'Yeah,' Spenner said in surprise. 'But you need to get over here and see this, boss.'
'See what?' Lasser asked as he rubbed at his bruised arm, he could see Odette in the back of the Audi with Morgan Pence by her side, the girl nodding as Odette spoke to her.
'We gained access to the house, and Flack had left his laptop on the bed, he's been talking to the original killer, it's all there the whole bloody thing, details on how he killed Ethel Brab and Penny Salter.'
'It's OK, Spenner, the original killer was the copper Tom Barry, he won't be murdering anyone else that's for sure.'
'Barry?' Spenner asked, his confusion deepening.
'I'll explain it all later, but have you found any outhouse or garage at the property?'
'Yeah, and it has a single mattress in it, looks as if that's where he kept Clara Bell and Morgan Pence.'
When the car pulled up, Lasser climbed into the passenger seat as Bannister handed him a lit cigarette.
'OK, Spenner, bag and tag everything and we'll catch you later,' Lasser said as he ended the call.
'Do you need to go to the hospital?' Bannister asked.
'No, just bumps and bruises.'
Bannister sighed as he eased his head back. 'What a fucking night.'
'The main thing is we saved Morgan Pence, the rest is just shite,' Lasser replied.
'When did you become suspicious of Finder?'
'I was suspicious of the man as soon as I laid eyes on him, I knew he was a wrong 'un. But the trouble is he was right about Barry, I did take what he said at face value.'
'Well, at one time he was a copper as well as being a sick bastard, but you didn't know that at the time, none of us did.'
'Yeah, but I found it easier to believe Barry rather than Finder.'
Bannister glanced sideways, Lasser looked worn out, then he looked at his own reflection and realised he looked equally as bad.
'What does that say about me, about my ability to see what's right in front of me?' Lasser asked.
'Stop blaming yourself, the truth is if you hadn't insisted on coming here tonight, then Barry would have killed the girl, and all we would have been left with was Flack dead on the roof, two murders and no bloody clues.'
Taking a pull on the cigarette, Lasser sighed as he blew smoke through the gap in the window and closed his eyes for a moment.
'Somewhere along the line, Finder must have panicked, I know he told you he didn't watch the news or read the papers but we both know that was bollocks,' Bannister said. 'He would have known about the death of Julie Rawlins and the fact that Clara Bell had escaped from the woods, so he would have known that the next murder would have taken place here on the roof of the old mill.'
'And he would have known that Barry was in touch with someone, feeding them details of the original murders,' Lasser suggested.
Smoke blasted from Bannister's nostrils. 'Makes sense, he panicked, he would have known we were looking into the other three deaths he was responsible for so he figured he had to wipe Barry out, cut the link in the hope that we wouldn't delve any deeper into the murders.'
'Bob Ross must have had some suspicions, though it was obvious he didn't suspect Finder.'
'Until it was too late,' Bannister finished as he cracked a yawn.
The blue lights spiralled out over the courtyard and then there was a tap on the side window and Bannister slid it down as Odette looked in at them both, her eyes full of concern.
'I'm going to get Morgan home to her mother,' she said.
'Do you want me to come with you?' Bannister asked.
'No, I think you two need to get home and get some rest.'
'Yes, Mother,' the DCI said with a tired smile.
Shaking her head, Odette moved back to the Audi and climbed behind the wheel, and they watched as she drove from sight.
When Lasser's phone rang he delved a hand into his pocket. 'Hi, Jackie, sorry it's so late…'
'Are you two hungry?' she asked.
Bannister turned his head, his eyes widening in surprise. 'How did you know we're together?' he asked.
'You're always together. Now, I've done a curry, I know it's late, but it will be warm in the oven for when you both get back.'
Bannister licked his lips as his stomach suddenly rumbled. 'Hot stuff?'
'Are you talking about me or asking about the curry?
Lasser smiled as he heard Bannister clear his throat, he knew without looking that his face would be heating up with embarrassment.
'It's hot, Alan, so is that OK?'
'Look, Jackie, it's a kind offer but I need to get home and….'
'Just eat the curry and get your head down and I can run you back to the house in the morning,' Lasser broke in.
Scratching his chin, Bannister eventually replied. 'OK, it's a deal.'
'Good, catch you later,' Jackie said.
The phone beeped and died, and Bannister sighed. 'I miss that.'
'Miss what?' Lasser asked.
'Suzanne used to ring me up and asked what I wanted to eat.'
'Checking up on you,' Lasser said as the rain patterned the windscreen.
'You're a lucky man, Sergeant, having someone like Jackie to take care of you,' Bannister said as he selected a gear and headed for the opening in the wall.
Lasser opened his mouth and then he realised he had nothing to say, Bannister was right, so he merely rested his head back and closed his eyes, picturing the woman he loved.
When Bannister started to whistle, Lasser tuned out, his body aching as his mind closed down, until he fell asleep with the faint hint of a smile on his face.
END
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Third Eye - DS Lasser Series 25 (2021) Page 37