The Moor (DCI Ryan Mysteries, #11)(82)
“Duke also left his caravan,” she said, pointing to the old VW Campervan. “It needs a lot of work, but if you settle the last of the rent on the land, here, he’ll call it even.”
She mentioned a figure that was very reasonable.
“Frank,” Ryan cautioned. “Think of your health.”
“I am,” the other man declared, already dreaming of Highland walks and al fresco stotties. “You’ve already gained a daughter and a horse, this week,” Ryan tried again.
“Three’s a charm,” Phillips said cheerfully, and shook on it.
*
Later in the day, once Pegasus had been delivered into the safe hands of the Elsdon Equestrian Centre and Phillips had arranged for the delivery of the campervan he intended to call the ‘Mystery Machine’, they called in to Police Headquarters and set about the lengthy business of Tying Up Loose Ends. There were statements to be filed and checked, pathology reports and forensic records to order and date, and any number of administrative tasks before Leonie D’Angelo could be successfully prosecuted for her crimes. Following her arrest, the former acrobat had been admitted to a specialist, secure mental health ward, for the remainder of her pregnancy and while the experts came to a decision as to whether she might enter an insanity plea.
When Ryan and Phillips entered the incident room, they found Yates already hard at work on her own caseload.
“Morning, Mel!”
She looked up with a ready smile and, if they weren’t very much mistaken, a definite glint that had not been in her eyes the previous day.
“Have you seen Jack, anywhere?” she asked, checking the clock on the wall, as she had done for the past hour.
Ten-fifteen.
It was unusual for him to be so late, and even more unusual for him not to call in to let her know about it.
“No, sorry,” Ryan said. “Does he have a meeting?”
“He didn’t mention it,” she replied, and tried to dispel a nagging sense of worry.
“How’s it all going?” Ryan asked, wandering over to the murder board she’d set up. It featured the images of three male victims, all of whom had been found with similar injuries. A picture of Bobby Singh had been added to the wall, and she was in the process of pinning lines between his various enterprises and the three dead men.
“Well, it’s looking as though there may be a connection with the circus,” Yates said, confirming his own suspicions. “The working theory is that these three victims were ‘Smoggies’ employed by Singh, but started moonlighting on the side when a new supply channel presented itself.”
“The circus,” Phillips guessed.
“Yeah, we think so,” Yates said. “Hard to do anything about that, now that Charlie O’Neill is dead.”
“You can still go after the brother,” Ryan said. “But I agree, it’s more likely he was Charlie’s stooge rather than any kind of mover and shaker.”
“It’s possible that these three, among others, wanted to set up a rival gang and take over some of Singh’s turf,” Yates said. “Obviously, he put a stop to that.”
“Makes sense,” Ryan agreed. “Do you have a line on who did the dirty work for him?”
“Actually, yes,” she said, reaching for the picture she’d recently printed. “This guy, goes by the street name ‘Ludo’—”
“We know him,” Ryan said, taking the picture from her outstretched hand. “He was Jimmy the Manc’s right-hand man. He’s been on the ‘wanted’ list for two years. You have reason to think he’s back in the area?”
“Two witnesses report seeing a very distinctive man, matching his description.”
“Once seen, never forgotten,” Phillips put in. “As I recall, the man’s built like a brick shit-house.”
Ryan swore beneath his breath.
“If he’s back, it’s because he needs money,” he said. “He’s ruthless, organised, and has a talent for violence. He’s the last person we want roaming the streets.”
“Let’s hope nobody else runs into Ludo before we have a chance to track him down,” Phillips said.
“God help them, if they do,” Ryan breathed.
DCI Ryan will return in
Penshaw: A DCI Ryan Mystery
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AUTHOR’S NOTE
Like many people who grew up in or around Newcastle upon Tyne, the Town Moor played a very special part in my childhood. Not only did it serve as the route for many a chilly, early morning cross-country run when I was at school, but it also played host to an annual travelling funfair known as ‘The Hoppings’. As my character Phillips has already mentioned in the book, the funfair comes to town at the end of June each year and local people pile in to enjoy themselves. However, I think it is important to mention that the fictional circus I have created in these pages is not based on that funfair. For this reason, you will not see any of the usual dodgem cars or ghost train rides at O’Neill’s Circus, which is intended to be modelled on traditional showmanship, including old-fashioned costumes, nostalgic stalls, clowns, magicians and illusionists. Naturally, it also goes without saying that any suggestion of nefarious activity surrounding my fictional circus is limited to these pages and does not relate to any other real travelling circus that may or may not visit Newcastle.