DI Sean Corrigan Crime Series: 5-Book Collection: Cold Killing, Redemption of the Dead, The Keeper, The Network and The Toy Taker

‘No problem,’ the gaoler responded. ‘If you follow me, sir, I’ll sort that out for you.’

Sean was already walking away, Templeman calling after him: ‘I need to see any relevant statements you have. I’m entitled to primary disclosure, Inspector. I’m entitled to know what evidence you have against my client.’

‘And you will,’ Sean answered, already looking forward to the moment when he would reveal Hellier’s fingerprint had been found in Daniel Graydon’s flat, but undecided who he was most looking forward to seeing squirm: Hellier or Templeman.

Sean bounced up the stairs and back along the corridors to the incident room, tired legs suddenly alive again. He reached the incident room in time to hear the volume within rising. It could mean only one thing: Donnelly’s search team were back. Sean headed for his office, passing Donnelly en route. ‘My office, when you’ve got a minute, Dave.’

Donnelly dumped several evidence bags on his own desk and headed straight for Sean’s office.

‘What have you got?’ Sean said.

‘We’ve seized every bit of clothing he owns and his shoes. We’ll get that lot up to the lab tomorrow.’

‘I need something now. Something for the interview. I want to charge Hellier tonight. Tomorrow at the latest.’

‘Sorry, boss. No smoking gun in the house. But it’s all wrong there − he keeps his office locked all day when he’s not in there, even when he’s at home. His wife says she doesn’t know where he keeps the keys. She also says she knew nothing about the floor safe.’

‘Floor safe?’ Sean asked.

‘The jewel in the crown. Guy’s got a floor safe in his study.’

‘Plenty of rich people have got floor safes. Doesn’t mean much.’

‘True, but how many keep rolls of US dollars in them, with their passports? There was an address book too.’

‘So he’s prepared to leave in a hurry. Who knows why? If it was a crime not to trust banks, we’d all be in jail.’

‘For someone who doesn’t trust banks, he’s sure got plenty of money in them. Close to half a million, from what I could tell. God knows how much the final total will be.’

‘What about the address book?’ Sean asked. Often it was the smaller, less dramatic items that held the vital clues. A scrap of paper with a number written on it amongst pristine bank statements. An old person’s collectable in a young man’s flat. If it seemed out of place, no matter how slight, it could be the biggest lead of all.

‘I just had a cursory glance. Nothing more than initials and numbers. If they’re phone numbers, then they’re definitely not local. Probably overseas. It’s not arranged alphabetically. I’ve already checked for the victim’s initials, DG. Not in there.’

‘Hellier could be using codes,’ Sean said. ‘Get every number in there up to SO11 and have them run subscribers’ checks on the lot anyway. Tell them we need names and addresses by tomorrow lunchtime at the latest.’

‘I’ll ask, boss, but that’ll be tight.’

‘Do it anyway. In the absence of anything else, I’ll press on and interview Hellier. Let’s see what he’s got to say about his fingerprint being in the victim’s flat.’

Donnelly sat in on the interview, but it would be Sean who’d ask most of the questions. The interview room was barren. A wooden table, four uncomfortable chairs. The walls were dirty beige. No pictures. The room smelled of rubber flooring and stale cigarettes. A double-deck tape recorder lay on the table. Microphones were pinned to the wall.

Sean, Hellier and Templeman sat quietly, watching Donnelly break the cellophane tape around two new audio cassettes. He put both into the recorder and slapped the machine shut.

Sean broke the silence. ‘When we press “start”, you’ll hear a buzzing sound. That’ll last about five seconds. When that noise stops, we’re recording. Do you understand?’

Templeman spoke for Hellier. ‘We understand, Inspector.’

Sean could feel a ‘No Comment’ interview coming his way. He nodded to Donnelly, who pressed the ‘record’ button. The two tape reels began to turn together, the buzzing noise louder than anyone had expected. Even Sean felt his heart skip a beat. After a few seconds the noise stopped. There was a second of silence before he found his voice.

‘This interview is being recorded. I’m Detective Inspector Sean Corrigan. The other officer present is …’ He let Donnelly answer for himself.

‘DS Dave Donnelly.’

Sean continued: ‘I am interviewing – could you please state your name for the tape?’ Sean spoke to Hellier. Hellier looked at Templeman, who nodded that he should speak. Hellier leaned forward a little.

‘James Hellier.’ He leaned away.

‘And the other person present is?’

Templeman knew his cue. ‘Jonathon Templeman. Solicitor. And I’d like to say at this point that I am here to represent James Hellier. I will advise him regarding the law and his rights. I am also here to ensure the interview is conducted fairly and to challenge any questions or behaviour by the police that I deem to be inappropriate, unfair, irrelevant or hypothetical.

‘I would also like to say that against my advice …’ Sean saw Templeman cast a quick glance at Hellier, ‘Mr Hellier has decided he would like to answer any questions you ask.’

Sean wondered if they’d staged this little performance. Templeman’s idea, probably. Cast Hellier in the role of the victim of circumstance. The innocent man out to prove it. Whatever it was, Sean hadn’t seen it coming. He continued with the pre-interview procedure.

‘You have the right to consult with a legal representative or solicitor. You can consult on the phone or have one attend the police station and this right is free. As we know, you have your solicitor, Mr Templeman, present here anyway. Have you had sufficient time to consult with your legal representative in private?’

Templeman continued to speak for Hellier. ‘Yes, we have.’

‘I must remind you that you’re still under caution. That means you do not have to say anything unless you wish to do so. However, it may harm your defence if you fail to mention when questioned something that you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be used in evidence. Do you understand?’

‘He understands,’ Templeman said.

Sean decided to break this routine. ‘I would like Mr Hellier to answer for himself. I need to hear that he understands from his own mouth.’

Templeman was on the verge of protesting, but Hellier spoke. There was no feeling in his voice. ‘I understand, Inspector. The time has come for explanations.’

Sean’s stomach tensed. Was Hellier about to spill? Had the burden of guilt caught up with him? Few had the strength to carry their darkest secrets all the way to the grave.

Hellier and Sean locked stares. Sean spoke. ‘Mr Hellier. James. Did you kill Daniel Graydon?’

Sally entered the Intelligence Office at Richmond police station where she was met by a uniformed constable. ‘Are you the DS from the SCG?’ he asked unceremoniously.

‘Yes. I’m DS—’ Sally was interrupted. The constable wasn’t interested.

‘So what is it you’re after?’

‘Information from your records,’ Sally told him. ‘Back in 1996 a man called Stefan Korsakov was charged here with a serious sexual assault and fraud.’

‘An unusual mix,’ offered the constable.

‘Yeah,’ Sally answered. ‘Later the assault charges were dropped, but he went down for the fraud. You should have a charging photograph of him. I need to see it.’

‘Back in ninety-six? You’ll be lucky if we still have a card on him. Unless he re-offended within the last five years, his old card wouldn’t have been transferred on to the new Intelligence System. It may have been shredded. We kept the more interesting ones, though. People most likely to come back and haunt us. What was the sexual assault?’

‘He raped a seventeen-year-old boy in Richmond Park. Tied him up and threatened him with a knife.’

The constable scratched the side of his face. ‘Hmm. That’s definitely the sort of person we should have kept. I’ll have to check in the archives. What did you say this bloke’s name was?’