‘Welcome to hell,’ DI Downes muttered as Ruby took a seat yet again around the expansive conference table. Despite the fractious weather outside, humidity levels were high in the briefing room. The heating was controlled from HQ, and this week it seemed they were in ‘all or nothing’ mode. Ruby took a sip of bottled water, swishing it in her mouth to rid herself of the taste of her last cigarette. She usually counted the minutes until she could leave, but not today. Today they had plenty to talk about, and her mind was firmly on the case.
Mugs of tea and coffee were gratefully accepted as DC Owen Ludgrove offered up the contents of his tray. The next hour revolved around bringing the investigation up to speed. Due to the pathologist’s report and a reliable alibi, Danny Smedley had been completely discounted as a suspect for Ellie Mason’s murder. A shadow of doubt lingered in Ruby’s mind as to his guilt with regards to the murder of Lisa Caldwell, but her concerns had fallen on deaf ears when she brought it up with her superiors. According to DCI Worrow their sights were firmly set on Nathan Crosby for Ellie’s murder. With the CPS being so quick to charge Danny Smedley, there was no way Ruby was rushing into arresting Nathan now. Her immediate condemnation of Smedley had given her plenty to think about. She had warned probationers against blinkered vision many times during her career, but it seemed even she was not infallible.
She knew she would have to work hard to persuade her colleagues that Nathan was being set up. She could not afford to draw attention to their relationship in any way and found herself treading very lightly when discussing her meeting that morning.
‘Witness statements have been obtained from members of the Crosby family as well as staff who were working in his home prior to when the evidence was found. Mrs Crosby is of the opinion that the organs were planted at her son’s address.’
‘Pfft,’ DC Ash Baker groaned. ‘And Nathan Crosby’s as pure as an angel’s fart! Pull the other one.’
A rumble of laughter spread through the room, and Ruby forced a smile as she waited for it to die down. ‘Mrs Crosby has provided a list of ten names, people who may hold grudges against her family.’ She looked around the room. ‘It provides useful intel, if nothing else.’
‘Ten? I would have thought the list would be a lot longer than that,’ DI Downes muttered.
‘Yeah,’ Ash jibed. ‘There are ten people in this room alone that’d like to see him put away.’
‘Settle down,’ DCI Worrow said, as the officers began to discuss it amongst themselves. ‘I’m sure we’d all like to collar a Crosby, but Sergeant Preston is right, we can’t afford to get blinkered. What about CCTV? I thought his home was pretty well covered.’
Ruby felt a flush of heat rise to her face. ‘It is, Ma’am. Unfortunately, the systems were being upgraded that day. She’s given me an invoice to evidence that the instalment was booked weeks ago.’ But even with proof of the upgrade, Ruby knew how weak the excuse sounded.
Ash coughed in the background, masking the word ‘tossers’ beneath his breath. Another burst of laughter ensued, hastily silenced by DCI Worrow’s glare. She turned her attention back to Ruby. ‘I’m happy to leave those enquiries in your hands, you appear to have built up a rapport with the family. Let’s make good use of it, and gather as much intel as you can.’
DCI Worrow was one of the few people who used her official title. She and DC ‘Luddy’ Ludgrove, although she was training him to call her by her first name. Another flare of heat bloomed in Ruby’s cheeks as all eyes turned on her. ‘Built up a rapport’? If only Worrow knew. ‘Thank you, Ma’am,’ she said while taking a seat, giving another member of the team an opportunity to speak. The intensity of DI Downes’s stare prickled her senses, and her eyes fell on her notes, unable to return his gaze.
Later that day as she analysed the intelligence system, she was shocked to see just how many incidents Lenny Crosby had been caught up in since his prison release. It seemed that he had been on the offensive; rubbing a lot of people up the wrong way while his brother Nathan worked hard to distance himself from the shady side of the family dealings. The list of ten people came with a short explanation as to why each of them would be most likely to deal such a vicious revenge.
The list went on. Ruby tutted as she re-read it – finding matching intelligence on more than half the names disclosed. The most frustrating thing was that the Crosby family business – the legitimate London Estate Agents – was doing so well that they no longer needed to be involved in drug supply. Drawn in by the power and respect, neither Lenny nor Nathan appeared able to let it go. For high-class customers, they offered a pure product for an upmarket price. But the clientele of A-listers was not the type to murder a young woman and hack out her lungs. Out of the list of ten people Frances had provided, none had entered Nathan’s house. Yes, he had visitors and conducted some business at home, but it would have been noticed had they carried in a gift box with a set of internal organs within.
And what about Lenny, or Frances? Ruby chewed the end of her pen. They were in Chigwell that night – an account backed up by Cathy, who had been staying over too. Staff had alerted her as soon as the police turned up; information that was quickly passed on to Nathan, to keep him at bay.
Ruby had also asked about Leona, Nathan’s ex-girlfriend, the daughter of a man that nobody dared cross. Frances had taken great pleasure in telling her that Leona was with Nathan on the night the organs were planted under his bed. But Ruby was quick to respond that she was already aware of this. Nathan’s weekly visits to Leona’s family home were a long tradition: playing poker with her father and his cronies to keep business flowing and relations on an even keel.
So where did that leave the investigation now? She scribbled down some notes in the pad on her desk. The only people who had keys to the property were Nathan and his staff. His family came and went freely, and certain areas inside the home were covered by CCTV, but not the bedrooms, for reasons of privacy. Windows were kept firmly closed, and the house was air-conditioned throughout. As she looked back on the notes she had made, she knew things did not look good. Ash was right; the timing seemed more than a coincidence. Was the plant organised to occur the same time the CCTV went down? But why on earth would Nathan’s staff implicate themselves in such a crime? Tweedy Steve and the rest of the staff were well looked after. They had no problems with money or credit issues, although Ruby would be checking, just in case.
She tapped the pen against her bottom lip. It didn’t make sense. Police would argue that the CCTV had been turned off by Nathan as he brought the box of horrors inside, a trophy piece from his kill. That seemed the most likely explanation of all. Except Ruby didn’t believe it. The only small blessing was that he was in his club the night Lisa Caldwell was killed. If Ruby could connect the murders, she could prove Nathan had no part to play. She desperately wanted to speak to him, but what if Downes had put someone on her tail? Sod it, she thought, throwing her pen onto the desk. As soon as she got home she would contact Nathan and arrange to meet, regardless of the risk.