DON'T SCREAM an absolutely gripping killer thriller with a huge twist (Detective Jeff Rickman Book 3) by MARGARET MURPHY

Author:MARGARET MURPHY [MURPHY, MARGARET]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books crime thriller and mystery
Published: 2020-12-07T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 31

Hart met Rickman in his office an hour later.

‘Mrs Shepherd has asked for a brief,’ Hart said.

Rickman leaned against the wall, his long legs crossed at the ankles, his arms folded. He looked exhausted. ‘Did you get anything out of her?’

Hart shook her head. ‘The woman’s got nerves of steel.’ In an interview, Hart would use her good looks, lulling macho male suspects into underestimating her, coaxing the susceptible into her confidence. Mrs Shepherd had not been susceptible.

‘When I accused her of being a baby broker, she said, “This isn’t America, young woman.” That was it — I must have asked the question in twenty different ways. Not even a “No comment”.’

‘I listened to the tape while I was waiting for you,’ Rickman said. ‘If it’s any consolation, I think they’ve been coached.’

Hart exhaled in a rush. ‘If they’ve got lawyers and police on their client list, we’re sunk.’ She caught his glance of approval that she had made the connection. It was almost enough to make up for her fruitless questioning of Mrs Shepherd. Almost.

‘So,’ she said. ‘No joy from Ed, either.’

Rickman shifted positions. A finger went to the scar over his right eyebrow as he thought. ‘It’s debatable. He admitted that Mark telephoned him the day he died. He claims Mark offered him money.’

‘He offered them money? That could only mean—’

‘Mark took the cash that went missing from Operation Snowplough.’

She thought about it for a moment. ‘But no confession?’

Rickman titled his head. ‘A few suggestive responses, but certainly no confession. And he’s insisting that Hilary isn’t involved.’

Hart shot him an incredulous look.

‘I know.’ He fell silent. When he spoke again, it was as if in response to some internal debate. ‘We need access to the children’s home, but all we have right now is an informant’s uncorroborated word that these two deal in babies.’

‘Which won’t get us a warrant.’ Hart recalled Mark’s mobile phone records, the six calls to the Shepherds’ landline. ‘We can prove that he lied about speaking to Mark the night he was murdered.’

‘That’ll help,’ Rickman said. ‘And if I can persuade the magistrate to listen to the interview tapes, I might be able to swing it for us to get that search warrant.’

‘Can’t we get it on the basis of obstruction? Perverting the course of justice?’ Hart asked, her frustration evident. ‘Shepherd took those phone calls from Davis and did nothing.’

‘If I have to go with that, I will,’ Rickman said. ‘But it would limit the scope of the search.’ He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it tousled. ‘D’you think you could buy us some time? Delay Mrs Shepherd’s solicitor?’

‘Oh,’ Hart said with sly satisfaction, ‘I can do inefficient.’

‘I very much doubt that,’ Rickman said with a smile, and she again felt the motivating warmth of his approbation. ‘But if you can manage slow, that will be fine.’

* * *

Rickman took the recordings to the magistrates’ court himself. The rest of the team worked on existing leads, interviewing Black Wood’s ex-residents, following up calls to the hotline.

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