Broken Dreams (17 page)

I switched the engine off and looking at the address we had for Donna, counted the house numbers, looking for her address. The house was about a mile out of the town centre. It looked like the terraced houses had been converted into separate flats. I wasn’t sure if the addition of ‘A’ on the end of the address meant Donna occupied the upper or lower accommodation. I locked the car and we walked across the road. The adrenaline was pumping. I smiled at Sarah, sure she was feeling it too. This was our moment of truth. Sarah pressed the buzzer and we waited. Neither of us said a word as we stood there. Nobody answered the door, so I pressed the buzzer again. Nothing happened. I took a step back and looked up at the window but there was no sign of movement, not even a twitching net curtain. I bent down and lifted the letterbox flap. There was nothing to see, just a takeaway leaflet on the floor and a table with a telephone sat on it. I straightened myself up, shook my head and told Sarah there was nobody home. We walked back down the path and almost reached the end before we heard the door open.

‘Can I help you?’ It wasn’t Donna Platt. The woman stood at the door was in her seventies.

‘We’re looking for Donna’ Sarah said. ‘She lives in the top flat.’

‘Debt collectors?’

‘Not at all’ I said. I offered the woman a business card and explained our situation. ‘We’re working on behalf of Donna’s mother. She’s lost touch with her.’

The old woman looked at the card. She shook her head.

‘They’ve left.’

‘Left?’ said Sarah. ‘When?’

‘Last night. I saw them piling stuff into their car.’

‘Might just be going away for a few days’ suggested Sarah.

‘They were putting everything in the car; bedding, pots and pans, books, you name it.’

‘There was someone helping Donna?’ I said, picking up on what she’d said.

‘That’s right. Chelsea, her daughter, was helping load the car up.’

We sat in the car, reflecting on what we’d learnt.

‘She thinks Donna’s daughter is about ten years old’ I said to Sarah.

She nodded. ‘Which means she was born around the time Donna left Hull.’

I nodded. ‘Interesting.’

‘And we know her father wouldn’t have approved.’

I had to agree. From what we knew of Ron Platt, he probably wouldn’t have been thrilled to become a grandfather. ‘Would it be enough for her to leave the city, though?’ I thought about Donna’s boyfriend. It seemed like he was keen to settle down with her and had some sort of future. I was sure she could have turned to him for help.

‘She’s done a runner’ I said. ‘She was expecting us.’

Sarah nodded but didn’t look at me. ‘Lisa Day.’

We drove back to Hull without speaking. I dropped Sarah off at her house before heading to the office. I placed Don’s sandwich onto the desk in front of him and watched him inspect it, checking I’d got the order he’d texted me right.

‘She’ll learn from this, Joe.’

‘I know.’ I didn’t blame her. At one time or another, we’d all had to learn some harsh lessons. Lisa Day wasn’t all she seemed to be and was obviously still in contact with Donna Platt. Why she was choosing not to share this information with us was something we didn’t know. ‘Assuming Lisa has told Donna about her mum dying, whatever caused her to leave home must have been serious if she’s not got back in touch.’

Don nodded and continued chewing. ‘The kid.’

‘Donna’s neighbour said the kid is about ten, which fits.’

‘So we’re saying she left because she was pregnant?’

I nodded. I’d turned it over in my mind as I’d driven back.

‘Makes sense.  I can’t imagine her father would have approved.’

‘It’s a bit extreme in this day and age, isn’t it?’

 ‘Maybe, but everyone’s different.’

‘Was this neighbour able to tell you anything else?’

‘Not really. Donna kept herself to herself and she didn’t see much of the daughter, Chelsea.’

‘Men friends?’

I laughed. ‘Men friends?’

‘What’s wrong with that?’

I told Don he was old-fashioned. ‘The neighbour didn’t think so.’

‘Did you go back to the club she was working at?’

‘The barman was a little more forthcoming when we told him Donna had done a runner.’

‘How did he take it?’

‘Not best pleased. She was a good earner for him by all accounts. He was pleased to have her on his books. When we told him who we were, he mentioned there was one man who hung about with Donna on a regular basis.’

‘Name?’

‘Just a description.’

Don took a note of it. ‘I’ll ask Jeremy if he’s interested in taking a look.’ He stopped writing and looked at me. ‘It’s costing us a fortune.’

I knew Don was right, but it had gone too far now. We needed some answers. I changed the subject and told Don about last night.

‘I assume you’ve heard nothing from Murdoch?’

I shook my head. I’d tried him again from Whitby but the calls had gone straight to voicemail. ‘I did get to meet with Jennifer Murdoch’s special friend, Nose. He’s an estate agent called Steve Taylor.’ I screwed up the sandwich wrapper.

‘Speaking of which, I’m going to have a word with him. I’ll leave you in peace.’

The office of Taylor & Co Estate Agents was as I expected; light, airy and very sleek. I closed the door behind me and glanced around at the boards on the wall. It appeared Taylor had a substantial portfolio of property to sell around the city, including several new commercial and private properties. I noted a young couple looking at the board displaying what they referred to as ‘ideal starter homes.’ The way prices had crashed, I’d sold my house at the right time. I couldn’t complain; my money was sat in a low-interest, but safe account. It was security while I figured out what I wanted to do.

‘Can I help?’ I turned to look at the young woman stood next to me. She was wearing a stiff smile and the staff uniform blouse and jacket. I was glad I was self-employed. She closed her laptop down and walked across the room to me. ‘My name’s Melanie and I deal with all our commercial property.’

I nodded, offered my hand and told her the false name I’d been supplied with by Coleman the previous day. ‘I actually met Mr Taylor at a function last night. I was hoping to speak to him if at all possible.’

‘I’m afraid Mr Taylor’s tied up at the moment. I’m sure I can assist you in his absence.’

I tried not to laugh at the mental picture it conjured up. ‘He did say to ask for him personally.’

I watched her walk back to her desk and make a call. Her eyes didn’t leave mine. I’d put her nose out of joint but it couldn’t be helped. She said he’d be with me in a minute and left me to browse the property boards.

I was looking at a property on Sutton Fields, close to where Briggs’s premises where situated. I turned around when I heard Taylor call my name. It took a second for me to remember I was Mr Smith, but I fixed a smile on my face and turned to greet him. He shook my hand and showed me through to his office, stopping only to ask his assistant to bring us a fresh pot of coffee. His office was small but perfectly formed, with the sleek office furniture complementing his wafer-thin laptop. I guessed he was in his late thirties, but he was wearing it well. It was dangerous to judge people on appearance, but if you’d asked me to guess his profession, estate agent would have been near the top of the list.

We exchanged pleasantries until the woman returned with coffee. He asked her to close the door on her way out.

‘My daughter’ he said by way of explanation. ‘Thankfully I’m divorced from her mother.’

‘Keeping it in the family, I see.’

He laughed and wagged a jokey finger at me. ‘Don’t be getting any ideas.’

I held my hands up to concede the point. ‘Never crossed my mind.’

He leant back in his chair and smiled at me. ‘Great night, wasn’t it.’

I shrugged, trying to play it cool. ‘We certainly enjoyed ourselves. It was our first time, so we’ll get into it, I’m sure.’

‘I hope so. That wife of yours is a bit special.’

I resisted the urge to hit the man and fixed a smile back on my face. ‘She’s certainly that.’

‘I hope I’m afforded the opportunity to find out.’

‘All in good time.’

He poured me a coffee in a Taylor & Co Estate Agents mug. ‘Nice touch.’

‘Thanks. We like to try.’ He put my business card on his desk. ‘I assume you’ve come for some help in finding premises?’

I took one of my real business cards out of my wallet. ‘Not quite.’

Taylor looked like he was going to be sick before composing himself. ‘If it’s money you’re after, you’ve come to the wrong place. Besides, I’ve done nothing I’m ashamed of.’

I didn’t say anything. The idea he was skint was interesting, as I knew he’d been throwing money about in Salford’s casino.

‘What do you want?’ he repeated.

‘Jennifer Murdoch.’

‘Don’t know her.’

He turned away from me. A sure sign he was lying.

‘I think you do know her. I’m investigating her murder.’

‘I knew you weren’t all you made out to be.’ He leant forward. ‘I bet she isn’t even your wife. A woman like that wouldn’t look twice at you.’

‘Jennifer Murdoch.’ I took a deep breath and ignored his attempts to wind me up. ‘She was murdered.’

‘Like I said, I don’t know the woman.’

‘Cut the shit. The Murdoch’s were members of your little club.’

Taylor shrugged and sighed. ‘I barely knew her. We aren’t there to talk.’

‘What about her husband?’

‘What about him?’

‘Do you know him better?’

‘We’re essentially in the same line of business. It gave us something in common and yes, we’ve done some work together in the past.’

‘What kind of work?’

‘None of your business.’

I didn’t push it. It was probable they were acquainted but I’d find out more when I spoke to Murdoch.

‘So you were friendlier with him?’

‘That’s correct. I’m not denying she was an attractive woman, but she wasn’t really my cup of tea.’

‘Why did you socialise with her so much, then?’

‘I don’t follow you.’

‘You were regulars at Rischio, the casino.’

‘I don’t know where you’re getting your information from, but you’re totally wrong.’

I laughed. ‘I don’t think so.’ I waited for him to continue.

Don had taught me silence was oppressive. Someone always broke it and it wasn’t going to be me.

He slumped back in his chair and appeared to be thinking. ‘So what if I was friendly with the woman? It doesn’t mean anything.’

‘You were having an affair with her’ I said, more a statement than a question. Taylor said nothing, so I continued. ‘If you don’t talk to me, it’ll be the police knocking on your door, not just me.’ I leant forward. ‘And I don’t give a shit about the amount of drugs you’re doing.’

Taylor looked beaten. I hammered the point home. ‘It’s all on the casino’s CCTV and the barmen have told me all about it. Your reputation precedes you.’

‘I wanted her to leave her husband’ he said. ‘He had no idea what he had. She was special.’

It seemed like I’d finally found someone who did have a good word for her. ‘How long had the affair been going on for?’

Taylor sat back in his chair, looking like I’d relieved him of a large burden. ‘A few months. I met her through her husband, at some function or other and it went from there. The chance to join their club made it easier for us, I suppose.’

‘And you didn’t mind that?’

‘I hated it.’

I nodded. I wouldn’t feel comfortable with that situation either. ‘How were you funding your spending at the casino? You said you’ve got no money.’

‘Jennifer paid.’ He shrugged. ‘I didn’t like it, but she said she had the money.’

‘Where did she get it from?’

‘No idea.’

‘You didn’t ask?’

‘Why would I? She had a good job, her husband is well off. I assumed she was alright for money.’

‘She owed a lot of money.’

‘I had no idea.’

‘What about her husband?’ I asked. ‘What was their marriage like?’

‘We never spoke about it. It was off-limits.’

Changing the subject, I asked who bought the drugs.

‘She did. In the club.’

‘Sure?’

He nodded. I had no idea if he was telling the truth or not.

‘What about Frank Salford?’

‘Who?’

‘Frank Salford.’ I didn’t tell him who he was.

‘Never heard of him.’

He looked genuinely confused. ‘Never heard of him.’ He looked like he was on the verge of tears, the confident facade long gone. ‘Look, I didn’t kill her.’

‘
Can
I come in?’ I asked.

Lisa Day leant on the open door. She wasn’t surprised to see me. I followed her into the house and sat down in the front-room.

I got to the point. ‘Why did you lie to us, Lisa?’ She didn’t respond. I watched her hunt around the room for her cigarettes. Finding them, she lit one up. ‘Why did you tell Donna we were coming to see her?’

‘She’s my friend’ Lisa eventually said.

‘And you’ve always been in touch with her?’

She nodded.

‘Look, I’ve not come here to have a go at you. I’m trying to do my job, which is to find her for her mother. That’s all.’

‘I can’t help you.’

I looked her in the eye. ‘Yes you can. I know you can help me. All I want to do is talk to her.’

‘If you can’t give me an address, a phone number will do.’

She shook her head.

‘Could you pass my number on to her, then?’ I asked. ‘Tell her who I am and why I want to speak to her?’

‘Donna said she doesn’t want to talk to you.’

‘Have you told her that her mother’s dying?’

She wiped her nose and nodded. ‘She knows.’

‘Does she want to talk to her?’

‘No.’

Lisa was upset, so I went back to the beginning. ‘Why did Donna leave Hull? Was it because she was pregnant?’ She said nothing, so I continued. ‘You’ve got to help me here, Lisa, because I don’t understand it. I know her kid is the right age to tie in with her leaving. So what if she was pregnant? She was old enough to have a kid, wasn’t she? It can’t have been the end of the world?’