DARK HOUSES a gripping detective thriller full of suspense

by Helen H. Durrant

  “All I was told was that you’re up against it. I’ll read the reports, get up to speed.”

  “I’m DC Grace Harper.” Grace stepped forward and held out her hand. “If you want anything, just ask.”

  “You can have that desk. It’s going spare,” Craig said.

  “Do you have any suspects?”

  “No. He’s careful. We were just discussing the probability that he’s leaving a false trail. He wants us running around chasing our tails.”

  “Sounds personal.”

  Greco hadn’t considered that one. Perhaps a fresh face with new ideas wasn’t such a bad idea after all. He introduced his team.

  “That’s DS Quickenden, DC Merrick and Georgina Booth, our information officer. They’re not a bad bunch — and friendly. They’ll fill you in with what you need to know.” He paused. “Can I suggest that for today you work with Grace?”

  She nodded.

  It wouldn’t be a good idea to put her with Speedy just yet. He knew what would happen. Speedy needed his mind on the case, not on the new DS.

  “Craig? You and George continue looking for the car that goes with that partial registration. Enter everything we’ve got so far into the database and see what it spits out. Grace — you and Scarlett attend Dan Roper’s PM at the Duggan. While you’re there, check if any other results have come in.”

  “We off to the care home, sir?” said Speedy.

  “Yes. Then I’ll have to come back and write that report.”

  * * *

  Grace and Scarlett made for the car park. “Have you worked on many murders?” Grace asked.

  “A fair few. It’s never pleasant. I don’t like PMs much either. Pity that’s what I get on my first day.” She got into the passenger seat.

  “This one will be easy compared to what the boss and Speedy have seen this week. The man we’re after is a cruel bastard and no mistake.”

  “Speedy?”

  Grace laughed. “The tall thin one with the face and the short hair — DS Quickenden,” she said.

  “Ah, I see. Quick — Speedy,” she laughed. “And what do you mean — the face?”

  “I don’t know what it is with him, but he just can’t get the hair right. It’s that long face and those sticky-out features. He had a head full of curls up until about three months ago but the boss made him get it cut.”

  “What’s he like — DI Greco?”

  “I find him okay,” Grace didn’t want Scarlett thinking she was up for gossiping about their boss. “He can come across as a bit odd sometimes. He has a thing about cleanliness and keeping things tidy.”

  “But he gets the job done and that’s what counts.”

  “Yes, and that’s why he’s finding this one so hard. We’re putting in the graft but we’re getting nowhere.”

  Grace tried to keep the chat light as they drove down the dual carriageway. She didn’t want to discuss her colleagues any further.

  “You’ve made sergeant young.”

  “I’m not that young,” Scarlett laughed. “Twenty-five — and it took a lot of hard work, believe me.”

  “Still, you did it. That’s what I want — promotion. It would be great if I could do it within the next couple of years. I need the extra money. I’m the breadwinner in my house. There’s only me and my daughter.”

  “Can’t be easy with a child in tow.”

  “It’s not. But I get by with some childcare help from my mum. You got any?”

  She shook her head. “And I’m not attached either — just in case you or the others were wondering.”

  “Here we are — the Duggan Centre. Does your team use this place?”

  “No. Daneside hasn’t decided if it’ll outsource yet.”

  “Doctor Barrington is the pathologist who’ll be doing this one,” Grace said as they went in. “The young man was found stabbed in Oldston Park. The reason we’re so interested is because a piece of scalp was removed — same as with the girls.”

  Grace and DS Scarlett Seddon stood on a raised platform looking out over the post-mortem room. The body of Dan Roper was laid on the table, ready for the scalpel.

  “Hate these,” Scarlett whispered. “All that cutting and the gore. Makes me want to heave.”

  “Good morning!” Natasha Barrington entered with her assistants. Mark Brough was with her again plus a couple of lab people and the photographer.

  “DI Greco alright now? He seemed a little off colour yesterday afternoon in the park.”

  “He’s fine!” Grace called out. “Must have been the lunch he ate. This is DS Scarlett Seddon. She’s joining us for a while.”

  Natasha nodded. “Right, folks, let’s get this done.”

  “Hang on to your stomach,” Scarlett said.

  “Dan Roper. He was identified by his GP. He was twenty-two years old and had a history of drug abuse. I’ve done a tox screen. I’ll report back when the results are through.”

  She removed the sheet covering his body. His skin was white, his extremities and lips blue. Grace shivered.

  “He has one wound to his chest,” Natasha probed with a gloved finger. “The cut is deep.” An assistant passed her a scalpel. They watched as she carefully exposed the wound so she could see how deep into the body it went.

  “The blade went in deep. It most likely pierced the heart. We’ll know that shortly. One stab with force behind it — in and out.” She made the movement with her hand. “It will have taken just seconds and his life was over. Apart from that there are no other recent cuts or bruises on his body.”

  “What about his scalp?” Grace asked.

  Natasha moved the hair so she could examine it. “Interesting . . . the skin has been removed in a similar fashion to the girls, but not with the same finesse. Whoever did this was clumsy. The wound is ragged — the skin cut into then torn away. Get a good shot of this,” she told the photographer. “Greco will want to compare it with the others.”

  “Whoever did that knew about the girls?” Scarlett asked.

  “We’re presuming so. It’s an extremely unlikely coincidence.”

  The pathologist opened up the body and began to remove the internal organs. The detectives could hear a slosh as the wet intestines slithered into a waiting bowl. Grace turned away.

  “His heart was damaged beyond repair,” the pathologist said, holding it up. “He’d have died within seconds. Interestingly, the direction of the cut is very similar to that of the heated poker. The same area of the heart was destroyed.”

  “The question is, was this done by the same man? Were there any witnesses at the scene?” Scarlett asked.

  “No. A group of lads using the skateboarding rink saw two young men sitting on a nearby bench watching them. They appeared to have an argument. One rushed off and the other gave chase. Unfortunately no one could give a useful description,” said Grace.

  “Shame.”

  “That’s what we’ve been up against since the start. No one sees, no one tells. It’s as if this man is invisible.”

  “The report will be on the system later,” Natasha said. She left the room.

  “The photos will be available sooner,” Mark Brough told them. “My colleague will upload them when we’re done.”

  “He seems okay. Easy on the eye too.” Scarlett whispered to Grace.

  “I don’t know anything about him. He could already be seeing someone for all you know.”

  “Like the DI, you mean. He’s got his ex-wife. Doesn’t stop you, does it?”

  “The images of the crime scene will be in the same folder as the report,” Mark said.

  “You’re new, aren’t you?” Scarlett said. She was smiling at him and playing with her hair.

  “Yes. I’ve only been in the job a few weeks. You too, I believe.”

  “Oh, I’m a lot newer than that. Just this week.”

  “Perhaps we newbies should get together. Fancy a drink sometime?” Scarlett said.

  “I’ll leave you to it. I’ll wait in the car,�
�� Grace said.

  * * *

  “This is an unexpected treat — lunch out.” Suzy Greco smiled as the car door was opened for her.

  “You deserve it.” He leaned forward and kissed her cheek. “I thought we’d go for a picnic. Drive out to that country park out Leesworth way. Eat fancy sandwiches and drink coffee.”

  “Sounds okay to me.” She took the drink he offered her.

  “Sorry it’s in one of those carton things. I’ve got a bottle of wine in the boot.”

  “Drunk at work. What will the students say?” She giggled. “Nice coffee.”

  “I went to that new deli place. When we finally come out — you know, tell folk — we’ll have to eat there properly. We should do it soon. I can’t see any point in holding back.”

  “Stephen already knows,” she told him. “I had no choice but to say something. He saw us in the park yesterday.”

  “He knows who I am?”

  “No, and I didn’t tell him. He saw me but he couldn’t see you properly. He was there looking into some assault, I think.”

  “There was some sort of fight in the park yesterday. A bloke was carted off in an ambulance.”

  “Stephen came home in the afternoon and we spoke. He’s confused about what’s going on. He’ll get over it. He did the last time we split. He didn’t come home last night. He’ll have gone to that flat of his to lick his wounds.”

  “So I’ve got him worried, have I?”

  “This isn’t a game, you know. I might be seeing you, but Stephen has to remain in our lives, mine and Matilda’s. I can’t cut him out completely. You do understand that? This is fun — but we don’t have to get too heavy. Let’s take it slow. See where it goes.”

  “Anything you want. Anyway, you know what I think. That man deserves all he gets. He’s like all the rest. It’s all about the job, and nothing else matters. He barely notices you, Suzy. You’re both young. You should be enjoying life as a family. Instead he spends his time up to his armpits in villains and leaves you to raise the kid and keep house. You could have so much more out of life.”

  Suzy scrunched up the carton and put it in a carrier bag on the floor of car. She yawned and leaned back. “I’m well aware of Stephen’s flaws. But he’s a good man. Don’t be so hard on him.” She yawned again.

  “Tired, sweetheart?”

  “Don’t know what’s come over me. I can’t keep my eyes open.”

  “Slip the seat back. Close your eyes for five minutes. We’ll be there soon.”

  Chapter 14

  “That got us nowhere.” DS Jed Quickenden kicked a tyre of the pool car they were using. “A list! What good is a flaming list?”

  “Lorraine Hopkirk needs time to think it through. If there is someone working at the home who could have taken those keys, she’ll tell us. She’s a bright woman.”

  “Well, she’s told us nothing so far.”

  Greco looked around at the large Victorian houses and well-tended gardens. “This is a pleasant area.”

  “The posh end of town.” Speedy grinned.

  “Shame they don’t appreciate it.” Greco nodded towards a group of youths who were shouting obscenities. Their target was a figure standing in the window of a house beside the care home.

  “That place comes in for a lot of stick. It’s Springbank — a place for dropouts.”

  “What sort of dropouts?”

  “Ex drug-users, psychiatric cases. You name it, they all go there. The local residents don’t like it. They objected when it was first set up but they got nowhere.”

  “Has there ever been any trouble?”

  “Nothing that we’ve had to get involved with.”

  “So the people that run it do a good job then?”

  Speedy shrugged. “What now, boss?”

  “There’s something I’ve got to do.” Greco was thinking about Doris Hope. He hadn’t dropped her wages off yet and he hadn’t told her about the cameras he’d had fitted at the house in Pierce Street either.

  “You take the car and get back to the station. I’ll join you in a while.”

  “Don’t you need a lift, sir?”

  “No — I’ll walk. I’m not going far.”

  Greco still felt rough from the previous night’s drinking. His head had been thumping all day. He couldn’t think clearly. A walk might help.

  Doris Hope didn’t live far from the town centre. It shouldn’t take long. Once he sorted that, he’d go back and write the report for the super. It was a pity he had nothing new to add. Everything the super and the DCI needed to know was up on the incident board.

  * * *

  “Cup of tea?” Doris Hope offered when she saw him on the doorstep.

  Greco nodded, and followed her into a narrow hallway.

  “Sit down in there and I’ll put the kettle on.”

  The sitting room she showed him to was small and full of furniture. But there wasn’t a speck of dust or a thing out of place. Even the cushions on the sofa had been placed just so.

  “It won’t be a minute,” she said.

  “I came to give you this.” He handed her an envelope. “Also to tell you something about the house you’re buying on Pierce Street.”

  “I know about that,” she said with a frown. “My Albert bumped into one of your policemen. He’d been keeping an eye open. He told him about the cameras inside.”

  “We’ll remove them as soon as we can.”

  “It’s not that.” She sat down opposite him. “It’s the idea that something so awful could happen in there. We couldn’t keep the house if it did. I would never feel right inside there again.”

  “It seems unlikely now. Whoever is doing this has more than likely been scared off,” he said.

  “I hope Albert didn’t do any damage to anything. He was moving stuff about early this morning. He’s been getting everything ready to make a start.”

  “Don’t worry. The cameras have been placed well out of harm’s way.”

  * * *

  It was nearly four when Greco got back to the station. The team were hard at it, including Scarlett.

  “There are over a hundred cars in Oldston with those letters in their registration, sir,” she said.

  It was a thankless task. “Anything else come in?”

  “A shed load more tweets,” Speedy said. “But still nothing from the clever boys upstairs.”

  Greco’s phone rang.

  “Mr Greco? It’s Mrs Halshaw from the Duke Academy. Matilda is still here. Her mother hasn’t picked her up yet. Is anything wrong?”

  “Not that I’m aware of,” he said. “I’ll try and get hold of her, but if not I’ll pick Matilda up myself in about twenty minutes.”

  “Problem, sir?” Grace said.

  “Not sure. Suzy hasn’t picked Matilda up from school.”

  He punched Suzy’s work number into the office phone and waited. She wasn’t there.

  “She left at lunchtime and didn’t return,” he said to Grace.

  “There’ll be some reasonable explanation. But you’d better do something about Matilda.”

  Greco had a good idea what that explanation would be, and from the look on Grace’s face, so did she. The new boyfriend. Whoever he was, he’d obviously turned her head. But to forget about picking up their daughter — that was going some.

  “Do you want me to go and get her, sir?” Grace was tidying the pile of paperwork on her desk.

  He looked at the office clock on the wall. There was that meeting with the super and the DCI. “Would you mind?”

  She shook her head. “I’ll take her back to mine. Give her some tea with Holly. It’ll be a treat for them.”

  * * *

  The man at the door told Neville to wait in the hall while he went to get Edna. The place smelled — tobacco and beer. Someone had been naughty again. Well, no one could blame Neville. He hadn’t even been here. He’d been asleep all night and most of today. He must have given him some pills. He’d have to be careful in futur
e — watch what he swallowed. His head was buzzing with everything that had happened. He really needed to talk to Edna. She’d know what to do.

  “Neville!”

  Her voice was comforting. It washed through him. All the anxiety went away. He wished he could stay here all the time. He’d be safe then.

  “Where have you been?”

  She sat down beside him. She was wearing her nurse’s uniform.

  “You’ve missed all your appointments this week. Have you been unwell?”

  “No.” Neville shook his head guiltily.

  “You should have seen Doctor Fielding yesterday afternoon. Where were you?”

  “I forgot.”

  “We wrote it down. You even put everything into your phone. Don’t you remember that?”

  He’d found it and deleted the lot. Now Neville was in trouble.

  “It wasn’t me,” he said.

  Edna fixed him with a look. She didn’t believe him. He could tell she thought it was happening again. He squirmed in the chair.

  “It really wasn’t me. He did it. I’m not allowed to do anything without his say-so. I’m surprised he even lets me breathe these days.”

  The words were out before he could stop them. Now she really would think he was ill again.

  “Doctor Fielding is in this afternoon.”

  He knew it. She’d got the wrong end of the stick.

  “Stay, Neville. Just speak to him.”

  “No. He’ll want to keep me here like before. I’ve got to go.”

  Neville stood up. Coming here was a mistake. He could see that now. Edna didn’t understand him anymore. How come? Had he spoken to her? Shopped him? Had he made Edna believe he was bad? Neville didn’t want Edna thinking that.

  “Has something happened? Stop pacing about and come and sit down again.”

  Neville knew he had to be careful what he said, but the words wanted to come out.

  “Something did happen, but I’m okay now,” he said. “Dan won’t bother me again, so I’ll be fine.” Why had he mentioned Dan? Too late now — it was out. “In fact he won’t bother anyone again. Poor Dan. He shouldn’t have said those things about me. Called me that name.” Neville was staring at his feet.