by Cross, Drew
The office was empty, but that wasn’t at all unusual in the middle of a shift. much of the unglamorous legwork such as knocking on doors and speaking with witnesses was better off conducted in daylight hours, and it was necessary to get outside every once in a while to avoid going stir-crazy. I logged onto a computer and accessed my emails, quickly scanning through briefing reports about the mad, bad and dangerous who had finished serving time at Her Majesties Pleasure and were now back on the streets free to inflict mayhem again.
Further down the list I found one from Geeta, a terse one line introduction to the content accompanied by attachments detailing cases that Doctor Alan Hardwick had asked for the files on since he’d come onboard with the Grey Man case. The list was impressive, with details having been obtained about dates, times and locations of access to each of the files in case that was significant, although I hadn’t specifically asked for it. Lacking in one or two interpersonal skills she might be, but Detective Constable Badal was thorough and she thought about why she was accessing information for an enquiry not just what the request had been.
I printed up a copy of the list and used my greater access rights to look back over some of the cases for any possible patterns. The biggest difficulty would come from identifying which ones he had been reviewing in relation to the Grey Man case, and which ones were unrelated and used for others that he had been working on simultaneously. Doctor Hardwick and his big reputation had been very much in demand by various other surrounding police forces. Another issue was going to be in determining which cases were for frame of reference. It was not especially uncommon for a profiler to review other previous crimes not necessarily linked to the same serial offender in order to check that his assumptions held up to closer scrutiny. I didn’t have the luxury of assuming that any of the files that he’d accessed that weren’t on our known list of connected offences had been reviewed because the Doctor had believed that they were committed by the same man.
I sighed and attempted to shift a stubborn curl away from my line of sight, but it sprang back each time I released my hold on it and I eventually gave up. The majority of the files that he’d accessed were old murder cases, with lurid images and descriptions depicting the handiwork of sexual sadists who were now safely behind bars. It was difficult to be certain whether he’d seen commonalities with the Grey Man series on many of them, but a handful included murders where the victim had been bitten, and one was an unsolved case where it appeared that the killer had drained off some of the dead girls blood into a glass and drank it.
I stopped reading and looked back at Geeta’s list, ignoring the finer detail and trying to get an overview of the pattern of Hardwick’s behaviour. Most of his work had been done from police computers, for which he had certain access rights courtesy of his long successful history in assisting on major enquiries, but there were half a dozen that had been accessed from his home office late at night and that were not existing murders in the Grey Man chain. I opened them up one after the other, quickly scanning the headline detail. All of them were from miles away, mainly in and around Plymouth in fact, and all of them were unsolved murders of young women. I frowned, to my knowledge the Doctor had never worked for a force that far South, although I’d get Geeta to cross check, but it was unlikely that unsolved cases would yield much of use for drawing up a profile since there was no known offender to draw comparisons to. I felt a tingle of something like anticipation, there was no reason to believe that these were significant yet, but they were the first incongruous information that I’d found and that had to count for something.
Chapter 57
When I arrived back at Coventry hospital in the evening at the tail end of visiting hours I found my way into the A Ward, where Emily was recuperating, barred. The stern nurse in grey who had given me directions on my previous visit was manning the desk and would not allow me to pass.
‘I’m sorry, but it’s not going to be possible for you to visit Emily today.’
She spoke firmly and eyed me defensively, as if talking to a difficult child and expecting trouble now that they’d not got their own way.
‘Why, what’s happened? I’m family, her older sister in fact.’ I explained, panicking and fearing the worst, not able to read anything in the nurse’s cool expression.
‘She’s fine, but she’s specifically requested that you not be permitted to visit her again and I have a duty to honour that, particularly while she’s still so fragile.’
She looked at me as if I’d crawled out from under a stone and I wondered briefly what else had been said about my small part in her reasons for being here.
‘But that’s ridiculous! I was here the other day, you spoke to me yourself, and she was absolutely fine with me at that point!’
I was becoming agitated, realising that it would make no difference, but feeling aggrieved and badly treated. Who did this woman think she was judging me without being in possession of the facts?
‘If you are not able to moderate your tone with me then I’m afraid I’ll have to call for security, Miss…?’
She waited for me to fill her in on my name.
‘It’s Acting Detective Superintendent Wade, and calling for security won’t be necessary.’
I watched with satisfaction as one of her eyebrows rose and fell again in recognition of my status as a police officer and at the seniority of my rank, then turned away, mind made up to visit Fred Russell for now instead.
The loud echo of my rapid footsteps as I stormed back down the corridor away from the rude nurse at the desk was like slow motion gunfire. I slowed my pace as I registered that fact and pushed my way through double doors, almost knocking drinks out of the hands of a man trying to come through them from the other side.
‘I’m so sorry, I didn’t see you there…’
My voice tailed away as I realised that the man was Emily’s husband David, and he gave me a self-satisfied smirk that stuck in my head before pushing past me and continuing back towards her ward. I quickly realised now why I was no longer allowed in to see her and I felt faintly sick as I recalled her asking me not to let him know she was here. I couldn’t begin to fathom how he’d found her unless she’d relented and sent a message out to him herself, but ultimately there was nothing I could do about it besides stew at the moment.
To all intents and purposes he’d not done anything directly wrong towards her to trigger this, at least not that she’d decided to tell me about. I’d already had my chance to make him pay by prosecuting when he’d forced his way into my house, and I’d blown it. Backtracking now would look odd, I wasn’t some vulnerable little girl who didn’t know that the law would protect her, I was a senior detective heading up a major enquiry, and uncomfortable questions would be asked about both my motives and Lee’s actions if I went after him now. Lee would believe that I was trying to make his transfer impossible, and his career could then be in jeopardy.
I accepted the situation for what it was. Another giant bloody mess to join all of the others that had come crashing down around me at the moment, as I moved away towards Fred Russell’s room. But I made a mental note to revisit David further down the line. He was, after all, still on my suspects list too, even if, like Lee, he didn’t match the physical description that we’d been working from.
Chapter 58
Madeleine spread out the papers that she’d found in her husband’s locked drawers across the dining table and waited for him to arrive home. He’d texted her just over an hour ago complaining about heavy traffic and indicated that he would soon be back. The girls were now being happily entertained by a series of Disney films and a large bowl of home-made caramel popcorn out of the way in one of the bedrooms. The delay gave her plenty of time to process what she had discovered and to consider her options about how she wanted to tackle this problem, but her thoughts were a whirlwind and she still couldn’t settle on exactly what to do for the best.
Finally, when she was on her third cup of coffee and beginning to f
eel jittery with the effects of the caffeine, she heard the sound of the car approaching, gravel crunching underneath the weight of the wheels.
She didn’t move even when he was in the hallway and calling out to announce his arrival, but he soon located her and took in the sight of his private papers laid out on display.
‘I can explain, Madeleine.’
He didn’t look angry at her intrusion and his first reaction was to start offering excuses, which was strange. She’d have bet money on a violent reaction. Perhaps the presence of their grandchildren elsewhere in the house gave him additional pause for thought?
‘’I’m listening.’
She sipped from her cup and kept her eyes locked on him, scanning for signs that he might suddenly flip.
‘They’re for a project that I’m working on for a client. I had to ensure that they were locked away to preserve client confidentiality, and to avoid this.’
He gestured towards the contents of the table.
‘Bullshit. We’ve been together for far too long for me to fall for that old line anymore, dear. Now try again with the truth this time.’
Her voice was harsh and unforgiving, he’d sworn after the last time never to do this again and she’d believed him when he’d begged on his knees with tears in his eyes and promised that he could change. The same expression of contrition was creeping into his eyes now, but she couldn’t bring herself to feel sorry for him.
‘Well? Are you going to make me tell you what I believe, or are you going to be big enough to just admit it?’
The first flare of rage passed over his expression, but he forced it back away.
‘Go on, tell me what you believe.’
His reply was hoarse and he clenched his fists involuntarily at his sides staring directly at her.
‘There’s an assortment of paraphernalia in here detailing places you’ve been, things that you’ve bought and plans that you’ve made. Together they tell me that you’re seeing other women again.’
She turned her face to one side, blinking back tears.
‘Have you forgotten already how that ended before? Have you completely blanked the girl from your mind?’
She was growing scarlet with emotion, her voice becoming a fierce whisper. She put down her cup and dabbed at her eyes with a piece of scrunched up tissue.
‘No. I haven’t,’ he replied softly.
‘Well I bloody well hope not, because I did things for you on that night that I would never have done for anybody else. Even knowing what you’d been doing with her I still helped. You swore to me on our children’s lives that you wouldn’t put yourself in that position again.’
She paused, remembering the image of the lifeless girl in their bathtub and her naked husband standing over the battered body. He’d been a young man then, barely out of his twenties, and she’d suspected that there were other women in his life but never expected to meet one like this. I didn’t mean to. He’d said with wide fearful eyes, and, not knowing about the others, she’d believed him.
Chapter 59
Unable to contact him in any other way, I resorted to staking out Lee’s house at night after my shift had finished. I borrowed one of Hallie and Mike’s cars for the task after giving an awkward explanation, a nearly new smart black Volvo SUV, so he wouldn’t recognise my own car and drive away immediately, and settled in for what might be a long wait feeling vaguely like a love struck teenager stalking her celebrity of choice. To pass the time I listened to Zane Lowe’s show on Radio One, enjoying the enthusiasm and playful banter, and discovering a beautiful atmospheric new track by Clare Maguire called Ain’t Nobody that held my attention rapt as it was played an unprecedented three times back to back.
‘Ain’t nobody can love me like you do…’
I felt like the artist was singing the story of my current pain and turmoil directly to me, and I blinked away a tidal wave of self pity.
When the track finished its third time through I snapped back out of it and checked my phone for messages out of habit. Ignoring texts about compensation I might be entitled to and banks I could claim money back from, before I found one from a familiar number that made my heart begin to race.
‘My car’s in for a service and I’m watching you from the living room. I take it you’re not going to sit out their all night? Lee.’
I looked back up at the property, which was still in darkness despite the fact that night had well and truly fallen, feeling utterly self conscious and wondering how long he’d been aware of my presence. A stab of pure anger at being left sitting here followed hot on the heels of the awkwardness, and I had to take a couple of deep calming breaths before I got out of the car, reminding myself that I was here on a peace mission not for another fight.
It was colder than I remembered outside away from the comfort of the Volvo’s efficient heater, and I fought the urge to shiver, keeping my posture upright and my expression neutral. I crossed the dark road feeling detached from myself, all of a sudden hyper-aware of every single aspect of my movements. The streetlights bathed everything in a supernatural yellow glow, and I looked up at the sudden noise of an approaching engine revving hard as I reached the pavement outside Lee’s house. I found myself frowning and squinting but not able to see anything besides the single bright headlight of a motorbike, so I continued on my way and ignored the recklessness of speeding along a quiet residential road for now.
Lee spared me the indignity of knocking and waiting for an answer, opening the door before I got there. Not quite a big hug and an all is forgiven, let’s go to bed, but a start at least, and for that I was embarrassingly grateful at this particular moment in time. He was unshaven and there were dark circles around his eyes. It looked like he’d been crying. I opened my mouth to speak, praying for something poignant and free from accusations or recriminations to come out, but the noise of the motorbike engine gave way to the sound of hard breaking, the screech of rubber on tarmac, forcing my attention back towards the road.
I didn’t see the hessian sack arcing through the air until it struck me hard in the chest, the hard heavy item inside knocking me to the ground and winding me badly. But I caught sight of the salute from the leather-clad helmeted figure on the bike as he accelerated back away from the kerbside and rounded the corner. Lee was beside me almost instantly, all antagonism between us temporarily forgotten, helping me back up to a sitting position and urging me to lean forward while I gasped and tried to catch my breath.
‘I think there’s a brick or something inside the bag, my ribs are hurting really bad.’
I managed, wheezing as I began to recover, and seeing Lee lift it up and turn it over to empty out the contents.
It took a fraction longer than it should have done for me to recognise the item that fell out, and I covered my mouth with my hands in shock when I did. The bag contained a severed head that I assumed must have once belonged to Elizabeth Perry. But its hair had been cut, dyed and curled in a passable approximation of my own style.
Chapter 60
It felt surreal lying down on the comfy settee in Lee’s neat minimalist living room with its familiar expanse of magnolia and cream colours, now that the head had been recovered as evidence and we’d both agreed to have statements submitted by mid-morning. I couldn’t help noting that there were still no signs of photographs and other personal items to advertise that a real human being lived here. I’d lost count of the number of occasions on which I’d teased him about his decorative choices, and they hadn’t made one jot of difference anyway. Lee was happy with the canvas blank for now.
‘Here, drink this, and for the record, I still think you should get checked out at the hospital.’
He handed me a good measure of malt whisky in a small tumbler and I sat up painfully to accept it from him.
‘Thanks.’
I took a sip and swallowed it straight down, enjoying the warm glowing feeling that followed.
‘I’m okay now though. It was just something of a surprise
to get hit by a head that wasn’t attached to somebody.’
I raised an eyebrow and he let the smile that he’d been holding back spread across his face.
‘Still think I’m the killer?’
He delivered the question nonchalantly, but his smile faded back away and I saw the pain behind his eyes.
‘I never thought you were the killer, not even for one second. I was just working on something crazy that I stupidly didn’t share with you from the outset, and the result was relationship Armageddon when you stumbled across it.’
I shifted into a more upright position, wincing at the bruised feeling in my chest as I did so, but wanting him to see that I was sincere now that I had his attention.
‘Think about it Lee. Even ignoring the obvious fact that you’re not a frothing at the mouth psychopath with a deep seated hatred of women, you don’t match the description or any of the profiles that we’ve worked from, good and bad. I trust you implicitly and I’d stake my career on you being straight down the line in every aspect of your life. That’s just one of the reasons why I want you in mine.’
I took another sip of the smoky whisky and cast my eyes down to let him process what I was saying without scrutiny.
‘I’ve had my transfer request accepted and the notice to my landlord on this place has been put in. He’s already got plans to let it out to his niece…this is all coming too late.’
I watched him thinking about the logistics and the hassle of trying to undo what had been put into motion.
‘You really hurt me, Za. And that was after you promised not to keep things from me about the investigation again. You don’t do that to people that you trust and care about. At least not if you want to keep them close to you.’