By using a suitable graphics package on the computer Horton knew they could get the photograph altered to show her younger, but perhaps they didn’t need to go to that much trouble for an identification to be made. Kirby had said she’d been wearing a strapless summer dress.
‘Is there anything else you remember about her, any distinctive marks?’ He held his breath waiting for the answer.
Kirby looked surprised then nodded. ‘Yes, a birthmark or a tattoo; I couldn’t see which exactly, just above her breast, the right one I think. I thought it was a tattoo because it was in the shape of a butterfly and very attractive, drawing your eye to her tits, and they looked like nice tits.’
Not so nice now, Horton thought, recalling with a suppressed shudder the mutilated body on the cold mortuary slab. The birthmark clinched it. Then he recalled what else Kirby had said. Leaning forward he said excitedly, ‘You mentioned the timing being odd and not looking Woodley’s type being one reason why you remember seeing the photograph, what’s the other reason?’ He had already guessed what was coming but he’d let Geoff Kirby tell him.
‘We were searching Woodley’s cell immediately after the attack on Stapleton, and that’s when we came across the photograph.’
‘And you’d never seen it before?’
‘No. And neither had the officer who searched Woodley’s cell with me, Rob Bridewell, but another officer might have come across it at some stage though Woodley never mentioned a woman and no woman came to visit him, certainly not her.’ He stabbed a finger at the photograph. ‘We would have remembered a good-looking woman like that.’
‘What did you do with the photograph?’
‘Put it back where we found it. It had nothing to do with the attack on Stapleton. We were looking to see if Woodley had been paid for his services but we didn’t find anything that works as currency in here stashed away.’
‘Was it in Woodley’s possessions when he was released?’
Kirby was already tapping into his computer. After a moment he said, ‘No.’
‘Was he searched?’
‘Of course but not with the aid of a rubber glove if that’s what you’re thinking.’
Horton smiled briefly before adding, ‘How about Reggie Thomas?’
Again Kirby consulted his computer. ‘No photographs. I’ll check Stapleton’s file.’
‘And Riley’s.’
While he waited Horton tried to work out the significance of the photograph and the timing of its discovery. Several ideas sprang to mind but he didn’t have the luxury of time to pursue them to any conclusion. He would once outside.
Kirby said, ‘No photographs on either Stapleton or Riley. And I never saw this photograph in their possession.’ But again Kirby confirmed they hadn’t been strip-searched. ‘I don’t remember Woodley, Thomas, Stapleton or Riley talking about any woman but I’ll question the staff. I’ll also make enquires about the photograph.’
Horton reached for his card. ‘Call me if you discover anything about her or the photograph, no matter how insignificant. I’ll leave these pictures with you.’ He could get others.
He thanked Kirby for his cooperation and found Eames waiting for him in reception. They headed for the exit. She confirmed that Woodley had never uttered a word about any woman, except the ones he found in porno magazines and saw on the telly. Horton relayed what he’d discovered from Kirby.
‘So the photograph was planted while Woodley carried out the attack on Marty Stapleton,’ she said after they had checked out and were heading to the car.
Horton’s thoughts exactly. ‘The attack was used as a diversion because whoever planted it couldn’t be seen doing so, he’d be traced back to the main man.’
‘Victor Riley?’
‘Or Stapleton. Reggie Thomas could have planted it. He was on that wing then.’ And Uckfield would like that.
Eames zapped open the car. Climbing in and letting down the window, she said, ‘Perhaps Salacia grassed up Victor Riley and he wanted Woodley to get revenge when he got outside.’
‘If he did then someone else has carried out his instructions.’
‘It could be someone who was released just before or after Woodley who was connected with Riley’s gang inside the prison.’
Horton was annoyed he’d missed that. He should have asked Kirby for a list of names. He’d call him and request one to be sent over to Trueman. ‘Do Europol have anything on Victor Riley?’
‘I didn’t come across his name when I was cross-referencing and analysing the robberies. I’ll check.’ She reached for her phone.
Horton forestalled her. ‘On the ferry.’ He stretched the seat belt around him. He’d ask Trueman to pull Riley’s record and Uckfield could ask the Intelligence Directorate if they had anything on him.
Eames pulled away. ‘But that doesn’t explain why Woodley was attacked and left for dead before he had the opportunity to kill Salacia.’
‘It does if once outside Woodley decided he wasn’t going to play ball. Stapleton or Riley, whichever of them has ordered Salacia’s death, gets to hear that Woodley’s chickened out and orders someone to take him out and then kill Salacia.’ Eames frowned in thought. Before she could speak though Horton quickly added, ‘I know, why bother with Woodley at all when this other killer could have carried out instructions.’
While waiting to board the ferry, Horton rang Uckfield to be told by Trueman that the Super was with Dean.
‘DCI Bliss has got nothing out of Reggie Thomas. She’s letting him stew while she has a go at Maureen Sholby to see if she can break her alibi for the time of the attack on Woodley.’
And probably trying to see what she could get Maureen to tell her about her husband’s other criminal activity, which could relate to that new car of theirs.
Trueman said, ‘We’ve got Wayne Sholby in another interview room shouting his mouth off about unfair arrest and demanding a lawyer. We’ve told him he is not under arrest only helping us with our enquiries into the death of his close friend in light of new evidence, and that he’s free to go at any time, but he won’t leave while Maureen’s here.’
‘No, he’s too scared she’s going to open her big mouth and drop him right in it. And Darren Hobbs?’
‘Can’t be found at the moment.’
‘Convenient. Anything turn up from the interviews of Amelia Willard’s mourners?’ He hoped that at least one of them might have seen Salacia exchange a word or glance with someone.
‘No. And we’ve run them through the computer, they’re all clean, not so much as a driving conviction amongst them. And the six sailing-club members who were in the club the night Salacia was killed don’t remember seeing her or a car.’
Horton relayed what had happened at the prison and asked Trueman to pull everything they had on Victor Riley and to tell Uckfield that he’d need to check with the Intelligence Directorate.
On the ferry, Eames went up on deck to call her boss at Europol. Horton took the opportunity to call his solicitor but his fingers froze over the phone as Sawyer’s warning flashed through his mind: We don’t believe you’re in imminent danger because Zeus needs to know who you are and how much you know first. Would Zeus use Emma to find out how much he knew? His blood turned to ice and he shuddered despite the heat. With sick bastards like Zeus was reputed to be, threatening to hurt someone you loved was a way of getting you to cooperate. And perhaps Zeus would want a tame copper in his pay. Rigid with fear for Emma and furious with Sawyer for letting his words influence him Horton made to ram the phone back in his pocket when it rang.
‘What?’ he bellowed at it.
‘You all right, Andy?’ came Trueman’s surprised voice.
‘Yeah, fine, what is it?’ Horton grunted, trying to control his fear and anger.
‘Can you get over to Tipner Quay. Marsden says the divers have found something and I’d like you to check it out before we tell the Super.’