Three Steps to Hell Read Online Free PDF Page A

so that Scenes of Crime Officers can do comparisons to see if it’s a match for Evans’ blood. I’ve got a good idea what the result of that will be. If it is Evans’ blood you will be paying us another visit but this time on suspicion of a serious stabbing.”
    Tom noticed the sudden change in Dorsey’s body language and knew he was getting somewhere instantly.
    “It’s got nothing to do with Wayne and I didn’t know he’d been stabbed, honest Mr Lancaster.”
    “You and Evans had a fight did you Paul? It’ll be easy for me to check it out from the blood on your jacket.”
    Dorsey started to get flustered and agitated.
    “Hey Paul, as I said I’m a really busy man, I’ve given you the chance to be up front with me about the blood, if it turns out to be from Evans you’ll have to take the consequences. A stabbing is a serious offence and we all know how much you love being in here in the cells. Don’t expect any sympathy from me when it happens. Finish off your coffee and you can get off home, I haven’t got time to be fucked about by the likes of you, I told you I’m a very busy man Paul.”
    Tom knew full well that Evans would never make an official complaint or support police proceedings, but relied on the fact that Dorsey wouldn’t have the intelligence to have even considered that. He got up from behind his desk and started to open his office door.
    “Hang on Mr. Lancaster, if it was Wayne’s blood it wouldn’t necessarily mean I stabbed him, I don’t want to be dragged in for nothing like that.”
    “But if you’ve been telling me the truth you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
    Dorsey was reluctant to get up off the chair, a good sign in Tom’s mind. Tom shut the door and sat back down.
    “You’ve got ten seconds to make your mind up Paul, if you’ve got something to say spit it out or else get off home.”
    “Okay I’ll tell you what happened Mr Lancaster but the stabbing had nothing to do with me, you know what good friends we are, I wouldn’t do something like that to a mate. I just went to help him out and then later when I was walking home I saw the Old Bill car and really panicked ‘cos of the blood on my jacket. If I tell you what I know I want your word you won’t tell Wayne I’ve been talking to you, you know what he’ll be like if he thinks I’ve talked to the Old Bill.”
    “Wouldn’t do your street cred much good would it Paul? I’ll keep it to myself for now.”
    Tom listened whilst Dorsey explained that he had been at home and received a telephone call from Evans just after midnight. Evans was in a panic and told Dorsey he had been stabbed and needed his help to get to the hospital.
    “What were his exact words to you Paul?”
    “He said something like, ‘the bastards have stabbed me.’ I asked him where he was and he told me he was about 2 miles out of town on the main coast road by the phone box in the old café lay-by. He said he didn’t want to call no ambulance ‘cos he’d automatically get the Old Bill as well.”
    Dorsey carried on to explain that he drove out, collected Evans from the lay-by and took him to casualty.
    “So how did the blood get on your jacket Paul?”
    “When I got to the lay-by he looked awful and real weak. He was sitting down leaning against the phone box. I helped him up on to his feet and into my car so I must have got some on me then. Then I gave him my jacket to put against him in the car to try to stop the bleeding. He’d used his jumper to roll up and hold against where he’d been stabbed to try and stop the bleeding but there was loads of blood. I was really worried about him.”
    “Did you take him right into casualty?” Tom asked, knowing that it would be easy to check to clarify Dorsey’s story.
    “No I dropped him in the car park, he managed to walk in himself. He insisted that I didn’t go in so that no one would ask me no questions. He seemed real scared and told me not to say a word. He gave my jacket back