A Room Full of Killers, Michael Wood [best books for students to read txt] 📗

to ask a favour but it really is in the strictest confidence.’

‘I like the sound of that.’

Matilda told the former detective inspector all about Ryan Asher’s murder at Starling House and the interviews with the inmates the previous day. Then she got to the business of her visit.

‘Thomas Hartley was convicted for murdering his parents and his young sister. Trust me, Pat, one look at him and you’d know he didn’t do it. Do you remember the case?’

‘I do. It’s not often a teenager slaughters their entire family. As I’m sure you know, my son’s on the force in Manchester. He worked on the case. He’s often said it’s the most disturbing crime scene he’s ever seen.’

Matilda looked to the floor. ‘I’m not saying your son got it wrong or anything like that. I don’t know how the case was investigated. Something is telling me Thomas Hartley didn’t kill his family, and I can’t shake that thought at all. If I’m right, he should not be in Starling House.’

‘Why are you tell me all this? There’s nothing I can do about it, surely. Unless you’re asking me to have a word with my son.’

‘Well, I was actually wondering if you’d do a bit of digging around for me. In Manchester.’

‘What? You’ve got to be joking! Imaging if Valerie found out. She’d roast you alive. Not to mention how it would look from my son’s point of view. I’m sorry, Mat, I can’t put his job at risk.’

‘I’m not asking you to put anything at risk,’ Matilda quickly interjected. ‘All I want is to make sure the case was investigated to its fullest, that’s all.’

‘I’m not sure,’

‘Pat, you know me. You know I wouldn’t ask if I didn’t think there was a possibility of Thomas Hartley being innocent.’ Pat was silent, as if she was mulling over the proposition. The look of angst on her face told Matilda she wasn’t happy about this. ‘Remember the Williamson killings? I was only a DC then but it’s not something I’m going to forget. You had me and DC MacBride turn away while you spoke to Paul Williamson in the back of the squad car. He was underage, too, remember?’

‘I hope you’re not blackmailing me, Matilda,’

‘Of course not. You did say at that time that you owed us one, me and DC MacBride.’

‘I did, didn’t I? I reckon I owe you two, especially after what happened to poor MacBride.’ Pat took a deep breath. ‘OK, leave it with me. I’m not promising anything, mind.’

‘That’s fine. I really do appreciate it.’

‘I should hope so. Is there any chance I could get a copy of this Thomas Hartley’s file?’

Innocently, Matilda bent down to retrieve her bag from the side of the armchair and pulled out a thick brown envelope. She handed it to Pat.

‘You’ve certainly come prepared.’

‘You know I wouldn’t ask on a whim.’

‘True. I’ll get Anton to drive me over to Manchester and I’ll test the water.’

‘Pat, you’re a star,’ Matilda said, standing up.

‘I’m aware.’ She smiled, holding the file firmly to her chest.

TWENTY-ONE

Kate Moloney was sitting at her desk with her head in her hands. She was shattered. She woke several times throughout the night with bizarre dreams. Eventually, at six o’clock, she decided to get up. The birds outside her window were making it difficult for her to get any more rest.

A knock came on her office door. It opened and Oliver Byron walked in.

‘Morning Kate. You OK?’

‘Yes. Why?’

‘You look tired.’

‘Bad night.’

‘I didn’t sleep much either. I see we’ve managed to keep the press at bay so far,’ he said, looking out of the window at the main entrance to the house.

‘Yes. I was just looking on the news. I’m surprised they haven’t sniffed it out yet. With all the traffic coming and going yesterday you would have thought someone would have alerted them.’

‘It goes to show how much people ignore us.’

‘True. Oliver, do you have any idea what could have gone wrong the other night?’

Oliver came away from the window and sat down in front of Kate’s desk. ‘I’ve no idea. I’ve been through it all in my head from the second Ryan Asher arrived and there’s nothing. We didn’t do a thing differently that we normally do with a new arrival.’

They both fell silent while contemplating the worst. Kate continued. ‘DCI Darke wants all the CCTV footage from Monday night. Can you get it sorted for her?’

‘Ah,’ he uttered.

‘Ah?’

‘The camera in corridor A isn’t working?’

‘What? Since when?’

‘I’ve no idea.’

‘Why isn’t it working? Has it been broken or what?’

‘I don’t know?’

‘Was it logged?’

‘There’s nothing written down anywhere. We’ll have to ask Gavin when he comes back.’

‘He’s on his way. He said he was driving through the night. Jesus. DCI Darke already suspects one of the staff; the camera on the accommodation block being down is not going to help at all.’

‘She thinks one of us killed Ryan Asher?’

‘She doesn’t have any evidence as such. She’s basing it on the principle that all the boys were locked in their rooms so it has to be one of the staff who are free to roam the building as they please and have a key to the rooms.’

‘But why would one of us kill him?’

Kate shook her head in defeat. ‘I’ve no idea, Oliver.’

‘They’ll almost be there, now,’ Rory said looking at his watch.

‘Do you know what you sound like?’

‘What?’

‘A child who’s not been allowed to go on a school trip,’ Matilda said. ‘They’ve only gone to Norwich. It’s not like they’re crossing the channel to France.’

‘It would have been nice to get out of Sheffield for a day,’ he said, yawning and rubbing at his eyes – evidence of a poor night’s sleep.

‘You had two weeks off in July. Didn’t you go away then?’

‘I wish. Amelia had exams all summer.’

Matilda turned her silver Ford Focus onto Limb Lane, and the tall trees lining both sides of the road cast a shadow over the car. Rory turned to look out of the window. As