by J. A. Kerr
Nick knew he looked different. He was almost unrecognisable with his trademark beard gone and his head shaved. He’d lost weight; prison food was not to his liking. His gaunt face was grim and his eyes dead; they hid a deep, dark poison. Toby Fraser’s plan to abduct and hold his victim captive had been ambitious but ultimately flawed. Nick has been surprised by his plan and a little impressed. He identified the weakness in his scheme and learned from it. This time he would succeed. His scheme would devastate Siena; break her, while Harrison would be left behind to suffer. The knowledge that Nick had taken everything he held dear—the ultimate revenge. He was looking forward to watching him implode. His surveillance would continue long after the police had left. He would use the photographs of Harrison to torture Siena.
In the beginning, his hostility towards Siena had been violent. He’d wanted to physically hurt her, in his darker moments he still did. However, now it was her mind he was interested in. Bones healed but the mind, once broken, did not. Although he had been shocked by Siena’s infidelity, he thought nothing of his own casual encounters. Many of his female patients were attracted to him. With his move away from minors into adult services, he had found the attention uncomfortable at first, but that soon passed. He’d never really considered Katie Burns. Her attraction to him was evident from the beginning but Nick had no interest in taking it further. She was too unstable for a start. Most of the patients he became involved with were lonely and easy to manipulate. Katie did not fall into this category. Her range of mental problems meant she had presented him with quite a challenge. Nick had handled her perfectly and now, their relationship was flourishing. Katie was a regular visitor. He’d kept her on a tight leash but not for much longer. Katie wanted more and she wanted him.
She had become impatient over the last few weeks. He worried she would tire of him completely and move on to someone more accessible. However, today’s events had changed everything and he was headed to her home now. He had all his possessions with him ready to move in. Katie suggested it, like he’d hoped. She would be his perfect alibi He had the syringe ready. When he drugged her she would have no idea that this blackout was any different from the ones she’d previously suffered. His hacker would plant all the damning evidence onto Katie’s computer later today. Afterwards, it would be Nick himself who’d plant the seed of suspicion with the police. Tell them about her fixation with Siena. There was truth in his statement. Katie disliked Siena intensely. Her mental illness was well documented and with all the evidence he’d plant...it would be an open and shut case.
He thought of letting someone else do his dirty work, and then remembered how Toby Fraser had failed him. No, this time he wasn’t leaving anything to chance. If you wanted something done properly you must do it yourself. Nick knew about the pet. His contact had waited patiently and had no trouble locating the cat. The creature was friendly and had eaten the food she’d been given hungrily. The effect of the poison was quick and as the cat collapsed his contact scooped it up. He would have to check he had the mask, the filled syringes and the rest of the equipment when he collected the bag that had been left for him by his contact. He didn’t need to worry about Harrison. His second surveillance team confirmed he was still at work. Yes, Benedict Harrison would be oblivious while Nick was free to destroy his life, and Siena’s. In his warped mind, breaking Siena mentally was the first step. He could treat her, make her better, then make her dependant.
The car stopped and Nick retrieved the bag from the locker as arranged. A quick glance told him he had what he needed. He took a moment to lift the syringe from the bag and put it in his pocket; conscious of the driver but his gaze was on the road. They carried on to Katie’s flat and he thanked the driver and paid the fare. He could see her at the window. Her face lit up with joy when she saw him. He wondered if meeting without constraints would be awkward. As she ushered him inside, he was relieved she did not kiss him. That would have been unpleasant. Instead, she took his bag and led him into the lounge. She left and he walked to the large window. He looked for the Volvo he’d been told was Katie’s. He saw it. Old but perfect for his purposes. Katie had no idea what he’d put in her garage. She used it as a store. It had been easy for his men to break in and place the items there. With so much junk, he doubted Katie would notice.
Nick was conscious the clock was ticking. He had to get to Siena. He heard Katie enter the room. Turning, he walked towards her, she didn’t see the syringe in his hand but gasped as he plunged it into her arm. As her body slumped, he caught her before she collapsed on the floor. Nick smiled as he carefully arranged her on the sofa. He’d grown fond of Katie and perhaps in other circumstances they might have had a chance, but there was no room for sentiment now. Nick had noticed Katie’s handbag in the hall. He’d seen it when he arrived. Wasting no time he searched it and located her car keys inside. He smiled happily. Her house keys hung from the lock in the front door and he lifted those too. He unpacked his case which he found in Katie’s bedroom. She obviously wanted an intimate relationship.
Anger pulsed through him. He was the one calling the shots, not her. Suddenly, he was glad of the drug that had rendered her unconscious. He’d put her in her place and there would be no further complications. He placed the overalls and booties on the bed. Concentrating, he touched as many surfaces as possible; he wanted his DNA to be found in her flat, especially in her bedroom. He drank a glass of water in the kitchen, leaving clear prints on the glass before moving back to the lounge to check on Katie. She would be out for hours. Slipping on gloves, he disposed of the syringe in the sharps container he’d brought with him. He then dressed in the overalls and pulled up the hood. His whole body was protected. It was essential he did not leave his DNA in Katie’s car or at the crime scene.
Slipping into her coat he zipped it up, concealing most of the overalls. For once he was glad of the British weather. The rain would keep people inside. Pulling up the hood on the coat and opening the back door, he stepped outside. He took a moment to orientate himself but saw the row of garages easily. His hand curled around Katie’s house keys. It took several attempts but eventually he found the right key to unlock the garage. He didn’t open the door but walked back inside the house and out through the front door. Keeping his head down, he walked quickly towards the Volvo. He opened the car and sat down; he slipped the booties over his shoes and swung his legs inside. Taking the keys he started the engine and drove the car around to the garages. He parked outside and checked if anyone was around, but all was quiet. Opening the garage door, he quickly stepped inside. The overalls were making him sweat. He found the equipment hidden where he was told to look and loaded it into the trunk of the Volvo.
Checking his watch he felt panic course through him at the passage of time. He must hurry. As he drove through the streets he barely registered the change in scenery. Parking the car amongst the trees, it was partially hidden. He would need it later. Glancing at the bag he placed on the front seat earlier, he shuddered. The contents were his ticket into the Harrison household which at first seemed impossible to breach but Nick didn’t give up. He didn’t let the security gates, cameras and alarms intimidate him. Quite the opposite. The gate keypad was the first thing he secured. His surveillance contact simply waited until the nanny punched in the numbers. She didn’t obscure the screen and he could make out the digits clearly through his high-powered field glasses. The cameras, however, kept him away from the house for a while until Nick suggested the perfect disguise; a postman.
No one even glanced at his contact. He’d told Nick it was like he was invisible. He rang the buzzer and the side gate popped open and he was in. His cap pulled low over his eyes, he never looked at the cameras just strolled to the door pretending to sort through some packages while he assessed as much of the house as he could. Acting like he had made an error with the address, he retraced his steps. He’d reported to Nick there was no way to force the door; it was heavy with sturdy locks. The only option was for Siena to op
en it for him. It threw him for a while. His contact had no way to assess the back of the house, too risky. Nick did not want to arouse suspicion. He assumed the rear of the house had a secure door also. Frustrated, he poured over the surveillance reports looking for an answer. Then he noticed the entries. The door was opened every evening. A cat was noticed on the property. Nick knew he had found the answer.
He walked quickly, the bag held securely in his hand but away from his body. He placed it in the front seat of the parked hire car. Driving calmly, he made his way through London. He averted his eyes from the bag. When the Satellite Navigation told him he’d reached his destination, he recognised the house from the surveillance pictures. A quick text sent to his contact confirmed Harrison was still at his club.
Parking the car outside the Harrison home, he took a deep breath. Showtime, he thought. He almost gagged when he unzipped the bag. He’d told his contact to give the cat injuries consistent with a car accident and he’d done just that, and the sight was unsettling. The street was empty. Nick quickly placed the stiff cat in front of the car. The rain was heavy and he pulled the hood tightly around his face. The buzzer was loud in the quiet of the street and Nick’s heart thudded as he waited. The video image lit up and Nick frowned.
“Hello,” said the woman hesitantly.
Disappointment seeped through him; it was not Siena. Momentarily thrown, it took Nick a second to recover his composure. His face was obscured by the hood. “Excuse me,” he said in a high-pitched feminine British accent. “I’m sorry to bother you but I have an injured cat here.”
“Tilly,” he heard the woman scream in anguish.
Nick smiled and punched in the code on the intercom. It opened and without hesitation he slipped inside closing it softly behind him. He knew exactly where to hide. As soon as the woman rushed past him, he sprinted for the house. Once inside he slipped on the mask and waited as adrenaline pumped through him. He grinned at how easily it was to get inside. The door to the house was still open and he could hear the woman approaching; she was sobbing. As she stepped inside with the cat in her arms he drove the syringe into her neck.
Chapter 54
The Braille Club Undone
The Braille Club, London. Two Years On. Swingers Zone. Guy realised the couple were putting on a show. The sex was hot, rough and dirty. Although she could have no idea where he stood, her gaze was directed at him. Guy was alive with desire. He froze when she motioned for him to join her.
Siena
As they drew up to the house, the police and ambulance were already there. Siena immediately noticed her car was missing. Had thieves broken into the house and taken it? She’d heard of that but never thought with their security they’d be at risk. She was out of the car as soon as it stopped. Benedict’s cry of ‘wait’ ignored.
She rushed inside. David’s ashen face was strained.
“Mrs Harrison?” said the policeman.
“I need to get to my children,” said Siena, dodging the policeman’s outstretched arm. She stopped dead when she heard Lizzie’s hysterical crying coming from the kitchen.
“It’s my fault,” she heard between sobs. “Don’t just stand there, find them,” she pleaded. “Please, you’re wasting time. Find them.”
Confused, she turned towards the kitchen before her mothering instinct made her turn back to the stairs. But Benedict’s arms were around her, pulling her towards him. Something was wrong. Benedict and Guy had been so tense in the car but her husband confirmed the twins were safe. Dread filled her and her heart pounded. “Where are the twins?” she shouted. “Let me go,” she fought him.
“Siena,” his voice seemed far away but his grip on her increased. “The twins are missing.”
“Nooooooo.” Her scream was inhuman. Terror made her slump against him. “No, no, no,” she tore at her hair. “Please, oh my God.”
Benedict pulled her close and hugged her tightly. She could see David approaching, his face full of concern and worry.
“Siena,” he said kindly. “Please come and sit down.”
She shook her head, still straining to go upstairs. Somehow she needed to see their bedroom; the empty beds proof that they were telling the truth.
“Siena, you cannot go upstairs, the police need to preserve the crime scene.”
“Crime scene?” she whispered, her mind refused to process the information. She had been through this before with their last rented property.
“Crime scene?” she asked again numbly.
“Yes,” said Benedict gently. His voice was close to breaking. Siena looked into the anguished eyes of her husband and pain pierced her heart but she wanted answers. Her heart hammered and her fight or flight instinct was on red alert. Her mind was spinning. Where were her children? Fear engulfed her. Who had taken them? She could feel her body shaking but, using all her strength, reined in her escalating panic. She looked at the policemen in her home and realised the twins needed her. A strange feeling of calm took over. If Siena wanted to get her children back, she had to be calm and think.
“How could someone break into Knox and take our children?” she asked her voice quiet. “What is the point of all this security if it’s not effective?
“It should have been,” said Benedict dejectedly.
“The door was wide open when I arrived,” said David. “I don’t think whoever did this broke in....”
“They didn’t,” said Lizzie, her voice wobbly. She was pale, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Siena gave her a hug and urged her to sit on the chair in the hallway. There was a WPC behind her.
“When I came back to the house they were already here, waiting for me. I never saw their faces. I felt a sting in my neck and the next thing I remember is waking up on the floor.”
“You think there were two people?” asked Guy.
“It was a woman I spoke to,” said Lizzie uncertainly. “Well, it sounded like a woman...I was so upset about Tilly I didn’t think. I rushed out of the house leaving the door wide open.” She covered her face with hands and began to cry. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t think...”
“Shhhh,” Siena murmured. “Lizzie, you’re not to blame. I would have done exactly the same in your position. I noticed Tilly wasn’t around. I should have called you.”
“Mr & Mrs Harrison?”
They turned to see a grim faced officer.
“I’m handling the investigation. I’m DI Clark,” he said.
“Do you know anything?” asked Siena desperately.
“Not at this moment in time Mrs Harrison, but we are doing everything we can.”
“So someone just walked into my home and took my children?” asked Siena, appalled.
“It looks that way,” said DI Clark unhappily.
“Why?” she whispered. Her body slumped and Benedict’s arms tightened around her. The silence that followed was deafening as her question hung in the air.
“That’s what we need to find out.” said DI Clark.
A buzzing sound made Benedict jump; the vibration clearly audible in the silence. Siena turned to him. He looked shocked and for a moment did not react, but Siena saw Guy pull out his phone and frown.
“Benedict, I have a GPS location for Siena’s medical bracelet.”
“Wha-a-at?” Benedict stammered, confused, but Siena understood. Her memory flashed to Reeva playing with it earlier. Was it possible she still had it on her? Her mind was frantically trying to tell her something as she stood in the hall. Her panic levels were off the scale and it had nothing to do with her missing children but there was no time.
“Let’s go,” said Guy urgently.
“What are you talking about?” asked DI Clark.
“I have a GPS location on Mrs Harrison’s medical alert bracelet. It should be in the house but it’s not. It’s possible the abductors took it.”
“Okay, let me get some of my men to check this out,” said DI Clark.
Benedict thrust his mobile into his hand. “Use this and follo
w us.”
Siena looked back and saw Lizzie look up as they moved toward the front door; a glimmer of hope in her eyes.
“Find them. Please find them,” she said brokenly.
“Sir,” said the policeman. “Sir.”
He tried to stop them but was no match for Benedict and Guy.
“Follow us,” Guy shouted as he practically threw Siena into the car.
“What do think the signal means?” she asked as the car shot out their drive.
“I don’t know,” said Guy truthfully, “but it’s the only lead we have.”
The tension in the car was unbearable. No one spoke as Guy’s car hurtled towards the GPS location. Siena closed her eyes. Fear had made her mind numb. The overwhelming panic that had her body on red alert had faded, to be replaced by a dull echo. Siena fought to understand what her mind and body were trying to tell her. Her memory replayed entering the house. Her pulse had quickened. Why? She hadn’t known about the twins at that stage, it was something else. Something made her feel afraid. Her eyes snapped open.
“Nick.” The word hissed from her lips.
“What?” said Benedict and Guy in unison. The car was so quiet they had both heard her.
“I could smell Nick when I came into the house,” she said. Her voice was steady. “It was him.”
“No,” said Benedict. “He’s in prison. Guy said we would be notified if he was released.”
“It was him.” Siena repeated. “I know it was him.”
The further they travelled the more anxious Siena became. Where had he taken them? she thought. The car swung into the woods and a feeling of dread filled the car as they got closer to the location. Siena glanced back and could see the police car behind them.
“He’s got them,” Siena whispered. “Oh my God, that monster has my children. This is all my fault.” Tears streamed down her face as pictures of Reeva’s and Leo’s frightened faces flashed through her head. She was to blame. She had brought this man into their lives.