Reprobates (22 page)

Lisa knocked on the office door.
‘The computer suite are into Derek Harper’s database sir. They want you to go to their offices to show you what they’ve found as soon as you’re free.’

Paul jumped to his feet.

‘Good,’ said Dylan. He put his palms down on his desk and lifted himself from his chair. ‘Prepare yourself, Paul.’

‘
If Kirsty Gallagher was a relative of yours, how the hell would you keep your hands off him?’ Paul said as he walked up the stairs alongside Dylan.

‘
I think I’d rip his fucking head off,’ he said.

Vicky could hardly believe her luck. She replaced the telephone on its cradle and smiled. They had a hit on the National DNA Database for the samples taken from Jane Simpson
’s neck swabs, and the hair found in the mask worn by Billy Simpson.

‘Got ya!
’ she said aloud as she quickly typed the details into the computer.

‘
Richard Bryant, thirty-two years, his only conviction was one for assault in 2006. Self-employed. Yeah, yeah,’ she said tapping her fingers on the desk as she waited for the inputted data to upload. When it did she flicked from screen to screen until she found the information she was looking for. The brief circumstances of the assault which led to his arrest and details being stored on the database were as follows, she read on…

Attack on a male which entailed kicking and punching him to the ground. The motive was unknown.

‘It must have been a nasty assault,’ she said, ‘for Bryant to receive a nine-month prison sentence.’ Andy got up from his seat and came to read the screen over her shoulder.

‘
Suspended for two years too,’ he said.

‘It
’s expired.’

‘
His punishment?’

‘
To behave for twenty-four months,’ she said. ‘Or don’t get bloody caught. So much for justice for the victim.’

‘
The guy he assaulted has probably only just recovered from his physical injuries never mind what Bryant did to him mentally,’ Andy said returning to his desk.

‘
Poor bugger. The trauma will stay with him forever, no doubt,’ Vicky mumbled as she searched other databases for more information on Bryant. ‘What’s the link between Jane Simpson and him then?’ she muttered. She wanted more about Bryant before she spoke to Dylan. At least to confirm his present address and she wanted to let the fingerprint unit have his details to check against any other marks that had been lifted at Jane Simpson’s home.

***

In the computer suite, Dylan and Paul sat down either side of Wallace J. Hooper. The first thing you couldn’t help but notice was a large brass plaque with his name thereon.

‘
Let me tell you, Inspector,’ he said. ‘Harper hadn’t tried to hide or encrypt these images. They were easily accessible amongst other meaningless stuff. However, we have found illegal obscene publication sites which he has tried to get rid of and these show the extent of his obsession. These sites are set up and closed down quite frequently,’ he said tapping data into his computer and clicking his mouse to enable him to open their links and the Bare Poster site. ‘It’s not for me to comment on the content of the images, but they’re not for the faint-hearted and I’ve seen some pretty horrific pictures in my time,’ he said, as they waited for the images to upload.

‘
I can guess. I’ve already seen some on his mobile,’ said Dylan. ‘Okay, before I start have you any questions?’ he asked, looking from side to side at both men.

‘
How many images are there?’ asked Paul.

‘
So far we have recorded, let’s see, some six hundred and thirty-five.’

Dylan cringed.
‘I might need you to categorise some for me for easy retrieval,’ said Dylan.

‘
No problem. You tell me which ones you are specifically interested in and I’ll create a file for you.’

Dylan and Paul saw very quickly how bad the images were. Most of them depicted naked women. Some bodies he had taken a lot more pictures of than others. One after another the images began to tell the extent of Harper
’s obsession. The poses he would have the bodies in appeared to be chosen to show a lack of injury or bruising. The cadavers had all been photographed on the trolley. ‘And all prior to post-mortem,’ said Paul, thoughtfully.

Few were of children.
‘God, don’t they just tug at the heartstrings?’ asked Paul visibly moved.

‘
Never more so than when you have children of the same age. They’re sickening. Place those in a separate file,’ said Dylan.

A picture of Kirsty Gallagher appeared before them on the screen.
‘We need a separate category for the ones of her,’ Dylan said pointing at the image. ‘Name the file Operation Pullman, will you?’ asked Dylan.

The first ten images of her had been taken at the mortuary, naked and in a variety of carefully constructed poses showing her tattoos. The camera operator had taken close up shots between her legs and of her breasts.

‘Stop a minute. Go back,’ Dylan said in haste.

Wallace Hooper did as he was told. He glanced at Dylan. Dylan nodded. He clicked the mouse to reveal more.

‘Stop! There,’ said Dylan pointing to the screen. ‘Look to the bottom left hand corner of that picture. I can see someone’s trouser leg. I know it’s quite dark but do you see it?’ The three men leaned in closer. ‘Look at his footwear. Whoever it is, is wearing quite distinctive brown, front-laced, heavy duty boots.’ He said.

‘
Obviously they didn’t realise they were in view of that shot,’ said Wallace.

‘
Can you enlarge the image? It’s the only one that tells us someone else was present so far, isn’t it?’ Dylan said.

Wallace Hooper nodded his head.
‘Separate category for that sir?’

‘
Definitely. I want work doing on that image to see if it reveals anything else.’

***

The next collection of Kirsty Gallagher was taken at Derek Harper’s home address. There were numerous images of Kirsty Gallagher’s body laid out on the bed. One image was of her dressed in white lace underwear, the other in a red baby-doll silk pyjama set.

‘
Look at that image,’ Paul said. ‘Derek Harper is in the reflection of a mirror taking that... and look there is someone standing behind him.’

‘
I want that one enhancing, too,’ said Dylan.

‘
The face, it’s obscured by Harper’s head,’ said Wallace.

‘
Never mind… It might support some other evidence we gain at a later date.’

***

Dylan and Paul walked from the room both quiet, each with their own thoughts.

‘
In all my years on the force I’ve never come across anything like it,’ said Dylan.

‘
Me neither,’ said Paul.

‘
No amount of money would make any decent person do that, would it? We need the exhibits officer to go through each one of those images again. I want you to put not one but two officers on it for moral support, if nothing else,’ he said.

‘
Did you notice that at bottom of the screen we have a time and date?’ asked Paul.

‘
Yes, I did. But who’s to say that wasn’t changed? That won’t stand up as evidence in court. Unless we can support it with other evidence. Who’s his accomplice in the pictures do you think, Barrington, the man in the canal?’

Paul shook his head.
‘No idea,’ he said as they turned the corner and headed down the corridor towards the CID office.

***

Penny Sanderson was ahead of them wiping the Incident Room door as the two men approached.

‘Haven
’t you got a home to go to?’ Dylan said. Hoping it wasn’t his house.

‘
Oh, you can’t do enough for a good firm,’ she said. ‘I asked to work a late shift today as I had a job to do this morning. So, I just thought I’d make sure your Incident Room was spic and span before I left tonight,’ she said with a smiling face as she pushed the door open and held it whilst they entered. She walked in behind them. ‘Any exciting updates?’ she said eagerly.

‘
Wouldn’t you like to know,’ said Vicky. She leaned forward and touched the end of her nose. ‘Are you sure you’re not stalking us?’ she asked. ‘You’ve cleaned this office every day this week. You want a drink,’ she said turning to Dylan and Paul without waiting for an answer. Penny screwed up her nose.

‘
Sorry for taking an interest,’ she said, flicking her duster around the papers on Vicky’s desk. Vicky snatched them out of her view. Penny moved to stand idly looking over Ned’s shoulder, at the screen he was working on. He turned and smiled at her. ‘Malcolm in the front office has been showing me how to work that system,’ she said.

‘
Well, he shouldn’t. You aren’t entitled to be privy to that information,’ said Vicky.

‘
Keep your hair on,’ said Penny. ‘I’m going to apply for a job in admin. The more I know, the more I score for the role profile competence thingy I’ll have to fill in.’

‘
Yeah well, when you’re hired you’ll get your own numbers to log onto the system with won’t you, and someone will train you up properly.’

Penny Sanderson stuck her tongue out behind Vicky
’s back and Ned Granger turned to her and chuckled. ‘You’re like a breath of fresh air,’ he said. ‘You’ve got balls, hasn’t she, Vicky? I like that in a woman.’

‘
Oh please,’ she said to Ned. ‘And it’s acting Detective Sergeant Hardacre.’

‘
Yeah, whatever,’ he said. It was Penny Sanderson’s turn to chuckle at Ned.

***

Vicky walked towards Dylan’s office with the drinks in her hands.

‘
Let me do that for you,’ said Penny as she stood in her path and opened his door. She followed her in.

‘
Is Max okay now?’ Penny said to Dylan.

‘
Yes, thank you but no thanks to the person who put rat poison down,’ Dylan said as Vicky handed him his hot beverage.

‘
Do they really think that’s what it was, rat poison?’ asked Penny.

‘
That’s what the vet thinks... but I can hell as like think where he got rat poison from.’

‘
Well, I guess he could have picked it up anywhere... you know what he’s like,’ she said as she busily polished around Dylan’s office furniture. ‘Just give it a lick over while I’m here,’ she said.

‘Let
’s face it, he’s only either out with us and I haven’t seen him chase a rodent – or he’s in the garden,’ Dylan said with a frown.

‘
Well, no harm done, thank goodness. I’m sorry about the other night. Too much sauce. I must have passed out,’ she said with a grimace before leaving.

***

Dylan and Paul sat quietly, mulling over the enquiry.

‘
Harper’s phone will give us clues as to who his contacts are,’ said Dylan. He studied the documentation in front of him.

‘
And his accomplice with any luck,’ Paul said absentmindedly as he read through his notes.

‘
Wallace will give us a list of his contacts on his computer. That information is going to be invaluable to us. Reprobates, the lot of them. That’s the only word for them,’ Dylan said looking across at his colleague. He brought up his arm, pulled his shirt cuff back and looked at his watch.

‘
I don’t know about you but I think I’ve had enough for one day. There is nothing truer than the Yorkshire saying, “There’s nowt so queer as folk”, is there? Our Maisy will have had her bath by now and be fast asleep no doubt.’ Dylan sighed.

The door opened.
‘Harper’s been taken back to hospital in handcuffs,’ said Vicky.

‘
Well, at least his custody clock will stop again. What’s up with him now?’

‘
Ah, same old problem, chest pain but that’s probably because he’s panicking, if you ask me. He knows he’s behind the eight ball.’

‘We
’ll give him another interview tomorrow morning, Paul. If they release him.’

Vicky walked out and Dylan could see her sit back at her desk.
‘Fancy a swift pint, across the road before we head home. Wash away some of today’s shite?’

‘
Yeah. I could do with something,’ he said.

‘I
’ll just give Jen a quick call to tell her not to wait up.’

‘Yeah, I
’ll ring Olivia too,’ Paul said as he reached in his trouser pocket for his phone.

***

Jen, was standing behind the ironing board in the kitchen. She felt warm, tired and her feet ached. The ironing basket contents didn’t look to have lessened but the pile that was neatly pressed on the worktop beside her was proof that it had. A bottle of Pinot Grigio looked very inviting stood in the cooler. She reached out and filled a glass, took a gulp and sighed heavily. ‘Enough,’ she said to Max who lay watching her from the door to the hallway. She turned at a noise and peered out of the window. It was pitch black. She reached up to pull down the blind. Max rose. He growled a disgruntled sound. ‘In a minute,’ she said. But he had bounded to the door barking uncontrollably. Jen followed him and unlocked the door quickly to allow him to go out. ‘You’ll wake Maisy,’ she hissed after him. She shut the door on the cold night air. In the distance she could hear him still barking. She put the ironing board back in the utility room and emptied the iron of the distilled water then went back to the door. She turned the outside light on but Max was still nowhere to be seen.