Baby Lies (Reissue) Read online

  ‘But the babies had been changed.’

  ‘So without knowing it, she took the wrong baby. She and her husband did what they had planned and retreated with their baby to a holiday cottage. I didn’t manage to get hold of them until three days later, when we could arrange to swap the babies.’

  ‘How much have the Scanlons paid for Ellie?’

  ‘You make it sound so vulgar. The parents make a donation to cover our expenses. It’s entirely voluntary.’

  ‘How much?’ Mariner asked.

  ‘I really don’t remember. I’d have to check my records.’

  ‘Don’t worry, we’re already doing that for you,’ said Mariner. ‘And I’m sure the Inland Revenue will be interested in them too. And that’s quite apart from your involvement in the illegal sale of a child.’

  ‘We didn’t consider it—’

  ‘You consider it what you like,’ said Mariner. ‘I call it selling babies, and you’re in deep shit. Though it could be worse. Baby Ellie almost died.’

  For the first time that day Trudy Barratt looked shaken. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Paula Scanlon tried to kill herself and the baby. Fortunately for you, they both survived and baby Ellie will be reunited with her birth mother, so that’s one less tragedy on your conscience.’

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘Tell us about this girl, Nadia,’ Mariner said, placing the photograph down on the table.

  ‘I’ve never seen her before. Really.’

  Mariner felt sure she was telling the truth. ‘And where is Mr Zjalic now?’

  ‘I really have no idea.’

  * * *

  ‘Know what the really fucking annoying thing is?’ said Mariner afterwards. ‘She’ll come over all philanthropic, helping all these poor childless couples and girls who can’t afford to keep their babies and probably get a suspended sentence.’

  It was two days before they had further good news and Mariner came into Granville Lane to find a message waiting: Goran Zjalic had been picked up at Harwich, trying to board a ferry. He was being returned to them pronto.

  Chapter Eighteen

  When Zjalic arrived at Granville Lane the first thing Mariner arranged was for Valenka to come in and make a positive identification. DCI Sharp caught Mariner in the corridor. ‘What’s going on?’ she asked.

  ‘Valenka is coming in to do an identity parade.’

  ‘Good. I’ve got that nasty little man Cahill coming in. I’ll be able to tell him that we’re making progress.’

  Afterwards Mariner couldn’t say what made him do it. It was just a hunch, pure and simple. He went down to reception to meet Valenka and Katarina, who had come in to translate for her friend. While he was down there he had a word with Delrose on reception. ‘Could you let me know when Mr Cahill arrives?’

  The identity parade went smoothly and Valenka didn’t hesitate in her identification. Mariner was gathering further background from her, in one of the rape suites upstairs when he was paged. ‘Let’s take a break,’ he said. ‘Get some fresh air.’

  The timing was perfect. As they got to the top of the stairs Mariner could see the carefully combed-over pate approaching from the floor below and was careful to position himself between the girls and the councillor. Within a few feet of him, Valenka gave a little involuntary cry of fear and, forgetting herself, clutched at Mariner’s arm. She retched. The exchanged glance lasted only seconds, but in that time Mariner could see the spark of mutual recognition, before Cahill hurried up the stairs to Sharp’s office. When they got back to the interview room Mariner asked Katarina: ‘Do you know that man?’

  Valenka was silent, her eyes afraid.

  ‘It’s all right,’ Mariner soothed. ‘He’s not a policeman. He’s er, an official, someone who gives us a lot of trouble.’

  ‘He was one of her clients,’ Katarina said at last, and it was the first thing in days to make Mariner smile.

  He lightly touched Valenka’s arm. ‘He makes me sick, too,’ he murmured under his breath.

  * * *

  It was only as he was writing up statement notes later that Mariner noticed the date. It seemed significant for some reason but he couldn’t think why. Then he realised it was the day that Anna was moving out. Rounding her street corner he saw with some relief that the removal van was still there. He parked up and went into the house. ‘Anna!’

  He was greeted by a total stranger. ‘Hello, can I help you?’

  ‘I was looking for Anna Barham, she’s moving out today.’

  ‘She’s gone. We’re moving in.’

  The man was happy to let Mariner look around, but none of his stuff was there. Mariner went back to his home on the canal and could hardly get in the door. Everything from Anna’s house had been dumped in the hall.

  Katarina was in the kitchen, stirring some kind of beef stew. ‘A woman brought it,’ she said. ‘She was upset, angry I think. She asks me to tell you: “I hope you will be happy.” But she’s not smiling when she said it.’

  ‘No. I don’t suppose she was.’

  ‘It’s your woman?’

  ‘Not any more. It’s finished.’

  ‘Oh.’ She smiled. ‘I made stew. You want to have some?’

  ‘Why not?’

  Mariner was introducing Katarina to Casablanca when there was a rap on the door. He opened it to find Anna standing on the doorstep. ‘I let the van go down without me. I couldn’t just go, not without saying goodbye.’ She looked beyond him into the lounge where Katarina sat.

  ‘This isn’t what you think,’ Mariner said hastily. ‘I’m only putting her up until—’

  She managed a smile. ‘I know. I talked to Tony a couple of days ago. It doesn’t make any difference though, does it?’

  ‘I suppose not. I hope you find what you want, Anna.’

  ‘You too.’ And with a soft kiss on his cheek she turned and walked back up the path.

  THE END

  DI MARINER SERIES

  Book 1: DEADLY LIES

  Book 2: INNOCENT LIES

  Book 3: KILLER LIES

  Book 4: BABY LIES

  Book 5: MARRIED LIES

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  DI TOM MARINER BOOK 1: DEADLY LIES

  https://www.amazon.co.uk/DEADLY-gripping-detective-mystery-twists-ebook/dp/B075XT8Y4D/

  https://www.amazon.com/DEADLY-gripping-detective-mystery-twists-ebook/dp/B075XT8Y4D/

  Journalist Eddie Barham is found dead in his home. A syringe is in his arm and a note by his side reads, ‘No More.’

  Open and shut case of suicide? Not for DI Mariner. Hours before, he saw Barham picking up a woman in a bar. And then Mariner discovers Barham's younger brother, Jamie, hiding in a cupboard under the stairs.

  Jamie is the only witness to his brother's death, but his severe autism makes communication almost impossible. Mariner is determined to connect with Jamie and get to the truth. Is the journalist’s death related to his investigation of a local crime kingpin?

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  A NEW CRIME THRILLER WITH A COMPELLING DETECTIVE WHO WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO AVENGE HER DAUGHTER

  Glossary of English Slang for US readers

  A & E: Accident and emergency department in a hospital

  Aggro: Violent behaviour, aggression

  Air raid: an attack in which bombs are dropped from aircraft on ground targets

  Anorak: nerd (it also means a waterproof jacket)

  Artex: textured plaster finish for walls and ceilings

  A Level: exams taken between 16 and 18

  Auld Reekie: Edinburgh

  Au pair: live-in childcare helper. Often a young woman.

  Barm: bread roll

  Barney: argument

  Beaker: glass or cup for holding liquids

  Beemer: BMW car or motorcycle

  Benefits: social security

  Bent: corrupt

  Bin: wastebasket (noun), or throw in rubbish (verb)

  Biscuit: cookie

  Blackpool Lights: gaudy illuminations in seaside town

  Bloke: guy

  Blow: cocaine

  Blower: telephone

  Blues and twos: emergency vehicles

  Bob: money

  Bobby: policeman

  Broadsheet: quality newspaper (New York Times would be a US example)

  Brown bread: rhyming slang for dead

  Bun: small cake

  Bunk: do a bunk means escape

  Burger bar: hamburger fast-food restaurant

  Buy-to-let: Buying a house/apartment to rent it out for profit

  Charity Shop: thrift store

  Carrier bag: plastic bag from supermarket

  Care Home: an institution where old people are cared for

  Car park: parking lot

  CBeebies: kids TV

  Chat-up: flirt, trying to pick up someone with witty banter or compliments

  Chemist: pharmacy

  Chinwag: conversation

  Chippie: fast-food place selling chips and other fried food

  Chips: French fries but thicker

  CID: Criminal Investigation Department

  Civvy Street: civilian life (as opposed to army)

  Clock: punch

  Cock-up: mess up, make a mistake

  Cockney: a native of East London

  Common: an area of park land/ or lower class

  Comprehensive School (Comp.): High school

  Cop hold of: grab

  Copper: police officer

  Coverall: coveralls, or boiler suit

  CPS: Crown Prosecution Service, decide whether police cases go forward

  Childminder: someone who looks after children for money

  Council: local government

  Dan Dare: hero from Eagle comic

  Deck: one of the landings on a floor of a tower block

  Deck: hit (verb)

  Desperate Dan: very strong comic book character

  DI: detective inspector

  Digestive biscuit: plain cookie

  Do a runner: disappear

  Do one: go away

  Doc Martens: Heavy boots with an air-cushioned sole

  Donkey’s years: long time

  Drum: house

  DS: detective sergeant

  ED: accident and emergency department of hospital

  Eagle: boys’ comic

  Early dart: to leave work early

  Eggy soldiers: strips of toast with a boiled egg

  Enforcer: police battering ram

  Estate: public/social housing estate (similar to housing projects)

  Estate agent: realtor (US)

  Falklands War: war between Britain and Argentina in 1982

  Fag: cigarette

  Father Christmas: Santa Claus

  Filth: police (insulting)

  Forces: army, navy, and air force

  FMO: force medical officer

  Fried slice: fried bread

  Fuzz: police

  Garda: Irish police

  Gendarmerie: French national police force

  Geordie: from Newcastle

  Garden Centre: a business where plants and gardening equipment are sold

  Gob: mouth/ can also mean phlegm or spit

  GP: general practitioner, a doctor based in the community

  Graft: hard work

  Gran: grandmother

  Hancock: Tony Hancock, English comedian popular in 1950s

  Hard nut: tough person

  HGV: heavy goods vehicle, truck

  HOLMES: UK police computer system used during investigation of major incidents

  Home: care home for elderly or sick people

  Hoover: vacuum cleaner

  Hula Hoops: potato-based chip shaped like a wedding ring

  I’ll be blowed: expression of surprise

  Inne: isn’t he

  Interpol: international police organisation

  Into care: a child taken away from their family by the social services

  Iron Lady: Margaret Thatcher, applied to any strong woman

  ITU: intensive therapy unit in hospital

  Jane Doe: a person whose identity is unknown/anonymous

  JCB: a mechanical excavator

  Jerry-built: badly made

  Jungle: nickname given to migrant camp near Calais

  Lad: young man

  Lass: young woman

  Lift: elevator

  Lord Lucan: famous aristocrat who allegedly killed his children’s nanny and disappeared in 1974. Has never been
found.

  Lorry: a truck

  Lovely jubbly: said when someone is pleased

  Luftwaffe: German air force

  M&S: Marks and Spencer, a food and clothes shop

  Miss Marple: detective in a series of books by Agatha Christie

  MOD: ministry of defence

  Mobile phone: cell phone

  MP: Member of Parliament, politician representing an area

  MRSA: A strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

  Myra Hindley: famous British serial killer

  Naff: lame, not good

  Naff all: none

  National Service: compulsory UK military service, ended in 60s

  Net curtains: a type of semi-transparent curtain

  NHS: National Health Service, public health service of UK

  Nick: police station (as verb: to arrest)

  Nowt: nothing

  Nutter: insane person

  Nursery: a place which grows plants, shrubs and trees for sale (often wholesale)

  Old bag: old woman (insulting)

  Old Bill: police

  OTT: over the top

  Owt: anything

  Pants: noun: underwear adjective: bad/rubbish/terrible

  Para: paratrooper

  Pay-as-you-go: a cell phone you pay for calls in advance

  PC: police constable

  Pear-shaped: go wrong

  Petrol: gasoline

  Pictures: movie

  Pillbox: a concrete building, partly underground, used as an outpost defence

  Pillock: fool

  Pips: police insignia indicating rank

  Piss off: as exclamation, go away (rude). Also can mean annoy.

  Pissing down: raining

  Playing field: sports field

  Pleb: ordinary person (often insulting)

  Portakabin: portable building used as temporary office etc.

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