In the Light of Madness (6 page)

Wednesday brushed back strands of hair that had worked their way loose from the bun. “I didn’t know that I was.”

“Oh come on; blushing, red neck, foot tapping. Need I go on?”

“That won’t be necessary thanks. I’ll phone the school and let them know we’re coming.” She picked up the receiver and dialled, ignoring Lennox and hoping he would leave the room. As he reached the door, he turned.

“He’s married, but not happily according to rumours.” He grinned and ducked as she threw a pencil at him.

After speaking to the belligerent school secretary, Wednesday wondered whether she was going to like working alongside Lennox. “Only time will tell,” she muttered to herself as she grabbed a chocolate bar from her desk drawer and went off in search of him.

“He’s having a cigarette break in the courtyard,” Simmons said as she saw Wednesday scanning the room. With a nod of acknowledgement, she descended the stairs and exited through the rear door that led onto a very uninspiring courtyard, enclosed by the brick walls of the station. A few scattered pots filled with last year’s dead summer plants were no cause for celebration, and a tiny over-head piece of plastic sheeting protruding from the wall provided minimum shelter.

She retrieved a cigarette from the packet, lit it, and then sauntered towards Lennox who was perched on the only bench. He was gazing up at the thick cloud that had formed a mantle above his head.

“You’ve calmed down I see,” he said, looking at her with an unmistakeable twinkle in his hazel eyes.

“Just because I’m single, doesn’t mean I fancy every man I come into contact with,” she snapped—more than she intended to—before inhaling deeply on the cigarette.

Lennox made a humming sound and flicked some ash onto the ground. “So no light banter between us then?”

“You don’t do light banter. You like to embarrass a colleague you hardly know. We’re also on a case that’s depressing and going nowhere.”

Lennox sucked in air through his teeth but remained mute, which piqued Wednesday more.

“Anyway, I don’t think you’d like it if I assumed that just because you’re divorced means you see every woman as a potential date.”

“Actually, I wouldn’t mind that. And potentially they are, don’t you think?”

Wednesday got up sharply and stubbed her cigarette out into the wall mounted ashtray. “We should be going. I’m driving.”

She did not see Lennox smiling behind her as she marched to the car park.

“Nice car. Very you,” he said as he climbed into the passenger seat of her cream VW Beetle convertible.

“Thanks, I think,” she replied, setting her car in motion.

The journey to Markham Hall was conducted in stony silence. Lennox planned the imminent interviews by flicking through his notebook and Wednesday gripped the steering wheel, focusing on the road.

As they drove up the gravel driveway, to the left they saw a group of boys playing rugby, and to the right a group of girls playing Lacrosse.

As their windows were wound down slightly, they could hear the male sports teacher hollering abuse at the sportingly challenged youths.

“He’s got a voice that carries,” commented Lennox.

They made their way into the building, where the receptionist waved a bony hand in the direction of Stuart Cleveland’s office.

“Detectives, to what do I owe this pleasure?”

“There’s no pleasure in our visit, Mr Cleveland. As you are aware, one of your students has been murdered and another one is still missing,” Wednesday informed him. “We think it would be useful to address the whole school, including the teachers, about the boys. It might jog someone’s memory. Any small detail they might have thought inconsequential could open up the enquiry.”

“It’s not very convenient right now,” he replied, looking down his arched nose. “We could arrange it for tomorrow?”

“No, Mr Cleveland, this is too serious to put off. For all we know, the same fate that happened to Tom may be awaiting Darren.”

Cleveland inhaled deeply before phoning through to his secretary to round up all the students and teachers into the main hall. The detectives heard the woman’s irritated tone on the other end which only seemed to exasperate Cleveland more.

It took twenty-five minutes for the hall to fill with curious and excitable students, followed by harassed teachers. In the far corner of the hall, Wednesday spotted Reverend Olong trying to merge into the shadows.

Wednesday relaxed when Lennox said he would address the gathering after noticing her twisting her hair tightly around her middle finger. She admired Lennox’s composure for public speaking.

Most of the students had heard the news already, but Lennox was careful to remind them that they should all be cautious when out. He made a strong request for information regarding the two boys.

After his speech, they watched the subdued students file out, followed by pale-faced teachers. His words seemed to have had the desired effect in reaching the teenage brains. They now hoped someone would come forward with a snippet of information that would prove to be a lead they required.

Wednesday scanned the room to see that the reverend had already disappeared. Never mind, she thought to herself, he will save for another time.

They sat in the only available room, the nurse’s room, awaiting any students who would hopefully have something to impart.

The nurse had been amenable in relinquishing her work space, and had even made them a mug of instant coffee which they gratefully sipped.

Just as they began wondering if they were wasting their time, there was a tentative knock at the door and a teacher entered the room. He stood before them in black chinos and a beige roll-neck jumper. Thick round-rimmed glasses framed his treacle-coloured eyes.

“I’m not sure if I’m wasting your time,” he began.

“We’ll be the judge of that, Mr?” Wednesday said.

“Mr Cannon. Harvey Cannon. I’m a French teacher.”

His name duly noted down, she waited for him to continue.

“I know that Tom Dolby had been experiencing some difficulty in PE lessons with Mr Gould. Saying it aloud sounds a bit foolish and melodramatic now,” he said faintly.

“Could you expand on that, Mr Cannon?” Lennox said, wishing to move things along.

“Well, Mr Gould seemed to dislike Tom. Perhaps because he was slightly overweight. Anyway, sometimes he would make Tom do PE in just his boxer shorts merely to show the other boys what their bodies would be like if they didn’t exercise.”

“Were Mr Gould’s actions reported to the head?”

“I had a quiet word with Tom, but he insisted I didn’t report it to the head nor his parents, come to that.”

Harvey Cannon looked at the detectives briefly then scratched his chin. “I’m only telling you this as I believe Mr Gould to be a bully and I felt you should be aware of the matter. What you do with the info is up to you. Just leave my name out of it.”

“Indeed,” Lennox finally said, tipping back in his chair so he was looking down his nose at the teacher.

An awkward hush enveloped the group until Wednesday thanked him for taking the time to come and see them. He nodded in her direction, pointedly avoiding eye contact with Lennox before walking out into the bustling corridor.

“Well Hunter’s going to be ecstatic. This was a bloody waste of time. All we got was some in-house gossip from some flaky teacher.” He shoved a pencil in between his lips.

“We can’t disregard any info given to us at this stage. I mean, if this Gould is a bully, who knows what he could do if he lost control? We’ll talk to him.”

“How come this Gould’s temper is worse than that of Des Wright?”

Wednesday tapped her foot rapidly on the floor. “I haven’t ruled him out for Darren’s disappearance, but I can’t see his motive to murder Tom.”

“Let’s suppose Darren caught Des suffocating Tom during a moment of rage. Darren was then either killed at the same time and his body hidden, or Darren did a runner through sheer terror.” Lennox lolled backwards and rested his head in his hands.

“I can’t think in this room that stinks of vomit and antiseptic,” she replied, shoving her notebook in her bag. “Let’s go and find Mr Gould.”

They found him in the staff room drinking from a bottle of water and reading a newspaper.

“Mr Gould, DI Wednesday and DS Lennox. We’d like a word about Tom Dolby.”

He looked at them briefly before returning to the paper, saying he had no information for them.

“We were rather interested in your attitude towards Tom during your PE sessions.”

“Who’s complained?”

“Were you not always professional?”

“I used him to show the other lads what they’d be like without sport and exercise in their life. He was the kind of boy to run away from the rugby ball, not towards it. I didn’t beat him or even touch him. Every student will vouch for that.”

“We’d still like your personal details to keep on record whilst this investigation is ongoing.”

He begrudgingly relinquished his details before flexing his biceps and getting up.

“Just because I used him as an example, doesn’t mean I killed him.”

Lennox nodded, feeling the pressure of getting nowhere fast crushing his torso.

“There must be something or someone we’ve overlooked,” he said as they stepped outside into the crisp autumnal day. He turned his collar up and headed towards Wednesday’s car.

She drove them back to the station to the melodic strains of JS Bach. Lennox was right, she mused, we are missing something.

Chapter Six

Pulling into the station car park, they saw Arlow and Damlish escorting a bloody-nosed Des Wright inside.

“Now what’s happened?” she asked Lennox who was already half way out of the car before she had pulled on the hand brake.

She hurried behind him, almost receiving the main door in her face.

“Manners,” she snarled, even though she knew he could not hear her.

Des Wright’s raised voice was heard emitting from the interview room; every expletive ripped through the flimsy walls.

“What’s going on?” Lennox asked a passing officer in the Incident Room.

“He assaulted a journalist outside his house, so the DCI wanted him dragged in here.”

Lennox raised his eyebrows before moving towards his office. Wednesday caught Suzy and Audrey performing a mock swoon.
God, they all fancy him
.

Hunter rapped on Wednesday’s door before marching straight in. He stood over her desk as she was about to write up her report.

“You’ve heard Arlow and Damlish are about to interview Des Wright, I suppose?”

“Yes Guv. Apart from the assault, have we got much to go on?”

“You’re not convinced about his involvement in all this, are you?”

Wednesday shuffled around in her chair. “I’m more convinced about him being a violent man towards his wife and possibly to Darren.”

“So in your mind, Darren’s a runaway?”

“It seems too coincidental that something happened to both boys on the same night, unless of course, Darren was actually involved in Tom’s murder?”

“All this supposition is getting us nowhere. I want you to accompany me to see Judith Wright whilst she’s on her own; we might get more out of her without her husband around. See you in five,” and with that, he left her office leaving a subtle scent of musk in the air.

Wednesday put her cold hands to her burning cheeks as Lennox’s words trundled through her mind. Gathering her things together, she took another chocolate bar from her desk drawer, guessing that a more substantial snack looked unlikely for the next few hours.

Following Hunter out of the Incident Room, she deliberately avoided eye contact with Lennox, even though she could sense his mocking eyes boring into her.