Mason Black (The Complete Collection): 6 Gripping Crime Stories: The Complete Collection + BONUS Story

by Adam Nicholls

  ‘I understand,’ he said, giving up. What had he been thinking anyway? ‘Come back to the…’ He almost dropped his phone with a cocktail of fear and excitement.

  ‘The…?’ Evie said, impatient. ‘The what, Mason?’

  He was in a trance, watching the woman who stood out from the rest. There was something about her – familiar mannerisms. Did he recognise her face? It was hard to tell at this distance, but he had definitely seen her somewhere before.

  ‘Evie,’ he said, bluntly.

  ‘What?’

  ‘I think she’s here.’

  22

  People would mock her, telling her that she was nothing but a lowly whore. They would point, stare, judge. Lady pitied them, really. After all, she was the one making nearly a thousand bucks every night. And for what? Lying on her back and pretending not to be disgusted by someone? It was a good deal.

  Tonight she was working, although she considered it a simple business transaction. You give me money and I spread my legs. It was perfect. And at this rate, she would be able to retire before her tits got saggy and her lips began to droop.

  The street was lively tonight. Plenty of cash to be made, and not much competition. She had opted for the black wig – it was her favourite of the lot – which was sure to win her over when the creeps came out to play.

  But something told her she wouldn’t be getting so far tonight.

  Lady glanced up the sidewalk and saw a woman coming her way. It was Evelyn Black. She was dressed the same way the media portrayed prostitutes, and was caked in far too much makeup. But it was her, without a doubt.

  A quick twist of her hip and Lady was on her way, blending in with the crowd while trying to subtly head to the nearest alleyway. She needed to get out of there before one of them got hurt.

  This isn’t how it’s supposed to happen.

  Quickly looking over her shoulder, she saw Evelyn behind her. She was closer now, having definitely spotted her. Lady pushed through the last of the crowd, easing into an open alleyway. This was dark and perfect. She could get away with anything.

  23

  Mason clutched the wheel, his fingers racked with tension. ‘She’s making a run for it.’

  ‘You don’t think I know that?’

  For a moment, he sat watching. Mere seconds ago, the woman had been minding her own business (perhaps even picking out a new victim – although they would never find out for sure). As soon as she’d turned and seen Evie heading her way, she’d made a dive out of there. Did she recognise her?

  ‘She’s heading into the alleyway,’ said Evie, pressing the headset to her ear now. It no longer mattered that it was hidden safely under her hair.

  ‘Don’t follow her. Do you understand me?’ Something seemed not quite right. Mason climbed out of the car, not for a second thinking that he would allow any harm come to his sister. He darted across the road and lost sight of Evie as she headed into the alleyway.

  ‘Not…’ the earpiece hissed, static cracking her voice. They were losing reception. Not good. ‘In… Now…’

  ‘Evie?’ Mason stopped and held the phone close to his ear. His heart was jackhammering inside his chest. ‘Are you there?’ He looked at the mouth of the alleyway, dark and uninviting. The women to either side of it had parted, watching the chaos as if it were some street performance.

  ‘Don’t… Mason…’ Evie said, her voice growing ever distant.

  Something was wrong, he just knew it. Mason dove into the alley, wishing he had brought the revolver from the office. If Lady Luck had done something, he would never forgive himself. He slowed to a jog, his eyes adjusting to the darkness.

  Nothing.

  The only light came from the street at the other end, its reflection bouncing off a discarded wing mirror. Mason sprinted to the end, checking nervously around him and half expecting to find her bleeding behind a dumpster.

  ‘Evie!’ he called, hanging up the phone as he came out on the other side.

  Two young girls stood watching him, looking amused. No, not amused… entertained. Mason approached them.

  ‘Did you see someone come by here?’

  They looked at each other, as if they didn’t speak English.

  ‘Did you see someone come by here?’

  ‘Jeez,’ said the smaller one. ‘Yeah, two women arguing. Why, did you fuck one of them behind the other one’s back?’ The girl’s friend laughed, but not for long.

  Mason shot forward, pushing one of the girls. ‘I’m yet to hit a woman. Tell me what happened. Now!’

  ‘Get the fuck off me!’ the surprised girl said, squirming like a worm on a hook.

  ‘Tell me!’

  ‘They were hitting each other! One of them threw something, okay?’ She pointed further down the sidewalk, either at or behind a set of stone steps leading up to a run-down house. ‘Now take your hands off me, creep.’

  Mason let her go and went to the steps. He began to sweat as he came closer to the object on the ground, and it was finally recognisable. He stooped, picked it up and held it in his fingers. It was her earpiece, and Evie was gone.

  24

  The police station was buzzing with life. Officers were zipping back and forth, taking care of business. People were seated with cuffed hands behind their backs, turning their heads towards every sound or movement, waiting to find out what would happen to them.

  Mason, on the other hand, sat tapping his heel against the hard marble floor.

  With nobody else to turn to, he had tried Bill at home. Christine, Bill’s wife, had answered the door and invited him to wait. But he couldn’t just sit around. Evie was gone, and it was his fault. So here he came, looking for help.

  It took some time before Bill eventually exited the elevator, which Mason had used plenty during his time with the SFPD. He crossed the hallway while looking over his shoulder, taking long strides towards him. ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘I had no choice. It’s… It’s Evie.’

  ‘What happened?’

  ‘She’s gone, Bill. I need to make a statement and have your officers looking for her.’

  Bill’s expression suddenly changed from frustration to concern. He glanced towards the front desk and raised a hand to the officer on reception duty. ‘Come with me,’ he said, tapping Mason’s elbow.

  They went through the station, keeping to the wall so as not to attract too much attention. They came out of the fire exit and into a caged-off yard. There were dumpsters here, and the smell of rotten food.

  ‘What happened?’ Bill asked, leaning against the door to keep it closed.

  ‘It’s a long story.’

  ‘I’m listening.’

  Mason took the time to explain what had happened an hour ago. It all seemed to come out in one long, desperate breath. When his story led him to the present moment, he turned and kicked the chain-link fence. ‘I’m a fucking idiot.’

  Bill sighed and stepped away from the door. ‘Look, this is going to sound stupid, but you can’t make the statement. If this Lady Luck woman drops the bomb, what do you think will happen to Evie? You need to stay well away.’

  That was enough to turn Mason’s head. ‘Are you fucking nuts? Some girl…’ He looked over his shoulder and reduced his voice to a whisper. ‘Some girl knows that we buried Wendell. She’s teasing it to your colleagues. Hell, if you hadn’t taken that photo from the crime scene, we might both be in jail right now.’

  ‘Better than being dead though, huh?’

  Mason pushed him, hard. ‘This isn’t a game. Evie is out there somewhere and she needs our help.’ It wasn’t until he said it aloud that he realised… she might not still be out there. She could have been severely hurt by now. For all he knew, she would be the next victim to turn up with a message.

  ‘Don’t think for a second that I don’t want to help her!’ Bill stood up straight, his chin high. ‘She’s like a sister to me, too, in case you’d forgotten. But you need to think this through. If we report her missing
and she comes to your door the next day, you’ll be locked up for the rest of your life. And for what?’

  ‘It’s worth it.’

  ‘Is it though? Think about it. I’m serious. Go home, lie down, and think about where you want to be next week. Consider Amy, having to grow up without a father. Unless you count that prick Joshua as a decent role model.’

  Mason was wired. His head felt ready to burst. If he could only take back what had happened today, everything would be so much simpler. He let out a breath. ‘I suppose you’re right. Meantime, can you check out Marcy Larkin?’

  ‘I’d need an excuse. It would have to be relevant to my research of you.’

  ‘Think of something.’ Mason climbed to the top of the fence and swung over it.

  ‘And you might want to stay away from here in future,’ Bill said, opening the door. ‘Next time I see you, I’m going to have to arrest you. Captain’s orders.’

  25

  Another night with very little sleep. Images of Evie kept coming at him, and every time he began to settle down, he would hear her protesting his ridiculous plan.

  What was I thinking?

  Frustrated and wound up tight, Mason headed to his car, keeping his head low to shield his eyes from the overpowering morning sunlight. It looked like it would be a good day for those able to enjoy it. But for Mason, only a distraction would serve.

  On the drive over, he was putting more thought into Bill’s suggestion. But no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t come to think of turning himself in as a sensible idea.

  He stopped the car, walked up the drive and approached the door. Before he could even land the first knock, the door swung open and Amy leaped into his arms.

  ‘Whoa,’ he said, smiling weakly for the first time since Evie had gone. ‘Steady there.’

  ‘I’m just glad to see you.’ Amy slowly pulled her head away from his chest and looked up at him. Her arms still clung tightly. ‘Can you take me to school? Please?’

  ‘Not a fan of the bus?’

  Amy shook her head, smirking. ‘Nope. It smells old.’

  An interruption to their pleasant exchange, Sandra came to the door in a robe, a steaming mug of coffee sending white waves towards the sky. ‘Mason,’ she said with a smile. ‘Nice of you to drop by. Are you staying?’

  ‘Actually, I wanted to take Amy to school, if that’s okay?’

  ‘I don’t see why not. But can I talk to you inside for a second?’

  Mason patted Amy on the shoulder, told her to wait in the car, and went inside. The nostalgia hit him instantly. He recalled viewing this house with her, back when they were happily married. They’d decorated and chosen the furniture together, eaten dinners and slept together under this roof. And now he wasn’t the man of the house. It felt as if he had intruded on a version of his younger self. ‘What’s up?’

  Sandra hesitated, rolling her eyes. ‘You’re going to think this is dumb.’

  ‘Try me.’

  ‘Phew. Okay, so… I want to give us another shot.’

  That was a shock to his system. Another shot? Is she crazy? His mind flickered to Diane for the brief passing of a second. He made a mental note to call her.

  ‘Say something,’ Sandra pleaded.

  ‘I… I don’t know what to say.’

  ‘Say you’ll think about it.’

  ‘What about Joshua?’ It surprised him to hear those words come from his own mouth. Joshua had been Sandra’s Pilates instructor while she was still married to Mason. However, that didn’t seem to have stopped her from sleeping with him. Now, they were all living in this house. Unhappily, it seemed.

  ‘Joshua is… weak. He’s not you.’

  Mason put a hand to his head. ‘So things are going badly with him, and you just thought you’d like to get back together with me?’

  ‘No, it’s not like that. If–’

  ‘Look, I can’t do this right now. I have to go.’ Mason hightailed it out of there, slamming the door behind him. Even as he walked towards the car, where he could feel Amy watching him, he still couldn’t struggle through the difficulty of hiding his scowl.

  26

  Having sent Amy towards her first class, Mason drove back to Marcy Larkin, hoping to get there before the cops did. He parked a couple of blocks over this time, reducing any chance of recognition. From there, he walked the rest of the way.

  The entire street looked different during the day. Last night’s large crowds were gone, litter covered the majority of the sidewalks, and the lit-up signs were now dull and unattractive. It looked like a ghost town.

  Mason went to the alleyway. Now that daylight was lending a hand, he figured he might have a chance of finding something else. Anything that could lead to Evie’s whereabouts would be a godsend right about now.

  Halfway up the alley, a girl was stomping about clumsily, swaying from left to right and knocking into everything in her path. She wore a black leather miniskirt with knee-high boots. Her hair was ratty and splayed out in wiry clumps. Mason assumed her to be either a party girl or an employee of some pimp. Either way, talking with her couldn’t hurt his chances.

  ‘Need any help?’ he offered, making it clear that he wasn’t just another client.

  Her eyes went everywhere else before they landed on him. When she examined him, she screwed up her face as if there were some personal spite. ‘What are you doing here, mister?’ The woman stumbled forward.

  Does she think I’m somebody else?

  ‘I’m looking for somebody.’

  She laughed, a hiccup falling out with it. ‘It’s my day off.’

  ‘What? No.’ Mason leaned with his back to the wall. He knew this made people feel more at ease. Especially with his height being generally intimidating. ‘My sister–’ He stopped there, wondering just how far that information would get him. This girl thought he was a paying customer, and she was in the right circle to have contacts. He altered his strategy. ‘My sister recommended a certain someone. Goes by the name Lady Luck.’

  ‘Pfft,’ she said, still stumbling about. ‘You’re in the wrong place.’

  ‘She doesn’t work around here?’

  ‘Sometimes, sure. But not often.’ The girl bent forward, as if projectile vomiting was about to begin. A couple deep breaths later and she stood up straight. ‘She works the Dacks area most nights. Try there.’

  Mason studied her, pondering whether she might be telling the truth. She had no reason to lie, but it was difficult to trust anybody these days. ‘All right. Thanks.’ He turned to leave then stopped short. He couldn’t just leave her here. ‘You live around here?’

  ‘What?’ She looked at the sky as she spoke, squinting her eyes. ‘A few blocks over.’

  She’ll never make it that far. He pulled out his wallet and placed forty dollars into her hand. ‘Call yourself a cab, okay? You got a cell phone?’

  The girl didn’t answer. Instead, her eyelids folded over and she began to topple, her body submitting to the restraints of fatigue and inebriation. Mason caught her in his arms, tried to hold her up straight. He didn’t have time for this, but couldn’t just put her down.

  ‘Hey!’ a deep voice echoed through the alley.

  Mason craned his neck to see two burly black men heading his way, dressed in black suits with white shirts. Overdressed for gutter work, if you asked him.

  ‘She’s valuable goods. Take your damn hands off her.’

  ‘If she’s valuable, you might want to take better care of her.’

  ‘Didn’t you hear him?’ the other one asked.

  Before Mason got a chance to answer, a foot was plunged into the back of his knee, knocking him off balance. He tumbled to the ground, the girl falling with him. He let her land across his torso, protecting her head from the concrete.

  ‘Hey!’ the first man screamed angrily. ‘I said hands off the merchandise!’

  Trouble was brewing, Mason knew. And for as long as he was on his back, he had little to no chance of defending him
self, much less the girl.

  27

  Lady opened the trunk of her car to find Evelyn Black in the foetal position. Her eyes were closed and she was silent. Perfect.

  She looked over each shoulder – a force of habit, nobody would see her around here – and leaned in to hoist her out of the car. She was heavier than she looked, Lady thought, struggling with the weight. It had been a lot easier when she’d put her in there. Of course, it would have been – she’d had help from Ben.

  Poor Ben.

  He was a sweet man, really. Short and chunky with bad oral hygiene, but he had a heart of gold. And more importantly, he would do anything for a chance to be with Lady. Anything. That wasn’t limited to helping secure an unconscious woman in the trunk of her car.

  His only real problem was that he wanted more than sex. He wanted her affections, and that was something she simply couldn’t give. Sex, she could afford him – probably wouldn’t charge him either – but it didn’t seem it would be enough.

  Lady got to the trapdoor, swept the covering branches off with one unsteady foot, then set Evelyn down to open it. The light came on instantly, as Ben had wired it to do. Taking one last glance at her surroundings, she picked the girl back up and carried her down the creaking wooden steps, closing the door behind her and tugging the rope to draw the branches back over. She had Ben to thank for that little device, too.

  When they reached the bottom of the stairs and came into a dark, damp-smelling area (which looked like nothing more than an expansive tunnel), Lady put Evelyn on the floor and dragged her the rest of the way. It was easier on her muscles.

  Her lifeless feet scuffed across the dirt and through the main area, where two silent girls sat around a mite-bitten table. There was a third girl with her face pressed to the wood and a pool of blood seeping from her head.

  And I wasn’t here to see it. Damn.