by Carla Kovach
He nodded. ‘Of course, guv.’ He continued towards the kitchen.
‘Right, I’ll catch up with you all later.’ Her mind wandered back to Samantha as she thought about a previous case, that of missing woman Deborah Jenkins. She’d been kidnapped and falsely imprisoned for many years, but she had been alive. Her heart began to hum with excitement. She thought of the young woman that was missing, the law student with her whole life ahead of her. She thought of Diane, the lonely, ill woman who missed Samantha more than anything. Unless they found a body, there was still hope. ‘There is a chance Samantha could still be alive. Don’t waste any time.’
She grabbed her jacket and nodded to Jacob to follow.
Sixteen
There she is again – it gives me so much pleasure to watch Aimee. It’s safe to enter now, her session with the grumpy old woman has begun. Private yoga today. My hands tremble with excitement as I follow the side of the house and peer around the wall. I’ve missed you my lovely little personal trainer and I’ve missed the smell and feel of your house.
I love the way you do downward dog in your conservatory gymnasium, it’s a sight I’ve seen on many occasion. It’s a small, but well kitted-out mini studio – you have a good eye for design and layout. It’s a shame the rest of the house isn’t as nice. Your client isn’t as good at downward dog as you, no one ever is. She’s not dedicated like you. You deserve to look that good, all firm, young and delicious.
As I open the back door, I know you won’t hear me over the chiming of recorded bells, the ones you play as you enter the meditation stage. I have until the count of eight. That’s the way you do things, isn’t it? You like doing it all your own way. I know you better than you know yourself. That’s what intimacy means in a relationship.
The kitchen is quite dismal, not like the conservatory – actually, it’s more of a lean-to that runs along the other side of the house that you spent so much money doing up, the bit your clients see. The house is so mismatched, old with extensions, misshapen but quirky.
Your fridge is almost empty like it always is. You have this lovely house and no food in the fridge. I inhale and all I smell is celery. You wear designer gym wear but there are holes in your everyday shoes.
I wish we could have met in a different way. I wish we could have a little meet-cute, like in the movies. That moment when our gazes meet across a crowded shop or café. You won’t like me to begin with. Maybe it’s raining and you’re all dishevelled. Your bouncy caramel coloured locks will be tight as they’ll be wet. I’ll bump into you as you wrestle with your umbrella, knocking something out of your other hand, maybe eggs. You’ll sound off as I gaze into your big blue eyes, then you’ll realise that you’ve just been a prize bitch towards the handsome stranger. I’ll offer you coffee and you’ll burst into laughter and apologise. That’s how it should have been. A man can fantasise.
You sound a little bell, bringing me gently out of my thoughts. The chiming stops.
Your hallway is dark and a collection of junk is piled up under the stairs. As I head up, the middle step creaks. I stop and listen as you make aum noises from your lean-to. You didn’t hear a thing. Just like the other night when you were staring out of your kitchen window into the darkness ahead. I could see you. You really need a new fence you know, but I suppose money’s tight. Security isn’t your priority and you’re certainly not very alert, but I already know that. I mean, you don’t always lock your back door, even when a woman from your neighbourhood has just been murdered – silly girl.
The smell of your hairspray fills the landing and I love it, I love everything about you. One day, it will be me and you; until then, I’m a man and I have needs, but you’re my special girl.
A knock at the door fills the quiet house. In a panic, I take the last step onto the landing and head into your lodger’s room, slipping behind the door. Who comes at this time of the day? You don’t book more than one client in at a time. I hold my breath as you pad along the hallway and open the door. Sweat beads form at my brow. No way – detectives? That’s all I need.
Seventeen
‘Aimee Prowse?’ Gina held her identification up and Jacob smiled.
The young woman wiped a bead of sweat from her brow. Her flawless skin sported an amazing post-workout glow. ‘Come through. Sorry, Sally,’ she called towards the conservatory. ‘Can I call you later to book you in for another session? You’re doing really well. Keep practising and stay focused. Remember your breathing.’ The young woman’s eyebrows arched as her customer flung her handbag over her shoulder.
The client brushed past Gina and smiled as she headed towards the front door. ‘Thanks, Aimee. We’ll speak later – definitely book me in for another session.’
‘What is it you do?’ Gina felt a tingle run down her neck as she spotted Aimee’s perfectly manicured nails. Her thoughts flashed back to the nail that had been delivered to Diane.
‘I’m a personal trainer. I also manage all the Parkruns in the area and have a collection of private clients. Sometimes I rent space at the gym in Cleevesford but I do run a few sessions from home. Are you interested in getting fitter?’ Aimee grabbed a purple hoodie from the coat hook, pulled it on and led the detectives into the lounge.
Clothes were strewn over the settee and several half-filled glasses of water were dotted around the room, some dustier than others. ‘Definitely not,’ Gina replied as they took a seat on the large corner settee. She thought of Wyre and how much she’d probably love to have personal training sessions to make her perfectly sculptured body even more sculptured. Gina was more about crisps and lazing around when she wasn’t working. The thought of being vigorously trained made her shudder. Her gaze wandered to the far end of the room where a sliding door led to a wide lean-to, equipped with gym balls and mats. Wind chimes hung from the ceiling and a light wooden floor completed the natural look. Pretty stones and crystals adorned the shelves. ‘We need to speak about the night of Sunday the fifth of May.’
Aimee looked away, folding her arms as she hugged her body. The young woman suddenly took on a child-like appearance. Her frame so petite, she could have easily been mistaken for a teenager. Her fluffy caramel-coloured curls had escaped from her ponytail and were concealing her eyes. Gina shifted in the seat so that she could face Aimee head on. At twenty-four, she was just a little older than her daughter, Hannah.
‘It’s terrible, what happened to that woman.’
‘It is, and we’re trying to find out as much as we can, which is why we’re here. We need to catch whoever did this to her. Until then, there’s someone really dangerous out there. Tell me about the party. What happened that evening?’
Aimee peered through a gap in her curls. ‘You know about the party?’
Gina caught Jacob’s eye. Something in Aimee’s reaction had suggested that this party wasn’t all it seemed. Noah had mentioned the party and he’d mentioned talking to Aimee at the end of the night. He’d also mentioned his falling out with Jade. ‘We know.’ Gina knew this was a bluff but she was sure Aimee wouldn’t catch on. She solemnly nodded, waiting for her to continue.
The woman shook her head and closed her eyes for a second. ‘I went with Rhys, my boyfriend. It was just a party at Dawn’s house. There were a few other couples and there were nibbles. We had wine and that was it.’
‘Nibbles and wine. We know it was more than that?’ Another bluff. ‘How do you know Dawn?’
She shrugged her shoulders and looked away, staring at the artificial orchid in the pot that sat on her window ledge. ‘I don’t know Dawn. We hadn’t met until that night. Rhys said we were going to the party. He arranged it and I just went along.’
‘How did he know Dawn?’
A tear slipped down Aimee’s cheek and she shook her head.
A flutter of excitement sent endorphins through Gina’s body. She was on to something. ‘It’s really important that you answer my questions. Aimee, a witness saw Rhys with Jade on the night of her murder and we’ve yet
to locate him. You can see how this looks. So, how did he know Dawn?’
Aimee pulled her sleeve over her hand and wiped her eyes. ‘He met her on the internet. We were all there to swap partners. Is that what you wanted me to tell you?’ She inhaled deeply and let out a controlled breath. ‘I wasn’t really sure about it but Rhys said we should give it a go and I guess I just went along with it. I sort of wanted to do something different too so it wasn’t all his fault.’
It was all starting to make sense. That’s why Dawn hadn’t known all of the details of those who had attended her party. They were all newly acquainted. ‘I’m not here to judge you, Aimee, but I need to know what happened that evening. Can you talk me through everything, from when you arrived?’
The young woman’s cheeks reddened. ‘We got there just before eight, I think. I can’t be too sure. I was a bit drunk. I don’t drink often and I’d had a couple of glasses of wine to loosen up before we even left home. The first hour was spent mingling with the others, then Dawn came out of the kitchen with two glasses. Men’s names in the first and a location in the second, women picked. We didn’t discuss who or where with anyone. We were meant to just make eye contact with our random partners, leave the house and they followed us women out to the secret locations. I’ve never done anything like this before and I’d hate it to get out to my clients. I’ve worked so hard to get high profile people on my books. Are they going to find out?’
Gina couldn’t reassure her either way. ‘Who were you paired with and where did you go?’
‘I got Noah. I don’t know his second name. He left just after me and we walked to the woods together.’
‘Did you see Rhys leave?’
She shook her head. ‘I was so nervous about what was happening, all I thought of was myself. I was jittery and my head was everywhere. I liked Noah and was glad I got him over the others.’ She paused. ‘I only caught a brief glance of Rhys when he left. I remember being angry at him as he didn’t look back. So much ran through my mind. I thought he didn’t care. I questioned what the hell I was doing but at the same time I wanted it when it turned out to be Noah.’ She began to rock gently on the end of her seat. ‘I was with Noah for about half an hour. That’s all it took from start to end. We parted sometime after midnight and that was it, the end. I headed home and so did he, at least I think he did. I didn’t go home with him.’
‘Was anything said?’
She stared into space. ‘Not really. He mentioned that Jade hadn’t been too happy with him and he was likely to be in the doghouse when he got home. He didn’t look overly worried.’
‘Aimee, I know this is hard, but have you heard from either Noah or Rhys since the party?’
She shook her head. ‘After, I came home for a bit but didn’t hear anything from Rhys. I got anxious and had no idea where he’d be. When he wasn’t home by about six in the morning, I basically pounded the streets, sick with worry. I haven’t seen him since.’
Jacob cleared his throat as he turned a page in his book and began to scribble a few notes.
Aimee walked over to the window and began playing with the potted orchid. ‘He wouldn’t have hurt her.’
Gina would reserve the right to challenge that statement until she’d had the opportunity to speak to the elusive Rhys Keegan herself. If he had nothing to do with Jade’s murder, why had he vanished before anyone even knew she’d been murdered? Why hadn’t he come home after leaving the summerhouse? Gina made a note to do a background check on Rhys. ‘Has he called you since the party?’
Without turning to face Gina, the woman shook her head. ‘That’s all I know. It really is. I haven’t seen or heard from him.’
Gina’s thoughts flashed back to creepy Colin Wray. ‘We have a witness who saw Jade Ashmore with Rhys and there’s something a little sensitive I need to ask you.’
She nodded and wiped her brow.
‘Is he ever forceful or rough with you?’ Gina wondered if there was anything in what Noah’s neighbour, Colin, had described. A slight tremble washed over Aimee as she reached for one of the many glasses of water. She took a sip from the dusty glass. ‘If you need any help—’
‘No. Thank you, Inspector. He’s not like that. We went to a party, got off with other people, he’s missing and she’s dead. Have you ever thought something might have happened to him? I don’t know any more.’
Gina took a card from her pocket and placed it on the coffee table next to one of the old glasses of water. ‘If you hear from him or he comes home, you need to contact me immediately.’ Aimee’s gaze flitted from the window to her lap, to over Gina’s head. Gina could tell that she was probably hiding the fact that she had seen him since. ‘As it stands, Rhys is a prime suspect in a murder enquiry.’
The sun shone through the window, highlighting the dust motes in the air. As Aimee turned, she nodded and forced a smile. ‘Of course, I’ll call.’
As Gina and Jacob headed towards the car, she stopped. ‘Of all the things they could have been hiding, it had to be a partner-swapping party!’
‘Well played on getting that out of her.’
‘I just knew something was off. Did you believe her, about not seeing him after the incident?’
‘No, guv. I think she’s holding onto something for sure.’ He slumped into the passenger seat of the car as Gina buckled up. She placed her phone on the dashboard holder and typed the address of their next destination into Google Maps.
‘She’s covering something up, covering for Rhys. Noah never once mentioned the nature of the party. It looks like Jade Ashmore picked Rhys Keegan at the summerhouse out of those glasses. What we need to know is what happened to the rest of the party. Let’s go and pay the host a visit. It’s Dawn Brown, isn’t it?’
Jacob nodded. ‘Yes, she has a boyfriend called Steven but that’s all we know.’
A message flashed up on Gina’s phone.
Hello sexy. Dinner later? X
‘Sounds like you’re on a promise later, guv.’
‘Shut up! This guy just doesn’t take the hint.’ She felt her face burning up as she smiled with embarrassment.
‘Okay, not saying another word.’ He made a pretend zip action with his fingers pinched across his lips. She shook her head and smiled as she drove. ‘Is he nice?’
‘I thought you weren’t going to say another word, Driscoll.’ He stared out of the window, a smile on his face.
‘At least one of us has a life.’
‘Shush.’
‘Okay!’
As they pulled out of the road she mulled over the message. She’d deal with Rex later.
The party ran through her mind. She could see people turning up, uncomfortably sussing each other out, some of them entering into things they weren’t comfortable with. Her smile faded. She felt a shiver run through her body as she thought of Terry and that one incident she’d never spoken about in her life, an incident she’d buried so deeply in her mind until this moment. An incident that was so surreal, it almost felt like it should have merely been a dream.
Taking a deep breath, she indicated left and joined the main road on the outskirts of the estate.
Eighteen
I check my silenced phone and there are no new messages. I have all the time in the world and a part of me hopes that Aimee goes out so that I can make my escape. In slow motion, I place it in my pocket.
My heart feels as though it will fly from my mouth as I hear her jogging up the stairs. First the detectives arrive and now she’s closing in on me. With each step, I can hear her gasping for breath. I know she gets easily overwhelmed and after hearing what the detectives had to say, I can only guess at what’s going through her head. I like that she takes risks in life, that she’s game for a bit of fun. I am too. It’s exciting.
As she reaches the landing, I hold my breath. She can’t catch me behind her lodger’s bedroom door, it would ruin everything. I listen as her whimpers turn into uncontrollable sobs.
‘Answer your phone,�
� she yells as she storms through the bathroom door, slamming it closed. She won’t get an answer, of that I’m sure.
I hold my breath as she passes me on the other side of the door, so close, the smell of her sweet sweat fills my nostrils. I exhale. Phew – that was close.
The sound of the shower brings a smile to my face. As she steps in, I creep along the landing for a quick look at her bedroom and my stomach flutters. Her underwear lies on the floor. I pick up the pink pants and rub the soft material across my rough face. I’ll be back soon. I drop them and tiptoe out of the room, past the bathroom door and begin the careful journey down the steps.
The shower goes off. That was quick. I step again and the step creaks.
‘Rhys?’ she calls.
My heart bangs against my chest. I need to get out the back door before she comes out. She can see the front path out of her bathroom window. I carry on down the stairs not making a sound until I reach the hallway. Holding my breath, I pick up the pace as I reach the back door and open it.
‘Rhys, is that you? I know you’re there,’ she calls. I exhale as I dart out of the back gate. She can’t see me, not yet. I scurry off into the distance as the neighbour’s dog pounds against the fence, barking like it’s the end of the world.
My phone lights up. Oh, hello.
Nineteen
Gina pulled up on the drive of the new townhouse, right behind the caravan. ‘This is a nice new estate, guv. I see myself living somewhere like this in a few years, wife, couple of kids, nice garden.’
‘You hate gardening and you’re not that keen on kids either.’
Laughing, Jacob leaned down and grabbed his satchel from the foot-well. ‘You know something, you’re always right. Big mistake that would be. It wouldn’t be so bad if kids came with a volume button.’