‘Talking to yourself, sir?’
‘Ah, Jack, there you are. It’s gone midday. I thought you’d got lost. How did you…’ Riley glanced up at his ordinarily stalwart sergeant and half rose from his chair in alarm. ‘Good heavens, you’re wearing an expression like thunder. What on earth has happened to get you so riled up?’
‘Ruth Dawson lost her baby last night.’ Salter fell into a chair, muttering expletives beneath his breath. ‘Sam came home drunk, picked an argument and punched her so hard in the stomach that…well, you get the idea.’
‘Damn it!’ Riley thumped his right fist against his opposite palm. He could not abide men who used violence against women. ‘How do you know this? Is she all right?’
‘Well, she’s alive, which is more than can be said for the poor bairn, God rest its soul. And I only found out by chance. I happened upon Doc Ash last night. He’d just come back from tending to her. Told me Sam would only let him do the minimum, then sent him away. Said there was no money for doctors and that she was making a fuss about nothing. The doc reckoned Ruth ought to be in the hospital, but there’s no question of that happening. Still an’ all, I made him go back, went with him in fact and shamed Sam by saying that a benefactor had paid the doctor’s fee, given that Sam had refused to do so himself.’
‘You are a good man, Jack,’ Riley said, well aware that his sergeant, with a large family to feed, didn’t have much spare cash. ‘I will cover the cost.’
‘Nah, it’s done. It were my Christian duty and I won’t shirk it. Probably my own fault an’ all.’
‘How did you reach that conclusion?’
‘I asked questions at Clapham station about the building site thefts, like you told me to.’ Salter sniffed. ‘I reckon whoever’s on the thieves’ payroll heard about it and warned the blaggards. If Sam Dawson’s involved, then he knows we’re onto him and he took his frustrations out on his wife.’
‘Ah, I see what you mean.’
‘I had a quiet word with Sam’s brother when I went back with the doc and made Sam let him in. His wife was looking after Ruth as best she could, but he was that glad to see the doctor come back. The poor lass was still bleeding and Sam didn’t give a shit.’ Riley raised a brow. It was almost unheard of for Salter to swear, and a testament to the extent of his anger. ‘Anyway, Paul told me that his brother has a vicious temper.’ Salter rolled his eyes. ‘Like we didn’t already know that. I only had to look at the state of his poor wife and see how scared of him his two kids are to work that out for myself.’
‘Paul is a different type?’
‘Yeah. I really don’t think he’s involved with Sam’s sidelines. Not that I had a chance to get Paul to tell me what Sam was up to. He wouldn’t have done anyway. He’s scared of him too. But he did tell me something interesting. He said that Sam was desperate to get involved in Ezra’s club.’
‘Whereas Sam pretended disinterest when we asked him about it, if memory serves.’
‘Nothing wrong with your memory, sir. Seems as Sam were jealous of Ezra’s easy life and his ability to make money and wanted some of it for himself. He gets right moody when things don’t go his way.’
‘I’m glad you faced up to him, Jack.’
‘I was that mad at him, he was lucky I didn’t give him a taste of his own medicine. I told him in no uncertain terms that the doctor would be calling every day to attend to Ruth and if I saw so much as a fresh scratch on her then I would be down on him like a ton of bricks. He didn’t like it but knew better than to take me on.’ Salter let out a long, angry breath. ‘Ruth will be safe enough for now.’
‘You did well, Jack.’ Riley gave a grim nod. ‘I’d put Sam to the bottom of my list of suspects, but now I’m starting to wonder.’
‘I really hope it is him,’ Salter growled. ‘Beating a woman in that way and killing his own child. Why can’t we do him for murder?’
‘Believe me, Jack, if we could then I’d slap the cuffs on him myself.’
‘That cottage of his was a cut above. He didn’t want to let me in but I didn’t give him no choice. He’s got some half-decent furniture and it’s done up nice. Better then you’d expect for a man in his line of work. I think you’re right about him nicking off his employer.’
‘What could Clapham station tell you about that?’
‘What you’d expect. They have a constable regularly patrolling but he never catches anyone at it.’
‘You think he tips the thieves off before he makes his rounds?’
‘I’m sure of it. Anyway, there’ve been no thefts for almost a week. Reckon they’ll have another go in the next day or so. Possibly as soon as tonight, given that Sam Dawson has got the right hump with me and reckons he’s got a point to prove. Even though it was only his brother who saw me get in his face, he won’t want to lose credibility.’
‘I sense you have a plan, Jack.’ Riley settled back in his seat and fixed his sergeant with a probing look. Salter had seen it all over the years and seldom let it become personal. ‘Best tell me what you want to do.’
‘Tonight, sir. I want to stake the place out with a handful of selected men from here. We can’t risk using anyone from Clapham or word’ll get back to Dawson.’
Riley knew better than to point out the dangers to Salter. He was
