Page 18 of Gone in the Night (Detective Morgan Brookes #16)

EIGHTEEN

Morgan and Cain arrived to find Ben in his office, phone clamped to his ear, scribbling notes on a piece of paper on his desk. Neither of them spoke, but Morgan picked up a marker pen and wrote Stefan Montgomery’s name on the whiteboard, then turned to Cain.

‘What was Leah’s surname?’

‘King, she lives in a flat above the rock shop in Ambleside.’

‘I used to love that shop, it’s so neat. I haven’t been for years.’

She wrote underneath Stefan’s name in brackets.

(Leah King, Stefan’s lover. Sharon’s best friend.)

‘Well, now’s your chance for a visit. What do you think is up with Ben? His face is a picture.’

Ben looked stressed beyond belief. The way he was scrubbing his hand across his face was a huge indicator that he was dealing with something off the scale. The door opened and in sauntered Stan who looked as if he hadn’t a care in the world. He smiled at them.

‘What are you and Ben on with?’ Morgan didn’t return his smile.

‘Well, we found Eddy Lightburn, he’s in custody. I don’t know who Ben’s talking to now though. I’ve just booked Eddy in.’

Stan was reading the whiteboard. ‘Stefan Montgomery, is that the victim’s dad?’

‘Yes.’

‘He’s a viable suspect then?’

‘He is until we can confirm where he was last night.’

Tristan whistled. ‘What a mess this is, that’s some weird relationships going on in that family.’

Ben was standing at the door to his office. ‘It’s just got even messier.’

‘Why?’ asked Morgan.

‘Jack White was dating Sharon Montgomery.’

‘Amy’s ex Jack White?’ asked Cain.

Ben nodded.

‘He turned up at Amy’s house, went to speak to her and tell her. She made him phone in. I’m on my way to speak with him.’

‘He’s seeing the victim?’ muttered Tristan.

‘ Was seeing the victim,’ corrected Morgan.

‘You better add him to your ever-growing list, Morgan,’ said Cain with a smile on his face.

‘Stop gloating, Cain, it doesn’t suit you.’ Ben pointed to him, and Cain shrugged.

‘Maybe not, but it serves him right the way he’s treated Amy, not wanting anything to do with the baby or even being there for her the last few months, he deserves everything coming his way.’

‘Boss, what do you want us to do?’ Morgan was looking at Ben.

‘I’m not even sure, someone is going to have to interview Eddy Lightburn.

Cain and Stan, can you sort that out? Morgan, you come with me and do not utter a word of this, especially not to Madds or anyone on Jack’s shift.

This is strictly on a need-to-know basis until it’s sorted out, so don’t write his name on the board, okay? ’

Everyone nodded, and Morgan followed him out.

When they were alone in the car Morgan breathed a sigh of relief. ‘That was some death notification.’

Ben turned to her. ‘Really, even worse than usual?’

She nodded. ‘It wasn’t the identification, although that was bad, it was the drama afterwards.

We had to separate her parents to take statements.

Cain had to take the dad, well stepdad, Stefan Montgomery, to Declan’s office.

The mum, Beth Montgomery, told me Sharon had found him cheating with Sharon’s best friend, then Beth walked in mid-argument. ’

‘When was this?’

‘Last week. Beth then decided in the middle of the interview that she was finally leaving Stefan. It was as if seeing her daughter’s body made her realise that life really is too short to live the kind of life she was living.

She also disclosed that Stefan wasn’t home last night, hasn’t been home much since the whole Leah incident. ’

‘Has he got an alibi? Do you think he did this? Oh, he couldn’t have, Declan estimated time of death at least four days ago but that doesn’t mean he still couldn’t have killed her.’

She shrugged. ‘He said he was at Sharon’s friend’s flat; we need to speak to her and get a statement about Stefan’s movements the past seven days.

He said Eddy Lightburn was responsible for Sharon’s murder, but Beth didn’t agree.

She said he didn’t have the balls, and I kind of got the impression she was trying to implicate Stefan without saying it outright. ’

‘I sort of agree with Beth. Eddy is a thug, but I don’t think he’s the sort to plan a murder of this level.

Although he breached his licence conditions by going straight to Sharon’s house, I think he’s more the kind of bloke who would lash out in a fight or an argument.

I just don’t see him plotting to go find Sharon whilst she was camping, then getting himself up there with no vehicle.

He doesn’t have access to one. Stan checked it out, said he doesn’t even own a bicycle.

’ He paused and then asked Morgan, ‘Do you really think the stepdad is good for it?’

Morgan peered out of the window; they were almost at Amy’s. ‘I don’t think so, but we still need to rule him out, don’t we? Stan, how is he? I kind of find it hard to call him that.’

‘Oh, Morgan. I’m sorry, it’s not a common name, is it?

I think he’s okay, he seems on the level.

Probably a bit keen, but he’s trying to fit in.

It’s not easy coming into a team that’s as close-knit as ours.

We should probably cut him a little slack.

I don’t think he’s the worst person Marc could have picked, although I would have liked to have been consulted first.’

‘Yeah, I’m probably being a bit touchy about him. I’ll try, okay, I’m not promising though. If he’s an idiot, I’ll tell him.’

‘Good, because I wouldn’t expect anything less.’

She closed her eyes and was there, strolling down Fifth Avenue, staring up at the Empire State Building. ‘New York was amazing, wasn’t it? But it feels like it was forever ago not a few days.’

‘It really was. I don’t know if I’d go back there though. Far too many people for my liking, but it was cool seeing all those famous landmarks. When do we go to Salem?’

‘Three months and counting. I’m even more excited about finally going there than I was about NY.’

Ben laughed. ‘I bet you are; you’re going to fit right in, my little Goth girl.’

Morgan pulled down the flap on the sun visor to look in the mirror and made a face. ‘Not so much of a girl anymore, this job is ageing me beyond my years with the constant stress. Botox should be a required bonus because much more of this and I’m going to need it.’

‘You do not, you’re still as beautiful as the day I dragged you into working for me.’

‘Flattery will get you everywhere, Matthews.’ She blew him a kiss, and he roared with laughter.

Morgan elbowed him in the ribs. ‘Less of the laughter, Amy is standing on the doorstep looking as if she’s going to commit murder.’

‘Poor Amy, as if she needs Jack turning up and dumping his problems on her when he’s been a total idiot with her.’

Morgan was pulling Amy in for a hug before Ben had even locked the car. She whispered, ‘Do you want me to kick the shit out of him for you? I’ve been waiting for an excuse.’

Amy grinned at her and whispered back, ‘If you get the opportunity, then please don’t let me stop you.

I have no idea why he turned up here to tell me this because I honestly don’t care, but he looks a state and, against my better nature, I thought I should do the right thing, in case he went off and did something stupid. ’

Morgan squeezed her again. ‘You’re a better person than he’ll ever be.’

‘Amy, I didn’t think I’d see you again so soon. You’re almost as bad as Morgan, can’t keep away from us all.’ Ben winked at her and Amy rolled her eyes.

‘This is not through choice; Morgan is just a glutton for punishment.’

‘Come on, let’s get this over with so we can leave you in peace.’

Ben was being serious even though he smiled at her, and she led them into the house and down to the living room, where Jack was pacing up and down in front of the window like a tiger marking its territory.