Black Mountain (The Jack Edwards' detective series) by r f rogers

Author:r f rogers [rogers, r f]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-03-02T00:00:00+00:00

41

The interview at Cardiff Bay police station started at 9:37pm. Ieuan and Laura faced Alex Colte across the bland vinyl surface of an empty table, while DS Howard Jones and Sergeant Barry Crocker watched proceedings over the feed in the observation suite. The Sergeant was doing his level best not to show amusement at the colourful bruising blossoming on the side of the DS’s face, but wasn’t helped with it being the first thing in his line of sight every time he turned towards him.

Colte’s rugged outdoor clothing had been replaced by the station’s standard issue of light blue cotton shirt and trousers. His thinning grey hair was tied back in a ponytail. He looked out warily under wiry bristling eyebrows and his stocky form was hunched up defensively, ready for a long siege. He refused to confirm his identity and ignored the printed sheet declaring his rights.

“How did you get your injuries?” said Ieuan, indicating the grazes and bruises liberally decorating Colte’s face.

Rather than answer, Colte let his gaze fall on Ieuan’s own colourful cheek, a smile flitting across his taut lips.

Ieuan pressed on. “There was a bit of a scuffle, I hear. You were trying to escape. Why? What were you afraid of?”

No response.

“Your illegal camping?”

No response.

Ieuan shifted impatiently. “Okay, let’s skip the preamble. How about this for your charge-sheet? Assaulting a police officer, causing actual bodily harm, resisting arrest and illegal camping. Still not interested? No? Then let’s go back two more years. And now we can add murder. Followed by absconding from parole. That’s two years on the run. You have been busy, haven’t you?”

Colte’s cold grey eyes stared impassively.

“But this is where it gets really interesting,” Ieuan continued. “After all this time, you just happen to turn up at the same homeless centre as Jeffrey Holland when he gets murdered. So, is that a coincidence? Are you really sure you don’t want to say anything? The problem is, your silence is looking a lot like trying not to incriminate yourself.” Ieuan leant back, mulling over the possibilities. “How about this? Did Jeffrey find out what we now know and need shutting up? Did you get scared enough to kill him, because if you didn’t, you knew you were going to get sent back down for a very long time? Were you tying up one more loose end in your sorry saga? Was that it?”

Nothing.

Ieuan blew out his cheeks, shaking his head. “You need to understand, you’re going back down whatever happens. There’s no escaping this time. So, if you don’t want this latest murder pinned on you, you need to start talking. Now. If you cooperate, then we could help with your parole violation. Present a more positive case. Drop some of those other charges that have been stacking up. Tell the judge you’ve realised the error of your ways and helped the investigation voluntarily. And let’s face it, as it stands at the moment, you need every bit of help you can get.”

In the observation suite, Barry was trying unsuccessfully to hold back his mirth.

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