What May Have Happened

[Erik Narramore]

Maybe Julie Mugford is lying and Jeremy told her nothing, but under the influence of the gossiping family, she suspected he had done it.  Then she realises there is no future in the relationship and the engagement that began over the Christmas of 1984 is confirmed as officially a dead letter in an exchange with the cruel Brett Collins.  What does she do?

Out of spite, she makes up a story and circulates it.  Women often do this.  She doesn't go to the police, though, somebody else does that, and that person also mentions about Julie and Susan's cheque fraud.  The information is passed to Stan Jones.

Stan Jones is caught up in all this obsessively.  He is zealous and out to get Jeremy, but he is also a gifted detective who was once seconded to Scotland Yard.  He is a classic individualist sleuth, not a team player, which means that while he is a good one to spot details and figure things out, he resists the moderating voices of his colleagues and may stick dogmatically to conclusions that in hindsight seem rash.  He is frustrated by how his career has gone, as his brains should have seen him as an SIO and at least a DI by that point, instead he remains a sergeant.  He has had clashes with Taff in the past, however he also attended Taff's wedding, so he is not malicious towards him.  It it more that subconsciously, Stan has something to prove and this drives him to get one over on Taff.

With the departure of Taff, Stan has become the lead mover in the case, despite his junior rank, and seizes on this new development and the information about Julie.  He also has intelligence from Robbie Carr about the Osea Road break-in, and being good at his job, he puts 2 and 2 together.  He is now able to back Julie into a corner.

"So we've got the cheque fraud.  You are training to become a teacher.  This won't look good, will it?  You and Jeremy did the Osea Road break-in as well didn't you?  We know."

He hints at a deal.

Julie takes her chance.