A Genuine Mistake by Ted Tayler (miss read books txt) 📗

“Was that a long trip?” asked Neil.

“Not compared to some we took. Only a ninety-minute drive. It was safe to swim in the cool blue sea. There were other tourists there, and when Gerry and I were walking back from our swim, he spotted two bronzed beauties sunbathing. He dropped down next to them and started talking. I joined them and got told to go forth and multiply. Gerry threw me the car keys and said he’d get a lift back somehow. I hung around for the rest of the afternoon, thinking he’d have a job separating them, but when dusk fell, I called it quits and drove back to Brisbane. Gerry persevered and ended up in bed with the pair of them.”

“I thought you said Gerry didn’t tell,” said Neil.

“It was noon the next day before I saw him again. I was eating lunch at a café we used from time to time near our digs. I asked Gerry which girl had taken his fancy. He just winked and said, sometimes you didn’t need to choose.”

“Where were they from?” asked Neil.

“Romford in Essex,” said Nick. “Their names were Mandy and Annette. Before you ask, they worked in a shoe shop. That was Gerry’s last one-night stand. We moved to Sydney two weeks later. You know what happened there. Someone in a bar mentioned a beach party at Bondi the following evening, and we went along. Gerry spotted Evelyn strolling along the beach with her camera. That was the end of his philandering.”

“You woke up next to a giant guy from New Zealand after another boozy night on the beach,” said Neil.

“That was the one. When I saw Gerry later that day, I could tell that this latest girl had left a deeper impression than the others. It could have ended in tears, of course, but Evelyn felt the same way, and as soon as she was free to travel, she flew to the UK to join him in Bradford-on-Avon. I was the best man at their wedding. Evelyn didn’t have bridesmaids, so I had no luck there either. It was the story of my life until I met Ginny.”

“Are you sure there weren’t any others?” asked Neil.

“Isn’t that enough?” asked Nick.

Neil had to agree with him.

“We might be lucky in finding several of these women,” said Neil, “especially the British ones. Whether any of them will lead us to Gerry’s killer, who knows?”

“You can only do your best, DS Davis,” said Nick Barrett.

Neil thanked the solicitor for his time and left the office. He still had thirty minutes left on the parking ticket he’d bought. Perhaps there was somewhere close by to grab a snack. Lunchtime would have come and gone before he reached the office.

Twenty-five minutes later, Neil arrived at the Old Police Station office and took the only remaining space. Gus and Luke were back. Neil rode up in the lift to the first floor.

“Hi, guys,” he said. “Miss me?”

“What did you learn, Neil?” asked Gus.

“I reckon Gerry Hogan was lucky to last as long as he did, guv,” said Neil. “He was a lad and no mistake.”

“How many names did you get?” asked Blessing.

“Surnames and addresses would be more helpful,” said Lydia.

“I can’t help you there, ladies,” said Neil. “The best Nick Barrett could come up with was eight first names and a nickname. I got a few home towns and occupations, but that was it.”

“Nine girls?” asked Blessing.

“Gerry only slept with seven of them,” said Neil. “Bronwen from Tenby talked to Nick Barrett for hours about places she’d visited while in Australia over the previous weeks. Shirley from Derby got escorted back to her hostel by Nick. She was keen, and he wasn’t.”

“Enter everything into the files, Neil,” said Gus. “Luke and I have added what we learned this morning from Rachel Cummins. You can catch up on that later. Luke, why don’t you call Nick Barrett now? Catch him before he disappears for a long lunch.”

“Did I forget something, guv?” asked Neil.

“I found a letter offering Evelyn a job in New South Wales,” said Gus. “There was no sign that she’d accepted it or turned it down. We can’t ask Gerry whether he knew about the offer. Perhaps Nick can tell us if Gerry knew and passed the information on to him.”

“Over a frame of snooker at the club?” said Neil. “Yes, that’s a possibility. One thing I picked up while Nick was chuntering on about his lack of female company. When he rebuffed Shirley’s ample charms, she returned to her digs and disturbed Gerry and Ruth, Gerry was miffed, and he and Nick hardly spoke for a day or so. Other than that, they remained good buddies throughout the nine months they were out there.”

“Nick Barrett has confirmed that he knew nothing of a job offer, guv,” said Luke a few minutes later. “He was surprised to learn there had been one. Nick thought Evelyn was happy here in the UK.”

“Fine. Thanks, Luke. When can you call that charity to find out what happened?”

“It’s early Thursday morning there now, guv,” said Luke.

“Look it up on the internet, Luke,” said Gus. “Find a contact email address. Send the request for information, and maybe we’ll get a response soon after they open their offices for the day. It could be informative, but it’s not urgent.”

“Got it, guv.”

Gus checked the murder file for details on John Kirkpatrick. He found a mobile number for DCI Kirkpatrick with Avon & Somerset Police in Portishead and called him.

“Is that John Kirkpatrick? Good afternoon, sir. Gus Freeman here, former DI in Salisbury. I’m working with a Crime Review Team for ACC Kenneth Truelove from London Road. I’m sure you remember him. Can I pick your brains on a