The Man Who Couldn't Lose Read Online Free Page A

morning. John Weightman was first here. He called the Leeds Police Sub Aqua Squad out. They pulled a man’s body out just under the bridge there,’ he said, pointing to the middle of the river almost directly under the bridge. ‘They brought him over to the bank. And left him here. A quick look at him showed that he’d been shot once in the chest and has some injury to his left hand.’
    â€˜Any ID?’
    â€˜Not yet, sir. Haven’t searched him. Wanted to get him out of the gaze of everybody.’
    Angel agreed and nodded.
    â€˜He looks about sixty or seventy, though, well dressed, grey hair.’
    Angel rubbed his chin. He couldn’t recall anybody in that age group having been reported missing over the past few days.
    â€˜Have a look as soon as you can and let me know. Have you advised Dr Mac?’
    â€˜He’s on his way.’
    Angel’s mobile began to ring.
    He nodded at Taylor, turned away and reached into his pocket.
    The sergeant returned to erecting the screen.
    Angel pulled out his mobile and pressed the button. It was Harker.
    â€˜Have you identified that body yet?’ he growled.
    â€˜No, sir.’
    â€˜Hmm. Joshua Gumme’s wife has phoned in to report he’s missing. Says he went missing last night. Hasn’t been home. She’s very worried about him.’
    â€˜As soon as I know, sir, I’ll ring you back.’
    The line went dead.
    Angel blinked. He knew Joshua Gumme. Their paths had crossed several times over the years. He had often wondered how on earth that crook had managed to stay out of prison. He had sailed perilously close to it many a time. He owned businesses in Bromersley including a snooker hall. Had a little printing business. Irons in all sorts of pies. Recently had acquired the reputation of being unbeatable at card games, and had the unofficial tag of ‘the man who couldn’t lose’. Had become immensely wealthy by local standards. Had some sort of an illness that had put him in a wheelchair. His wife, Myra, was dead, he remembered. Knew he’d remarried but didn’t know anything about the woman.
    He turned back to the scene and went over to the Sub Aqua team. Two men, both still in wet suits, had taken off the flippers, helmets and bottles and were sitting on a grass patch, drinking soup out of flasks.
    â€˜I’m DI Angel,’ he said. ‘Where exactly did you find the body, then?’
    â€˜I’m DS Stranger, sir,’ one of them replied, pointing a hand across the water. ‘Directly under the bridge, about twelve feet from the bank.’
    â€˜Is it deep there?’
    â€˜No. About eight feet or less.’
    Angel nodded. ‘It’s imperative we find the murder weapon. Look out for a gun of some sort?’
    â€˜Yes, of course, sir,’ Stranger said as he screwed the lid on his flask. ‘We have planned to make a systematic search of an area, stretching from one side of the river to the other, ten feet wide, and in line with where we recovered the body. That should cover the likely area where anything heavy thrown from this side of the bridge might sink. But anything small like that might take some finding even with our detectors. We’d need about a week, sir.’
    Angel nodded.
    â€˜That should do it.’
    â€˜There’s a bicycle or a pram stuck down there in mud. Next to where he was. Tried to move it, it’s a bit heavy.’
    Angel’s eyebrows shot up.
    â€˜If it’s a wheelchair, get it up. It probably belongs to him,’ he said, nodding towards the place where the SOCO men were fastening the flapping sheeting to the scaffolding. ‘Could be valuable evidence.’
    Stranger looked surprised.
    â€˜Disabled, was he, sir?’
    â€˜Yes. And anything else around there that you think might be pertinent to this case.’
    â€˜You’re looking for a hard nut, sir,’ Stranger said. ‘Who would throw a man in a