Paying the Ferryman Page 7

  ELEVEN

  ‘What I can’t understand is how you could possibly fail.’

  ‘I didn’t fail. The woman and the man, they’re gone. I did the job.’

  ‘And left the kids behind.’

  ‘I told you, the girl did a runner, took the baby with her. I couldn’t hang around.’

  ‘And just how did she manage to do a runner, as you put it?’

  ‘He shouted, didn’t he? She must have heard us downstairs and got nosy. Then he shouts up to her and she takes off, with the little kid.’

  ‘And you let them get past you.’

  ‘I didn’t let them—’

  ‘But they got away. The contract was clear. You take out the adults and you get rid of the kids. If you had qualms about that, maybe you should have said something. There’s plenty lining up behind you. Plenty who aren’t so fussy. Plenty who wouldn’t mind finding you on their CV.’

  ‘I told you. She ran, the lights came on and it was chucking it down with rain. I couldn’t see bugger all. Next thing I know there’s sirens everywhere.’

  This might have been a slight exaggeration. He’d been long gone before the two local constables arrived, realized this was too big for them to handle alone and finally summoned the cavalry.

  ‘So you said.’ The voice on the other end of the phone didn’t sound convinced. In fact, sounded dangerously unconvinced.

  ‘So what now then, you want me to find the girl? I know I winged her.’

  ‘You winged her. So that makes it all right then. You’d best come in, we’ll sort this out.’

  The call ended and he listened to the silence for a moment or two before slipping the phone back into his pocket.

  ‘Come in?’ he said. ‘Fuck that for a game of monkeys.’ Ricky could go and talk to the boss if he wanted, but Tommy was damn sure he wasn’t going to risk it.

  He called Ricky and relayed the gist of the conversation. ‘So, up to you, my man. But I’m out of here.’

  ‘Seriously? You want to make him madder than he is now?’

  ‘Seriously. You decide for yourself, but I’m gone.’

  Ricky was quiet, considering. ‘Never understood why they wanted the kids dead,’ he said. ‘What do they know?’

  ‘The little one? Fuck all now. The girl, I don’t know, Terry had a bee in his bonnet about her overhearing something or other. But even if she did, she wouldn’t know what it was, would she? Anyway, like I say, up to you.’

  Tommy rang off and took the SIM card out of his phone, then crushed it beneath the heel of his boot. He had a suspicion that Ricky would make a beeline for the boss, try to get back into his good books, remind him that all he did that night was drive the car.

  ‘Yeah, right.’ That would really work. Tommy turned and walked back down the road towards the train station. Like excuses would get him off the hook now. Like anyone would care. Tommy was pretty sure he’d be reading Ricky’s name in the obituary column inside a week. He sure as hell wasn’t going to stick around to share the same fate. He had some cash on him and he had plenty more he could lay hands on and no one he cared enough about to worry about leaving them behind.

  Know when to walk away, his dad had always told him. Know when enough is enough.

  Strange to think Ricky had the same father as Terry Baldwin. Tommy grinned. One thing you could say about the old man. He’d known how to spread it about.

  TWELVE

  Students were leaving for the day when Steel arrived at Marion Deans Comprehensive just after three. The head teacher met him in the foyer and took him through to her office. ‘I’ve asked three of the girls to stay and talk to you,’ she said. ‘Evie Watts is waiting for her mother to arrive. Susan Pierson and Tania Hayes are with Mrs Hayes. The Piersons are happy for you to speak to their daughter if Mrs Hayes is present. Shall I get them in?’

  ‘In just a moment, that would be great,’ Steel said. ‘I just want a quick word with you first and with Sarah’s class teacher—’

  ‘On hand and waiting to see you. I thought we should deal with the students first. What else did you want to know?’

  ‘Sarah seems to be close to Joey Hughes and Terrence Clarke. Can you tell me about them?’

  Mrs Preston’s eyes narrowed. ‘And why would I do that?’

  ‘For no bad reason. I met Tel and Joey today and Tel’s mother, Maggie. I imagine the boys should have been in school, but they joined the search teams, with Tel’s mother.’ He paused, but it seemed Mrs Preston wanted more.

  ‘They struck me as bright boys,’ he said. ‘And both care a great deal for Sarah.’

  Mrs Preston leaned back in her chair and steepled her fingers. Steel was suddenly twelve years old and in the headmaster’s office.

  ‘Terrence Clarke is a very nice boy. His mother is an active member of the parent-teacher committee and helps out whenever we have functions. She has a husband, but he works away most of the time and the impression I get is that they are marking time until Tel is old enough for a painless divorce. I don’t think there’s any real acrimony, just no real intensity either. But,’ she added sternly, ‘they do both love their son.’

  Steel nodded, considering himself told. ‘And Joey?’

  ‘Joey Hughes,’ Mrs Preston sounded as though she was chewing on his name. ‘A troubled family. The father is a bully who can’t control his fists and the mother is a downtrodden little ghost of a woman. She managed to come to one parents’ evening. Looked terrified every minute of it. The Hughes family are well known locally and for all the worst reasons. I know your colleagues are regular attendees at the Hughes’ residence and I also know that he hits the boy. I’ve reported it, my staff have reported it.’

  ‘And nothing has been done?’

  ‘That man. That man is as slippery as … well, anyway. She won’t do anything and Joey won’t do anything for fear of things getting worse for his mother. I know he spends a lot of his time with Terrence and his mother.’

  ‘And did the Griffins know that Joey and Sarah were seeing one another?’

  ‘Knew, disapproved. Not of Joey himself, I don’t think. He’s a good kid and he’s doing his best. But I think they felt it could never end well, and I suspect Mrs Griffin had history? Violence in her past?’

  Steel nodded slowly. ‘And you think that because?’

  Mrs Preston sighed. ‘Because when Sarah came to my school the head of her primary school came and had a quiet word. She told me that I’d find Sarah’s records a little patchy. That the family had relocated under difficult circumstances and that social services were aware and were supporting them.’

  ‘Sarah and her mother had a social worker?’

  ‘I think so, though not by the time she came here or I’d have been made aware. I didn’t pry and I made sure everything was handled carefully. But in my experience, that’s the sort of conversation I have when there’s been a history of domestic violence. Given that, you can understand their wariness when Sarah got involved with Joey Hughes.’

  ‘But Joey isn’t violent.’

  ‘Joey?’ She laughed. ‘No. Mostly he just wants to be left alone, I think. He keeps his head down and tries hard. I’m not saying he’s the brightest kid in the class. Far from it, but he’s a trier and that, in my book, counts for a lot. And this year he’s started to show a real ability in his science classes. We’re doing all we can to encourage that.’

  ‘You seem to know your students well.’

  She shrugged. ‘Not all of them. But there are those who come to your notice for whatever reason and I do try to be as familiar with my pupils as I can. It’s not a massive school and that does help, but …’ She got up. ‘Shall I fetch the girls in for you?’

  Steel nodded and thanked her.

  Susan and Tania told Steel very little that was useful. No, Sarah didn’t talk much about before she’d come to Ferrymouth. No, she’d not seemed worried or said anything unusual. They were both clearly upset and also, Steel suspected, a trifle miffed that they were
not considered Sarah’s best best friends, but only her next best.

  ‘She’s a lovely girl,’ Mrs Hayes said. ‘It’s a terrible thing.’

  Steel nodded and sat back to wait for Evie and her mother to be ushered in. Mrs Preston resumed her seat at the back of the room, quietly present.

  Evie was devastated; Steel could see that immediately. Her mother was also deeply shaken.

  ‘We were going to come and get Evie out of school,’ she said. ‘But Mrs Preston said we should wait because the police would want to talk to her, and anyway they were offering counselling and suchlike and she’d be better here with her friends.’

  ‘She was probably right,’ Steel soothed.

  ‘Sarah stays over at our house. Once a week, maybe. She’s a sweet girl.’

  Steel nodded. ‘Evie, did you stay over at Sarah’s house?’

  She shook her head. ‘Not often.’

  ‘Any reason for that?’

  Unexpectedly, Evie blushed, embarrassed. ‘I liked Sarah’s mum and her stepdad,’ she said. ‘But the truth is, I’m not that keen on little kids. Jack was cute, but little kids … well, they’re always kind of sticky. You know what I mean?’

  Steel nodded solemnly.

  ‘I know that sounds horrid,’ Evie said. ‘I did like Jack, I just—’

  ‘Small children are kind of sticky,’ Steel said gently. ‘My sister has two girls. I love them dearly. I also carry wet wipes in my pocket when I’m with them.’

  Evie laughed, and her mother gave him a look that was half grateful, half oddly resentful that he should make her daughter laugh at a time like this.

  ‘Did she talk much about her past? About her father, maybe?’

  Evie shook her head. ‘No. Only that she hated him. He was violent and she and her mum left. I think they lived in a shelter somewhere for a while. She said once that they hid from him. But her mother didn’t like her talking about it and so she didn’t. I think she wanted to forget about it, you know?’

  Steel nodded.

  ‘Do you know who did this? Who would do a thing like this?’ Evie’s mother asked.

  ‘As yet, no.’

  ‘But what if they do it again? What if they target other families? What if it was random?’

  ‘Mum!’ Evie looked horrified.

  ‘We have no reason to believe that might be the case.’

  ‘You had no reason to believe someone might go and shoot the Griffins. That poor little boy. Who’d shoot at children?’

  Steel didn’t reply. Nothing he could say would make this better. He caught Mrs Preston’s eye.

  ‘Would you like to speak to Sarah’s class teacher next?’ she said. She rose and gently eased Evie and her mother from the room, returning a few minutes later with a young woman and two mugs of strong tea. Steel thanked her.

  ‘This is Arlene Thompson,’ Mrs Preston said. ‘She looks after Sarah’s group.’

  Steel rose and shook her hand. Arlene Thompson was a tall woman and very thin. She had, Steel thought, a plain face with a somewhat large nose, but when she smiled it was oddly appealing and she had a direct way of looking at him that he rather liked. ‘I’m pleased to meet you,’ he said.

  ‘Likewise. Though sorry about the circumstances. How is Sarah?’

  ‘Distressed, as you can imagine. The hospital staff say she’ll recover; we’re still trying to track down some family.’

  ‘Hmm.’ Arlene Thompson pursed her lips. ‘I don’t think you’ll have much luck there.’

  ‘Oh? Did she speak to you about them?’

  Arlene sipped her tea while she measured her response. ‘It’s more what she didn’t say. Look, we regularly do local history projects and also family history stuff. It’s something separate from the actual curriculum; we feel the students need to have projects that don’t have to attract grades and judgement, you know?’

  Steel nodded.

  ‘Well, because there’s not a lot of free time, these projects tend to span the school year. We put on an end-of-year show for the parents and the project work forms part of the display. Anyway, to cut a very long story short, I’d got the class researching their family trees and Sarah was pretty upset about doing that. It’s not uncommon these days for there to be gaps or for families to be estranged and not know exactly who went where, so we usually discuss a work-around with individual students, fill in what they know and speculate about the rest. For example, if the family is local, we look at local people from the past with the same family name. If they’re from elsewhere we learn about their town or their country of origin, that sort of thing. Well, Sarah was different, you know? She talked about her mum and her stepdad and her little brother and how her stepdad was a manager and her mother a receptionist and what she hoped to do when she got older, but beyond that she was very reluctant even to speculate about her family, certainly to talk about them.’

  ‘So what did you do?’

  ‘I had a quiet word and told her to make it up if she wanted to. Mrs Preston explained when I spoke to her that Sarah and her mum had a difficult past, so that seemed like the easiest solution. It wasn’t a major problem. Sarah was really happy to do the local history research. I just wanted her to have something down on paper so the other kids didn’t start asking questions.’

  Steel nodded.

  ‘Can’t you just ask Sarah?’ Mrs Preston said. ‘That would seem to be the best solution.’

  ‘I have an officer on duty who will do just that,’ Steel said. ‘I’m more concerned—’ He paused, wondering how to phrase it. ‘I’m more concerned that we don’t bring the wrong people to her door. Sarah’s mother was very eager to escape her past. The last thing I want is to hand her daughter over to the people she had run away from.’

  Having satisfied himself that nothing further could be learnt from the school, Steel left and prepared to turn his car back towards the hospital. There had been no strangers hanging about, no phone calls with enquiries regarding Sarah Griffin. No sign that Sarah was worried or upset. Willis had sent a message that the Friedmans had arrived and she’d had a preliminary conversation with them. He called her now.

  ‘Anything useful?’

  ‘Well, they remember Thea Baldwin, as she was then. Naomi was instrumental in getting her to testify and Alec became involved in the case – or rather cases – when Naomi went on a three-month secondment to the Met. He did all the pre-trial prep. According to them the wife and child were taken into protective custody. Even Naomi didn’t know where. The mother handed over evidence that was instrumental in charging Baldwin with both the robberies and the attempted murder. He was never charged with the domestic; she’d gone by then and everyone agreed it was better to get him on the bigger charges even if that meant losing out on the lesser. And then she quietly disappeared. To be honest, I think the Friedmans had other things on their minds then anyway – though this was before they got married. When she was still Naomi Blake. Naomi had her accident just before the trial began. Multi-car pile up on the M-One. She was badly hurt. She came through it but, as you know, was left blinded.’

  ‘So she was off the case when it came to court.’

  ‘Well, yes, but no, not really. She’d been out of hospital a week when she testified, regarding the regular beatings Baldwin was giving his wife and kid and also the attempted murder. She’d been involved with that from the start and was instrumental in persuading Thea to hand over evidence that broke the case.’

  Steel was silent for a moment. Thinking.

  ‘You still there?’

  ‘Yes. Look, I’m going to check in with the hospital while I’m over this way. Then I’ll go and talk to the Friedmans.’

  ‘Right you are. See you later,’ Sophie said. ‘I like them,’ she added. ‘And I think they’ll be useful. Douggie’s keeping them away from the journalistic hoards.’

  ‘Good for Douggie. I’ll speak to you in a little while.’

  THIRTEEN

  It was after five by the time Steel got to the Dog a
nd Gun to meet with Alec and Naomi. The Dog was a popular local pub, just on the outskirts of Ferrymouth, that had a couple of rooms it let out in the tourist season. Willis had called in and asked the landlord if he’d consider opening up for a few days and providing some meals. A couple of ex police officers, she’d explained, who had come over to help with the investigation because they knew the Griffins. Sophie Willis had, with Steel’s approval, decided something close to the truth would be the best option – local gossip would be rife anyway, and it was Steel’s view that a bit of truth kept people on side much better than a barrelful of lies and supposition. He’d grown up round Ferrymouth and knew better than to try deceit where none was necessary.

  Steel drove through a town already transformed by the police and media. The cordon was still in place and residents had been given passes for themselves and their cars so they could get through. Anyone else, Steel had given notice, must be vouched for by either a senior officer or a resident, and they must come and collect their visitors from the cordon.

  The locals, he was glad to say, had taken this in very good part. Still twitchy and anxious about the deaths in their quiet little street, they were, for now, happy to have some sort of barrier between themselves and the threat of the outside world, even if that barrier did comprise only of a length of flimsy tape and a couple of local constables.

  Steel had promised a press conference at St Barts just after six, even though he knew that would annoy the editors, who’d want it before the hour so they could make the evening schedules. He hoped his conference would be billed as ‘breaking news’, knowing that ultimately the impact of that would be greater and more memorable than a simple scheduled headline. Steel wanted his message to get out there, as widely and as loudly as possible. Someone had come on to his patch, his quiet, uneventful, low crime stats patch, and shot three people dead, including a toddler, and tried for a fourth. They were not about to get away with it. Steel was personally affronted.

  He found Willis and the Friedmans in the snug. He paused to speak to the landlord and thank him for his help and cooperation. The Dog had not yet opened up for the evening.