Cold Heart: Absolutely gripping serial-killer fiction

by Stephen Edger

  That was all Kate needed. ‘But the Media Relations team have now confirmed that we aren’t focused on any one individual.’

  ‘I guess not everybody got the message. You want me to go down there and speak to her?’

  Kate sighed. ‘No, ask uniform to pass on that I will stop by to visit her when I get a moment.’

  Laura relayed the message over the phone.

  ‘Here you go,’ Patel said. ‘His van was seen leaving the teachers’ car park at St Bartholomew’s just after four last Friday… It is then picked up on the traffic camera at the north end of Hill Lane by the Winchester Road roundabout… It is then seen heading up the A35, from where it then joins the M3 at junction fourteen, but it is last seen at junction thirteen, before we lose track of it.’ He paused. ‘Junction thirteen is the exit for Eastleigh and Chandler’s Ford, but we don’t know where he goes after that. Given that his home address is in Lordshill, we know he wasn’t going home.’

  ‘So where was he going and where is he now?’

  ‘PC Barnes went by his residence yesterday morning, but there was no sign of his van. He called on a couple of his neighbours, but nobody could recall seeing him over the weekend. Jackson’s mobile phone is switched off, so we can’t monitor him via that, and I have put out a description of the van and its registration plates to our colleagues in Wiltshire and Dorset, but as yet no sightings.’

  Kate turned to Laura. ‘What else can you tell me about Jackson?’

  ‘I managed to track a page for his engineering business on Facebook, but no personal page,’ Laura said. ‘My understanding is you can’t have one without the other, which suggests he has his privacy settings fixed so that he cannot be located by strangers.’

  ‘Okay, go with what you’ve got.’

  Laura passed her the print outs. ‘The business page is pretty basic with its content: he doesn’t ever post on it, just contains basic company information, mobile phone number and email address.’

  ‘Have you found a photograph of him?’

  ‘Next page, ma’am,’ Laura said.

  Kate pushed the business page to the back of the pile. The image was grainy, but his strawberry-blond curls were greased back over his head, and small dimples formed in his cheeks where he was forcing a smile. His eyes were dark, but she couldn’t tell if that was just the quality of the print out. He had to be in his mid-thirties at most, and his chin looked freshly shaven.

  ‘You reckon he still looks like this? How old is the image?’

  ‘Hard to say. I pulled it from his business website. I’ll check with the administrators at the school.’

  Kate raised the picture. ‘What does that face say to you?’

  ‘Honestly? He’s actually quite handsome, in a goofy sort of way.’

  ‘Do you know what I see when I look at him? I see the face of someone I want to trust. He looks like butter wouldn’t melt, but I’ve underestimated people for less than that. We need to find him.’

  ‘Do you want me to put his description out to uniform?’

  ‘Please.’

  ‘His criminal history is clean. He has three points on his licence for speeding two years ago, but otherwise, he’s not in the system.’

  Kate closed her eyes, trying to process their next steps. If this was a brand-new murder investigation the decisions made in the first hour – the golden hour – would pay dividends later on. But in this situation, Maria and Petr had been dead for days already, giving Jackson a head start. While not conclusive, she couldn’t shake the coincidence of the heart being sent in the type of box he would have access to as a photocopy engineer.

  ‘First things first: get his last known location from the mobile provider, and then get his image to the school and ask them how it compares to when they saw him on Thursday. When you’ve done that, take his description to the mail depot in Bitterne and see if the staff there recognise him as the guy who delivered the heart.’

  36

  Staring out at the one-bedroom maisonette, just off the main road through Shirley, Kate could see Imelda, brush in hand and bucket of soapy water at her feet, as she scrubbed at the red paint on the grimy brickwork. Parking up, Kate exited the car and hurried across the road.

  Imelda welcomed the distraction, dropping the wire brush into the suds with a splosh. Despite the chill in the air, her cheeks were flushed. ‘I ought to charge you the cost of cleaning this mess up.’

  ‘Is Neil okay?’

  Imelda wiped the hair from her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘He was so shaken when the brick came through the window. He kept asking me what he’d done wrong. I came around as soon as he called, and as I arrived I could see the curtain-twitchers across the road taking it all in.’

  Kate stepped back and took in the wooden board now covering one of the windows. ‘Was there any damage caused inside?’

  ‘No, thankfully,’ Imelda sighed. ‘It was lucky he wasn’t looking out the window at the time, or walking past. God knows what could have happened then. Fortunately he was in bed in the back room.’

  ‘He lives alone?’

  She nodded. ‘It’s not very big inside. A small front room with a couple of armchairs and a small dining table, then a bedroom at the rear, a small kitchen and a bathroom. But it’s enough, and I just want him to have as normal a life as possible. He needs structure and routine.’

  ‘I’m sorry to ask this, Mrs Watkins, but why do you think somebody targeted Neil?’

  ‘I’d have thought that was perfectly obvious.’

  ‘I saw the news report and I’ve read Zoe Denton’s article, and Neil isn’t mentioned in either.’

  ‘Maybe not, but she said the police were considering all associated with the school.’

  ‘I still don’t see why anyone would reach the conclusion that Neil would have anything to do with it.’

  ‘People are small-minded, detective. They see a grown man with learning difficulties and they leap to conclusions. I blame myself for putting him in that position. I thought that the role at the school would be good for him; giving him a level of trust he’s not experienced before. I thought with him there, I could keep an eye on him, and Mrs Kilpatrick understands that he needs protection, but now I wish I’d kept him safer.’

  ‘This isn’t your fault,’ Kate offered. ‘We will get a formal statement out clarifying matters, and warning people not to jump to wrong conclusions. In the meantime, is there anywhere else Neil can stay? With you perhaps?’

  ‘I’ve already packed some things for him and he’ll be at my place tonight.’

  ‘Whereabouts do you live, Mrs Watkins?’

  ‘North Baddesley. Do you know it?’

  Kate nodded. ‘On the way to Romsey. It’s a very pleasant village.’

  ‘Yes, well, I don’t feel right him being here on his own while all this is going on. Do you know when your people will be finished at the school?’

  Kate tightened her lips. ‘We’re working as quickly as we can.’

  Mrs Watkins reached down for the brush again, slopping more suds onto the brickwork and scrubbing fiercely. ‘The sooner all of this is over, the better.’

  ‘Where’s Neil today? With the school closed, I thought he might be home?’

  ‘He loves the sound of the ocean,’ she replied, her eyes focused on the brickwork. ‘When he’s not working, he likes to drive to the coast and just sit and listen to the waves crashing.’

  ‘Bit cold to be at the beach today.’

  Imelda frowned. ‘He doesn’t go into the water; he can’t swim. He likes to sit nearby, just listening.’

  Kate could imagine how calming that would be. ‘I am sorry for what happened. Was there any note attached to the brick?’

  ‘They’d left their message out here in paint.’

  ‘Do you still have the brick? If I could take it with me, I could see if—’

  ‘I threw it in the skip down the road,’ Imelda replied. ‘I assume that’s where the perpetrator got it from.’


  Kate looked up to where Imelda was pointing, seeing the battered metal skip on the driveway of a neighbouring property, where it looked like extension work was ongoing.

  ‘I didn’t think you could get fingerprints from stones anyway?’ Imelda continued.

  ‘There’s been some success with it in recent years,’ Kate confirmed, excusing herself and walking over to the skip, but on looking inside, she knew her search would be a waste of valuable time. Dozens of rough and broken bricks lay entwined with garden waste and other rubble.

  ‘I doubt you’ll ever catch the idiot who caused this damage,’ Imelda said, when Kate returned to the maisonette. ‘I just worry about the emotional damage it will have caused my little boy…’ Her words trailed off as she began to cry.

  Kate offered her a tissue, and could only apologise, knowing her words were worthless. She was grateful when her phone began to ring and she excused herself to take it.

  ‘Is Sofia… can you meet me? Is about Maria. I need to see you.’

  *

  ‘Thanks for coming,’ Sofia said, as Kate perched on the stool by the window.

  ‘I was surprised to get your call. Are you not worried that someone might spot you?’

  ‘In this neighbourhood? I doubt it.’

  Kate stared out at the sea beyond the road below them. ‘I have to admit, meeting an informant in the restaurant of IKEA is a new one for me.’

  ‘The people I know, they don’t buy flat pack furniture, if you get me?’

  Kate could believe it. ‘What did you want to speak to me about?’

  ‘After our chat yesterday, I decided to go and ask my pimp about Maria’s payment.’

  Kate’s shoulders tensed. ‘I don’t want you to do anything that will put your life at risk.’

  ‘Is okay. I tell him one of Maria’s regulars was asking after her, and whether she would be back. He tell me that she clear her debt and is gone. I act surprised, but he show me picture on his phone. It was selfie of him and Maria from the Monday night. They are both smiling, and she not look worried or scared. I ask him about the money and he say she pay ten grand and left. He tell me he think she be back working for him again when she realise how hard real work is.’

  ‘So he didn’t know she was dead?’

  ‘No. The way he speak about her, is like she alive. He ask me if I have spoken to her, and I say no, and he ask me to call her and see if she ready to come back yet. I don’t think he kill her.’

  The admission didn’t surprise Kate, particularly in light of what Laura was investigating. Kate fished into her pocket and pulled out her phone, loading Jackson’s website, and locating the image Laura had printed off. Kate passed Sofia the phone. ‘Do you recognise this man?’

  Sofia studied the image, before handing the phone back. ‘I don’t think so, who is he?’

  ‘You don’t remember seeing him with Maria? Maybe one of her customers?’

  Sofia took the phone again for a second look. ‘I’m sorry, I don’t know his face.’

  Kate locked the screen, before a new thought hit her. ‘You girls make a note of who each other goes off with, right? Do you remember seeing Maria getting into either of these vehicles?’ Kate opened the email Laura had sent with the images of Jackson’s two registered vehicles.

  Sofia studied the two vehicles. ‘I think maybe this first one – the car, not the van – I maybe see it before, but I no remember registration number.’

  ‘You saw Maria in the car?’

  ‘I no remember. I think maybe car has been around, but who with, I’m not sure. Sorry.’

  Kate offered her an appreciative smile. ‘You have nothing to be sorry for. I appreciate you letting me know what you found out.’

  ‘Oh, other thing I remember. I ask him if Maria work any of those group parties. You remember I say yesterday? He say no. He not know where she get money from either.’

  Kate thanked Sofia and waited for her to leave the restaurant, before heading back into the car park to collect her car. The question of how Maria had managed to raise ten thousand pounds in such a short period of time still rankled with Kate. Could Jackson have given it to her? If so, for what reason? And why then kill her after she’d given the money to her pimp? Surely if he planned to kill her he could have done so without handing over the money? And where did Petr Nowakowski fit in to all this?

  Despite the certainty in her gut that they were finally making progress with both investigations, she couldn’t shake the doubt that there was still so much more they didn’t know.

  Kate had just started the engine when her phone rang. ‘Hi Patel, go ahead.’

  ‘I thought you should know, ma’am, uniform were just called to Alfie Caplan’s house after neighbours phoned to report a fight.’

  ‘Between who?’

  ‘Apparently, Daisy’s brother just assaulted him. Should I tell uniform to bring them in?’

  Kate closed her eyes in frustration. The last thing Barry and Val needed was for Richard to be arrested too. ‘No, tell uniform to try and calm the situation and that I’m on my way over.’

  37

  The screeching of Kate’s brakes as she skidded to a stop caught everyone’s attention. Richard Emerson took one look at her before continuing to hurl insults at the house where Alfie Caplan resided with his mum and younger sister.

  ‘You too chicken to face me?’ Richard shouted, oblivious to the neighbouring residents sending disapproving looks from the safety of their porches and front windows. ‘Get out here, you fucking cheat!’

  The front door flew open and Alfie charged at Richard, sending the two of them to the ground as they tussled and fought to get the upper hand. Kate leaped from her car and charged towards the gate, taking it in a single bound, landing on the grass and springing forward to get between the two young men. She took a blow to the ribs from one of them, rolling away and feeling the damp mud soaking into the elbows of her suit jacket. She went for them again, trying to drag Richard off Alfie, but he was too strong and remained where he was, sending punch after punch into Alfie’s sides.

  Kate nodded for the two waiting constables to intercept them, and when Alfie and Richard had been separated, she told the officers to escort Richard to the car and wait for her return.

  ‘He assaulted me,’ Alfie shouted, as Richard was led away. ‘I want him charged. A dozen witnesses saw him punch me in McDonald’s car park.’

  ‘You deserved far worse,’ Richard fired back over his shoulder.

  ‘Enough!’ Kate shouted, pushing Alfie towards the house. ‘You can tell me about it inside.’

  The front door was still open from when he’d emerged, so he pushed it with his foot, stomping to the kitchen and filling a glass with water. He put it to his lips, the water spilling at the edges as he chugged it down.

  Kate pulled out a chair at the small kitchen table and sat. ‘You ought to put some ice on that,’ she said, pointing at the red lump forming on his cheek.

  Refilling his glass, he plonked down on the chair across from her. ‘I’ll live.’

  But Kate wasn’t prepared just to sit there and let him sulk. Pushing herself up, she moved to the combined fridge-freezer unit, and searched the lower half until she found a bag of peas. Pulling it out, she reached for a tea towel from the radiator, folded it in half over the packet and wound the ends tightly before pressing it to his cheek. ‘Hold this in place. It’ll help the swelling go down and bring the bruise out sooner.’

  He reluctantly pressed the pack where she’d put it.

  ‘I’m still waiting for you to tell me why your girlfriend’s brother just assaulted you.’

  ‘Ask him!’

  ‘I will in a moment, but for now I’m asking you.’

  ‘I don’t know what to tell you. I was at the McDonald’s in Swaythling getting a late breakfast, when he comes out of nowhere and starts attacking me.’

  ‘Attacking you how?’

  ‘I was heading back to my car as he was driving in, and the next thing
I know, he’s pulled over and is out of his car shoving me.’

  ‘He must have given you a reason why.’

  ‘He started accusing me of mistreating Daisy, but I kept saying I had nothing to do with her disappearance. I haven’t seen her. It’s hard on all of us.’

  ‘How did you get back here?’

  ‘I drove home, and the next thing I know he’s pulling into my road and starting again. I came inside for my own protection.’

  Kate fixed him with a stare. ‘You’re still holding back on me, Alfie, and I will get to the bottom of what’s going on.’ She stood.

  ‘Where are you going?’

  ‘I’m going to have a word with Richard now and see what he has to say for himself. You want to tell me anything else before I do?’

  He looked as if he might speak, but then shook his head.

  She pointed at the ice pack. ‘You should keep that on for twenty minutes, remove it, then give it twenty minutes before reapplying. Might be worth putting it on your knuckles for a bit too.’

  *

  Back outside, Kate’s breath swirled in condensation as she stretched out her ribs, certain she’d have her own bruise as a memento of the day.

  Kate tapped on the patrol car’s window, until the constable lowered it. ‘Can you get him out for me? I want a word with him in my car.’

  The constable exited and dragged Richard from the back seat, helping him into the front of Kate’s Audi.

  ‘Thanks for your support, guys,’ she called to the constables. ‘You can head on, I’ve got this now.’

  With the patrol car pulling away, Kate climbed back into her car, and started the engine so the heater would come on. ‘Well?’

  Richard shrugged. ‘What did he say?’

  ‘He said he wants you charged with common assault; that you jumped him for no reason in the car park and then followed him home so you could have another go.’

  ‘He was giving as good as he got.’

  Kate could see a similar red mark forming below Richard’s right eye. ‘So you’ve nothing to add? No mitigating circumstances I should take into account? What’s your mum going to say when she learns you’ve been arrested?’

  ‘She’ll understand when she learns why.’