Vigilante by Kerry Wilkinson Read Free Book Online Page B

believed him. ‘Do you know anyone who might want to implicate you in a crime?’
    He sighed slightly. ‘I’ve wronged many people. I wouldn’t blame any of them for wanting vengeance.’
    A thought struck Jessica and she realised she had been a bit slow to understand the significance in the man’s choice of words. ‘Are you religious, Mr McKenna?’
    The solicitor went to speak again but the inmate talked over him. ‘I believe the Lord Jesus Christ died to forgive the sins I committed. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t regret the things I did and praise God he sent us his son so that I might one day enjoy the gifts of heaven.’
    There was a silence after he had spoken. Jessica realised why his demeanour had surprised her. Unlike a lot of criminals, he genuinely was sorry and, more importantly, he wasn’t bitter about being locked up. Religious services were held in prisons and there was a chaplain on offer for people to speak to. Some inmates did ‘find God’ when they were inside and, while there was a possibility McKenna was faking his conversion as prisoners were given benefits for good behaviour, she had a feeling he was being genuine.
    Jessica went to ask another question but McKenna spoke before she had a chance. ‘You may ask how a man can walk from an institution such as this but the Lord Jesus walked on water and turned water to wine. If it is His will, a miracle is but the batting of an eyelid.’

FIVE

    There hadn’t been much more they could ask after that. Was Donald McKenna implying God had transported him out of prison for some sort of higher calling? Even if he was, Jessica wasn’t entirely sure the Old Testament-style eye-for-an-eye stuff would extend to killing some troublemaker who lived on a Manchester housing estate. There were surely bigger issues in the world that needed addressing first? She thought it was an odd thing to say though. Was McKenna really playing a game with them?
    The governor, probably chastened by their refusal to give him much in the way of details, hadn’t returned to talk to them. They had been led back to reception by one of the guards and the prisoner returned to his cell. Jessica tried to walk behind Cole through the front office on their way out in order to not have to engage with Dennis. She feared he would offer her his number or something similar and, even though her superior was a fairly straight guy, he did have a sense of humour when he wanted to. There was no way Jessica could risk something that embarrassing getting around the station.
    They were walking to the car when Jessica heard her phone ringing. She wasn’t a technophobe as such but had never really got her head around everything her phone could do. She could use the phone and text messages and the Internet was easy enough but she thought smartphones were just one step towards robots taking over. She took the ringing device out of her pocket and fumbled with the screen before putting it to her ear. The conversation was fairly short and Jessica felt her mood nosedive further.
    ‘All right?’ Cole asked, clearly noticing her displeasure.
    ‘The new test results are back. It’s definitely Donald McKenna’s blood that was found.’
    For a guy who usually held back his thoughts, even her superior looked annoyed. He sighed. ‘Great. We’re going to have to see the DCI and then come back here later or tomorrow.’
    ‘Let’s go to Bradford Park first. Best if we know what we’re talking about before we have to plan what we’re going to do next.’
    * * * * * * * * * * * * *
    The Bradford Park base was in the Clayton area very close to Manchester City’s football stadium. It was an important part of the area’s overall policing strategy and lots of money had been spent updating the facility in recent times. Not only was there a neighbourhood team on-site, which would deal with local enforcement, but there was a large number of administration workers based there too. They were