34 Days: A gripping psychological thriller with a killer twist

by Anita Waller

  Jenny handed her a coffee with a smile. ‘Come and sit down,’ she said. ‘Let’s catch up.’

  ‘Nothing much to catch up on. Eric’s turning into a whale, Lissy and Jon are fine, although Lissy looks a bit under the weather, and I’m finally getting my head around being answerable to nobody. Thirty-five years of bullying doesn’t leave you overnight.’

  Jenny reached across and squeezed her hand. Anna didn’t usually mention Ray, or indeed, refer to her life with him. It was as if, with his death, she had metamorphosed into a different human being; something had changed in Anna to prompt that comment.

  They sat at the large pine table, and Anna encircled her coffee mug with her hands.

  ‘This is lovely. It’s quiet without the children, though.’

  Jenny laughed. ‘Don’t knock it, Anna. You watch what happens at four o’clock. For now, let’s just enjoy it.’

  ‘Okay. Do we have any plans for the rest of the week?’

  ‘I thought we might have a day going around the shops in Lincoln. Would you like that?’

  Anna nodded. ‘Yes, very much. As long as you don’t frown at me again when I want to get something for Adam and Grace. I’ve never been able to spoil them before; now, I can.’

  ‘Right. Shall we just relax here today and hit the shops tomorrow? Is that ok with you?’

  ‘That’s fine. And Wednesday, I’ll take off for a couple of hours, because I’d like to visit some friends who I never get to see now. I know you do wages on Wednesdays, so is that okay with you?’

  Jenny froze. It felt as though Anna was being quite blasé about her trip out, almost as if she was acting.

  ‘Of course it is,’ she responded. ‘I’ll do us a nice meal for the evening.’

  ‘And I’ll make sure I’m back in time for the school run.’

  They chatted for a while, both of them consciously keeping away from the subject of the three murders. Anna felt at times she needed to talk about it, but clearly Jenny had done what she needed to do, and now it was filed away, never to be mentioned again.

  Jenny made a cake for when the children arrived home, and after lunch, Anna invited Jenny into her tiny apartment with a self-conscious laugh.

  They sat on the sofa, enjoying yet another coffee, and finally, they began to relax in each other’s company.

  Anna picked up her phone to set an alarm for three o’clock; it wouldn’t do to be late for the children on her first day of school run duties. She felt she might just forget the time. Jenny laughed at her.

  ‘I would have reminded you.’

  She put the phone back down beside her and noticed an incoming call. She answered it, and saw Jenny frown. It hadn’t rung.

  ‘DI Gainsborough?’

  She listened, and Jenny saw her face blanch.

  ‘Where? Another woman?’

  There was another lengthy silence, and Jenny waited. She could hear the odd word and felt sick. The whole incredible period of time was starting to fade into the background, but it seemed it wasn’t like that to the police.

  ‘Well, thank you for letting me know before it hits the T.V. tonight. I’m actually in Lincoln at Lindum Lodge for a few days, if you need me for anything. You can reach me either on my mobile or on Mark and Jenny’s landline.’

  She said goodbye, disconnected, and turned to Jenny.

  ‘There’s another body,’ she whispered. ‘Jenny...’

  ‘No!’ There was a look of horror on Jenny’s face. ‘No, it’s nothing to do with me! Where...?’

  ‘In the centre. On one of the side roads near the Cathedral. They’ve found a woman’s body. She’s been stabbed in the neck, and her hands are fastened together with plant ties. I don’t know anything else, but the similarities are enough to make them think there’s a link to the other three. And that’s as much as I know.’

  ‘Anna, I swear to you...’

  ‘I know, Jenny, but it’s going to stir it all up again, isn’t it? We need to be prepared. We have to tell Mark, Caro, and Tim. I don’t want them hearing it from some other source.’

  Chapter 43

  Adam and Grace sat at the kitchen table doing their homework, and the three adults, enjoying the comfort of the lounge, were watching the news. There hadn’t been much discussion between them, because two of them knew it wasn’t the same killer; the other one assumed it was.

  Jenny appeared to Anna to be in a state of shock. Her face was ashen, and since the phone call from DI Gainsborough, she had hardly said a word. Anna had left a message on Caroline’s voicemail, and had spoken to Tim. Mark had called home as she was speaking to Tim, so he got the gist of the issues as he caught the tail end of the conversation.

  There were no new details, and when the presenter asked Gainsborough if he was linking the new death with the three earlier murders, he was very guarded in his response. He said they couldn’t definitely link them; there were differences, and it would take much more work before they could state categorically they were all committed by the same person. The programme then showed pictures of the three people already killed, and Anna heard Jenny draw in her breath as the photographs flashed on to the screen.

  Don’t lose it, Jenny, she silently prayed. Mark glanced at his wife and put his arm around her.

  ‘I know, sweetheart, it’s bringing it all back. Stay strong. They’ll catch this evil bastard one day. Trust Gainsborough. He knows what he’s doing.’

  Anna stood.

  ‘I can’t watch this. If you don’t mind, I’m going to my room and read for a bit, and then I’ll have an early night. This is all too much... too many bad memories resurfacing.’

  Jenny smiled weakly at her mother-in-law. There were unshed tears in her eyes, and as she spoke, her voice became tremulous.

  ‘Of course we don’t mind, Anna. You have everything in there for you to make a drink, and there are some biscuits and other nibbly bits in the kitchenette part. I’ll see you in the morning.’

  Anna popped into the kitchen and kissed both her grandchildren, repeating her promise of the school run next morning. She went to her tiny apartment and showered, then slipped on her nightie and dressing gown. Curling up on the sofa, she pulled her book, and her phone towards her.

  Using the phone first, she texted Michael.

  I’m fine. Did you see the news about another body? May be the work of the man who killed Ray. I miss you. Going shopping tomorrow with Jenny, but told her I’m going to see a friend on Wednesday. I need to see you. Newark?

  Michael, sitting on his own sofa with a book, smiled as he heard his phone beep. It would be either Anna or Erin, and both would be very welcome texts.

  He read her words and wrote, I will be in our cafe at 10am. Drive carefully. Don’t worry if you can’t make it for any reason. I can wait until Saturday, if I have to.

  Anna’s mind kept drifting back to the news programme. Was it a copycat murder? There was absolutely no reason for it to be Jenny – she would have made sure it was an exact copy, perpetuating the serial killer idea. But, clearly, it must have been in Gainsborough’s mind; he wouldn’t have rung to pre-warn them, if he hadn’t thought it was a possibility it was the same killer.

  Tim had repeated his offer of a holiday for her during their conversation, but once more, Anna had declined. She said it wasn’t the right time; the investigation was still ongoing, still very much a presence in her life. She had to be free in her mind before visiting Florida.

  Anna had left a message for Caroline; she had deliberately made it sound a “not to worry” message. Caro must have believed it, because she hadn’t returned the call.

  She picked up her book once more and began to read. Two pages later, she put it down. She was uneasy; her life was different now, and she didn’t like being apart from Michael.

  Anna had an unsettled sleep. She knew it was because Michael wasn’t with her, but now, with the new development in the case, she was more convinced than ever it would have to remain a secret.

  She got up
just after 3.00am and made a cup of tea. She was tempted to ring Michael, knowing he wouldn’t mind, but decided against it. Just because she was awake didn’t mean it would be fair to wake him.

  She went back to bed, and finally dropped off, waking just before her alarm went off for the seven o’clock call.

  Her phone rang while she was taking the children to school and glancing down she saw it was Gainsborough calling. She dropped them off and waved goodbye; she drove around the corner where she parked up.

  She listened to his voicemail, asking her to call him, and she immediately rang.

  ‘It’s Anna Carbrook,’ she said in response to his rather gruff ‘Gainsborough.’

  ‘Ah, yes. I just wanted to let you know that we’re certain it’s not the same killer. Whoever killed your husband and the other two people, it wasn’t this chap. The other three were carefully staged using the exact same materials, none of which match up to this stuff used on this latest victim. I can’t go into details, but we’re pretty sure this latest one is drug related, and I suspect we’ll have someone in custody by the end of the day.’

  ‘Thank you,’ she said. ‘Thank you for keeping us informed. And you’re no further on with finding Ray’s killer? It’s like living in a vacuum. None of us can move on.’

  ‘There’s nothing new,’ he said. ‘The person seen changing their clothes in that car park remains just that. Nobody else has come forward about it; we’ve not picked it up on any local CCTV pictures, so basically it’s a lead that’s fizzled out. I’m sorry, Anna; it must be so frustrating for you.’

  ‘It never goes away,’ she said slowly. ‘Whatever I do, it’s there. And it makes it worse because I know if I hadn’t thrown a wobbly and walked away from him for a few weeks, he would be alive now. He wasn’t the sort of man who went out at night, that wasn’t his lifestyle. In fact, his evenings were usually spent working out the following day’s jobs and contacting his work force. So I blame myself in some small part of my brain.’ She stopped talking then; the grieving widow act had been played just enough, she felt.

  ‘Did you stab him? Put the bag over his head? Anna, you’re not to blame for any of this. Will you pass the information I’ve given you on to the rest of your family? Or do you want me to ring them?’

  Anna felt slightly panicked. Jenny would go into meltdown if Gainsborough rang her direct. ‘No, you’re fine. Go and catch a killer, and I’ll tell the family.’

  They disconnected, and she sat a while, taking in what Gainsborough had said. Just for a brief moment, when they had first heard the news, she had thought Jenny had committed another murder to reinforce the serial killer theory.

  But now Anna had different thoughts about Jenny. She was getting the impression Jenny was running scared. Perhaps she could reason with her during their shopping trip, let her see she had nothing to worry about. The police were no further forward.

  She drove home and rang both Tim and Caro, leaving voicemails when neither of them answered her call. She told Jenny and left her to contact Mark.

  Jenny was quiet on the drive into Lincoln, and when they parked her car, Anna asked if she could help. ‘You’re clearly worrying about something,’ she said.

  ‘It’s just this with Gainsborough,’ she lied. ‘It’s brought it all back. It wasn’t easy for me, killing the other two people. It was very easy to kill the bastard, though. And I’ll never regret it, Anna, no matter what happens. He destroyed my life. I took his. Job done.’

  She got out of the car, and Anna followed. She didn’t believe her; it was more than that.

  They spent a lot of money. Despite her concerns about Jenny, Anna actually enjoyed her company, and as the day wore on, Jenny became more relaxed.

  They picked the children up on the way home, and by the time Anna went to bed that night, she felt much easier in her mind.

  Tomorrow, she would see Michael, sort out some sort of cover story for where she had been, and then settle down to being at Lindum Lodge until Saturday morning; she could then go home to Sheffield and Michael.

  Chapter 44

  Friday afternoon was quiet. Jenny had a doctor’s appointment so Anna packed her small suitcase, ready for her return home the next morning. Despite missing Michael, she had enjoyed her stay at Lindum in the tiny ‘nanny flat,’ as the children had taken to calling it.

  The couple of hours she had spent with Michael on the Wednesday had been lovely. It had been quite a cold day, and they had walked in the park after their first cup of coffee, but then had opted for a second cup to warm them before driving back to their separate dwellings.

  They had discussed football. Anna had laughed at his horrified face. He tolerated her love of the game, and now she wanted him to go to a match.

  ‘But,’ she insisted, ‘I’m not missing this one. They’re playing Arsenal in the Capital One Cup. It’s a Tuesday night match, and I’m pretty sure Mark won’t be there, because evening matches finish too late. I will check before I bully you into going, but I really would like you to go with me.’

  Michael sighed theatrically. ‘Well... if I must.’

  ‘I’ll pay for the tickets,’ she said with a laugh.

  ‘Too damn right you will! I’ve agreed to go, wench, just don’t expect me to pay as well! Are we going in a box, or something, with a bit of comfort to it?’

  ‘We’re going on the kop.’

  ‘What???’

  ‘You’ll love it. I’ll teach you the songs...’

  He groaned. ‘It’ll be cold.’

  ‘Chilly, not cold. And I’ll buy you a scarf. You’ll be fine.’

  ‘Did it say anything in our wedding vows about this?’

  ‘Yes. Don’t you remember the bit about being Owls supporters until we die? I do.’

  ‘I must have missed that bit. Okay, I give in. But, I point blank refuse to sing.’

  Anna laughed. ‘Oh, you’ll sing. That’s what we do on the kop. We bounce, and we sing.’

  They finished their coffees and walked back to their cars, arms around each other. He kissed her and waited until she had set off before going to his own vehicle. God, how he loved her – but singing and bouncing on the kop?

  Jenny arrived back from the doctors to an empty house. Anna had gone to collect the children for the final time that week. She hung her coat in the cloakroom and went through to the kitchen. She stared out of the window while automatically switching on the kettle, deep in thought. She knew no more now than she had done when Anna arrived.

  Checking her watch, Jenny saw she had about fifteen minutes before Anna, Adam and Grace came hurtling through the door, so she moved swiftly across the house to Anna’s sanctuary.

  She looked around, but nothing was out of place, and Anna’s suitcase was standing by the door ready for her journey back to Sheffield. She lifted it on to the bed and unzipped it. Rifling through everything took very little time, and she closed it once more.

  Her mind was frantically going through other options; she lifted the pillows, checked the bedside drawers, flicked through Anna’s book, and even checked the bathroom. There was nothing that gave her any idea of who the man in Anna’s life was.

  Jenny heard a car pull up outside, and she quickly left the flat, moving back to the kitchen with ten seconds to spare before Grace flung open the front door.

  ‘Hi, kids,’ she called. ‘Orange or apple juice?’

  Anna walked into the kitchen and smiled. ‘And I’ll have a coffee, please, Jenny. I need the caffeine. These two monkeys have never stopped talking all the way home.’

  Jenny laughed. ‘It’s Friday. They’re always like that on a Friday.’

  ‘Well, I’ll just go and get my cardigan. It’s turning quite cool out there.’

  Anna put her bag on the kitchen table, turned, and headed for the flat. She opened the suitcase in which she had already packed the cardigan and put it on, immediately feeling warmer. She closed the door behind her then opened it again, a small frown on her face. Something wasn’t
right; Anna saw the suitcase was on the bed and not standing by the door where she had left it.

  Only one person could have moved it. She knew who the person was, she just didn’t know why. Anna knew she didn’t have the courage to query Jenny’s actions; she wasn’t a good enough liar.

  Jenny was obviously looking for something, and Anna went quickly back towards the kitchen, aware her handbag, with her mobile phone in it, was there. The phone was still on silent, and there could be texts from Michael waiting for her that she knew nothing about.

  The bag was where she had left it, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She reached into it and took out a tissue. Her phone was no longer in the small side pocket where she always placed it, but just in the main central section of the bag. Jenny had obviously checked it. She picked up her bag and headed towards her own room once more.

  The phone showed no texts waiting for her, no missed calls, but she went into her messages anyway. There were two messages from Michael, both from the previous day, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Had Jenny had time to check the messages before she heard Anna coming back to the kitchen?

  Michael was in her phone merely as MG but the content of the texts would say a lot more than the initials. Anna wiped both texts from the phone and went back to the kitchen, leaving her bag in her room. This time, she stood it on top of the suitcase, by the door. She took careful note of exactly how it was placed and headed back to Jenny and the children. It was her last night with them, and she intended enjoying it.

  They played Monopoly, Mark bankrupting everyone very quickly. The children went up to their rooms around 8.00pm to read for a while before bed, and Anna excused herself, saying she was going to read as well, then have an early night.

  She had been in her own flat about an hour when she heard the knock on the door. It slowly opened, and Jenny’s head appeared. ‘You okay?’

  Anna smiled. ‘Yes, of course. Come in.’ She patted the seat at the side of her. ‘Cup of tea?’

  ‘That would be nice. Mark’s moved on to the whisky, so I thought I’d come and check you’ve been okay in here for the week.’