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

‘Thank you Eira,’ Charley said as she took the call. ‘I owe you a drink when this is all over.’

Charley bounced out of her office, on a high. ‘It’s not often we get that much evidence at a crime scene,’ she said, taking a large ginger cookie out of the tin and munching it. She looked around. There was someone missing. ‘Where’s Ricky-Lee?’ she asked.

‘Day off,’ said Tattie. ‘Are they okay? I made some of those for Tim…’

‘Mmm… delicious,’ she replied. ‘Who approved that leave then?’

‘DS Blake,’ said Tattie. ‘Do you really think they’re okay? I wondered if I’d put a tad too much ginger in them.’

Annie opened her desk. Her eyes were downcast. ‘I think you need to know something, boss,’ she said, handing Charley a newspaper, marked up for racing day.

Charley put her head in her hands, ‘Where did you find it?’

‘In the office bin, by the door,’ Annie said, glumly.

Wilkie shook his head. ‘No, it can’t be his. He’s stopped, he swore to me it was finished! He wouldn’t lie to me.’

‘I hope not,’ Charley snapped. ‘For his sake, and ours.’ The SIO tried to smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. ‘Let’s not jump to conclusions; we’re having a positive day, so let’s keep it that way.’

Charley got up, walked back to her office and slammed the door.

‘Ouch,’ said Annie.

Charley took two steps inside before she turned and flung her door open again. ‘Find out if there is anyone else’s DNA on the gun, will you, and if so, do they know whose it is? I can’t understand why Dixon didn’t get rid of it after the murder, and why, if it is his weapon, he didn’t have it with him that day we arrested him. Brittany was armed.’

‘Him saying Brittany killed Faisal would be the easy option under the circumstances,’ suggested Mike.

‘He’d be there with her though,’ added Annie, ‘and would he really grass on his dead wife?’

‘Of course, he would! However, he’s dead in the water whatever he says, isn’t he?’ said Wilkie.

Charley turned to Mike. ‘Did you give Ricky-Lee the day off?’

Mike nodded. ‘He said it was either that or his love life was history.’

‘Well, let’s hope she’s allergic to horses! In the meantime, I want you to ensure we are crossing all the Ts and dotting the Is on this case,’ snapped Charley as she marched back into her office.

It was Dixon’s final day in the police cells, before going back to court to be remanded to prison until his trial. Charley stood at Mike’s desk.

‘Let’s interview him one last time and give him a final opportunity to speak to us,’ she said.

‘I think you’re flogging a dead horse meself,’ said Wilkie.

‘That’s what Ricky-Lee’s been doing, not us. We’ve nothing to lose and everything to gain. We’ll give Dixon one last chance.’

‘That’s one determined lady,’ said Wilkie, in her wake.

Chapter 37

Having made the required evidence disclosures to Dixon’s solicitor, Frank Maddock, and given him time to discuss them with his client, the CID team were now ready for the next interview. Dixon’s solicitor looked pale and tired. Four days of toing and froing to the police station at all times of day and night, in the rain, wind and cold, had obviously been draining for the older man. Although he knew his client was involved, he was unsure as to what extent, based on the little Dixon had confided in him.

Mike made a start by outlining the background of the discovery of the body during the demolition.

‘Brad, we know you and your wife rented Crownest for a while from Raglan’s Estate Agents. They tell us that the cheques you signed in payment, bounced, is that correct?’

Charley watching on the monitor in her office was interested to see Dixon lift his eyes to look at Mike.

Mike’s reaction to seeing the corners of Dixon’s lips turn upwards into a smile was quick. ‘You’re smiling. So, is it true?’

Frank Maddock dropped his pen, and as he picked it up, he looked up towards his client, his expression one of surprise at his interaction with the detective sergeant.

‘Do I look like someone who uses a cheque book?’ Dixon sniggered.

‘Mr Raglan also says that you were warned of imminent eviction, but you left without settling the debt? Is that true?’ asked Mike, eager not to lose the connection he’d made.

It appeared that once Dixon had started sniggering he could not stop.

‘You’re obviously finding something amusing. Is there something that you want to share with us?’

‘No,’ he said. Eyes down, Dixon brushed his thighs with the palms of his hands on his prisoner’s suit. He slowly shook his head.

‘Mr Raglan is talking to us, he’s telling us his story, so if that’s not correct, then tell us. I mean, in your younger days you did burgle his offices, so he’s not exactly going to do you any favours, is he?’

Dixon’s dark, steely eyes stared across at Mike. Was the suspect trying to weigh Mike up or intimidate him, Charley wondered from her vantage point as an observer. If it was the latter, it wouldn’t work.

‘If Brittany was here, I’m sure she’d be telling you to sort it,’ Mike suggested sensitively. ‘You know she would.’

Dixon’s face twisted, angrily. ‘Well, she isn’t! You lot fucking made sure of that. You killed her.’ For a moment the officer and suspect shared an uneasy glance.

‘Brittany did shoot first, Brad,’ Mike continued. Charley leant forward to watch the footage carefully. Was that a tear that the prisoner brushed away, at the mention of his wife’s name? Could that be the way to break him?

Dixon raised a shoulder and dropped it just as quickly. With eyes downcast, he twiddled his bony hands in his lap.

‘I’m sorry for Brittany, but she was always going to go out in a blaze of glory, wasn’t she? A shoot-out with the police. Let’s face it, she’d have loved that, wouldn’t she?’

Mike stopped talking to allow Dixon to take in what he