Wednesday, 22nd August 2018
Gus and Suzie left the bungalow at eight-thirty. After Brett accompanied Clemency to the rectory, he and Suzie had gone inside to eat. When Gus went to the bar at the end of the evening, the landlord told him Bert and Irene left enough money behind the bar to cover the bill.
“Don’t know what’s got into Bert,” the landlord said. “He didn’t seem himself tonight.”
“It was the suit,” said Gus. “The only time he’s worn it was at Frank North’s funeral.”
“No, not the suit. Bert’s usually cadging drinks off the likes of you, Mr Freeman, not putting his hand in his pocket.”
Gus smiled to himself as he stood by the Focus.
“See you at the usual time tonight, darling?” asked Suzie.
“No reason to be later than half-past five,” said Gus.
“Remember what I said. Take care,” said Suzie.
Gus followed Suzie along the lane, past the Lamb, and eased the Focus into heavy traffic on the main road. They moved slowly onto London Road before Suzie turned into the Headquarters car park, then Gus watched traffic thin out as he reached the top of Caen Hill. With a following wind, he should be in the office before nine o’clock. Gus realised he hadn’t given the Marion Reeves case a second thought since he drove home last night.
The team was already hard at work when Gus exited the lift at one minute past nine.
“Did those temporary traffic lights at Redstocks catch you, guv?” asked Neil.
“They did. What are the Highways Department digging up the road for now?” asked Gus.
“It’s on the schedule for this week, guv. They don’t need a reason.”
“Everyone has things to do,” said Gus. “I need to update my files with what we learned yesterday afternoon. When do you want to hear the highlights?”
“Luke went through them last night after you dashed away, guv,” said Lydia.
“Right, well, I’ll carry on then,” said Gus.
“Before you get stuck in, guv,” said Neil. “Luke’s doing the same as you, updating his files. Alex is arranging the next set of interviews. Blessing is finding Graham Street’s children, and Lydia’s tracing that Family Liaison Officer. I’m hoping to identify the senior police officer that could have attended those parties from 1980 to 1984.”
“It sounds as if you got most things covered,” said Gus. “Luke, if you get a minute can you check on that gym with Arthur Jackson, please?”
“I haven’t forgotten, guv,” said Luke.
Gus had finished updating the Freeman files by ten o’clock. When he glanced across the office at Luke, he was on the phone. Neil Davis looked puzzled while Blessing and Lydia were in the restroom. Gus hoped it was coffee time for everyone. He was right. The restroom door opened two minutes later, and the girls returned with drinks.
“Your turn tomorrow, guys,” said Blessing.
“Luke, did you speak to Arthur Jackson?” asked Gus, taking a sip of a well-earned coffee.
“Just got off the phone, guv. Arthur introduced Martyn Street to the owner of the gym on Churchfields Industrial Estate. Arthur’s son, Keith, was a keen bodybuilder. Martyn joined the gym in 2006 and continued to use the gym once a week for three years. The original owner had sold up by then, and their maintenance problems started soon after the new people took over. Martyn had cut back to training once a month but got frustrated with arriving to find a notice telling him it was closed for repairs. Arthur said Martyn didn’t renew his membership in 2010.”
“I’d get frustrated if I walked from his flat to the gym and found it closed,” said Neil. “How far is that, anyway?”
“It overlooks the Wilton House estate,” said Luke. “It’s the same distance Martin used to walk from Oakley Road to work. That took him thirty minutes.”
“An hour’s exercise without needing to pay for a gym membership,” said Neil. “That works for me.”
“Thanks, Neil,” said Gus. “A coincidence, I suppose, that the blackmailer chose Stephenson Road and a spot close to a building with an association to the victim’s mother.”
“We discussed this yesterday, guv,” said Blessing Umeh. “You and Lydia agreed the killer chose to meet there because of its position. The length of the road and the number of vehicles present meant the two cars that arrived at half-past nine that morning were hiding in plain sight. The premises on that road don’t necessarily have any relevance.”
“I stand corrected, DC Umeh,” said Gus.
“I still want to know what happened to the lunchbox, guv,” said Blessing. “If we can explain that, then our view of where the cars parked could change.”
“Have you put in for your Sergeant’s exam yet, Blessing?” asked Gus.
“No guv. I’m not twenty-two yet, and if my father gets his way, I’ll marry someone I don’t know before I get the chance to get promoted.”
Gus made a mental note to make sure he kept the best people where he could see them. It was inevitable this team would attract others across the county and beyond in time. He’d suffered the loss of several excellent Detective Sergeants before he retired. His superiors told him it was his fault for training them too well.
Gus had told them if a job’s worth doing, it’s worth doing well, but their decisions never got reversed, and he had to start over again with another raw recruit. Enough was enough. Time to dig his heels in. When they solved this case, he would plant the seeds in Kenneth Truelove’s head that if anyone came poaching his team, the Chief Constable had two choices. Tell them to take a running jump or look for another mug to come out of retirement to handle those cold cases piled high on his swish new desk.
“Everything alright, guv?” asked Lydia.
“Everything’s fine for the time being, Lydia. I was planning my next move.”
