When the Evil Waits by M Lee (top fiction books of all time txt) 📕

complaint and the Scottish Procurator Fiscal decided not to press ahead with the court case.’

‘Wasn’t that before the family moved to Manchester?’

‘It was. Hang on, there’s more. Two incidents of police being called to the Carsleys’ on account of domestics. Neighbours filed a complaint about noise. When the police got there they both accused each other of assault. Nobody was arrested but Michael Carsley was cautioned.’

‘So let me get this straight, both complained about each other?’

‘That seems to be it. He was issued with a formal warning over his behaviour the second time.’

‘Sounds like there was a pretty toxic atmosphere in that household,’ said Emily.

‘What a place for kids to grow up.’

Ridpath remembered Mrs Challinor’s words about not judging a situation until he knew everything. ‘We need to find out more, Chrissy. See if you can talk to any of the coppers involved in the call-out.’

‘They probably won’t remember, Ridpath.’

‘Have a go anyway.’

Chrissie made a note on her to-do list.

‘As I said, I met Mrs Carsley last night.’

‘How is she?’

‘Fragile. Scared. Guilt-ridden. Blaming herself for what happened to her son. An emotion not helped by her interview with Turnbull.’

‘I know the feeling,’ said Emily. ‘Is she at risk?’

‘I don’t know, but she needs help.’

‘When I was the FLO, I met the social worker looking after the family. I’ll give her a head’s up.’

‘Good,’ Ridpath let out a long sigh, ‘but not a lot of progress on my end, I’m afraid. After this meeting, I want to go to Chorlton Ees and check out the area where the body was deposited. There’s a reason David Carsley was left in that particular area, we just don’t know what it is yet.’

‘I don’t think Turnbull is even asking himself the question,’ said Chrissy. ‘I went to the case briefing yesterday. They’re stuck and lacking ideas. They’ve got nothing at the moment. Everything has turned into a dead end. The only thing new is the witness, Jon Morgan, told him there was somebody else with him when he discovered the body.’

‘Shirley Burgess.’

‘How did you know? Turnbull’s spitting nails, ready to throw the book at him, but I don’t think he will. Too much at stake, not least to Turnbull’s reputation. So now the mysterious woman is no longer part of the investigation and they have nothing.’

‘It makes our work even more important,’ said Ridpath. ‘How did you get on, Chrissy?’

‘Other than checking up on the Carsleys in Scotland, I found your Peter Davies. He’s a lorry driver who went away to Poland on the day of the abduction. I checked with Customs and Excise and they confirmed he passed through Dover on the 21 July. He’s back tomorrow so I left a message asking him to go to Wythenshawe police station and make a statement.’

‘He’s not our killer?’ asked Emily.

Chrissy shook her head. ‘Not according to Customs and Excise.’

Ridpath interrupted. ‘How did you get on with Liverpool?’

‘I called them and talked with the SIO on the murder of the boy. He’s still convinced they’ve got the killer in custody, but he sent me over the case file and the autopsy report. It confirms the MO was different, Ridpath.’

‘OK, Chrissy, I’ll read them both.’

She passed over the files.

‘Great work, Chrissy.’

‘I aim to please.’

A knock on the door, followed by another slightly louder. Sophia was standing in the doorway. ‘That was a friend of yours, Harry Makepeace, on the phone, Ridpath. I told him you were in a meeting, so he said to give you this message as soon as you were free.’

‘Thanks, Sophia, what was the message?’

‘It’s pretty short.’ She read from a note: ‘“I know you’re up to something so I thought I’d let you know. Turnbull is planning to take Michael Carsley into custody at four o’clock this afternoon. He’ll been taken to Wythenshawe police station to be interviewed prior to charges being laid.”’

Chapter 40

Ridpath decided it was more important to continue the investigation than get involved in Turnbull’s stupidities.

‘There’s no evidence of his involvement in his son’s abduction. The whole idea is preposterous – Turnbull is fishing, hoping to put pressure on and get a confession.’ Emily was incensed.

‘We need to stay focused, continue our investigation, ignore Turnbull.’

Emily Parkinson shook her head. ‘They are getting desperate. There are no other suspects so they’re going for the ones nearest at hand.’

‘Most murders are committed by close relatives or neighbours.’

‘But for Michael Carsley to be the killer, it would mean he had sexually assaulted his own son.’

‘It’s a good motive for a murder.’

‘What?’

‘Cover up a crime. Perhaps David threatened to report him.’

‘No way, Ridpath, I’m not buying it.’

‘You don’t have to. It’s CPS and Claire Trent that Turnbull has to convince.’

They were standing in front of their respective cars. ‘Let’s concentrate on what we’re doing. Sod Turnbull. You leaving your car here?’

‘No chance. I’m not getting stuck like yesterday.’

Ridpath shrugged his shoulders innocently. ‘You’d better follow me then.’

They split up to go to their separate cars. Emily had just started the engine when she received a call from Ridpath.

‘I’m not sharing a car.’

‘It’s not that. I entered Chorlton Ees into the satnav.’

‘So? You can follow me if you don’t know the way.’

‘It’s only giving me two places to park, both south of the river.’

‘Where?’

‘Sale Water Park and a pub, Jackson’s Boat.’

‘There are no places north of the river. It’s only on-street parking.’

‘Follow me, let’s check them out.’

Five minutes later they were both exiting the M60 onto Rifle Road, leading to the car park at Sale Water Park. The area was almost rural, with trees on either side of the lane and no houses. On the right, the tram line from the airport into the city centre ran parallel to the road. They stopped in front of the entrance and both of them got out of their cars.

The car park was large, with a camera filming the number plate of every car that entered. Signs pointed in the direction of the man-made lake and a boathouse. A few cars were parked in the bays