Death's Cold Hand by J.E. Mayhew (kiss me liar novel english txt) 📗

“Good work, Andrew, I just wish we’d been able to glean more from it,” Blake said, glancing at his watch. “Right. Let’s focus on Bobby Price and this Harley character, see if we can’t pick them up. I’ve got to talk to the Super’ but Kath, if you and Andrew could talk to George Owens, that would be great. Let’s see if we can move things forward, even if it’s just by eliminating suspects.”

*****

Superintendent Martin listened thoughtfully, as Blake listed all the things he hadn’t found out yet and then sat back in his chair. He was a tall, vigorous-looking man, having served his time as a beat officer when there was a minimum height requirement. “This is a tricky case, Will,” he said, narrowing his eyes. Martin was a fair man but his sharp features made him seem stern and unforgiving. “I’ve already had the Port Sunlight Village Trust asking me questions about what happened and the damage to the memorial. The British Legion aren’t very happy either.”

“I completely understand that, sir. A murder is bad enough but to have one in such a sensitive location. Our officers have treated the crime scene with the utmost respect…”

“You don’t have to give me the official line, Will, just tread carefully. I noticed in the report about your shenanigans up in Scotland that you managed to bring a whole valley side down…”

“I have to give the credit for that to the rain and snow, sir,” Blake said, groaning inwardly. Martin could never get past the idea that Blake was some kind of grandstander, hungry for the publicity he used to get during his days on Searchlight. “I’ll keep this low key, I promise.”

“Be sure that you do. Paul Travis was something of a local hero, by all accounts, and people will be hungry for an arrest.”

“Believe me, sir, nobody’s hungrier than me,” Blake said. “I just can’t help feeling that this is more than an act of random street violence…”

“There you go, Will,” Martin said, throwing his hands up. “Why couldn’t it be that? A young lad with a grudge after Travis humiliated him lays in wait and springs out on him. Travis is drunk, can’t defend himself and the boy gets carried away.”

“With respect, sir, whoever killed Travis got more than carried away,” Blake said. “They knocked him out and then cut his throat while he lay defenceless…”

“All I’m saying is follow the obvious leads first before you start getting tangled up in any farfetched conspiracies, okay?”

“I’ll do my best, sir,” Blake said, through gritted teeth.

“Good,” Martin said and lowered his eyes to the paperwork on his desk, a signature move that indicated the meeting was over. “Keep me posted.”

If the door dampers hadn’t stopped it, Blake would have slammed the door on his way out. Something needed to move on this case and soon.

Chapter 15

George Owens didn’t look very happy to see DI Kath Cryer and DC Andrew Kinnear enter the room. It could have been the fact that they’d kept him waiting so long or that he expected to see Blake again, Kath couldn’t tell. The delay had given him enough time to call for a brief to sit in on the conversation.

Kath recognised Gareth Cornell, the brief, straight away. Since representing a suspect a year or so ago, he had chanced his arm at a couple of criminal cases. It made a change from conveyancing and selling mortgages, she supposed. He was a tall, slight man or a streak of piss, as Kath thought of him, but that was more down to his demeanour than his size or shape. His pale complexion and long, droopy face didn’t really inspire confidence. His light brown suit seemed a size too big for him, especially around the shoulders. His slick, mousey hair seemed to be caught between styles and it stuck out in all directions so much that Kath wondered quite what he was planning to do with it.

“Mr Owens, Mr Cornell,” Kath said, nodding to them as she entered the interview room. “I’m DI Kath Cryer, this is DC Andrew Kinnear. We’re sorry to have kept you waiting but, as you can probably appreciate, this is a complex case and it’s important that we get things right…”

“Just as long as you acknowledge that Mr Owens has done no wrong and is cooperating fully with your enquiries,” Cornell said, trying to coat his voice with a sense of gravitas and failing. Kath and Andrew sat down on the opposite side of the table.

“Well, that isn’t strictly true, is it, Mr Owens?” Kath said, by-passing Cornell and making the point that he wasn’t to interrupt again. “DCI Blake has asked you where you were on the night that Paul Travis was murdered and you declined to tell him. Are you prepared to now?”

“I just got the train,” George Owens said.

“What time train did you get, sir?” Kinnear said.

“The last train, twenty to twelve. I had to run because it took so long to get Barry in the taxi.”

“What station did you get off at? Only I looked and none of them seem even remotely convenient for your house.”

“I got off at Green Lane. It takes me twenty minutes to walk from there to my house.”

“So you would walk up Bolton Road with Paul, surely.” Kath added. “At least part of the way.”

“No, he turned right up Church Drive almost immediately after leaving the pub. I went straight on.”

“Giving you the benefit of the doubt,” Kath said, “let’s assume you didn’t walk away from the pub with Paul and murder him…”

“I didn’t…”

“Okay. You went to the station to catch a train that would drop you off miles from your home. A twenty-minute walk after a skinful. That just doesn’t sound sensible…”

Owens looked down at his expanding waistline. “I’m trying to keep my weight down. Get some exercise, you know how it is.”

“What would make sense was if you were