A Place Of Safety(84)

‘Yes,’ said Audrey. ‘Like, how could he know in advance where she was going to park?’

‘He drove in with her,’ said Barnaby. ‘Though of course without her knowledge.’

‘That’s right,’ agreed Troy. ‘She’d never have got into a crowded double-decker bus with him, let alone a car.’

‘He wouldn’t risk hiding in the back, surely.’

‘No, no, he used the boot,’ explained Barnaby. ‘Climb in at the very last minute, pull the lid down, hold on to the latch. And bingo, he’s on the spot when she gets out.’

‘Unlucky for Mrs L there was no one around,’ pointed out Inspector Carter.

‘That would merely have delayed the attempt,’ said the chief inspector. ‘He’d have got her later - waiting at the traffic lights, walking too near the kerb. One hard push when a bus was coming would do it.’

‘Plus he might be carrying,’ added Troy. ‘He’s been done for using a blade.’

‘Lovely,’ murmured Audrey Brierley.

‘And all because she knew exactly what happened the night Carlotta disappeared?’

‘I’m sure of it,’ said Barnaby.

‘He must be desperate.’

‘Yes,’ said Barnaby. ‘Which makes him doubly dangerous.’

‘We should get a result this time, though, sir. Broad daylight? Someone must have seen him.’

‘Maybe,’ said Barnaby. ‘But I think it’ll be forensics who are going to nail this one.’

‘They’re working on the Humber,’ added Sergeant Troy. ‘And they’ve got his clothes. Though he’d already put them through the wash.’

‘That’s a giveaway if you like,’ said Constable Peggy Marlin, a stout, comfortable women in her late thirties with several sons. ‘I’ve never known a bloke that age wash his clothes at all, never mind the minute he takes them off. They’re all over the floor for the next three weeks.’

‘We might have more luck with the shoes,’ said Barnaby. ‘We’ve got all those that were in his flat plus the sneakers he was wearing.’

‘He’ll have cold feet.’ Policewoman Marlin laughed.

‘He’ll have more than cold feet before I’ve done with him.’

‘There’s an oily smear through which Mrs Lawrence was dragged,’ explained Sergeant Troy. ‘Just a pinpoint on one of his shoes and we’ve got him.’

‘Did you see any trace, sir?’ asked Sergeant Brierley.

Barnaby hesitated. ‘Not with the naked eye. But of course that doesn’t mean the lab won’t.’

There was a longish pause. Looking around, the chief inspector sensed their excitement seeping away. Saw them thinking that if the bloke had stepped in it the evidence would have been plain enough. Knew his words had provoked diminishing enthusiasm, disappointment even. Well, that was not his fault. He couldn’t offer what he didn’t have.

‘No doubt the slimy sod’s sorted himself an alibi,’ said DS Griggs.

‘According to him he spent the entire time weeding the Rectory back garden.’

‘Anyone see him?’ asked Inspector Carter.

‘Fortunately, no.’ A small cheer. Barnaby went on to explain how, having hung around for half an hour pouring black coffee into Lionel, they had finally got the information they wanted.

‘It seems Lionel was working in his study on a funeral address for Charlie Leathers. Being out of practice, he reckons it took him a good hour and a half. The study faces the front of the house.’

There were a few soft whistles, raised eyebrows and incredulous glances. Inspector Carter put the general feeling into words.

‘Jackson’s wire-walking this one. What if the old guy had come looking for him?’

‘Oh, there’d be some tale about him falling asleep or shopping in the village. Lawrence believes every word he says.’

‘Loosely wrapped, is he?’

‘To put it kindly.’

‘So when can we prove Jackson was there?’

‘For sure, just gone three thirty. He asked Valentine Fainlight to come over.’

There were jeering ‘ooohs’ at this, some crude and deeply unfunny gestures and one simple request to God that the ‘slimy pair of penile warts’ should disappear up each other’s bottoms.

Constable Phillips said, ‘I didn’t realise Jackson was gay.’

‘He’s not gay,’ said Sergeant Troy, in a voice so thick with contempt he sounded about to choke. ‘Just rents it out to the highest bidder.’

‘This puts Evadne Pleat’s romantic musings in a quite different light,’ said Barnaby. ‘D’you recall she saw Fainlight hanging round at night in the Lawrences’ garden?’