‘No, I think it’s going to be a final briefing on the results of the Simone Matthews case,’ said Erika.
‘I have a feeling it’s going to be a bit more than that, boss,’ said Peterson. ‘I think you’re about to get an almighty pat on the back!’
When they arrived at Lewisham Row station, they were told to go down to the incident room. It was crowded, and Erika, Moss and Peterson only managed to say a quick hello to some of the team and find a space at the back before Sparks and Marsh appeared at the front. Finally, Assistant Commissioner Oakley entered, with three officers carrying bottles of soft drinks and plastic cups.
‘Can I have your attention, PLEASE!’ shouted Oakley. He stood at the front, immaculate in his uniform, with his hair neat and his braided cap held against his chest. The vast row of whiteboards behind him was empty. The room fell silent. ‘This has been quite a week for the Metropolitan Police. I’d like to thank you all for achieving the impossible. Yesterday morning, officers working on Operation Hemslow broke one of the UK’s biggest underground paedophile networks. Over sixty-seven thousand images of abused children and twelve thousand DVDs have been seized, along with Gary Wilmslow and six associates who the Met have had under surveillance for over a year.’
There were whoops and clapping from the officers. Moss grinned and slapped Peterson on the back.
‘And I haven’t finished!’ said Oakley. ‘Thanks to the hard work from DCI Sparks’ team in association with Detective Chief Superintendent Marsh’s division, we have caught the Night Stalker! Simone Matthews has been arrested for the murders of Gregory Munro, Jack Hart, Stephen Linley and Keith Hardy.’
There was another round of applause from the officers in the incident room. Erika caught Marsh’s eye. He leant over and said something to Oakley, who added, ‘And of course we are very grateful to DCI Erika Foster, who was in the right place at the right time, or should that be the wrong place! We hope you continue to make a full recovery.’ He looked vaguely in her direction. The officers in the incident room began to turn to Erika, but Oakley went on.
‘And finally, I have the pleasure to announce that in the light of these admirable results there will be several promotions. Firstly, I would like to introduce you to our new commander, Commander Paul Marsh!’
Everyone applauded as Marsh made a show of being sheepish and muttered his thanks.
Then Oakley stepped forward again. ‘I would also like to announce a further promotion. In light of his many achievements, both on this case and others, DCI Sparks will be promoted, and from now on known as Superintendent Sparks.’
Oakley led the applause and Sparks beamed and stepped forward, giving a grand, over-ironic bow. A plastic cup was shoved into Erika’s hand. She looked around the room at Moss and Peterson, who looked dismayed.
‘I propose a toast. To results,’ said Oakley.
‘To results,’ repeated everyone in the room, raising their plastic cups.
‘Now I encourage you all to eat, drink and be merry!’ cried Oakley.
There were whistles and a round of applause, but Erika didn’t join in. She was furious. She pushed her way through the crowds of officers to where Marsh stood at the front.
‘Sir, a word please,’ she snapped.
‘Erika, can it wait?’ asked Marsh.
‘No, it can’t,’ she said loudly. Oakley and Sparks looked over from where they were talking. Sparks gave her a nasty smirk and raised his cup to her.
Marsh followed Erika outside the incident room and into one of the adjacent empty offices.
‘What the hell was that?’ she said.
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘I led you all to Simone Matthews. I did all the legwork on this case. And if you haven’t forgotten, sir, DCI – sorry, Superintendent Sparks – was taken off the last major murder investigation case for incompetence! I solved this case!’
‘I have no control over decisions made by Oakley.’
‘But you did know a promotion was in the offing, didn’t you? And you’ve kept me at arm’s length. Kept me away, strung me along, made me do all the dirty work!’
Marsh then lost it. ‘Do you know how frustrating it is to see how you operate, Erika?’
‘Don’t call me Erika, we are NOT friends! I am a police officer who—’
‘You were a great officer, Erika, really great, once. But you continue to go against orders, against protocol… Now you’re just…’
‘I’m just what?’
Marsh looked at her for a long moment.
‘You think you have this incredible instinct, but it’s blind luck and stupidity. You’re a vigilante. And you’re on borrowed time. And because of that, you’ll remain DCI Foster. In light of what happened, of you defying orders, refusing to take leave when I ordered you to, I couldn’t recommend you for promotion.’
Erika gave Marsh a long, hard look. ‘Well, I am not sticking around here to take orders from Superintendent Sparks. You’ll have my letter putting in for a transfer first thing tomorrow morning.’
‘Hang on… transfer? Erika!’ said Marsh, but she turned and left the office, walking off down the corridors and out of Lewisham Row station.
Epilogue
It was a warm, sunny day. Erika stepped out of her car. She took off her sunglasses and looked at the small door within a door at the huge Victorian gates of Belmarsh Prison.
She leant on the roof of the car and saw that it was twelve minutes past eleven. He was late.
Moments later, the small door opened with a squeak. Isaac stepped out and looked around him, taking in the clear blue sky, the silence and Erika.
He had a brown paper bag in one hand and his suit jacket over the other arm. He walked towards her, through the gates and out onto the street. They hugged for a long time without saying anything.
‘All charges dropped. I told you so,’ said Erika with a grin.
‘You didn’t tell me so,’ he answered wryly. ‘And why did it take so long?’
‘Forensics. You know what your lot is like. They take ages. Simone Matthews gave them a full confession, but they had to ensure it was her DNA at the Jack Hart murder scene. Moss and Peterson have been keeping me in the loop.’
‘I keep thinking someone is going to come out and tell me it’s a terrible mistake and I’m…’ Isaac put a hand to his face.
‘It’s okay. You’ve been cleared. And you keep your licence to practise medicine.’
Isaac stood for a moment, breathing in the air. Then he opened the car door and got in. Erika went round to the driver’s side and climbed in beside him.
‘What did you mean, Moss and Peterson have been keeping you in the loop?’ asked Isaac. ‘I thought you solved the case?’
‘I did. It’s a long story. The short version is that I’ve put in for a transfer. And I’m taking a break.’
‘A transfer. Where?’
‘I don’t know yet. Marsh is trying to talk me out of it. Hence the break… For the first time in years, I just want to take my foot off the gas. Work out what it’s like to be a normal person,’ said Erika.
‘Let me know when you find out,’ said Isaac, wryly.
They drove away and rode in silence. Isaac put his head back and closed his eyes. A short while later, he noticed they were driving along the high street in Shirley.
‘Why have we come this way?’ he asked.
Erika pulled into a space a little way up from Penny Munro’s house. In the front garden, Penny was standing with a white face, watching little Peter as he held the hose, watering the lawn. He put his thumb on the end of the hose and laughed in delight as the water sprayed back over them both.
‘He’s such a nice kid. Do you think he’ll be okay?’ asked Erika as they watched.
‘Honestly, who knows? You’ve got to have faith that good will win out,’ said Isaac.
‘He’s so young to lose his father, and now the memory of his uncle is forever destroyed.’
Isaac put his hand on hers.
‘But I could do a better job trying,’ she said, wiping away a tear.
‘You saved me. And for that I’ll be forever grateful,’ Isaac replied. They sat in silence for a few minutes, watching as Peter started to spray Penny with the hose, chasing her around the garden until she burst out laughing and grabbed him, showering him with kisses.
‘What are you going to do?’ asked Isaac.
‘There’s a new baby in my family. I have a new niece.’
‘Congratulations. Your sister, in Slovakia, yeah?’
‘Yes. She named her after our mother and me. I was planning to go and visit.’
‘I’ve always wanted to visit Slovakia,’ said Isaac.
‘Would you want to come with me?’ asked Erika. ‘You could meet my crazy sister and her mafia husband, and then when we’ve had enough of them we could go visit the High Tatras, the hot springs, get drunk and forget about things for a bit.’
‘That sounds heavenly,’ grinned Isaac.
Erika put the car in gear and they pulled away, not thinking about the past or the future. For once, just enjoying the present.
A Note from Robert
First of all, I want to say a huge thank you to you for choosing to read The Night Stalker. If you did enjoy it, I would be very grateful if you could write a review. It needn’t be long, just a few words, but it makes such a difference and helps new readers to discover one of my books for the first time.
I wrote in the back of the previous Erika Foster novel, The Girl in the Ice, that I would love to hear from you. Thank you for all the wonderful messages I’ve received. I’ve loved hearing from each and every one of you, and how much you loved the characters, and the story, and where you’d like to see this series go in the future. I particularly loved the very funny message from a lady who said she enjoyed the book immensely but wasn’t keen on Erika’s habit of smoking and stubbing out her dog ends in a tea cup! In this book I have tried to ensure that Erika, where possible, uses an ashtray. Keep the messages coming and thank you.
You can get in touch on my Facebook page, through Twitter, Goodreads or my website. I read every message and will always reply.
If you would like to get an email informing you when my next book will be released, you can sign up to my mailing list using the link below. Your email address will never be shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.
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There are lots more books to come, so I hope you’ll stay with me for the ride!
Robert Bryndza
@RobertBryndza
bryndzarobert
www.robertbryndza.com
The Girl in the Ice
Detective Erika Foster Book I
Out now…
Her eyes are wide open. Her lips parted as if to speak. Her dead body frozen in the ice…She is not the only one.
When a young boy discovers the body of a woman beneath a thick sheet of ice in a South London park, Detective Erika Foster is called in to lead the murder investigation.
The victim, a beautiful young socialite, appeared to have the perfect life. Yet when Erika begins to dig deeper, she starts to connect the dots between the murder and the killings of three prostitutes, all found strangled, hands bound and dumped in water around London.
What dark secrets is the girl in the ice hiding?
As Erika inches closer to uncovering the truth, the killer is closing in on Erika.
The last investigation Erika led went badly wrong… resulting in the death of her husband. With her career hanging by a thread, Erika must now battle her own personal demons as well as a killer more deadly than any she’s faced before. But will she get to him before he strikes again?
A page-turning thriller packed with suspense. If you like Angela Marsons, Rachel Abbott and Karin Slaughter, discover Rob Bryndza’s new series today – at a special launch price.
What people are saying about The Girl in the Ice:
‘I freakin’ LOVED it! . . . Once in a while a book stops you in your tracks . . . this is THAT book!’ Crime Book Junkie
‘I loved, loved, loved this book and Erika Foster is most definitely my kind of heroine. She is smart, tenacious, direct and passionate…I found the writing tight, evocative and enthralling. I CAN NOT wait for the next installment.’ Angela Marsons
‘A non-stop, edge-of-your-seat, rollercoaster of a thriller! The ending, oh the ending! My mind is still blown! This book does not disappoint!’ The Book Addicted Boy
‘Oh my gosh!...gripping, grimy, hardcore, thrilling…I was hooked!!!...I loved this book…You Have GOT To Read This!’ A Page of Fictional Love
'An intriguing web of lies, secrets and suspense. I really enjoyed getting to know DCI Foster and am already looking forward to the next book.' Mel Sherratt
'A compelling read – once you’ve started, it’s hard to put down.' Rachel Abbott
'Hands-down, one of the most exciting, dramatic, tense and compelling thrillers that I think I have ever read.' Bookaholic Confessions
‘Absolute perfection!…Boy are there some sharp turns! There were a few moments when I felt like I had it all figured out and I was so wrong! Fantastic book!…’ The Eternal Optimist
‘The Girl In The Ice is a brilliantly clever crime thriller…Had me hurtling at full speed, until WHAM!!!! with an ending that just totally blew me away! An absolute must read for all you crime fanatics out there.’ By The Letter Book Reviews
‘Engaging, thought provoking, full of suspense this is one murder mystery you won't want to miss.’ Erisea Magazine
‘With a great plot that really digs into the depths of human nature and some fascinating characters that really were excessive shades of light and dark…The book keeps you guessing and on edge, you will think you have it ALL worked out, but the twisty reveal was very impressive, loved it.’ Book Lover Cat Lady
‘I found myself racing through the chapters…it has plenty of twists and turns, with enough red herrings to keep the reader captivated to the very last page, it's addictive, compulsive and much more.’ The Book Review Café
Also by Robert Bryndza
The DCI Erika Foster crime thriller series
The Girl in the Ice
The Night Stalker
The Coco Pinchard romantic comedy series
The Not So Secret Emails of Coco Pinchard
Coco Pinchard’s Big Fat Tipsy Wedding
Coco Pinchard, the Consequences of Love and Sex
A Very Coco Christmas
Coco Pinchard’s Must-Have Toy Story
Standalone Romantic Comedy Novels
Miss Wrong and Mr Right
Lost In Crazytown
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Oliver Rhodes and the wonderful team at Bookouture. You guys are all amazing, and I’m so happy to be working with you. Special thanks also to Claire Bord. Working with you is an absolute joy. You bring out the best in my work, and you’ve pushed me to be a better writer. And, as an added bonus, you always recommend great new TV shows to watch!
Thank you to Henry Steadman for another stunning cover, and to Gabrielle Chant for editing the manuscript with such care and a keen eye for detail. Thanks to Caroline Mitchell for answering my questions about police procedure, and to Kim Nash for your hard work promoting and spreading the word about our books at Bookouture.
Special thanks to former Chief Superintendent Graham Bartlett of South Downs Leadership and Management Services Ltd, who read the manuscript and gave me such valuable feedback on police procedure and helped me to tread the fine line between fact and fiction. Any liberties taken with fact are mine.
Thanks to my mother-in-law Vierka, who couldn’t read what I wrote in my last dedication, so this is for her: Mojej svokre Vierke, ktorá má talent vystihnúť tie najdôležitejšie chvíle. Keď ide písanie ťažko a pracujem do neskorých nočných hodín, zjaví sa pri dverách s úžasným domácim jedlom a láskou, čo ma vždy dokonale pov
zbudí.
A massive thank you to my husband, Ján. I couldn’t do any of this without his love and support. You are the best. Team Bryndza rules!
And lastly, thank you to all my wonderful readers, all the wonderful book groups, book bloggers and reviewers. I always say this, but it’s true, word of mouth is such a powerful thing, and without all your hard work and passion, talking up and blogging about my books, I would have far less readers.
Published by Bookouture
An imprint of StoryFire Ltd.
23 Sussex Road, Ickenham, UB10 8PN
United Kingdom
www.bookouture.com
Copyright © Robert Bryndza 2016
Robert Bryndza has asserted his right to be identified as the author of this work.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
The Night Stalker: A chilling serial killer thriller (Detective Erika Foster Book 2) Page 31