NO AGE TO DIE: The release of a dangerous prisoner leads to murder (DCI John Blizzard Book 9) by John Dean (free ebook reader for android .TXT) 📗

‘Meaning?’

‘He seems to have been born the son of a peer of the realm in Essex. Grew up in a large country stately home. Typical posh kid story in many ways. Went off the rails at public school, cannabis mainly, then moved to London to study economics at university. Got himself hooked on drink and drugs and was thrown off his degree course. Eventually he went to prison, six months for a string of minor deceptions relating to fake bank accounts.’

‘And when he came out?’ asked Blizzard. ‘What happened to Matthew St Clair then?’

‘Technically, nothing,’ said Allatt. ‘See, Matthew St Clair might have gone into prison but he did not come out. He emerged as Gregory Ransome instead.’

‘Another of his aliases?’

‘Yes, but he did not use it for long,’ said Allatt. ‘He keeps changing his name. We’ve traced thirteen of them so far. Edgar Rose-Harvey was just the latest. He seems to specialise in attaching himself to churches, taking advantage of the parishioners’ trusting nature, presumably. He particularly likes to con old folk out of their money. Very successfully, it would seem.’

‘How come he hasn’t been arrested again?’ asked Blizzard.

‘By being careful,’ said Ramsey. ‘Changing his appearance and keeping on the move. And you’ll notice that throughout the events at St John’s, he has shied away from the media. He’s not given any interviews, always leaves it to others. But he got unlucky this time. We’re guessing that the picture the old dear saw on the evangelical Christian website was used without his knowledge. He’s certainly not quoted in the article.’

‘Good work,’ said Blizzard with a nod of approval. ‘Very good work indeed.’

‘Yes, but what does it mean?’ asked Ronald. ‘Are we saying that he’s involved in some sort of a scam here?’

‘That, we don’t know,’ said Ramsey.

‘Ah, but I do,’ said Colley, entering the room. ‘It’s a scam alright.’

Once the sergeant had told his story, Ronald looked round the room.

‘So, what do we want to do?’ he asked.

‘Lift St Clair,’ said Blizzard. ‘Even if he was not directly involved in the attacks on Glenda Rutherford and Jacob Reed, it would appear that he was the one who knocked over poor old Tom Raine. That’s enough to hold him on, for starters, until we can unravel the rest.’

‘You might want to hold off on that,’ said Colley. ‘See, according to Phil Calvert, St Clair has got something planned at the church for tonight. His most spectacular act yet. He and Calvert are going to hang a banner across the front of the church.’

‘And you think we should let them go ahead, do you?’ said Blizzard. ‘Why on earth would we do that?’

‘Because these kinds of cases are a bugger to prove and catching him in the act would be invaluable.’

‘He’s right,’ said Ronald. ‘But what about Calvert? Surely, you’re not suggesting that we let him go, David?’

‘It’ll raise suspicions if he doesn’t turn up tonight.’

‘But can we trust him?’ asked Ronald. ‘Won’t he just tell Rose-Harvey, or whatever he’s called, that we know what’s been going on?’

‘I don’t think so,’ said the sergeant. ‘Calvert is desperate to get himself out of this mess. He’s sick of all the lies and knows that playing ball with us is his only chance.’

‘And what about Margaret Hatton?’ asked the superintendent.

‘Well, she’s clearly in this up to her neck,’ said Blizzard.

‘So, we arrest her then?’

‘Yeah, but not until tomorrow. The last thing we want is to alert St Clair that we’re onto him.’ Blizzard looked at the sergeant. ‘David, can you set up a surveillance on the hotel where she’s staying? I don’t want her slipping through our fingers.’

‘Yeah, will do.’

Ronald thought for a moment.

‘We had better be right,’ he said. He let his gaze roam round the room. ‘There’s a lot of sympathy for the woman and the fallout if we cock it up would be unimaginable. She’s got a national reputation and it backfired when Thames Valley tried to move against her, remember.’

‘Yes, but they didn’t have a murder on their hands, did they?’ said Blizzard. ‘No, Arthur, the game’s up for Margaret Hatton.’

Ronald looked at the others. They all nodded their agreement.

‘So be it,’ he said.

Chapter thirty-two

‘Another late night with you,’ sighed Blizzard as he and Colley sat in the car. ‘I spend more time with you than I do with Fee.’

‘You love it really,’ said the sergeant.

It was just before midnight on the cloudy, overcast Sunday night, and they were sitting in an unmarked police vehicle which had been parked in the shadows near St John’s Church. At the other end of the street was another vehicle containing Chris Ramsay and Sarah Allatt and, stationed in surrounding streets were other vehicles – all unmarked, all crewed by officers in plain clothes. The cars had all been parked in the darkest corners of the streets and, in two cases, street lights had been disabled earlier in the day by officers posing as council workmen. To further increase the chances of success, Blizzard had stressed that not a uniform must be seen in the area that night, that routine inquiries had to be suspended and mobile units kept away.

Now, the detectives waited. The church was in darkness and gradually lights in the adjoining hostel also went out one by one, the only remaining illumination coming from the office where the night duty manager was stationed.

‘You heard anything from your mate?’ asked Blizzard.

‘Chaz?’ said Colley. ‘No, nothing yet but if anyone at the hostel knows where Albie Macklin is, he’ll find out. You still fancy Macklin for killing Jamie Holdsworth?’

Blizzard thought for a few moments.

‘Do you know,’ he said. ‘I’m not sure about anything anymore, David. All the supposed good guys have turned out to be the villains of the