AVENGE

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX - HENRY MORTON

56.

HENRY MORTON

Henry walked into the police station and stopped at the front desk.

"Hello, sir. How may I help?" asked the policeman behind the desk.

"I believe a Captain Chapman wanted to see me," said Henry.

"Your name, sir?"

"Henry Morton."

"Ah yes. Right this way, sir." The officer left the desk and exited through a door on the right. Seconds later a door to Henry's right opened. "Come through, sir."

Henry walked through the door and followed the officer to an interview room. "Please be seated. Someone will be with you shortly."

Henry waited for two minutes before the door opened again. In walked Captain Chapman and Detective Mulraine.

"Sorry to keep you, Mr Morton," said the captain. "Do you require a drink?"

"No thank you, captain."

They sat opposite Henry and Captain Chapman began. "We have reason to believe that someone is killing the jury from your family's trial, Mr Morton."

"Really. Why?"

"We have no clue. At first, we thought it was gang related. Someone taking revenge for their other members going to prison. But the way these people have been killed doesn't ring true to the way a gang operates."

"How were they killed?"

"They were made to look like accidents – apart from the last two."

"The last two. How many have been killed?"

"The entire jury."

"Twelve people. Are you close to catching the murderer?"

"Maybe. Detective Mulraine and I have been brainstorming for most of last night and again this morning."

"We believed your life may be in danger," said Detective Mulraine.

"I have tried to contact you over the last two days unsuccessfully," said Captain Chapman. "I was going to ask you to go into protective custody."

"Was?" said Henry.

"Yes. Was. You see, since then we have come up with another theory," said Detective Mulraine. "We now think that you have killed them all out of some sort of misguided revenge. Although, we still can't figure out why you would want revenge, Mr Morton. The jury sent down the gang that killed your family. Why did you want revenge, Mr Morton?"

Henry remained calm. "I don't know what you're talking about. I don't want revenge. I've even recently performed a show in their honour."

"How did you make sure they turned up to the show?" asked the captain.

"By personal invitation of course. I was thinking of running a competition on Sammy Smooth's radio show but he said he couldn't fix it for them to win so I went down an alternative route."

"Ah – yes. Sammy Smooth. AKA Samuel Sansom. He was also on the jury. If that ever got out the whole conviction of the gang could be overturned. As your friend he should not have been on the jury."

"He just wanted to help. How did you find out he was my friend?"

"His neighbour mentioned your name when we found his body yesterday."

"How did they get to him?"

"You tell us, Mr Morton," said Detective Mulraine. "How could you kill a friend?"