Reprobates (27 page)

Dylan woke feeling surprisingly refreshed. Jen’s head that was on her pillow turned towards him. She relayed to him Chantall, Maisy’s childminders concerns about a little boy who had been diagnosed with Scarlet Fever.

‘Goodness knows what we would do if Maisy got it now,’ she said.

‘We’d cope.’

‘How?’

‘One of us would have to take leave.’

‘Yes, and I know which one,’ she said. ‘And Avril would love that.’

‘Jen, stop worrying. Maisy hasn’t got Scarlet Fever.’ Her talk turned to Penny. His mind wandered.

‘Have you listened to anything I’ve said, Jack?’ Jen asked as he slipped out of bed a few minutes later.

‘
What?’ he asked, his eyes wrinkled at the corners. ‘What is she doing here again?’ he asked through gritted teeth.

‘He
’s gone walkabouts. Her fella. He’s not answering her calls. It’s almost as if he’s vanished off the face of the earth. Poor love. She thought it was the real-deal this time. Give her a break.’

Dylan looked at his wife with scorn.
‘We’re not a women’s refuge, Jen.’

‘I
’ll sort it,’ she said. She pulled the duvet up over the bed and straightened the pillows.

‘You
’d better,’ he said gruffly. ‘If she’s got a drink problem I’ve a number for a clinic.’

Jen looked at him crossly.

‘Sorry. This Bryant bloke is doing my head in.’

‘
Jack, its work, that’s what you tell me. Stand on the outside, look in, you tell me. Don’t be drawn, you tell me but that’s exactly what you’re doing.’

‘
I know. I know, I’m trying not to, but this one is getting personal.’

‘
They all get personal Jack, you just don’t admit it.’

‘
You know what Maisy is going to say when she’s asked to write a diary at school don’t you?’

‘
Enlighten me...’

‘
My daddy doesn’t come home till I’m in bed.’

‘
That’s not true,’ he beseeched.

‘
No it isn’t, it’s until Mommy and me are in bed.’

‘
You mean Mommy and I?’

Jen tutted.

‘Okay... I hear you... but she could say a lot worse.’

‘
Such as?’

‘
My dad’s in prison.’

‘Don
’t you dare trivialise it, Jack. By the way the promotion board applications are out for Chief Inspector did you see the advert?’

‘Yes.
’

‘
Are you thinking about going for it?’

‘
Maybe, if it makes you happy. I might... If I get time. The Sergeant’s board are out too. Vicky’s applying.’

‘
Make time.’

‘I
’ll think about it.’

‘
By the way I’ve booked us a table at Prego tonight. Penny said she’d babysit – least she could do after last night.’

‘
What time?’

‘
Eight o’clock.’

‘I
’ll have to see you there after debrief.’

‘I
’ll get a taxi,’ she said gathering the dirty washing from the laundry basket in her arms and leaving him to get dressed. ‘And then we can travel home together. It’ll be like a proper date.’

***

Jen’s words about the promotion boards felt like a challenge but Dylan’s first priority was to find out if there were any updates on Richard Bryant. He would be interviewing in an hour. For once Dylan was in luck. The night crew Crime Scene Investigators had examined Bryant’s van and they had found traces of blood on the rear of the van’s floor. They had also lifted some fingerprints that they had proved to be belonging to Derek Harper. It had been confirmed that in the shaft of the stiletto knife there were traces of blood. Things were looking up, but he needed to know whose blood it was before he got too excited.

Another piece of interesting information that had come in overnight was Bryant
’s telephone link with Derek Harper and how they had increased around Kirsty Gallagher’s death. The billing had also shown up links with Barrington Cook prior to his drowning in the canal. Dylan was pleased to have something new to put to Bryant in respect of Kirsty Gallagher although in respect of the bloods he would have to wait for Forensic confirmation. The evidence against Bryant was building nicely.

It was time for the interview. Just before they left the office Dylan was passed a piece of paper. An update from Detective Andy Wormald who was at Bryant
’s flat.

The news he hadn
’t been expecting was that in Richard Bryant’s address book were Dylan and Jen’s details and also folded inside were printed documents from the police computer systems. There was a handgun under his pillow.

***

Dylan felt like a coiled spring as he opened the interview room door. ‘What the hell was this bastard up to?’

‘
This is getting fucking ridiculous,’ Richard Bryant said as he stood and approached Dylan nose to nose the moment he and Paul entered the room. ‘I’ve answered all your bloody questions,’ he said pointing his finger at Dylan.

‘
Sit down, Mr Bryant,’ said Dylan with a voice of authority.

Paul did the caution and opened up the questioning.

‘You can’t keep me locked up just in the hope I’ll admit to something that I didn’t do,’ said Bryant.

‘
No, you’re right that would be totally wrong if you were innocent, but you’re not are you? Your vehicle has been examined and traces of blood have been found on the floor in the rear. Are we going to find that is Kirsty’s blood?’

Bryant’
s eyes were big and round but he didn’t speak.

Paul cautioned him.
‘I also have to tell you, you are also under arrest for unlawful possession of a firearm that was recovered from beneath your pillow when we searched your home. Do you want to tell us what you are doing with it?’

‘
I know nothing about a firearm. Perhaps the tooth fairy left it there?’

‘
How well do you know Derek Harper?’

He sat perfectly still. He didn
’t respond.

‘
You know, Derek Harper, the mortuary man who is presently charged in relation to taking Kirsty Gallagher’s body from the mortuary. Did you use your van to help him take Kirsty Gallagher’s body to his house from the mortuary?’

‘
Why?’

‘I
’m just asking you. How well do you know him?’

‘I
’ve known Derek Harper for years.’

‘
How do you account for the increased number of telephone calls made between you two recently?’

‘
Did you find my phone?’

‘
No, we found your business card with your phone number on.’

‘
But how can you get information if you haven’t a phone?’

‘
We just have. Tell me, was murder the ultimate challenge for you?’

Bryant’
s eyes bulged. His face looked hot. His fists clenched in his lap.

Dylan took over.
‘So, Derek Harper... Can we now establish that he is a good friend of yours?’ he asked.

‘
I know him.’

‘D
id you know a Barrington Cook who lived in the same apartment block as you?’

‘Don
’t know anyone there by that name.’

‘
Lying isn’t easy is it Richard. You’ve got to have a good memory. Trouble is once you start the web you weave gets bigger and bigger, doesn’t it? Have you ever been to Mr Harper’s house?’

‘Yes.
’

‘
Kirsty’s body was there did you know? She was photographed naked in some obscene positions and more to the point Harper wasn’t the only person present at the time. In fact someone wearing boots just like yours, was also there.’

‘
And I suppose I’m the only person who wears boots now am I? You’re clutching at straws aren’t you? How many more times do I have to tell you? I’m not involved.’ Richard Bryant’s voice rose to a crescendo.

The detectives ignored his outburst.

‘We also have fingerprint evidence that shows Derek Harper has been in your van. How do you explain that, Richard?’

Richard Bryant shook his head in short jerky movements.
‘I’m not denying he has, probably at one time or another.’

‘
We now have the phone activity, the blood staining in your van, fingerprints, evidence linking you to Kirsty Gallagher’s home... I wouldn’t call that clutching at straws would you? Not only are you involved but you’re one of the main players in this crime aren’t you? So why not save us all time and try being honest about it. Why did Kirsty Gallagher have to die?’

‘
Just fucking charge me if you’ve got so much on me.’

‘
Why are you angry? Are you angry with yourself because you thought you’d covered your tracks?’

‘I
’m not involved. How many more times do I have to tell you? I’m not answering any more questions.’ Bryant crossed his arms across his stomach and sat back in his chair letting his head fall to his chest. He closed his eyes.

‘
Was killing someone and getting away with it the ultimate challenge for you? But now you’ve been caught,’ said Dylan. ‘Why do you have my name and my wife’s name in your address book?’

He made no response.

The interview was terminated.

***

Dylan was satisfied, they had enough to charge him in connection with Kirsty Gallagher’s murder and the subsequent involvement of removing her body from the mortuary. Paul did the necessary. He informed Lin Perfect, Bryant’s solicitor that depending what came back from the lab Dylan was hoping that he would be able to charge him with the joint murder of Billy Simpson. Now Dylan needed to catch up with Vicky to see how things were progressing.

There was a lot of issues bugging Dylan about Richard Bryant and the two enquiries. Maybe the team and their partners would enlighten him further in the next briefing.

Back in his office he shoved his paperwork to the side. Urgent or not, he wasn’t in the mood for mundane routine. He saw Vicky in the Incident Room and shouted her name.

‘
You called?’ she asked as she stood leaning against his door frame.

‘
You penned anything for that promotion application of yours yet?’

‘
I have actually,’ she said. ‘I don’t know how good it is though.’

‘
Fetch it me. I want to look, if you’ve got a minute?’

‘Have I?
’ Vicky said as she scurried away. Minutes later she was back with her document. ‘I’ll get the coffee whilst you’re casting an eye, shall I?’

He picked up the red biro.
‘No, not the red pen boss, please not the red pen,’ she cried theatrically. Laughing she closed the door and left him alone. There was an art to writing a promotion application and experience was essential. The specific role profile for the job needed to be covered in the applicant’s document otherwise it wouldn’t achieve the paper sift stage.

Dylan was quite relaxed when it came to writing applications. He smiled to himself as he thought of the time when he was interviewing for a surveillance motorcyclist to work with the crime squad. Undercover work, but the ability to ride at excessive speed on occasions meant it was a dangerous job and needed officers with specific skills and experience. People in interviews, he found would say things that they thought you wanted to hear, as in this specific case.
‘If you told me to go through a red light boss, I would,’ said one interviewee. Totally the wrong thing he wanted to hear. Safety was always paramount.

Many applicants owned their own motorbikes and knew everything there was to know, including being able to strip them down and put it back together wearing a blindfold
– he never failed to be impressed with their expertise. Experienced riders all of them on this occasion though except one, who for some unknown reason hadn’t been. This officer confessed that having worked in the cell area for a number of years, he fancied a change of scenery. The candidate once owned a Honda 50 motorcycle when he was sixteen years old but never ridden since, he said on his application. Dylan had checked the date on the form wondering if it might be April Fool’s day or a wind up? It wasn’t. The officer was genuine and would, “agree to take lessons”. Feeling as though he would probably need to brush up on his skills.’ Dylan had let him down gently on that particular occasion.

By the time Vicky had walked back in with the coffee Dylan was two thirds of the way through her application.

‘Bloody hell, boss, I thought you’d cut your hand,’ she said lifting his hand from the paperwork.