Daniels spent the next few hours trying to find out more about the Malik killing. Naylor had no news. So, instead of waiting for them to come to her, she rang the Birmingham SIO directly. But it was a fruitless exercise. DCI Nichols was about as much help as a chocolate fireguard. Or so it seemed initially . . .
‘It looks very like him.’ Nichols was referring to the cutting she’d sent. ‘I’ll get back to you on that as soon as.’
Daniels took a deep breath and counted to ten.
‘As soon as’ didn’t fill her with confidence.
‘Any witnesses come forward in the house-to-house?’ she asked.
‘Not one, despite our best efforts to allay their fears. I’m sorry, Kate. We’ve got bugger all.’ As he paused for breath, Daniels could hear the buzz and chatter of a busy incident room in the background. ‘Locals aren’t willing to get involved on account of the MO. Can’t say I blame them. They’re terrified. It’s hard to imagine what was going through that cruel bastard’s head when he used a child to pull the trigger.’
Daniels’ ears pricked up.
Maybe Nichols wasn’t such a divvi after all.
‘You have evidence to back that up?’ she asked.
‘Indisputable: the boy’s fingerprints were on the gun and there was gunshot residue on his hands. Can you believe that? It’s a first for me, I can tell you! And the last, if I have anything to do with it,’ he added.
Daniels had to admit this modus operandi was a first for her too. Nichols’ final comment was hopeful, but it lacked any real conviction. He was in no position to offer guarantees to her or the community he served. There was no magic wand either of them could wave in cases like these. All the more reason to work as a team. Thanking him, she asked him to keep her posted and rang off.
Carmichael wandered over, frustration showing on her face as she informed her boss that she’d struck out too. ‘Forensic tests on the weapon found near Jo’s office will be some time coming. There’s a backlog of cases of equal importance, so I’m told.’
‘Is there now? Well you get straight back on to them with another request. I want a comparison test between my gun and the one used to kill Jamil Malik – and I want it now!’ Carmichael nodded. She was already walking away when Daniels called after her: ‘Lisa, don’t bother. I’ll make that call myself.’
Picking up the office phone, Daniels made the call and then left the building asking Carmichael to hold the fort.
Fifteen minutes later, she entered Jo’s house to find SOCO crawling all over it. An officer dressed in a white forensic suit acknowledged her with a nod, stood up and handed over two clear evidence envelopes.
‘I found that in the waste bin in the kitchen,’ she said pointing to the first.
Daniels held it up in front of her face. It contained a torn-up photograph, which came as no surprise to her. Then she held up the second. ‘What’s this?’
‘Demand for unpaid university tuition fees, in which Alan Stephens is named.’
‘Where was it?’
‘In one of the bedrooms upstairs, stuffed under a mattress.’
Daniels’ jaw went rigid. She pulled out her phone and made a call. ‘This is DCI Daniels. I need to ask you a few more questions.’ She listened. ‘Obviously, or I wouldn’t be asking.’ She rolled her eyes at the SOCO. The person she’d called was trying her patience. ‘I’ll be straight there.’
There was an atmosphere in the room. Monica Stephens’ normally calm manner seemed to have deserted her all of a sudden. She appeared nervous, was fussing with cushions on a new sofa, trying her best to avoid eye contact with Daniels.
‘And you didn’t think it worth mentioning before now?’ the DCI asked.
Monica looked up. ‘Alan resented having to pay after the boy reached eighteen.’
‘I take it you didn’t agree with him?’
Monica sighed. ‘No, I didn’t. James had just begun his second year at university, but Alan wouldn’t listen. He said he’d left school at fifteen and it hadn’t done him any harm.’
Daniels was disgusted. ‘And James found out?’
‘Naturally . . .’ Monica clasped her hands together and put them in her lap. ‘He rang here, ranting and raving. My husband had already put Thomas through university and James resented being treated differently. Alan refused to see him, refused to reconsider. They had an awful row. I’m not sure what James said to him, but I’ve never seen Alan so angry.’
Monica got up, walked to the window, and looked out. With her back turned, Daniels couldn’t help noticing that the room had been transformed in the last few days. Maybe now that Alan Stephens was dead his mother would reap the benefits of his considerable wealth.
The DCI pressed on: ‘Is there anything else you omitted to tell me?’
Monica turned. ‘What star sign are you, Detective Chief Inspector?’
Daniels didn’t reply.
‘Alan was a Scorpio through and through.’
‘Meaning?’
‘If someone hurt him, he hit back twice as hard. He hid it well most of the time, but Alan had a cruel streak, make no mistake. He threatened to disinherit the boy.’
‘Only James?’
Monica nodded.
‘In whose favour?’
Monica met her gaze head-on. ‘Your guess is as good as mine. Who knows what a serial philanderer has up his sleeve?’
Daniels shook her head. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this before?’
‘I’m not in the habit of washing my dirty linen in public, are you?’
‘All the same . . .’
Monica looked guilty now.
‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I should’ve told you about Alan’s affairs.’ She paused for a moment collecting her thoughts. ‘James is such a sweet boy under all that bravado. I know he blamed me for his parents’ break-up, but deep down he knows I wasn’t responsible. I didn’t want to be the one to point the finger of suspicion at him. He didn’t . . . well, I’m sure he had nothing to do with his father’s death.’
‘I wish I could be so sure.’
Daniels spent another half-hour with Monica. Only when she was absolutely sure the woman had nothing else to give did she leave the house. Walking back to the car, she called Gormley on his mobile and told him what she’d just found out: ‘Stephens had a new will drawn up, cutting James out altogether.’
‘Had he signed it?’
‘Monica’s not sure . . . at least, that’s what she says.’
‘That gives James a reason to kill him. Her, too, considering his infidelity. Maybe she wanted out before Stephens chose to move on permanently.’
Gormley paused. Daniels could hear traffic noises in the background. It sounded like he was crossing a very busy road. Then he was back on the line.
‘Isn’t it time you let Bright in on Jo’s little secret?’
Daniels kept walking. ‘See you tomorrow, Hank.’