CHAPTER 15

'Dr Price thinks she's been dead about fourteen to sixteen hours,' Horton told Uckfield. The two men stepped outside. An officer catalogued their departure from the house and Horton nodded at the photographer as he entered. 'That would make it between six and eight o'clock last night.' Whilst he'd been knocking on her door. And that girl has seen him.

'Did you know she was in Portsmouth?'

Horton didn't care for the way Uckfield was eying him. Quickly he ran through the answer in his head, lie or tell the truth? There was no choice. 'Yes.'

Uckfield drew him further away from flapping ears. 'Who else knows?'

'Haven't got a clue. Jarrett, I expect.' He saw Uckfield frown.

'You know what I mean.'

'I haven't told anyone.' It wasn't a lie.

'How did you find out she was living here?'

'Does it matter?' There was no way he was going to drag Cantelli into this.

'It does if you have anything to do with this,' Uckfield snapped.

Horton tensed. 'That's twice you've accused me of being involved with a murder, Steve. What is it? Don't you trust me anymore?' He saw that he had unsettled Uckfield. The prospects of that promotion interview were making the DCI edgy.

Horton remained silent forcing Uckfield to continue. 'You're too close to this one. I'll deal with it.'

Horton didn't like it but it was as he had expected. 'Then you'd better know what Jane Staveley told me.' And he relayed the information about the party in the tower organised by Alpha One. 'Lucy must have seen the killer. We've got to find out where Thurlow's boat went that night. Jarrett's boat is moored opposite Thurlow's. Jarrett told me he went out that Friday afternoon but came back before the fog rolled in. He could have seen Thurlow or at least heard the Free Spirit leave the marina.'

'You've questioned Jarrett?' Uckfield's surprise swiftly changed to anger.

Horton couldn't help that. 'He was on his boat when I went to check out where the Free Spirit was berthed.'

Should he tell the rest? How would Uckfield take it? It was time to find out. He couldn't hold back indefinitely and he certainly had enough for Uckfield to start an investigation.

He said, 'Jane also told me that someone high up was involved in framing me. It has to be either Reine or Superintendent Underwood. Neither of them stood by me.'

'Do you realise what you're saying?' Uckfield said incredulously.

'Yes. Corruption at a high level.'

Uckfield's expression darkened. 'But why?'

'Perhaps one of them likes a bit on the side or is being well paid to turn a blind eye.'

'No, I can't believe it.'

'Someone is trying to kill me. They tried to set my boat alight with me on it.'

'I think it was Jarrett or one of his cronies. I've been going through Culven's files. He was Jarrett's solicitor. I think Culven was money laundering for Jarrett's illegal pornography operation. We've got to investigate.'

Uckfield was looking very uncomfortable and Horton knew the reason why. Tomorrow was his promotion interview. Uckfield couldn't afford to rock the boat yet. Horton would have to let it lie until after then, but he wasn't sure if Jarrett would let him live that long.

'We've got to take it higher,' he insisted.

After a moment Uckfield said, 'Not before I've spoken to Reg. No, listen, let me have a quiet word in Reg's ear, sound him out. I'll take his advice.'

Horton wasn't altogether sure that talking to the Chief Constable was the right thing to do but on the other hand it made sense. He could authorise a full enquiry. 'When?'

That wasn't soon enough for Horton but he could tell by Uckfield's set expression that he wasn't going to budge on that. 'You'll have to let Melissa Thurlow go. Lucy's death puts her in the clear.'

Uckfield looked doubtful. 'Have you had any joy tracing this biographer?'

'Don't you think you might be barking up the wrong tree with that?'

'Then get back to the station and see if you can find the bastard.'

'I could talk to the marina manager at Horsea Marina and check out the names and addresses of berth holders on Thurlow's pontoon.'

'No. I'll apply for some extra officers and get a team to do that. You co-ordinate things back at the incident room. I'll hold a briefing at four o'clock.'

And that's it, thought Horton? Shoved aside again. He left, angry at Uckfield's attitude. A car dropped him back at the station where he found Cantelli at his desk. The sergeant's beaming face told him his family crisis was over.

'I take it Ellen has told you where she was and what was troubling her.'

'Yeah. Sorry about being late this morning but Ellen decided to leave home. I went looking for her. She didn't get very far only to Isabella's, thank the Lord.'

Horton sat down opposite Cantelli. His mind only on half of what Cantelli was saying, the other half running through the facts of the case.

'She did go to a party with Sophie and Jaz. Not the one in Hemmings Road.'

'That was worrying you?'

'Yes. Kate Somerfield told me the kids were barely sixteen. It got me thinking. Anyway this party Ellen went to wasn't there. She drank too much, some boy started pawing her and she didn't like it. Someone gave her ecstasy. I thought I was going to have a seizure right in the middle of Isabella's café when she told me that. She didn't take it but slipped it into her pocket and came home and all I could do was bawl at her.'

'Don't be so hard on yourself. What happened to the ecstasy?'

'She flushed it down the loo at home.'

'Best place for it.'

'Amen to that.' Cantelli said with feeling, then, 'Now tell me about Lucy. I've just heard the news.'

'She must have been dead when I was knocking on her door last night. I swear I had nothing to do with her death.'

'I know that,' Cantelli answered with conviction. 'But who did? We've drawn a blank so far finding anyone connected with Randall Simpson.'

Horton had been so sure he'd been on the right lines. Was every avenue of this blasted investigation going to end up like this – going nowhere?

'I don't suppose there's much left from Culven's car?'

'It's being examined but I wouldn't hold your breath.'

'And we still haven't traced that tender.' Cantelli shook his head.

'OK, bring me everything we've got on the two murders, both Culven and Thurlow. I'm going to go through every statement, and don't say the computer's already done that. I want to do it. You'd better check in with the incident room and help with Lucy's murder.'

Horton wondered how Uckfield was getting on. How soon would they know he had been at the scene? What had Phil and his SOCO team discovered? When was the post mortem being conducted? It was three o'clock when he called the mortuary.

'She was strangled,' Dr Clayton told him. 'With a tie, or something similar, a piece of material anyway. Time of death about seven o'clock last night. There is no evidence of sexual intercourse or that she put up a struggle.'

'Does it fit the pattern of the other killings?'

'Apart from the sexual element, yes.'

He called the office at Horsea Marina and then headed along to the incident room. It was buzzing with activity. Officers from other stations and divisions had been drafted in. He crossed to Cantelli.

'Taylor says the room has been wiped clean.'

So no DNA and no fingerprints. 'Where's the DCI?'

'If he asks where I am, you don't know.'

'Fine.' He'd miss the briefing but that couldn't be helped. He didn't fancy standing around listening to others without leading the investigation, or at least being involved himself. He'd get a bollocking from Uckfield but so be it.

Ten minutes later he was in the Horsea Marina office being shown into the lockmaster's control room. It was a different man from before. Whereas the previous lockmaster Horton had interviewed had been a barrel of a man, this one was his opposite, lean and anxious with a hooked nose and sharp watery eyes. He'd been working on the day shift on the Friday Thurlow had disappeared he claimed, which meant he must have seen Jarrett return.

'Sunray, yes. Came through just after four o'clock,' the lockmaster said.

'Was Mr Jarrett alone?'

'No, had a couple of fellows with him.'

The lockmaster shook his head. 'Never seen them before.'

'And did he go out again?'

The lockmaster looked at him as if he had a screw loose. 'No. It was very foggy that night. Anyone would be mad to go out in that. Though they do. Or at least the Free Spirit did. Mr Thurlow's boat.'

Horton's heart skipped a beat. This he hadn't bargained for. He could hardly believe his luck. 'You saw it? I thought the other man was on duty that night. This is the Friday before last we're talking about?'

'Yes. Derek had gone for a quick leak. I happened to pop in. I'd left my glasses behind.'

A break! He could barely contain his excitement. 'Did you see who was piloting her?' Please don't say no, he silently pleaded.

'It wasn't Mr Thurlow. I heard he's been killed, I suppose that's why you want to know.'

Eagerly and hopefully Horton said, 'Can you describe this man?'

'Tall fellow, lean, looks fit.'

Couldn't be Calthorpe then.

'I've seen him go out with Mr Jarrett a few times.'

What! He hadn't expected that. 'Do you know his name?'

'No. Mr Jarrett will though.'

Won't he just. This was better than he had dared to hope. But it put paid to his theory about the murders being linked to Melissa Thurlow. Uckfield was right when he said he'd been barking up the wrong tree with the Randall Simpson angle. This had nothing to do with framing Melissa Thurlow and everything to do with Jarrett's porn operation.

He hurried to Jarrett's pontoon but was disappointed to find his boat wasn't there. He tore back to the station, his mind racing. He found Cantelli at his desk.

'Uckfield's been screaming for you.'

'I'm on to something, Barney.' He told him what the lockmaster had said. 'In one of the statements a man reported seeing someone running along Ferry Road late on the Tuesday night of Culven's killing. I think it's the same man who took out Thurlow's boat. Tell Sergeant Trueman to check all the statements the night Thurlow was killed and alert the team working on questioning Lucy's neighbours.'

His phone rang and he was summoned to Uckfield's office.

Horton could see immediately by Uckfield's cold expression that he knew he'd been to Lucy's flat. He didn't even have time to tell him about the breakthrough on the murder case.

Uckfield, his voice terse, said, 'Why didn't you tell me you called on Lucy Richardson last night?' Horton had been expecting it but he had hoped he'd have a little more time before Uckfield found out. He remained silent. There wasn't much he could say.

'You should have told me,' Uckfield snapped.

'I went there and there was no answer.'

Uckfield looked as though he didn't believe him. Horton was sickened by what he saw in Uckfield's eyes. 'I know I can't prove it. I didn't think I would have to, not to you, Steve.'

'It's not me you have to convince. Superintendent Reine wants to see you.'

Horton's heart sank to the pit of his stomach. He could tell by Uckfield's expression and the tense silence between them as they walked down the corridor that this wasn't going to be good.

Reine looked up as they entered. He was sitting behind his desk in full uniform, his round shiny face solemn and perspiring in the stifling heat. Horton could see he'd get no help from Uckfield, not yet. Not until Uckfield had spoken to his father-in-law. For now Horton was on his own.

Reine ran a hand over his balding head, removed his reading glasses and eyed Horton coldly. He didn't invite him to sit.

'Last night you called on Lucy Richardson. Why?'

Jane Staveley's words reverberated through Horton's head. Someone high up. 'That's my business,' he said, stiffly.

'I don't think so, Inspector Horton,' Reine snapped. 'I think it is mine especially when someone known to you –- shall we even say close to you – has been brutally murdered.'

'You can't seriously believe I have anything to do with her death?' He was damned if he was going to say 'sir.'

'She has done a great deal to harm you, Inspector. Maybe you didn't know your own strength. Maybe you wanted revenge for what she'd done to you.'

Oh clever. Jarrett had primed him well. 'That's rubbish!'

Horton glared at him but said nothing. There was nothing he could say, not here to that man and not now.

'I am suspending you from duty until further notice.'

He should have guessed. It all fitted.

'I must also warn you that you will be formally cautioned and questioned in connection with Lucy's death,' Reine said frostily. 'We will need details of your movements both last night and this morning and these will need to be corroborated.'

He had to find a way out. He wasn't going to allow them to get him into an interview room, and then a cell, while they cooked up some cock and bull story and tried to fit him up for Lucy's murder.

'Your warrant card, Inspector.'

Horton reached inside his jacket pocket and placed the card on Reine's desk with a feeling he might never get it back. Reine crossed to the door where a decidedly uncomfortable looking Marsden was hovering outside.

'Escort Inspector Horton to the interview room and stay there with him until Internal Investigations arrive,' Reine instructed. Horton held Uckfield's stare for a few moments before turning.

'Am I permitted to return to my office to collect a couple of personal things?'

'The Super said not,' Marsden hesitated. 'What's going on, sir?'

But Cantelli appeared behind Marsden, saving Horton from answering. 'I'll see Inspector Horton to the interview room, Jake.'

'I'm taking over from now.'

After a moment's hesitation Marsden nodded and walked off.

Cantelli pushed open the door to the social club room and Horton followed him inside. The room was empty and it was clear that Cantelli had already checked that as he closed and locked the door behind them. They walked swiftly to the bar area.

'Reine thinks I killed her,' Horton said, as Cantelli lifted the counter flap and they made their way through to the small storeroom behind the bar.

'That's ridiculous.'

'I know, but I can't let Internal Investigations get hold of me, not yet anyway.' Horton looked at the fire exit.

'What are you going to do?'

'You don't need to know that, Barney. Look, I appreciate you helping me like this. You're already risking suspension when Reine finds out you've let me go.'

'Yeah, well I've been promising Charlotte I'd decorate the lounge for a long time now,' and he grinned. 'Come on.'

Horton could see Cantelli had made up his mind. He was rather glad to have him along. He pushed open the fire exit door and stepped on to the fire escape. He peered down. There was no one standing at the bottom of it. It came out into the car park. They reached Cantelli's car without being accosted.

'Where to?' Cantelli asked, stretching the seat belt around him.

Horton lifted a pile of Cantelli's children's drawings on to the back seat and said, 'Jarrett's boat.' Where else.