‘And what of the Gendarmerie?’
‘The same. I think they’re glad to have someone give them something to go on, a lead to chase. A naked body that could have come from anywhere… such a plan of Aubrey’s, so close to being brilliant. Insane, but inspired.’
‘I’m glad he stirs such admiration. And you are certain the body is Carman?’
‘The French detective I spoke to told me the body had cuts to his fingers, perhaps a crude attempt by the killer at hiding fingerprints. They think a couple of them could still be matched though. The facial injuries were from the attack that killed him, they’re thinking fists combined with one or two blows from a heavy object; but again this doesn’t help us. I’ve spoken to Chief Inspector Nash though, and he assures me the full range of his influence will be employed on this. He has Carman’s original arrest files remember; and he has fingerprint records heading to Calais by air courier. He even knows Carman’s dentist, and he’ll be sending those records too. I know DNA can take a while, but these others should give us proof by Monday.’
‘Well, we’d better be absolutely certain.’ Superintendent Rose had just about been leaned upon to extend their suspects’ stay, even the briefs agreeing to it as a gesture of good faith; but without these leads proving positive Isobel and Carman would be free as birds.
‘Nash and I are both personally convinced,’ offered Grey, though Rose would wait to be assured, over this and other questions,
‘So tell me, do we know what Carman was doing there yet? At the services, I mean. Had he followed Isobel?’
‘We might never prove it, but I think he was lured there — I don’t know how else he could have known where she was. I think Isobel is quite clever enough to leave some clue of her leaving: a name on a notepad, a time and place of meeting, just enough to drive Carman mad and have him chasing off after her.’
‘And when he found her, they lay in wait and pounced?’
‘Nothing more sophisticated it seems. Or that’s certainly how it ended up, whatever they had planned. And they couldn’t have hoped to catch Carman more off guard. I guess it ended up a bloody fight, two against one just beating the strongest.’
‘Causing Isobel’s injuries?’
‘Perhaps, but the French police also told us they found blood on one of the pieces of steel tubing the truck was carrying — they’re sending a sample. A lot of strange shapes in the dark, a person may have cut themselves dragging a body to the back of that trailer.’
Rose shook his head, visibly disgusted at this speculated behaviour.
‘And what time was all this?’
‘It couldn’t have been long after Thomas turned up — he must have really thrown a spoke in Aubrey’s plans. It was already dark by then, and I guess they would have wanted it over as early as possible, no point hanging around till the small hours.’
‘So Isobel left a note hinting at the hotel?’
Grey pondered, ‘I’m not so sure. Nothing happened at the hotel, and it seems a little public. We know the truck was parked at the far, southbound carpark.’
‘The side of the road Thomas was found at…’
‘…and where Carman was last seen staggering away from the footbridge. This would be well away from the town side with its hotel and restaurant, and also where someone would catch a lift to London, or plan to meet someone before heading off in that way. A note hinting at that would have brought Carman straight down to the services in the hope of catching her before he lost her forever.’
‘But Carman ran into Thomas by the car at the hotel side, not the far side.’
‘Perhaps Carman got there early and was scouring the site? Perhaps he guessed — and wasn’t far off really — that anyone Isobel was meeting at the services might have been at the hotel, or eating at the restaurant.’
‘And during all this Thomas had to go and call Aubrey… Do you believe that bit?’ asked Rose suddenly. ‘That he wasn’t involved?’
‘Do you mean had they roped him in? Another person jumping out would have helped in finishing of Carman; but I can’t see anything in Thomas capable of that.’
‘No, I’d have to agree. And I’ll be glad of that later.’
‘And if it helps, sir, I don’t think Thomas’ death was completely pointless. If we hadn’t been looking for Thomas, then we wouldn’t have found Isobel or Carman or have had any reason to have searched for lorries involved in crimes. Just think of it, a criminal gone missing in Nottingham and a body found in France — and no one looking to link the two. It would have been just one random phonecall that the Nottingham drug squad asked us to trace for them, made by an anonymous Mr Smith from some random travel hostel.’
Rose still had his doubts though,
‘So how did they know the truck would be there?’
‘They didn’t, or not that truck precisely. But I think a person could reasonably hope that sometime during the night something would pull up there that was travelling a long way away.’
‘And are we absolutely sure it was premeditated, that Isobel couldn’t have left a clue unwittingly, and expected never to see Carman ever again?’
‘Isobel gave herself away in Cori’s interview sir, when she spoke about Carman’s temper if he ever tracked her down. He’d only think in terms of power, of other men having her, and he would move Heaven and Earth to get her back — in fact she relied upon it when laying the bait. Trapped though she was with Carman, she knew she would never be free as long as he was out there; and she would have seen his criminal influence growing, maybe even stretching overseas. No, she knew she needed him dead; and that is what she and Aubrey agreed upon.’
‘Lord, the way some people live.’
‘Just think sir, she might have been abroad by now; or perhaps would have turned up in town miraculously, her last three years left a mystery, and staying just long enough to get her papers in order.’
‘All this trouble caused, when if she’d only held on…’
‘…Nash would have taken care of Carman for her.’
‘I’ve heard enough for one day. So what’s next?’
‘As soon as we have our proof we’ll inform the pair’s solicitors, and then hope one or the other makes a statement.’
‘Do you think they’ll confess?’
‘I think he will, if it is her blood on the lorry.’
Each of them were suited this weekend morning, Rose and Grey both knowing what awaited them, the latter only hoping his recent lack of sleep did not show. Downstairs Rose’s driver waited patiently to take them to the Longs, the Superintendent finally rising,
‘Come on then Inspector, it’s time to go.’
Chapter 39 — Postscript
The next day Anthony Aubrey offered a statement, to the effect that he alone was responsible for the death Stephen Carman, and Isobel little more than a bystander. Some details were sketchy, and Grey was left unconvinced, but with little proof to pin more on Isobel than her helping Aubrey move the body, they had to be content with having their man.
Aubrey did claim though that Carman had arrived unexpectedly, had tried to take his girlfriend back, and that his death had occurred as the two men had fought over her. With evidence from the hospital of Isobel’s injuries from abuse, a good defence team would argue Aubrey only wished to save his battered daughter, to get her far away from a man who, as it would surely be noted, had already caused another’s death that night. Grey guessed at five years.
The statement contained a further detaiclass="underline" that under a pretext Anthony had visited the plant early the next morning hoping to see Thomas there, he still worried after his friend hadn’t turned up for their meeting the previous evening. Here he overheard a secretary on the phone and almost crying, as she spoke with Mrs Long about her son not coming home. It was the fear of something else having happened that night that had put all travel plans on hold, Isobel driven back to Nottingham that morning before she was missed… and of course knowing her boyfriend wouldn’t be there.