The Hero's Fall (DCI Cook Thriller Series Book 14) Phillip Strang (microsoft ebook reader .TXT) 📖

‘Out of politeness or sarcasm?’

‘He’s a sweet boy, done nothing wrong by me, except for calling me mum, but it could be worse.’

‘If you were a sweet young thing, he could have been chasing you around the station,’ Ashley said.

She had judged it correctly. Grace Shean belonged to that army of decent people who give to charity, look for the cheapest items at the supermarket, pay their taxes, go to work, go home. A good person whose life had passed by.

‘Alison?’

‘I’m not sure she does much, other than look pretty, smiling all the time. Although with young Tom…’

‘Not so much smiling?’

‘Not something you want to see every day. My dear old mum, ninety-six years of age, if she’d been there, we’d be burying her now. She’s from another time, prim and proper. I’m not.’

‘A wicked soul, are you?’

‘I like a bit of fun, not that I get out much, and my husband, bless his soul, dead and gone now. He was solid, a decent provider; mind you, we didn’t want much.’

‘The same as you? Invisible?’

‘He was. Worked in a factory, making parts for industrial-grade air-conditioners, knew more about the process than anyone else, could have told them a thing or two about reducing costs, improving the product, but they never listened.’

‘Is that the same with you?’

‘I observe.’

‘You see what goes on, who’s sleeping with who, who’s fiddling the books, creaming off the money.’

‘I don’t like to talk. Loyalty, not much of it left.’

‘Not much fun being ignored, the target of ridicule.’

‘Mr Jaden, he disapproves of disrespect in the office. Alison can be a cow, looks me up and down, sneers and pulls a funny face when I’m not looking.’

‘Funny face to who?’

‘To Tom, but he doesn’t like it. He’s had a good upbringing, respectful. He told her off once, I could hear them through the door, not that I’m an eavesdropper.’

‘Her reaction?’

‘She told him not to be childish, that it’s harmless fun. He didn’t say anymore after that, understandable if she’s ringing his bell.’

‘A quaint term,’ Ashley said.

‘It’s better than what they say these days.’

‘Too much crudity, I’d agree.’

‘I know. On our street, where I live with my mum, the children shout it to each other all the time.’

‘Jim Breslaw?’

‘Not here,’ Grace Shean said. ‘We might be seen.’

‘It’s unlikely, but if you want, we can talk in my car, a restaurant if you’re hungry.’

‘Your car will be fine. I have to get back soon.’

In the car, the engine running, the heater on full blast, Grace relaxed. ‘It’s a lovely car,’ she said.

‘It is, cost me plenty.’

‘I never learnt to drive. Dan, that was my husband, he drove me everywhere, not that we ever had anything like this; our car was old, and he was always fixing it.’

‘Jim Breslaw?’ Ashley said, returning to the previous question.

‘He was a good man, treated me well.’

‘Competent?’

‘I thought he was, but we were losing money, not that it was his fault.’

‘He was regarded as impeding progress, blamed for Simmons’s death.’

‘Angus Simmons didn’t care about anyone but himself. I can’t say I liked him.’

‘Did you meet Maddox Timberley?’

‘He brought her to the station once or twice. She was delightful, complimented me on my clothes. Not very sincere, her doing that.’

‘You look fine,’ Ashley said. ‘She was polite.’

‘Even so, I liked her. Him, I didn’t care for, full of himself, not in a cocky way, but smug. That kind of look that says I’m better than you, which he was, climbing those mountains.’

‘You admired him?’

‘For what he achieved, but then he goes and climbs that building, falls off, flattened on the top of a truck. Mr Jaden was on the warpath when he heard, screaming out loud to anyone nearby: “Who authorised that man to climb that building? I want their name, and I want it now”.’

‘Anger or show?’

‘Mr Jaden doesn’t get angry, only pretends. He only worries about money, and Angus falling off that building was going to hurt him where it hurt most.’

‘His back pocket?’

‘That’s it, but I know the truth. He knew that Angus was going to climb, a message from Jim Breslaw.’

‘You can prove it?’

‘I’ve got a copy of the email. I’ve also got a copy of Jim Breslaw’s termination letter and the severance package he received. Very generous, it was.’

‘Who took the shot? Any ideas?’

‘Not at first. I thought it was an accident, but then more people are tuning into the channel, and soon after, Tricia is announced as the star of a new show, guaranteed to excite, and so on.’

‘The so on?’

‘The usual. You were there, but then you started asking questions. Mr Jaden, he didn’t like that.’

‘What’s the truth? What are you hiding?’

‘Jim knew about the new programme, even before Angus Simmons fell. It was his idea, not that he received credit. He thought Angus was starting to look old, not the great force he had once been, and that accident when Mike Hampton fell was still giving bad vibes. Angus Simmons was no longer the all-conquering, pure as the driven snow, bona fide hero. He was on the way out, and Tricia was in.’

‘Do you like her?’

‘She fancied herself, although she was careful not to let it show. Maddox, I liked, a genuineness about her, but Tricia, she’s what she wants you to see, and as for Alison, thick as two short planks. More attractive than the other two, but Tom Taylor will soon dump her.’

‘Tricia Warburton?’

‘I’m sure he slept with her. You’ll not tell Alison, lose my job?’

‘I won’t. Proof?’

‘The invisible woman, sees all, says nothing.’

‘You’re talking to me.’

‘It’s not comfortable, knowing one of those in the office is