DISCLAIMER:
This is a story. None of the characters in the story exist and the events that take place are purely imaginary. This is a detective story with sexual overtones. I hope that you like this as a piece of writing.
WARNING:
Do not read this story if you are in any way offended by acts of a homosexual nature.
Do not read this if you are under the legal age for accessing adult sites.
Always indulge in safe sex.
MARTIN ROBERTS INVESTIGATES
Chapter 9
It was another two hours before Martin and Mark finally got back to Scotland Yard and found the information Bob Matthews had been anxious for them to see. Beside a single newspaper cutting there was a short note from the conscientious Inspector. Martin read the note and handed it to Mark. The note read as follows:
"I have spent most of the day sifting through the box of belongings that were once the possessions of Darren Evans. Most of the stuff was draft notes for essays, revision notes for his A levels and a few newspaper cuttings from a local newspaper, giving details of either his old swimming club or other items that might be regarded as keeping him in touch with his past. The only exception was the one I have separated out. It seems to be the same as the other pictures of the swimming club but is different in two respects. First, from the typeface it can be seen that it is, in fact, an entirely different publication from the others. Second, although it is a picture of the swimming club, it is clearly much earlier as Darren himself appears in it. I think that the lad he has his arm around could be the one over which he left the club and eventually his home. The question is why he should keep this cutting and where is it from? The answer to the first part may be the desire to keep a record of his lost love. I believe the answer to the second is that the paper is some kind of small weekly publication, possibly dating from when Darren and the club were in a swimming gala in some other part of Wales or even in London."
Mark and Martin studied the piece of fading newspaper. The photograph was of poor quality and few features could be distinguished but both men agreed that Bob was almost certainly right about the significance of the photo. If they could find the publication, from which it came and then get a better quality photo, they might get even further. Martin left a warm message of congratulations for Bob at his home thanking him for his hard work and for his thoroughness. Martin looked at Mark and said in a kindly way,
"It's been a very long day especially for your first day back and I'm sure you want to get back to Ruth and young David so why don't you get off now. Thanks for today, it's good to have you back!"
Mark thanked Martin and walked slowly away, torn between his desire to see his wife and baby and his desire to help Martin with the investigation. Seeing him still there, Martin shooed him away and then picked up the newspaper clipping and said,
"I'm going home as well in a minute. This is not the best photo I've seen but at home I have a very powerful magnifying glass, which I use to look at coins. I'll take a copy of this and take the original home with me and have a closer look at it there. If I find anything, we can follow it up in the morning and if I don't we'll have a little 'chat' with our suspects. In fact, either way I think we'll do that!!"
Mark nodded and made his way to the exit. After the Inspector had finally left Martin placed the original clipping in a clear protective wrapping after he had photocopied it and then placed the copy in his briefcase and placed the original back in the file. Before walking to the nearest underground station to make his way home, Martin checked in with the rest of the team that would keep the investigation ticking over during the night shift. This was one reason why people liked to work for the Superintendent; he rarely forgot a name and always showed concern for those working for him if they were on night duty and rarely saw much of him.
Martin got home and found a note from Tom saying that he had been delayed at another conference over his current case and would eat out. Disappointed that his lover was going to be late, Martin grabbed a ready-made meal from the freezer and ate it quickly. Making a virtue out of the absence of his partner, Martin spent the time examining the rather grainy photograph under his powerful magnifying glass. Intuition told Martin that there was something significant about the photo but he could not put his finger on it. Even under the strong magnification and bright light the photocopy was too poor for him to see very much. It was vital that he got hold of the original photograph or a better quality copy and examined that.
Tom was very late returning that evening and he had Martin had only the briefest conversation before they retired to bed. Neither of the two lovers felt like having sex but the reassuring togetherness as they held each other close comforted both of them. Tired and contented the two lovers quickly drifted off to sleep.
In the morning Tom was first to wake and went off to make himself and Martin a cup of tea, which he brought back to the bedroom with him. Tom perched on the side of the bed and began to speak while Martin sipped his hot tea.
"Sorry to keep bringing this up, Marty, but we both know that at least one of your suspects, maybe the prime suspect, is virtually out of the frame if you believe there is a linkage between this present spate of killings and the one eight or so years ago. Graeme Adams would have been only just fifteen or sixteen and could only just have arrived in London and maybe not even that. I don't believe that he could have been in South Wales. If I was his lawyer I'd have your balls off if you tried to pin the murders on Graeme, except of course, I forgot, you'd rather enjoy that part of it!"
As he spoke, Tom pushed one hand under the bedclothes and fondled his lover's half-hard prick and gently squeezed his balls. Martin gave a slight smile as his dick began to harden but still chose to respond to his lover's comment,
"So fifteen or sixteen year olds don't commit murder, then Tom?"
Tom stopped his fondling and returned to his argument,
"Well of course they can do, but not very often. And you didn't answer my other point, how did he meet the guy from South Wales and how did he get down there to kill him?"
Marty knew that Tom was almost certainly right on this point but rather weakly suggested an alternative possibility,
"What if it was the old man he lived with that did the first killing and Graeme's merely carrying on the tradition?"
Tom gave a scornful look and then replied,
"Just possible, I suppose, but highly unlikely to my mind. I really do think he's the least strong of your suspects, especially if you go with this linkage theory. So why don't you drop him from the investigation or at least only treat him as a potential witness? Incidentally I recommend you stop following him as well, he could have you for harassment! If I were his lawyer, you'd already have had a writ!!"
Martin sat up in bed and said,
"I'm sure I would but at the moment I have a number of reasons for not dropping him completely from the investigation. I tend to agree with you that as the evidence build up he seems an increasingly unlikely suspect. To be honest I was never that keen on him as the murderer anyway. Against that it has to be said that he has treated the investigation with a degree of contempt. He's given my officers the run around and I don't like that. They think he has something to hide and maybe he does. It also gives them a degree of satisfaction in continuing to cause him trouble. Secondly, and rather more seriously, if it isn't Graeme I don't want to alert the real murderer to the fact that we are closing in on him. Nor do I want any one of the suspects to know that we think there might be a link to the murder of Darren Evans. I'd have to give a reason for easing up on Graeme and that might drive the killer either to commit more desperate crimes or to go to ground completely."
"It's a high risk strategy, Marty. More people could die, if you get it wrong."
"I know, Tom, but if I can get hold of that original photo or enhance a good copy of it, I believe that we will find the key to the case. Hopefully I can then confront the killer and put a stop to these killings."
Tom shook his head but decided not to pursue the matter further. He had given Martin his point of view and knew that it would be properly considered. There was little more he could do and he needed to get on with his own work, so he went off for a shower. Martin joined him shortly after and they spent a short time soaping each other and playing around before both of them realised that there was not enough time to take matters further and stopped. They ate their breakfasts quickly then left together, parting as usual at the end of the road.
Martin was in his Office ahead of all his colleagues except Bob Matthews who came to join him as soon as the Superintendent had settled at his desk.
"Thanks for that stuff last night. Excellent work, it's extremely useful and I believe it will turn out to be vitally important. However, I really could do with a better copy than the one we have. I agree with your conclusion that it's not from Darren's usual source of reading material. Do you think you could track it down?"
"Well, sir, I had a chat with a friend of mine and he thinks it's definitely not London as I originally thought but it could be one from South Wales or that general area anyway. Didn't Darren go on a number of swimming galas and training camps? Might be worth my while chasing up to see where they were the year before Darren left the club. Looking at the photo I'd say he was about fifteen or sixteen when it was taken."
"Good idea, Bob", Martin replied, "Let me know if you need any help."
Bob nodded and withdrew leaving Martin sitting in his office. The Superintendent began to plan out what he wanted to get done that day. Martin had changed some of the surveillance teams around but ordered them to continue to watch all four suspects. He decided that he would have each of the suspects in some time during the course of the day and question them about Bath and confront them with the photograph. Martin's mind was still on the photograph and the feeling in the back of his mind that he had missed something vital. A tentative tap on the door interrupted the Superintendent's thoughts and, after Martin had responded, a rather timid Constable Mike Rickwood came into his office.
"Sorry to bother you, sir, but I was talking to Inspector Matthews and I'd like to volunteer, if I may."
"Volunteer for what, Mike?" Martin replied slightly puzzled.
Somewhat surprised that the Superintendent had remembered his name, Mike Rickwood hesitated for a moment then went on,
"I'd like to volunteer to be a decoy and try to flush out the killer. Inspector Matthews explained the requirements for the role and I think I fit the bill exactly."
"Thanks for volunteering, Mike, and, if we decide to go ahead with that option, I'm sure I'll bear you in mind. At the moment, however, I think it is premature to go down that route and also dangerous. I don't want to put anyone at risk unless I absolutely have to."
The Constable looked slightly disappointed but accepted his superior's decision and turned to go but Martin called him back,
"As you know, I've taken you off surveillance duties today but that's not a punishment. I want you to get more involved with our team. I hope to get your Inspector to agree that you can transfer permanently into it, if that is what you would like."
Mike Rickwood looked slightly taken aback but stammered his enthusiastic agreement to the Superintendent's proposal. Noting this, Martin continued,
"You get on well with Inspector Matthews, don't you?"
Mike nodded, still somewhat tongue-tied. Martin concluded the interview,
"Well then, get along and find him. Tell him he can have you for the day as his assistant. It'll give you more experience of working on an investigation team. Tell him I would like him to speak to your inspector and arrange for you to be replaced on the surveillance team." Mike finally had recovered enough to speak,
"Thank you very much, sir. I won't let you down!"
Having said this, Mike Rickwood was dismissed and left the office and walked briskly down the corridor in search of Inspector Matthews. Mark Jamieson passed him on his way in to see his boss. Mark had collected the overnight surveillance reports and was anxious to find out whether Martin had got any further with the photo although the absence of a phone call suggested - correctly - that he had not. Mark knocked on the door and then went in and greeted his boss heartily,
"Morning, sir. Any luck with the photo yet?"
"No, Mark, not yet. I've got Bob working on getting a better copy of it. By the way, I've assigned that PC Rickwood to act as his assistant for today and I hope to arrange his permanent transfer to the team very soon. As to the photograph, there's definitely something about it but I'm damned if I can spot it. Perhaps you'd like to have a look at it in a little while but I must warn you it's not at all a good copy. Are those the overnight reports you have with you?"
"Yes, sir. Not much in them, I'm afraid. All quiet on the suspect front as they say, except for Joe Smith. He was a busy boy last night after he got home. Took his mother off to stay with her sister for a few days, or maybe longer, judging by the size of the suitcase! Then on the way back picked up a young hitchhiker and they spent the night together."
"Well I've decided that I want to see all the suspects about Bath so I think we might as well go and wake Mr Smith up and bring him in for a little chat. Do that as first priority please and then you and I will get to look at the photograph together later."
Mark left Scotland Yard drove south to where Joe Smith lived. When he arrived, Mark got out of the car walked up to the door and rang the bell. After several moments, Joe Smith appeared in a dressing gown, obviously only just out of bed and still drowsy.
"Sorry to bother you, Mr Smith, but we'd like you to come to Scotland Yard and answer a few questions. It about the killing just outside Bath the other day. It shouldn't take long. Just want to clear up a few points from your statement."
Joe blinked a couple of times and, as understanding dawned, indicated that Mark should come into the house. The Inspector heard muffled voices coming from upstairs as Joe went off to get dressed. When Joe returned fully dressed, Mark, slightly disingenuously, asked,
"Telling your mother you were off out, were you?"
Joe, unaware that his mother's absence was already known to the Police and anxious not to involve the young man still naked in his bed, nodded and said,
"Yes. She worries you know, but I told her not to do so. I told her that I've nothing to hide and I'll be back home very quickly."
"I'm sure you will be, Mr Smith." Mark replied, his tone lacking conviction.
Mark drove Joe Smith back to Scotland Yard in almost complete silence and ushered him unto an interview room. Joe had a cup of coffee provided for him and he was still drinking it when Mark returned accompanied by Martin. The Superintendent brought with him a faxed copy of the statement Joe had given to the Bath police. Martin got straight to the point,
"You say here that you went to the gay bar and disco and stayed there all evening and then went straight back to your hotel. That isn't strictly true, is it, Joe?"
The lorry driver was obviously rattled by this question and started to mumble,
"I don't know what you mean. I was there -- all .. all evening. I never left."
"We have a witness that says you disappeared for at least twenty to thirty minutes, where did you go to?"
Joe again looked startled as he began to make his reply,
"I er ... er .. met someone at the disco and we ... went somewhere .. you know, quiet."
Joe looked round helplessly hoping that this would be enough and that he would not have to go into the details of his oral sex encounter with the young student in one of the toilets. The young man had shot a load of spunk into the lorry driver's mouth and onto his face and then watched as Joe wanked himself off and shot his cum load onto the floor.
Joe sat looking down at the wooden floor of the interview room, seemingly unwilling to speak. Martin looked back impassively and said,
"You mean you had sex with someone?"
Joe nodded and then Mark chimed in,
"And can this person confirm what happened?"
Joe had recovered slightly by now and looked up,
"I don't expect so. We didn't exactly exchange names. I guess if you asked about you might find him but it was just a one night stand, pretty unmemorable, at least on his part, I would guess."
Martin saw no point in going on,
"OK, Mr Smith. That's all for now. We'll no doubt be in touch again."
As a rather relieved Joe got up to leave, Martin paused and then produced a copy of the photograph from inside his file and placed it on the table. The Superintendent then said,
"One last thing, do you recognise anyone in this photograph? Take your time looking at it, the quality is poor I accept but have a good look before you reply."
Joe looked at the photograph but his manner suggested that there was no hint of recognition in his mind. After several moments, Joe slowly shook his head and handed the photograph to Martin, who acknowledged his negative response and told him that he really was now free to leave.
Arrangements were made to take the now rather shaken Joe Smith back home. Mark had already told Martin that the suspect had lied about who was in the house when he arrived to take him to Scotland Yard. Mark thought that if he lied about one thing he could lie about others and Martin half agreed but thought that the interview had shown that Smith was probably telling the truth. He was about to tell Mark what he thought when Bob Matthews came up to him looking rather excited.
"I've found the source of the picture, sir. It's a small weekly paper from mid-Wales. The swimming club had a training camp there every year. The picture is of the group that went there about two years or so before Darren was murdered. I've phoned the offices of the paper and they think they might have the original photo in their archives. They could give it to the local police and they'll forward it to us or as it's urgent they said I could collect it myself."
Martin was overjoyed at the news and smiling at the Inspector said in a warm manner,
"Well, Bob, you'd better go and get it! Take Constable Rickwood with you for the experience and the company and he can share the driving with you as well."
"Thanks, sir. We'll be back as soon as we can."
"Thanks, Bob", said Martin as he turned back to Mark and said,
"Next I think we'll have a word with Mr Collins."
Mark telephoned Peter Collins' office and discovered that he was working at home and so the Inspector reported this to Martin, who asked him to go and bring the suspect in for questioning. It was some time before Mark returned and Martin spent some of the time thinking about the photograph and trying to establish what it was about the photograph that bothered him so much. The Superintendent was tempted to try to contact Bob Matthews on the radio to find out how far he had got in retrieving the original copy but Martin knew that they would only just have arrived at their destination and even then only if they had had a clear run. The Superintendent took the grainy copy into his office and studied it again but no inspiration came. The lack of progress put Martin in a bad mood and he was quite abrupt when Mark announced that he and Peter Collins were in the interview room. Martin came into the room and confronted Peter straight away,
"Thank you for coming in, Mr Collins. Tell me, where did you go after you left the hotel and before you went to the disco?"
Peter looked straight back at the police officers and said, calmly,
"As I said in my statement, after dinner I went into the centre of Bath. I wanted to see the architecture and check where places were in case I got a chance to go back before the end of the conference. I wanted to see the Roman Baths, the Assembly Rooms and the Royal Crescent. So I drove in after dinner, Ed wanted to do something else so I arranged to meet him at the disco. After that we were together until the morning."
Peter's answer matched almost exactly what he had said in his statement but Martin pressed on,
"You went straight to Bath from the hotel and did not leave the main road?"
"Well, I did get a bit lost leaving the hotel. The roads were dark and I took a wrong turning. I was on a very narrow road and eventually came to a village where I hoped I could find my bearings and then, having done so, went straight to Bath. I guess the detour took about twenty minutes."
This response also matched the surveillance report that said that Peter Collins had been `lost' for about fifteen minutes as the car following him had been held up by a tractor on the road and had not caught up with him until he was driving back from the village. The village was not that far from the road where the latest victim had lived. Martin wondered if he would have had time to kill the victim and still return to where his tail regained contact with him. If he'd been quick, he probably could just have done it. Mark was thinking much the same thing but knew there was no proof so he sought an alternative to confirm the suspect's story
"So did anyone in the village see you? Did you ask anyone in the village for directions?"
"Didn't really need to. There was a big signpost in the centre of the village by a crossroads. I stopped, looked at the sign, realised I was going away from Bath so I turned round and drove back. When I got to the city centre it was a bit late so I drove round, saw the Royal Crescent and then parked near the Roman Baths and checked out the opening times. By then it was nearly time to go to the disco and meet Ed, so I drove over to the pub."
"One other thing, Mr Collins", Martin said, producing the grainy photograph and showing it to the sales executive, "Do you recognise anyone in this photo?"
Peter Collins squinted at the photograph for several minutes and then, shaking his head,
"No, I'm afraid I don't, Superintendent."
"That's Ok and thank you, Mr Collins", Martin sounded less annoyed by now. "You have been most helpful and you've cleared up a number of small points. We may well need to speak to you again but in the meantime, you're free to go."
Peter Collins looked relieved but also slightly annoyed himself. He clearly resented being forced to come in from work to answer what he regarded as unnecessary questions, which could just as easily have been answered at home or at a Police Station nearby.
Before he had gone down to interview Peter Collins, Martin had left orders that Ed Wilson was to be brought in as well. The Superintendent did not want the two suspects to speak to each other before he had a chance to talk to them. Thus, as soon as Peter Collins was out of the building and on his way home, Ed Wilson, who had protested loudly at the intrusion into his work place, was sitting sullenly in another interview room. Martin and Mark conferred briefly before going in to meet him. Martin looked slightly more amiable than he had been when he met Peter Collins but, after thanking Ed for coming, he became more aggressive,
"So, Mr Wilson, you left the dinner early and went out for a drive. Precisely where did you go?"
"I'm not exactly sure, to be honest. I'd arranged to meet Peter later on at the disco -- he wanted to look round Bath first. After he left I thought I might catch him up but I decided to look round the country area to see what it was like. I am looking for a weekend place and often thought that this area might be a possibility. I wanted to go in the direction of Wells but the roads round there are complicated and I got lost, very lost indeed."
"I see", said Martin coldly. "Can you remember any of the places you saw on the way?"
"Not really. I did eventually come to a small village and found a signpost and decided that my best course would be to try to head towards Bath. I eventually found my way onto to a main road and then back to Bath where I met Peter at the disco. We spent the rest of the evening and night together."
Martin knew that this was a fairly accurate account as again it accorded with what had been reported by the surveillance team, which had also lost Ed for quite a while in the narrow lanes, and with Ed's own statement to the Bath Police. It was frustrating not knowing exactly where Ed had gone and again Martin believed he might have been close enough to the victim's home to have met and killed him before the surveillance had been resumed.
Mark again interposed with the alibi question but got a similar reply to Peter Collins' response in that Ed had not spoken to anyone but had used the signpost and his detailed road atlas to get back to where he wanted to be. Mark concluded that, as with the interview with Peter Collins, he and Martin had ruffled a few feathers but had not got any further forward either in terms of elimination suspects or placing them more firmly in the frame.
For the third time, Martin produced the copy of the photograph and placed it on the table in front of a suspect, asking Ed if he recognised anyone in it. Ed jumped slightly when he saw the photograph but otherwise showed no reaction. Like the others he studied the grainy photograph for a few moments before shaking his head and indicating that he did not recognise anyone in the photograph.
After Ed had gone, Martin looked at Mark with an expression that invited the Inspector to comment on the interviews and the Inspector responded by saying,
"Well, sir. I don't think we can eliminate any of them although I'm not so sure about Joe Smith. I'm certainly not ruling out either of the last two. Either one or both of them could have done it. The only question is whether they would have had time to dispose of the body. I doubt it, myself. They alibi each other for later, but do you think there is a chance that one of them could have slipped out and finished what they started?"
"I agree Mark we can't rule them out. They really don't have an alibi for the earlier part of the evening and they were both in the area at the time the victim lived and probably died. I agree the disposal issue is a problem but it could have been done, especially if it was well planned. As far as the photograph was concerned I was not convinced that any of them paid that much attention to it. Of the three I thought Joe Smith gave the most honest reaction."
Martin did not add to these cryptic last remarks and did not have time to hear Mark's response because the telephone rang. It was Bob Matthews reporting that he had acquired a better copy of the photograph, although the original could not be found. The Inspector said that he and Mike Rickwood would be back at Scotland Yard as soon as he could. Martin told him to make sure that he shared the driving with the young PC and to get back as soon as possible while still taking care. The last thing Martin wanted for them to have an accident.
The news from Bob Matthews put Martin in a better mood and he was in a rather better frame of mind for the last interview of the afternoon when Graeme Adams was to be questioned. Graeme had been picked up at his apartment and the disc jockey had been slightly disappointed that his favourite policeman was not present to accompany him to Scotland Yard. On arrival, he was shown into a small room containing a table with several wooden chairs arranged around it. A tape recorder sat at one end of the table. An elderly policeman produced a cup of insipid and almost undrinkable tea, which Graeme chose to ignore. Moments later Martin and Mark entered and the interview began. It was clear to Graeme that his statement had been thoroughly pored over and he was about to be cross-examined. This time it was the Inspector who began the interview,
"Thanks for coming in, Mr Adams. You are not under caution and are free to leave at any time. You may also seek legal advice at any time."
Graeme nodded that he understood what had been said and Mark started the questioning,
"You left the disco for about fifty minutes around ten thirty. Where did you go?"
"I had sex in a wooded area at the back of the pub with a nice willing young student. He had good thick lips and a nice tight hole and a large cock to play with. Do you want any more details?"
Mark ignored the slightly mocking tone in Graeme's voice. Not only did the idea of more details not attract him but also he was more than a little irritated by the attitude and tone that Graeme Adams had adopted during what was a quite serious interview. Ignoring this prejudice, however, Mark continued,
"And this young person can confirm this?"
"Yes, I'm sure he could if you asked him, although we didn't get round to exchanging names and addresses. I've seen him around before at clubs but never had the pleasure until the other day. I'm sure if you asked a few other regulars they'd give you his name."
Again Mark ignored the tone of Graeme's reply and went on with his questioning,
"Did you spend all the time with this person? You did not leave the area at all until you went back to complete your disco programme?"
A slight smile played about Graeme's mouth as he replied,
"Yes to the first and no to the second. I like to take my time and the young man was enjoying it too! Why hurry something when you don't have to? We finished what we had gone there to do, then he got dressed again and I let him go in a few minutes before I did. As soon as I saw him go into the disco, I followed."
Martin intervened at this point, changing the direction of the questioning,
"Mr Adams, we know you've been giving our surveillance team the run around and I think I have worked out the car switch scam you pulled off the other day."
Martin paused and noticed that the smile and arrogant look had somewhat disappeared from Graeme Adams' face as he spoke and then the Superintendent continued.
"Have you talked to anyone about what you did and how you did it?"
Serious now, Graeme looked back at Martin and spoke quietly,
"I might have mentioned it but not to anyone specifically, certainly nobody in Bath, as far as I can remember."
"Why did you mention Bath, Mr Adams?"
"Well, the murder took place in Bath and I assumed that you thought that a car switch had been used in the course of it."
Martin gave no indication that this was indeed something that he had given some thought to but went on to probe whether Graeme might have said something to anyone anywhere else.
"How about in London, Mr Adams?"
"I talk to a lot of people and I had a party a couple of days after the scam. I told an old acquaintance about it at the party, but I know for a fact that he wasn't in Bath on the night of the murder. He flew to the United States for a meeting and I saw him off at the airport, as your people already know. On the other hand, I suppose one of the other guests might have overheard me telling him, after all there were quite a few people present at the party."
Martin homed in on this point and asked Graeme for the names of the other guests present at the party. The Superintendent was depressed to learn that among the favoured guests at the party were the other three prime suspects. Finally Martin showed Graeme the copy of the photograph. The effect of this was to bring a slight smile to the DJ's lips as he asked how old the photograph was and then he added that he had no idea who any of the people portrayed there were.
After Adams had left, Martin and Mark returned to the Superintendent's office. Mark let his annoyance at Graeme flood out,
"I hate that little shit! I really wish we could pin something on him."
Martin nodded that he understood how the Inspector felt but went no further, indicating that while he shared Mark's sentiment, he also had doubts about the disc jockey's guilt. Realising that he was not going to get much further in his campaign again Graeme, Mark then asked Martin about the car scam he had discussed with Graeme and whether it really might have been used in the latest murder. Martin gave a short account of the incident a few days earlier, which he had finally resolved to his own satisfaction as a complex but effective act of deception on the part of Graeme Adams. Someone else had driven Adams' car to the car park and diverted the surveillance team's attention. Meanwhile Adams had followed in another car, picked his own up and driven it back home, leaving the second car for the decoy to dispose of. It was not the subtlest of plans but it had worked and Graeme Adams would need more careful attention in the future. Having heard Martin's explanation, Mark then asked,
"So you think the car switch scam was used, sir?"
"Yes. It's the only way it could have been done, if this method wasn't used then we have difficulty placing any of the suspects at the location where the body was found. We'll have been barking up the wrong tree, going after the wrong people all this time. But I'm sure we aren't. I know in my bones that one of those four did it even if I have no proof yet. If they switched clothes and cars they could easily have got past our boys, especially with the low standard of surveillance we have to put up with. The question is, which one of them was it?"
At this point, Martin gave vent to his annoyance as he continued hi bitter complaints to Mark,
"Are we never going to get a break in this case? We can't get any positive evidence to link any one of the suspects to any one of the victims nor can we find any compelling evidence to allow for the elimination of any of them either. Even confronting them with the photograph and the evidence that we are thinking about a connection to an earlier killing did not elicit any strong reaction or any apparent hint of recognition! I'll tell you something, one of those four is a bloody good actor!! It's a fucking mess! Not only are we not making any progress but also the press are not being very sympathetic. There's been another message from on high, demanding that I make another statement to the press. What can I say? At the moment there is absolutely nothing positive to say that is remotely optimistic."
Martin poured himself a drink from his secret stock of whisky and offered one to Mark. They drank in silence for several moments and then Mark got up to leave.
"Well, sir, let's hope the new copy of the photograph that Bob has got hold of is better and reveals something of value."
"Let's hope so, Mark. Bob's on his way back with it now. I'm not holding my breath though, because every time I think I'm onto something, it crumbles away. I think I'm further away from solving this case than I was when I started! But, who knows, our luck might change! I think I might hold on here for a while in the hope that he gets back soon."
"Are you sure that's wise, sir. You might feel fresher in the morning and we can get some of the computer lads in to enhance the photo even further. I don't know about you but I think an early night would be a good thing."
Martin sighed and said, cheerfully,
"The baby keeping you up, eh Mark? Perhaps you're right about going home early but I think what I'll do is give Bob another hour, if he's not here by then I'll take your advice. I know you want to get home, that wife and baby of yours will be missing for you."
Mark would have preferred to stay with his boss and friend especially as he had never seen him quite so low and depressed but he also did want to get back to his wife and baby. Before leaving, Mark did enquire whether Tom would be at home that evening and was reassured to learn that he would be. The Inspector decided to call Tom before he got home to tell him how low Martin was feeling. Mark was about to say something else but Martin gave him a final wave of dismissal. As he left the office, Mark muttered encouraging words to his boss and asked him to telephone if there was any news. Martin said that he would let Mark know if there was anything worth coming back in for, otherwise they would both look at the photograph together in the morning.
What martin was unaware of was that Bob Matthews had decided to make on short detour before heading home. There was a question he needed answering before he got back from South Wales. He told Constable Rickwood to drive to Cardiff and radioed ahead to find out the directions to get to where David Williams lived. The two police officers arrived at the house and were warmly welcomed.
"Did you get a good copy of the photo?" David Williams asked Bob over a cup of tea.
"Yes I think we did, or at least one that we can enhance using computer technology."
"We never had that sort of thing in my day, more's the pity", responded David wistfully. "But you didn't come out of your way just to tell me about the photo, did you?"
"No, I didn't. I've been thinking and I wondered if you could tell me the name of the lad in the picture, the one that aroused such strong sexual feelings in Darren Evans?"
"I was a little surprised your Superintendent didn't ask me that question. I suppose he did not think it was all that relevant. The boy was a minor at the time and we quickly eliminated him from our enquiries. But since you ask, his name was Gareth Thomas."
Bob paused for a moment as he wrote down the name and then said,
"And where might I find him today? I understand you ruled him out at the first enquiry, presumably on the grounds of age and other factors, but I think he might have a connection to this case, or he might have remembered something now that he did not think was important at the time. Do you think I could have the chance to get to interview him or talk to him some time soon?"
"In one sense those are easy questions to answer. I'm sorry to say it but you won't be able to talk him any time soon or indeed in the future. You see, the poor lad died a few months ago. I read it in the local newspaper. I'd heard that he had been a victim of HIV for some time before and finally when the drugs that held it in check stopped working then he went down hill quite quickly and some infection like pneumonia finally finished him off. I really am sorry, but I don't think he had anything to do with either the murder of Darren -- I didn't at the time and I don't now. Whether he had any information that he'd remembered after all these years I doubt it, but we'll never know now, I'm afraid. As for these more recent killings I'd say he was too ill to have carried them out and, in any case, by the time they really got under way he was already dead. I can't really see what other connection there might be that could link him to the murders."
Bob looked downcast at the news that Gareth Thomas was dead. The disappointment was written all over the Inspector's normally impassive face. He'd had a hunch that the boy had more to do with the case than his superiors had thought, but now that he was dead this theory went down completely. Bob decided that there was little more he could do in Cardiff and was aware that the Superintendent was expecting him back in London. Bob terminated the discussion with David Williams and thanked him and his wife for their hospitality. As they prepared to leave for the journey back to Scotland Yard, none of those who had talked in the Cardiff front room was aware that the apparently devastating piece of information about Gareth Thomas meant that the team was significantly closer to solving the case than any of them realised.
TO BE CONTINUED...
If you liked this part of the story let me know cutrose40@yahoo.co.uk