by Joy Ellis
‘It doesn’t get any deeper, Mark, believe me.’
‘Meet me at Jonny’s Wine Bar at three? This place is heaving with packers. We’ve had a big delivery in from Columbia and they’ll be working here for hours getting the orders out. I think a quiet corner at Jonny’s might be better than being overheard by this load of eavesdroppers.’
‘I would, but I really need to wait here in case Daniel returns. You couldn’t come to my place, could you?’
There was a short pause, then Mark agreed. ‘Right. Give me an hour, and I’ll be with you.’
* * *
Marie hurried through the foyer doors, where she almost collided with Guy Preston, who was just leaving.
‘Daniel’s disappeared,’ he said breathlessly. ‘I’m going to see how Skye Wynyard is holding up.’ He looked at Marie, an uneasy expression on his face. ‘I suspect the poor kid’s almost at breaking point, and I want her to know that we are there for her.’
Marie’s eyes fixed him with a shrewd stare. ‘And?’
‘And what?’
‘There’s something else, isn’t there, Guy?’
‘It’s not for me to say, Marie. Your boss is in his office. He’ll fill you in.’
She’d only been gone a few hours! What the hell could have happened in that time? ‘Okay, I’ll go see him.’ She began to move away.
‘Marie?’
She turned back.
‘I didn’t realise that your husband had died. I mentioned him to your team and they told me what happened. I’m really sorry. He was a very special man, wasn’t he? And a great copper.’
‘I thought so.’ No matter how much time went by, she still found it hard to think of Bill as gone forever. She hated to hear people use the word, was. ‘Thank you, Guy. And I’m sorry for you too. You lost your wife, so you know how it feels.’
Guy nodded. ‘Sometimes it’s almost too overpowering to think about, isn’t it?’ He shrugged, as if to pull himself together. ‘Actually I was wondering if, well . . . maybe we could have a drink and catch up? It’s clear that a lot’s happened since we worked together last and I thought perhaps . . .’
Warning bells began to chime. Guy was a lovely man and undeniably attractive despite the scar, but she didn’t want to get close again, not like before. She gave him a smile, the warmest she could muster right then and said, ‘Maybe when the case is over? Right now I need every scrap of attention focussed on catching our killer. Is that okay?’ By the time the case was over, she’d have thought up another, more permanent excuse.
‘Oh, of course! I didn’t mean now. I’d just like to know how you’re doing, that’s all. So, raincheck, huh?’
‘Raincheck, and if you’re not going to tell me what’s going on around here, I’m going to find the man who can.’ Marie widened the smile and hurried away from Preston. ‘Catch you later.’
As she moved towards the staircase Marie felt his eyes still on her. She didn’t want to turn round. Didn’t want to see those pleading eyes.
* * *
Relief spread all over Jackman’s face when Marie came into his office. All his life he’d preferred flying solo, but since he’d teamed up with “Super Mario,” he felt somehow lacking when she wasn’t around. And on a case like this, her input was priceless.
‘There’s been another one,’ he said without preamble.
‘Shit!’
‘Shit is a pretty good word. Describes both the situation and exactly where we’ll land if we don’t come up with some answers pretty soon.’
‘And Daniel’s gone missing too?’
He groaned. ‘Tell me about it.’
‘I leave you alone for four hours and look what happens!’ Marie flopped into a chair. ‘You’d better fill me in.’
Jackman gave her a swift précis of what had happened to Sue Bannister, then shook his head. ‘We have to get Daniel back here, and fast. I’ve got every available man, woman and dog out there looking for him,’ he bit his lip, ‘but even so, I still don’t think it’s him, do you?’
‘I don’t know, sir, I really don’t. One moment I’m convinced he’s just screwed up and the next I get the shivers thinking about what he might be capable of.’ She sat up straight. ‘But whatever we think, we need to get him back and into a nice secure little cell, and then we can make up our minds about him.’
Jackman was about to reply when Max knocked quickly on the door and almost fell into the office. ‘Sir! I think you should get downstairs! There’s a situation.’
Max turned tail and ran.
Jackman and Marie stared at each other and hurried after him.
‘Situation?’ asked Marie, taking the stairs two at a time.
‘Don’t like the sound of that!’ Jackman’s heart was pounding. Would it concern Daniel again?
They rushed along the corridor after Max, and as they approached the main hall they could hear shouting.
‘What the . . . ?’ Marie threw open the big doors and looked at the debacle taking place on the chequered black and white floor.
‘Zane Prewett, I’m arresting you on suspicion of burglary at the Kinder premises in Riverside Crescent, Saltern-Le-Fen.’
Jackman’s mouth dropped open. Prewett was spread-eagled on the floor with three uniformed officers trying to restrain him. A string of swearwords flooded from his twisted mouth as he heaved and fought to get up.
‘And Stoner, you’re staying too. We have reason to believe that you are involved.’ The sergeant’s voice boomed around the hall and echoed up to the floors above.
‘Kevin Stoner?’ breathed Marie, looking at the pale, shocked face of the younger policeman. ‘Oh no! Surely not?’
‘He’s Zane’s crewmate. They’ll have to assume they’re in it together, whatever it is. Although,’ Jackman puffed out his cheeks in exasperation, ‘I’ve been telling the silly sod for ages to dump that piece of garbage. Now look what’s happened.’
Letting out a stream of curses, Zane Prewett was half-carried, half-dragged down towards the custody suite.
Jackman walked over to the sergeant. ‘What was all that about, John?’
The big man made no attempt to cover his anger. ‘It’s been a damn long time coming, Inspector Jackman, but finally that slimy shit has slipped up. Our lads found a mobile phone belonging to Prewett in the garden of the Kinder house when we apprehended the Drew Wilson gang.’
‘Couldn’t he have dropped it when the house was originally searched by your guys?’ asked Marie.
‘He could have, but he didn’t.’ There was grim smugness in the sergeant’s smile. ‘It had been used since the house search, and used to text Drew Wilson and tell him that the house was empty and the job was on.’
‘The bastard!’
‘Exactly, Sergeant Evans. It had his prints all over it, and one of the SOCO team found a ten-pound note on the floor of the lounge. It was folded in exactly the same way that Zane always folds the bank notes in his pocket, and with his dabs on it too.’
‘Surely that could have been there since the search?’
‘It could have been, but Skye Wynyard and a friend cleaned the house from top to bottom after our guys left.’ He raised his eyebrows. ‘And on top of that, our dear friend Drew Wilson is, as we speak, furnishing one of our teams with times, dates and all sorts of information about ten other lucrative jobs that had come his way over the last two years, via PC Zane bloody Prewett. I’m afraid he’s toast.’
Jackman whistled. ‘I wouldn’t like to be in his shoes in the coming months.’
‘Whatever happens, the shit-bag deserves it. There is nothing worse than a bent copper,’ growled the sergeant. ‘But right now I need to get him charged and sent to another station. He can’t stay here.’
‘And Kevin Stoner?’
‘He will have to be relieved of his duties of course,’ The sergeant lowered his voice. ‘I think he’s just been dragged into something he couldn’t find his way out of. Prewett is a nasty piece of work. I wouldn’t put it pa
st him to threaten the boy with something.’ He scratched his neck. ‘I needed Prewett to think I was arresting Kevin too, but it hopefully won’t come to that. We’ll talk to him. Obviously we need to do this by the book — we can’t afford not to — then we’ll take it from there.’
Jackman nodded. ‘I like Stoner. I’d hate to see him end up on a charge of perverting the course of justice. And I agree with you that if he guessed there were dirty dealings afoot and turned a blind eye, I’m pretty sure he didn’t do it lightly. He has the makings of an excellent police officer, and it would be a sin to lose him because of his rotten crewmate. I’d check out the threat aspect, if I were you.’
‘I will, don’t worry.’ The sergeant turned and walked off towards the stairs.
‘Well, I’ll be blowed,’ muttered Max. ‘So there was something corrupt within these walls after all. I wonder if Dan Kinder was hunting for dirt on Zane?’
Marie and Jackman shook their heads in unison. ‘Very doubtful, my friend. Daniel’s problems go deeper than Zane Prewett feeding the local criminals inside info for their next burglary.’
‘Ooh, but I’d love to sit in on the interview.’ Max gave a wicked grin. ‘I’d like to see him try to squirm out of this lot. He’s been nicely sewn up, if I’m not mistaken.’
‘Sewn up?’ asked Marie.
‘Two cock-ups on one job, Sarge? Remember, this is a bloke who has obviously been operating successfully for years. Drop a note and lose your phone? Now that is sloppy. And sorry, he’s a first-class prick, but Zane’s not sloppy.’
Marie tilted her head to one side. ‘I see your point.’
Jackman did too, but decided that he had to leave this particular enquiry to others. There would be a lot of officers ready and only too willing to get their talons into Zane Prewett, and he had a killer on his mind. And with a third victim, it was a serial killer too. And his kill cycle was accelerating.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
Skye stepped back and Mark came in. He hugged her quickly and murmured, ‘I’m so sorry.’
She smiled wanly. ‘I don’t know what to say.’
He unzipped his jacket and followed her through to the lounge. ‘God, this is a right mess, isn’t it? What on earth has happened to him?’
‘I wish I knew.’ Skye turned towards the kitchen. ‘Would you like a drink? Tea? Coffee?’
‘Have you got anything stronger? My head’s a shed.’
‘I’ve only got wine, I’m afraid. Neither Daniel nor I drink much.’
‘Wine’s fine, thanks. Right now I’d drink anything that had alcohol in it.’ Mark dropped his skinny frame down onto the sofa and ran a hand through his mop of unruly hair. ‘It only really sank in when the police came back and ransacked Dan’s office a second time.’
Skye went to the kitchen to find a glass, and called back. ‘I’m still trying to get my head around it, and I don’t think I’m making a very good job of it.’ The last thing she felt like was wine, so she switched on the kettle to make herself an instant coffee. ‘Is Fitou alright? It’s already opened, but it’s still okay.’
‘Perfect.’ Mark was behind her, leaning against the door frame. ‘As I said, I’d probably drink meths if you offered it.’
Skye poured hot water into her mug and opened the sugar canister.
‘Not joining me?’
‘I have to keep focussed and ready to drive if Daniel calls and needs me.’
‘I don’t think one small snifter would push you over the limit.’ Mark accepted the glass that she offered him. ‘You look strung out.’
She picked up her coffee and moved past him into the lounge. ‘Caffeine will do fine thanks. Wine in the daytime makes me lethargic.’
They sat down and Skye wondered what to say to Mark. She had no answers about Daniel’s strange behaviour, and she was tired of churning over different hypotheses. In fact, she suddenly resented Mark’s presence and wished that she had put him off.
‘Can I ask a personal question?’ Mark had half emptied his glass in a single gulp.
Skye looked at him and hoped that her thoughts didn’t show on her face.
‘You don’t think . . . ? I mean, in your heart of hearts, is there any chance—?’
She interrupted him, speaking sharply. ‘How long have you known Daniel?’
‘I’ve known him for ten years, maybe more.’
‘Then there’s your answer. You said yourself he wouldn’t hurt a fly. He’s just in very bad place right now and the timing of these recent murders really stinks. They have tipped him over the edge.’ She looked at Mark reproachfully. ‘Don’t you start doubting him too!’
Mark threw back another slug of wine. ‘I’m not, I just needed to know if you had any doubts. After all, you are the closest to him by far. If he’s really lost it, then I wondered just how serious you thought it could be.’ He placed the glass on a coffee table and looked at her intently. ‘So, I suppose the best thing we can do is to help find him.’
Skye nibbled on her bottom lip. ‘Half the Fenland Constabulary are out there trying to do just that. I’ve racked my brains to try to think of somewhere he might go, somewhere special, somewhere that means something to him, but everywhere I’ve thought of has been checked and double-checked. And if he’s had one of his memory-loss episodes, he could be absolutely anywhere.’
‘That makes me feel pretty useless.’ Mark sighed, then stood up and began to pace the floor. ‘You’re right, he’s my friend, and I should be doing something positive, not making up ridiculous scenarios. I need to do something practical.’
Skye felt a small rush of sympathy. ‘I know exactly how you feel, but I don’t know what to tell you. Until he’s found, or he comes home, there’s very little we can do.’
Mark flopped back onto the sofa. ‘Ever since you came asking about Dan and his recent assignments, something’s been bothering me.’ He leant back into the soft cushions. ‘One of my packers seemed very interested in Daniel. Every time he came in to work, this guy was there, asking him questions. It got so that I had to ask him to leave Dan alone.’
Skye sat up. ‘Who is he?’
‘He’s been with me for about six months. Good solid worker, never lets us down, even when a shipment comes in early, or really late.’
‘So why the interest in Dan?’
‘He said he’s a fan of Daniel’s work, and Carla, my manager, believes him. She said he can quote some of Dan’s pieces verbatim.’
‘That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it? Even I can’t do that.’
‘Me neither. But I suspect he has something verging on OCD. He’s methodical to the nth degree, and when he’s picking out orders, he’s meticulous. Carla reckons he’s never made a mistake, and that is rare, believe me.’
‘What’s he called? What’s he like?’
‘His name is Nick Brewer, and he’s twenty-four, maybe twenty-five. He’s not a local, but he’s British. He’s very intelligent. Carla asked him why the hell he was doing a packer’s job when he had qualifications coming out of his ears.’
‘What did he say?’
‘Beggars can’t be choosers these days. If you want to work, you take whatever is on offer.’
‘Well, we know that to be true. Perhaps that’s why he likes Daniel. Dan researches everything so thoroughly, and he always has an informed and original viewpoint.’ Skye sipped her drink. ‘Maybe it’s not so strange. Dan does have a good few fans — you should see his Facebook page.’
‘I have. But there’s an intensity about Nick that I find unsettling. Carla feels it too.’
‘And do you think Dan noticed it?’
Mark shrugged. ‘Dan was always polite to him, and thinking about it, maybe Dan encouraged him to talk.’
‘Dan loves people. He’s curious about their emotions and their strange situations. That’s how he manages to write so well. He listens to what people have to say, because he’s honestly interested in them.’
‘So maybe Nick told him something that he was c
urious about?’
‘Maybe, but I don’t see how this fan could be connected to Dan’s obsession with a murderer, do you?’
Mark shrugged again. ‘Okay, so I’m clutching at straws. I’m just trying to find some clue that might help.’ He looked at Skye. ‘Do you reckon I should have a word with Nick?’
Before Skye could answer, her doorbell buzzed. She jumped up and ran to the door, with Mark trailing behind her.
‘Professor Preston!’ Her hopes rose. ‘Any news?’
His face told her everything.
‘No, but in the light of Daniel’s recent disappearance, I was worried about you.’ He looked across to where Mark stood silently in the lounge doorway. ‘Oh, I’m sorry. I should have phoned first. Is it a bad time?’
Skye shook her head and introduced Mark to the psychologist. ‘We feel so helpless. We were trying to formulate some sort of plan to help find Daniel.’
‘To be honest, the best thing you can do is to wait here. I have a feeling he’ll be home soon.’ Guy Preston gave her a sad smile. ‘This is the hardest part, isn’t it? Just hanging on in there.’
Skye decided that she liked the doctor. He seemed compassionate without being cloying. ‘Could you explain to Mark about the gaps in Daniel’s memory, the fugues that you told us about? I was going to tell him about them but you’ll do it so much better than me.’
Preston nodded and proceeded to describe what can happen when stress steals the memory away.
‘Shit,’ muttered Mark. ‘You know, he had a weird turn once at the office. Carla, that’s one of my employees, she found him on the roof. He didn’t seem to know why he was there. He tried to cover it up afterwards but it was clear that something was wrong. Is that the same sort of thing?’
Preston said, ‘It’s the start. But they can intensify considerably.’
‘And you believe that’s why Dan disappeared from here earlier?’
‘I do. And I would suggest that the trigger was the burglary at his house. That’s enough to upset anyone, let alone someone as fragile as Daniel. His mind can’t cope. It shuts down, and a different Daniel comes along and takes him away from whatever it is he can’t deal with.’