Next Victim

by Helen H. Durrant

  “We don’t think so. You see, there was a second death,” she said. “The owner of a business next to Weaver’s Croft was murdered. We thought that his murder had something to do with his property adjoining the land. Whoever was buying wanted the entire plot if the sale was to be concluded.”

  Franklin’s eyes narrowed. “That’s rubbish.”

  “Did you know the victim? The owner of that business? His name was Paul Greyson.”

  “No,” he said abruptly. “I’m sorry, I can’t help and I’m pushed for time. I’ve told you all I know. If people have been killed because of that land, I’ve no idea why. It is unlikely to be redeveloped anytime soon.”

  Why had he suddenly become flustered? Amy couldn’t think what she’d said that might have touched a nerve. Wait! The mention of Greyson’s name. That’s what did it.

  She smiled and stood up. “I think I’ve got everything I need. If I have any more questions, I’ll be in touch.”

  On her way back to the car park, Amy thought about what Franklin had told her. Nothing she could use, that was for sure. At first, he’d given the impression of being above board and eager to help. Then, when she mentioned Greyson, his whole demeanour had changed. Amy wasn’t sure what that meant but, as DCI King would say, her gut instinct was tingling. Thinking like a detective. It was a new experience for the DC.

  Chapter Forty-five

  Saturday

  He was right. Rachel King was the investigating officer for the case, and the man knew exactly where the King family lived. Couldn’t have been easier. From his car parked outside, he could see that DCI King’s vehicle was gone. A workaholic that one, according to rumour. The curtains were open and a young teenage girl was standing at the window, looking at him. He ran a hand through his hair and waved. Mustn’t frighten her. Time to make his move.

  The girl had obviously seen him walk up the drive, but made no move to open the door. But after a few rings of the bell, there she was. “Mia, isn’t it?” He gave her a friendly smile. “I was hoping for a word with your mother. It’s not usual for me to bother people at the weekend, but this is important.” The charm offensive usually worked. “Is she in?”

  The girl barely lifted her face from the mobile she was clutching. “She’s out, and so is Megan. You’ll have to come back.” A pause. “I can’t let you in, there’s no one here.”

  His heart leapt, couldn’t be better. “What a shame. She’ll want to speak to me. It’s regarding a case she’s working on. I have some information, and I know it will be useful.”

  “I’ll tell her. Mum’ll ring you when she comes back.”

  “Okay, but you need my details. New phone, hence a new number.” He smiled. “I’ve got a card in the car with everything on it.” The man walked back towards his vehicle. As he hoped, the stupid girl was following. Not a care in the world or a thought in her head, other than the phone.

  The man leant in from the passenger door and felt around in the glove box. “Well I thought I had . . . sorry about this. I won’t keep you.”

  But the girl wasn’t listening. She still had her eyes fixed firmly on her mobile. She was giggling at an image. Time to strike.

  The man stood up and darted round behind the girl. He struck the back of her head with a metal torch taken from the glovebox. She collapsed like a sack of potatoes. Snatching the phone from her hand, he threw it in the gutter. It took only seconds to manhandle her into the passenger seat.

  Bingo! He had what he needed — leverage.

  Within hours, the police would be aware that she was missing. The search for him would be forgotten. They wouldn’t have the time. All officers and resources would be thrown at finding Rachel King’s kid.

  He took a quick look round. No one about. Apart from a farm across the road, this was an isolated spot. No nosey neighbours staring out of bedroom windows, no twitching curtains. Time to go, and then let events play out. On the way out here, the man had thought very carefully about where to keep the girl. He had the perfect place. She was his ace in the hole. Should anything go wrong, the blame would fall elsewhere.

  * * *

  No one liked working over the weekend, including Rachel, but it couldn’t be helped. She was at her desk early. Next to show was Jonny Farrell. He put the kettle on and asked if she wanted a brew.

  “Anything come through from Shaw’s laptop?” she asked him.

  He was studying his computer screen intently. “Just checking the reports. Ma’am, the payment for that dating site was made with Frodsham’s debit card.”

  Rachel groaned. She should have seen that one coming. The killer must have found it on Oliver and decided it would be useful. “Anything else?”

  “IT Forensics are still working on the laptop, but they have sent through a report about the dating site. It was a bona fide site, nothing unusual or fishy. Shaw contacted a number of young men and they all check out, apart from one.” He passed her a printout.

  “This is a dead ringer for the photofit. This is our man.” But did it help? Looking at the image, she could see it was heavily photoshopped. This wasn’t what their killer really looked like.

  Jonny put a mug of tea on her desk. “They may find more. You know, emails and the like.”

  “I doubt it. Our killer wouldn’t be so stupid.” She took a sip of her tea. “This isn’t bad.” Jonny had cottoned on fast to how she liked her brew. A large mug, no sugar, and strong. Builder’s tea, her father used to call it.

  Amy was next to arrive. “Franklin knows all about the contamination and was happy to talk about it,” she said. “But when I mentioned Greyson’s name he suddenly got shifty. I thought I’d do a little research, see if they knew each other. Franklin said not, but you never know.”

  The three of them got busy and the morning rolled on. No sign of Elwyn. He knew how important it was to get on top of the case, so where was he? If it wasn’t for their spat and the way he was behaving, Rachel would have simply rung him at home. Oh, why did men have to be so difficult?

  Her mobile beeped. It was Megan, and she sounded concerned.

  “Mum, do you know where Mia is? She was supposed to go round to Ella’s but she never turned up. I’ve been to Dad’s and she’s not there either.”

  “Have you rung her?”

  “Her phone must be turned off.”

  Alarm bells. “And you’ve tried everyone? Did Ella say if they were meeting anyone else?”

  “No, they planned to go swimming, then afterwards Ella’s mum was making lunch.”

  “Okay, leave it with me. I’ll phone as soon as I’ve found her.”

  Rachel had a good idea what had happened, and she was livid. Jed McAteer! Not happy with what she’d said the other night, he’d obviously taken matters into his own hands and picked Mia up for that day out anyway. He had no right.

  She rang his mobile. “Bring her home now!” she shouted as soon as he answered. “What do you think you’re doing?”

  “Rachel?” He sounded only half awake. “Sorry, I was asleep. I’ve been up half the night travelling. What’s the matter?”

  Her stomach lurched. “She’s . . . not with you?” Her nerves were jangling. Her voice shook. “You’re sure? You haven’t seen Mia today?”

  “No. I haven’t seen her since the other night. You made your feelings quite clear. I’m not a moron, you know, despite what you think.”

  Rachel ended the call, her head spinning, frantically searching her mind for some logical explanation.

  Chapter Forty-six

  Rachel spent the next ten minutes ringing as many of Mia’s friends as she had numbers for. None of them had seen her. When she’d left for work this morning, the kids had still been in bed. Rachel had looked in on them both as she always did. Whatever had happened took place between seven and . . . what time was it? Nearly eleven thirty.

  Rachel rang Megan back. “When did you last see Mia?” Silence. “Come on, Meggy This is vital.”

  “I’m trying to think, Mum. I le
ft the house at nine and went for a run. I bumped into Alice and we had a coffee at that new place in the village. I didn’t get back until ten minutes ago.”

  That narrowed it down to just over two hours. “Was Mia up when you left?”

  “She was getting some cereal. She’d just done her injection.”

  That was something at least. “Have a look round. See if she left a note and then ring me back.”

  Rachel was going quietly mad. She had an urge to dash out into the main office and tell the team, get their help, and organise a proper search. But if Mia was genuinely missing, there was no way she’d be allowed to be involved.

  “Sorry I’m late. I’ve been talking to some interesting people at the betting shop on Market Street.”

  It was Elwyn, and the smile was back on his face. He meant that he’d been talking to an informer. But Rachel couldn’t answer. She managed a half-hearted nod and then burst into tears. The story came out garbled and didn’t make much sense, but Elwyn got the gist.

  “Megan is sure?” he asked.

  Rachel nodded. “She’s looking around the house, to see if Mia left a note. But that’s not how it works. She’d have rung me first, told me if she was going out.”

  “I’ll get out there, have a look around. You should go home. I can take you with me. Jonny can follow in your car. You’re not going to be much use here.”

  “What about the case? We’ve still a long way to go,” she said.

  “Forget about it, we’ll carry on.”

  She sniffed. “I should make an official report, at least tell Harding.”

  “I’ll sort all that once we’re sure Mia is missing. I mightn’t have teenage girls myself, but I do have nieces. They run rings around my sister. She’s constantly on their backs for not keeping her in the loop. This could all be a huge misunderstanding, you know. Are you sure she didn’t say anything about going out today? You’ve been so busy with the case you might have forgotten.”

  “I don’t slip up like that with Mia,” Rachel sobbed. “Because of her diabetes I have to know where she is at all times. We’ve worked out a routine over the years. She knows I stress, and does her best not to worry me.”

  “Get your stuff. We’ll leave right away.” Elwyn went into the main office to have a word with the team.

  Rachel sighed. She couldn’t think properly. Everything seemed unreal. She couldn’t believe this was happening.

  Her mobile rang. It was Megan.

  “There’s no sign of a note, Mum.” She paused and Rachel heard her take a breath. “But I found Mia’s phone in the gutter outside the house. She must have dropped it because the glass is smashed.”

  That did not sound good. Mia would never just drop her phone and leave it lying somewhere. Was it possible that she’d been snatched? Had the phone been dropped in a scuffle? “Leave it now, Meggy. The forensic team will want to see it.” For a few seconds, the professional in her overrode the mother. “Lock the house and go round to your dad’s. I’ll be home soon.” One daughter was missing, she had to ensure the other was safe. Now for the tricky bit. Rachel tapped in Alan’s number.

  “Have you seen Mia this morning. Is she with you?” She held her breath, let there be a simple end to this. But he hadn’t, in fact he still sounded half asleep. “She’s missing.” Stark but effective, now she had his full attention.

  “She said nothing to me about going out. Does this have anything to do with you?”

  “I don’t know. But in case it does the investigations have started. Keep Meggy with you. I’m on my way.”

  Rachel finished the call before Alan had a chance to ask anything more. Her mobile rang again. It was Jed. “Have you found her?”

  “No. I’m going home. I’ll ask the neighbours across at the farm if they saw anything.”

  “When we met the other day, you mentioned Franklin. Everyone thinks of him as a respectable developer, but he’s a crook. Get in his way once and you don’t get the chance to do so again.”

  “That sounds scarily like you, Jed.”

  “I’m serious, Rachel. Cross him at your peril. Have your team had any contact with him?”

  “He was interviewed yesterday.”

  “He won’t like it. You may have stumbled on something he’d rather stayed hidden. Let me in. Tell me what you’re investigating and I’ll help. At least I can rule people out.”

  “There’s no way I can do that,” Rachel said.

  “Never mind the protocol. Our daughter is missing.”

  “You think I don’t know that? I’m not stupid!” She ended the call, grabbed her stuff and went to find Elwyn.

  Chapter Forty-seven

  The timing wasn’t ideal, but he had no choice. It had to be now. After the debacle with Luke, he didn’t have much time left. At this time of day, the target would be at his desk. A phone call, a few chosen words and the man would lure him to his death.

  Everything was ready. He’d prepared as well as he could. He would have one chance, and one only. Get it wrong and it was game over. This one wasn’t like the others. He wouldn’t hesitate, he would fight back.

  So this was it. This was what it had all been about, all the planning, and the killing. The man he had hated for so many long years had to die, and only then could he find rest. This was the final chapter, and his excitement was building. Hidden in the shadows of the workshop, he could hear his own heart thudding. The sound threatened to drown out everything else.

  The minutes ticked by, and doubts set in. What if his target had been delayed? Changed his mind? This anxiety wasn’t good for him. Then the man heard the sound of a car engine. He was here. He took a quick peek through the small window. It had been years since he’d seen him, and now there he was, large as life. Tall, hair still fair, and pristine as ever in a dark suit and smart shoes. As instructed, he’d come alone. Perfect. The man did not want to have to deal with a third party at this stage of his quest.

  The target shook the double doors, and their rattle echoed through the workshop. Metal cosh at the ready, the man waited in the shadows.

  “You in there?” his brother shouted. “You think I’ve got nothing better to do? This is way out of order—”

  The man struck out, metal hit bone, and the person he’d hated for years crashed to the floor.

  “Got you at last, you bastard!” The man grinned. “This is where it ends.”

  He dragged his brother by the feet to the centre of the space. He’d forgotten what a big man he was, how heavy. He couldn’t lift him onto the bench as he’d planned, it would have to be done on the ground. He slashed at his victim’s clothes, cut them away, and bound his wrists and ankles tight. The man placed a stool a short distance from his prisoner and sat, gloating over his fallen nemesis. The person who had terrified him for most of his life, the stuff of all his nightmares, was lying naked and bound at his feet. For the first time ever, the man had him at his mercy and not the other way around. He intended to take full advantage of his victory. He would make him suffer, feel real pain. And then he would kill him.

  The blow on his head had been enough to knock him out, but he would regain consciousness soon. The man wanted him lucid. He had to know exactly what his fate would be.

  “What the hell . . ?” He groaned. “You can’t do this to me.”

  The man laughed. “That’s where you’re wrong. I can do whatever I want. If I’ve learned anything these last weeks, it’s that I can be in control.”

  “You’re being ridiculous. You don’t have it in you. You’re a first class wimp, you always were.”

  The man smashed his brother’s shins with the cosh. His brother screamed and swore at him, his face contorted with pain and anger.

  “A lot has changed over the years,” the man said. “I’ve changed. I’m not the lad you knew, and now it’s time for you to pay for what you did to me.”

  “What do you think I did to you? You can’t possibly remember.”

  “The fire, the camping trip,
I remember that. I’ve still got the scars.”

  “We were kids,” his brother said. “It was an accident.”

  “It was no accident. You pushed me into that fire on purpose. You watched me burn and you did nothing.”

  “I pulled you out! You lived, didn’t you?”

  “I’m scarred, I tell you, physically and mentally too. You told our parents it was my fault, and they believed you. They always took your side over mine. You could do no wrong in their eyes.”

  His brother’s lip curled. “They were idiots.”

  “Idiots you wrapped around your little finger. You had the blond hair and the pretty face. Me, I was just a kid with nothing going for him.”

  “Yeah, yeah, my heart bleeds. Why now? Why all this suddenly? Years have gone by since we were kids. I’ve not seen you in decades. What’s made you feel the need to persecute me now?”

  “I want to get even. I need you to pay for the suffering you caused.”

  “But why now?” his brother asked again.

  “Because I’m dying.”

  Chapter Forty-eight

  All the way home, Rachel sat next to Elwyn in silence, hugging her bag for comfort. If anything happened to her precious Mia she couldn’t carry on. This was her fault. She’d neglected her family, left them to their own devices. Jed had suggested that Mia’s disappearance was linked to the case, and he could be right.

  “We’ll find her,” Elwyn said. “Forensics will be on the job within the hour. Jason is pulling out all the stops. If Mia has been taken, the abductor will have left a trace and Jason will find it.”

  But would he? They had found nothing so far. Three dead bodies, no motive, no suspects, basically no idea. No trace. And now the worst possible thing had happened. If it was the killer who’d taken her daughter, what did that mean? And why now?