The Corpse's Tale (Trevor Joseph Detective series) Read Online Free PDF

figure, Sergeant.’
    ‘Ooh, you can be nasty, Merchant.’
    ‘No winding anyone up on this case, Collins.’ Trevor set the drinks on the table.
    ‘Do you want us to put your food and drink on your bill, Inspector Joseph?’ Tyrone shouted loud enough for all the customers to hear.
    ‘Please, but itemise everything.’ Tr e v o r waited for someone to comment. He didn’t have to wait long.
    ‘You the police?’ A weather-beaten middle-aged man sitting on a stool at the bar challenged.
    ‘We are,’ Trevor answered pleasantly.  ‘And you are?’
    ‘Bob Evans, I farm up top. I hope the poor taxpayers, me included, aren’t paying for your beer.’
    ‘You’re not. That’s why I asked the landlord to itemise the bill,’ Trevor explained.
    ‘You’re wasting your time and our money if you’re here to reopen the Dai Helpful case.’
    ‘Why’s that?’ Peter sipped his Guinness.
    ‘Because Dai Helpful’s as guilty as Cain, that’s why. And what do you know about the case anyway?’ Bob snapped. ‘We don’t need outsiders coming in here and telling us what’s what. Sergeant George did a damned good job ten years ago. Not that he had that much to do,’ he added. ‘It was an open and shut case.’
    ‘Officers from another force are always brought in when a case is reopened, it’s government policy,’ Trevor said mildly. ‘Fresh eye and all that. And it’s routine to reopen cases when an appeal against a conviction is successful.’
    ‘No fresh eye needed here. Dai Helpful was found sitting next to the girl, covered with her blood. And it was his axe that was stuck in her head. How much more evidence do you need than that?’ Bob demanded.
    ‘The girl had been killed eight to ten hours before,’ Peter reminded him.
    ‘When Dai Helpful was out looking for his new puppy – or so he said,’ Bob sneered. ‘It’s a case of the murderer returning to the scene of the crime. He raped and killed her and stripped her naked the night before and he couldn’t stay away. He wanted to gloat over what he’d done. That’s why he was there. According to every true crime book I’ve read, it’s a textbook case.’
    ‘It won’t do any harm to take another look at the case, seeing as how the judge saw fit to set Dai Helpful free.’ Tyrone was expert at diffusing arguments before they started. ‘From what you told the missus you’re not here to prove Dai innocent. If he’s guilty you’ll say he is.’
    ‘If that’s our conclusion,’ Trevor agreed.
    ‘And then they’ll put him back where he belongs – in prison?’ Bob demanded.
    ‘It’s not quite as simple as that,’ Trevor said. ‘He’s already served ten years.’
    ‘Not bloody long enough for a young girl’s life.’ Bob hit the bar, and the glasses hanging above it rattled. ‘Life should mean life. Though why we have to keep the buggers in prison when we can save the expense and hang them is beyond me.’
    ‘Few people in Llan will disagree with you there, Bob.’ Tom the baker carried a pint of cider and a pork pie to a table.
    ‘But it would be awful if that judge was right and Dai Helpful didn’t kill Anna,’ interjected a female voice.
    Everyone turned towards the barmaid, a slight young girl with dark hair and eyes who looked too young to be working in a pub.
    She lifted her chin defiantly. ‘Well it would, wouldn’t it?’ she challenged.
    ‘What would you know about it, Lily Jenkins?’ Bob snarled. ‘You were in nappies when Anna Harris was murdered.’
    ‘I was ten years old, Mr Evans,’ Lily corrected. ‘And I only said it would be awful if Dai Helpful was innocent. It’s not as if the police haven’t made mistakes before. Three Cardiff men spent four years in prison for murdering a prostitute in Cardiff Docks only to be cleared later. And those two brothers from Swansea spent seven years in prison before being found innocent…’
    ‘That’s not the case with Dai Helpful,’ Bob interrupted sternly.
    ‘No doubt