A Clamour of Rooks (The Birdwatcher Series Book 4)

by European P. Douglas

  Chapter 23

  Sarah didn’t recognise the number, but she knew the area code. She answered with little trepidation. Her ear was sore after the amount of time the phone had spent pressed to it in the last forty-eight hours.

  “Hello?” She could hear the weariness in her own voice.

  “Agent Brightwater, it’s Freeman,” the Detective’s gruff voice said.

  “Hello Detective,”

  “I’m just calling to check in with you, I know you’ve been tied up the last few days.” That was an understatement, she thought.

  “Yes,” she said, “Thanks for calling. Do you have anything new for me?”

  “I’m afraid not,” Freeman said, she liked his no nonsense honesty. “I‘ve run the names and aliases of the victims through the databases and at first I thought I was onto something. I got a match for all of them, including the suspects, but when I looked closer it was all different people who have the same names as the people involved in this case.”

  “Each of the victims and suspects has the same name as someone in the missing persons databases?” Sarah clarified.

  “Yeah, and I’ve looked deep to make sure they weren’t the same people.”

  “Jesus,” Sarah sighed. This was Spalding all over, forever creating confusion with the names of the people he chose to abduct or kill or do his dirty work for him. She could only imagine how confusing it was all going to be for the jury to unravel at some point in the future.

  “This fit in with what you’re working on?” he asked.

  “In some ways, but only the confusion of it all and the wasted police time.”

  “If you learn something, it’s never wasted time,” Freeman said.

  “Have we learned anything here?” Sarah asked.

  “We learned of a possible link to your other crimes,” he said.

  “In what way?” Sarah asked.

  “Now, you see if you had answered my calls you would know this already,” Freeman said, and she could hear a smile in his tone.

  “Just tell me!” Sarah was sitting forward in her chair now hoping this was going to be good.

  “I got a great CCTV still of the man who ordered the flyers for the murder event,” Freeman said.

  “Do we have a name to go with that face?”

  “We do, and you might have heard of him.” Here Freeman left a long pause, but Sarah didn’t dare fill it. “It’s Dwight Spalding, in the flesh.”

  “What!” Sarah was stunned, “Are you sure?”

  “He looks older than his mugshot but not different,” Freeman said.

  “I need to see that tape,” Sarah said. She felt nauseous at the idea of him walking around without a disguise or a care in the world while he organised a massive kill party.

  “I’ve sent you the still image and copy of the video file by email,” Freeman said, “It should be in your inbox.”

  “I’m a bit behind on email,” Sarah said, scrambling her mouse and opening her emails to search this one out. “When did you send it?” she asked, checking some filtering boxes in her inbox.

  “Late yesterday evening,” he said, “About eight maybe.” She scanned through the emails in the time period and then she saw it.

  “Got it,” she said, opening the attachments. The image came up right away while the video file loaded. There was no doubting at all that it was him. “The nerve.”

  “Yes, he was certainly only too happy to make this home movie,” Freeman agreed, “But what I’m concerned with is why now, and why in this way?”

  “What do you mean?” Sarah asked, she was a little distracted as the video played before her eyes and she saw Spalding move in the flesh for the first time in her life.

  “Well, I’m only going from what I’ve heard you understand, but Spalding’s been going around committing all these crimes through proxy’s, never letting himself be connected for sure and now he does this? Walks out into the open and firmly connects himself to a multiple murder case?”

  “It is odd,” Sarah replied as she set the finished video clip to play again. “But then, everything he does is odd.”

  “Do you want to know what I think?” Freeman asked.

  “Sure,” Sarah said as she stared at her screen.

  “I think he’s trying to take the secret case you guys are running against him into the public domain.”

  “Why would he do that?”

  “Scaremongering, people will be calling out police cover ups and making accusations of incompetence. There will be a million calls coming in to say someone's grandma saw Spalding going through her trash last night, all that kind of stuff.”

  “Hamper the case and create more confusion?” Sarah said. She thought he was probably right.

  “That’s how it feels to me,” Freeman said, “Assuming of course that there is a secret case at all.” She could hear his voice lift a little in a laugh as he said this.

  “There isn’t,” Sarah joked in return. “Did the store clerk have anything to say about him?”

  “Just that he was huge and polite and paid with cash. He hadn’t seen him before and didn’t think they’d spoken on the phone before either.”

  “Was there a second visit to pick up the flyers?”

  “No, he waited, paid extra for a speedy service.”

  “Did anyone else come into the store while he was there?” Sarah asked.

  “No, but...;” Freeman didn’t finish.

  “There were some young thugs hanging around outside the building, they might have seen him too.”

  “Have you questioned them?”

  “No, but I don’t think it will be too easy.”

  “You can’t find them?”

  “It’s not that, but I kind of roughed them up a little to move them along to get the store owner to open up to me,” Freeman said, his voice sounding embarrassed.

  “Don’t worry about it, I’m sure they deserved what they got, I’ll have someone follow up and interview them if you can provide the details?”

  “I’ll find out who they are and let you know.”

  “Thanks, and really good work on this,” Sarah said.

  “I guess it is your case after all,” Freeman said.

  “You’re working it fine as though it were your own, and I’m glad of that,” she replied.

  “I don’t like leaving things unfinished.” There was a finality in his voice that Sarah appreciated. She liked older cops like him, the ones who have always existed, the ones who get the jobs done and don’t need the spotlight to feel validated. He truly didn’t care if anyone ever knew his name so long as he was always able to get his man. It was a romantic notion of the police that seemed lost in this day and age.

  Chapter 24

  Derek Davis looked a little healthier this time, healthier in fact than Tyler ever remembered seeing him before. He must have been getting used to prison life. For his part, Davis looked happy to see Tyler and a wide brim of a smile sat on his lower face.

  “You look good Tyler,” he said when they both had communication phones in their hands. The glass between them was smudged and Tyler couldn't’ tell what side it was on. They leaned slightly to one side to see one another around it.

  “I was just thinking the same thing about you,” Tyler replied. “What happened, did they change the menu or something or give you some exercise equipment in your room?”

  “Ah, I’m just getting used to things in here is all,” he said, some of the enthusiasm waning.

  “Well, whatever it is, it suits you.”

  “So, what has you back in here to see me?” Davis asked.

  “I’m still on the same path as before,” Tyler said, “I was hoping you might have heard more about Dwight Spalding since last time.” Davis shook his head like a disappointed father.

  “Tyler,” he said, “I told you to leave well enough alone with that man. You’ll wind up dead if you get close to him.”

  “I know what you told me, but you know who I am, I can’t leave t
his alone until I get him.”

  “You mean get the story?” Davis corrected him. Tyler nodded but he knew in his own mind what he’d meant. “It will be someone else writing about your death, Tyler, that will be the story, mark my words.”

  “I appreciate all this concern Derek, but can you help me out. Have you heard anything new, anything at all?”

  “No one talks openly,” Davis sighed, “And if they do you know they’re talking through their ass.”

  “What do they say?”

  “There’s talk of a note at the scene where all the FBI were killed, something about entering the end of the game.” Davis looked around like he was worried someone might overhear him. Tyler hadn’t heard this from Sarah, but in truth they hadn’t gotten to talk too much about that event yet. She had only let him know she was okay with the phone call and then they had talked about Delgado.

  “I suppose no one has any idea what that might entail?” he asked, and Davis shook his head.

  “Where are you in your story?” the former editor asked.

  “Not where I want to be,” Tyler said. Though this was because what he was involved in could never be a story, it would be too self-incriminating.

  “Why do you want him so bad?” Davis asked.

  “It’s not just that,” Tyler said, lowering his voice and leaning towards the glass. “He keeps me involved in the cases too.” Davis’ eyes widened at this and Tyler couldn’t tell if it was in fear or shock.

  “How?” he asked suspiciously.

  “I can’t say, but it’s not pleasant,” Tyler responded. “Have you heard about the ‘Birdwatcher’ in here?”

  “The ‘Birdwatcher’?” Davis shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

  “He seems to be on Spalding’s hit list,” Tyler said, wondering if he’d said too much now but at the same time enjoying the thrill to think that he had.

  “Who is he, some new killer?” Davis asked.

  “He’s been around for about fifteen years but from what I can gather the FBI have only very recently discovered him. Spalding got there before them, just like he did with you and many others.”

  “So is this who I’ll be reading about in the papers next?” Davis asked. He was looking oddly at Tyler and he couldn’t read the expression on his old boss’s face. Was he trying to figure something out?

  “I don’t think so, not for a while anyway,” Tyler said, “This mansion thing is the big news right now, and the FBI raid that went wrong.”

  “That didn’t go wrong,” Davis said shaking his head, “It went perfectly to plan, just not the FBI’s plan.” Tyler grinned,

  “I can’t argue with that.” They were silent a moment then, Davis still looking at him oddly.

  “Tyler,” he broke the silence, “My advice still stands. I don’t care how long you’ve been in this business; you steer clear of Spalding. He’s a master at this. It’s his game and he's been playing it for many more years than anyone imagines.”

  “He’s getting cocky,” Tyler said, “He’s going to make a mistake, if he hasn’t already.”

  “He’s not the only one displaying cockiness right now.”

  “I’m not being cocky, just confident,” Tyler said grinning. Had they come to an understanding? Did Davis now know who he really was?

  “Amounts to the same thing,” Davis grinned back.

  “If you were still out, how would you have tried to track him down? I’m assuming you did try once you understood he was playing off your murders?” Tyler asked. A scowl came over Davis’ face and Tyler thought for a moment he was going to storm away and end the conversation.

  “I wouldn’t,” he said. “I’d go underground, get away from here and start again someplace else, somewhere in Europe probably.”

  “You’ve given it some thought?” It wasn’t really a question, but Davis nodded slowly all the same. “You must have thought about what you would have done differently,” Tyler persisted, “If it wasn’t for Spalding’s meddling in your crimes, you’d probably still be a free man.” Davis shook his head,

  “He’s been watching far too long, knows too much about every aspect of his victims lives, he can only be found if he wants to be found.” Tyler agreed with this to a point.

  “He’s great at tech stuff and keeping a low profile but I think he can be got to.”

  “How?” Davis asked and Tyler felt his old boss could sense he had an idea, just like when he was working on a hot story in the past. Davis would always know and leave him to it, trusting the writing Tyler would produce.

  “Getting ahead of him on the tech side, for one thing," Tyler said smiling.

  “You have that edge?”

  “Not personally, but I’m sure someone does.”

  “Someone willing to help?”

  “Who wouldn’t want to bring down a serial killer?”

  “I look forward to reading all about it,” Davis said.

  Chapter 25

  Since last talking to Sarah, Megan hadn’t been able to come up with anything more that might lead to Spalding’s whereabouts. Sarah had been happy to receive the information about the waterfall as difficult as it might be to action. Since that time Megan had been looking into her possibilities in a local college where she planned to finish her studies. Online would have been her preferred option, but the local college to her home, didn’t offer that service right now.

  She was sure there would be some lingering fears of being on a campus again, after all that was where she had been abducted from in the first place, but Megan didn’t plan on being on campus alone or after dark at any time. Day classes only and if one of them was running late she would skip the end to get home before the sun set and catch up through her books. She was an intelligent girl and she felt sure she would be able to do it. Her new goal to work for the police or FBI also gave her a positivity she’d long since lost. It felt great to have this part of her life returning.

  Though Sarah hadn’t said so in so many words, Megan got the impression the FBI agent was very confident about closing in on Spalding. Two of his hideouts had been found in recent times, admittedly both had been terrible experiences, but it was two less places he could be hiding others. Once he was out of the way there was no reason she couldn't get past all of this and live as normal a life as possible. Megan was determined that would be her future.

  “Megan!” her mother’s voice filtered up the stairs. “Your phone is ringing.” Megan looked around her, she hadn’t realised she’d left her phone downstairs. It must have been the first time she’d done that since she got home.

  “Coming,” she called and headed out to the landing. Her mother was halfway up the stairs by now and she reached up with the phone and Megan leaned over the bannisters to get it. “Thanks,” she said. Megan looked at the screen and saw that no number showed, this scared her instantly. Melissa looked at her quizzically. Though she didn’t know this, it put Megan under a lot of internal pressure, and she answered without thinking about it again.

  “Hello?” Megan said nervously.

  “Megan, it’s me,” the pitiful tear-filled voice of Ellie ghosted to her ears.

  “Ellie!” Megan’s eyes flooded with tears too. “You’re alive!”

  “He says not for long,” Ellie said, her voice so strained and high-pitched that for a moment Megan wasn’t sure what she’d said. Melissa was looking into her daughter's eyes, scared and shaking but Megan caught hold of herself and waved for her mother’s phone. For a second Melissa didn’t know what she was trying to indicate but then she got it. Megan took the phone quickly and started to record the conversation she was having with Ellie on the other phone.

  “Do you know where you are?” Megan asked Ellie.

  “No, some house in the middle of nowhere I think, but I don’t know,” she sobbed.

  “What can you see?”

  “Nothing, just the room I’m in.”

  “Is he there with you now?” Megan asked; sure he would be.

  �
�Yes,” Ellie wailed. “He’s letting me call you to say goodbye.” Megan’s heart sank and she felt like vomiting.

  “What? No!” she cried out. “Put him on the phone Ellie, you’re going to be okay!” Megan listened to the almost silent whimpering of her friend before hearing a mumbled,

  “She wants to talk to you.” Silence again and then Ellie’s voice came back. “He doesn't want to talk to you,” she said.

  “Spalding!” Megan said loudly, “I know you can hear me. There’s no need for you to do anything to Ellie, you leave her alone!” Melissa winced at the idea of her talking to Spalding and she ran back down the stairs and Megan could hear her call 911 on the landline phone in the hallway. Megan listened to the phone in hand for some response. For a moment there was nothing but then a low noise started up. She didn’t know what it was at first but then chills ran down her spine as it became clear he was laughing at her and his laugh was getting heartier by the moment as the loudness of it grew.

  “Don’t you hurt her you horrible bastard!” Megan screamed.

  “Megan!” Ellie's scared voice cried out.

  “I’m here,” Megan said, her voice faltering in tears now and losing all of its force.

  “He says this is your fault, Megan, that you should never have gotten me involved with the police or FBI. You shouldn’t have told me about Sarah and Tyler and the place in the woods.”

  “I’m so sorry Ellie,” Megan sobbed falling to her knees as her body gave out to the anguish. “Take me instead, Spalding!” She was trying to shout but all strength was leaving her at that moment.

  “Megan, No!” Melissa screamed from the bottom of the stairs.

  “How touching," the voice of Spalding came on the phone, “But this isn’t an either-or situation for me, I’m going to have you both before I’m done.”

  “You’re a monster,” Megan whimpered looking around and suddenly afraid as though he might burst from one of the bedrooms around her.