She set the phone down and came running.
‘You’ll never guess what!’
‘What?’
‘That was forensics, an update report on Belinda’s house.’
‘And?’
‘They have a fingerprint match from Bel’s bedroom.’
‘Yeah, I’ll bet they have, and it will be Williams, Speight, or Donaldson.’
‘No Guv, that’s the crazy thing, it’s Michael Flanagan’s print!’
There was a moment’s stunned silence as communal brains in-took fresh information.
Karen breathed out heavy.
Gibbons said, ‘Oh no, I couldn’t bear it, surely Hector hasn’t been right all along.’
Walter pursed his lips as if about to whistle, though no sound came. Then he said, ‘That is interesting, Jenny, mind you, he could have left the print there anytime. Get on to the tag people again; double double double check to see if his tag could have been faulty. If he was there in Berryland Avenue at the time of the murder the tag must have been interfered with.’
‘Triple check even,’ muttered Gibbons.
‘On it, Guv,’ said Jenny.
‘I wonder why Corla didn’t pick him out,’ said Walter, thinking aloud.
‘You saw her, Guv, you saw how close she was to doing so.’
‘Mmm, yes, but she didn’t though, did she?’
‘What now?’ asked Karen.
Walter glanced at the clock. Nearly half past six. Michael Flanagan would have to be home within the next half hour.
‘You and I are going to pay a visit to Mr Flanagan’s neat little house in Christleton, where we are going to arrest him in connection with the murder of Belinda Cooper, and maybe Eleanor Wright as well.’
‘Get in, Guv!’ said Gibbons. ‘A result!’
‘Not yet, Gibbons, not yet.’
Hector looked incredibly smug.
‘Do you want us to wait on?’ asked Gibbons.
Walter bobbed his head and said, ‘Please, just until we get back, you can stay on as long as you like after that.’
‘Karen!’
‘I know, Guv, a car and an unmarked one at that.’
‘You got it, and Jenny, can you make sure we have the full forensic report as soon as poss, so we can have a quick scan through it.’
‘On it, Guv.’
Thirty-Four
Outside, it was already full dark and getting noticeably colder. The streets were still busy. On the short trip to Christleton, Walter said, ‘What were you going to say earlier?’ ‘Oh, it’s not important, Guv, another time, maybe,’ and that fitted in well, for they were already pulling in close to Flanagan’s house. Karen doused the lights and said, ‘He’s in.’
‘So I see,’ or at least the lights were on downstairs, though the curtains were drawn. ‘Make sure we seize his computer.’
‘For sure,’ she said, looking forward to getting inside it and checking it out.
Walter felt deep into his raincoat pocket. The cold steel cuffs were there, ready and waiting for business, and Walter intended on using them. They went to the door and Karen rang the bell. A moment later a large shadowy figure appeared behind the glass. Flanagan opened the door and hiccupped and stared out.
‘Not you again, what do you want now?’
He stank of beer.
‘Michael Flanagan, I am arresting you in connection with the murders of Belinda Cooper and Eleanor Wright,’ and before the guy could say anything at all, Walter reached forward and slipped the cuffs round Flanagan’s left wrist, and cuffed it, grabbed his right, and clipped it closed. Karen read him his rights.
‘You’ve just had me on an ID parade, for fuck’s sake! She didn’t pick me out. I’m innocent! What more do you want?’
‘New information has just come to light.’
‘What kind of new information? You’re trying to fit me up.’
‘All will be revealed back at the station. Karen, collect the computer. We are seizing that as evidence.’
‘You can’t do that!’
‘We can.’
Karen collected the computer from the lounge, as Flanagan slipped on some shoes. She glanced at him and said, ‘There are no pay and display girls skulking about upstairs, are there?’
‘Don’t be absurd!’
‘Anything else you need, medication or anything at all?’ asked Walter.
‘I’m not on bloody medication! It’s you lot who should be on the meds.’
‘Where are your keys?’ asked Walter.
‘On the ring, there,’ said Flanagan, nodding to some hooks beside the door. ‘It’s the fat bronze one.’
Karen took it down and began turning everything off, TV, lights, cooker, where some kind of heavy and meaty dinner was on the go.
‘If you take me out of the house now I’m going to break my bloody tag-time.’
‘You don’t need to worry about that, we’ll let them know you are with us.’
‘You’d better! I don’t want to do extra time because of you, and I want to see a solicitor.’
‘All that can be arranged at the station. Do you want a jacket?’
‘Do I fuck!’
‘Language, Michael,’ said Walter. ‘No need for it.’
Walter dragged Flanagan outside and put him in the back of the car. Karen carefully closed and locked the house up and joined them.
‘What about my key?’
‘All in good time. Let’s get back to the nick.’
IN THE POLICE STATION Karen turned on the recorder and said, ‘Interview with Michael Flanagan starting at 7.26pm,’ and she added the date, ‘I am Sergeant Karen Greenwood, also present is Inspector Walter Darriteau.’
‘I’m starving, I want something to eat, I missed my dinner.’
‘We’ll get something organised for you,’ said Walter.
‘And I want to see a solicitor.’
‘Do you have a solicitor?’
‘No, I shouldn’t need one, it’s only because of you....’
‘Do you want me to get the Duty Solicitor?’ said Walter.
Flanagan nodded and said, ‘I do, and I am not saying anything at all until he, or she, is right here beside me.’
‘Could be a long night,’ said Karen.
‘Suits me, sister, I couldn’t go out anyway, so it’s your social life that’s suffering, not mine.’
He had a point there, and he knew it, as Karen momentarily thought of David Baker, and wondered where he was, and what he was doing, and what he was thinking.
‘How well did you know Belinda Cooper?’ asked Walter.
‘Oh no, you are not getting me on that, sliding questions in when you think I haven’t noticed.’
‘How well?’ asked Karen.
‘Solicitor? Chop chop!’
Walter went to the door and peered out. Gibbons was at his desk, staring at his phone.
‘See if you
