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

sigh. She knew Matilda wouldn’t give up. ‘There is a DS at Leicester who monitored Wesley Brigstone while he was out. I’ve had a very discreet word with the Chief Super at Leicester and he has agreed for you to meet with DS Amy Stringer, who will take you to Wakefield Prison to have a chat with Samuel Bryce.’ Valerie spoke slowly as if each word was causing her a great amount of pain to say. They were probably sticking in her throat, making her feel sick. She was going against every instinct in her body. ‘Nobody in Manchester knows anything about this. If it goes tits up, Matilda, you’re on your own. Do you understand?’

‘Yes. I understand perfectly,’ Matilda said.

‘I want you to know I’m not doing this for you, Matilda, I’m doing it to salvage the reputation of this force.’ Valerie tore a piece of paper from a notebook in front of her. ‘This is the number for DS Stringer and everything I know about Samuel Bryce.’ She was about to hand it to Matilda but pulled her hand back. ‘I don’t want you heading straight there, though. I want the Starling House murders solved before you even touch this case. Thomas Hartley isn’t going anywhere. There’s no great rush to get him released if he turns out to be innocent.’

‘That’s fine,’ Matilda said, not taking her eyes from the sheet of paper Valerie was gripping in her right hand.

‘I’ve gone out on a limb for you here, Matilda. I hope you realize that.’

‘I do, yes. Thank you. I really appreciate it, ma’am.’

‘What are you going to do if Thomas Hartley is guilty?’

‘Then I’ll drop it.’

Valerie frowned. ‘What about your gut feeling?’

‘I’ll put it down to indigestion.’

Neither of them laughed, not even a smile. Their eyes remained locked on each other. They were trying to read each other’s facial expressions but both were masters of the poker face. Reluctantly, Valerie handed the paper across the desk. Matilda wanted to snatch it from her grip and jump for joy, but she managed to restrain herself. She folded it immediately and placed it in her jacket pocket.

‘Thank you, ma’am,’ Matilda said, standing up.

‘If that information gets out, if Samuel Bryce needs to be given a new identity, I swear to God, Matilda, I’ll crucify you myself. Is that clear?’

‘Perfectly.’

Matilda couldn’t get out of the ACC’s office fast enough. As soon as she was clear of the door she pulled the paper out of her pocket and read the information written in Valerie’s neat and tidy handwriting. Upon release in 1995, Wesley Brigstone and Thomas Downy took very different paths. Thomas did all the right things – job, wife, family – whereas Wesley couldn’t find his place in society. Did that make him resentful, angry, bitter? Did that make him want to track down his former partner in crime?

An alarm sounded somewhere in the station. It was muffled, coming from several floors down. The door behind her leading to the ACC’s office was thrown open and Valerie stormed out.

‘What’s going on?’ Matilda asked as her boss charged past her.

‘Another assault in the holding cells. What are those sodding inmates still doing in my station?’ Valerie shouted without stopping.

Matilda ran after her and caught her up at the stairs.

‘We’re still waiting for them to be transferred to other Young Offender Institutes,’ Matilda said by way of an excuse. ‘They’re considered category A prisoners, and not many institutes are suitable for them.’

‘Not my problem.’

By the time they reached the holding cells the alarm had stopped ringing and everything appeared to be calm, despite the blood on the desk sergeant’s shirt.

‘What the hell happened here?’ Valerie asked, hands on hips.

‘Thomas Hartley was attacked by one of the other inmates.’

‘What? Badly?’ Matilda asked looking worried.

‘Not overly, no. He’ll have a shiner and a split lip but he’ll be fine.’

‘I thought they were supposed to be in separate cells?’ Valerie asked.

‘They are, ma’am, but we’re really short-staffed. I can’t look after them, the other prisoners, and feed them all at the same time. I’ve got Flash Gordon in again for frightening women in the NCP, and Alan Barney faked a fit to get out of going to magistrate’s court. I had to put some of the Starling House inmates together. I didn’t think it would have kicked off like that.’ The desk sergeant was obviously flustered. His face was red and his hair an unruly mop from where he had run his fingers through it.

From the corridor, Thomas Hartley was brought in, flanked by two uniformed officers. He was holding a bloodied tissue to his nose. To Matilda, he looked more frightened and vulnerable than when he was in Starling House. She almost ran over to hug him, but stopped herself just in time. She could feel the burning gaze of the ACC on the back of her neck.

‘Leave it with me, I’ll have these boys removed by the end of the day,’ Valerie said. ‘Matilda, I assume you’ll be needed back at Starling House.’ It wasn’t a question; it was an order.

‘Yes, ma’am.’

Once Valerie was safely out of hearing distance, Matilda dug the piece of paper out of her pocket and dialled a number on her mobile. There was no way Thomas Hartley was going to another Young Offenders Institute. Not if she could help it.

‘DS Stringer, I’m DCI Matilda Darke from South Yorkshire Police. I believe my ACC has been speaking to yours with regards to Samuel Bryce.’

‘That’s right. I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon. You’re wanting to meet up with Samuel, I’m guessing.’

‘Yes. When would it be possible for me to see him?’

‘Well, I’m not sure. I can call the prison and ask when they can have him ready to be interviewed. When were you thinking of?’

‘This afternoon if possible.’

‘Oh. Leave it with me. I’ll see what I can do.’

SIXTY-SIX

‘Now, the nurses at the hospital where Malcolm Preston is say John Preston hasn’t visited at all for at least