Sam exploded from his chair and lunged for Salter. Riley had anticipated his reaction and took a step back. Dawson had been weakened the night before but still packed a hefty punch, which Salter deflected and then sent the man toppling backwards with one massive strike of his own.
‘That will do, Sergeant. Let’s not do the hangman’s work for him.’
‘Hangman?’ Dawson wiped blood from his lip with the back of his hand as he clambered slowly to his feet, finally looking wary. ‘I ain’t done anything to get hung for.’
‘That’s a matter of opinion,’ Salter muttered, flexing his fingers. He’d opened up the cuts from the night before and wrapped a handkerchief around his bloody knuckles.
‘We know you resented your brother John’s ability to get ahead. More than resented. Any mention of the man sent you into a rage, especially when you saw the way your mother fussed over him and took pride in his achievements, holding them up to you and Paul as a shining example.’ Dawson resumed his chair, folded his meaty arms over his chest and scowled at Riley without attempting to deny his assertion. ‘You heard about his club and that tipped you over the edge.’
‘No doubt you gave Ruth a right pasting that night,’ Salter said, disgust in his tone. ‘What a man! You must be so proud of yourself, belting seven shades of shit out of a helpless woman.’
‘A man’s allowed to discipline his wife. Ain’t none of your business.’
‘It is when he murders his own child,’ Riley replied mildly. ‘However, I digress.’
‘He means he got side-tracked,’ Salter said in a patronising tone when Dawson scowled with incomprehension.
‘Verity Randall came to see you—’
‘Who?’ Dawson’s eyes darted from side to side but the belligerence in his expression had been replaced with fear.
‘She came to see you,’ Riley continued, ignoring the interruption, ‘and when she told you that your brother had become very friendly with Nancy Wendall, it was the final straw. You knew who Verity was, of course, and that associating with her could be profitable from your perspective. Anyway, you agreed to go and see Wendall and tell him about the affair, just to nip Ezra’s expectations in the bud, unwittingly aiding and abetting his cause when you lost your temper and killed Wendall.’
‘That left Mrs Wendall free to actually marry Ezra once she came out of mourning, which would make him wealthy beyond his wildest expectations,’ Salter added. ‘You must have been furious.’
‘I suppose you’re gonna accuse me of killing me own brother, an’ all. Pin it all on me, why don’t you?’
‘No, Dawson. We know who did you a good turn by killing him, and the same woman was behind both crimes.’
‘Verity?’ Dawson breathed, looking astounded.
‘Verity,’ Riley confirmed. ‘Tell us what happened with Wendall.’
‘It were an accident, so I’m told. The case is closed.’
‘It can be reopened if fresh evidence comes to light.’
‘Come on, Dawson.’ Salter got up close and growled in his face, withholding his trademark table slap, either because he thought Dawson wouldn’t be intimidated by it or out of consideration for his injured knuckles. ‘We know you was there. Wendall’s manager described you to us.’
‘Could have been John or Paul. We all look alike.’
‘John dressed well,’ Riley said, allowing his gaze to roam over Dawson’s scruffy attire. ‘He wouldn’t be seen looking the way you do, and Paul sticks to the straight and narrow. He wouldn’t get involved with anything so tawdry. Besides, your conversation with Verity was overheard.’
A dark expression suffused Dawson’s battered features. ‘Ruth!’ he hissed slowly. ‘I ought to have known. Still, it don’t make no never mind. She can’t say nuffink against her own husband.’
‘She can if she chooses to, and if that means you will spend longer behind bars, or perhaps even swing for your crime, then I feel persuaded that’s precisely what she will choose to do.’
‘She wouldn’t dare!’
‘Maybe you shouldn’t have punched your own kid out of her,’ Salter muttered, flexing his fists until new beads of blood appeared on his knuckles. Sam looked down as the drops began to fall from the sergeant’s hands to the floor of the shabby room, and shifted from one foot to the other. Salter looked back at him steadily. ‘Go on, sunshine, try something. Give me an excuse,’ he said.
‘You used her as a punch bag once too often,’ Riley said. ‘This is your one chance to tell your side of the story as far as Wendall is concerned. If you don’t, we will charge you with his murder and take our chances on getting a conviction.’
‘Given that his lordship is so well connected,’ Salter added, ‘I can’t see you getting away with it. But of course it’s up to you.’
Dawson dropped his head and let out an angry scowl. ‘It happened just like you said,’ he admitted. ‘John was a thorn in my side. Walked on water as far as Ma was concerned, when I knew just how many tricks he’d pulled, how many people he’d conned to get where he was. Then Verity came along with her story and I’ll admit that I saw red. I went to see Wendall, fully expecting to be rewarded for putting him straight. Instead he turned on me and told me to mind my own damned business. Said I had no right to stick my nose into his affairs and that his wife’s friendships were no concern of mine.’
‘You saw Ezra getting away with it?’ Riley suggested.
‘Well, I dunno. I’ll admit that I lost my rag and took a swing at him. He darted out the way and he fell against a stack of barrels…I dunno what happened. They must not have been held
