An Unfamiliar Murder Read online

  “You just have to trust me. See you at three o’clock, dead. I won’t wait around.” He rang off and she sat on the bed staring into space for a moment, not really sure what to do next. Had she done the right thing? Should she tell the police?

  * * *

  Helen walked in through the front of the house and carefully opened the kitchen door. It was empty and the house was unusually quiet. There was no TV blaring out, no music coming from upstairs, not even the sound of voices. She fixed her head onto one side. Where is everyone?

  Suddenly, she heard a crash and the sound of laughter coming from the garden. She crossed the kitchen and looked out of the window to see her mother, Matthew and Robert throwing a ball to each other in the garden. The dog, who clearly hadn’t noticed her arrival, was racing round and round them in circles, madly trying to catch the ball at each throw. Helen stood there for a moment watching her family, a goofy grin tickling her lips. They looked so happy.

  Robert noticed her first. He put his hand up and waved. Matthew followed his gaze and stuck up his thumb in greeting. Helen raised her own hand in utter amazement. That is the first time Matthew has smiled in, well . . . She wasn’t sure how long.

  The group were gathering together now and racing towards the door, Jane Lavery trailing behind, lifting a couple of terracotta pots that the hound had knocked over in its excitement. Helen braced herself for the grand greeting from the dog, but none came. She ran down the garden and into the kitchen alongside Robert, wagging her tail, adoring eyes not leaving his face. It seemed that he was much more interesting than she was.

  “Hi, Mum!” shouted Robert, his cheeks flushed from the exercise.

  “Hi there. You all look to be enjoying yourself.”

  “We are.” He looked down at the dog and rubbed her head lovingly. “Boomer’s great, isn’t she?”

  Helen smiled.

  “We’re just going for a walk. Wanna come?” She looked over at Matthew as he spoke. His own pink cheeks made him look younger.

  “I just popped home to pick up some papers . . .”

  “Please!” Robert shouted. His face looked so angelic she couldn’t find it in herself to say no.

  She glanced at the station clock on the wall. It was twelve o’clock. She could call it her lunch hour. And there was nothing they could do but wait, wait until there was a sighting of their suspect. Intelligence had been very poor on Hamptonshire links with both Carl Peacock and the other inmates on D Wing. The Drugs Squad had come up with a few possible names but nothing that had led them to Kane. Not surprising really, prominent figures in organized crime usually kept their tracks well covered. Plus the phones had been depressingly quiet all morning.

  Helen was totally fed up with Sawford. Having probably been up for the best part of the night, pouring over her policy log, picking holes in her investigation, he had come in that morning loaded with questions. She had meticulously answered them one by one but, despite attending the morning briefing and being informed that Edwards was their number one suspect, he had said that he felt there were still unanswered questions from the Cottrell family background. Perhaps he could pursue this line whilst her team were busy tracing Kane? In the end, Helen had sent Townsend down to brief him, as the resident ‘expert’ on the Cottrell family. They deserved each other. That’ll keep them both out of my hair for a while, she had thought.

  “Well, I’m sure I can spare an hour.” She winked. “I’ll just make a quick call.”

  “Yeah!” Both boys grinned at her. This is like the old days, she thought to herself as she walked into the lounge to call the office, when I was the most important thing in their world. It might have been a nostalgic moment, probably short lived, but it felt good.

  Jane Lavery, having tidied the garden, walked through the back door as Helen re-entered kitchen. The dog immediately rushed over to her and she petted her head. “Good girl,” she muttered, then turned to her daughter. “How are things?” she asked.

  “Mum’s coming for a walk with us,” Robert said.

  Jane Lavery looked at her daughter and smiled knowingly. “What a lovely idea. Why don’t you go and get changed and I’ll make you a quick cuppa before we go?”

  As Helen walked back out into the hallway, she could see the local paper had landed on the doorstep. It always came early on a Saturday. She rushed towards it and opened it out. As promised, Kane Edwards stared back at her from the front page, his pale eyes more striking than ever. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled through her mouth as she read the piece appealing for anyone who had seen this man to come forward. She checked her watch, bit her lip. Hopefully it was just a matter of time.

  By the time she had hastily phoned Pemberton and told him she would be out for an hour, but to ring her immediately if there was any news at all, and walked back into the kitchen her family were all dressed up in coats and hats ready for their walk. She lifted her coffee mug to her lips and poured it down as quickly as the heat would allow.

  “Where are we off to?” she asked, as they stepped out of the back door. The modern housing estate they lived on was at the edge of town. If you turned left at the main road at the bottom you headed back into town, turning right led you past a grassy field which had recently lost its herd of cows, alongside a working fir mill and then out to open countryside.

  “The park,” Robert said, running on ahead with the dog, Matthew close at his heels.

  Helen sighed and Jane Lavery smiled at her. “No matter how much they grow, they still love the park.”

  Helen nodded.

  “How are things at the office?”

  “We’ve had a bit of a breakthrough.”

  “Great.”

  “Well, kind of. We have a fairly firm suspect but can’t locate him at the moment. He seems to have disappeared off the face of the Earth.”

  “So you’re playing the waiting game?”

  “You’ve got it. Photo’s out there, we’re just hoping and praying someone will come forward.”

  “I’m sure they will.”

  “Me too. I have a good feeling about this one.” They continued in silence, making their way back towards the town. They passed a newsagent with a stand of Hampton Herald newspapers outside. Helen crossed her fingers in her pocket. They just needed a little nudge.

  After walking about a mile up the road they reached Oakwall Park, a large grassy area which included two football pitches, a tennis court and a stretch of river at the far side. Despite the chilling wind, the November sun had attracted many people. A group of lads were playing one goal football at the end of the footy pitch, the young children’s play area was teaming with toddlers and small children climbing, swinging, racing down slides. A couple in the distance were walking a Spaniel. It was a family afternoon in the park. Helen couldn’t remember the last time she had done such a thing.

  Robert and Matthew ran on ahead and Boomer followed them, clearly enjoying her exercise. Jane and Helen wandered along together behind, watching them. The dog ran over to the Spaniel and they jumped around and rolled on the grass together, playing for a while. Helen smiled. Boomer was clearly a very friendly animal.

  They made their way right across to the other side of the park towards the river. It was much quieter on this side. Robert had found a stick underneath one of the large Oak trees and was throwing it for Boomer who was happily retrieving it. His grandmother went over to join him.

  All of a sudden she felt a presence nearby and turned to see Matthew, running across the field to catch up with her. “Hi, Mum!” he gasped, out of breath.

  “Hi There. OK?”

  “Yeah. Listen, thanks for leaflets. It looks really cool. Can I join?” His face looked flush, happy.

  Helen summoned up all her courage. And when she spoke the words, despite the Royal Air Force Cadets, or any force for that matter, being against her better judgment, she sounded positive, optimistic. “I think that would be a great idea.”

  “Thanks!” And then he took her comp
letely by surprise by giving her a huge hug right in the middle of the park. She stood still in astonishment as he hurtled off across the field towards Robert and her mother who were now walking back in her direction.

  She waited until they had all reached her before moving on. A jogger passed them in a hooded jacket, the wire of an iPod just visible. Then no one – it was as if they had this part of the park to themselves. The sun felt quite warm and Helen undid her jacket.

  Matthew and Robert were now attempting to climb a tree in the distance and Boomer ran back towards Helen and Jane and circled around them. They had reached the river now and walked along its grassy bank. The dog went down for a drink.

  “Boomy,” Jane called, when she didn’t re-appear. Nothing. “Boomer!” Still nothing. “Oh, where has she gone?”

  “Don’t worry, Mum, I’ll run on ahead. Maybe she’s gone further down the river?” Helen snatched the lead and ran off, enjoying the feeling of the chilling wind on her face. She dropped down the bank and stopped, looking in both directions. Nothing.

  “Boomer!” She stood quietly for a moment before continuing along the riverbank. As it wound around a bend she could just make out something in the distance. As she got closer she could see that it was Boomer, jumping around with a German Shepherd. She started to jog. The dog saw her now and wagged her tail.

  “Boomer, come!” The dog didn’t respond to her call, just stood wagging its tail beside a man sitting on a bench. He reached out to stroke her head. He looked vaguely familiar. Helen screwed her eyes up. He looked very familiar. Her heart skipped a beat.

  She was almost upon them now. “Boomer!” she called. The dog ignored her. Helen looked at the man and he looked back at her. There was mutual recognition in their faces.

  He got up quickly, towering above her. “Come on, Sam,” he growled, and made up the bank. Helen scrambled to get the dog on a lead and raced off after him, trying to reach into her pocket for her mobile phone at the same time. But, by the time she reached the top of the bank, she could no longer see him.

  Her boys rushed over and grabbed Boomer. “Guys can you take Boomy back to Granny please,” Helen asked, her eyes darting back and forwards. “I need to get back to work now.”

  “Aren’t you coming home to get changed first?” Robert asked.

  Helen was looking about furiously. He couldn’t disappear into thin air, surely not? And then she caught a glimpse of the tall figure in the distance with the dog. Jane Lavery had joined them now. “Mum, I need to get back to work now,” she said to her mother wide eyed, “I’ll leave the boys with you.”

  “No problem. Come on lads.” And with a quick hug to Robert she moved on into a quick jog, trying to remain as inconspicuous as possible. She could see that he had reached the far end of the park and was waiting to cross the main road. She peered around from behind a tree trunk and quickly removed her jacket, tying it around her waist inside out and tucked her hair behind her ears. It was a small concession at looking different, but worth a chance. The road was busy with Saturday afternoon shoppers making their way out of town. He stood still for a while waiting for a gap in the traffic.

  Helen took her chance and lifted her mobile phone, racing through the options. She selected the wrong number in her haste. Come on! Cancelled and re-selected. Eventually Pemberton answered.

  He was crossing the road. She would have to talk and go. “Sergeant, it’s me.”

  “Hello, ma’am.”

  “I don’t have much time. I’m in Oakwall Park and I’m heading towards

  Birch Road. I’ve located Kane Edwards and I’m following him. I need backup here, now!” “Are you OK?”

  “Yes, fine. Quickly please!”

  “Yes, ma’am. Stay on the line.” She could hear him fire instructions into the background. It was a less than a minute before he responded, “IRT will be there in three minutes, ETA eight minutes for the armed response car. Are you still OK?”

  Helen was out of breath. She had nipped in and out of the traffic and was desperately trying to stay on the trail of her suspect. “Yes, I’m in Groves End, I can see him, he’s just turned a corner into

  Lime Street.” Lime Street was lined with large old Victorian terraces, many of which had been converted into apartments and flats. Those in the job called it ‘bedsit land’. It was also the centre of the red light district of Hampton. Helen crossed Groves End and clung to the parked cars as she approached the entrance to

  Lime Street. A Toyota Hiace camper van was parked directly opposite the junction. She peered through its windows. Damn. He had gone again. Then, she just caught sight of the dark tail wagging through a front door, before it disappeared and the door banged shut. Helen glanced along the road. It was the house that was on the end. From her position here, she could watch the front entrance and the side gate, which was the rear access. She ran across the road, glimpsed the number, then crossed back quickly. “Number

  84 Lime Street, on the corner of Lime Street and Groves End. He’s inside . . .”

  * * *

  Anna looked out of her bedroom window for the umpteenth time and then shot another glance at her watch. It was half past one. Her father was still in the garden. The garden was her only hope of escape. As a teenager she had climbed out of her bedroom side window a couple of times, down onto the extension of the garage roof which swept below. From there she had shimmied down the drainpipe and out into the garden. Of course she was convinced that her father knew what she was up to, but he never told her mother. It was their shared, unspoken secret. This way she was able to go out to some of the parties that her mother would never have approved of. She had even mastered the art of climbing up, back then. She stared down at the garage roof below, estimating it was only about a three meter drop. She was a few pounds heavier these days, but surely she could still manage it?

  A knock at the door broke her concentration. She jumped back like a naughty child up to mischief. “Yes?”

  Kathleen Cottrell put her head around the door. “I’ve made a late lunch. A selection of sandwiches mostly.” A selection of sandwiches, anyone would think she was entertaining the Queen. Anna glanced across at her. This was typical of her Kathleen, initially arguing against a police presence ‘intruding her home’, then as soon as PC Emma Cole arrived automatically treating her as the house guest.

  DCI Lavery had explained that Family Liaison Officers were very specially trained to be unobtrusive to family life, providing a supporting link between the police and the family. Anna guessed that the police woman was in her late thirties, a round woman of medium height, with dark, curly hair that danced on her shoulders and dimples that appeared in both cheeks when she smiled. Dressed in a calf length black skirt and lilac blouse, Anna thought she looked more like a health visitor than a police officer.

  But she had to admit that PC (“Call me Emma”) Cole had certainly settled in very well. She had an easy way about her and seemed to affect just the right mannerisms and say just the right words to impress Kathleen. Anna had caught them laughing together in the kitchen that morning, Emma with a cup of tea in her hand, tea contained in Kathleen’s Royal Doulton - a service preserved for only special visitors.

  “I’m not hungry, thank you.”

  “You ought to eat something.”

  Not wishing to alarm her mother or give any clues as to her plan, Anna thought fast. “I know, I’m sorry,” she said in the most convincing voice she could muster. “I’m just tired. Perhaps I could come down and have some a bit later?”

  Kathleen angled her head on one side. “Oh, OK dear, if you wish.” She turned and left the room.

  Anna breathed out a sigh of relief as she listened to the footsteps disappearing down the stairs. Then, to her delight, Kathleen called her father in from the garden. This was her chance. She watched her dad disappear from sight and slowly opened the largest of her windows. The chill rushed in and caught her in the chest, forcing a shiver. Quick now. She reached over and grabbed an old, red ho
oded fleece from the chair beside her bed. Her face creased at its color. She would have to put it on when she was safely away over the fields. Then she wound her legs out of the window, reaching down as far as possible, and jumped.

  A slight thud left her in a crouched position. She stayed still for several seconds, until convinced that the noise hadn’t caused alarm, rubbing her legs. They felt OK, so she shifted over to the edge. Shimmying down the drainpipe which navigated the side of the garage and into a water butt at the bottom proved to be more difficult than she had remembered. The fittings had decayed over the years becoming loose in the wall. She slipped a couple of times, grazing both her knees, dropping the fleece jacket. But eventually her feet found the water butt and she was down. The fleece landed in a soft pile next to her.

  Anna looked around. She couldn’t slip out through the side and past the front of the house, like she had done years ago, in case there were any police officers out there. No, this time she had to pass through the garden, climb the fence at the bottom and circumvent the field beyond to take her back to the main road. This was the most dangerous part.

  Anna held her breath and listened carefully. The absence of voices from the kitchen indicated that her mother had served lunch in the dining room. She really was in entertainment mode. And without a backward glance she ran, as fast as she could, down the 200 yard garden and clambered over the four foot fence at the bottom. For a while she stayed put, on the other side of the fence, catching her breath and listening hard. Then, for the first time in days, a smile actually spread across her face. She was free.

  * * *

  The rapid response vehicles arrived first, but covertly as Helen had insisted. No blues and twos, no sirens. She didn’t want to alert Edwards until they were ready, until everything was in place. This was belt and braces. The last thing they wanted was an escape on their hands. They parked secretly in the road parallel to

  Lime Street, communicating with her through Pemberton whom she remained connected to on her mobile phone the whole time. Then came the firearms team, looking like a bunch of prima donna actors, trussed up in bullet proof vests that over exaggerated their biceps. Helen guessed that every one of them, even the women, harbored childhood desires to be James Bond. They quietly spread through the area.