Taylor stepped out from the back of the car and moved round towards him.
“How much is it?” she asked.
“Oh … don’t bother.”
“No, how much is it?”
Sal glanced at the metre. “I’m going to sixty.”
“Alright. Do you need anything else? I’m going to get her something to drink.”
Elsie was peering out the window towards them.
“Uh. No. I mean. We’ll sort that out. I guess. I want to talk to Nadine about a couple of things. Figure out where we are.”
“Alright,” Taylor said. “Don’t leave me out of the loop though.”
“Of course not.”
Taylor turned away reluctantly and headed towards the service station.
The other back door opened and Elsie put her feet out of the car.
“That was fucking nuts,” Elsie exclaimed. “Who were those guys?”
Sal shifted uncomfortably. He detached the hose from the tank and returned it to the pump.
“What? So you’re not talking to me?”
“There’s things you’re better off not knowing,” Sal answered.
He walked away from her around the side of the car.
“Hey!” Elsie yelled. “I’ve just been through some shit! Will you stay with me, please?”
“Just one moment,” Sal muttered.
All the way back there, in the deep recesses of his mind, he knew that he shouldn’t leave the girl alone, but Sal could only properly focus on one thing at a time.
At present, Nadine had his full attention.
“Nadine,” Sal said.
Her back was still to him.
So he moved closer.
“Nadine.”
She turned a little. He could see she was on the phone with someone.
“Who are you talking to?”
“I’ll call you back,” Nadine mumbled. She put the phone away.
Sal stared at her. “What the fuck was that?”
Her expression shifted, but only slightly.
He wondered what her eyes were doing.
“Anyone gotten hold of Rose yet?” Nadine asked, deflecting his question.
Sal’s head tilted. His gaze grew smaller.
“Did you hear what I said?” she tried again. “I just asked you –”
“Cut the bullshit.”
Her body shook. “What?”
Sal leaned in closer. “Cut the fucking bullshit.”
“What the hell’s gotten into you?”
Sal clenched one of his fists. Rubbed it against the inside of his other hand.
“Okay,” Nadine gasped. “Don’t lose your cool. I’m gonna explain shit. I will. I just –”
“Who were you talking to?”
Nadine’s head went back. “If I tell you that, then I have to tell you everything.”
“So tell me everything.”
Nadine opened her mouth to speak. But then she stopped.
Sal heard someone approaching from behind.
“Are you Nadine?” Elsie asked.
“Yes,” Nadine answered.
“I’ve been trying to give you this,” Elsie said holding out the VHS tape with both hands. “He said you need to watch it.”
“Who did?” Nadine snapped.
“The man who was holding me hostage.”
“Justin? Justin gave you this?”
Elsie shook her head. “I don’t know his name.”
Taylor approached from the side. “You still have that tape? Oh honey. You don’t need to worry about that anymore. Seriously. He’s dead.”
Elsie shook her head. “No. This is very important. He said if people came and I was rescued, then I had to give this to Nadine. He said if I didn’t he’d go to my house and kill my brother and my parents. He knew their names.”
“Okay,” Nadine said. “Hand it over then.”
Elsie gave her the tape.
Taylor offered Elsie a bottle of soda she was holding.
Elsie hesitated, but accepted.
“I have a question,” Sal said.
“For who?” Nadine asked.
“For the girl. I want to know… Are you sure there was only one person in that house with you tonight?”
“You mean apart from the guy who took me?”
“Right.”
Elsie took a drink. Reflected. “I heard him talking to someone, but I thought he was on the phone.”
“What difference does it make?” Taylor asked. “We know there’s others involved. We just have to turn everything over to McGuiness or the Commissioner and then we’ll be finished for the night.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Sal barked. “We’re not done till that son of a bitch is dead or behind bars.”
“What son of a bitch?”
Taylor looked to Nadine.
“Does someone want to fill me in?”
“You’ve got it all backwards, Sal,” Nadine said.
“What do you mean?” Sal replied.
“You’re talking about the guy from the lobby earlier, aren’t you? The man in blue glasses?”
“The man who shot at me? Yes, him.”
“As I said before. I know who he is.”
“You said you were working with him. That you helped him with the other girls –”
“Of course I didn’t help him,” Nadine said.
“Then why would you say that you did?”
Nadine sighed. “I was trying to throw you off the scent. Trying to get you away from identifying him.”
Sal launched forward and grabbed Nadine by the shoulders. “Tell me who he is!”
“His name is William Ardent. Or Special Agent Ardent. He’s not the man who abducted me. He’s on our side.”
CHAPTER 51
Rose was sitting at the edge of the bed almost completely awake. Up until this point, she hadn’t wanted to risk standing. It had been fifteen, maybe twenty minutes since Simon had left the room, obviously believing she and Rupert were asleep. He’d drugged them. Rose was still coming to terms with that. An explanation wasn’t presenting itself. She wasn’t too sure if she could think of many that painted her ex-husband not wishing to harm her. But then maybe she deserved it.
On her feet now. Still a little groggy. She had to fight through the imbalance.
Rose found her way back around the bed, to where Rupert was sleeping.
She needed him up.
Awake. Alert.
“Rupert. Rupert, get up.”
He was immovable. Still floating on his cloud in the land of pillows.
Rose shuddered. Just what in the hell was going on here…
She kissed her fingers then placed them on Rupert’s forehead. She turned and staggered towards the door which she had no trouble opening.
The music and voices were muffled no more.
Hands on the walls, Rose gradually made her way down the hallway till she was standing at the kitchen’s entrance. The dinner guests were still sitting and standing about. The ones from before as well as a few more. No sign of Simon.
But Samantha was standing with her back to her facing the counter.
“Hey!” Rose shouted at her.
Samantha froze. The conversation died down.
Rose took a few more steps across the tiles.
“Oh…” Samantha said trembling. She turned to face her. “How are you feeling? You – you weren’t feeling –”
“Shut the fuck up,” Rose sneered. “Where’s Simon?”
“He’s just gone out,” one of the ladies replied.
“Another patient, wasn’t it, Bob?” someone else added.
“He’ll be back soon,” Bob said.
Rose looked over the counter towards their awkward faces. Her feet felt heavy. As though she might fall.
“Goddamn it,” Samantha muttered.
“I thought you said she was supposed to be knocked out,” someone whispered.
“Did she drink the tea?” someone else asked.
Rose stood next to Samantha, using the counter for balance. “So you’re all in on it then? You allowed them to poison me.”
“Oh no, sweetie,” an elderly lady by the sofa said. “We just wanted to put you to sleep.”
“Dr. McGuiness said you were feeling unwell.”
Rose turned to gaze to Samantha. “Do we have any bullshit excuses from you?”
“No,” Samantha said.
“What was your plan?” Rose asked. “For when I woke up.”
“You’ll have to ask Simon.”
“Believe me. I intend to.”
“Would you like a seat over here, dear?” the elderly lady asked. “We have some muffins over here you might enjoy.”
“Or some biscuits,” Bob said.
“What I want is my bag,” Rose stated. “And then someone’s going to tell me where Simon is.”
A pause.
Rose ripped a knife out of the stakeholders and forced it up to Samantha’s throat.
“Get her bag!” Samantha squealed.
Movement in the peripherals.
Rose stared at her fiercely.
“You’re out of your mind,” Samantha trembled. “I can’t believe you –”
“Where is he?”
“I don’t know. For real. He doesn’t tell me anything.”
Someone shoved Rose her bag along the counter.
Rose put the knife down and opened it.
“Will someone get Simon on the phone please?” Rose asked.
The room was still struck with terror.
“Today!” she shouted.
CHAPTER 52
The gas station was dark, but Nadine’s glasses made it even darker.
She stood there, adrenalin rushing through her veins, a sickness rising in her stomach. Fear. Fear she didn’t want. The people before her looking at her like she was some kind of sideshow. Not believing the words she spoke. Not being able to see the world through her eyes.
How she must look to them. One confession after another. Nadine wasn’t sure how long she could take it. How long she could front the brave face. With all her emotions ripping and tearing and shredding away from her. All they thought about was the girl that had been abducted – abducted but unharmed. She hadn’t been abused. She hadn’t had things done to her. But it was Nadine who truly knew what was on the other side of that coin. Nadine, our damaged, fractured, police detective. Nadine, our broken soul with a mystery to solve.
She stared down at the VHS tape in her hand.
And she knew what it meant.
Eighteen minutes to Midnight.
“You’re saying that this man … this man who just happened to be hanging out at the place you were abducted twenty years ago… This man who wears blue sunglasses, rides around in blue limousines, and fires his gun at me… You’re saying this man who had me assaulted, and threatened the life of my daughter… You’re saying the whole time you and this man have been working together in an undercover investigation concerning your abduction… And this is the first we’re hearing about it. Have I got that right so far, Nadine? Is there anything I left out?”
Nadine could feel her expression fall.
All manner of confidence and character fade away.
She hadn’t wanted to lie to Sal. She knew he would pick it apart eventually.
But he was so close to the truth now she had no choice.
“Alright, listen,” Taylor said quietly putting her hand on Sal’s shoulder. “We’ll get her back to the precinct and let her explain herself there. Just don’t –”
“You know what, Nadine?” Sal blurted out.
Nadine continued to stare.
“I think you’re full of shit.”
She exhaled. “I’m telling the truth this time.”
“How would we even fucking know?” Sal cursed. “You just keep changing your story. And you’ve – you’ve been withholding this for I don’t even –”
“YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND!” Nadine screamed. “YOU DON’T CARE ABOUT ME! WHAT I’VE BEEN THROUGH! YOU DON’T KNOW WHAT IT’S LIKE –”
“Nadine, stop,” Taylor said, approaching.
Nadine drew her gun from her holster. “STAY BACK!”
“Are you gonna fucking shoot me, Nadine?” Sal challenged. “In front of the kid?”
Nadine turned the gun away from them.
Put it to her own head.
“Nadine,” Taylor murmured.
“What?” Nadine said choking through her tears. “You gonna pretend to care about me? You gonna pretend my life means anything to you? Because I know it doesn’t.”
“That’s not true, Nadine,” Taylor insisted. “I care about you. Sal cares about you too, he just –”
“I can’t even trust you,” Nadine exclaimed. “Will said there’s traitors all over the precinct. People working with him. I’m such an idiot telling you. What if one of you turns out to be just like Justin? I let that son of a bitch fuck me for, Christsake –”
Taylor suddenly lunged at Nadine, in an attempt to reach the gun.
It spilled out of Nadine’s grasp and scattered across the concrete.
She looked at them a split second.
Then she ran.
CHAPTER 53
“He’s not answering,” one of the women said.
“I can’t get a hold of him either,” another added.
“Same,” Bob said.
Her attention focused on the contents of her handbag, Rose waved her hand at them. “Don’t try all at once. You might cancel each other out…”
Rose couldn’t believe it.
Her gun was missing.
Someone had taken it out of her bag whilst she was unconscious. Why would they do that? What the hell was happening here?
“Step away, Rose.”
She looked up.
Samantha was holding the kitchen knife.
Rose swallowed. “Are you for real?”
“You had it on me a second ago,” Samantha snapped.
“Fair call.”
Samantha blinked a few times. “Alright, I’ll let you take your bag there. And then you’re getting out of my house.”
“What about Rupert?”
“Who?”
“My – my friend –”
“Someone wake Rupert up,” Samantha instructed.
“Okay, shall I –?”
“Yep, get moving.”
Rose stepped away from the counter. She backed away from Samantha towards the hallway.
“No, come back through the lounge,” Samantha said. “Front door’s over here.”
Rose continued to back away.
“Did you hear me? I said get back over –”
Rose turned and ran. She followed the passageway round till she reached Simon’s study. She went through the open doorway and closed it behind her. Locked the door.
“Hey!” Samantha shouted from behind the door. “Open up!”
Rose tossed her handbag on the floor and rushed over to Simon’s desk.
There had to be something here that would tell her where he was.
“Rose! What are you doing?” Samantha shouted.
“I’m sorry!” Rose shouted back. “Just give me a minute in here!”
She grabbed hold of his computer mouse and the screen came to life. She looked over his desktop.
“You know Simon never lets anyone in here alone! He has very personal items in here!”
Rose’s eyes narrowed.
She’d seen something now.
Something which seemed very odd.
“Samantha,” Rose called out. “Samantha, can I ask you something?”
“Open the door!”
“Do you know who Nadine is?”
“Who?”
“Okay. Just wondering.”
Rose opened the folder titled ‘Nadine Shields.’
Inside there were two video files, marked ‘Vid 001’ and ‘Vid 002
’.
Rose’s gaze became more intense as she saw the stills from each video captured in the folder.
She recognized one of them.
The white room. The man in the blue suit facing backwards.
Vid 001 was from the VHS tape they watched at the precinct earlier.
But what the fuck was it doing here?
CHAPTER 54
SIXTH NOTE
Nighttime. Pure darkness. I’d driven us an hour or two away from the metropolitan, into the hills. A place with trees and leaves and ponds with a tight dirt track my van could barely squeeze between. There was no one around. There wouldn’t be anyone within earshot for a very long time. I left the headlights of the van on and then got out to walk across the ground to make sure I was in the correct spot.
A few more steps into the shadows and I saw where I’d left the shovel.
There would be no mistakes from here. No backing down.
I was actually going to go through with it.
Rumble, rumble…
So she was awake then. While that would surely make it more enjoyable, it certainly wouldn’t make it any easier. I pulled the pistol out from my jeans and went to the back of the van, opening the doors.
She was crouched up the back.
Huddled in fright.
“Alright now, Princess,” I said. “Time to get out.”
She was crying. I could see that much. She wasn’t really making much noise though. Just turning on the waterworks. Letting the tears flow freely.
“You don’t have to be afraid,” I lied. “I just want to talk to you. We’re going to have a nice little conversation, and then we’ll go home.”
“You have a gun.”
“All the more reason to do what I say. My patience is fading. Come on now.”
She shook her head at me.
“Fine.” I pointed the gun at her.
“Wait!” she shrieked. “Don’t! I’m coming!”
She shuffled along.
When within reach, I grabbed her arm and dragged her out to the ground, where she collapsed to her knees.
She started to sob.
“Cut that out,” I barked at her. “On your feet. I just want to talk remember.”
“About what?”
“You know what about.”
I forced her upright and pushed her along the clearing.
Icy Stares (Guess The Killer Book 1) Page 11