Jack stood, his hands turned into fists. He wanted to throw a left and right into the Doctors face, knowing that he would send him to the ground, but also lose his position within the force. He spied the reporter as she watched their conversation.
‘What if I fuck this up for you Lime, what if I leak your plans…..then what?’
‘Let’s see, well, I’d burn you Jack. I have the case files, that you hid, on Nathan. I would report your actions to higher and also publicly, you’d be out on your lonesome with no pension or respect, how does that sound?’ his face displayed the slimy grin.
‘I’m warning you, don’t fucking push me Lime!’ he stepped closer.
‘That’s right, you smash my face in so everyone can see….good idea Jack! Stop messing around and do as I say, actually…..I have an idea. I’m going to show you that I mean business Jack, you want to know how?’
‘How?’
‘I’m going to reveal Nathan to the public, I’m going to burn your friends reputation and mark him as an unstable figure with severe mental trauma, I might even throw a few long words in there that you don’t understand, just to make it sound better……you pushed me Jack, now I am retaliating!’
‘You’re a cunt Lime…….a slimy piece of shit who uses cases like this to get a name for yourself…..I fucking despise you!’
‘Well done Jack, keep your eyes on the television, watch me smile as I disgrace your friend. Goodbye’ he exited the room whistling. Jack wanted to grab his collar and drag him back inside, he wanted to slap the man viciously to waken him up from his dream world that he lived in. The wink was fired towards him as he spoke with the reporter, his words recorded for tomorrow’s newspaper.
***
Nathan rested upon the bed. His eyes scanned the wall to his front. He studied the pictures sent by the killer. The girls showed fear as the beast tormented them. The proposition lingered at the back of his mind, he thought of the pros and cons to his position. He had been racking his brains since Richard had departed his room. The man was right, but surely insane. He understood that the father was unstable as his daughter had been taken and would most likely end up as a picture on his wall, what did he mean by having his own sources?
The mobile phone vibrated in his trouser pocket, he dug deep to retrieve it.
‘Jack, I wanted to speak with you’ he greeted
‘No time, sorry, we have a problem Nathan, a problem with Lime!’
‘What now?’ he sat up
‘It’s big, he has all the rights to press coverage, he forged my name on the document and now he has full rights, he’s going to humiliate you….publicly!’
‘He’s what?’
‘Nathan, he’s telling the fucking world all there is to know about Nathan Crawley, he’s burning you!’
‘Shit Jack, when?’
‘Not sure, but he has a conference today with the Clough family. He’s stealing the case, making himself appear to be the main man….he’s going to fuck it up for us….big time!’
‘Jesus, that prick……where do we stand, you and I?’
‘Not sure, but if I stop him, well, it’s my career on the line and my retirement, I’m in a corner that I can’t fight from….we’re fucked mate!’
‘Sorry Jack…..I never thought this would happen, I never thought he would go so far!’
‘Me neither, proved us both wrong hasn’t he’
‘I’d say, I think it’s best to end it. The longer I stay here the more likely it is that he’ll bring you down!’
‘I know……sleep on it Nathan, let me know your plans in the morning okay’
‘I will, good luck Jack, it’s been a pleasure’ the call was ended and Nathan began to feel slightly emotional. Lime had screwed them both and the corners that they had been forced into were dark and lonely.
The thought appeared and he dismissed it instantly. He stood and headed for the shower, he decided to think things over whilst washing. Once the shower was finished he would do what was agreed on. He had few options left.
***
The Wolf had been awake for several hours, he had woken up with an appetite and decided to indulge in his new method of feeding. The two victims lay upon the kitchen unit, their furry bodies caked in their own blood. He dragged his fingertips through the red stuff and placed them in his mouth, his sharp teeth pinched his fingers as he sucked them clean. He was still hungry, the knife was removed from the rack and he began skinning the animals. The chunks of meat were dropped into a frying pan, the sizzling noise filled is ears as the hob gained heat. He turned and walked to the far wall, the large freezer lay against it. The mist escaped as he raised the lid. The temperature nipped his wet fingers as he moved the clear plastic bags from one side to the other, searching for the meat he required. He located the small slab and removed it, the lid was slammed down sealing his food into the cold environment. He dropped the bag onto the unit and pierced a hole with the knife. He pushed his fingers in and widened the entrance he had made, the meat was removed and placed on a plate to de-frost, he would eat it later.
The pieces of rabbit had begun to brown, the fat spat from the pan. He gripped a bit with his thumb and forefinger, placing the cooked meat upon his tongue. It stung his flesh, the pain he welcomed. His teeth ripped it to pieces, sawing as he chewed.
‘Delicious’ he stated, satisfied with his choice of food.
The scream startled him and he left the kitchen. His boots gave a loud thud as he ran down the steps to the cellar. He pushed the door open as the girl gave another ear piercing yelp. He stormed over and squeezed her mouth, his fingers entered the bite he had given. She cried with pain.
‘Sssshhhhhhhhhhhhh’ his hand closed her mouth. He stepped back as she remained silent.
‘Water, please’ she mumbled.
He considered giving her what she wanted, his nostrils flaring. He moved back upstairs and filled the small plastic cup with cold water. He stopped as it reached the top.
What are you doing?
‘Be quiet!’
Stop it, your weakness is showing…stop now!
‘You’re my weakness, I’m the beast…me, you’re the weakness’
He descended the stairs, the clear liquid dripped as he moved. He placed the cup to her mouth and she gulped the contents, the cool water nipped the torn flesh inside her mouth, she winced slightly. He removed the cup from her lips and placed it on the cabinet, the door wobbled as he slammed it shut.
The meat was eaten in no time. His grumbling stomach was satisfied. He began to doubt his actions, was the guest right, was I being soft? Several minutes passed and he gradually wound himself tight over the water he gave her.
She thinks you’re soft you know!
‘No, she doesn’t’ speaking aloud
She has you doing what she wants
‘No she doesn’t!’ he bellowed
Weak……so very weak
He slammed his fists upon the kitchen unit and moved with anger towards the den. The door flew open and he reached for the Polaroid Camera. His recording aid was perched ready to go.
‘Look what you have done!’ he growled to the girl.
***
The shower hadn’t helped, he still pondered upon his options. He sat in the chair, his body partially dried. The cigarette was balanced in his mouth and he lit the end, the flame singed his nasal hair. He leaned back, his naked body exposed to the room.
‘My, what big ears you have’ the words whispered as he read them from the photograph. His eyes followed the pieces of evidence, his stomach filled with anger upon seeing each picture that the Wolf had taken. He rubbed his face, making sure to avoid the stick dangling from his mouth.
The number was ringing; he held the phone to his ear.
‘Hello?’ said the voice
Nathan, what are you doing?
‘Hello?’ again
‘Richard, its Nathan…….I’m in!’
‘Thank you, really thank you’
‘Ther
e’s one condition’
‘Send it’
‘I’ll discuss it with you face to face, can you come over?’
‘I’m on my way’ the call was finished. Nathan looked at the wall again.
You’d better know what you’re doing Nathan.
The door was opened after the second knock. Nathan had waited eagerly for his new friend to arrive. They nodded towards each other and Richard entered the room. He spotted the metal trolley with a half-eaten cooked breakfast upon it.
‘Do you mind?’ he asked
‘What, oh, no….no help yourself, might be cold though’ the door closed behind him. Nathan passed Richard as he placed an array of food upon a plate. He sat in the chair by the bed and watched as his guest tucked into the meal.
‘I need to ask you something, actually, there are a few things on my mind!’
‘Shoot’ the words pushed past a mouthful of scrambled eggs.
‘You said something about having a source, what exactly did you mean by that?’
‘Look, you want to know the details, great, I’ll give you the details….but, I can’t tell you who my source is, I apologise but it’s not possible!’ the napkin smothered his face as he cleaned away the spilled food.
‘What are you going to do with the Wolf if we catch him?’
‘I’m going to do what I know best……I’m going to torture him, slowly, then kill him!’
‘What do you mean by know best?’
‘Nathan, I’m sure you’re eager to do a background check on me, so I’ll save you the time. I was a member of the British Army for twelve years. Based in the Intelligence Corps, my role was lead Interrogator, I worked my way up from the bottom and gained that label because I’m good at what I do’
‘Shit, how many people have you tortured?’
‘Interrogated Nathan not tortured. Hard to say really, quite a lot I suppose. I’ve worked a lot in the Middle East, if any suspected terrorists were caught and brought in, I was the man who met them. I was asked to get anything out of them, information to could deter an attack. Most of the time they withheld.’
‘Then what?’
‘I killed them!’
‘Jesus Richard’
‘It was my job, and I was good at it, still am’
‘But what you are on about doing now is murder, they’ll catch you’
‘Probably, but my motive is different Nathan. I don’t want to catch him because I’ve been told too. I’m after him because he has taken my daughter, it’s personal!’
Nathan understood the reason he wanted to find the killer, he just didn’t like the idea of helping the man behind Jack’s back. Once located, the Wolf should be arrested, this man wanted to butcher him, it seemed too risky.
‘Nathan, are you telling me you would rather see this sick bastard undergo a lengthy trial and receive twenty years or so, than be found with his balls castrated and his head on a spike?’
‘It’s Justice Richard!’
‘It’s bollocks, that’s what it is Nathan. Our system is pathetic; these wankers are protected and placed in a cell with a television and fucking x-box whilst the families of the victims have to live with their loss, every day, for the rest of their lives. That’s not justice, that’s torture!’
Nathan found himself agreeing with the man’s preach. It wasn’t the first time, that words like the one’s Richard was saying, had entered his mind. He hated the rules of the system, he deemed them unfair. But the position he was asked to fill had worried him.
‘Nathan, are you in?’
‘I’m in. There’s an issue I need you to sort for me’ the newspaper article was placed on the bed next to Richard.
‘This is your favour?’
‘Yes’ the cigarette burned slowly as he drew a deep lung full.
***
Lime’s hard soled shoes created a tapping sound that echoed down the stair well. The reports footsteps close behind. The time was approaching for the press conference and William’s body surged with electricity, today was the day he would be known by the millions watching their televisions. He buzzed off the attention, the camera flashes he had received on the way home yesterday had made him feel somewhat like a celebrity. He had looked straight into the lenses and offered a wide, friendly smile; a wave was given as he had entered his flat, the flashes blinding him like an artillery bombardment. The female reporter struggled to keep up with him, she panted between questions as they descended.
William laughed to himself as he noticed his groupie lagging behind, Come on girl, here girl, come on…..I got a treat for you, good girl….goooood girl. The insults were firing within his mind as if she were his lap dog. The door had swung open and barely missed the woman’s face, the draft brushed across her nose, tickling her eye brows.
They walked down the corridor towards the door guarded by two PC’s, William displayed a smile as he approached them.
‘Morning gentlemen’
‘Sir’ one replied
‘So, are we all set?’
‘I believe so Sir, the camera crews have been bringing the equipment in, the remaining personnel are in the tea room’. The constable’s eyes remained straight ahead.
‘Excellent, good work’ he flashed a wink to the reporter as she inhaled deeply, still suffering from their fast paced walk. They entered the large room, the chairs all in place ready for the bums to be placed. William stood, gazing at the interior of his theatre, this was the place where he could secure his name and make it known, this was the place he could act his heart out in front of the flashes.
***
Jack sat in his office, the pressure placed upon his shoulders from the case was taking its toll. The added weight that William Lime shoved on top was doing him no favours. He felt bad for Nathan, he had asked him to come to the UK from his Spanish Villa, and work covertly on a case he deemed important. It had resulted in his friend being forced to leave the country and his name at the ready for the mincer, Lime, the man placing him in the awkward position, had held a better hand of cards, even if he did have aces stuffed up his sleeve. The outcome was he had let Nathan down, unable to fight his corner.
‘Jack, it’s not stabbing him in the back…..you had no option!’ he attempted to reassure himself.
The telephone made a shiver race down his spine as it caught him off-guard. He contemplated leaving the call to be answered by his machine, but then decided it would be wise to take it, he longed for someone to talk to.
‘Crawford’ he answered unenthusiastically.
‘Jacky boy, its Sally’
‘Sal, how are you?’ his tone improving
‘Good, very good actually. Look, I’m having the results of the autopsy and bodies from the barrel sent up to you as we speak, sadly, I don’t yet have the results of the teeth and who the skeletons were’
‘Cheers Sal, any idea how long it’s going to take for the John Doe’s? ‘
‘I’m hoping that they are back by tonight, I called the lab this morning and they said it’s being worked on today, so fingers crossed’
‘That’s great, thanks Sal’
‘Jack…..are you okay?’
‘I’m fine Sal, just tired, that’s all’ he sighed
‘You’ll get the sleep you deserve once you catch him. Maybe we should celebrate with a meal for two?.....I’m buying!’
‘Yeah, I’d like that, it’s a date’
‘I’ll hold you to that’ she laughed as she said her goodbyes.
Jack sat back, his chair creaked as he relaxed. The conversation had picked up him from the rut he was in. The thought of having the results to scan over had sent the familiar buzz back into his body, the thought of dating Sally had allowed another excitement to fill his core
***
The scraping of feet and shuffling of seats filled the room. William stood at the centre stage, he watched the reporters and news crews cram into tiny spaces as they all yearned for his update. The Clough family sat beside him, the parents wer
e overwhelmed by the show. He had spoken to them briefly before the pandemonium began. He offered sympathetic words that were aimed to sooth, placing gentle hands upon their shoulders as a means of comfort, the whole time visualising his success and reputation reaching the summit of his dreams. The doors were closed as the last man entered; the room fell silent as the bulbs from the cameras illuminated. Show time William, now knock them dead.
‘Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen’ the greeting welcomed by the viewers.
‘I am pleased to see so many of you here today, it means a lot to me and the Clough family’, nodding to the couple by his side.
‘I’m sure you are aware of why I address you instead of Chief Inspector Crawford, if not then I do apologise. CI Crawford has stepped down from the position of Press and Correspondence Manager, I, Doctor William Lime have now taken his place. I am the leading Psychologist and cases Analyser, my expertise were called upon to help solve and prevent any further abduction. I assure you, I am working my fingers to the bone and I will give the results that Mr Crawford failed to deliver’ the flashes brought a power, the power surged through him.
‘In a moment I would like you all to welcome the Clough family as they make their speech. But firstly………’ the glass of water helped remove the dryness from his throat, ‘I have recently conducted a thorough Psychological screening of the persons selected to work the Wolf case. One individual, to my amazement, was found to be suffering severe trauma and mental issues whilst on the case, these dated back several years but were unnoticed when the said person was assigned to the case. I will conduct a private interview tomorrow, times will follow this conference, and I will disclose all details of the find with you then’ he had done it, the ball was now rolling.
‘Please, Mr and Mrs Clough’ he turned as they stood and ushered them towards the stand. He sat as they introduced themselves, the nerves began to shake them and words were broken by tears. William sat, his concentration elsewhere, he pondered the words he had used and came to the conclusion that it couldn’t have gone any better. He felt immortal.
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