On A Dark Sea (The DCI Dani Bevan Detective Novels Book 2) (18 page)

Chapter Thirty Eight

I
t was now early April and there was a definite hint of spring in the air. On this visit to Norway, the British detectives were determined to lead their own investigation, not to rely upon the Bureau to guide them.

Dani had booked a couple of rooms in a guesthouse positioned in the historical centre of Stavanger. She felt they’d gain a far better feel for the place from here. The DCI gazed out of the window of her neat little room and spotted the tea shop across the market square, where she and Sophie Karlsen had discussed the assault on Aron Holm. 

As soon as they’d deposited their bags and freshened up, Andy knocked on her door. He’d booked a taxi to take them out to the Riddells’ place. After a couple of kilometres of silence Calder said, ‘are you going to tell Dieter that you’re here?’

‘This is police business, not a holiday. I owe it to Maisie to keep focussed.’

‘Good. I think that’s wise,’ Andy commented with feeling.

The taxi drove down the bumpy track towards the isolated house. Dani asked the driver to return for them in half an hour. There were no cars parked outside. The detectives hoped someone was at home.               It was Kristin who opened up. Her thin body gave a physical jolt when she saw them standing on the doorstep. ‘Charles isn’t here, he’s at the office,’ she said quickly.

‘Can we come in?’ Dani was already halfway across the threshold.

Kristin led the way into the open-plan lounge. Gabriel was noisily stacking bricks on the coffee table. ‘Why have you come back?’ Her voice was fearful.

‘We’ve learnt some new facts, Mrs Riddell. We believe they may have a strong bearing on the case.’

Kristin sat on the sofa and put her head in her hands.

‘Have you heard from Maisie since she went missing?’ Andy asked.

Kristin raised her eyes to glare at him. ‘Of course not! I would have told the police if I had. My husband is going out of his mind with worry.’

The detectives sat on the sofa opposite her. ‘Maisie possessed some information about you, Kristin. Were you aware of that?’ Andy observed her levelly, thinking she looked depressed.

‘I suspected she might.’ Her voice was a whisper.

‘Did you ever confront your step-daughter about what she knew?’

‘I assume you are talking about my historic involvement with Andreas Nilsen and his organisation. No, I never spoke with Maisie about it. The girl hated me. Even if I told her it was all in the past she would not have believed it.’

‘Do you think Maisie informed your husband?’

‘I don’t think she did. It gave her greater pleasure to keep me in suspense. Maisie liked to know that she held my future happiness in the palm of her hand.’

‘It provides you with a perfect motive to want Maisie out of the way,’ Dani said quietly.

‘Yes, I suppose it does. But I never did anything to her. I’m an environmentalist and a mother. I fell in love with someone I shouldn’t. I’m not a murderer.’ The woman settled her clear blue eyes upon Dani’s face. The DCI was inclined to believe her. Besides, they knew Kristin was in Stavanger on the day Maisie went missing.

‘Listen, Kristin. We’re here because we want you to do us a favour.’

The woman looked puzzled.

‘We think Maisie left Glasgow to come here. We have a sighting of her attempting to get on a boat to Amsterdam. She may still be making her way to Norway, or she may already be in the area.’

‘What is she here to do?’ Kristin automatically put a hand up to her collar and pulled her little boy closer.

‘We believe Maisie is trying to gather evidence against you, so that when she confronts your husband, he cannot refute her claims.’

Kristin had tears in her eyes. She glanced through the tall glass windows at the dark trees which encircled the house. ‘I don’t want to stay here any longer.’

‘I can understand that,’ Dani continued. ‘But I don’t think Maisie is going to hurt you or your son. What she may do is try to contact Charles. The girl might already have done so. Could you keep a close eye on all the mail and phone calls you receive? If you notice anything unusual, then please give me a call.’ Dani handed the woman her card.

She nodded, tears streaming down her face. ‘I always wanted to tell him. But the longer time goes by, the harder it is, you know?’

Dani placed a hand on her shoulder. ‘Try not to worry Kristin. We’ll get this resolved, I promise.’

*

Andy chose a small local restaurant for them to eat in. He’d finally got over the inexplicable rage he’d felt at seeing his boss with Dieter Karlsen and decided to mend some bridges. They ordered French wine but wanted to try some typical Norwegian food. Dani ordered the salted cod and Andy went for a mutton stew which the menu claimed was the national dish. The meal proved to be hearty and warming. The pair began to relax as they worked their way through a very good bottle of Bordeaux.

‘Are you sure the assault on Aron Holm is unrelated to this business with Kristin Riddell?’ Andy sipped his wine thoughtfully.

‘Completely. The Bureau cleared Andreas Nilsen of any involvement in the attack.’

‘Magda said Nilsen was very supportive of Aron Holm’s work. He claimed he hoped the scientist would be successful and this would mean his campaign was no longer necessary. It just got me thinking, that perhaps we’ve looked at this the wrong way round. It wouldn’t have been the
environmentalists
who wanted to stop Holm’s research, but the oil industry itself
.
’

‘But it was Skaldic Conglomerates who were funding Holm’s work. I’ve told you, it’s just a blind alley.’ Dani poured out the last of the wine between their glasses.

‘You seem very sure,’ Andy said innocently, wiping up the remainder of his stew with a slice of bread. ‘We usually keep an open mind on these things.’

Dani was relieved when the mobile phone in her pocket started to buzz. She excused herself and stepped outside to take the call, the fresh air making her feel suddenly tipsy.

‘Dani? I really didn’t want to bother you again but I thought you’d like to know the latest.’

‘Sam, it’s good to hear from you. How is Bill doing?’

‘He’s fine. Joy will be taking him home tomorrow. I said I’d help to get him settled back in, until their daughter comes down in a few days.’

‘Great, they’re really lucky to have you with them.’

‘There was a witness. One of the Hutchisons’ neighbours saw Erskine’s car speeding away from the scene, on the night of the attack. It was a pretty unusual sight on that quiet estate and the man wrote down the number plate. It was enough for DI Lyons to get a warrant to search his house in Inverness. The guy hadn’t had time to get rid of much. They found some bloody trainers and seized his laptop. Erskine had been using the computer to track down his targets. There were loads of searches on Sinclair and Anton. It’s circumstantial, but with the forensics they should be able to build a solid case. This time, I really think they’ve got him.’

‘Oh, Sam, I’m so pleased. I know how important it was to you to see the man brought to justice.’

‘Yeah, it’s good news.’ There was an awkward silence before Sam grunted a farewell and ended the call.

Dani was left standing in the crisp cold, looking out into the busy square, with its old fashioned street lights providing a warm glow, wondering if she’d done the right thing after all.

Chapter Thirty Nine

D
C Alice Mann gazed around the near empty floor of the Serious Crime Division, before resting her eyes upon her colleague sitting opposite.

‘How come Andy Calder always accompanies the DCI on these trips?’ She enquired of him.

‘Because he’s got the most experience and Bevan’s worked with him for years,’ Dan Clifton replied reasonably.

‘I don’t know why she lets him get away with speaking to her the way he does. Sometimes in briefings, it’s like he’s openly taking the piss. If you or I did that, we’d be off the force.’

‘Andy’s had a difficult time these last few years. You know he suffered a massive heart attack, just before his wife had the baby? It was the boss who saved his life. I suppose that creates a bond between them.’

‘Yeah, I get that. But the rest of us have stuff to offer too, you know? But Calder kind of bullies us down, so there’s no other view but his.’

‘I think that’s a bit strong. Andy’s a good bloke.’

Alice said nothing, imagining Dan and the other male DCs down at the pub with Andy, exchanging jokes and slapping each other on the back. She shook the image out of her head, turning instead to the line of inquiry she was currently investigating.

After their trip to the Port of Tyne, Alice had been examining maps of the Northumberland coast, trying to identify another place where the group of illegals Maisie had joined could have gained passage across the North Sea.

There were several shipping ports along that particular coastline, notably at the mouth of the River Tyne. Mann was assuming the gang had transport, in which case they could have tried any of the docks within a thirty mile radius, from South Shields down to Sunderland. The search parameters were huge and only she and Dan were working on it. She sighed heavily, trying to shift herself into the mindset of someone attempting to smuggle people out of the country illegally. In reality, ports were dangerous places for criminals. They were full of security cameras and customs officials. If the group had no joy at the Port of Tyne, perhaps they changed tack slightly.

Alice looked back at her map, running her finger along the jagged coast towards the north of the county. ‘How well do you know Northumberland, Dan?’ she called across the desk, without glancing up.

‘I’m from Sheffield, but I know it a little bit. We went on holiday to Alnwick once.’

‘What about the coast, do you know of any little shipping towns, or ports up there - somewhere that’s smaller than the more obvious places to the south?’ Alice eyed her friend closely.

Dan stood up and walked around the desk. He bent over the map and spent a few minutes examining it. ‘Whitley Bay, Blyth and Amble are all fishing villages, I think.’

‘How do you fancy another jaunt over the border?’ She raised her eyebrows playfully.

‘As long as we square it with the boss, I’m up for it, yeah.’

*

‘If Maisie were trying to gather evidence against her step-mother, where would she start?’ Dani asked her colleague, as she tucked into a breakfast of coffee and pastries, thinking out loud.

‘I’d suggest she’d begin with what she already knew. Maisie had found out Kristin was in the environmentalist movement when she was at university. I think she might have gone there to find out more.’

‘I agree. It’s the kind of place where a fourteen year old, who looked older than her years, might blend in unnoticed.’

The University of Stavanger was based in an unassuming grey building that reminded Dani, strangely, of Newton High School. The detectives spoke briefly with the principal, who had allowed them to spend time in the student recreational areas, asking questions. Both officers had photographs of Maisie, which they were showing to as many people as possible.

By lunchtime, it was clear that they weren’t going to have much luck from the student body; nobody appeared to have seen the girl. Bevan decided to try the Environmental Sciences Department, where both Andreas Nilsen and Kristin Berg had been undergraduates.

The Department was based along a corridor on the top floor of the building. They examined the names on the office doors, stopping at the one which seemed to be the most senior. Professor Nils Holgren called out something in Norwegian that the detectives took as an invitation to enter.

The office was lined with books and the man had an impressive view out of the window behind his desk. On this sunny day, the light was putting the man’s face in shadow, although Dani could tell he was well into his fifties.

‘My name is Detective Chief Inspector Bevan, we are here from Glasgow. I wonder if we could ask you a few questions, Professor?’

The man said nothing, gesturing towards the chairs in front of his desk and shifting forward slightly, thankfully moving him into a better light. ‘What can I do to help?’

‘Have you worked at the university long?’ Andy asked bluntly, clearly not wishing to waste any time.

‘Twenty five years next month,’ he answered proudly. ‘I shall retire at the end of the summer.’

‘Do you recall a couple of students who studied in your department, their names were Andreas Nilsen and Kristin Berg?’

‘What is this regarding?’ The man enquired cautiously.

‘We are investigating the disappearance of this girl,’ Dani placed the photograph on the desk in front of him. ‘She is Kristin Berg’s step-daughter. Our investigations have led us to examine Kristin’s involvement in an environmental organisation when she was a student, the one which Andreas Nilsen set up.’

The man made a steeple out of his hands, revealing a thick gold wedding band on his veiny finger. ‘Well, I might hesitate to say it was Andreas who established the Environmental Liberation Group. It has been operating for many years. But I suppose he is currently the most active member.’

‘Do you know much about this group then,’ Dani pressed.

‘I take a very keen interest in all environmental issues which affect this city. I’ve lived here all my life.’

‘Did you know Kristin Berg?’

‘Oh yes, she was a very lovely girl and caused a great stir amongst the other students when she was here. Kristin was also very fired up about preserving the beauty of Norway’s natural environment.’

‘Would it surprise you to learn that Kristin is now married to Charles Riddell, one of the Chief Executives of Barents Oil?’

If the man was surprised he didn’t show it. ‘Was that Andreas’ idea? He always was a little
over enthusiastic
.’

‘It was Andreas who suggested she take a job as Riddell’s secretary, but Kristin claims she fell in love with her boss. They now have a baby son.’

Hilgren nodded slowly. ‘Life is complicated like that. I expect Andreas took it very badly, but it was inevitable. When two people work so closely together and one happens to be very beautiful, what else can the boy have expected?’

Dani was surprised by the Professor’s insight. ‘Do you support the aims of the Environmental Liberation Group?’

Hilgren smiled ruefully. ‘In my job I cannot be seen to have a political axe to grind. All I can say is that I take a keen interest in their campaigns.’

Andy leant forward. ‘Have you heard of a scientist called Aron Holm?’

This time, Hilgren did seem taken aback. ‘Aron and I studied together, many years ago. I’ve followed his research very carefully ever since.’

‘Did you hear he was badly assaulted eighteen months back? He spent a while in hospital as a result.’

Dani wondered where Andy was going with this, but to have closed down the questioning would have seemed suspicious.

‘Yes, I heard about it. My wife and I sent flowers to him. It was an awful thing to have happened. I was very pleased that Aron still carried on with his work afterwards, he was never one to be intimidated.’

‘So you believe he was attacked by somebody who wasn’t happy about Holm’s research into an alternative to crude oil?’ Andy’s interest had been piqued.

‘Well, it would have been an incredible coincidence if that wasn’t the case. I’m not a great believer in conspiracy theories, detective. I am always warning my students against subscribing to them. But in incidences such as the assault on Aron Holm, one would have to be incredibly naïve to assume it wasn’t an attempt to prevent his research from continuing.’

‘The police looked into the assault and found nothing. Even Holm himself told us he thought it was a case of mistaken identity,’ Dani quickly put-in.

Andy flashed her a suspicious glance.

Hilgren let out a disapproving grunt. ‘There are members of the police force who are in the pockets of the oil industry, I’m afraid. As for Holm, he has always been an idealist, with his head in the clouds. Aron wouldn’t be able to contemplate that there are people who would want to obstruct work which is aimed at serving the greater good. Sadly,
we
know better.’

‘Yes, we certainly do,’ Andy replied decisively, before his boss could say anything at all to the contrary.