“Are we talking takeout or sit down?”
“I’d appreciate a few minutes of your time. In private.” He said the last sentence sotto voce so none of the other team members could hear.
Oh no!
Bex pasted on a fake smile and flung her jacket back over her shoulders. She refused to glance at the paperwork spilling over her desk. Might as well get this over with!
Settled at the counter near the window of the sandwich bar, Bex sipped at the strong black liquid. Right now coffee seemed to be her only sustenance. She arced an enquiring eyebrow in Reuben’s direction. His hands fluttered around his pot of tea, pouring, adding sugar and cream and stirring with something akin to desperation. Finally, he heaved a sigh and glanced up. Both hands wrapped around the thick white china, as though trying to crush it out of existence.
“Bex, I need a transfer out of Youth Crimes,” he blurted.
Bex’s mouth fell open.
“I thought you loved policing, Reuben? What is it? Has your real estate company offered you a bigger commission?”
He shook his head vehemently.
“No, nothing like that. I still want to police. I just need to get away from this unit.”
“Can I ask why?”
Reuben dropped his eyes.
“I stopped by mum’s early this morning. Sure enough, Eli was there. He’d spent the night, even after I told her to stay away from him. We got into a nasty confrontation and when he finally left I gave mum an ultimatum. It’s either Eli or me. I’m doing this for her own good, because he’s not the man for her. I can’t believe it of Eli, but he’s taking advantage of mum and I won’t stand for it.
“So you see, things are a little strained in the office. I think it’s better for everyone involved if I move to another section.”
Bex choked back a groan. She hadn’t pegged Reuben with his boyish humor and overeager attention to social media as a drama queen, but his reaction to his mother’s budding relationship with Eli had headed in that route. But telling him that was not going to improve the situation.
“My advice is don’t make a hasty decision while you’re still upset. There are plenty of jobs that can keep you out of the office today and tomorrow and away from Eli. Then you have the weekend to really think about what you want to do. Remember this is your future career. Not to mention your relationship with your mother.”
Reuben nodded glumly and dragged a hand through his bedraggled locks. Bex knew Georgie doted on Reuben and this argument must have hit both of them hard. It was going to depend on who was more stubborn, she guessed, or how much of her heart Georgie had already relinquished to Eli.
She gulped down her scalding coffee and hopped off her bar stool.
“Take your time, Reuben. There’s no need to hurry back to the office. When you’re ready come and see me and I’ll give you a job that’ll keep you on the road.”
When Bex re-entered the Youth Crimes Team, she caught Eli’s troubled glance. His eyes were bloodshot, a telling sign of a sleepless night, but his shirt looked ironed and his suit jacket had been sponge cleaned of stains and his beard freshly trimmed. Georgie was making a presentable man out of him.
Her phone buzzed as she entered her office. It was a text from Josh to say the online gaming console she had ordered had arrived. She texted back to say she would stop by the drop in center after work to set it up.
She soaked up the rest of the day’s hours with paperwork. Towards mid-afternoon she started sorting through the correspondence that had built up in her in tray. Most of it came through the internal mail system and related to budget cuts, notices of police or community meetings she was expected to attend and statistical gathering exercises she needed to perform.
She slit open a blank white envelope with her name typed across the front and pulled out a single sheet of paper neatly folded into thirds.
The kids you’re investigating are no good oxygen thieves. They should be happy their deaths are helping decent people to live.
Stop wasting your time on them.
Unless you want to start investigating murders for people you really care for.
If you don’t want to get hit where it hurts, stop the investigation.
Chapter 25
Thursday March 22
Bex’s heart thundered in her ears as her heart rammed erratically against her breastbone. The world rocked under her feet bringing back last night’s nightmare to reel past her brain. The whirlwind of painful memory sliced through her, cutting off rational thought.
Unless you want to start investigating murders for people you really care for.
If you don’t want to get hit where it hurts, stop the investigation.
It had crucified her not to be able to save Zane, but never again would she be responsible for someone’s death! Her mouth firmed with that resolution even as her thoughts skittered towards the people she loved. Surely they were safe in New York! No one here in London could hurt them!
She didn’t care for her own safety. Whoever had written the note seemed to know that because it contained no personal threat. It spoke only about hitting her where it would hurt. In her mind she ran through the small number of people she knew in London.
Quinn. Idris. Eli. Reuben. Georgie. Josh. Dresden. Cole.
A drop of icy sweat pooled at the bottom of her spine. Exhaustion bowed her quivering shoulders. How could she protect them all?
There was only one way – to abide by the note’s instructions and abandon the investigation. What the writer hadn’t realized was she had already been ordered to do just that. So, all she had to do was follow Dresden’s orders and everyone would be safe, right?
Her eyes blinked nervously. The only problem was, this wasn’t officially her investigation, it was Cole’s. She was going to have to convince Cole to listen to Dresden and let it go.
She shoved herself away from her desk and headed out of her office just as her phone beeped with a reminder from Josh about the gaming consoles because kids were already nagging him to play.
Damn! It was more important to talk with Cole, but that would make her late to the center. She thumbed through her phone contacts and dialed Reuben as she headed for the stairs. He was currently in Hackney interviewing Yusef’s neighbors and talking to his schoolmates.
“Hey, Reuben, could you pop into the drop in center to set up the new gaming console? I’m caught up with some work in the office and since it’s the most requested item on the kids’ wishlist I don’t want to disappoint them.”
“No worries, Bex, I’ll be there in less than five. And be assured I’m going to be much better at the tech side than you anyway. I’ll hang around to kick their virtual arses, just make sure you come by later to kick their arses for real.”
“You’re the best!” Bex said, maneuvering her way through the CID space to Cole’s office.
In front of Cole’s door she took a deep breath before knocking.
* * *
Cole watched the color sting her face as Bex entered his domain. Although she strode in with her usual confidence, her eyes shied away from his and he wondered if that was embarrassment or if she had something to hide.
“Glad to see you survived your meeting with Dresden,” he said, hoping a neutral topic would put her at ease.
She slid into the seat in front of his desk.
“Dresden’s ordered Youth Crimes Team off the case. You too, I gather?”
“She made the recommendation. I told her I’d take it under advisement.” He cracked a crooked grin. “Here, have a look at these.”
He shoved a stack of printed lists towards her.
“I contacted London Central for a list of all their employees from cleaners and cooks on upwards over the last ten years. There may be a name in there that we can connect to the missing teens.”
Reluctantly Bex took the sheaf of papers, her eyes downcast as she studied the alphabetical listing. Cole tore his gaze away from her, reminding himself last night had been an aberr
ation. Still, he couldn’t resist revisiting its highlights in his mind’s eye.
When she started with a gasp, he reined in his wayward thoughts.
“What is it?”
Bex bit her lip.
“Do you recognize a name?” Cole pressed.
“Torben Derichs. He’s listed as having been a surgical intern at the hospital ten years ago. Clementine Grais recommended him so he’s currently running drug tests at the drop in center I started. He knows Yusef Karim, the teen who’s just gone missing.”
“Good start. Let’s run a check on the rest of those names —”
“No.”
Cole paused abruptly at the interruption, his eyebrows raised in shock.
“The Youth Crimes Team is off the case and I really wish you’d drop the investigation too,” Bex said, her fists curled tightly around the paper in her hands. Without looking directly at him she continued, “We’re not getting anywhere with this investigation, and I’ve got too many other cases piling up. You have too.”
Cole gave her a shrewd look.
“You were the one who was insistent that we investigate this case. Even if you’re following Dresden’s orders, I’m prepared to continue. I thought you’d be glad to hear that, especially now we have another possible lead with this Torben Derichs.”
“Cole, please, I’m asking you to stop the investigation.”
“What’s really going on, Bex?”
She continued to chew her lips. Her pallor was evident, highlighting the dark circles smudged under her eyes. Cole couldn’t ignore her suffering. She looked to be crumbling around the edges. Something had hit her hard. He had to find a way to convince her to open up to him.
“My gran always says, nothing’s as bad when you share the burden with a friend,” he said.
He thought he saw Bex’s eyes mist before she closed them and fished in her pocket. He took the folded sheet from her, careful not to touch her fingertips. When he unfolded it, his eyes raced over the words. He sucked in a deep breath, then reread the note more carefully.
“So you see, I’d never forgive myself if something happened to someone I know.”
Cole drummed his fingers restlessly against the paper. Even through his concern he couldn’t ignore his policing instincts.
“You’ve jumped to the conclusion that this note is from the killer and he’s threatening you personally through the people you know?”
Bex blinked several times as she took in his question. “Who else would’ve sent it?”
“The point is, who knows you were on this case? There was no mention of you in Aislinn Scully’s coverage. Why wasn’t the note directed to me since I’m nominally in charge?”
“I was so caught up with the threat, I didn’t think of that. Wait! What about the write up in the local paper after Yusef’s fight? I might’ve been mentioned in it.”
“The center’s received some adverse social media publicity over the last forty-eight hours, hasn’t it? That type of publicity pulls the nutcases out of the woodwork like ants to honey.”
Bex’s fists unclenched. “You think this note was written by some harmless nutter?”
“It seems the most likely scenario, but I’d still like to get forensics to go over it in case there’s a link to the killer.”
Bex looked uncertain. “I don’t want to bring any more attention to the investigation.”
Cole’s eyes zeroed in on her.
“It’s worth the risk, Bex unless you consider there could be a leak in the team?”
“Not in my team!” Bex said with vehement assurance. “What about your CID officers?”
“Only Yabsley knows my case load and I’d vouch for him. No one else on this floor has had anything to do with the investigation.”
Bex’s shoulders relaxed. “Alright, send the note to forensics. By the way, what comes to your mind if you think of living someplace with no windows?”
Laughter lit his eyes. “Are we into puzzles now?” He scratched his chin meditatively. “How about a submarine? They don’t need windows. Or a cellar?”
“You mean a basement? That’s an idea. To a child it might seem like an entire house.”
On the cusp of gathering herself to leave she paused.
“You okay now?” he asked, dampening down his concern.
He noted the effort she made to keep his gaze. “Cole, about last night.”
Cole didn’t bed women he worked with precisely because it was too awkward when he bumped into them afterwards. He tensed, stringing excuses together in his mind, but she spoke before he could.
“I had a lot to drink. It won’t happen again. Can we just forget it and move on?”
He paused, rearranging his thoughts. His fingers attacked a paperclip, torturing curves into straight lines. Of course he was thankful that Bex didn’t seem keen to remind him of the night’s exploits, he told himself. This was the best recourse for both their sakes.
“Already forgotten,” he lied with conviction.
Bex’s phone buzzed against her thigh. She plucked it from her pocket.
“It’s Idris. I have to answer this,” she said, turning away from him.
He heard the murmur of Idris’s voice, then Bex shot up from her chair, her pale face now chalk white. She seemed unaware she was pacing the narrow space between his desk and the door.
Silver specks flashed from her gray eyes when she turned back to him.
“You have to drop the investigation now, before anyone else gets hurt!” she ordered. “That was Idris calling to tell me there’s been an explosion at the drop in center!”
Chapter 26
Thursday March 22
While Reuben’s hands moved automatically to connect the popular gaming console to its component parts and the wide screen television monitor, his mind stayed mired in the details he had uncovered about Yusef. There was no doubt that he was a bully who liked to throw his weight around when he could, but kept out of the way of the heavy players in the neighborhood. Reuben had cornered his lawyer for a brief five minute chat while he washed down a stale sandwich with a mug of cold tea.
“Can’t understand why he did a bunk,” Lawrence told him in between bites. “It was his first offense, he’s still a minor, so I was going to walk him out of court with a community order.”
Lawrence swigged back his tea and brushed crumbs from his small goatee.
“Now the silly bugger’s facing a bench warrant for his arrest. It’ll be a much worse scenario when he finally fronts magistrate’s court.”
If he turns up, Reuben corrected mentally. Had Yusef joined the list of missing teens they believed were some serial killer’s macabre haul of body parts for rich clients? If he had, Reuben mused, did that mean the serial killer was closer to home than they realized?
“The wi fi signal’s good,” Josh interrupted his thoughts, his beanstalk thin body hovering close to Reuben’s shoulder.
Under Josh’s scrutiny, he connected to the Internet and let Josh input the password to the wi fi.
“Why don’t you clear this rubbish away before the other kids rock up,” Reuben suggested, waving a hand over the cardboard boxes, Styrofoam packing and plastic wrapping resting in mounds around them. “You do that and I’ll install the latest system software. Then Bob’s your uncle, we’ll be up and running in no time. Oh and, Josh, here’s a tenner. Why don’t you nip out to the corner shop and buy some packets of chips and nibbles for the boys when they turn up? I know from experience that nothing makes you hungrier than gaming!”
Josh paused in piling boxes between his arms, a wide grin on his face as his bony fingers scrabbled for the note that Reuben held out. He headed in the direction of the kitchen to access the rubbish bins out the back.
As Reuben returned his attention to the screen, he heard heavy bass music boom from a car stereo. He glanced across the length of the long room through the window to see the outline of dark car crawling to a stop in front of the drop in center. At this distance it wa
s impossible to see into the car’s tinted windows. Drawing to a stop, the passenger side window rolled down. Reuben saw an arm curve out and a twinge of alarm coursed through him. Was someone about to lob a brick through the window?
Josh moved to the kitchen doorway. “Hey, Reuben! Anything in particular –”
“Get back!” Reuben screamed, flapping his hand urgently.
Seeing the panic in his face, Josh scrambled backwards.
The glass in the window shattered, showering the ground as a waffle-coated metal object pitched through the opening, thumping to the ground near Josh’s office at the front of the room, barely twenty feet away.
Recognizing the grenade sent a spurt of terror rushing through Reuben’s body. Throwing the gaming controller aside, he pelted out of the open area towards the kitchen.
Reuben launched himself at the doorway as screaming metal exploded. He fell to the floor, skidding on his belly as razor-sharp fragments sprayed around the room, shards biting into his flesh. Keeping himself flattened to the ground, he raised his hands to cover his head as splintered debris bounced around and over him.
Chapter 27
Friday March 23
To see Reuben lying so still under the snowy hospital covers drove home just how close he had come to dying.
Bex felt guilt straining at her muscles as she carried its burden on her shoulders. It should’ve been me, she thought. She should have been at the drop in center putting the gaming console together. The grenade chucked through the window should have shattered her life, not Reuben’s. She felt as though a hole had been punched in her chest as she struggled to keep her breath even.
Bex had spent a long night in the company of Georgie and Eli, pacing the hospital’s waiting room. She had sent Idris and Quinn back to the office to investigate the blast, promising to call them as soon as there was an update on Reuben’s progress. She had refused Cole’s offer to drive her to St Leonard’s Hospital from Bridesmead CID. His presence was a complication she couldn’t deal with right now.
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