the motive, which would be the ideal explanation, or is it just because he’s the sort of con who’d deny his own children if he thought it was in his interests?’

‘What do you think?’

‘I’d say I’m starting to find John Tyson a more attractive suspect by the second, let me put it that way.’

‘You’re not serious?’

Jane smiled. ‘Of course not. Just winding you up. I know that relativism plays no part in good detective work, especially when it comes to establishing priorities. Now who was it who said that?’

Hall smiled back. ‘Sorry. It’s a bit early, I suppose. I’m a bit pre-occupied.’

‘I told you, love, don’t worry about that enquiry. You’ve done nothing wrong, and you-know-who has. He’ll get the push over this in the end, you mark my words.’

‘Maybe. Anyway, I better go. I have a guest.’

‘The Lightfoot bloke?’

‘The very same. Keith did the honours for me earlier and picked him up. He’s in room three.’

‘Have fun.’

‘I’ll do my best. And, to tell you the truth, I probably will. I’ll miss this, Jane, when it’s over. I always knew I would, but I think I underestimated by how much.’

‘Well it’s not over yet, and we’ve still got at least one killer to catch. I can’t think of a better way to spend a Sunday morning, can you?’

Mike Lightfoot didn’t seem especially nervous to Hall, but he didn’t seem particularly comfortable either. And he was also starting to get irritated.

‘Look, how many more times? I haven’t passed on details of any clients, and I don’t know who this girl is. I haven’t had anything to do with any robberies. It’s disgusting, that’s what it is. I’ve been trying to help these people, not steal from them.’

Hall took a small photograph of Tiffany Moore out of the file.

‘Do you recognise this girl?’

‘No, not really. She’s vaguely familiar, I suppose, but I don’t know her, no. Kendal’s a small town. I might have just seen her around.’

‘You’ve seen her somewhere, you think? It would be really helpful if you could remember where.’

Lightfoot looked at the photograph again.

‘So I’m helping now? You don’t think I’m working with whoever this is?’

‘I’m not saying that this woman is a suspect, Mike. Just asking if you’ve seen her before.’

‘Yes, I’m almost certain I have, but I can’t say where. I’m sorry. I’m doing my best.’

‘All right. Let’s try to narrow it down. Did you meet her socially? In a pub, a bar, something like that?’

‘No, I’d remember. She’s quite a looker, like.’

‘How about at work?’

‘Maybe. Yes, that’s possible.’

‘Good. Let’s try to narrow it down a bit. Could she have been a client?’

‘Of mine? No. I’ve worked with young people in the past, that’s true enough, but I’d remember.’

‘The sister of a client?’

‘Possibly. No, sorry, can’t help.’

‘How about the child of a current client?’

‘Maybe. Aye, maybe that’s it. Can you give me a clue, like?’

‘Her surname is Moore.’

There was no doubt in Hall’s mind. Lightfoot hadn’t known where he’d seen the girl until that moment.

‘Yes, that’s right. Her mum is bed-ridden, most of the time. I helped her with some housing association stuff, last year sometime. The daughter was there once. That’s where I’ve seen her.’

‘Could Tiffany have had access to your files on that occasion?’

‘No. Definitely not. I wouldn’t have had my laptop with me, just the forms and stuff.’

‘All right, thanks. And you haven’t met this woman again, is that right?’

‘Yes, aye, that’s right.’

Hall thanked him, took the picture back, and slipped it into the file.

‘You must have been thinking about one of the questions we asked you last time. You remember? Is there anyone who might want to get at you, to bring you down?’

‘I’ve been thinking about it. Of course I have. But there’s no-one, I’m absolutely sure of that. I’m just a social worker, honest.’

‘OK. Well you’ve been really helpful, Mr. Lightfoot. And, just so we’re clear, we never regarded you as a suspect.’

‘But I thought my name kept being mentioned by this Tiffany Moore.’

‘Exactly. Or at least by our thief, whoever she was. But in my experience the double-bluff is strictly the preserve of thriller writers. It’s true that we probably would have spoken to you after the second or third of these offences anyway, because you’re clearly a connection between the victims, but there are probably plenty of others as well.’ Hall smiled. ‘So thanks again for coming in, it’s appreciated. But just one other thing before you go. Do you happen to know a bloke called Jez Taylor?’

‘Why do you ask?’

‘That’s a yes, then, is it?’

‘Years ago, aye. I knew him. Everyone did. Whatever you wanted, Jez could get it. Back in the day, like.’

‘Drugs?’

‘Am I dropping him in it?’

‘Is he active now?’

‘The drugs job? No, he’s been out of it for years. As far as I know, anyway.’

‘Then no, you’re not dropping him in it. So if he’s not in the drugs game, what is he doing now?’

Lightfoot shrugged. ‘Search me. I don’t go out of my way to see the man, like.’

‘You two don’t get on?’

‘You could say that, aye. Years ago he got busted, lost a lot of gear and almost went to jail, and at the time he blamed me. Thought I’d grassed on him.’

‘Had you?’

‘Christ, no. I wouldn’t have grassed on anyone back then, and especially not Jez.’

‘Why especially him?’

‘He’s an angry bloke, all the time, like. A proper nutter. You’ll have heard the stories.’

Hall hooded. ‘Did you ever witness this anger yourself?’

‘Oh, aye. A lad who pushed for him, I forget his name, was giving the gear a bit of an extra cut. They all do it, just to get a free taste for themselves, like. Anyway, it was shit to start with, so by the time this lad had cut it some more it was weaker than cough medicine, honest. Jez kicked him half to death, down in a crack house we all used to use. It wasn’t the beating, in that world the lad had it coming, it was the fact that Jez enjoyed it, got off on it so much, like.’

‘So a violent man, then.’

‘You could say that, aye.’

‘And a man who’s no friend of yours.’

‘I dare say, but it means nowt, does that. It’s bloody years ago too, he’ll have forgotten all about me. Like I said, I didn’t grass on him. What I heard was that your lads just got lucky, nothing more. No offence, but the local drugs lad weren’t what I’d call shit-hot, not back then anyway.’

When Lightfoot had gone Iredale brought a cup of tea to Hall in his office.

‘I wanted to ask you something, sir.’

‘Why I mentioned Taylor to him just now? I’ve been wondering about that as well, to tell the truth. Just clutching at straws, I suppose.’

‘I thought you’d spotted something to connect them. Seen something that I hadn’t, like.’

‘No, I was just fishing. Just a bit of good luck, that’s all. Do me a favour though, Keith, and find out all you can about the drugs bust that Lightfoot mentioned. I’m especially interested to have a look at Taylor’s interviews from the time of the arrest. The transcripts will be fine.’

‘You’re wondering if he mentioned Lightfoot?’

‘Among other things, yes. So if you’d get on with that, I’ll go and have a quick chat with your DI.’

‘You think this connects our robberies to the Frankie Foster killing then, sir?’

Hall smiled. ‘It doesn’t really matter what I think, Keith. I’m only supposed to be here as an advisor, remember?’

Jane Francis listened to Andy Hall in respectful, if slightly impatient, silence. Then she paused, to make sure that he’d finished.

‘So what you’re saying, Andy, is that you think Jez Taylor is behind these robberies? And all because this Lightfoot character reckons that Taylor might possibly have something against him? That’s not just thin, it’s bloody near invisible.’

‘Maybe, but it’s not impossible, is it? Taylor is a working criminal who’s more than happy to behave violently, isn’t he? And Tiffany Moore is a young woman in a vulnerable situation. What if Taylor is threatening her, or her mum? I’m convinced that young Keith is right about Tiffany.’

Jane smiled. ‘You’re as bloody bad as he is. You’ve both got a weakness for a damsel in distress. Thank God that me and Ian have more sense. A con’s a con, as far as we’re concerned.’

‘That’s not fair, Jane. And I’m not making excuses for her. But I do think that the kid is both offender and victim, that’s all.’

Jane shook her head. ‘I’m sorry, love, but I don’t buy it at all. I can see why you’d love to connect your investigation to the Foster murder, but it’s not going to happen. At least not at the moment. Because as well as having established a pretty solid motive for Taylor we’ve still got Tyson in the frame, remember. I just don’t need to dilute my effort any further.’

Hall didn’t look surprised, but then he almost never did.

‘So can I at least talk to Taylor about this?’

Jane frowned, and her mouth tightened. Hall knew exactly what that meant.

‘Not now, Andy. I’ve got a team just concentrating on him, building his timeline for the past two weeks, talking to his KAs, everything I can bloody think of. He’s my prime suspect. Let’s just keep our focus, shall we?’

‘So we’re searching his house and any other premises?’

‘Yes, later today. It’s been a hell of a job getting a search team together, but I think we’re about there now.’

‘I hope it turns something up.’

‘So do I. I had an email from the Chief’s personal assistant earlier asking for an update on the overtime, so you know what that means.’

‘I do. Another day or two and it’ll be off the table, which will leave you with only the sad bastards who’ll work for free doing any extra hours at all.’

‘We’re both sad bastards, Andy.’

‘And proud of it. Well, not ashamed, anyway. But since that’s where we are with Taylor would you mind if I had an informal chat with John Winder?’

‘Christ, Andy, what is it with you? One minute you want to feel Jez Taylor’s collar, and when that’s off the table you just go back to Winder.’

‘I’ve been interested in him right from the start, you know that. And he seems to have dropped off the radar a bit, that’s all. I’m just trying to help.’

‘No, you’re not. Not really. If all you wanted to do was help you’d be out knocking on doors like a DC, but you just pick and choose, don’t you? What you’re saying, really, is that I’m doing this all wrong.’

‘I’m not. Of course I’m not. In your position Taylor and Tyson would be my main suspects, absolutely they would. But if I have had a supernumerary resource willing to help pursue another line of enquiry then I’d be inclined to take the help, even if I had my doubts about the reason behind the offer.’

Jane shook her head. ‘You do amaze me sometimes, Andy. You’re so logical, so reasonable, at work, but outside you’re a different person altogether. I wish you’d take an equally sensible view of this bloody internal enquiry.’

‘I’m trying not to think about that. So can I have a word with Winder, completely informally?’

‘On your own?’

‘Yes.’

‘All right, but I can’t see the point. You’ll get nothing evidential. The bloke could ‘fess up on the spot, and you couldn’t touch him.’

‘That’s not very likely though, is it? Look, call it a distraction for me, if you like. And I really can’t see that it could do any harm.’

‘Fine, you talk to him. But let me know what he says. Anything that might be useful. I don’t fancy him at all for it, not with all the money he’s made, but like you say I suppose it’s still possible that he and Tyson were in it together.’

‘Is there any evidence that they’re in regular contact with each other though? I meant to ask about that.’

‘No, none, but that doesn’t mean anything, does it? It might be that they planned it that way, if they’re in it together, and kept their traceable contact to a minimum.’

‘Maybe, but these are the geniuses who lit up a closed bank with an automatic rifle. They’re not exactly criminal masterminds.’

Jane smiled. ‘They should be about your speed then, Superintendent. Sod off and see the bloke if you must, but please don’t worry about this internal enquiry. I know that the Police Service isn’t always the fairest, but you’re not facing a kangaroo court. You never bullied that lad, or anyone else. Christ, Andy, I don’t think I’ve ever heard you even raise your voice at work. And you spoke to the ACC about his behaviour too, didn’t you? I bet no-one else did that.’