The Whitby Murders (A Yorkshire Murder Mystery), J. Ellis [free ebook novel TXT] 📗

who looked sombre. Talking to shocked and bereaved people like this, especially when their loved one appeared to be the guilty party in some terrible crime, was one of the hardest jobs in policing.

‘Did your son have any enemies? Anyone who threatened him?’

‘No.’

‘What about Mark Garner, his fellow student he copied his work from?’

Holgate seemed surprised, as if he’d forgotten about the matter. ‘Oh, that. Our Dominic was definitely in the wrong there. We gave him hell about it. He nearly got himself expelled, but he admitted it in the end. That other young bloke, I know he was angry about it, but that wouldn’t be reason to kill someone surely.’

Andy tended to agree.

‘The problem with Dominic’s time as a student,’ continued Holgate, ‘was that he was on the wrong course. I don’t know why he was doing that Business Studies or whatever it was. I blame that school; they talked him into it. I think he was bored. He spent his time being in plays and stuff. He should have trained as an actor like Andrea.’

‘What about his job? Did he get on okay at work?’

‘I think so. He worked at a media company, not far from here.’

‘“Heart Productions”,’ said Andy consulting his notes again.

‘That’s right. He had to earn most of the money because Andrea didn’t get much working for that little drama group. I think they argued about money a bit.’

‘What about this flat Andrea inherited in Leeds?’

‘That caused some disagreements. I think Andrea would have moved up there. She didn’t really want to sell that place. It belonged to her aunt, didn’t it?’

‘Yes.’

‘Dominic wouldn’t move. He would have had to find another job and he’s not a northerner.’

Me neither, thought Andy, though I’m really happy up there.

‘She would have rented it out or sold it eventually. That would have helped their money worries.’

‘So their finances were actually improving when they . . . died?’ asked Andy as gently as he could.

‘Yes,’ said Holgate with a deep sigh as he was reminded of the shocking reality of what had happened.

‘To your knowledge, did your son ever possess a gun or a knife?’

Holgate scoffed at this. ‘I never saw him with a knife, unless he was sitting at the dining table. And as for a gun, he wouldn’t have had any idea what to do with one.’

‘Apparently he told his friends that he had a gun which his uncle had given him.’

Holgate looked momentarily surprised but then nodded his head.

‘Our Mick? Well, I knew nothing about it, but actually it would make sense. Mick and Dominic got on well together. Mick was a bit of a wreck when he came out of the army after what he’d seen in Afghanistan, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’d hung onto some guns. He got a bit paranoid. I didn’t know he’d given one to Dominic. And you’re saying that he took one with him up to Whitby and shot himself with it after he’d stabbed Andrea to death with a knife. That’s bloody ridiculous!’ He was starting to get angry and agitated. He got up from his chair and angrily stabbed his finger at Andy, who stepped in to calm him down.

‘Look, Mr Holgate. That appears to be what happened, but we’re not entirely convinced. That’s why we’re continuing with the investigation, so if there’s anything you can think of that might help, it’s important to tell us. Please sit down.’

Holgate seemed to collapse back into his chair and his head drooped forward. ‘I’m sorry. I can’t think of anything. He was never violent, and I think he loved Andrea. If someone killed him I’ve no idea who or why. The only thing I do know is that this is destroying my wife. She’ll never be the same again.’ He sighed and seemed to pull himself together again. ‘Anyway, the police down here said you wanted to have a look round the flat. You may as well get on with it.’

‘Okay,’ said Andy. ‘We appreciate this, Mr Holgate. We know how difficult it is for you.’

Holgate nodded and remained still and silent in his chair while the detectives searched the flat. The couple’s computer and laptop had already been taken away for analysis. There was nothing of interest apart from a collection of unusual clothes and masks in a large chest. Andy asked about this.

‘Oh, they used to call that the dressing-up box. They were fond of fancy dress and playing odd characters. It was part of their love of acting. They liked any excuse for putting on a strange outfit.’

Just as they did for the escape room on that fateful day, thought Andy.

Oldroyd and DC Hampton walked down Church Street to pay another visit to Withington’s jeweller’s. Oldroyd noticed the subtle changes in the ghoulish shop displays from the Dracula and steampunk of the goths to the witches and pumpkin lanterns of Halloween. In commercial terms it was a very effective segue, which kept the horror theme going.

‘Have we established that this bloke’s a rogue, then, sir?’ asked Hampton.

‘Pretty much. He and his son have been involved in dodgy stuff for years over in Leeds and now here. There’s never been enough evidence to pin anything on them, but from our point of view, the crucial thing is that Andrea Barnes, the murder victim, was Withington’s niece and she was involved with them in some way. We need to find out if that had any bearing on this case.’

‘Right, sir.’

‘Okay, here we are. Hey, look! We may have got them both together!’

Hampton looked into the shop window through the gruesome displays of jet spiders and cobwebs to see two men talking behind the counter.

‘The older one is Withington and I’ll bet the younger one is his son. They’ve seen us.’ As the detectives watched, Withington, who had spotted them through the window turned and said something to the younger man, who looked towards Oldroyd and then bolted into the back room where Oldroyd and Steph had spoken to Withington on