‘No, it’s okay. I promised myself I wouldn’t stay too long.’
She frowned at him, understandably baffled.
‘Um, some of these lovely old terraced buildings have rooftop gardens, as I understand it?’
‘This one does!’ she said, smiling.
‘Really? How wonderful.’
‘It’s a lovely afternoon; we could have our tea up there if you’d like. We won’t be disturbed. I think everyone in this building works in the city. Even I’m not normally home at this time of day.’
‘What a nice idea,’ he said. ‘Can I help with anything?’
‘No, the tea’s brewing. Let me show you up and then I can fetch a tray. I’ll bring all my notes now – would you mind if I record you?’
He shrugged. ‘I don’t mind. I can imagine it’s easier than scribbling it all down.’
She smiled. ‘I learned shorthand, but I’ve lost most of that skill as we tend to record all interviews now. This way. Follow me.’
Up on the roof he smiled back at her. ‘I can imagine you’d want to spend the whole summer up here.’
‘I haven’t had that pleasure yet, but I’m sure I will.’
‘And will you be inviting Jack Hawksworth to share those summer nights with you up here and in your bed?’
She faltered; blinked. Had she heard right? ‘I’m sorry, I don’t follow . . .’
‘Why? I’m speaking the Queen’s English, am I not?’
‘But—’
‘You are sleeping with Jack Hawsksworth, isn’t that so?’
All the smiles fled. Brian Jarvis was scaring her. ‘No. I am not,’ she said, her tone defiant.
‘Oh? My mistake. You’re certainly very friendly. You sounded like lovers the other day.’
‘Other day? What are you talking about?’
‘Oh, come on, Lauren. Please don’t play the innocent. I followed your detective superintendent here. I heard you both.’
She heard her ringtone sound, not realising it would be the first of a dozen similar frantic calls. She looked towards the small table next to her notes where she’d put her phone, only to realise it was no longer there but in Brian’s hand. ‘Ah, I suspect this is Hawksworth now, ringing for you. No doubt he’ll keep trying. We shall have to put up with its noise.’
‘Can I answer it, please?’
‘No, Lauren. Let’s keep him guessing, shall we? You know, never be too eager, too easy. Are you sure you haven’t slept with him? Those looks of his would open any woman’s bedroom door.’ He said this all conversationally. ‘I’ve looked into him. Do you know what I discovered?’
She stared back at him. ‘What is this about?’
‘Oh dear, you really haven’t connected the dots yet, have you? Well, while you do, let me tell you about your handsome policeman. He has a truly horrendous track record with his lovers – they all lose their lives.’ He chuckled.
Lauren said nothing, remembering now what Jack had said about a previous friend.
‘There was a beautiful Asian woman called Lily. She was killed while seeing our Mr Hawksworth, but far more intriguing is a woman called Anne McEvoy. Heard of her?’
Lauren refused to answer him.
‘I like your defiance; I can see it building. Won’t do you any good, though. Anyway, Anne McEvoy was a serial killer, like me. And, in fact, we share more than that – her motivations matched mine, as her victims were bad men who had done her a serious wrong. She wasn’t after innocents; she only targeted criminals. In this we are birds of a feather, Anne and I. We both like Jack Hawksworth and we both kill the bad guys.’ He smiled.
‘You? You’re the vigilante?’ It was only now she noticed that he’d positioned himself between her and the door. She was trapped.
He smiled wider, took off his large, round glasses and flung them off the rooftop. ‘I see perfectly well apart from needing reading glasses, but people make assumptions about someone who wears big glasses; it’s as though we’re somehow helpless.’
‘If you only kill the bad guys, why are you threatening me?’
‘Have I threatened you?’
She swallowed. ‘I feel threatened.’
‘I’m not trying to hurt you, Lauren, but you’re in my way and you’ve tried to trick me.’
She looked back, confounded.
‘John Murphy. I checked. He’s not up for early release.’
‘Jack asked me to say that. I never understood the rationale.’ The phone continued to ring. ‘Can we just answer that?’
He shook his head. ‘I guessed Hawskworth was behind that little gem. I think I’ve been in his sights since his little sidekick Sarah made an unexpected visit to my home.’
‘And do you have an accomplice?’
‘I did,’ he admitted. ‘But I don’t any longer.’
‘What do you want to achieve, Mr Jarvis? How many more do you want to kill?’
‘All of them, if I could. But you see, Lauren, my time’s up too. I’m dying. I had hoped to die before I was caught, but I don’t have long. And I don’t have the strength to kill many more.’
‘Are you going to kill me?’
‘Why would I?’
‘Then why are you telling me all this?’
‘Because I want to see Jack’s face, hear his wrath, feel his fury and despair but above all his impotence when he confronts me.’ They heard a car squeal into the street. ‘Ah,’ Brian said. ‘Take a look. I think the cavalry has arrived.’
She glanced over the top and saw the blue flashing light, doors flung open and Jack exploding from the car. He looked up.
‘Lauren!’ His lovely voice was filled with anguish.
‘Answer him, my dear. Invite him up. Assure him I won’t hurt you.’
Sarah was looking up as her boss yelled to the journalist. Her phone rang and, without taking her eyes off the scene, she answered.
‘It’s me. Where are you?’ Kate asked.
‘Er, Bayswater. Things have gone very south.’
‘Give me the address.’
She did. ‘Jarvis is here,’ she added.
‘I’m eight minutes away. Six with my lights on. Five with my siren. Tell him to wait for me before he confronts Jarvis. It’s important.’
‘Okay.’ Sarah ended the call. ‘Sir?’
‘Not now.’
‘Kate’s five minutes away,’ she murmured. ‘She said it’s important you wait for her before you engage with Jarvis.’
He swung round, angry. ‘He’s got Lauren Starling up there.’
‘Jarvis said he won’t hurt her.’
‘Do you believe him?’
‘I do, sir. I think his target is you.’
‘Then I’m going up.’
‘Please wait.’ She sounded very firm . . . very Kate. ‘She obviously knows something we don’t.’
‘What do you want me to do? Keep him talking?’ This was said sarcastically but it was a good idea and she responded as such.
Sarah glanced at Ali. ‘Get this street closed off, and some constables going door to door, keeping people inside.’
Ali nodded and got busy on the car radio.
Sarah raised her gaze to the rooftop. ‘Mr Jarvis?’ she called.
He looked over the edge. ‘Hello, Sarah.’
‘We’re just securing the street. It may take a few minutes.’
He laughed. ‘Why are you telling me?’
‘I didn’t want you to become alarmed if you see activity.’ She glanced at Jack. ‘I’m just playing for time, sir,’ she murmured. ‘Let’s keep him talking until Kate gets here.’
‘Brian? Can we use a phone please?’ Jack held up his own.
His phone rang moments later.
‘What do you hope to achieve with this, Mr Jarvis?’
‘If I’m honest, I don’t really know, Jack. I’ve never been a free-faller before. I feel like I’m making this up as I go along.’
‘No more killing, Brian.’
‘Just one more,’ he repl
ied.
‘Please don’t hurt Lauren. She has nothing to do with this.’
‘She has everything to do with this, but I have no beef with Ms Starling.’
‘Then who?’
‘Well, you, for starters. I’d hoped to get a few more moved on to the next world before you caught up with me.’
‘Kate’s one minute away, sir,’ Sarah murmured.
‘Can I swap places with Lauren, then?’
Brian laughed. ‘Yes, why don’t you come and join us on the roof? It’s lovely up here.’
‘Moira Leland is dead.’
‘Ah, that’s good news. Swift and painless. I could ask for the same myself, but I don’t think anyone would do me that favour.’
‘Did she ask you to kill her?’
‘Heavens, no. She had no idea. That’s the best death, though. And I’ve been that generous with all of my victims. None of them knew it was coming; relatively painless for all except the wife-bashing Smythe, and of course Davey Robbins. I did hurt them, as they were particularly cruel to women. But generally, Jack, I’m a lot more merciful to them than they have ever been to their victims. None of them had worth, Jack.’
‘But you are not their judge, Brian.’
‘No, Moira helped me by fulfilling that role. But I am their executioner. I took it upon myself to rid the world of these bad people. My family were innocents, Jack. Good women, and my granddaughters would have grown up to emulate those good women. Their futures just ripped away. My life is a bonfire of ruin. I’ve followed the rules all my life; I’ve been a solid citizen, a reliable civil servant. I didn’t deserve what life brought and I have come to the conclusion that there are too many innocents whose lives are changed through cruelty, carelessness, greed and thuggery. And too few of the perpetrators pay anything close to the price they should.’
‘Here she is, sir.’ Sarah gave a subtle nod towards a vehicle pulling up.
He watched Kate all but explode from the car.
‘Ah, another of your brood, I see.’
‘This is Detective Inspector Kate Carter,’ Jack said.
‘Mmm. I suggest that you both join us on the roof, or I will fling Lauren Starling over the top.’
Jack started. ‘Okay, okay, we’re coming.’ He grabbed Kate by the arm. ‘Come on.’
‘Jack, I have to tell you something.’
‘No time. Run!’
He was already sprinting towards the doorway.
On the rooftop, Brian looked Lauren’s way and made a soothing sound. ‘I didn’t mean that. I promise I won’t hurt you.’
‘Are you going to hurt Jack?’
Jarvis shrugged. ‘That depends.’
But he didn’t say on what.
31
Kate couldn’t keep up with Jack and those long legs that took the stairs two at a time. She was soon a whole flight behind. She watched from the bottom of the final ascent as Jack burst onto the roof, daylight streaming into the corridor where she was still struggling up the last flight. She too arrived, breathing hard enough to vomit, to be confronted by Brian Jarvis holding a long blade to Lauren Starling’s throat. She watched Jack put up both hands.
‘Don’t.’ He too was sucking in breath, with eyes only for Lauren.
‘No tricks, Jack.’
‘None,’ he confirmed.
Kate really did feel like vomiting but that wouldn’t help anyone. She swallowed repeatedly until she felt a measure of control.
Jarvis noticed her. ‘Welcome. You must be DI Kate Carter,’ he said warmly.
‘Now what?’ Jack said. ‘What can you possibly do next that improves this situation for yourself?’
Jarvis shoved Lauren towards Jack. She squealed, fell against him, but quickly found her wits. Kate had a heartbeat of space to admire her composure.
‘Go!’ Jack said.
‘Do as he says, Lauren,’ Brian advised. ‘Join the watchers on the street. There’ll be action soon, as young Sarah suggested there would be.’
At Jack’s silent urging, Lauren headed for the stairwell. She glanced nervously back at the two detectives and won a nod from Kate, encouraging her to get to safety.
‘I hear you met Moira?’ Jarvis commented.
Kate swung back around. ‘And liked her,’ she replied, knowing she needed to sound firm, unmoved by his threat.
He nodded. ‘I promise you she will forgive me. What she would have faced after this would have been far worse than death. Like me, I know she welcomed the end, but she just didn’t know how to do it. I removed that decision as it has been removed for me. Let me tell you what I mean by that – I’m dying, Jack and Kate. A few months left at best.’
Jack sighed, remembering what Anne had cautioned. ‘We couldn’t work out why the killings escalated, but health was a consideration.’
‘You used a profiler?’
Jack nodded. ‘Of sorts, yes.’
‘Of sorts?’
‘She’s a guest of Her Majesty. But she’s also a talented criminal psych. Her name is Anne McEvoy.’ Jack said it defiantly.
‘Jack,’ Kate began. She felt he was suddenly like a gambler with the deck stacked against him; he had no idea of the ace that Jarvis had already put facedown on the table. But it seemed she would have to turn it over and reveal its presence.
‘Oh, Jack, I think your colleague has something to tell you. Do you, DI Carter?’
She shook her head. ‘No.’ She would not explain on his terms and let him gleefully witness it.
Jarvis laughed. ‘Oh, he’ll find out soon enough. I’m surprised he hasn’t already, to be honest. I thought the prison would have called him.’
Jack glanced between them. ‘What are you talking about?’
‘Nothing.’ Kate looked desperately around to shift his attention by doing something physical.
‘Oh, lovely Kate, trying to protect you. I think all the women who come into your orbit want to do that. Because heaven knows you can’t protect them. Women on your watch get hurt, Jack.’
‘What do you know, Kate?’ Jack demanded and watched her shake her head in denial.
‘We’re talking about Anne McEvoy, Jack,’ Jarvis said. Jack’s attention snapped back to him. ‘I rather admire her, actually. I was just telling Lauren that she and I have a lot in common.’
‘What the hell?’ Jack turned to Kate again. ‘What is this?’
She shook her head again. ‘Jack, listen . . .’ she began gently.
But Jarvis, it seemed, had already tired of his own entertainment. ‘I also told Lauren that I really want you to know what it feels like to be me . . . to learn that people you love are dead. No warning, no reason, just dead. Gone. Their lives snuffed out by someone who just didn’t care.’
Jack looked towards Kate. Pain was written in her features. ‘Kate?’
She had to be the one to do it; she would not let Jarvis have the pleasure. ‘He’s killed her,’ she said, her voice flat and toneless. ‘Sent her a box of poisoned chocolates, probably with the same drug he used in Moira Leland’s sherry. She . . . she thought they were from you and so did the prison team. They let them through with only a cursory check.’
‘Anne’s dead?’ He blinked as though trying to move the impossible thought away.
‘Yes, Jack. Catch up, will you?’ Brian said, lacing his tone with boredom. ‘I used antifreeze for both. It’s sweet and tasteless . . . and very effective. Blame yourself, Jack, my boy. You led me to her. I watched you, followed you. What a surprise to find you carrying a box of Thorntons chocolates into Holloway Prison. Of course, your journo friend helpfully filled in the blanks for me. Don’t blame her, though. It’s your fault. As I say, no woman around you is safe. That goes for you too, my dear,’ he said to Kate. ‘Just listening to you I sense a tenderness within you for this man. Get away from him while you can.’ Jarvis watched Kate’s horrified look. ‘Or perhaps I’m already too late – you’ve fallen for the Met’s poster boy. He’s very senior and extremely handsome so—’
‘Shut the fuck up, Brian!’ Jack looked at Kate. ‘Have you confirmed this?’
She nodded. ‘She’s gone, Jack. I couldn’t reach you.’
Brian looked back innocently. ‘Just like Moira, she probably died with a soft smile. No pain, I promise. Fell asleep and then her heart would have stopped.’
Jack raised his face to the sky and Kate could see all the tendons straining in his neck as he roared his despair. She watched the knife that Jarvis had held slack for minutes lifted again, unsure whether he was readying to protect himself or strike.
‘Ah, that’s it, Hawksworth. Let that pain come. I know that keening sound so well. I know she was your friend, but this agony suggests she was more. Was she more to you, Jack? Have I hit the right nerve?’ Jarvis goaded, with an edge as sharp as the blade that glinted in the early evening sun. ‘Or shall I threaten Kate, who seems to feel an enormous empathy for you?’
‘Get behind me, Kate,’ Jack ordered, returning his attention to them. His voice was low, menacing.
She did move momentarily but defiance as much as anxiety kicked in and she disobeyed, certain that Jarvis had every intention of taking Jack with him.
Extreme fear combined with a flood of adrenaline in Jack’s body. His rationality told him everything was happening faster than normal and yet time seemed to slow. He caught the subtle movement of Jarvis’s gaze sliding to Kate, who meanwhile had strapped on her heroic cape and was clearly thinking of doing something inadvisable. He knew this in the same nanosecond she did by the tensing of her muscles; when he’d asked her to get behind him, she had briefly, so that their bodies were touching. But now he felt the gathering of energy that would propel her forward.
No way. Not Kate. He would not let her risk her life again while he could help it. He heard her shout her intent as she tried to angle in front of him. But he was bigger, stronger, faster . . . and without a thought for strategy, he moved, launching himself towards Brian Jarvis to cut her off. His body hit hers as he elbowed her back and then collided with Jarvis as he sandwiched himself between them. He had the time, surprisingly, to note Kate snarling behind him and to turn and note the grin of satisfaction on Jarvis’s face.
Mirror Man Page 36