Guilty as Sin Read Online Free PDF Page A

widened and his voice lowered as he spoke his name.
    “Gary McCann? You're having a laugh. I thought he'd packed that game in long ago.”
    “Nah, not a chance. Only a couple of years ago 'e bumped off 'is wife, innit? Similar story, 'n all – baseball bat and an acid shower. Startin' to look a bit familiar, ain't it?”
    “Too right there, Tel. Nasty piece of work, that McCann. Coppers nicked him yet?”
    “No chance! 'E's got more lives than a bleedin' cat!”
    The man known as Pete nodded and drained his glass.

16
     
     
    The manilla folder left DCI Culverhouse's hand and landed with a thwack on the wooden desk. Wendy watched with interested as he rubbed his chin and grimaced.
    “I knew it. I bloody well knew it.”
    “Knew what, guv?”
    “This Radley warehouse murder. I thought it sounded a bit familiar – baseball bat and hydrochloric acid. It matches the MO of another murder a couple of years back – one Tanya McCann.”
    “How can you be sure? Sounds a bit vague.”
    “I'm sure, all right. Firstly, we don't exactly get many people subjected to having their faces caved in with baseball bats and hydrochloric acid dumped on them on a regular basis in Mildenheath. Secondly, there are just too many links. One big link, in particular. Gary McCann.”
    “A relation to Tanya?”
    “Her husband. It was him who killed her. I mean, we were never able to get the evidence to convict him, but everyone knew it was him. He's a clever sod, that McCann, and we're not going to find it any easier this time, either.”
    “But why would Gary McCann want to kill Bob Arthurs? What's the link?”
    “Bob Arthurs was a partner in Radley Stationery. Let's just say that where there's a struggling business in the town, Gary McCann usually creeps up sooner or later. And so do the profits of the companies.”
    “You mean he's a loan shark?”
    “A loan shark, a fraudster, a money launderer and a downright gangster, if you ask me. As I say, we've never been able to pin any of it on him – he's too clever. He has this horrible tendency of propping up failing businesses with private loans and using the companies to launder money through. Rumour has it that he's got links with Moroccan drug cartels, but that's going to be even harder to prove. Wouldn't surprise me, though.”
    “If he's got that much behind him, I'm amazed we haven't been able to pin something on him yet, guv.”
    “Like I said. He's a clever bugger. A very clever bugger.”
    “And you think he might have killed Bob Arthurs over some sort of business deal?”
    “Officially? It's too early to say. Between you and me? He's guilty as sin.”
     
    Luke Baxter was whistling an irritating tune as he casually filed papers away in the filing cabinet. Wendy had never been particularly hot on music, but she was pretty sure that he wasn't whistling a real song. You just know when someone is whistling for the sake of it.
    “Do you fancy doing something constructive, Luke?”
    “I'm a little busy right now, Wendy. Sorry. I might have some time free this afternoon, though.”
    “Oh, might you?” She turned to Frank Vine. “Frank? Could you pop over to see Bob Arthurs' family and try to find out what they know about a Gary McCann? We believe there may have been some business links. The family might not have been aware, but it's worth a shot.”
    Baxter piped up again. “No need, Frank. I've already done that this morning.”
    Wendy could feel the blood raging through her temples. “You what?”
    “I've already spoken to them. I had a tip-off that this chap McCann might have been involved so I went round and asked them on my way back here.”
    “Luke, do you have any idea who this 'chap McCann' is?”
    “Yeah, a bit of a dodgy bloke, if you ask me.”
    “Dodgy doesn't come near to it, Luke. How dare you go off on a hunch behind everyone else's back?”
    Baxter stayed silent, shuffling his feet uncomfortably. Frank Vine was the first to pipe up. “Uh, I