Abattoir Blues (6 page)

‘Won’t you be away a lot?’ Annie said. ‘If you’re leading tours? What’ll happen to Ian?’

‘I’ll take care of Ian, don’t you worry about that. Michael and I will. We’ll work it out. Maybe they can come with me? Michael can take photographs for travel magazines.’

‘Sounds ideal.’

Alex shrugged. ‘Besides, there’s school, and the neighbours are great. Well, most of them. Michael helps a lot, too, of course.’

‘How did you meet Michael?’

‘It was a year ago. He was up at the college seeing if he could get into a photography course through the back door. He likes taking pictures. Drawing, too. He’s very good at it, got a real eye for it. He took those.’ She gestured to the photographs and drawings on the wall that Annie had thought were bought prints. The castle ruins at night. Someone, Mick’s father perhaps, shearing a sheep. The river falls in full spate. A charcoal head and shoulders sketch of Alex. Annie had an eye for good art and photography herself, and these were very good indeed. She told Alex so.

‘Thank you, but to be honest, he might have the talent, but he doesn’t have the qualifications, not even A levels, so they turned him down. He spent too much time off school helping out around the farm when he was a young lad. He doesn’t have the right equipment, either. All Michael has is an old Cybershot. About six pixels. They’re up to sixteen or more these days. He needs a better camera, a DSLR, with all the lenses.’

‘You understand about that sort of stuff?’

Alex cocked her head and gave Annie an appraising glance. ‘Of course. I’m not stupid. Look, we’re poor but we’re not destitute, you know. We both work, when we can. We’re careful with what we have – have to be – but he’ll get a new and better camera soon, especially if he gets into college and I make some progress in my job.’

‘So you met at the college?’

‘Student pub. He was a bit depressed when he came in, and I was serving behind the bar – my previous part-time job. The place was nearly empty. I was revising for my exams. We got talking over a couple of drinks. He told me about his mum leaving and how miserable he was up at the farm with his dad, how he’d gone off the rails a bit, stolen a car, he didn’t know why. Didn’t know why he was telling me, either. Neither of us really came on to the other . . . It just . . . you know . . . happened. It felt totally natural. I was lonely, too. I’ve been here with Ian now for about six years. We got the place when I was still with Lenny and Ian was two, but these past four years we’ve been on our own. One thing led to another. Funny, but we never thought about the age thing. People say I look younger than I am, and Michael looks older than he is, more mature.’

Annie glanced at the photos on the mantelpiece again. Alex was right. They made a handsome couple, seemed natural together, and no casual viewer would notice an age difference. ‘Where’s Lenny now?’ she asked.

‘God knows. Or cares. Last I heard of him he was working on the ferries from Immingham to Rotterdam. Up to something, no doubt, some scam or other. Lenny was a loser, but it took me a long time to realise it.’

‘I presume that if Michael does a lot of digital photography, he’s got a computer, right?’

‘We share mine. I’ve had it for ages, since before we met. He’s just about computer literate. I pretty much had to teach him everything he knows. He hadn’t used a computer before we got together.’

‘Not even at school?’

Alex shrugged. ‘Maybe. He never spoke much about school. He certainly didn’t know his way around a computer, anyway.’

‘We might need to examine it later.’ It was a delicate situation. Annie knew the rules on computers. No one but a qualified techie was supposed to touch one, and only then after it had been photographed from every angle, including what was showing on the screen and where the various devices were plugged in at the back, front or sides. Although this wasn’t a crime scene, if any information gleaned from Michael Lane’s computer indicated that a crime, or crimes, had been committed, then its value in court would be greatly diminished if Annie and Doug Wilson had been interfering with it first. On the other hand, she wasn’t at a point in her investigation where she had any reason to bring in the CSIs and have it removed. If there was incriminating information on it, there was nothing to stop Alex from erasing everything after Annie had left. She decided to have a quick look before then, with Doug Wilson and Alex Preston present as witnesses. She asked Alex if that was all right.

‘It’s fine with me,’ said Alex. ‘Now?’

‘Later will do. We have a few more questions first. Does Michael have a steady job at the moment, or has he managed to get on a photography course?’

‘He’s doing his A levels at night school, so he has a better chance of getting in college next year, if he does well, but he’s still unemployed. And it gets him down sometimes. He does odd jobs to help make ends meet.’

‘What sort of odd jobs?’

‘Farming stuff, mostly. That’s all he knows, apart from drawing and photography. But there’s plenty of it about, depending on the time of year. A lot of it’s unskilled, of course. Casual manual labour. Harvesting and such like. But he’s got a real knack for sheep shearing, and that makes good money sometimes. But it’s all so seasonal. Why are you asking me all these questions? Has something happened to him? Has he had an accident? Or done something stupid?’

‘Why would you think that?’

Alex studied the backs of her hands. Annie noticed how long and tapered her fingers were, how nicely manicured and clean the nails. ‘He can be a bit hot-headed sometimes, that’s all. When he gets frustrated. I don’t mean with me or Ian. He’d never lay a finger on us, and I’d never stand for it. Not after Lenny. So what is this all about?’

‘It’s nothing to worry about, really,’ said Annie. ‘His father’s neighbour’s farm was broken into on Saturday night. A valuable tractor was stolen.’

‘Beddoes?’

‘That’s right. Do you know him?’

‘I’ve never met him, but Michael mentioned him sometimes.’

‘In what way?’

‘He said Mr Beddoes never liked him. Used to chase him off his land. Called him a layabout and a retard. Michael said Beddoes seems all right on the surface, but he can be a nasty piece of work when he’s got a mind to be.’

‘Like?’

‘He told me Beddoes hit him once.’

‘John Beddoes hit Michael?’

‘That’s right. Clipped him around the ear, was how Michael described it. Said it didn’t hurt. He didn’t even bother telling his dad. And once Beddoes thought Michael had been upsetting his precious pigs, chucking stones at them or something. Beddoes threatened to drop him in the sty and said they’d eat him. Michael was just twelve or so.’

‘I see,’ said Annie. ‘But that was a long time ago, wasn’t it?’

‘Not to them, I don’t think. Long memories. They bear grudges.’ Her eyes widened. ‘Maybe he’s done something to Michael? Beddoes. Maybe he blamed him for stealing his tractor?’

‘It’s unlikely,’ Annie said. ‘Mr and Mrs Beddoes didn’t get back from holiday until late last night. The first thing they did when they noticed the tractor missing was call the police.’

‘Well, maybe you should talk to them again? Search the premises, or whatever you do.’

‘Don’t worry,’ said Annie, ‘We’ll be thorough. Has Michael ever threatened Beddoes? You said John Beddoes terrified him when he was younger. Do you think he might have wanted revenge?’

‘You think—’

Annie held her hand up. ‘I don’t think anything yet, Alex. I’m only asking. Michael’s father was tending to the farm while the owners were away. I talked to John Beddoes, and he mentioned a “tearaway” son. His words, not mine. Frank Lane, Michael’s father, didn’t speak so highly of his own son, either. Or of you. He said he’d never met you, that Michael had never brought you home for tea to meet him.’

‘Ha!’ said Alex. ‘As if we were ever invited. He knows nothing about me. To him I’m just the scarlet woman. A tart.’

Annie let a few seconds go by. ‘I just want to talk to Michael,’ she said. ‘That’s all.’

Alex gave Annie a disappointed glance, and for some reason, it hurt. ‘You’re all the same, you lot. Just because someone’s made a mistake once, you think they can never put things right, don’t you? Well me and Michael are doing just fine. OK? And he was here with me on Saturday night, all evening and all night, but I don’t suppose you believe that, do you?’

‘Why wouldn’t I believe you?’ said Annie. ‘You say you last saw him on Sunday morning?’

‘That’s right.’

‘Do you think he might have another girlfriend, and that’s where he is?’

Alex reddened, and her lower lip trembled. ‘No,’ she said, squeezing her fists together and putting them to her temples. ‘What are you saying? Why are you saying horrible things like that? What are you trying to do to me? All these questions you’re asking, things you’re saying. You’ve got me going out of my mind with worry. Stop this.’

‘I’m sorry,’ said Annie, ‘but we have to know what’s going on.’

‘Why don’t you just do your job and go out and find Michael? He might be lying hurt somewhere.’

‘Where?’

‘I don’t know. Just somewhere.’

‘OK, I’m sorry. Calm down, Alex. We’ll get to the bottom of this.’

‘You’re more interested in a missing tractor than what’s happened to my Michael. Admit it.’

‘That’s not true.’

Alex leaned forward and clasped her hands together. ‘Then help me,’ she said. ‘Please help me find Michael.’

The front gates stood wide open and a young uniformed constable waved down Banks and Gerry Masterson as they approached the airfield. Gerry came to a halt, and the officer asked for their identification. Banks didn’t blame him. The young PC wasn’t from Eastvale HQ, and there was no reason why he should know who they were. The officer noted their names down carefully on his clipboard and waved them through. Three patrol cars and Winsome’s Polo were parked willy-nilly on the cracked concrete outside the hangar, five officers leaning against them chatting, two of the men smoking. When Banks and Gerry flashed their warrant cards, the officers all straightened up, and the smokers trod out their cigarettes. Banks glanced down at the smudges on the wet concrete, then back at the culprits, who looked at him sheepishly.

‘Sorry, sir,’ one of them mumbled.

‘That’s all right, son,’ said Banks. ‘You can explain the contamination of the scene to the CSIs when they get here.’

The officer turned beet red.

‘In the meantime,’ Banks went on, ‘don’t you think you could be doing something useful, like organising a house-to-house of the immediate area?’

‘What for, sir?’ asked one of the female officers.

‘What for? To find out if anybody heard or saw anything. What do you think?’

‘But we don’t know what happened yet,’ said one of the others.

‘That’s right, sir,’ the woman said. ‘It’s probably just a dead dog or a badger or something.’

Banks sighed. ‘Well, how do you think you’ll find out? Standing around the car smoking, contaminating the scene?’

‘Besides,’ added the female officer, clearly a bit miffed at being bossed about, ‘I can’t see any houses around here. How are we supposed to organise a house-to—’

‘Just bloody get cracking and find some,’ snapped Banks, then he and Gerry turned away towards the hangar. Banks shook his head slowly. ‘Where do they get them from these days, Gerry?’

Gerry smiled. ‘Don’t forget, sir, you were young once.’

Banks flashed her a surprised glance, then shoved his hands in the pockets of his raincoat. She was coming along nicely, he thought; she wouldn’t have dared talk to him like that six months ago.

They found Winsome inside the hangar, to their right, taking photos with her mobile. The crime-scene photographer, if one were to be required, would cover every inch of the place soon, but many detectives liked to take their own set of pictures before the experts arrived, and capture the scene as freshly as they could. They sometimes came in useful. Banks took in the vast hangar, sniffing the air. Nothing specific registered with him. The wind sounded like a bassoon.

Winsome turned at their arrival, and her eyes widened when she saw Banks. ‘Sir?’

‘I know, I know, I’m supposed to be on holiday. I just couldn’t resist the lure of a bloody crime scene. Tell me all about it.’

Banks listened closely as Winsome told him the story of her morning. ‘Where’s this Gilchrist now?’ he asked, when she had finished.

‘I drove him home, sir.’

‘You didn’t—’

‘As if I would. I left two patrol officers guarding the scene. Gilchrist’s ex-army. Seems to know what he’s about, has his head screwed on right.’

‘Not an alarmist, then?’

‘I wouldn’t say so.’

Banks looked at the stains on the ground. ‘Soldiers make good killers,’ he said. ‘It’s what they’re trained to do.’

‘He was wounded,’ Winsome said. ‘In Afghanistan. Walks with a stick.’

‘Did he have anything interesting to tell us?’

‘Not really, sir. Just that he grew up around here and the airfield’s always been like this as far as he remembers. Kids play there. He’s also noticed a few lorries coming or going over the past year or so.’

Banks knelt by the stains on the ground, hearing his knees crack as he did so. ‘It certainly looks like blood and brains to me. Let’s say it is human. What happened? Someone shoots him, and he falls and bleeds out on the ground?’

‘Possibly,’ said Winsome. ‘Or stabs him. Then leaves the mess but takes the body away. If it were just an animal, I couldn’t really see anyone having a reason to do that.’

Banks glanced at the stain. ‘There’s not really all that much blood, is there? Have you—’

‘I thought I’d better leave it to the CSIs.’

Banks frowned at her. ‘Winsome, you’re developing an annoying habit of answering my questions before I’ve asked them.’

‘Yes, sir. You were going to ask if I’d searched for a bullet or shell-casing. I must be getting to know the way your mind works.’

Banks stood up. ‘Do you know how frightening that thought is?’

‘My dad always said I was a bit of a mind reader. Could have had a career on the stage.’

Banks smiled. They heard another car pull up in the yard, and moments after the door slammed, Jasminder Singh hurried in with her bag of tricks. ‘All right, where is it?’ she asked.