? The Poisoning in the Pub ?
Thirty-Nine
Then Jude checked the first text message. It had been sent the day before the poisoning in the Crown and Anchor that had started their investigation. It read:
TIME TO ACTIVATE AGENT 217. SCALLOPS PLAN AS DISCUSSED – DELIVERY AT TEN-THIRTY TOMORROW MORNING. RELYING ON YOU TO PERSUADE HIM TO DO IT. K.
So who the hell was ‘K’?
As she walked back to Woodside Cottage, Jude was aware of a huge temptation. The enquiries she and Carole had made so far in this case had been deeply frustrating. They had been reacting to events, to new information. Rarely had they been proactive.
And now Jude had a chance to be just that. She switched on the precious mobile and checked its power. Yes, it had just enough juice from its time on Kelly-Marie’s charger. She summoned up one of K’s text messages and, before she had time to change her mind, keyed in a reply.
THE NET IS CLOSING IN. I AM ON TO YOU.
That should flush him out.
¦
In previous investigations Carole and Jude had had a somewhat unsatisfactory relationship with the police. They had either been warned off or patronized. The impression had certainly been given that the police were quite capable of doing their job on their own, and the last thing they wanted was offers of help from enthusiastic amateurs, particularly from women of a certain age.
But the detective Jude was put on to when she rang the Hollingbury Major Crime Unit was polite and, even more gratifying, interested in what she had to tell him. His name was Detective Inspector Wilson, and he was absolutely up to speed on the investigations into the deaths of Ray Witchett and Viggo. He knew about Copsedown Hall and Kelly-Marie, and he responded instantly to the mention of Derren Hart. “Yes, he’s someone we very definitely want to speak to. He’s gone to ground for the moment, but don’t worry, we’ll track him down.”
Jude felt a little silly. The detective’s knowledgeable manner reminded her that, all the time she and Carole had been stumbling in the dark, the official enquiries had been proceeding, using the full resources of manpower and forensic expertise. Though Detective Inspector Wilson remained polite, she didn’t get the feeling she was telling him anything that he didn’t know.
Until she came to Viggo’s mobile phone. That was a surprise, and it interested him very much. He wanted her to spell out exactly how it had come into her possession. Then he asked where she lived, and said he would be with her in as long as it took. As soon as she ended that call, Jude rang Carole. It was their joint investigation, they should both be present to hand over their findings to the police.
When he arrived, Detective Inspector Wilson was courteous, but didn’t want to hear too much about their theories of the crimes. It was only the mobile that interested him. He asked again how Jude had discovered it. By now feeling rather childish about the text reply she’d sent, she didn’t mention that. But they’d surely find a record of it when they examined the mobile. She was only putting off the inevitable rapping of her knuckles.
Detective Inspector Wilson took the mobile away, with assurances that he’d keep Carole and Jude updated on any new developments on the case. This they did not really believe. They reckoned, if they did hear more, it would be from the news media along with everyone else, rather than in a personalized call from Detective Inspector Wilson.
As a result, after his departure, both Carole and Jude felt extremely flat. They had ridden the roller coaster of the investigation and, now they were so close to the end of the ride, someone else was going to enjoy the fun of the denouement. Rotten life sometimes, being an amateur detective.
They went back to their separate houses. At a loose end, unable to decide what to do next, Jude put a call through to Kelly-Marie. Just to assure the girl how much the police had appreciated her discovery of the mobile phone. And to warn her that they were quite likely to come to question her again.
“Oh, that’s all right,” said the girl. “The policemen were very friendly when they talked to me before.”
“Well, you definitely did the right thing keeping that mobile of Viggo’s.”
“Thank you.” Kelly-Marie sounded disproportionately grateful for the commendation.
“Incidentally, you said you’d forgotten to tell your parents about the mobile. Did you mention to anyone else that you’d got it?”
“No, I don’t think so.” Then she remembered. “Oh, just one person.”
“Who was that?”
“The scarred man.”
“The one who came to see Viggo?”
“Yes. That night, before Viggo died, I told you I was in the kitchen, and he talked to me. He asked if I’d ever seen a mobile of Viggo’s and I told him.”
So Derren Hart knew of the mobile’s existence. Which almost definitely meant that his paymasters did too. An icy chill spread over Jude’s shoulders as she asked, “Did he ask to see it?”
“He did, but then a couple of the other men from the house came into the hall, and he went away.”
“Kelly-Marie, just stay where you are.” Jude tried to keep the panic out of her voice. God, she’d been so stupid. Her impulsive text reply had alerted ‘K’. If Derren Hart was K, then he’d reckon the text had come from Kelly-Marie, who so far as he knew still had Viggo’s mobile. If Derren wasn’t K himself, then he’d pretty soon pass on the information to the person who was.
“My friend and I are coming to see you straight away,” said Jude, as calmly as she could. “And I’m sure the police will be there soon too.”
“There’s someone arriving now,” said Kelly-Marie casually. “There’s a car parking outside.”
“A police car?”
“No,” the girl replied. “It’s pale blue.”
? The Poisoning in the Pub ?
Forty
There was no mistaking Will Maples’s BMW, conspicuously outgleaming the other shabby vehicles parked on the Downside Road. Its presence at least meant that he hadn’t abducted Kelly-Marie. But that small bonus was wiped out by the deduction that he was still inside the building with her.
The main door to Copsedown Hall was on the latch, which, while convenient for Carole and Jude, was also potentially worrying. Maybe Will Maples had left it like that for reinforcements to arrive. He had a habit of delegating his dirty work. Was Derren Hart about to arrive? Or was the ex-squaddie thug already in the building?
Carole and Jude sped up the stairs. There were voices coming from Kelly-Marie’s flat. Jude flung the door open.
The scene revealed looked surprisingly unthreat-ening. Kelly-Marie was sitting in her usual chair. On the sofa sat Will Maples, still dressed in the suit they had seen that morning. Beside him, to the women’s surprise, was Dan Poke. Though none of the three actually had drinks, Carole and Jude got the incongruous feeling that they had interrupted a polite tea party.
Will Maples made no attempt to pretend that he was pleased to see them. “My God, you two busy-bodies get everywhere, don’t you?”
But Kelly-Marie beamed welcome. “It’s good that you’ve come, Jude. These gentlemen want Viggo’s mobile. And you’ve got it, haven’t you?”
“Not any more. I’ve handed it over to the police.”
Will Maples let out a dry laugh. “Yes, I’m sure you have. Jude, I suggest you just give it to me. Then this whole affair can be ended without anyone getting hurt.”
“Without anyone else getting hurt, you mean,” said Carole combatively.
“Oh, more allegations do we have here?” asked Will Maples sardonically. “I thought you’d exhausted all of those this morning. I also thought you had taken on board what Melissa Keats told you. If you persist in this kind of slanderous behaviour, you could both be looking at a very long custodial sentence.”
