Raven

by Heather Atkinson

  “Next, Jeremy’s house,” said Raven as Aidan started the engine, smiling with malicious glee.

  After an exhaustive search of the shopping centre, Jeremy returned to the original shop who had made the call, pissed off.

  “I couldn’t find them,” he said.

  “It’s not good enough Officer,” said the snooty manager, his nose stuck up in the air. “This happens every week and we’re all sick of it.”

  Seeing he’d returned from the hunt, the others managers returned with similar disapproval on their faces.

  “They probably left before I even got here,” said Jeremy. “And I am on my own today.”

  “Why don’t you have a partner?” said one woman, who appeared a little more sympathetic towards him than the others.

  “He’s off sick and we don’t have the manpower to replace him,” he replied, causing her eyes to fill with understanding, for which he was very grateful.

  “That’s no excuse,” said the snooty man.

  Jeremy fought the urge to punch him. He could be doing so much more productive things than listening to these arseholes whinge about some crap being nicked. Finishing Raven off once and for all was number one on his list. With her out of the way he could take her place and be the number one contract killer in this city. With all the money he’d rake in he could ditch this job and finally be free.

  His thoughts were interrupted by the crackle of his radio, eyes widening as he listened to the message being relayed telling him his house had been vandalised.

  “Got to go, emergency,” he told the group gathered around him, who were all still prattling on, having failed to realise he’d stopped listening.

  “But the shoplifter…,” called the snooty man.

  “I’ll find him, don’t worry,” he called back as he raced out of the shop.

  He exited the shopping centre and ran to where he’d parked the car. He leapt in the driver’s seat and started the engine, puzzled when the car refused to move. Realising it was leaning to one side he got out, heart sinking when he saw two of his tyres had been slashed.

  “Fuck,” he spat. This on top of the complaint by that slag Cerise could only mean one thing. This was Raven’s doing. He’d think about what he was going to do to that cow later. Right now he needed to get to his house to see what damage she’d done.

  After radioing in the vandalism to his car, he flagged down a passing taxi, the driver finding his dilemma very amusing. Jeremy tuned out his crap jokes as he thought about how he was going to punish Raven for this.

  He arrived at the smart two bedroom semi-detached house that he didn’t actually live in. He came and went to give his neighbours that illusion, but his main residence was a flat seven miles away. It was inevitable Raven discovered this address, so he wasn’t about to give her an easy target. From outside the house looked fine and hope swelled inside him. For some reason the curtains had been closed. However his hope was eradicated when he stepped through the front door.

  “What the fuck happened?” he yelled.

  The entire hallway and all up the stairs was coated in bright red paint, but it was in splatters and smears, like something had exploded.

  One of his colleagues, clad head to toe in a white biohazard suit, stepped out of the lounge to greet him. “Oh, hi Jeremy. Yes it is a bit of a mess. Neighbours reported hearing a series of bangs. When they peered through the kitchen window they thought they saw blood dripping down the walls. They weren’t sure whether to call us or an exorcist,” he chuckled, his laughter dying away when Jeremy glared at him. “That explains why we’re wearing the suits. Fortunately it’s just red paint. You might want to come through here.”

  Jeremy walked across the floor which, last time he’d looked, had been pine laminate boards but now looked like a set from a slasher movie.

  “Jesus Christ,” he exclaimed when he entered his sleek, contemporary cream lounge, which was similarly coated in red. The curtains hadn’t been closed. It had looked like they were from the outside as the windows were covered in a thick layer of paint. In fact everything was. Not one square inch of cream carpet, nor a single patch of wall had escaped the onslaught. Another figure dressed in a white paper suit was taking samples of the paint.

  “It’s the same in every room,” said the colleague who’d greeted him in the hallway. “Looks like it was done by timed devices, which would explain the rapid series of bangs the neighbours heard. Detonated remotely of course or the neighbours would have noticed someone running down the street covered in red paint.”

  “Did they see anyone?” he demanded.

  “Officers are still canvassing the street but so far nothing. Sorry Jeremy.”

  “It’s going to cost a fucking fortune to put this mess right.” Thank fuck he didn’t actually live here but he would have to make a show of getting the work done, otherwise his colleagues would get suspicious. That pissed him off even more because he didn’t have the cash to repair damage like this.

  “Yeah, sorry mate. By the way, the Chief Inspector wants to see you. He’s got wind of this. Sorry.”

  “Just fucking marvellous,” he muttered. “Is there anyone who can give me a lift?”

  “Where’s your patrol car?”

  “That’s fucked too. Someone slashed the tyres.”

  “Jesus, someone’s really got it in for you.”

  It was an effort for him to nod as his muscles had gone so rigid.

  The scenes of crime officer took pity on him. “You can take my car,” he said, delving into his pocket for the keys, the suit rustling. “I’m going to be here for a while anyway.”

  “Thanks,” said Jeremy, snatching them from him, his anger assuaged slightly as he indulged in imagining the tortures he was going to inflict on Raven and her bastard of a husband for this. But part of him was also afraid of what else they had in store for him.

  As he exited the house, he noticed his neighbours standing in their gardens and he gave them a wave. When they didn’t wave back he let his hand drop, wondering why they were scowling. They must be pissed off about the police presence on their normally peaceful street.

  “Well Constable Elias,” said the Chief Inspector, frowning at him over his freshly groomed moustache. “It’s not been a good day for you.”

  “No Sir,” he sighed.

  “First a woman claims you assaulted her, then your car tyres are slashed, your home is vandalised…” He paused for dramatic effect. “Then allegations of paedophilia are made against you.”

  “Yeah,” he said, only half-listening. The Chief Inspector’s words jolted him in his seat. “What?”

  “You didn’t see upstairs in your home?”

  Jeremy shook his head, feeling hot and sick.

  The Inspector dumped a photograph on the desk before him. “This was daubed across the window of one of the bedrooms.”

  Jeremy picked up the image, stunned to see the words paedophile daubed across his bedroom window, which looked out over the front street, for everyone to see. “It’s not true,” he cried.

  “Someone seems to think it is. I would even go as far as to surmise that all the attacks on you today are because of this, even the allegations made by Ms Williams.”

  “But I’m innocent. I wouldn’t do something like that.”

  The Inspector gave him a hard look he didn’t like.

  “Someone’s setting me up,” Jeremy went on.

  “Why would they do that?”

  “I don’t know,” he said, frustrated that he couldn’t tell the truth. “Maybe it’s to do with one of my recent arrests?”

  The Inspector nodded. “Sergeant Carter is already looking into that.”

  “You need to bring Cerise Williams back in and make her tell who got her to make up that lie about me.”

  “Please don’t tell me how to do my job PC Elias. I didn’t get where I am today without the ability to run a simple investigation. I already sent someone to bring her in but it appears she’s left the city.”


  “Left?” he said, heart sinking.

  “A neighbour said she saw her leaving with a couple of suitcases. Cerise told her she was going away for a while, fortunately for you PC Elias.”

  “Fortunately?”

  “It seems she left after she came here to make her complaint, which only gives credence to your claim of being set-up.”

  Jeremy fought the urge to hug him. “Thank God.”

  “However, some very serious allegations have been made against you and we wouldn’t be doing our jobs if we didn’t follow them up. As of now you’re suspended. On full pay of course.”

  “Suspended? But I haven’t done anything wrong. It’s not fair.” He was aware he sounded like a petulant child but he couldn’t help it. He was still in shock about how Raven had so masterfully turned the tables on him. She was separating him from the protection his job gave him.

  “Standard procedure I’m afraid. Do you have somewhere to stay for now?”

  He nodded, shell-shocked. “A friend’s flat.” Which in truth was his actual residence but if they ran a check they’d find the flat was owned by a Mr Alan Frost, an alias of his.

  “Good. I suggest you go there and keep your head down until we get to the bottom of this mystery.”

  “Yes Sir,” he said, the nod the Inspector gave him dismissing him.

  Jeremy walked from the room on shaky legs, encountering Tom lurking in the corridor outside, the sympathy in his eyes giving him the urge to punch him.

  “You okay?” said Tom.

  “Not really,” he sighed, thinking what a bloody stupid question that was. Still, what could he expect from someone who fancied that fucking feathered slag.

  “I just wanted to let you know that none of us believe this bollocks.”

  Jeremy sighed. “So everyone knows?”

  “Yeah, sorry.”

  “Not your fault,” he said tightly.

  “You got somewhere to stay?”

  “A friend’s flat.”

  “Good. We’re not going to stop until we’ve found who’s doing this.”

  “Thanks, appreciate it.” But he didn’t, not at all because only he could make it all go away and this cock had no fucking idea where to even start. In a way it was good that he’d been suspended because it meant he could now devote every waking moment to taking down Raven. That he was going to enjoy.

  “Jeremy,” called a voice.

  Stuart charged up to them, red-faced. “You going?” he said breathlessly.

  “Yeah, I was just off. Why?”

  “There’s a gang of angry people outside all saying you’re a paedo.”

  “I’m fucking not,” he bellowed at him.

  “Alright, don’t shoot the messenger.”

  The Inspector’s door was wrenched open. “Who is shouting profanities in my station?”

  “Sorry Sir,” said Jeremy, wishing he had his gun on him.

  “PC Elias has just learnt some shocking news,” said Tom.

  “Unless there’s a lynch mob outside baying for his blood I fail to see what could have prompted language like that.”

  “There is Sir.”

  His sanctimonious look fell away. “Oh.”

  “They’re all saying he’s a paedo and should be sacked,” said Stuart, enjoying the drama. “Their words, not mine,” he added when Jeremy frowned at him.

  “This is a PR nightmare,” sighed the Inspector. “The Chief Constable is going to come down on us all like a ton of bricks.”

  Jeremy thought the Chief Constable could stick an abnormally large cucumber up his hole. “What am I going to do?”

  The Inspector looked to Stuart. “Do they know what he looks like?”

  “Yes Sir. They’re waving his photo around on placards.”

  “Why do they think you’re a paedophile PC Elias?”

  “I really don’t know,” he said, at a loss as to what other explanation he could provide. “I’ve not done anything wrong, honestly.”

  He could see doubt creeping into all their eyes and it made him want to tear his hair out.

  “Sergeant Carter,” said the Superintendent. “Give PC Elias an escort back to wherever he’s staying.”

  “Yes Sir.”

  “And for God’s sake keep the address quiet. The last thing this station needs is one of its officers stringing up from a lamppost.”

  “I’ll try not to get killed and let down the reputation of the station. Sir,” said Jeremy icily before stalking off, Tom and Stuart following.

  Outside the station, Jeremy was shocked by the number of people congregated at the gates. It seemed they’d covered all bases because they were even outside the rear entrance used by staff, waving placards displaying his face and accompanied by slogans indicating their desire for bad things to be done to him. Jeremy could only stare at them in wonder. There must be almost a hundred of them, accompanied by a trio of reporters, who all went into a frenzy when he appeared. How the hell had Raven pulled this one off?

  Aidan chuckled as he watched Jeremy on the television screen, looking well and truly lost as he regarded the sea of people all out for his blood.

  “Well that was entertaining,” he said, switching off the television as the news flicked to a far less interesting story. He glanced at Raven, running his fingers along her bare legs. They were sat on the couch together in the lounge back at the barn, Raven wearing just her robe, long legs resting across his lap, her hair still damp from the shower they’d enjoyed together. “You did a good job babe, there were loads of people outside the police station.”

  “It doesn’t take long to spread a rumour around the city. You just have to know the right people to tell.”

  “You don’t look very happy about it.”

  “Because this isn’t over. We’ve worked him up into a frenzy. Now he’ll be coming for us.”

  “Good. That’s what we want, isn’t it?”

  “Of course, I just want it done with but I can’t shake the feeling he’s got a nasty surprise in store for us.”

  “It can’t possibly be as nasty as what we’ve done to him. Now when he disappears, permanently, everyone will think he’s done a runner because he’s guilty of what he’s being accused of. He’ll never be able to testify otherwise, so job done, case closed.”

  “I really hope it works out that way.”

  “It will. Stop worrying.” He leaned into her, untying her robe. “Now let’s forget about that wanker, for a little while.”

  Jeremy sat in his flat, seething while polishing his gun collection, all illegal firearms, courtesy of Marcus Moore. It was two in the morning and sleep completely eluded him. Thank God no one knew about this place because at least it meant the protestors couldn’t find him, giving him some respite. Their taunts at the police station still echoed clearly in his head, allegations that made him feel sick. Yes he’d done bad things but he would never do anything like that. For the first time in his life, he was glad his parents were dead so they wouldn’t witness his shame. In comparison to a paedophile, being a contract killer was almost whimsical. At least he only hurt the guilty. But the guiltiest of them all still breathed. Shooting her wouldn’t be enough. Any idiot could pull a trigger. He wanted her to suffer, to drag it out but Aidan was back, who would defend her savagely. When they were in Russia, he’d spied him gazing at photos of her when he’d thought no one was looking. He truly loved his wife and would go all out to get revenge on her killer, so it was important he kill them both. But how did you kill Aidan Gallagher, a man hardened mercenaries were wary of?

  CHAPTER 32

  Rather than get up at the crack as dawn, as was her usual way, Raven remained in bed, wide awake, watching her husband sleep. Things with Jeremy were about to reach a climax, she could feel it, like a storm was brewing. When it was over, if they both survived that is, Aidan would stick around a little longer. They’d enjoy spending time together - going out for dinner, hiking, the cinema, the usual things couples did together and it would be bli
ss. Then things would become wilder, they’d become more reckless until something happened to put one or both of them in danger. And he would leave again. Back to going to sleep in a cold, empty bed and waking up alone. Back to cooking for one and nothing but silence in the house.

  Maybe she should get a pet? Her schedule didn’t allow for a dog, however maybe the presence of another living creature in the house would help ease her loneliness? But a pet was no substitute for a husband.

  She kissed his chest, moving lower, tracing the outline of the raven on his stomach with her tongue. She didn’t want to wake him, when he was away he rarely got to enjoy a lie in but neither did she want to waste a single second with him.

  His eyes flickered open and he smiled. “Morning gorgeous.”

  “Good morning,” she smiled, climbing on top of him.

  “What time is it?” he said, sliding his hands up her bare thighs.

  “Seven thirty.”

  “Why didn’t you wake me? We’ve got a lot to do.”

  “You needed your rest. Besides, we’ve still got plenty of time,” she said, kissing his neck, feeling his body respond to her own. “I’m thinking of getting a cat.”

  “Okay. Why?”

  She rested her head on his stomach, gazing up at him along the length of his body. “Company.”

  “You never know, we might be able to stay together now we’re a bit older and wiser. Alright, older,” he added when she raised an eyebrow.

  “Maybe,” was all she was willing to say, refusing to get her hopes up. It would only be even harder when he did leave.

  He sat upright, pulling her up with him, so she was sitting in his lap. “I mean it. I’m going to try really hard to keep my shit together this time. I don’t want to leave again. Being here with you, it’s my whole world.”

  Raven swallowed back her tears, knowing his hopes were futile. At least he still had hope and she didn’t want to extinguish that for him. “All we can do is try.”