by Liz Mistry
With a wave to a couple of library visitors, Lalita skirted the building – one of the lucky libraries that had been refurbished before austerity kicked in – to the car park. Her Mini was parked as far away from the library as she could manage – got to get my daily steps in whilst the weather’s good. Only a few vehicles were lined up near the back of the building. One, she noticed, had parked right in front of the “Keep Clear” notice. She was on the point of taking a photo of it to report it, then shook her head. She wasn’t on library duty now. Someone else could deal with it; besides they weren’t expecting a book delivery that afternoon.
Stepping off the pavement, she crossed the concrete car park and then stopped sharply. Something was on her windscreen. A flyer – it certainly couldn’t be a parking ticket because she had her library employee badge stuck on her windscreen. She hated people meddling with her car. As far as she was concerned, she wasn’t likely to employ a plumber, builder or gardener who stuck leaflets under her windscreen wiper. Bloody nuisances. No, Lalita was far more likely to ask Marcus to recommend someone. Anyway, who was to say that someone was in need of one of those services at that precise time – stupid and ineffective advertising.
Lalita approached and tugged the paper from the wiper, snagging it slightly so it tore. It wasn’t a leaflet or advert – well at least not a glossy professional one. It was a scrap of lined A4 paper folded into four. After glancing round to see if the person who had left it was hanging about nearby, Lalita opened it. There were only four words scrawled there in red biro:
I Am Watching You.
Each word started with a capital letter.
Lalita’s heart flipped. Was that a threat? A joke? She spun round and scrutinised the area, expecting to see a group of kids huddled in a corner watching her, giggling at their joke – but the car park was empty and the people walking about on the street beyond paid her no heed. She scrunched the note up, shoved it in her trouser pocket and walked back to the vehicles parked in the front car park spaces. She hadn’t noticed anything on their windscreens as she’d passed – but then again, she wasn’t actually paying particular attention to them. She’d been too busy scowling at the illegally parked car – which was no longer there.
None of the other cars had anything tucked under their windscreens. A sudden chill made her shiver and again she looked round. The idea that someone was watching her, no matter how unlikely that might be, unsettled her. Scanning the shops opposite the car park and the windows of the flats behind them, she felt exposed. Anyone could be watching her right now. Right this minute. They could have binoculars watching her every move.
Lalita was tempted to return to the library and access the CCTV. Then she remembered that the community officer had been in earlier in the week informing them that a gang of vandals were targeting CCTV cameras in the Tyersal area – spraying them with black paint or throwing bricks at them till they were damaged beyond repair. One of the cameras vandalised was the library’s car park one and, money being tight, it was yet to be repaired. The CCTV footage that had captured the little scrotes in action had only caught kids in hoodies and balaclavas. Unless they were caught in the act, they would get away with it.
Wishing she’d chosen a light-hearted comedy for a change, instead of her usual thrillers, Lalita straightened her back and strode back to her car. If the prankster was watching her right now, she wasn’t about to give them the satisfaction of seeing just how affected she was. Once sitting in the driver’s seat, Lalita clicked the locks shut and turned the ignition. It irritated her that her hands were shaking as she placed them on the steering wheel and drove out of the car park. It was the red ink that made it even more threatening. If it had been your normal blue or black pen, it wouldn’t have seemed half as malevolent.
Never mind, she’d soon be home. Still, she wished she was on better terms with Nikita so she could get her take on it. Nikita’s no-nonsense attitude was just what she needed to set her mind at ease.
Bloody kids! Nothing better to do with their time.
Chapter 10
A buzz of speculative whispers greeted Nikki when she returned to the office. Catching Sajid’s eye, she made her way over to their desks that sat opposite each other near the front of the room. As expected, Nikki’s was just as she’d left it: overflowing with empty coffee cups, Post-it pads and pieces of paper with her scrawl all over them, whilst Sajid’s was pristine. She scowled. How the hell could he work and not make a mess? In his hand Sajid held the paper with all the bets on it and, judging by his wide grin, he was excited to be finally hearing the results first-hand.
‘You’d have been better employed cleaning my desk than carrying on with your stupid wager, Saj!’
‘I’m not your damn skivvy. You’re more than able to clean up your own mess. Besides which, I could never be one hundred per cent sure what dead creatures I might find under those wrappers.’
‘Cheeky!’ She glanced round and saw that most of the Major Incident Team were present and accounted for. ‘Archie making an announcement soon?’
‘Yeah, we were all told to present ourselves here for the big revelation.’ He took a sideways glance at Nikki. ‘You regretting not going for it now, Nik?’
Nikki slid into her seat and turned it to face the front of the room. ‘Well, I’ll wait and see who gets it first, but my money might be on an outsider you didn’t even consider.’
‘You know something I don’t, Parekh?’
Nikki tapped her index finger to the side of her nose. ‘That’s for me to know and you to wait and see.’
Leaning back, with his chair at such an angle, Nikki was sure Saj would topple over. He folded his arms. ‘Where did you disappear off to?’ He wiggled his eyebrows. ‘Something you’re not telling us? A secret DI interview perhaps?’
For a second Nikki was tempted to kick the chair with her foot, just to see his reaction, but she took pity on him. Instead she clicked her tongue and shook her head. ‘Nah, not me who’s the wild card in this one …’
‘But where did you go then?’
The volume of noise in the room went down a notch and Nikki turned her head to see her boss DCI Archie Hegley enter the room. Since his heart scare a few months ago, Archie had lost weight and now his trousers and shirt hung off him, making him look more like Columbo than his own previous self – although that wasn’t strictly true, for unlike his past self, Archie seemed to have either invested in an iron or Saj was right and he had got a female friend to impress. She turned back to Sajid. ‘Later – hang around after this carry-on and I’ll update you.’
Archie reached the front of the room and turned to his staff. His hair stood in two horns at either side of his near-bald pate. His face was pale and his lips drawn into a straight line. Uh-oh, looked like the interviews hadn’t gone as planned. And Nikki had a sneaking suspicion she knew why. Archie must have been forced to employ Springer as the DI and, although they’d had a thaw in relations since Springer had been kidnapped and nearly lost her life, she was no more Archie’s Earl Grey than she was Nikki’s. A random thought that perhaps she should apply for a transfer ran through her mind, but deep down inside she knew she couldn’t. How could she leave the best boss she’d ever worked under, to say nothing of Sajid, her partner. The two of them worked well together, anticipating each other’s moves, and she couldn’t imagine having that relationship with anyone else.
Archie cleared his throat, raked his fingers over his head once more and began. ‘Well, ye’ve all been waiting to find out who the new DI is.’ He glared at Sajid, with a slight shake of the head. ‘Some of you have even been betting on it, I believe.’
There were guffaws around the room and Sajid had the grace to look mortified at being caught out. Despite the knot in her stomach, Nikki grinned. Sajid should have known there was no way he could keep a secret from Archie. The boss knew everything that went on in the office.
Archie raised a hand again for silence and bit his lip. ‘Well, it’s with regret I
have to …’
Nikki’s mouth fell open. Surely he wasn’t going to tell everyone that he disapproved of Springer as the new DI – not in front of the detectives she would be leading?
A voice from the back of the room made Nikki turn round as Detective Chief Superintendent Eva Clark, trailed by none other than Felicity Springer, made her way to join Archie at the front of the room. ‘I think, if you don’t mind, DCI Hegley, that I’ll do the honours.’
A low hum went round the room as the DCS smiled around at them. Saj turned to Nikki with a raised brow. ‘Did you know about this?’
Nikki shook her head. ‘Just twenty minutes ago. I’ll explain later.’
DCS Clark, smiling widely, waited till Felicity Springer had joined her at the front. Springer, although a little gaunt around the cheeks, looked much better. Which may have been accentuated by her new short haircut. The last six months had put her through the mill, both physically and emotionally and she still had many trials ahead of her as her testimony would be required in not one, but two separate but very high profile cases. That aside, she looked well and even carried the hint of a smile on her lips too. Something Nikki wasn’t used to seeing on the other woman’s face. Nikki moved her gaze from Springer, unwilling to watch her as she was announced as the new DI and instead focused on Archie. Archie had taken a step back and was studiously looking into the space as if to distance himself from whatever was about to happen.
‘Well, DCI Hegley was about to make an announcement before I so rudely interrupted, but I thought it might be better coming from me. Today, as you all know, we conducted the interviews for the vacant detective inspector position, which DS Parekh filled so efficiently during an incredibly stressful investigation and at very short notice, on a temporary basis earlier in the year. The competition was fierce as you’d expect. Applicants ranged from those in the district, in our station and, in fact, throughout the country. In the end, the decision was unanimous. The person appointed has all the people skills necessary to work with an established team of detectives …’
Nikki turned to Saj and shook her head. Really? Springer a people person?
‘… this officer’s experience is far reaching and I have yet to find anyone with a bad word to say with regard to their commitment to the job, their staff and the public. It is my greatest pleasure to announce that the new detective inspector who will join DCI Hegley’s team in January will be Detective Inspector Ahad who moves from Greater Manchester to join us …’
For a moment there was stunned silence. Everyone, like Nikki, had assumed that Springer’s presence at the front had heralded her promotion to DI. Like a Mexican wave, relief rippled across the room and a delayed clapping began.
Bringing the room back to order again, DCS Clark continued. ‘You’re probably all wondering why I have DS Springer here with me today and I am pleased to say that, now that she is signed fit to work after her traumatic experience before Easter, she has requested a transfer from the CCU to the MIT. I am pleased to say that DS Springer will be joining the team as a liaison between DCI Hegley and myself, working from this office and coordinating the employment of civilian staff and uniformed officers attached to the team as necessary. I hope you will all make her very welcome.’
Springer’s face broke into a wide smile. Her cheeks were flushed as both Archie and the DCS stepped forward to shake her hand.
‘Well,’ Saj echoed Nikki’s own thoughts. ‘That’s a turn-up for the books. Never saw that one coming, but rather that than have her lording over us as DI, yeah?’
Nikki inclined her head. She was glad that Springer wasn’t her superior, however, she was aware that the newly created role offered Springer a degree of power that the other woman would relish. As long as she stayed out of Nikki’s way and didn’t act like a damn jobsworth, Nikki would just have to deal with it.
Chapter 11
It’s strange watching the news in the pub. Everyone yapping on about it and me sitting here keeping schtum. Inside I’m grinning like one of them cats they go on about. But not outside. No, I’m smart enough to keep my real feelings under wraps. I really want to blurt out what I’ve done, so instead, I drink up, wave to the lads and head off back home.
My room’s the only place to get a bit of quiet so I head straight upstairs and shove my headphones in. Time for a bit of Eminem as I go over the news report in my head. They still haven’t got a Scooby. Lot of damn incompetents. Not that I’m complaining like, it’s just when you pay your taxes you expect a bit better. They’ve not even found the van yet – how bloody dumb is that?
I didn’t think I’d find it so hard to cover up my real feelings. Thought I’d be bricking it all the time, but it’s not been like that. After Dyson, I realised I was made for this sort of stuff. Clandestine operations they call it in the military. Well, that’s what I’m doing. I’m waging my own sort of war – a war of self-protection.
Can’t wait though till things have died down a bit and I can come clean. Tell her what I’ve done to protect her whilst he’s sat on his fat arse panicking and offering stupid platitudes. Then she’ll see. Then she’ll realise who’s got her best interests at heart.
Nearly gave it away today at work. Old biddy kept blabbing on and on about it. What a waste his death had been. Such a nice young boy, so clever – a genius, she’d heard. I just about managed to stomach that, but then she started on about the killer being a pervert and a sociopath and all. I almost blurted out right there and then, ‘What, you dozy old cow? Do you think I look like an effing sociopath or pervert, do you?’
I laugh, imagining her face if I’d let rip with that. She’d have shit her bloomers that one. Anyway, I reined it in and got out of there pronto like. No point in tempting fate. She’s just a dopey old bitch anyway. What does her opinion matter? I know what’s important and the likes of her aren’t.
After Liam, despite all of my careful planning, I half expected them to come knocking on the door, their handcuffs at the ready, but they haven’t looked at me askance. It never occurred to anyone that I was capable of that. They haven’t put the two deaths together either. Well, that’s because of the distance between them. There’s no real reason for them to put them together – not the police nor anybody else.
Glancing over at the door to make sure it’s locked, I shut my eyes and relive the sensations of my weapon slicing through flesh and muscle and fat, and then I take care of myself. Seems like I don’t always need my little hobby to get my rocks off.
Chapter 12
‘Hey, Mongol boy, got my money yet?’
Isaac Khan lowered his head, and kept walking. Maybe they’d leave him alone this time. Maybe he’d reach the bus stop before they got to him.
‘Hey, you? Retard boy – get your ass over here and tell me where my money is!’
Calum Jefferson frightened Isaac. Last time he’d gone near him and his friends, they’d pushed him over, stole his best Dr Who badge and all his money. Isaac shuffled faster, wishing he could outrun him, but he had a heart condition and he wasn’t allowed to run – not really fast – not really, really fast. He wished he had a TARDIS, like Dr Who. Or a sonic screwdriver. Then he’d sort them out. He’d pretend they were Cybermen or Zygons and he’d zap them or send them into space, somewhere where they couldn’t find him.
A hand landed on his shoulders, the fingers digging right into his skin as Calum forced him to stop and turn round. He was with his mates and Isaac’s heart began to race. How had they found him? He’d thought that he’d be safe from them once he moved into the shared accommodation that his social worker sorted out for him. Now they were here, right outside, waiting for him.
‘Hear you got a job, retard. Who the hell would give you a job? You’re ugly with your big head and bulgy eyes. What sicko would want to employ you?’
Tears ran down Isaac’s cheeks and his lower lip trembled. He kept his head down. Through his tears all he could see were three pairs of trainers. He’d left most of his precious stuff in
his room – his TARDIS model, his Dr Who figures, his sonic screwdriver – so at least they couldn’t take those. But he did have something in his bag that he didn’t want them to take. It was a gift – a gift for Sunni. He gripped the strap of his rucksack tight, hoping they wouldn’t take it from him like they did last time.
Calum let his shoulder go and moved his fingers to Isaac’s scalp. He pressed them tight and Isaac flinched. Then the bully gripped his hair and pulled Isaac’s head till it was close to his face. Whispering in Isaac’s ear he said, ‘We heard you’ve got a house. Property, up Listerhills way.’
Isaac said nothing and Calum shook his head, making Isaac’s teeth rattle together. ‘You answer me, Isaac. You got a house up Listerhills way or not?’
Isaac nodded. He did have a house in Listerhills. He hadn’t been back since they took him away from Mrs Parekh after his mother died. He missed Mrs Parekh – and Nikki and Marcus and Sunni and Charlie and Ruby and Haqib. He even missed Anika, but most of all he missed Mrs Parekh and then Sunni.
‘You want us to leave you alone, Isaac? Leave you alone for good, eh?’
Calum let him go and pushed him into one of his mates, who pushed him against the other mate – on and on, Isaac was getting dizzy. His nose was running and he was crying and begging for them to stop – but still they went on, pushing him this way and pushing him that way. Until he fell in a heap on the floor. Calum kicked him in the ribs. ‘You want us to leave you alone, then you gotta do something. Will you do it?’
Curled up in a ball, Isaac nodded. ‘Yes.’
‘You’ll sell that house on Listerhills and you’ll give us the money. If you’ve got a job then you won’t need it.’
The young lad shook his head. ‘I can’t do that. I don’t know how to.’