Their Lost Daughters (DI Jackman & DS Evans #2)(80)

‘We are going to have to uncover every damned thing we can about that case, especially where that young girl fits in.’ Jackman looked at Gary. ‘Do you know anyone who’d help us? Anyone who was involved in the original enquiry?’

‘Maybe, although whether he’ll talk is another matter.’ Gary bit his lip. ‘It was a bad business, sir. Harlan Marsh dealt with it, well, as far as they were allowed to. Then one evening a special unit arrived, and everything was spirited away. They took evidence boxes, reports, statements, everything, including the DI that was heading up the enquiry. He was moved elsewhere overnight, and a month later, it was like it had never happened.’

‘Why?’ asked Jackman.

‘We never asked, boss. It was made very clear at the time that it was better for us to let it lie.’ He shrugged. ‘We knew they weren’t messing around when the DI, the only man to ask questions, found he’d been posted a very long way away.’

‘Do you know where he is now?’

‘He retired years ago, but he came back to this area last autumn. He lives at Fosdyke, got a little place on the river towpath.’

‘What made it so sensitive?’ asked Max.

‘The children, Max. They saw Simeon blast their mother across the room, then do the same to himself. It was done to protect the children.’

Rosie frowned. ‘Surely there had to be more to it than that? Evidence and investigating officers don’t usually get spirited away unless there’s either an in-house investigation, or someone’s really blundered.’

‘Maybe we’d better ask your old colleague, Gary. What’s his name?’

‘Duncan Hewitt, sir.’ Gary ran a hand through his hair. ‘But don’t hang by your eyelashes. That case was bad news for DI Hewitt, and last I heard he was still bitter as aloes about it.’

Marie began collecting the leftover pizza boxes and throwing them in the bin. ‘If we are to find out if Fleur was connected to the Mulberry family and Alderfield, we are going to have to get him to talk to us, aren’t we?’

‘Tomorrow,’ Jackman said. ‘We’ve done enough today. We will go and see him in the morning. After we’ve sorted out interviews with Asher Leyton, Benedict Broome and Micah Lee, if he’s not still away with the fairies.’

‘Can I make a suggestion, sir?’ Gary asked Jackman. ‘It might be a good idea not to mention anything about Alderfield, the Mulberry deaths, or ex-DI Hewitt to Superintendent Crooke just yet.’

Jackman’s eyes narrowed. ‘Don’t worry, I wasn’t going to. Explaining the simple stuff is hard enough, but telling her that we are sniffing around a closed and highly controversial case? Despite what people may tell you, I really don’t have a death wish.’





CHAPTER THIRTY

A green-gold sunrise lit the fields with a warm glow. Jackman had decided to send Gary and Marie to talk to the retired policeman — Gary, because he had a kind face that the man would recognise, and Marie was a damned good, honest detective. Hopefully Hewitt would recognise that.

They left her car in a small parking area just off the A17, and continued on foot down the towpath. The River Welland was wide and fast-flowing at this point. Years ago there had been rickety old wooden moorings along the bank, but they had been taken down since Marie had last walked this way.

‘I used to love walking the dog here when my dad was alive,’ she said softly.

‘Better way than usual to start the day,’ said Gary, swatting at a small fly. ‘I assume the interviews threw up nothing?’

‘Asher Leyton is staying silent. Micah Lee has been arrested for assaulting me. He’s been seen by the doctor, and although he’s calmer now, we decided to give him a little longer before interviewing him.’ Marie touched her bruised face. ‘And Benedict Broome, well, I’m not sure about Benedict. He was very upset when he heard that Micah had attacked me, but he seemed even more disturbed by the fact that his housekeeper was being questioned.’

‘Do you think Broome is connected to the drinking clubs, Sarge?’

Marie kicked at a stone. ‘I can’t see it.’

Gary watched a cormorant fly slowly downriver, throwing a dark shadow onto the greenish water. ‘My mate at Harlan Marsh said that Cade has been “busy with other matters.” It seems that his enthusiasm to help you out has waned.’ He gave a little snort. ‘He was pretty pissed off to hear that Jim Salmon had tried to interview Micah Lee, but interestingly enough, he let it go when he learned that Salmon had got nothing from the man.’

‘Surprise, surprise.’ Marie looked along the path to where a small cottage sat between two big rectangular fields. ‘Is that it?’

Gary nodded. ‘Now we just need to get him to talk.’

Duncan Hewitt opened the door, and Marie knew instantly that she was going to need every ounce of persuasiveness that she could muster.

Hewitt was tall, a little overweight, and the red across his nose suggested that he liked his drink. He had retained a full head of hair, and he wore “outdoor” clothes — dark green cargo trousers, a check shirt, and a worn khaki gilet chequered with bulging pockets. He made it quite clear that they weren’t welcome.

At first Marie wasn’t certain how to tackle him. If she was too nice he would think her patronising, and she was also certain that if she mirrored his belligerent attitude, he’d slam the door in their faces.