Impurity (DI Gardener 1)

“Got it,” said Reilly. “Derek Summers started his working life with a newspaper. Seems he was quite committed. Worked his way through the ranks. Made senior editor in ’79. A quick worker, by the look of things. He actually took over the newspaper in 1980. The report says he made his money by selling a couple of Van Gogh paintings.”

“They would have been his father’s,” interrupted Malcolm. “Anei told me Sid’s father had brought the treasure back. She said it was German. He obviously saw it as his insurance. I’ll bet his poor mother didn’t know about the Van Goghs.”

“I’ll bet she didn’t,” said Reilly. “According to the report, and the witnesses Sharp has managed to speak to, Sid Summers died of pneumonia. Sources say Derek blamed the newspaper for sending his father out to cover a story in bad weather.”

“Why would his father need to work if he had the proceeds from the stolen treasure?” asked Malcolm.

“Who knows? Perhaps there wasn’t as much as you think. Maybe his despicable son had managed to filter it away over the years, leaving the old couple penniless,” offered Reilly.

Gardener was sitting in a chair, physically and mentally worn out. His ribs were killing him. “Does it say anything about Jacqueline?”

Reilly held the report aloft. “Not a lot. She was born in 1972, but for some reason disappeared around 1985.”

“Which was obviously when she went to live with her aunt,” said Malcolm.

After searching, Reilly found another file. “Wait a minute. She we

nt to university in 1990. From there, she attended the ministerial college in Bristol. Finally, in 1997, she started her first ministerial circuit in Cornwall.”

“Have we got any paracetamol, Dad?” Gardener asked.

Malcolm nodded, reached into a cupboard, passing two over with a glass of water. Gardener swallowed them. He was deflated by all the new information. He ran his hands through his hair, scraped his scalp, and then slammed them down on the table.

“Why didn’t I see it? All the signs were there!” Gardener raised his head, his eyes meeting Reilly’s. “It’s Jacqueline.” His tone was one of total humiliation, as if all the blame was his own.

“She had the access to the plants. She told me she’d studied biology. She even intimated how bad her relationship with her father was. He was a nasty piece of work. She told me a few of the things he’d done. She obviously chose to leave out some of the more emotionally distressing incidents. She was harbouring so much hate for him. I’m certain her father abused her. Perhaps the others were in on it as well. It accounts for her living with her aunt and taking the Romanian family name.”

Gardener glanced at Malcolm. “For God’s sake! Why didn’t I see it?”

“Jacqueline... a killer?” Malcolm seemed stunned, defeated. “No, she can’t be, son. You must have it wrong.”

“I saw her on Monday morning in the store, minutes after it had happened. She said she was with her aunt.” Gardener glanced at his partner. “Sean, ring the station, will you? Get someone to go over all the witness statements, check all the names. Tell them what they’re looking for.”

“There must be some mistake,” said Malcolm, still refusing to accept it.

After a strained silence, Gardener heard his partner replace the receiver. “They’re on to it.”

“What do we do now?” Gardener asked.

Reilly’s hard eyes softened. He shrugged his shoulders. “What are your choices?”

Gardener turned to his father. “They’re not coming back, are they? Jacqueline and Anei?”

Malcolm sighed, his expression one of defeat. “It doesn’t look like it. But if, as you say, Jacqueline’s killed them all, she won’t leave without finishing the job.”

Gardener rose from the chair and picked up the phone. He rang the vicarage, hoping he might hear the minister’s voice. No one answered. He phoned Anei. The call remained unanswered.

“Sean, grab your car keys.”

“Where are we going?”

Gardener thought about that. “Could be one of two places. The airport, or his place.”

“If he’s on bail we’ll have his passport,” said Reilly, “so I doubt he would try to leave the country.”

“But she can.”

“Not without finishing what she started,” added Malcolm.