‘And so you were upset?’
‘Yes, I was.’
‘So instead of returning to your assigned duties and your colleagues, you decided to drown your sorrows.’
‘Yeah.’
‘And during this time who did you see?’
‘I saw Joseph Rose.’
‘And this was when he told you about Detective Inspector Eric Hall pimping Janice?’
‘Yes.’
‘So what did you do?’
‘I went over to Bradford to see him.’
‘And when was this?’
‘I’m not sure, but I think it was Monday’
‘And that was when you assaulted DI Hall?’
‘That’s when we had the fucking fight, if that’s what you mean?’
‘About Ryan?’
‘Yes.’
‘Then what did you do?’
‘I took his car…’
‘DI Hall’s car?’
‘Yeah.’
‘And where did you go?’
‘I just drove around, I don’t remember where exactly.’
‘But eventually you ended up back in Chapeltown, just as the body of Rachel Johnson was discovered?’
‘Yeah, I think I went back to Janice’s flat, and when I woke up there was all the shit going on because of the Johnson girl.’
‘OK. One last thing; until today you’re saying you had no idea that Ryan was pregnant and that you were the father?’
‘That’s correct.’
‘And that the reason forensics have got you all over her, it’s because of the last time you had sexual relations with her, with Ryan?’
‘Yes.’
‘Which would have been when?’
‘Possibly Thursday 2nd June.’
‘But you have no alibi for anytime between 5 p.m. on Saturday 4th June and the morning of Wednesday 8th?’
‘Except for when I saw Joseph Rose and later Eric Hall, no.’
‘But you’re unsure exactly when it was you saw them?’
‘Yes.’
Silence.
Noble is staring at me.
‘You do realise the fucking shit you’re in?’
I look up, the veins in my eyes shards.
‘Yes,’ I say.
He doesn’t blink.
‘The shit we’re all in?’
I nod.
‘All right then,’ he sighs. ‘It’s your call.’
I weigh it up, the arms of my body dead.
‘I’d like to see my solicitor, please.’
Radio Leeds
Monday 13th June 1977
Chapter 17
‘There’s something strange going on,’ said Hadden.
‘Like what?’
‘They reckon there’s been another and that they’ve only bloody got someone for it. Holding them.’
‘You’re joking?’
‘No.’
‘Ripper?’
‘What it looks like.’
‘Bollocks. Who told you this?’
‘A little bird.’
‘How little?’
‘Stephanie.’
‘And she got it from?’
‘Desk at Bradford.’
‘Fuck.’
‘That’s almost what I said.’
‘What do you want me to do?’
‘Make some calls.’
Fuck.
Back at the desk, I picked up the telephone and dialled Millgarth. ‘Samuel?’
‘Jack?’
‘What’s going on?’
‘I don’t know what you could mean.’
‘Oh yes you do.’
‘Oh no I don’t.’
‘OK. What time you going to stop playing silly buggers and start earning yourself a bit of what makes you happy?’
‘In about half an hour?’
I looked at my watch.
Shit.
‘Where?’
‘The Scarborough?’
‘It’s a date,’ and I hung up.
I looked at my watch again, checked my briefcase, and left.
I was the first in the Scarborough.
I put my pint on top of the telephone and dialled.
‘It’s me.’
