Death Dues by Geraldine Evans Read Free Book Online Page A

something other than “no comment”, then?’
    Jake blanked him.
    'One of your friends told us that three women left Primrose Avenue after Jaws Harrison entered the alley. Can you confirm that?' Rafferty asked.
    'Yeah, I suppose. Two old biddies and the juicy Josie. I wouldn't mind a go at her.'
    'Never mind that. Did you see anyone else leave the Avenue?'
    'No. Not that I recall. But then I can't say I'm interested in the doings of a bunch of old women. All they do is complain and have goes.'
    'Perhaps they find the behaviour of you and your friends offensive?' Llewellyn suggested.
    Jake Sterling shrugged. 'Whatever.'
    Rafferty got the only satisfaction of the day when he told Sterling, ‘And no, you can’t go. Wasting police time is a serious business, particularly when it involves a murder investigation. We’ll probably want another word with you later, so I think we’ll hang on to you for now.’
    Jake scowled, clumped back in his chair and stared at his brief, who gave a well-practised shrug of his own. As if becoming aware that such a facial contortion didn’t gell with the required look of cool nonchalance he favoured, Jake let the scowl fade and replaced it with an it was all the same to him, look.
                After he had packed Sterling back off to his cell, Rafferty suggested they try Tony Moran again. Moran, at eighteen, was the youngest of the four youths brought in for questioning. Like Des Arnott, he didn’t live in Primrose Avenue. He lived with his mother in the next street. Surprisingly, given that he hung around with the yobbish Sterlings and Des Arnott, Tony Moran had never been in trouble before. He hadn’t even demanded the services of the duty solicitor. Fortunately, Llewellyn had had the wit to ensure the four youths were separated immediately they were picked up so Moran hadn’t had the benefit of Jake’s street wisdom.
    It was fortunate, too, that Moran was over eighteen – just – so they hadn’t had to put up with one or both of his parents putting their oar in. Not that it was likely to make any difference. It wasn’t as if the Crown Prosecution Service would be interested in proceeding with the flimsy cases against them. The most they were likely to get was a caution. Might as well give them a lollipop each for all the notice they’d take of that, to judge from their previous number of visits to the cells. Rafferty’s lips tightened, then he asked for Moran to be brought to the interview room.
    ‘So tell me, Tony,’ said Rafferty a few minutes later, when they had the last of the four youths settled for the second time across the table in the interview room. ‘Why did you give a false name to my colleague?’
    Moran’s lips quivered. ‘I dunno. I just copied Jake.’
    Rafferty nodded understandingly. ‘It seemed like a good idea at the time, hmm?’
    Moran nodded. There was an innocence about Tony Moran that his three friends didn’t share. The youth seemed to have little guile to him and none of the aggressive confidence that the others exuded with every breath. His lower lip trembled noticeably; so had his hands until he’d thrust them in his jeans pockets, out of sight.
    ‘Jake Sterling’s the leader of your little gang, I take it?’
    Moran nodded again.
    ‘For the tape, please.’
    ‘Yeah.’
    ‘So how long have you been a member?’
    ‘Not long. A couple of months.’
    ‘You know they’ll get you into serious trouble before long, don’t you?’
    Moran’s expression fought between mutiny and tears. So far it was a draw. ‘They’re my mates.’
    ‘One for all and all for one?’
    Moran frowned at this rare example of Rafferty’s limited literary references but nodded. ‘Yeah. That’s right.’
    Poor innocent, thought Rafferty. They’d drop him in it when it suited them. The naïve Moran would be a perfect patsy to the others. It was probably why they’d let him join their gang.
    ‘OK. Now we’ve got that sorted out. Tell me, Tony, have