Free Death to Pay by Derek Fee

legal opinion from the paper’s barrister that I have a case in law.’
    Jennings was now on the horns of a dilemma. He had no doubt that this vicious little bitch was as good as her word. He would be exposing himself to some criticism from the Chief Constable if he acceded to her request, but he would end up in an unsavoury court case that might end his career if he didn’t do what she wanted. He concluded that it would be easier to handle the Chief Constable. ‘You cannot be allowed to interfere with the investigation. I will need the original tape, and a paper signed by you attesting that there are no copies.’
    ‘Understood.’
    ‘I’ll make the arrangements.’
    ‘To-day. I don’t want to be behind in the investigation.’ She stood up. ‘I’ll hear from you this afternoon. Now I’ll leave you two boys alone. I’m sure you have lots to talk about.’ She picked up her leather messenger bag and strode out of the restaurant.
    ‘I’m sorry, Roy,’ Reilly said watching her head disappear through the front door. ‘She had us over a barrel as well. Don’t blame me. Blame that stupid fucker who gave her the interview.’
    Jennings had already buried Harrison in the bandit country of South Armagh, but he would have to think whether there was something further he could inflict on the stupid idiot. 
    ‘We’ll just have to grin and bear it,’ Reilly said raising his hand to the waiter. ‘Fuck this water stuff. I need a whiskey.’
    Roy Jennings sipped his water. He was not known for either grinning, or bearing it.
     

CHAPTER 18
     
     
     
    The Murder Squad team assembled in front of the whiteboard at two o’clock precisely. Wilson had rarely seen a whiteboard as blank as the one that stared back at him. There was a photo of Lizzie at the top with the indication ‘victim’ and some murder scene photos beneath it. Wilson noted that Moira had created a timeline on Lizzie’s movements prior to the murder on the right-hand side of the board. Aside from that, nothing.  ‘Moira, run us through the movements,’ he said
    ‘Lizzie and her friends have a bingo night every Wednesday. They normally bring a flask of vodka along so it’s a combination of gambling and drinking. You can’t say that you can set your watch by them because it depends on how they’re doing as to how long they stay. This week they did pretty well, or at least they finished up ahead. Lizzie was the big winner with 20 quid. She left the bingo hall at about nine fifteen,’ she indicated the timeline on the board. She stayed outside chatting and smoking for ten minutes or so and then started home on her own. Normally, she might have flagged down a taxi, but obviously she decided to hold on to her winnings. It would have taken her thirty minutes to walk home, so she arrived at approximately ten o’clock.’
    ‘So it’s a good guess that the killer was watching the bingo hall. He would then have to get ahead of her so that he could disable Billy and be there in time before she arrived,’ Wilson said. ‘Have we checked the bingo hall for CCTV?’
    ‘Not a sausage,’ Peter Davidson interjected. ‘The hall is on a major junction, so there’s a traffic CCTV which is concentrated on the junction itself. North Street has alleys, and the majority of the business premises are empty and boarded up. The ones that are still operating are more interested in paying their rent than in installing CCTV systems.’
    ‘Check the traffic CCTV for nine thirty last Wednesday,’ Wilson said. ‘See if you can spot Lizzie and see if you can see someone following her. With a bit of luck, we might get a lead.’ He tried to put more confidence into his voice than he felt. ‘What about the house to house?’
    It was Davidson’s turn again. ‘House to house is finished, Boss. We’ve done all the streets in the vicinity and there’s not much point going any further out.’
    ‘What have we got?’ Wilson asked.
    ‘Nothing to write home about. I