Lisa Stone - Stalker

Her spirits lifted slightly and she gave herself a mental pat on the back. This certainly seemed the right thing to do and she went to the telephone in the hall again. It wasn’t a 999 police emergency so she’d need the number of their local police station. Derek usually found any telephone numbers they needed on the Internet, but that wasn’t an option for her. She didn’t know how to use a computer. She remembered that he’d written the number for directory enquiries in their address book in case she needed it during the day when he was out at work. She opened the address book and turned to D for directory enquiries. Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves she keyed in the number, then told the operator she wanted the number for Coleshaw police station.

‘Connecting you now,’ the operator said a few moments later.

She heard it ringing and her heart began to race. She’d never phoned the police before.

A rather stern male voice answered. ‘Duty sergeant.’

‘I’m sorry to trouble you, but could you tell me if my son is there please? I need to speak to him.’

‘You think your son is being held in custody here?’

‘Yes.’

‘His name?’

‘Derek Flint.’

‘The name doesn’t ring a bell, but I’ve just come on duty. I’ll check.’ She waited for what seemed like ages, then, ‘No, he’s not here. What made you think he was?’

‘He’s not at home and I don’t think he’s been here for three days. I don’t know where he is.’

‘How old is he?’

‘Forty-one.’

She heard his pause and guessed what he must be thinking – over-protective mother. ‘Have you tried phoning him?’

‘Yes, his phone is switched off. I thought he might be with his girlfriend, but I don’t think so now.’

‘That’s the most likely reason for a man of his age to be away from home. Either that or he’s out with his mates on a jolly.’

‘He doesn’t have any friends.’

‘Do you want to report him missing?’ the officer asked, an edge of impatience in his voice.

‘I don’t know. I thought he’d be there.’

‘I’m sorry, ma’am, we’re very busy. I suggest you give him a bit more time and try his phone again. If he doesn’t return and you’re still concerned you can phone back and report him missing.’

‘Yes. I’ll do that. Thank you.’

Elsie ended the call and tried Derek’s mobile again but the message still said the phone was switched off. She returned to her chair in the living room. It was unlike Derek to cause her so much worry. Surely he would phone her before long? If only to tell her he wasn’t ever coming home again.

‘Not one lad, but three,’ Beth emphasized as she and Matt looked at the report from the forensics team. ‘That comes from analysing the CCTV footage from all the crime scenes you sent them. They can tell the sex and approximate age of the suspects from their body structure and movements. These lads are likely to be in their early to mid twenties.’

Matt peered at Beth’s computer screen, taking it all in.

‘From the dates on the recordings,’ Beth continued, ‘it seems that one of the lads was involved until about six months ago, then he doesn’t appear again on any of the more recent footage. The other two are constant throughout, going back eighteen months – as much footage as we have.’

‘Is there anything to suggest they knew each other?’ Matt asked.

‘Not as yet, but my hunch is they do. And between them they could have been responsible for at least twelve of the crimes on our list, possibly more, including both break-ins at the Osmans’ newsagents, the voodoo doll left on the child’s bed at the Khumalos’, and the rape of Lorrie Gates. Forensics are still working on it but they have matched a footprint found beneath Lorrie Gates’ bedroom window with some found in the garden at the Khumalos. No match on the PNC yet though.’

‘Pity. With no previous convictions, all we have to work on is that they are lads in their twenties and wear balaclavas when committing their crimes. Doesn’t exactly narrow it down. Do we know if any of them have a connection to Derek Flint?’

‘None found yet but I’m sure there will be before long. The digital team are still ploughing through Flint’s computer. By the way, he can have his van and motorbike back now. Forensics have finished with them.’ Matt nodded. ‘But look at this,’ Beth said, opening another document. She began slowly scrolling down, allowing Matt time to read.

He whistled. ‘Flint’s been amassing data on everyone he knew. Not only his clients and apprentices but neighbours, an aunt, his father! Look, there’s a record of our visits.’

‘He’s completely obsessed with watching others and collecting data on them. See this column here with the row of dates and times,’ Beth said, pointing. ‘That’s when he was online and watching his clients – every evening until midnight, sometimes all night, and most weekends. All good evidence, and of course while he was watching he couldn’t have actually been there committing the crimes, which adds to our accomplice theory.’

‘Great stuff.’

‘And look at this,’ Beth continued in a flourish of delight, opening another document. ‘You remember when you went to see Paul Mellows he told you he hadn’t had any contact with Derek after he was sacked?’

Matt nodded.

‘He was lying. This is a list of text messages the digital team found on Derek Flint’s phone. The first text is from Derek to Paul: Please confirm you got the £500 just posted through your letterbox. Then Paul’s reply: Yes, got it. I want the other £500 when I’ve spoken to the police. ’

‘Wow!’ Matt exclaimed.

‘I’ve checked and this exchange of texts happened later on the day we visited Flint at his office after the break-in at the Khumalos’ house. We thought we’d spooked him, he was very agitated, and we were right. There’s more,’ she said, moving the cursor up the page. ‘After I visited Paul at his home with his mother he sent this text to Derek: Police been… didn’t say anything… want the rest of the money tonight.’

‘Shit!’ Matt exploded. ‘He was blackmailing Flint.’

‘Exactly.Then Derek replies : Was everything OK? And Paul responds, Yes! Drop off the other £500 at 8pm. And Derek says, I will.’

‘Talk about incriminating evidence!’ Matt exclaimed with a deep sigh of satisfaction.

‘There were some phone calls between the two of them too around the same time but obviously we don’t know what was said.’

‘It almost doesn’t matter. This alone is pretty damning stuff.’

‘And if we needed any more evidence we have it,’ Beth said with delight, clicking the mouse. ‘As you know Flint is a meticulous record keeper. Look at this entry in Paul Mellows’ file.’ Beth waited while Matt read. His face was a picture.

‘He’s actually logged it all! Would that all criminals were so helpful! The dates and times of our visits, the payment demanded by Paul, and when he dropped off the money in two lots of five hundred pounds. Thank you, Mr Flint!’

Beth smiled. ‘Flint’s bank account shows he withdrew a total of one thousand pounds at the ATM in the High Street twenty minutes before he texted Paul to confirm he had the money.’

‘Well done, you!’ Matt said, glancing admiringly at Beth. ‘So Paul Mellows was one of Flint’s accomplices. It’s likely the other two lads on the footage were the others.’

Beth nodded. ‘The digital team will find the link eventually but there’s so much stuff on Flint’s computer and hard drives it will take time. They found a lot of pornography but it’s legal stuff. Adult, no paedophile activity. Mainly footage from The Mermaid and some gay sex.’