Forty-Two
Miller had not expected to encounter Barry Cheshire’s small, brown and wobbly dog again quite so soon. He certainly hadn’t expected to walk through his front door and see her sitting on the sofa, perched on Finn’s lap as if she owned the place and yapping at him like he was an intruder.
‘Hey, Miller,’ Finn said.
‘Hey … er …’ Miller did not get the chance to complete their customary greeting as the appearance of Barry Cheshire from his kitchen, kettle in hand, left him momentarily speechless.
‘I was just making tea,’ Cheshire said.
‘I’m sorry … what?’
‘He’s making tea,’ Finn said. ‘Do you want some?’
Miller was still staring at Cheshire, gobsmacked. Finally, he said, ‘Three guesses where I’ve just come back from.’
Cheshire nodded, obviously not needing to guess. ‘Was there anyone there?’
‘Place was empty,’ Miller said.
‘Ah, that’s a shame.’
‘And I don’t suppose you’ve any idea where they’ve gone?’
‘Not a clue,’ Cheshire said. ‘Sorry.’
Miller sighed heavily, then took his jacket off and hung it up. ‘So, first things first, Barry … yeah, tea would be great, ta. Second of all, you know I’ll probably have to arrest you again, don’t you?’
‘I would have thought so,’ Cheshire said.
‘I think you need to hear him out,’ Finn said. ‘That’s why he’s here.’
‘Oh, I’ll certainly be doing that.’ He turned back to Cheshire. ‘OK, just so I’m clear … are you going to tell me you had no idea what was happening in your cellar?’
‘No, I won’t be telling you that.’
‘Because you did.’
‘Correct. Eventually I did, certainly.’
‘That’s unfortunate,’ Miller said. ‘Are you by any chance able to claim that you didn’t know the person responsible for abducting Justin Cutler?’
‘I know exactly who he is.’
‘Right. Well in that case I’ll definitely have to arrest you.’
The dog yapped again, clearly not happy with the way things were going. Cheshire shushed her, then looked across at Miller. ‘Listen, if you’re OK just to hang on a few minutes until I’ve got this tea made, we can sit down and I’ll tell you everything. Then you can crack on and arrest me.’
‘That sounds reasonable.’
‘Much appreciated,’ Cheshire said.
Miller wandered across to the armchair, stopping on the way to tickle Ruby’s ear and to give Finn’s arm a squeeze. He watched Cheshire step back into the kitchen and shouted after him, ‘Just a splash of milk for me, ta …’
*
‘His name’s Battersby … Lance Corporal Neil Battersby, as was. We served together. As a corporal, I ran the section and he was my number two.’
Cheshire was sitting on the sofa next to Finn, the dog now fast asleep and curled into the crook of her arm. Miller sat opposite in the armchair. All concerned had very much enjoyed their tea.
‘So, you and him stayed in touch after you came home?’
‘It took me a while to … readjust,’ Cheshire said. ‘So I didn’t really stay in touch with anyone. Not regularly. Just a phone call now and again, maybe an occasional pint or something. Battersby was always a bit of a wild card, which was why it was stupid of me.’
‘What was stupid of you?’ Miller asked.
‘To tell him what had happened – what you told me had happened. About the Cutlers coming after me. Even so, him turning up like that was the last thing I expected.’
‘Turning up with Justin Cutler?’
‘Right … he just knocked on the door one night, him and this lad with a bag over his head. Told me not to worry and marched him down to the cellar.’
‘Oh, well that sounds perfectly normal.’
‘No, course not, but—’
‘So you just let him, did you? You watched him take a lad with a bag over his head down to your cellar, where I can only assume you were still living.’
‘It wasn’t like I had a lot of choice,’ Cheshire said.
‘Battersby’s got a lot of … issues, you know?
Not to mention a fair few guns and knives and what have you.
’ Cheshire had an arm stretched out to rub Ruby’s belly while he picked at the fabric of the sofa with his other hand.
‘It was just a question of putting the wind up them, that’s what he said.
Getting our own back for what they’d done to me. ’
‘Er … what they hadn’t done, if we’re being strictly accurate. They got the wrong bloke, remember?’
‘Course I remember, but it wasn’t relevant anyway, because that kind of stuff doesn’t bother the likes of Neil Battersby. He’s never been much of a stickler for the details.’
‘OK, just so I’m sure I’ve got this straight … your old army pal is miffed because a major drug dealer’s tried to have you killed?’
‘He said it was an outrage.’
‘Yes, well, Mr Battersby was obviously feeling very strongly about it,’ Miller said. ‘Which is why he proceeds to kidnap the son of said drug dealer and stash him in your lovely cellar, while he figures out the best way to make them pay.’
Cheshire stared at the carpet and shook his head. ‘When you put it all like that, the facts of it, I can see that it’s a bit … off.’
‘A bit off?’
‘Go easy, Miller,’ Finn said. ‘You heard what he said about this Battersby bloke. Barry must have been terrified.’
Cheshire raised his head. ‘That’s the funny thing, because I wasn’t. I was actually thinking very clearly. I knew I had to stick around to keep Battersby in check – make sure the lad was safe.’
‘I’m sure he was very grateful,’ Miller said. ‘So, Battersby decides he wants to make Jacqui Cutler pay for this … outrage, by demanding that she hands over all her drugs.’
‘Oh no,’ Cheshire said. ‘That was Justin’s idea.’
‘What?’ Miller sat forward fast enough to startle the dog, who yelped, and began to shudder. ‘Justin’s idea? So the kid was in on the whole thing?’
Finn immediately began to stroke her, and she quickly settled again.
‘No, it’s not like that. Hang on …’ Cheshire dug into his pocket for a phone. He pressed and swiped then held up the handset so that Miller and Finn could see. It was footage of the ransom demand, or rather an early take, which Barry Cheshire had been secretly filming.
Justin Cutler reading what Neil Battersby had written down for him.
‘So, Mum … here’s the thing. If you want to see me again in one piece, as opposed to several much smaller pieces, you need to … hang on. I’m not saying that.’
‘Excuse me?’ Battersby’s voice, out of shot. Hoarse, like someone who shouts a lot.
‘I’m not saying that. What you’ve written on there.’
‘Oh, you’re not?’ Now, Neil Battersby marches into the picture. He’s still wearing his balaclava and he looks good and ready to give Justin Cutler a pasting.
‘You can do what you like,’ Cutler says. ‘I really don’t give a monkey’s. I simply refuse to say that, because it’s so sodding predictable. Money, I mean.’
‘Yeah, well that’s how it usually works,’ Battersby says. ‘She can definitely afford it, an’ all.’
‘Which is why it’s the wrong thing to ask for. It needs to hurt, so don’t bother with money. I’ve got a much better idea …’
Cheshire put his phone away. ‘I’m telling you, the lad didn’t orchestrate this, nothing like that. He was properly kidnapped and Battersby gave him a right good hiding. You’ve seen his face.’
Finn looked at Miller. ‘To be fair, I don’t think he did that to himself.’
‘He genuinely thought getting his mum to hand over her drugs made more sense than asking for money, that’s all. That getting all that weed and heroin and the rest of it out of circulation would be doing something good for the area.’ Cheshire turned to Miller. ‘I mean, it will be, right?’
Miller certainly wasn’t about to argue, but a glance at Finn told him that, for obvious reasons, she wasn’t quite as convinced that taking a huge amount of narcotics off the street was the best idea she’d ever heard.
‘Which is why I backed the lad up,’ Cheshire said. ‘I told Battersby that Justin’s idea about the ransom being paid in drugs was now officially the plan. I pulled rank like we were still in the army and told him it was an order.’
‘And that worked, did it?’
‘It seemed to, yeah … but that doesn’t mean Justin isn’t being held against his will or that Battersby wouldn’t hurt him if he had to.
I knew there would be nothing I could do to prevent that happening if he set his mind to it – that he wouldn’t listen if I reminded him I was once his corporal and ordered him to stop.
He never knew when enough was enough, even when he was in uniform.
That’s why I had to get out of there when he started talking about upping the ante. ’
‘I don’t like the sound of that,’ Finn said.
‘Neither did I. He kept banging on about cutting off the lad’s ear and sending it to his mother.’
Miller threw up his hands in despair. ‘Seriously, what is it with all the amputation? Did I miss a memo?’
‘I don’t think he meant it,’ Cheshire said. ‘Not the ear thing, anyway, but I know he’s capable of hurting the lad. Justin’s still in a lot of danger.’
‘Why do you think he’s taken him somewhere else?’ Miller asked.
‘Because I’d left. I told him I was taking Ruby for a walk and legged it.’
The dog lifted her head at the sound of her name and Miller watched Finn fussing over her. He could not recall seeing her so happy.
‘If he thought there was even a chance I’d go to the authorities, it would make sense for him to change location.
’ He stopped when he became aware that Ruby was growing restless and pawing at the sofa which was, he announced, a signal that she needed to do her business.
He snatched her up and carried her to the door.
While Cheshire was outside with his dog, Miller and Finn talked about plans for food, settling fairly quickly on takeaway pizza. They were debating whether or not to order something for their guest when Cheshire came back in. The dog immediately scampered back to Finn.
‘I’d best get out of your way,’ Cheshire said.
‘I don’t think that’s a very good idea,’ Miller said.
‘Oh, right, the whole arresting thing. Well, I’m ready when you are.’
‘I still haven’t quite decided what to do about that,’ Miller said. ‘But I do know that half the coppers in Lancashire are out looking for you.’
‘Can’t he just stay here?’ Finn asked.
‘Now, hang on—’
‘He can have the spare room.’
‘Oh, can he?’
‘I don’t want to cause any trouble,’ Cheshire said.
‘I think that ship has sailed,’ Miller said.
‘I’m very happy down here on the sofa.’ Finn started plumping the cushions like she was already bedding down for the night.
‘As long as I can have Ruby. She’s fine with the rats, Miller, I swear.
So, yeah, there was a bit of growling when she first clocked them, and a small territorial wee, but she was fine after that. ’ She looked at Cheshire. ‘Can I?’
‘It’s very much up to Ruby,’ Cheshire said. ‘But I think there’s every chance, because she’s certainly taken a shine to you.’
Miller dug the pizza delivery menu out of a drawer and handed it to Cheshire. ‘Well, I’m obviously delighted that we’ve got the sleeping arrangements sorted, but the rather trickier issue is what I tell my boss.’
‘I can see that’s going to be difficult,’ Cheshire said.
‘It’s certainly not going to be a walk in the park, but I’m a highly respected and hugely well-regarded detective, so I’ve got a fair amount of clout.
’ He ignored Finn’s snort of derision. ‘Even so, if I tell them where you are, chances are there’ll be armed officers storming in here ten minutes later and I do not want their muddy boots tramping all over my carpets. ’
‘So, what are you going to tell them?’ Finn asked.
‘I’ll think of something,’ Miller said.
Cheshire opened his mouth, like he had a suggestion, but closed it when his phone began to ring. He looked at the screen and said, ‘It’s Battersby.’
‘Put it on speaker,’ Miller said.
Cheshire laid the phone on the low table between them. He took a deep breath and answered. ‘Neil … ?’
There were a few seconds of silence, then a sniff. ‘So … what happened to you then, Cheesy?’
‘I just needed to get out, mate. You were getting a bit worked up.’
Battersby laughed. ‘Yeah, but where did you go?’
‘Well, I just wandered around,’ Cheshire said.
‘Then eventually I tried to go back to the house, but there was coppers everywhere, and before you say anything, it wasn’t me who told them you were there.
I’ve got no idea how they worked that out.
’ He was aware of Miller waving to get his attention, and when he looked across Miller mimed playing the violin.
Cheshire shook his head, confused. ‘So now I’m just mooching about. More to the point, where are you?’
‘I’m not far away,’ Battersby said. ‘That’s all you need to know.’
‘How’s Justin?’ Cheshire asked. ‘Is he OK?’
‘He’s fine and dandy, mate.’
‘Can I speak to him?’
‘Proof of life, that what you’re after?’
‘Come on, Neil, I just want to make sure—’
‘You’re going to have to trust me,’ Battersby said.
‘You do trust me, yeah?’ He didn’t bother waiting for an answer.
‘Because I trust you … at least I did, before you ran out on me. Which is why I wanted to call, basically. Just to tell you the same as what I told Justin’s mother – that it would be a really bad idea to go to the police. Like, a really bad idea.’
‘Why would I go to the police?’ Cheshire said. ‘I’m … implicated.’
‘Right, fair enough. But just so you know, if you do I’ll kill him.’
Battersby hung up.
Cheshire and Miller stared at each other.
Finn stared at both of them. ‘That’s … not good,’ she said.