Dan forced himself to concentrate. He looked around him, jabbed the car into first and exited the car park with a dozen questions in his head and as many knots in his stomach.
<><><>
Solomon sat rigid, waiting for news. When Charlie called, he snatched up the phone.
‘What took so long?’
‘Life, Vincent. It takes time. Death is rather quicker, or it was for Nathan today.’
Solomon sat down. ‘Go on.’
‘I watched it from the car park. Nathan’s girlfriend showed up. What do you make of that?’
‘The pretty policewoman?’
‘Yes. I don’t know what she said to upset him, but Nathan threw Naomi in his car and took off with her.’
Solomon’s muscles seized up. ‘What?’
‘The policewoman followed and I followed her –’
‘Cut to it, Charlie!’ Vincent shouted uncharacteristically. ‘Where’s Naomi now?’
‘I don’t know, but she’s alive.’
‘You don’t know?’
‘Nathan jumped a level crossing. By the time I got there, it had all happened. His car was mangled at the side of the track. There were twenty pound notes all over the place, blowing in the breeze. Sirens were flooding in. I saw the policewoman getting in her car and driving away. Nathan was dead inside the car.’
‘How do you know?’
‘Because I saw him, OK?’
‘Where’s Naomi?’ he asked again.
‘I don’t know, but she definitely got out. I managed to reach the car before the police sealed off the area. The window was smashed, the back door was open and her necklace was on the back seat. I picked it up along with a few bundles of money. I’ve got them with me.’
‘I don’t care about money. I can’t deal with uncertainty, Charlie. Find her. Call me when you have good news. Then bring me her belongings.’
<><><>
‘Dead?’ Dan was sitting in Kerry’s tiny sitting room with Naomi on his knee. He was cradling her in his arms and holding an icepack to her head. ‘Are you certain?’
Kerry nodded. ‘I’ve been in touch with the officers at the scene. He was confirmed dead at 10.42 this morning. I’m so sorry, Dan.’
‘I can’t believe it.’ Dan shook his head and stared at the floor for a long time. No one moved or spoke until Dan let out a long breath and said, ‘I don’t want the police turning up at my parents’ house. I need to break the news to them myself.’
Kerry said, ‘I guessed that. I’ve told my colleagues not to call round.’
Dan nodded. His eyes were fixed on the window. ‘Thank you.’
Naomi sat up and looked at Dan. He held the icepack away from her. ‘Dan, I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t be,’ Dan said, pulling her head to his chest. The room fell silent again. Dan stroked Naomi’s hair and then he puffed and panted a few times. ‘I don’t know how to feel or what to think. A part of me is relieved. Is that wrong?’
Naomi shrugged.
Kerry stood up. ‘I’m going to leave you two alone for a few minutes while I make some tea.’
‘Get Naomi some painkillers please, Kerry,’ Dan said. Kerry nodded and vanished into the kitchen.
‘I’m worried about your injury,’ Dan said. ‘You need to get checked out at the hospital. Seriously, I won’t rest until your head’s been scanned.’
‘I will do, don’t worry. How are you feeling?’
Naomi settled against Dan’s chest and he wrapped his arms around her and gently stroked her hair.
‘Numb. Shocked.’ He paused. ‘All morning, I’ve been imagining the worst. I was terrified that something had happened to you. I’m just relieved that you’re OK and that we don’t have to live with the threat of him hurting you again. But my mum . . .’ Dan’s voice failed. ‘It’s going to kill her.’
Naomi squeezed him. ‘I know.’
‘Tell me everything that happened,’ he said.
So Naomi did – detail upon detail she relived the morning. As she got to the crash scene, Kerry carried in a tray of cups and a pot of tea, took orders for milk and sugar, and handed them out along with two tablets. ‘So Nathan could have saved himself,’ Naomi concluded. ‘We both could have got out in time, but he refused. He knocked me senseless then looked at me with fascination and told me that he’d prefer to watch me die. I managed to smash the window and then I blacked out.’
Dan was speechless.
Kerry sat down and grasped her cup with both hands and sipped. ‘It’s unbelievable.’
‘He wasn’t right in the head,’ Dan said. ‘He was my brother and I’ve loved him my whole life, but he was really sick.’
‘Do you know what I think?’ Kerry said. ‘I think that Nathan might have saved himself but for Simon Wilde. You know a car has been recovered? There was a body in the boot.’
Dan closed his eyes.
‘I’m sorry, Dan,’ Kerry said. ‘I told Nathan about the discovery because I thought it might make him see that running was futile. But he was determined to take Naomi down with him. He had no intentions of facing justice.’
‘You think he killed Simon Wilde?’ Dan asked, and paused. ‘Why on earth would he do that?’
‘Simon obviously visited your place. We have footage of him entering the building. I don’t know why he went there or what happened or why that led to his death. It was right at the time that Naomi reappeared.’ She paused. ‘Who knows what happened. I don’t suppose we’ll ever know now. Maybe the body will reveal a few clues.’
‘Maybe,’ Dan said. He took a swig of tea and put the cup on the floor. ‘How did you meet my brother, Kerry?’
Kerry’s eyes filled as she spilled all the details and the way that Nathan had skilfully convinced her that he still loved Naomi and wanted things to work out between them.
‘He used me,’ she said. ‘And I did tell Nathan that you lived in Bramhall, Naomi. I’m so sorry. I was really stupid. It’s no excuse, but he gave me the impression that he already knew where you lived.’
‘He’d have found me anyway,’ Naomi said. ‘Just forget it. If it wasn’t for you, I wouldn’t be here now. I want to thank you for pulling me out of that car. It took real guts.’
Kerry shrugged her shoulders. ‘Anyone would have done the same thing.’
‘No,’ Naomi said. ‘No they wouldn’t. And you’re going to have to live with what you saw for the rest of your life. It’s going to be difficult.’
Kerry’s eyes flooded with tears again; she nodded and said nothing.
Naomi allowed the silence. Kerry brushed the tears away and returned to sipping her drink. When she put it down, she said, ‘It’s over now, for all of us.’
‘It isn’t,’ Naomi said and Dan looked at her. ‘Look, Kerry, there’s something you should know, for your own safety. Nathan was part of a much bigger picture which included Lorie Taylor and Vincent Solomon. Do you know about him?’
‘I’ve heard the name. Who is he?’
‘Someone you don’t want to get involved with.’
‘Why would I get involved with him?’
Naomi hesitated. ‘Because he’s involved. He knows you were seeing Nathan. He told me himself. It’s a long story, but he has a lot of connections in a lot of places. He led me to believe that he’d manipulated the outcome when Nathan and Lorie were let off.’
‘That’s impossible.’
‘Don’t ever think that anything’s impossible. Just be careful. He’s had Nathan followed. He’ll know everything about you. He’ll probably know that you pulled me out of that car today. If the investigation is reopened and Lorie is arrested, then his name might come up again. He’s dangerous and he’s hugely influential.’
‘And he wants Naomi,’ Dan said.
‘Wants you?’ Kerry asked. ‘In what way?’
Dan sighed wearily and said, ‘He met her when she went to his house to pay Nathan’s debt so that he wouldn’t hurt Nathan. It’s complicated, but he’s decided that he wants Naomi
for himself, and he will sweep anyone out of the way to get what he wants, which puts me in an interesting position to say the least.’
Her forehead creased. ‘You’re sure about this?’
‘Positive. In very subtle ways in the past, he used me and intimidated me. He prefers to be invisible and to get others to do his dirty work, but if he feels threatened enough and if it’s personal, he’ll come out of the darkness and make his intentions clear. I knew he meant business when he came to see me in person and warned me to stay away. He even offered me money. But I can’t back off, Kerry. I love Naomi too much. We want to be together and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be.’
‘Of course there isn’t.’
‘Except we both know what could happen if Vincent Solomon gets upset. So, please, if he comes fishing around here for any reason – or he may send someone else – for your sake and ours, you tell him nothing. And watch out, OK? If anything, he’ll be grateful you saved Naomi’s life today. He has no reason to harm you, but he is dangerous and charming in a really weird kind of way. Steer clear.’
‘That’s how I got sucked in,’ Naomi said. ‘I fell for Nathan and it’s opened me up to a world I knew nothing about.’
‘I wonder if he’s been investigated, this Solomon?’
Dan sighed again. ‘Like I said, he prefers to get other people to do his work and keep himself far removed. He’s well cushioned from the law. He’s clever, he’s quiet and he’s patient. There will be nothing you can pin on him directly. If you’re going to look into him at all, you’re going to have to employ the same tactics he does. And don’t trust anyone, not even at work. Assume he’s got eyes and ears everywhere. And play dumb, it’s the safest thing.’
Kerry nodded.
‘I’m sorry to have to tell you all this, Kerry. But if anything should happen to me –’
‘Don’t say that,’ Naomi said.
‘I have to, Naomi. Don’t worry.’ Dan kissed her forehead. ‘If anything happens to me, Kerry, you know where to look, OK? There’s no such thing as an accident.’
Kerry said nothing at first. She stared at her cup. ‘What have we got ourselves into here?’
‘A dangerous and almighty mess,’ Dan said. ‘Listen, if Naomi and I disappear together, it’s because we planned to. Solomon wants Naomi right where he can see her. If she vanishes, it’s because we’re together. We need to find a place of safety, OK? It’s best that you don’t know where that is.’
Kerry nodded. ‘OK. Look, Naomi, you’re going to have to give a statement about what happened today. The police will need to record what happened. We can’t pretend you weren’t there. But I promise you I’ll do my best to keep it out of the press.’
Dan said, ‘How many people saw what happened?’
Kerry sat forward and her eyes searched the ceiling. ‘It’s all a blur. I remember one old man. He tried to stop me from running across the track to the car. He shouted something. Apart from him, there was a woman who stopped behind me at the crossing in a red car. I don’t know if she got out of the car.’
‘That’s good,’ Dan said.
‘OK, well, I’m going to take Naomi to the station to make an official statement. I’ll have to give one too. Then I’ll take her to collect her car.’ She paused. ‘Dan, look, I know this is the last thing you want to hear, but someone is going to have to go to the hospital to identify Nathan’s body. I’m so sorry to have to ask.’
Dan nodded. ‘Of course. I’ll do it.’ He swallowed. ‘Then I’ll speak to my parents.’
‘He’ll be in a bad way, Dan. Maybe you should prepare yourself.’
‘I’m a doctor, Kerry. I’ll be OK.’
‘This is your brother, Dan. No matter how prepared you feel –’
‘I can’t let my parents do it.’ Dan’s eyes filled. He squeezed the bridge of his nose and drew deep breaths. ‘I’ll have to face this.’
She nodded. Her eyes were glazed with tears too. ‘If I’d had time to save him, I’d have done it, Dan. There wasn’t time.’ Kerry’s voice broke.
Dan stood up, taking Naomi with him. Kerry stood up too. Dan took two paces and hugged Kerry warmly. ‘You did so much. Thank you for saving Naomi. You saved both of us today.’
44
Ten days later . . .
It was dusk and it was weekend, the second Saturday in May. The dry spell had finally cracked and huge, dark clouds were congregating overhead, veiling the sky. There was going to be a storm. Lightning flashed suddenly and violently. Thunder grumbled in the distance, chasing the light. Charlie, dressed in black from head to toe, slipped through the gates of the huge Hamilton residence in Alderley Edge, and disappeared inside the bushes. The wind whistled through the trees.
Word from her contact inside the police force was that Nathan had been responsible for Simon Wilde’s death. He had been strangled with a tie, poor thing, which had then been hidden in the glove compartment of Simon’s car. The carcass of a bouquet of flowers had been discovered on the front seat. DCI Nick Dobson, who was heading the investigation, had decided that it wasn’t in the public’s interest to be aware of any of the details now that Nathan was gone. Simon’s mother had been personally and privately informed, and (at Dan’s request) Nathan’s parents had remained uninformed of the murder. Charlie had found out all these details and relayed them to Solomon, who’d given her a five thousand pound bonus in her wage that month.
Naomi had been to college the day after the accident, like nothing had happened. Vincent had relaxed and wanted to send more flowers, bigger and better than the last. Charlie had persuaded him to leave it a week, which he’d done, grudgingly. He’d expected no response from Naomi, or so he said, but was disappointed when he didn’t get one. Charlie had never seen him like this. It was like all of his obsessive tendencies had braided together and were being coiled around one person. She’d become the focus of his entire world. His work was being neglected. He’d started painting again and was meddling with poetry.
‘You’re becoming soft,’ she’d warned him. ‘It’s very bad for business.’
‘I’m going to surprise her by turning up for her final recital,’ he’d replied. ‘Joel’s told me when it is. I’m looking forward to listening to her play and then returning her necklace and her money.’
‘You’ll freak her out.’
‘I’m showing support. I’ll be an appreciative audience. She’ll be grateful.’
‘She’ll be gob-smacked. You have creepy eyes, you know that?’
‘What do you mean?’
‘Look in the mirror, you’ll see what I mean.’
‘I do not have creepy eyes.’
‘You so do, especially when you’re obsessed. Get a grip, Vincent.’
Pleased with her recent work, Charlie threaded happily between trees and bushes and got as close to the house as possible. The house was well lit and one of the front rooms was filled with people.
‘Perfect,’ she muttered, withdrawing a small pair of binoculars from the inside of her jacket. She got her phone and called Vincent, then slipped her phone inside her pocket and used her hands-free set. She positioned the binoculars on the bridge of her nose.
‘So?’ was his opening comment.
‘Joel informed you correctly – they’re having a family dinner plus a couple of extras. They’re sitting around the dining table. There’s a van outside which will be the chef’s. Joel said it was an Italian chef and his son.’
‘Who’s there?’
‘Shouldn’t I have said, ‘knock, knock’ first?’
‘What?’ Vincent said.
‘Joke! Forget it. Joel is sitting next to Annabel. Annabel is just getting up and leaving the room. Loo call, perhaps. Naomi’s there with her friend, Siobhan. Henry and Camilla are opposite each other. I can see the back of Camilla’s head. Henry is looking very uncomfortable, as well he might with Joel around his table. But what can he do?’
‘Absolutely nothing! He’s stuck in check. He knows the next
move could be checkmate. Does Camilla know anything?’
Charlie felt the first plops of rain as another blinding flare of lightning preceded a long growl of thunder. Charlie smiled. She liked storms. ‘No. She’s looking comfortable and relaxed. She’s just filled Joel’s glass. She knows nothing. And get this – Camilla has just reached across the table and squeezed Henry’s hand.’
‘Well, well! He could be in for his annual treat tonight if he’s a good boy.’
Charlie laughed. ‘The way he’s going at the wine, he won’t be up to much later on.’
‘What time did he move out today?’
‘He left at ten this morning with three cases. Joel says they’re putting the house in Bramhall up for sale.’
‘Shame. You won’t be able to play with Henry’s feelings anymore.’
She giggled. ‘There’re always the photos if we need to have some fun. But I will remind you this is not a game. We promised our father we’d nail Henry Hamilton and hang him out to dry.’
‘We have and we will. He’s living with a sword over him and he knows it. I get a kick out of that every day. He’d be in a really bad way right now if it wasn’t for Naomi.’
‘See how you’ve allowed her to cloud your judgement and shift your perspective?’
‘No, I’ve planned the ultimate payback, plus I get the girl I always wanted. Joel will marry Annabel. I’ll marry Naomi. It’s a fairy tale ending. Beautiful.’
‘You’ve got it bad. Oh wait, the Hamiltons have a new addition to the family. Joel never told us about this.’
‘Who?’
‘What!’ Charlie said. ‘Annabel’s back with a black puppy in her arms. Looks like a Labrador. That won’t please Testicles.’
‘Who?’
‘Combined names – Tess and Tickles, the cats. Keep up, Vincent.’
Vincent laughed, actually laughed. She couldn’t remember the last time. ‘Indeed not.’
‘I won’t miss that pair,’ Charlie said as the rain fell faster. ‘The black one’s always crapping under my rose bushes.’
The Darkness Visible Page 42