Condemned, R.C. Bridgestock [most romantic novels TXT] 📗

but they would have known that the house was about to be demolished, wouldn’t they, so they might not have seen it as such a risk?’ countered Mike.

‘Was the house deliberately set on fire then, and if so by whom, because this would have triggered an early demolition for safety reasons?’ said Annie.

Charley had been making notes throughout, so that all the lines of enquiries would be included on the database. ‘I suggest we speak with the relevant family members about Faisal’s death first, then I’ll speak with Connie at the Press Office. Until we’re ready, the media don’t need to know that we have identified the male corpse,’ she said. ‘I also want a team led by Mike to go to Birmingham and speak with whoever Hussain lived with. His next of kin hopefully,’ Charley shook her head from side to side. ‘That’s if we can find an address for him. Then I want Raglan brought in prior to our sharing the I.D. of the victim to the public. That way it will give him less time to think about what he has planned to say should the body ever be identified. In addition to that I want the intelligence I requested on Raglan and James Thomas ASAP.’

Ricky-Lee caught up with Charley as she was about to go into her office.

‘The reason I was late was that I called in for an update from the team we tasked with getting into Seth Alderman’s grave. There was no body, no bones, nothing, just steps down into a grave-sized empty space. So perhaps, as we suspected, it was just an access to the tunnel, until the roof collapsed,’ he said.

‘Or, was it a meeting place,’ said Charley, thoughtfully. ‘Well, at least we know there isn’t another skeleton. That’s a relief! But where is Seth Alderman’s body laid to rest then?’

When Charley settled in her chair behind her desk, the detective hung about at the door.

Charley looked up after a moment or two. ‘Was there something else?’

‘No,’ he said.

‘Nice aftershave,’ said Annie, as she passed him. Head turned, he walked out.

Annie stood in front of Charley’s desk, paperwork in hand. She showed her lip to Charley. ‘The gee-gees again, do you think?’

Charley shrugged her shoulders. ‘I don’t know, and I don’t care. He’s had the Scarborough warning, he’s a grown man, the rest is up to him.’

‘Scarborough warning?’ enquired Annie.

The question brought a smile to Charley’s face. ‘I keep forgetting you’re not from round here. There are a few ideas of where the saying comes from, but I like the one from the thirteenth century that talks about the implementation of the law back when the town’s judicial privileges and immunities were confirmed by royal charters. The result was that offenders soon found themselves severely punished, and the town gallows were in constant use.’

Annie looked confused. ‘I thought a Scarborough warning was a colleague that complained of symptoms of a bogus illness, the day before a particularly good weather forecast, and then when they didn’t turn up for their shift the next day, they were said to be on Scarborough leave?’

‘Really? Believe what you must, but I prefer to think of it as the Halifax gibbet-law, given that the gibbet was used on our doorstep.’

Annie pulled a face. ‘You don’t really mean it, do you? In terms of Ricky-Lee?’

‘Oh, yes, I do! You get one chance in CID and he’s already got his head on the block,’ said Charley.

Chapter 29

Wilkie sat watching Annie. It was half past ten, and unusually for her, she was still at her desk. ‘Isn’t it about time you were off out, young ’un? You’re not going to catch y’man inside, as they say.’

A complacent smile crossed the young detective’s face, but she didn’t look up from her typing. ‘Why, Mr Dinosaur, didn’t you know that the ease and influx of information sharing, invention of social networking, and the development of technology for telephones, has drastically changed the volume of information available now online, and the way we communicate since you last struck a bat?’

‘Cheeky mare, I don’t know what you mean,’ the older detective said grumpily, as he drank the dregs of his coffee. It was cold. Wilkie pulled a face, but finished it anyway. Tattie turned from her audio-typing and he flashed her a smile, and lifted his cup. ‘Time for another,’ he mimed, but Tattie wasn’t to be distracted.

Annie’s mobile phone pinged. Wilkie frowned. He saw her lips turn up at the corners as she read the text. Immediately she pushed her chair back and stood up. Unspeaking, she looked extremely pleased with herself as she headed directly for Charley’s office door. She knocked and the SIO beckoned her inside.

‘The cabriolet Hussain was using. He bought, and paid for it in cash at a Northwood Garage, Birmingham,’ Annie said. ‘The salesman distinctly remembers that Hussain brought the money in a man’s brown leather shoulder bag. Apparently, he had reported it to the police, as is his firm’s procedure regarding cash purchases.’

‘What’s the number plate?’ said Charley, pen poised.

‘5. M.A.C.K. The number five on the private plate looks like a letter S, illegal, of course, but he’s feeding his ego, because it reads “SMACK”.’

Charley scoffed. ‘Nothing like advertising the fact that you are into drugs, but, hey ho, makes it easier for us.’

Annie looked over Charley’s shoulder to see Annie’s clapped-out orange VW Beetle through the window, sitting out in the yard. ‘My first thought when I see a young man driving around in a very expensive car, is, what proceeds of which crime paid for it?’ said Annie.

‘Being observant is what being a cop is all about. Proving that a lifestyle is funded by the proceeds of a crime however is not always that simple, as you’re more than aware. Those kinda machines are the dealers’ status symbols, don’t forget. Car dealers are used to the likes of Faisal Hussain walking in with cash. How else are you going to get rid of excessive