Cold Revenge (Willis/Carter #6)(64)

Blackman looked at her notes. ‘We’ve interviewed three hundred people so far who attended parties on Douglas’s fields and most of them have absolutely nothing to say beyond they had a great time. Even when you tell them there’ll be no prosecutions over drug-taking or drug supply relating to that night, we’re not looking to prosecute anyone for selling anything they shouldn’t, we just want to know if anyone felt they’d been mistreated in the bungalow, or by anyone at that time.’

‘Anything promising?’ asked Carter.

‘If I hear, “if you can remember anything about it, you weren’t really there!” one more time, I’m going to stick my foot down the mouth that says it! I did go back to see Millie’s father, Don Stephens, again after the fracas with Gavin Heathcote and reports that there had been a big altercation between them; but both men seem to think it was nothing.’

‘How is Don Stephens doing?’ Carter asked.

‘Not well, I would say,’ replied Blackman. ‘He seems to be drinking a lot. He was out of it when we got there at eleven in the morning. I gave him a little friendly pep talk.’

‘How did he take that?’ asked Willis.

‘He told me to fuck off, which was fair enough. Anyway, I’ve passed his name on to the Family Liaison Officers, they can deal with him now. He needs some support before he kills himself on one of those machines he mends.’

‘How’s it going, Chris?’ asked Carter. ‘What about the possible location for our killer?’

‘I have several ideas, I’m just working on them at the moment,’ said Maxwell.

‘And Willis, you’re going back to talk to Douglas again?’ said Carter.

‘Yes. I’m looking forward to asking him about Tony Poulson. I have two names to put to Douglas, as well as a lot of the other information we’re coming up with. This will make him sweat. I have also insisted that he is not allowed out of the prison or to work in the kitchens. He’s going to hate that but we need to squeeze him. He has it far too easy in there.’

‘Hector, can you find out exactly what happened to Douglas’s van for me?’ asked Carter. ‘This isn’t going to be enough on its own unless someone has seen Poulson or Levin with Douglas; even then, we need forensics to back us up really.’

‘I’ll do my best to try to find out what happened to the van. There may be a record of who bought it at the car auctions, but I’m not promising anything, it’s sixteen years ago.’

Later, after they got outside the meeting, Carter steered Willis towards his office for privacy. He wanted them to hit the road that day, to see as many of the disciples as they could, in case they were contacting one another and concocting stories about Tony Poulson. He figured if they did it together they could contain the spread of information. Maxwell had already warned them that there was plenty of speculation about the sight of SOCO vans going into Lambs Farm and they knew from Blackman that there were journalists talking to anyone who ever went to the parties at the bungalow. Some had even come forward with some new photos of Douglas. Carter had ordered her to confiscate all the journalists had with the promise that they’d be given something interesting when they had it. He needed to keep this out of the press as much as possible or they would lose their element of surprise.





Chapter 33


‘Yvonne, can we come in please?’ Willis called through the letterbox.

‘No, please, go away.’

‘We’re going to need to come in and check that you and Bonny are doing okay.’

They heard her shuffle reluctantly towards the door and unlock the chain. Willis showed her her ID again. Yvonne looked behind her at Carter to make sure they were alone.

‘I daren’t go out,’ she said. ‘I’m a prisoner here, me and Bonny. I’m frightened they’re going to come for us. Why is it happening now?’

‘What are you frightened of?’

She opened the door to them and walked back into the sitting room. Bonny was watching television. ‘Being killed, what do you think? I’m sitting in this flat waiting for the knock at the door.’

‘We can help you, Yvonne. We can offer you protection, put you and Bonny up in a secure flat.’

‘Where is secure? Nicola was supposed to be secure. If they found her, they can find me.’

‘Just the immediate team working on this will know where you are, no one else, I promise you. You’re going to be safer there.’

‘Yvonne, we have some names to put to you,’ said Willis. ‘Do you know Simone Levin or Anthony Poulson?’ Yvonne shook her head. ‘Or a place called Lambs Farm?’

‘I never went there.’

‘But you’ve heard of it?’

‘I think so.’

Willis showed her the photos of Poulson and Levin and Yvonne started to breathe heavily whilst shaking her head. She started scratching at her hands.

‘Do you know them?’

Yvonne paused, looked at Willis, her eyes beginning to brim.

‘Come on, Yvonne, now is the time to tell us the truth.’

‘But my child? They can come for me any time.’

‘You and your child will be safe. We’re moving you to a safe house.’

She took a few seconds to chew her fingers and stare at the photo. She looked like she wanted to run.