“I’m sure some do,” Ray’s reply didn’t do much to fill him with confidence, although the matter-of-fact way he said it suggested that, at the very least, Ray would be able to deal with the repercussions.
They stopped first at Derek’s office. More through a sense of obligation than the thought that they might get anything useful from him. They found the door locked, with no sign of life inside the room. No lights on inside. No smoke coming from the chimney. Clearly, Derek had at least one day a week off. As that spectre lifted, so did Joseph’s mood. Everyone else they came across seemed to be avoiding them, but their iciness was far more palatable than the anger of Derek Nadderley.
They found Robert Smith first, working in the garage where Harry had been on the day of the fire, painting the lettering on the wooden side panels of the van.
“Don’t know why I’m bothering,” he grumbled. “Sounds like someone else’s name could be written all over this thing soon.”
They explained their concerns about the links between Harry and Tommy Jay. Robert looked thoughtfully on as he listened.
“You know what,” he said when they had finished. “I can’t say I really gave it all that much thought. I mean Harry, he’s a good kid and all. Loves his family and I know he does a lot for them.”
“Like what?” Joseph asked, scribbling in the notepad as he went.
“Well, I don’t know the full story, so you’ll have to forgive the gaps. I know his old man isn’t around. Didn’t make it back from the war,” he confirmed. “Harry’s young and all, so he doesn’t get a lot and he has to make it stretch. What he does get, it all goes on them. That’s why he does so much extra around the place, keeps himself in the good books with the bosses. Derek and everyone. If there’s extra work going around, he’s the one sticking his hand up. Got to admire that, to be honest.”
“Doesn’t sound like a recipe for someone to be turning a blind eye or being in the pocket of local criminals.” Ray stared intently at Robert, not keeping the incredulity from his voice.
“It doesn’t, does it?” If Robert was lying, he wasn’t slipping up yet. More to the point, Joseph couldn’t work out why he would.
They asked a couple more questions that added nothing to what they already knew. They were about to walk out of the garage when Ray stopped and turned back.
“Quick one,” he hailed across to Robert who dipped his brush into the pot of paint again. “What about Gerald? You thought he might have been involved with Tommy Jay. Was it money that would have motivated him?”
Robert paused as he mulled over the question, trying to get his story straight in his head. “I never said that, now, did I? I said I could see why he would. In fact, if I recall, I said I could see why many folks would. Money makes the world go around.”
“Did Gerald need money in the same way Harry needs it?”
Robert thought for a moment. “He never seemed like he did. Up to you though to work out why that is.”
They left Robert and went in search of someone else to talk to. Of the people in and around the garage area, no one could add much new to the story. They headed to the riverside and found Garry Wise operating a crane.
“Harry’s as desperate as they come,” he laughed as he continued to work. “Oh boy will he do whatever people want. A right little yes-man, that one. Always got his head up Derek’s arse for a start. His nose should be browner than half the lads they shipped in here. Yeah, he would definitely have taken money from Tommy Jay.”
“But do you know if he did?” Joseph asked exasperatedly. The dockers seemed far more inclined to gossip than the housewives they’d left at home every day.
Garry sighed, shaking his head. “Do I know if he took money off Tommy Jay? No. Of course I don’t. No one would, would they? Or they’d be getting a kicking and so would young Harry.”
“He did get a kicking. He’s lying in a hospital bed looking like he’s gone a couple of rounds with Henry Cooper.”
“Well, there you are then. If you find someone with matching black eyes, you know who Harry told.”
“Hey,” Ray snapped, taking objection to Garry’s glib tone. “We’re trying to find a murderer. If you keep on making out this is all a joke, I’ll tell you now, I’ll have you down the station under caution.”
“On what grounds? Not giving a monkey’s about some monkey?”
Joseph held his breath as he saw Ray’s hands tighten. For a moment he it looked as if Ray would strike Garry. Instead, he reached into his coat and pulled out his warrant card.
“Listen, you fizzer. If you think you impress me, you don’t. You need to remember who it is you’re talking to and it’s not just me and him, it’s everything this badge represents.” He thrust it into Garry’s face.
“Listen, I’m just answering your questions.” Not for the first time, the colour drained from Garry’s face as he sensed he’d gone too far.
“No, you’re having a laugh at our expense and at the expense of a man who isn’t here anymore. And that just won’t do.”
“Honestly, I couldn’t say if Gerald or Harry were taking money off Tommy Jay. They never talked to me about it. Why would they? I didn’t have time for Gerald, nor he for me and Harry wouldn’t have been brave enough or stupid enough to say nothing.”
Ray stared back at Garry for a moment, letting the silence hang between them.
“If I find out that you’ve lied to me about anything, I will make things very, very uncomfortable for you.” Ray pulled away from Garry now, his voice lowering.
*
“What do you make of him?” Ray asked as they walked away.
Joseph had been asking himself the same throughout the exchange. “I don’t trust him.”
“Me neither,” Ray agreed. “We should dig up all we can on him when we get back to the station. Something about him doesn’t add up.”
“Do you think he could have done it?”
“I don’t know. I don’t know he didn’t, and that’s enough for me.”
“Oi!” The shout came from ahead. Joseph didn’t have to look up. The voice of Derek Nadderley was unmistakable. “I can’t believe you lot are back here again. Haven’t you taken up enough of my lads’ time?”
“Mr Nadderley, let me remind you, we’re in the middle of a murder investigation. We’ll come and go as we please.” Ray turned to face the oncoming Derek. He sounded more than a little bit irritated. It couldn’t have been the response Derek expected. As he slowed his march toward them his voice lost its anger.
“Yeah, well, all the same, I reckon you could do half of what you need to outside of our premises.”
“Your workers live all over London. It would take the two of us a month of Mondays to get through talking to them all if we were doing home visits.” Ray reciprocated Derek’s calming by softening his tone.
