Stalker

Chapter Twenty-Five

‘Come on! We’ve got to go,’ Matt said. Beth started as he suddenly appeared at her shoulder. ‘We need to see boss lady. Now. I’m back later than I thought.’

‘Oh! Is that the time?’ Beth gasped looking at the clock. ‘I haven’t even had lunch.’

‘No time for that now. We’re already five minutes late. I hope you’ve got our story ready.’

She grabbed the sheet of paper she’d been making notes on and followed Matt across the open-plan office, smoothing her skirt as she went. The DCI’s office was through the double doors and on the right. Predominantly glass, DCI Aileen Peters could be seen sitting at her desk studying some paperwork. Beth knocked and she motioned for them to go in.

‘Sorry we’re late, ma’am,’ Matt said straightaway. ‘I got held up at the jewellers that was robbed in the High Street, if you’ll excuse the pun.’

Aileen Peters nodded, clearly unimpressed, and looked from one to the other as they stood side by side just in front of her desk.

‘As you know,’ she said, ‘Mr Derek Flint has made a verbal complaint. I’m assuming that some of what he told me was exaggerated and that you didn’t terrorize his elderly mother, nearly giving her a heart attack, nor did you ransack his bedroom. But did you search his house without a warrant?’

‘No, ma’am,’ Matt said quickly. ‘Certainly not. We called at his home on the off chance he would be there. He wasn’t, but his mother was. She was happy to let us in and then volunteered to show us his bedroom. It seemed an opportunity too good to miss.’

‘But why? He has a conviction under the Sexual Offences Act but that was years ago. I also see he was brought in for questioning about a break-in at a garage but never charged. Again, a long time ago. I can’t find anything on file that would give you two a reason to visit him now, both at his work place and home. He’s claiming harassment, and based on the little I know I’m inclined to agree.’

Matt looked at Beth.

‘Ma’am, we believe Derek Flint could be behind a number of thefts and incidents in the area,’ she said. ‘I’ve been working on it for the last two hours but haven’t had chance to log it on the computer yet.’ Matt’s jaw dropped in astonishment.

‘Go on,’ Aileen Peters said.

‘Well, ma’am, there appears to be a much higher than average number of incidents on premises where surveillance systems have been installed and maintained by Home Security, Derek Flint’s firm. He gives the impression he’s running a large company but there is just him and sometimes an apprentice whom he changes very frequently. Our suspicions were raised by chance at the Khumalo residence break-in. Then I went back in our records and found others. I’m up to eleven now where it’s highly likely that Derek could have had some involvement in the crime.’

Matt was still staring at her with a mixture of awe and disbelief.

‘What sort of involvement?’ DCI Aileen Peters asked.

‘I’m not exactly sure yet, ma’am, but in all the cases so far the clients could view their CCTV online, not just on a monitor, and Derek knew their passwords so he could log in too.’

‘For what purpose?’

‘He told them he needed to log in for maintenance but that’s not true. All the other firms I contacted don’t know their customers’ passwords. If they need to log in, they let the customer do it. However, on all the systems Flint installed or upgraded he always insisted the client changed their password from the default to something they could remember. On the surface this appears good advice except Flint always suggested the new password was the first two letters of the client’s names, which of course he knew, plus the number ten.’

‘So he could log into their CCTV and see everything they could,’ Matt put in.

‘Yes, I understand that, thank you,’ Aileen Peters said impatiently.

‘All the clients I’ve contacted so far had external cameras and some had a camera inside their home too,’ Beth continued. ‘Flint never just fitted an alarm system without cameras, which is the most common choice. At least one of his clients discovered a camera with an in-built microphone they weren’t aware of. I’m almost certain there will be others.’

‘So you’re suggesting that Derek Flint has been spying on these people and then robbing them?’ DCI Aileen Peters said.

‘Yes, ma’am, that’s part of it. But there’s more. I was originally working on a list of incidents – that I ran past you – where victims appeared to have been deliberately targeted in apparently motiveless crimes and where the assailant knew where to find them.’

‘Yes.’

‘I’m still checking, but I’m certain at least some of those can be linked to Derek Flint. I had the feeling there was something going on with all the coincidences but there was nothing to connect them to Flint then.’

‘And there is now?’

‘Yes, I believe so. Ron McKenzie is one example. He only went out one evening a month to a Freemason’s meeting. While he was out he was broken into and his place trashed. I now know his CCTV was fitted and maintained by Home Security.’ Beside her, Matt let out an almost inaudible whistle.

‘But some of the incidents you were originally investigating weren’t break-ins, but assaults that happened away from the house. The barrister, for example, that was run down by a motorbike. What was his name? Tom Murray.’

‘Yes, ma’am; a motorbike mounted the pavement. A witness said it looked deliberate. Derek owns a motorbike.’

Aileen looked at them thoughtfully. ‘I’m not seeing the connection here. There was no CCTV in the street where that incident happened, was there?’

‘No ma’am, but if Flint had been spying on Tom Murray he would have known his movements from watching him and listening to his phone calls. And the same could be said of Mary Grey, the woman who was abducted,’ Beth continued in a rush. ‘Whoever snatched her knew exactly where she’d be and that she’d be alone. He also knew her name. She said she had no idea who her abductor was and didn’t recognize his voice. He grabbed her from behind, bundled her into a van, blindfolded her, drove her around and let her go. I’ve spoken to her on the phone again just now, and about six months before the attack she had Home Security fit an alarm and two cameras. She accesses it online and the default password was changed to the first two letters of her first and last name plus ten.’

There was silence. DCI Aileen Peters held her gaze while Matt stood beside her, open-mouthed and incredulous.

‘Who else have you on your list?’ Aileen Peters asked.

Beth looked at the sheet of paper she’d brought in and read off the names, ending with, ‘Kevin Brown, doorman at U-Beat nightclub.’

‘You’re including him?’ Aileen Peters asked, surprised. ‘He was knifed in the alleyway at the side of the club.’

‘Yes, the club’s surveillance system was upgraded a year ago and maintained by Home Security. The attacker seen entering and leaving the alleyway was dressed in motorbike leathers just like Flint owns. I haven’t been able to reach the club’s office yet to ask about the password but I will do.’

‘And motive?’ Aileen Peters asked. ‘What could Derek Flint possibly have against all these people? You’ve included Hanks on your list but even if Flint had been spying on them all he didn’t beat up Mr Hanks’ wife. Hanks has confessed and it is shown clearly on the CCTV he was responsible.’

‘That’s right, but Flint could be said to have incited Mr Hanks to do it by sending him the email telling him to log in and view his CCTV – at the exact time his wife was on the sofa with her lover. Otherwise it’s a hell of a coincidence. Mr Hanks only attends these work do’s twice a year; at other times he doesn’t go out in the evenings without his wife.’

‘But what has Flint got against Mr Hanks or his wife?’

‘I don’t know yet. I need more time,’ Beth said with a small sigh. ‘But I’m sure there’s a motive somewhere, even if it’s only apparent to Flint.’

‘Have you spoken to any of Flint’s apprentices to see if they know anything?’ the DCI asked. ‘Working with him they might have seen something untoward.’

‘I have spoken to Paul Mellows. He was Flint’s most recent apprentice, but he didn’t appear to know anything. We can speak to him again if you like, and contact some of the others.’

‘I think that would be a good next step,’ the DCI said.

‘I’d also like to obtain a list of all Derek Flint’s clients,’ Beth said. ‘Then I can check them to see how many have been burgled or attacked after the security had been installed.’

DCI Aileen Peters nodded. ‘Yes, indeed. I told Mr Flint that I’d phone him back once I’d spoken to you both. I’ll request a list of his clients in a way that won’t raise his suspicions. Once you have enough evidence, apply for a warrant to search his house properly and seize his computers. Make this a priority. If you’re right, then he’s highly dangerous and needs stopping.’

‘Yes, ma’am. Thank you,’ Beth said.

‘Well done, both of you. Keep me posted, and please log all this; I don’t want any more surprises.’

‘Absolutely, ma’am,’ Matt said. Having taken the few steps to the office door, he held it open for Beth to go first and then closed it again behind them. ‘Why didn’t you tell me earlier?’ he said outside. ‘I’ve been shitting myself all morning.’

Beth smiled mischievously. ‘I only made the connections today myself. Hanks triggered it. He said it was a horrendous coincidence that his CCTV system sent a message in error on the very night he was out. That rang bells with the Osmans and other incidents on the list I was investigating. You remember, Matt, the one you mocked and called my giant string theory.’

‘I take it all back,’ he said, returning her smile. ‘And thanks. You didn’t have to let me share the credit in there.’

‘You’re welcome. Now you can help me prove I’m right or you’ll look as silly as me.’