You're Next

by Michael Fowler

  Fifty-five

  The Homicide and Serious Crime Unit should have been in celebratory mood, given that they had successfully solved two murders, but the atmosphere in the Old Bank pub, on Sutton High Street felt more like a wake. Scarlett was standing with Ella and George, sipping beer from a bottle and deliberating over the outcome of the investigation. Under normal circumstances, the fact they had their killer, albeit the killer was dead, should have been seen as a good result. But one of the victims was the wife of a good friend and colleague and that overshadowed everything. George had summed it up quite eloquently – ‘Alice Witton didn’t just have mental health issues, she also had betrayal issues, and she didn’t just take it out on her husband.’ The three of them had also come to the conclusion that it was probably Alice who was responsible for the damage to Helen Davis’ car, though they would never know now.

  For a brief moment, beer bottle pressed firmly to her lips, yet not drinking, Scarlett’s thoughts drifted from their conversation. She thought about the impact this would have on Tarn and wondered if he would ever be able to pick up the pieces – especially thinking of his two young children, Heather and Dale and how they had been affected. Her musing was shattered by Ella, who nudged her arm and said, ‘I forgot to tell you I saw James Green – at least I think it was him. He was a fair distance away from me, but it certainly looked like him.’

  Ella’s words yanked back her attention. ‘Where?’ she said sharply.

  ‘On Tarn’s street, the other day, when we were doing house-to-house. He was standing on the corner watching us.’

  Ella’s response triggered memories of Scarlett chasing the stranger she had seen taking a photograph of her on his phone. She told Ella and George about it.

  ‘Bloody hell Scarlett, he is stalking you.’

  ‘I know that. That’s what I’ve been telling Taylor-Butler these past couple of weeks, but it’s like banging my head on a brick wall talking to him about James Green.’ She glanced over to where she had last seen the DI sitting. He was still at the same table holding court with Diane Harris. She turned back to George and Ella. ‘He thinks I’m being a drama queen.’

  ‘Do you want me to mention it?’

  ‘Do you mind, Ella? Once we tidy up everything from this enquiry I want to bring it up with the gaffer. I’d like to catch James Green bang to rights, but the only way that’s going to happen is if we target him. At the moment the boss won’t sanction it, because TB’s got her ear, but if you tell her you’ve seen him as well, she might go for it.’

  Ella touched her arm, ‘Sure I will. The guy’s a creep.’

  Scarlett thanked her, finished her beer and asked Ella and George if they wanted another. They did. She went to the bar, set down her empty bottle, and was about to order three drinks when a rapturous applause erupted behind her. She turned to see Lucy Summers, head bandaged, standing by the doorway and looking embarrassed. Diane Harris rose to greet her, planting a hand on her shoulder.

  The DCI announced, ‘This brave lady deserves a drink, but on doctor’s orders it will be juice.’

  A round of laughter followed another cycle of clapping as Diane Harris brought her into the room.

  Breaking into a smile, Scarlett caught Lucy’s attention with a wave, pointed to her empty bottle and ordered her a Coke.

  ***

  After three bottles Scarlett decided she’d had enough – she wasn’t in the mood to party. Following her second drink she had texted Alex because she fancied his company tonight but he had texted her back that he was away from home for a couple of days. That had only added to her morose mood. Setting down her empty bottle she made an excuse that she was knackered, told Ella and George she wanted an early night and left the pub. The street was filled with a moisture laden veil of mist that blurred anything beyond fifty yards. The temperature had also dropped and she shuddered, pulled on her leather jacket and hitched up the collar. For a moment, she stood with her back to the pub looking around. There was some traffic passing but it was light. In the couple of seconds she had been there, her thoughts returned again to James Green. Images of him replayed in her mind, triggered by Ella’s mention of him earlier. Another involuntary shake travelled through her, but this time it wasn’t the cold. Casting another look around, trying her best to pierce the fine grey shroud blocking her view, her heart began to palpitate. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was hiding out there, watching her right now.

  Fifty-six

  A ringing noise wrenched Scarlett out of a deep sleep. In a state of confusion she blinked. Darkness surrounded her. The ringing was coming from her BlackBerry. Work! Quickly rolling over she snatched up her phone while getting a look of her bedside clock. The green luminous numbers told her it was 03:28. This had to be urgent. Levering herself up onto one arm she answered ‘Hello.’ Her voice caught in her throat. She cleared it and was about to speak again when a man’s voice called her name. It only took her a split-second to identify it. Ryan Anderson – Ella’s boyfriend. He sounded worried.

  ‘Ryan! What’s up?’

  ‘Is Ella with you, Scarlett?’

  ‘Ella?’

  ‘Yes Ella. She said she was going out to meet you. Where are you?’

  ‘In bed – where I should be. It’s almost half-three in the morning. What do you mean Ella said she was going out to meet me?’

  ‘Jesus.’

  She caught the anxiety in his tone. ‘Ryan, what’s the matter?’

  ‘Ella said she was going out to meet you. Something to do with our burglary.’

  What Ryan had just said didn’t make any sense. She wondered if she was still woolly from her deep sleep. ‘I’m not with you, Ryan. The last time I spoke to Ella was in the pub. All the team went for a drink after briefing. I left early. She was with George when I left.’

  ‘And you haven’t been called out over our break-in?’

  Now Scarlett was really confused. ‘Ryan, I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  ‘Christ, Scarlett. I think Ella’s in danger.’

  Scarlett pushed herself up. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Ella took a call just after midnight. She said it was from communications – you were requesting she join you and it was to do with our burglary. She went out almost three hours ago and I’ve tried ringing her but she’s not answering.’

  Ryan’s voice had risen several notches. She caught his sense of panic. ‘Did she say where I was supposed to be meeting her?’

  ‘No, she said she’d probably be a couple of hours and if she was going to be any longer she’d text. As I’ve said, that was almost three hours ago now.’

  ‘Is she in her own car?’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Listen Ryan, get back onto comms and see if they can get a trace on Ella’s phone and give them her reg number. I’m going to call the gaffer and go to the nick. You stay put and I’ll be in touch.’ She added, ‘I’m sure there’s some simple explanation for this Ryan.’ As she ended the call, she thought about what she’d just said. They were the words you said on autopilot – words you were trained to deliver when you were trying to reassure. Even though she’d said them, she knew Ryan wouldn’t be reassured. Both he and she knew something wasn’t right.

  ***

  Scarlett tore into work on her bike. As soon as she got into the incident room she contacted Communications and spoke with the duty Inspector. No one from his department had made a call to Ella that evening, and he’d put out a nationwide alert for sightings of Ella’s car and a track on her phone. The Inspector told Scarlett Ella’s phone was not responding and he was requesting a GPS coordinate for its last known location. Everything was being cranked up to find her.

  Ten minutes later, Diane Harris walked in asking for an update, which Scarlett gave. She had just finished when Hayden Taylor-Butler strode in too. Although Scarlett didn’t have much time for the DI she was grateful for him being there.

  Checking her notes from Scarlett’s briefing Diane Harris rang R
yan Anderson and got him to repeat what he’d earlier told Scarlett, checking the last time he had seen Ella. Ending the call with, ‘We’re doing everything we can to find Ella,’ she turned to face Scarlett and Hayden, looking concerned. ‘This is not looking good,’ she said grimly. ‘I’m setting up an incident immediately. The nearest nick to Ella’s place is Camberwell. I’m going to send a couple of detectives round there – not that I don’t believe what Ryan’s telling us but I need to cover all bases.’ To Scarlett she said, ‘Any thoughts? You know Ella better than me.’

  ‘James Green,’ Scarlett answered.

  Hayden threw her a dagger’s look.

  Scarlett rounded on him. ‘Look I know you think I’m fixated with him, and yes I probably am, but the things he’s been up to since his release have fuelled that fixation.’ She heaved a frustrated sigh and added, ‘You asked me my thoughts and I’ve given you an answer.’ She repeated what Ella had told her earlier that evening about seeing Green near Tarn’s house three days ago. ‘I saw him as well. In fact, I chased him but lost him in one of the gardens.’ Following a short pause, she continued, ‘I’ve been giving this some thought since I got here. Remember the incident at the So Bar?’

  Both Diane Harris and Hayden Taylor-Butler nodded.

  ‘That was Ella’s engagement do. I thought at the time when I confronted him that he was there stalking me – but what if he wasn’t? I braced him up as you know and he left, and that same night Ella and Ryan’s flat was broken into. She told me nothing had been stolen. She said her BlackBerry and iPad were on the side but they hadn’t been touched. She thought they had disturbed whoever had broken in and they’d fled before they had time to take anything.’ Scarlett looked from DCI to DI. ‘But what if the person who broke in wasn’t just your average burglar? What if nothing had been taken, because they had actually broken into Ella and Ryan’s flat to access her work phone? It wouldn’t be too hard to programme in a number and index it as Communications, would it?’ Pausing again she said, ‘All along I’ve been thinking James Green was stalking me, but he wasn’t. It was Ella! She was the one who posed as a student to trap him. That’s how we caught him.’ She locked eyes with her DCI. ‘This is Green getting his revenge.’

  ‘Bloody hell Scarlett, at this stage I’d listen to any ideas or thoughts, no matter how wild, but I have to say what you’re telling me does make sense.’ Taking a deep breath, DCI Harris stroked her chin and looked up to the ceiling for a few seconds. ‘Right, we’ve got uniform out there looking for her car and comms trying to get a lock on her phone. I want you, Hayden, to start coordinating things, and you, Scarlett, to give me everything you know about James Green, ready for when the team come in.’ Diane Harris was writing another note when the phone on Scarlett’s desk started ringing. Everyone turned and stared at it.

  Fifty-seven

  The call was from the Communication Department: Ella’s car had been found abandoned at a derelict industrial estate at Greenwich.

  Scarlett, Diane Harris, and Hayden Taylor-Butler dropped what they were doing and raced over there in the DCI’s car. By the time they arrived the pot-holed entranceway had been cordoned off and two uniform officers were stopping anyone from entering.

  Thirty yards ahead Scarlett spotted Ella’s white Seat car parked next to a large graffiti-covered concrete warehouse. She threw open her door, making ready to leave before Diane Harris had even stopped the car.

  The DCI called her back. ‘Suit up Scarlett. I understand your urgency, but we still do this by the book.’ She turned into the kerb and braked. ‘I’ve got spares in the back.’

  Removing their overcoats and dropping them into the boot, Scarlett, Diane and Hayden zipped themselves into forensic suits, pulling up the hoods as they strode over to the cordon.

  ‘Was DC Bloom’s car the only one here when you arrived?’ Diane Harris asked the two PCs standing by the first line of blue and white tape. She showed them her identification, pulling the lanyard over her head.

  ‘Yes boss.’ The officer with the crime-scene logbook answered. He made a note of Diane Harris’s name.

  ‘Any sign of her?’

  The PC shook his head.

  ‘Anything left in her car?’

  ‘Not as far as I know.’

  ‘And no one around?’

  The PC shook his head again. ‘Just her car there.’

  ‘Who found it?’

  ‘I don’t know exactly boss. Everyone else has gone into the site to carry out a search just in case she’s in there. My Sergeant’s in there, she’ll know.’

  ‘And was the driver’s door open like that?’ Diane pointed to Ella’s car.

  The PC nodded, following the line of the DCI’s outstretched arm. ‘I understand there’s some blood just by it. It’s not much. CSI have been requested.’

  Scarlett’s stomach lurched and a shiver ran up her spine. Blood! For a moment she stared at Ella’s abandoned car and then gathered her thoughts and started scouring the area. The sky was just registering daylight, a pale orange glow smudging the horizon. The derelict industrial estate, mainly consisting of concrete and brick warehouses, looked pretty substantial and she guessed that carrying out a thorough search of every building was going to take most of the day. Somehow though, she knew they were not going to find Ella here. It was James Green’s flat they should be heading to.

  ‘And the driver’s side tyre’s flat. Probably a puncture. There are nails all over the road. Looks like they’ve been put there recently. They’re new.’

  The Officer’s comment caught Scarlett’s attention. This has been very cleverly planned, she thought.

  Suited up, the three of them made their way towards Ella’s car to get a better look. Several yards from it they stopped and began looking around. Scarlett scanned the empty weed-infested road, giving a cursory glance to the boarded up, graffiti clad warehouses lining the perimeter, before her gaze returned to Ella’s car. She saw the blood the PC had mentioned. At least she thought it was blood. In this half-light she couldn’t be sure – the small puddle glistened, so it was reasonably fresh. She could also make out scrape marks around it. It looked like there had been a scuffle. Ella had fought back? Maybe. Hopefully. If she had, that might give them some forensic evidence to rest their hopes on. She started to shake. Shock! Something she hadn’t experienced in a while. It had hit her after the police came to tell her that her parents were dead, and on the morning Aunt Hanna died in the hospice when she had sat with her all night. Not even after the London bombings, when one of the victims had died in her arms, did she suffer from shock, yet now she was shaking like a leaf. She looked up to the sky. Strands of blue had started break through the bank of grey clouds.

  ‘Scarlett!’

  Diane Harris’s sharp cry brought her back to the present.

  ‘I was just saying Scarlett, I don’t think we can do anything else here for now. CSI are on their way and there’s the search of the buildings to be done. You and I will be better served getting back to the station and organising the team.’

  Fifty-eight

  DI Taylor-Butler remained at the scene to liaise with CSI and co-ordinate a thorough search of the empty units and lock-ups, while Scarlett and DCI Harris returned to the office. They got back shortly before 8 a.m. The majority of the team were in and the moment the pair entered the office they were firing questions at them about Ella: word had already got out.

  Diane Harris raised a hand, ‘Listen guys, I’ve just got to make a few quick phone calls to let Gold Command know what’s happening, then I’ll do briefing. Get yourself a drink and a quick snack, because it’s going to be a very long day.’

  She turned and left, leaving Scarlett to fend off the barrage of questions from her worried colleagues.

  ***

  By eight-thirty, briefing was under way. The DCI took up her place by the incident board, though it was still full of photographs and information from the Trish Scarr murder – they hadn’t had time to clear it. A silent
Homicide Squad waited for news about their fellow worker.

  Diane Harris began, ‘Morning everyone, I’m going to open up by saying this is one of the most daunting briefings I have ever had to give and I hope I will never have to repeat it.’ She took a breath, ‘According to Ella’s partner, Ryan Anderson, who I think most of you know is a detective at Brixton, Ella took a call around midnight last night, on her work phone, purportedly from Communications, to the effect that Scarlett, here, had requested she join her in relation to the burglary they had at their flat ten days ago.’ After a pause, she said, ‘We know Scarlett never made a call and Communications never made any such call to Ella. At just after two-thirty this morning Ryan began ringing Ella’s phone because he was concerned she hadn’t called to update him about what was happening. He said he rang her phone six times. The first four times it rang until it went through to her voicemail. The last two times it went straight to voicemail. Then he rang Scarlett, who told him she had made no such call and that was when I was contacted.’ She halted again, ‘Shortly before 6.30 this morning, uniform found her car abandoned at an old industrial site at Greenwich. The driver’s side front tyre had suffered a puncture, caused by a nail. Hayden is at the scene and he has just updated me with that information. We found dozens of them scattered all over the road not far from her car, which makes me believe that this was pre-planned. There is no sign of Ella. We have carried out a cursory search of the area, and we are now conducting a more thorough search of all the buildings and grounds around that site.’ For a third time she broke off, taking in a deep breath. ‘What is disturbing is that we have found blood by the driver’s side of her car and signs of a scuffle. It is not a lot of blood, but nevertheless it is blood, so we think she might be injured.’ Tight-lipped, she added, ‘While I am ruling nothing in or out, I am currently treating Ella’s disappearance as abduction and so the priority right now is to trace her. While we haven’t found her phone, and we know it’s switched off, or the battery has been taken out, we can access her phone record, so I’ve just put in an urgent request to the Tech Team to see if they can trace and locate the number that called her at just after midnight.’ Surveying the room, she said, ‘The clock is ticking on this, everyone. We have no idea what has happened to Ella, and until we get access to her phone calls, we have no clear leads, but we do have supposition.’ To Scarlett, she said, ‘Will you tell everyone what you told me earlier about your thoughts on James Green?’