The Murder Club (A Miller Hatcher Novel Book 2)

by Nikki Crutchley

  ‘And Trina?’ Miller said, treading softly. ‘I guess she knew all of this. Supported you?’

  Kahu nodded, brushing a fly from his sleeve. He wasn’t going to give her any more.

  ‘My dad was an alcoholic too,’ Miller said. It was easier to talk about him and his problem. ‘I thought like you when I was a teen. I was the sensible one. Out of all my friends I was the one who didn’t drink. I’d seen what it could do. I only started drinking when he died.’ Miller touched the scar on her face. Time to change the subject. ‘Kahu, Madi Nilson—’

  ‘Yeah?’ Kahu sat up straight.

  ‘I noticed something when I discovered her.’

  Kahu nodded as if he knew what was coming.

  ‘The lipstick,’ Miller said. ‘Bright pink lipstick. I thought it odd. She was in her pyjamas when I found her, and I’m assuming she was killed the night before. It didn’t look like she was wearing any other make-up, plus this looked like a bit of a botched job.’ She remembered Madi’s top lip where the lipstick had crossed over the edge of her lip onto her face.

  Kahu was quiet as he finished his water and put the glass down on the deck. ‘We’re not releasing that part to the public.’

  ‘It’s him? Did he put lipstick on her? All of them? Tamara and Emmeline too?’

  Kahu nodded, and Miller shuddered. There was something about that act that was so personal, yet disturbing, knowing what he’d done to the women.

  ‘This goes no further, Miller,’ Kahu warned.

  ‘Of course.’ She always felt put out when he warned her. Doesn’t he trust me?

  ‘We need to keep some details from the public. Just in case we get anyone trying to confess who didn’t actually do it.’

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Sometimes. We have people who are well known to us. Ones that would confess to it just for the attention. By keeping this detail quiet, we can weed them out quicker. It’s crazy,’ he said, swiping an arm across his sweaty forehead.

  ‘Kahu, I look at these women and they’re not similar, physically. I thought he’d be going for the same type of woman. That’s what men like this do, isn’t it?’

  ‘Not necessarily. It looks like his only prerequisite is women living alone. Let’s face it, it’s the only way he can be doing what he’s doing. They are the same age, roundabouts – early thirties.’

  ‘Did anyone hear anything at Madi’s place? Neighbours?’ Miller asked, wondering how someone could be murdered in their home and no one sees or hears anything. This wasn’t the big city where people kept to themselves. Everyone knew their neighbours in Lentford, kept an eye out for them – mostly.

  ‘Both neighbours are away. It’s getting to be like that – school’s finished for the year. People are starting to take off on holidays. The elderly couple on one side left for a cruise on Wednesday. On the other side, the family have got kids and they left for the beach a couple of days before that. I don’t know if he knew this or just got lucky. There are a few people around here on our radar. Ones with records, violence towards women, done their time and live here, or moved here over the last year or so.’

  ‘So?’ Miller asked.

  ‘So nothing.’ Kahu looked at Miller. ‘They’ve all been cleared.’

  ‘Jesus,’ Miller said, getting up to refill their glasses. ‘This is just so—’

  ‘Slow? Frustrating?’ Kahu said. ‘You got it. You know how it works. There’s a lot we can do with the resources we have, but sometimes we have to face facts. These pricks are either cleverer than us or, more likely, have dumb luck.’

  Miller thought of Cassie and her mum, how Margaret had been dead for so long and the ghost that was Karl Taylor had never been found. Is this what would happen to the Scarf Killer? Leads would dry up, tips would result in dead ends, the case getting colder and colder; one by one people being taken off the case until just one detective was working it. And when there was no more action to take, the file would be shelved; still open, but growing ever colder by the day, until the only people who remembered Emmeline’s, Tamara’s and Madi’s names were family and a few detectives.

  ‘I’m not giving up,’ Kahu said.

  Miller flinched. She knew he was doing his best. That’s all he ever did.

  ‘From those letters, I believe he’s going to show his hand, and if not, these kinds of people get sloppy, blasé. He’s going to fuck up, Miller, and I’ll be there waiting.’

  Chapter 29

  Miller and Li walked into town on Sunday afternoon for the Lentford Christmas parade. Miller wanted to take a look at who was there. For whatever reason, she felt the killer would be there, and part of her felt she could identify him. If he was following her, stalking her, would she be able to tell? Ever since this had started, she hadn’t got the feeling she was being watched or followed. So much for sixth sense and women’s intuition.

  ‘I love the Christmas parade,’ Li said as she walked alongside Miller, her short legs struggling to keep up with Miller’s long strides. Miller decreased her pace.

  ‘Really?’ Miller had never been one for Christmas parades. The annual one in Auckland took over Queen Street when half of the city turned up. She would get herself as far away as possible from it.

  ‘Just the whole Christmas thing,’ Li said.

  ‘Did you celebrate back home?’ Miller asked, uncertain of the Chinese culture.

  ‘No! Never!’ Li turned to Miller, wide-eyed. ‘Definitely not at home. Shopping malls go all-out, but that’s always commercially driven, make money at any cost. But I love the traditions you Kiwis have. The tree, the decorations, the food, the Christmas parade, extended families getting together – at the beach or a backyard barbecue – and don’t get me started on Santa!’

  Miller laughed. ‘No Santa in the Chen family?’

  Li’s face was deadpan. ‘No Santa, Miller! Can you believe it?’

  ‘Poor Li!’ Miller rubbed her back, laughing. ‘So you’re really not looking forward to going back?’

  Li sighed. ‘I do like seeing my parents, even if they are a bit strict. They are my parents, right? I just feel a sense of freedom here. I feel restricted at home.’

  ‘You’ll go to Shanghai, have a lovely time with your family, meet a few nice men…’

  She laughed when Li elbowed her.

  ‘And you’ll be back before you know it.’

  Li took a deep breath and nodded as if preparing herself.

  As they got closer to town the crowd began to swell. Cars, not able to park in town as the main road had been closed, filled up the side streets. Others, like Miller and Li, had abandoned cars and chose to walk. Whining children, hot from the walk, begged for ice blocks and a swim at the pool later. Miller heard one young girl scream as her hokey pokey ice cream slid off its cone and splattered in a heap onto the steaming tar seal, where within seconds it was reduced to a cream-coloured puddle. There were hurried promises of another ice cream and muttered cursing about the weather.

  Li and Miller took their place on the main street in the shade. Li chatted to the couple next to her, and Miller took the chance to look around, her eyes trying to seek out Ash. She’d be here somewhere. She knew a few people but by no means everyone. Across the road her eyes met Logan’s. He was standing between his parents. William looked, as usual, out of place, and Beatrice was talking to a woman beside her, her hands flailing as she regaled her with a story. Logan wouldn’t look away and waved his hand in greeting. He didn’t smile. The greeting confused Miller. Logan confused Miller. She nodded at him and looked away, not wanting to appear friendly. She didn’t want him to think they were close. She hadn’t started his article yet. Didn’t know where to begin or if she was actually going to write it.

  Miller looked left down the street and saw Johnno, dressed in black jeans and a black singlet, saunter up to a group of teenage girls, tanned skin on show in denim shorts,
miniskirts and midriff-baring tops. He sidled up to one of them, put an arm around her. Miller shook her head, watching the others swoon as he kissed the girl on the mouth and led her away from her friends, across the road to the village green.

  Cody and Hine were standing with Ngaire outside the Leader office. The crowd’s attention turned to the main street as the bagpipes started, marking the start of the parade. Cody caught her eye and waved, brandishing a camera in the air and rolling his eyes. He’d obviously been roped into taking photos for the paper. If it wasn’t for the murders, the Christmas parade would have been front-page news this coming week. But now it would be relegated to page two.

  The kilted bagpipers walked past, followed by fire engines and police cars, school and kindergarten floats plus various farm machinery dressed up in tinsel. Country town Christmas parades sure were different from the city ones, Miller thought. Clowns in billowing satin trousers and bright suspenders jogged along the side of the road, white paint melting off their faces, making them look more like Stephen King’s Pennywise than comical entertainment. They passed out lollies to waving kids while wiping away the face paint dripping into their eyes.

  ‘How’re you going, Miller?’ She jumped in surprise and turned to see Len next to her, dressed in a pale-pink short-sleeved shirt and denim shorts. He always managed to look so out of place.

  ‘Hi, Len. Thought the cafe’d be open.’

  ‘Got someone covering for me. I thought I’d come out and take a look at the festivities.’

  Miller nodded.

  ‘Sad news about Madi Nilson.’ Len’s index finger caressed the fluff on his chin.

  Miller nodded. ‘Very.’

  ‘I heard you found her.’

  Miller turned and looked at Len. He was staring straight ahead, a small smile on his face, looking at the local gymnastics group’s float.

  She felt the sweat dry on her skin and goose bumps erupt. ‘How did you know that?’ She knew for sure Ash would’ve kept it quiet. Bull?

  ‘Miller, this is Lentford. Big news like that never stays quiet for long. You should know that by now. Must’ve been horrible, walking in on a dead body.’

  Miller could smell him. His deodorant and aftershave were cloying.

  ‘I ...’ She had no words.

  ‘Poor girl. She used to come into the cafe a lot. I can imagine her putting up a fight. She was pretty spirited.’

  What does he mean by that?

  ‘It’s really sad,’ Miller said, pulling herself together. ‘Did you know her well?’

  ‘Not really. As I said, she was in the cafe a lot. I actually asked her out once. Got shot down.’ He gave a laugh that sounded more like a cough, then pointed down the road. ‘Here comes the main event.’

  Miller looked where Len was pointing. And there he was: Santa. His sleigh was atop a trailer being towed by a quad bike. Children gasped excitedly and the four-deep crowd surged forward, Li among them, the twenty-two-year-old unable to hide her excitement amid the pint-sized children. Small hands waved out, anxious to be seen by the big man. As the sleigh passed, Miller could see it was Lou. He was almost unrecognisable. She had only ever seen him in his lawnmowing gear: navy top and work boots, hairy muscled legs poking out from black shorts. He hadn’t lost his gruff expression, and Miller smiled at the red velvet, fur-trimmed hat pulled over his wrinkled brow.

  ‘Wonder who talked him into that.’ Len was almost doubled over in laughter. ‘Maggie, I’d say. I think she’s on the parade committee. Along with every other committee in Lentford.’

  Lou raised a gloved hand to the kids. Miller couldn’t tell if he was smiling, as his mouth was hidden in the bushy beard made from what looked like a mass of glued-together cotton balls. He had a pattern of waving to the left and then to the right and then wiping the sweat from his eyes.

  The crowd started to disperse as Santa’s sleigh disappeared around the corner to join all the other floats. A few kids dragged their parents down the road in the hope of catching Santa. Miller hoped Lou was prepared.

  Cody and Hine walked over. ‘Pub?’ Hine asked. ‘I’m gasping.’ Where everyone else looked as if they were melting, the only evidence that Hine was uncomfortable was a slight sheen of sweat on her face.

  ‘Yeah, okay,’ Miller said. The day stretched before her and she didn’t want to be home alone, nothing but thoughts to get in her way. She looked around for Li, who was talking to Len. It looked serious. The conversation finished and Li joined them.

  ‘Do you want to come to the pub?’ Miller asked.

  ‘I can’t,’ Li said. ‘Len wants me to work for a couple of hours this afternoon. He’s such a jerk. I wasn’t supposed to be on and then he guilted me into saying yes, reminding me I was going to be away over the busy season, and I could at least do him a favour.’

  Li looked close to tears and Miller rubbed her arm.

  Len was watching them, waiting for Li. ‘Better go.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Catch up with you later.’

  Cody, Hine and Miller made their way down to the Royal which was abnormally busy for a Sunday afternoon. Kids ran around the car park out front while parents sat in the only slightly cooler interior, knocking back beers and shandies. Cassie, Tane and Johnno – back from wherever he’d been with his latest conquest – were all working behind the bar.

  Hine found a table in the corner by the window. ‘My shout, ladies,’ Cody said, grinning. He looked as out of place as Len in Lentford with his designer sunglasses resting on his gelled hair, but he wore it well, Miller thought, as opposed to Len.

  ‘Thanks, Cody. Vodka tonic, please,’ Hine said, brushing the seat with a paper napkin before she sat down.

  ‘Coke, Miller?’ Cody asked. ‘Or juice?’

  This was the first time they’d all been at the pub together since Eric had regaled them all with her past misdemeanours. She loved that Cody didn’t make a big deal of it.

  ‘Coke will do, thanks, Cody.’ Miller sat down with Hine.

  Cody bent down and whispered, ‘Hine and I, we didn’t want to say anything... make you uncomfortable. But we’re here for you. You know, if you need us. And Eric’s a dick. But we all knew that already.’

  Miller felt ridiculously grateful. ‘Thanks guys,’ she said, and Cody disappeared to get the drinks.

  Hine surveyed the room. ‘Who’re you looking for?’ Miller asked.

  ‘No one. Someone. Anyone,’ Hine laughed, throwing back her head. ‘I’m always on the look-out for someone. That Johnno’s not too bad.’ She looked over at the bar where he was busy pouring handles. Hine winked at Miller as Cody came back with Jay, who was helping carry the drinks.

  ‘Hi, Jay.’ Hine pouted as she took a sip from her drink. She’d moved on from Johnno and now homed in on Jay. ‘Sit down by me.’ She patted the seat next to her.

  Jay placed his beer and Miller’s Coke on the table. He looked over at Miller and smiled.

  ‘Isn’t this cosy,’ Hine said, moving her chair closer to Jay.

  Cody gave Miller a sly smile. ‘Cheers, everyone.’ Half of the handle of beer disappeared in several successive gulps. ‘Shit, I needed that.’ He slumped back in his chair.

  Miller watched as Hine laughed at something Jay said, then touched his bare arm. Miller was surprised at the feeling in the pit of her stomach – jealousy. She reminded herself she’d had a few occasions where she had the chance to ask Jay out and she’d been too scared to. She turned to Cody and asked, ‘Get some good photos?’

  ‘Yeah, I think so.’

  The four of them looked over as Lou entered, still in his Santa outfit – minus the hat and beard. He’d taken off the red velvet coat and walked over to the bar with it slung over his shoulder. His friends ribbed him and he smiled good-naturedly.

  ‘Good on Lou for doing that,’ Hine said, giggling at the sight.

  ‘Maggie asked me if I w
anted to do it,’ Jay said, shaking his head.

  ‘Not keen?’ Miller asked.

  ‘Hell, no. Not really my scene.’

  ‘What is your scene, Jay?’ Hine asked, leaning closer to him, head cocked.

  He looked happy enough to be in her clutches. What red-blooded man wouldn’t be? Miller thought.

  She looked up to see Aubrey Moore, the receptionist at the Riverview Hotel, walking towards their table, her large eye liner-rimmed eyes locked on Miller. She didn’t know much about Aubrey, just that she was in her mid-thirties and an up-and-coming prospect for chief town gossip. Today she was dressed in a bright-yellow sundress, tan sandals on her feet. She approached Miller, mouth tight as if she’d just sucked on the lemon floating in her gin and tonic.

  ‘I’ve heard you’re doing an article on Logan Dodds.’

  Miller didn’t bother asking Aubrey how she knew. Lentford, like all small towns, had a group of people who made it their business to be in the know, and from what Cody and Hine had told her, Aubrey knew how to pump people for information.

  ‘You can’t do an article on that hideous crime tour he’s starting. It’s an embarrassment to the town.’

  ‘Is that your only concern about it?’ Miller asked. ‘That it’ll embarrass the town?’

  ‘Of course not. I ran into Karina Hohepa yesterday.’

  Ran into or purposely sought out are probably the same to her.

  ‘It’s ghastly. How can you give a man like that publicity? Karina was so upset when I talked to her. Logan’s just dragging the whole thing up again. Just because you think it’s a good story doesn’t mean it should be published. This isn’t Auckland, you know. People aren’t interested in stories like this.’

  ‘I understand, Aubrey,’ Miller said. Aubrey’s tone had got louder and higher as she spoke and other tables were looking on. ‘Look, I don’t even know if I’m going to write the article.’

  ‘Yeah, so un-bunch your panties, Aubrey and go have another G&T,’ Cody said, and turned back to his drink.