At 8 p.m. he heard a horn toot and he looked outside to see a minicab waiting. He grabbed the bag he took everywhere with him and slamming the door behind him walked across to the taxi as quickly as his large bulk would allow.
‘The Wheelbarrow pub, please,’ he said to the driver.
‘OK, mate,’ he replied and they sped away.
Alfie had never been in the back of a taxi before and he felt like royalty as they made their way through Persford.
Jed watched him leave. Phase One completed, he thought to himself. Now the real action of the evening would begin.
**
Instead of going home, Savannah walked about a mile or so to the supermarket nearest to the Lensfield estate. She took a basket and went up and down the moderately busy aisles selecting a few items, nothing expensive and no alcohol as they asked for proof of age for anyone under twenty-five. As well as perusing the shelves, she also kept a watching eye on the other shoppers.
In the yoghurt aisle, a smartly dressed mother was arguing with her two children who were dressed in karate outfits.
‘For the last time, Olivia, you are not having the ones full of sugar. Put them back!’
‘No! I like these. All my friends have them.’ Olivia picked up the four-pack of yoghurt and dropped it into the trolley.
‘Take them out!’
‘No! I will not!’
The little girl who looked about eight stood with her arms folded, staring at her mother.
‘Freddie put these back,’she said.
‘I like them too!’ he moaned. ‘Why can’t we have them?’
‘Because they aren’t good for you. I’ve told you. I’m tired of your arguing. You won’t be seeing your friends on Saturday. Now come along.’
This latest statement produced a howl of cries from Olivia who promptly threw herself down in the middle of the aisle. Freddie stomped off towards the exit.
‘Come back! Olivia, get up now!’
This was Savannah’s opportunity. She pushed by the trolley and reaching over towards the yoghurt quickly took the mother’s purse from her open handbag, which was resting on the seat of the trolley. The woman was completely oblivious as Olivia was now picking up packets of yoghurt and dropping them on the floor. Savannah desperately wanted to run but she covered the purse with a large packet of crisps until she could drop it into her own bag in a quieter part of the store.
Her heart was pounding in her chest and she felt slightly light-headed but in a quieter aisle, she managed to secrete her booty, then left her basket on the floor and wandered out of the store without paying for her purchases. All the while, she was waiting for a hand to land on her shoulder and the game would be up. Finally, away from the store, she sat on a bench in town and looked in the purse.
**
Jed let himself into 22 Salisbury Street. Whilst waiting for his taxi, Alfie had confirmed that his lodgers hadn’t yet returned. Jed had quickly scouted around the house, taking in the layout and unlocking the back door in case he needed to make a quick getaway. He went out into the backyard and unbolted the gate which opened into an alleyway behind the row of houses.
Now he simply had to lie in wait. He went upstairs to Alfie’s room which was to the rear of the property, opened the window to air it, lay down on the bed and switched on the TV. He’d ascertained what programmes Alfie usually watched, so he could give the indication that all was normal in the house. Jed was too wired to pay much attention to any programme. He was there to complete a job, something he’d done many times before but it still caused adrenaline to course through his veins.
At just after 10 p.m. he heard the front door slam shut. He went to the bedroom door which was slightly ajar and listened. He could hear two voices, one male and one from a young female.
‘Go in the lounge. I need the loo,’ said the male voice.
Jed heard footsteps sprinting up the stairs so he sat down on the bed, away from the door. He heard the toilet flush and the footsteps return downstairs. Not long now, he’d wait until they were settled in the lounge and least expecting visitors.
Chapter 48
Alfie was on his third pint of beer and was really enjoying being out of the confines of his bedroom. He’d taken a seat towards the corner of the bar where they were showing a UEFA league football match on the TV. He wasn’t a great follower of football but surrounded by others, he got into the spirit of the game and found himself cheering at the right times and shouting at the referee. He felt his mobile vibrate in his pocket. Bazza told him to await further instructions but all was going to plan.
Alfie felt an amazing sense of relief wash over him. For the first time in ages, he would have the house to himself and be able to get a decent night’s sleep.
**
Jed could hear shouting. The voices were muffled but an argument was taking place. He stepped out on to the landing and listened. The verbal exchange had developed into a fight. He’d no idea exactly what was happening but he could hear screams coming from the girl. This was his moment.
He ran downstairs and kicked open the lounge door to find a young girl who looked only about fourteen or fifteen being slapped about the face.
‘Let me go,’ she shouted. ‘I’m on my period!’
She was pinned to the floor by a thug from the Kilburn gang. Her trousers were pulled down and Jed could see what was happening.
‘Who the fuck are you?’ said the young man as he saw Jed appear in the room.
‘Leave her alone!’ shouted Jed.
‘Why should I? She owes me. Payment in kind, innit?’
‘I said let her go!’ shouted Jed.
‘Fuck off! I’m busy!’
Jed took out his gun and stepped further into the room.
‘Let her go! Now!’
Tyler released his grip on Savannah who pulled up her trousers whilst scrambling over to the corner of the room, then cowered by the door. She had trouble coordinating her movements as her whole body was gripped with terror.
Jed kept the gun trained on Tyler.
‘Hands on your head!’ he instructed the dealer. ‘Never mind your jeans. Sit down there!’
Without looking at Savannah, Jed spoke to the terrified girl.
‘You didn’t see anything, OK? Don’t phone the police and forget everything. Give me your mobile!’
Savannah handed over her phone, nodding rapidly even though Jed wasn’t looking at her.
‘I didn’t hear you!’ he bellowed.
‘I didn’t see anything,’ she whimpered.
‘OK, leave by the back door, the gate’s open, it leads into the alleyway. Can you find your way back from here?’
She nodded furiously, grabbed her bag and left the house.
Jed went over to Tyler. He reached into his pockets whilst pressing his gun against the back of the drug dealer’s skull. He removed a knife, a phone and a wad of cash. He dropped the phone and money, retaining the knife and switching the gun to his left hand.
‘Lie down, face down!’ he shouted.
‘Look, we can do a deal. We need extra people. My mate is due any minute. He’ll kill you. Let me go and I’ll get him to take you into the gang!’
‘You killed my friend!’ shouted Jed.
‘What friend? Listen, let’s talk.’
‘You’ve talked enough. Shut the fuck up!’ screamed Jed and with that the knife flashed, cutting Tyler’s throat almost from ear to ear.
The victim slumped forward as blood spurted out. Jed was protected from most of the outpouring as he stood behind his victim. The job was done, Jed exhaled then took deep breaths, rewarding his lungs which had been deprived of air for what seemed ages due to the tension of the moment.
He could see a sports bag on the floor which he discovered contained large quantities of drugs of various sorts and more bundles of cash. Suddenly a noise penetrated the silence. A key was being inserted into the front door. There wasn’t time to retreat upstairs. In a flash, he headed for the kitchen and
slipped out into the garden.
**
Savannah ran down the alleyway, tripping and stumbling in the dark. Tonight had been the worst experience of her life. Not only had she almost been raped but she had escaped death at close quarters. She had no idea what had happened to Ty but she feared the worst. Ty had appeared streetwise and confident but the person who had appeared out of nowhere seemed to exude a strength she’d not encountered before.
Once she reached the main road, she slowed down so as not to attract attention. Her legs were shaking and she had to grasp the wall to avoid wobbling over. It was no good, she simply had to sit for a few minutes otherwise she was in danger of falling whilst crossing the road. Oblivious to the dirty pavement she slid down and closed her eyes. What had she been thinking of to become involved with someone like Ty? He had simply been using her and she had been completely blind to his manipulation. He intended to rape her, that much was clear and afterwards? Would he have gone further and killed her with his knife or given her an overdose? Tears coursed down her cheeks as shock overcame her.
‘Are you OK?’ said a voice.
She looked up to see a group of girls who had stopped by her.
‘Er, yes, I er, I thought someone was following me.’
‘Where do you live?’
‘Carlton Road.’
‘We can walk with you part of the way if you want?’
‘Oh, thanks,’ said Savannah, struggling to her feet.
She stumbled along with her new friends never more desperate to return to the sanctity of her home however shabby and depressing it might be.
**
Alfie had received a text telling him he could return home and he would find the house quiet. He tipped the taxi driver a few pounds and climbed out of the car, turning his ankle slightly on the pavement.
‘Oops,’ he giggled.
‘OK, mate?’ asked the taxi driver.
‘A whisky chaser too many!’ he laughed.
‘Sleep well,’ said the driver.
‘Oh, I intend to!’ shouted Alfie, waving at him.
Alfie opened his front door and listened. He could hardly believe his ears. Silence. No loud TV noises, no shouting, no arguing. There was a strange smell though, no doubt the bin needed emptying. He wandered into the kitchen but felt too drunk to do anything about it. The room began to spin and Alfie realised he needed to be in bed. Holding on to the wall he shuffled along to the stairs and slowly made his way up to bed where he collapsed fully clothed on his bed in a deep alcohol-fuelled slumber.
Chapter 49
Alfie didn’t wake until after 10 a.m. and when he did his head was pounding. He lay on his bed and listened. Again, it was quiet apart from the sound of traffic and the normal sounds of a weekday morning. For the first time in a couple of weeks, he was looking forward to the day ahead. After breakfast, he would tidy up the house and give it a good clean.
He went along to the bathroom for a shower. He dumped the towels used by his lodgers on the floor and stood under the feeble spray, soaping himself liberally and feeling much more alert. It was time to celebrate by treating himself to a full English breakfast down at the cafe, then he would have the energy to clean the house.
He managed to find some clean underwear and a shirt then trod heavily downstairs to the kitchen. The smell had intensified overnight and Alfie opened the back door which was strangely unlocked. He cursed, he could have been robbed in the night. He looked inside the bin but there were only a few items in there and he remembered emptying it the previous morning as it was bin collection day. The smell wasn’t like anything he’d smelt before and it was making him feel slightly queasy. If he couldn’t track it down he could always ask his neighbour, Bruce, as he’d been very helpful in the past.
Alfie drank some water, collected his jacket off the newel-post then headed to the door. He stopped as a sudden wave of panic washed over him. Had Captain and his mate taken his beloved forty-six-inch television with them? The lounge was the one room he’d not checked and he’d not been allowed in there for days.
He opened the lounge door and stood stock still as if struck by a thunderbolt. Alfie’s mouth fell open as he took in the sight. Was he hallucinating? His blood left his brain and he lost consciousness causing his corpulent body to slide down the wall, rendering him a heap on the floor. Now three bodies lay unconscious in 22 Salisbury Street. After five minutes or so, Alfie’s conscious being returned to the horror in the room. He recoiled and dragged himself along the floor into the hallway and could be heard crying and screaming into his mobile as he called the police.
**
Andy Walters and Mike Harris along with Chris Mills from the Drug Squad were examining photos taken outside the flat in Regent Road by the surveillance team.
‘Definitely looks like Wayne Roberts,’ said Andy.
‘So, we’ve grounds to bring him in. He’s back in the area and we want to question him about Vincent Hughes. We’ve still not made any headway with his murder, nor with tracking down Jason Dawes,’ said Inspector Mills.
‘Any chance we could sit in on the interview?’ asked Andy.
‘Fine by me, providing your Super doesn’t object.’
‘Great. We’ll alert uniform to leave Wayne alone and let you lead the operation. If we can catch him with a supply on him then we can really put him under pressure. He’s looking at a jail sentence if he doesn’t give us something juicy.’
‘Sounds good. It will most likely be this evening when we bring him in, OK?’
‘Anytime is good for us,’ said Mike Harris.
There was a knock at the door.
‘Hi, Stephanie,’ said Andy.
‘Sorry to interrupt, sir, but we’ve just had a report of two bodies in Salisbury Street. The resident, a Mr Alfie Crouch,’ she said, looking at her note, ‘discovered the bodies this morning. He’s in a bit of a state not surprisingly. He says they were renting two rooms from him.’
‘What’s their names?’
‘He only knows one as Captain and doesn’t have a name for the other one.’
Andy frowned. ‘Captain?’
‘That’s what he told the officers at the scene. He’s a bit, how shall we say, well, he’s possibly got learning difficulties. They’ve called the paramedics as he became hysterical at one point.’
‘OK, Stephanie, we’ll go along,’ said Mike. ‘Andy, you come with me. Chris, keep in touch regarding Wayne Roberts.’
‘Will do. Speak to you later.’
The officers rushed back to their desks to collect their jackets and keys. It wasn’t good to surmise but Andy felt sure it was another drug-related crime. How many more of these would there be in Persford?
**
Alfie Crouch was currently with his next-door neighbours, a retired teacher, Bruce and his wife Elaine who were looking after him for the moment. A doctor had been called to administer a mild sedative and Alfie was now lying down. A mental health team would be arriving soon to assess him but from discussions with the neighbours, he wasn’t deemed to be a risk to others or himself.
SOCO officers were already in attendance when the detectives arrived. Following standard procedure, they signed the visitor list and donned protective clothing before entering the property.
The air was full of the metallic tang of blood and they could detect the characteristic smell of decay. Autumn was well established but the temperature was still high enough to accelerate the deterioration of a corpse. They were directed to the lounge by one of the forensic team.
‘Two victims, both young males,’ said a young woman whom they recognised from her voice as Becky.
‘Hi, Becky,’ said Andy. ‘Cause of death?’
‘Both had their throats cut. Death would doubtless have been instantaneous.’
Mike Harris stepped forward. He heard some voices outside in the hallway.
‘We meet again,’ said Alistair Gordon, the pathologist. ‘I’ll take a look.’
He knelt down next t
o the two bodies.
‘Well, not much doubt about these two. Six-inch wounds to the throats. A clean cut on both of them.’
‘Any defensive wounds?’
‘Not that I can see. Looks like an assassination. I’ll take a look at the cuts when I get them on the table.’
‘Thanks, doc,’ said Mike. ‘See you soon.’
They wandered around the room.
‘So, two members of the Kilburn gang?’said Andy.
‘I assume so. I can’t see any drugs or money lying around. I guess whoever finished them off helped themselves to what was lying around.’
‘I’ll have a quick look around the rest of the place,’ said Andy. ‘Then there’s not much more we can do here.’
‘Well, hopefully, the Met will confirm their identities when we circulate pictures and take fingerprints.’
‘More than likely they are on file,’ agreed Andy.
‘So, after you’ve had a shufti upstairs we’ll see whether we can speak to the owner of the house and then put Chris Mills in the picture.’
‘Sir,’ said Andy. ‘God, this just gets worse and worse,’ he muttered, heading out of the room.
Chapter 50
At 6 p.m. on Thursday evening, Ron and Maureen were again waiting in the reception area of Sandhills hospital. Ron hadn’t had any further serious episodes but he was clearly struggling. All his energy and sparkle had disappeared. His pallor was grey and he kept leaning forward when he sat as it helped his breathing. At night, he had asked for extra pillows and slept almost upright.
They had already attended the hospital briefly the previous day for a nurse to take some blood samples so that Dr Young could have the results in time for the consultation. Maureen sat next to Ron, rubbing his back gently as he leaned forward reading the messages on his mobile.
Heartless Reaction Page 24