The Fourth Cart

  Chapter Twenty-Seven

  Melissa groaned as she saw Inspector Jackson’s car pull up outside Ronnie Nelson’s house. ‘Morning, sir,’ she mumbled in his direction.

  ‘Ah, Sergeant Kelly. You beat me to it,’ Inspector Jackson said as he closed the car door. ‘Everything under control?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  ‘What’s the latest?’

  ‘Well, the housekeeper is next door having a cup of tea and being comforted. She’s in a terrible state. She hasn’t stopped crying since she found the body about an hour and a half ago.’

  ‘And where is the body?’

  ‘In the sitting room, which has been completely trashed. SOCO are sifting through the wreckage at the moment.’

  ‘And the killer?’

  ‘He’s in the hallway. He was unconscious when I arrived, knocked out in the fight presumably. SOCO have stripped him and bagged his clothes,’ Melissa paused, thinking carefully about her next comment. ‘I’m not sure he is the killer, sir.’

  ‘What? Why ever not, Sergeant?’

  ‘Some things don’t add up.’

  ‘Really? Well, we’ll see about that.’

  Melissa followed behind Inspector Jackson as he strode into Ronnie Nelson’s house and gave an approving glance at the two constables keeping a watchful eye over their prisoner.

  ‘Well done, lads,’ Inspector Jackson said on passing.

  Melissa rolled her eyes at the inane comment and nearly crashed into Inspector Jackson who had halted at the entrance to the sitting room.

  ‘Dear god,’ muttered Inspector Jackson.

  Melissa watched Inspector Jackson’s face with interest, as he looked around the room. The sitting room was a mess; furniture overturned, everything breakable lying in pieces, blood over the walls. It was clear to her that the man was uncomfortable. It even dawned on her that he may never have seen such carnage, especially since most of his career had been spent behind a desk. The thought worried her. ‘Do you want me to lead this case, sir?’

  ‘No, Sergeant, I can see clearly what’s happened. The victim must have put up a brave fight. Mortally wounded, he manages to knock out his assailant before his lifeblood drains away. The man was a hero. And we have our murderer sitting out there in the hall.’

  Melissa was incredulous. ‘Yes, sir. Very neat.’

  ‘That’s it then; case solved. We’ll just wait for SOCO to tie up the loose ends.’

  ‘Of course, sir. Perhaps I should stay on a while and make sure sufficient evidence is gathered.’

  ‘By all means, Sergeant. By the way, what’s his name? The lad over there?’

  ‘Ning, sir. So a business card in his wallet says.’

  ‘Just Ning, no second name?’

  ‘He’s saying nothing, sir.’

  Inspector Jackson turned his attention towards the masseur sitting under guard in the hall. ‘Well, Ning,’ Inspector Jackson said with a disapproving look. ‘Got you now, haven’t we, sonny?’

  Ning looked up at Inspector Jackson with tears in his eyes. ‘I not do this, sir.’

  ‘Hah!’ Inspector Jackson guffawed. ‘I like that! Ever hopeful, eh? Caught in the act, at the scene of the crime, knife in hand, yet you boldly proclaim your innocence. Such a wonderful case of positive thinking! Hope to get a good lawyer do you, eh?’

  ‘I not do this, sir. Please help me.’

  ‘Did you hear that, Sergeant? The lad wants us to help him get off.’

  ‘I’ll try my best, sir.’

  ‘Wonderful! There you go sonny, Sergeant Kelly will get you off.’

  Melissa felt more than a pang of sympathy as Ning looked at her with his pleading eyes. She nodded her head ever so slightly at him.

  ‘What amazing optimism! Well, Sergeant, I must be off to break the news to the reporters outside. By the way, where did they come from?’

  ‘Oh, a neighbour works for one of the major national newspapers. The story broke before we arrived.’

  ‘Ah well, I mustn’t keep them waiting. There’s a local television crew out there as well I noticed. Someone has to go and talk to them, I suppose.’

  ‘Yes, sir. I suppose one must.’

  ‘Right, well, I’ll leave you in charge, Sergeant.’

  Melissa stared at Inspector Jackson’s back as he marched pompously out the door, head held high. What a prize prat, she thought. ‘Now then, Ning; to work. Tell me, what happened here last night?’

  ‘I not know,’ Ning replied, sobbing.

  ‘I can’t help you, if you won’t help me.’

  ‘Please, miss, I not know.’

  Melissa stood over Ning, looking down at the pathetic sight of the sobbing boy. Something was wrong, very wrong, with this scenario, she realized. This boy was weak; he didn’t seem to possess the strength of character to commit a cold, calculated murder. And why was he still here? Why had he not run away? Something didn’t add up, she could feel it. She also knew that Magee would spot it instantly. What was it he had told her to do? That was it; stand back and take a general view, work out the most logical sequence of action and make sure the facts fitted that action. Well, something along those lines anyway, she thought. ‘All right, Ning, we’ll do this the hard way.’

  Melissa walked into the sitting room and stood still, carefully assembling the facts in her mind in an orderly fashion. She then checked every square inch of the room. She smiled as a flash of inspiration came to her, and went out to the Daimler.

  Melissa found a SOCO team member dusting the dashboard. ‘Have you checked the passenger seat?’

  ‘Not yet, no.’

  ‘I need you to check if there were two occupants.’

  ‘Sure thing.’

  Melissa went back indoors and squatted down in front of Ning. She stared into his tear-laden eyes, and frowned as she scrutinized his face. Delicately, she touched the skin around his mouth. It was sticky.

  Fresh tears ran down Ning’s face.

  Melissa checked his wrists. There was bruising, more like burning from a rope, but that could not possibly have come from the handcuffs. She looked up at the two constables guarding him. ‘Would you give us a moment, please?’

  ‘Sorry, we can’t do that.’

  ‘Please.’

  The constables both shook their heads.

  ‘Look, it’s important. Could you at least stand over there by the doorway, give me a little privacy. You can still keep an eye on him from there, surely?’

  The constables looked at each other, shrugged and moved away.

  Melissa stared into Ning’s moist red eyes. ‘Who did it?’

  Ning bit his lip, and shook his head.

  ‘He must be caught, Ning. You know that, don’t you? He will kill again. Who did it? You must tell me.’

  ‘I can not say!’ Ning bleated. ‘He is evil. He will kill my family in Bangkok. He know our house in Sukhumvit.’

  Melissa bowed her head, trying to think of her next question rather than thinking about pleasant times spent shopping in that road. ‘Will you go to prison for him?’

  ‘Yes. I have two brothers and young sister. He will kill them.’

  ‘I can’t help you, or your family, if you won’t talk.’

  ‘I not do this. Please do not send me to prison.’

  Melissa knew what would happen to him in prison. He was too pretty for his own good. Such a nice boy as well, she thought, just like some of the friends she’d made on her trips to Thailand. Ning looked up at her with tearful, pleading eyes. She sighed and said, ‘You, Ning, are going to get me into a lot of trouble.’ She turned to the two constables and said, ‘He’s all yours. Treat him nicely, he’s innocent. I’ve just got to convince my boss of that.’

  Melissa went outside to the Daimler car. She leant over a SOCO team member who was softly brushing the door handles on the passenger side, and asked, ‘Any luck?’

  ‘There’s nothing on the driver’s side. It’s clean. This side is interesting though. Someone was sitting her
e all right, although there aren’t any prints on the door handle, which is odd.’

  ‘Can you work on the theory that the driver wore gloves, that the lad indoors was a passenger and had his hands tied behind his back and mouth taped up. I need evidence to support that, so make sure he doesn’t wash his face until he’s tested for an adhesive residue. And would you get some blood samples from him, please? I reckon he was drugged last night.’

  ‘Will do.’

  Melissa strolled over to the camera crews a few yards down the road to listen to what Inspector Jackson was saying.

  ‘There is no question in my mind, gentlemen, that we have apprehended the murderer. He has been caught, thanks largely to the efforts of his latest victim, who fought valiantly against the attacker. Unfortunately, Ronald Nelson lost his life in the process.’

  Melissa shook her head in despair. The pompous words seemed to flow easily from the man. He was obviously on a high. Why did men have such huge egos, she wondered? She turned and walked away as Inspector Jackson puffed up his chest and almost purred at the cameras.