Kerry Barnes - The Choice

Torvic had heard enough. The police were now busy taking notes, and so it was his call to leave.

Cora, Tatum’s wife, heard Mena talking to the policeman and decided to join in. She edged her way over and stood side by side with Mena. ‘Yeah, that’s right. The bitch told us the boy was called Richard Menaces, but it was all a pack o’ lies. The boy got released early from prison, probably living with his real farver, no doubt. He’s some geezer called Mike Regan.’

Phil pulled a notebook and pen from his pocket. ‘Mike Regan, did you say?’

Cora nodded. ‘Yeah. He was in the nick an’ all. Me husband reckons he’s a bit of a gangster or summat.’

‘So, then, did this Mike Regan hold a grudge or …?’

With a smug smile on her face, Cora put in her two pennies’ worth. ‘She had loads of enemies, that skanky bitch. She was always conning people, selling gear … even her own arse. She lied about her boy, and from what me ol’ man says, Mike Regan thought his boy was dead until he met the kid in the nick.’

Phil smiled and nodded. ‘Thank you. Um …’

‘Cora. Me name’s Cora. I live in that van over there.’ She pointed to the caravan, two behind the remains of Jackie’s.

‘I’ll call by and get a statement from both of you, if you don’t mind.’

* * *

An hour later, Phil had left the site, on his way back to the station to write up his report. He decided to put in a call to Detective Inspector Lowry. ‘Mike Regan. Does that name mean anything to you?’

Lowry was just about to tuck into a burger when he answered the phone. ‘Yes, it does. Why?’

‘Gov, his ex-wife’s van has been burned to the ground. There’s a body inside. It may be her. It could be murder, Gov, because the door was locked, and so whoever was inside couldn’t escape.’

‘Okay, Phil, leave it with me. I’ll pay him a visit.’

‘Gov, do you think he may have torched it, revenge and all?’

‘No, Phil, it’s not his style, but, Phil, leave Regan out of this. He’s … Let’s just say he’s helping us with our inquiries.’

Lowry wiped the tomato sauce from around his mouth and let out a heavy sigh. Releasing Mike Regan and his firm early in return for cleaning the streets of the Flakka drug was questionable at every turn and not a decision he’d agreed with at the time. As far as he was aware, the firm had found the gang leader, the man they referred to as the Governor, and that was the end of it. The team were told not to ask questions, and, sure as hell, he wanted the least bit of involvement as possible. His superior, the Police Commissioner Conrad Stoneham, was on leave, and it was a good job too since it wasn’t looking good for him at the moment. For Stoneham’s sister, the MP, had been arrested for failing to stop at an accident, and, right now, with the Commissioner’s face plastered across every newspaper, he was right to take time off. Having Regan brought in for questioning was something he really didn’t relish, but it might have to be done. He would put it off though until Stoneham returned. The Commissioner could take the stick if Regan had killed his ex-wife. He himself wanted nothing to do with it.

‘Damn you, Stoneham. You should’ve let sleeping dogs lie,’ he mumbled to himself.

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