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“Our Barry? No. He was just a bloody workaholic. He would live, eat, and breathe work. He was always the same, happiest when he was working. Never took holidays. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve seen him in a mood. Mainly when he was younger, when he had little or no money. When we were setting this place up, it was hard work, I can tell you.”
Gardener pictured the flat, and the luxuries in it. He also thought about the receipts, but he still couldn’t figure out why Barry had chosen to live there and not the house that he owned. Or what his connection with the prostitute could be.
“Did he do anything else apart from work here?”
“Like I said earlier, I always thought he might. But to be honest, I doubt it, not the hours he put in here.”
“How long has he lived in the flat above the butcher?”
Morrison breathed in, back out again. “About five years, I think.”
“Where was he before that?”
“He was in a bit of a shithole in Beeston. Terraced property, full of druggies, always getting bur
gled. I wanted him out of there. So I made him come and stay with us for a while. Three, maybe four months, but he couldn’t settle. Kept saying he wanted his own place.”
“Did he have many friends visit while he was staying with you?”
“No. Always been a bit of a loner, our Barry.”
“Any friends visit here, the cab office?”
“No, most of the friends I know about actually work here.”
The telephone rang, but Morrison ignored it.
“I would like a list of everyone who works for you. Names and addresses.”
“Why? You reckon it might be one of them?”
“Procedure, Mr Morrison. We have to eliminate everyone from our inquiries. I will also need a list of all the jobs the drivers were on last night.”
“Sid Prosser can sort that for you. Where’s our Barry’s car gone?”
“We have it.”
“You have it? Why?”
“It’s part of the ongoing investigation. How much has Sid Prosser told you?”
“Not a lot.”
“Did he tell you that Barry’s car was missing from around eleven last night and didn’t return until seven this morning?” asked Reilly.
“He said something about it. Apparently, our Barry had been out of contact since around ten o’clock. Sid reckons someone might have pinched Barry’s car, and Barry went out looking for him. Have you got our CCTV tapes?”
“Yes,” said Gardener. “They’re being analysed as we speak.”
“So, what happened to him? You haven’t said yet.”
Gardener ignored the question. Reilly stepped in.
“Did he have a girlfriend?”
“Barry? You must be joking.”
“Nobody? You don’t reckon he could have had someone and you not know about it?”
