worked for Terr y d oing one odd job or another for over ten years. The car washes were legitimate businesses – they raked in a fair bit of money each week throughout the city. But the police didn’t know what Ryder had really been up to. Joe didn’t know either; Terry kept that side of his business close to his chest. And if the police did have intelligence, all six offices would have gone when Terry Ryder was no longer there to look over them.
Working for Terry was lucrative and kept Joe in the style he was accustomed to. He knew that was what Rhian liked about him. She thought he was a player when in reality he was only the caretaker . But he made a purpose of keeping himself to himself, not wanting to trust anyone in this game. He’d heard what happened to people who crossed Ryder and he didn’t want any part of it. He enjoyed the money he was paid too much for that. Although it was never enough.
So when Ryan Johnson, another of Terry Ryder’s acquaintances, had come with news of a lucrative job, who was he to turn down the opportunity to make a few grand on the quiet? No one would be any the wiser – providing the police didn’t come snooping around. Even more so, the job was being sewn up soon so, even though it was lousy timing, he needed to go down to London for a few days next week.
He shuddered again, his thoughts momentarily returning to Jayden. Maybe he would be better staying with Kelvin and his half-brother, Ollie, as long as Kelvin was in a fit state to look after them right now. Kelvin would most probably stay with family, or at a hotel. Until the police had completed all the forensics and removed all traces of the murder, Joe supposed he wouldn’t be allowed back into the house. That’s if he ever wanted to return there. Suzi was bound to have shed some blood.
Pushing aside his guilt, he convinced himself it was the right thing to do. More than likely, Kelvin would want to keep both boys with him anyway – they’d grown up together since Ollie had been born. Yes, he’d persuade Kelvin that they would be grieving for their mum – let them stay together for a while and then once this job was over, they could work out what was best for them.
Nothing could go wrong – an injection of cash was all he needed and he’d be okay for a while.
As investigations continued that morning around the murders of Mickey Taylor and Suzi Porter, Allie left Perry with a team of officers going house-to-house on Red Street and Sam with a list of tasks that Nick had given to her during the morning’s briefing. While they cracked on with those, at Nick’s instruction she went to see both Suzi Porter’s husband and ex-husband.
Kelvin Porter was staying at his parents’ house. Allie wondered if he might not ever go back to live in Red Street. She knew she wouldn’t be strong enough to live with the memories; she’d already had quite a job compartmentalising the image she had of Suzi Porter slumped on the chair. Every time Kelvin went into their kitchen, he might see her sitting there, dripping blood, tied up for all to see.
Allie had learned that Suzi Porter had two sons. The youngest one, Oliver, was five and from her marriage to Kelvin, and the oldest , ten-year-old Jayden, was from her previous marri age to Joseph Tranter. Both boys had lived with their mother. Allie thanked the Lord for small mercies that neither of them had been home that evening. But she hadn’t ruled out the possibility that the killer might have known this – was it convenience or coincidence that he’d struck on that particular night?
Trentham was in the south of the city and a couple of miles from the Porters’ home in Longton. Allie walked up a path beside a well-kept garden and knocked on the door of a large semi-detached house. A minute later, she was shown into their living room by Kelvin’s mother.
Mr Porter stood up as he spotted her. ‘Is there any news?’ he asked.
Allie could hear the plea in his voice.
Working for Terry was lucrative and kept Joe in the style he was accustomed to. He knew that was what Rhian liked about him. She thought he was a player when in reality he was only the caretaker . But he made a purpose of keeping himself to himself, not wanting to trust anyone in this game. He’d heard what happened to people who crossed Ryder and he didn’t want any part of it. He enjoyed the money he was paid too much for that. Although it was never enough.
So when Ryan Johnson, another of Terry Ryder’s acquaintances, had come with news of a lucrative job, who was he to turn down the opportunity to make a few grand on the quiet? No one would be any the wiser – providing the police didn’t come snooping around. Even more so, the job was being sewn up soon so, even though it was lousy timing, he needed to go down to London for a few days next week.
He shuddered again, his thoughts momentarily returning to Jayden. Maybe he would be better staying with Kelvin and his half-brother, Ollie, as long as Kelvin was in a fit state to look after them right now. Kelvin would most probably stay with family, or at a hotel. Until the police had completed all the forensics and removed all traces of the murder, Joe supposed he wouldn’t be allowed back into the house. That’s if he ever wanted to return there. Suzi was bound to have shed some blood.
Pushing aside his guilt, he convinced himself it was the right thing to do. More than likely, Kelvin would want to keep both boys with him anyway – they’d grown up together since Ollie had been born. Yes, he’d persuade Kelvin that they would be grieving for their mum – let them stay together for a while and then once this job was over, they could work out what was best for them.
Nothing could go wrong – an injection of cash was all he needed and he’d be okay for a while.
As investigations continued that morning around the murders of Mickey Taylor and Suzi Porter, Allie left Perry with a team of officers going house-to-house on Red Street and Sam with a list of tasks that Nick had given to her during the morning’s briefing. While they cracked on with those, at Nick’s instruction she went to see both Suzi Porter’s husband and ex-husband.
Kelvin Porter was staying at his parents’ house. Allie wondered if he might not ever go back to live in Red Street. She knew she wouldn’t be strong enough to live with the memories; she’d already had quite a job compartmentalising the image she had of Suzi Porter slumped on the chair. Every time Kelvin went into their kitchen, he might see her sitting there, dripping blood, tied up for all to see.
Allie had learned that Suzi Porter had two sons. The youngest one, Oliver, was five and from her marriage to Kelvin, and the oldest , ten-year-old Jayden, was from her previous marri age to Joseph Tranter. Both boys had lived with their mother. Allie thanked the Lord for small mercies that neither of them had been home that evening. But she hadn’t ruled out the possibility that the killer might have known this – was it convenience or coincidence that he’d struck on that particular night?
Trentham was in the south of the city and a couple of miles from the Porters’ home in Longton. Allie walked up a path beside a well-kept garden and knocked on the door of a large semi-detached house. A minute later, she was shown into their living room by Kelvin’s mother.
Mr Porter stood up as he spotted her. ‘Is there any news?’ he asked.
Allie could hear the plea in his voice.
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