Over My Dead Body (Detective William Warwick #4)(36)

‘So he ended up penniless,’ said Paul.

‘Not quite. Pugh sued the insurance company, and they finally settled out of court for a quarter of a million.’

‘I’ve known people who’ve been murdered for far less than that,’ said Ross.

‘When I checked through the evidence,’ continued William, ‘I noticed a couple of anomalies that might be worth following up. Pugh’s brother-in-law gave a statement a few days after the murder took place that makes interesting reading.’

‘But he backed down at the last minute,’ Jackie reminded him, ‘and refused to give evidence at the trial.’

‘I’d still follow it up,’ said William. ‘Who knows how he might feel a year later?’

‘And the other thing?’ pressed Jackie.

‘The suicide note was found on the floor below the wife’s body, not on her writing desk. And it was unsigned, although we found a pen on her desk.’

‘But the law of double jeopardy means that if Pugh was found not guilty,’ said Jackie, ‘he can’t be tried again.’

‘He wasn’t found not guilty,’ William reminded her. ‘The first trial ended with a hung jury, and the second was thrown out of court on a technicality.’

‘A fine legal point that Booth Watson would have a field day arguing in front of a judge,’ suggested Ross.

‘I’m sure Sir Julian Warwick would be up to the challenge,’ said The Hawk.

‘Let’s move on to your case, Paul,’ said William, ‘which involves one of the most egregious individuals I’ve ever come across.’

‘I couldn’t agree more,’ said Paul, as he opened a thick file in front of him. ‘Max Sleeman is an unprincipled loan shark who lends cash at exorbitant rates, sometimes as high as ten per cent.’

‘Per annum?’ enquired the commander. ‘That doesn’t sound unreasonable.’

‘Per month,’ came back Paul. ‘He also imposes unwritten penalties should his borrowers fail to pay up: a broken leg for the first offence, an arm for the second and, after a third, you simply disappear. A warning to his other customers of the consequences of not paying up on time. We’re pretty sure that the three victims who went missing were murdered,’ he added. ‘But until we come up with even one body, we can’t arrest Sleeman, let alone charge him.’

‘How does he get away with it?’ asked Rebecca.

‘At the time the person goes missing, Sleeman always has an unimpeachable alibi. On the first occasion, he was attending the last night of the Proms, and was even seen on television for a brief moment waving a Union Jack. The second time, he was at centre court at Wimbledon watching the women’s semi-final. During a break between matches, he dropped some cream on a woman seated at the next table. He paid to have her dress cleaned, and produced the bill as evidence.’

‘And on the third occasion?’

‘Sleeman was caught on a speed camera in Manchester doing forty-three miles an hour in a built-up area. He produced a photo of himself behind the wheel, along with a receipt from Manchester City Council.’

‘Then someone else must have carried out the killings on his behalf,’ said Ross.

‘We think he employs a professional hitman, but I haven’t come up with a name yet.’

‘There still have to be three bodies out there somewhere.’

‘I know,’ said Paul. ‘But where?’

‘Find one of them,’ said William, ‘and you can be sure the other two will turn up.’

‘Any leads?’ asked the commander.

‘The wife of one of the missing victims recorded a telephone conversation between her husband and Sleeman, in which he more than hints at what will happen to him if he misses another payment. I’m seeing her later this week.’

‘Courageous lady,’ said William. ‘But will she be willing to appear in court?’ he added, before turning his attention to DC Pankhurst. ‘What have you got for us, Rebecca?’

‘Darren Carter, a bouncer at the Eve Club, a sleazy establishment in Soho. He killed a customer with a single blow. Claimed it was the victim who threw the first punch. When it came to court he produced several witnesses to back up his story. It later turned out that the dead man was having an affair with the wife of the club’s owner. However, that piece of evidence wasn’t even raised during the trial. The defence counsel argued in camera that it was prejudicial and circumstantial, and the judge agreed. Carter pleaded guilty to manslaughter, served one year of a two-year sentence, and is now back working at the club.’

‘I want that club closed down,’ said The Hawk, ‘and Carter locked up for life, so we send out a clear message to every other sleazy club owner in Soho.’

‘I’ve got one lead,’ said Rebecca, ‘but I can’t pretend I’m optimistic about my source’s evidence being substantial, reliable or compelling.’

‘What a right bunch of villains,’ said William. ‘And with one exception, they were all defended by our old adversary, Mr Booth Watson, QC.’

‘Let me guess,’ said Paul. ‘For professional reasons he felt unable to represent both the Roaches and the Abbotts.’

‘The Abbotts keep him on retainer,’ said William.