Hardy nodded. ‘Quite a lucrative market, the unofficial transplant of organs. Most people can survive with just one kidney, and these predators will pay good money for one if you can find them. Doesn’t tend to be a big thing in the UK, mind you. It’s a much bigger issue in the developing world, but I thought it might give your investigation some steer.’
‘Is there any way to find out where this page was printed? If we could trace the original printer and computer you’d be able to find the website and possibly this Guardian Angel, right?’
‘In theory, but being able to narrow down exactly where this was printed could take a lot of hours and even more luck.’
Kate looked at him pleadingly.
‘All right, all right,’ he sighed. ‘Leave it with me and I’ll see what I can do. You look exhausted, Kate. Don’t you ever go home to rest?’
‘No,’ she smiled back, as he left the room.
Kate was about to lift the phone and call Laura, when it suddenly rang. ‘DI Kate Matthews,’ she said, answering it.
‘Ma’am,’ Freeborn said urgently. ‘I was just called by the mobile phone company. Daisy Emerson’s phone was just switched on. They have its location.’
Kate grabbed a pen and paper. ‘Talk to me.’
Freeborn relayed the coordinates. ‘I’m at my brother’s in Portsmouth at the moment. You want me to meet you there?’
But Kate was already grabbing her car keys and coat, racing out of the door.
54
Throwing her coat onto the passenger seat, Kate dived into the Audi and started the engine, punching the coordinates into the Satnav and flooring the accelerator as she shot out of the car park, her blue lights and siren warning other drivers of her urgency. Her wipers squawked as they battled with the falling snowflakes but Kate was oblivious to the noise, her heart pounding and mind racing as her subconscious pieced together everything she’d seen and heard in the days since Daisy had disappeared.
‘Laura, where are you?’ she called out as her phone connected via Bluetooth.
‘We just got to Phillips’ office, but he’s not here. His phone is on charge, but there’s no sign of him. Security had to let us in.’
‘Daisy’s phone was just switched on at a place called Old Harry Rocks off the Dorset coast.’
‘She’s alive?’
‘That, or he’s messing with us. I’m en route now, but I need backup. Freeborn can send you the coordinates.’
‘Wait, and we’ll join you.’
‘There’s no time. I need to get there before the signal goes. Have Rogers double-check he’s not at home, but get there as quick as you can.’
‘I know the place you’re going,’ Laura said. ‘My dad used to take me there as a child. Three chalk formations jutting out to sea. According to legend, the devil used to sleep on the rocks. Go careful, ma’am, the pathways up there are precarious, and in this weather, make sure you’re not ambushed.’
‘Do me a favour, Laura. See if you can get any kind of air support over that way. I’m not sure they’ll be able to fly in these conditions, but explain it’s an emergency and see what they say. Have you heard from Humberidge yet?’
‘No, ma’am, but I’ll follow up with him and let you know as soon as Vardan is in custody.’
‘We need warrants to search each of their homes and offices for evidence of their involvement in illegal organ transplants.’
‘Ma’am?’
‘Nowakowski was trying to sell a kidney to someone called Guardian Angel. We need to check their hard drives, phones and tablets for confirmation of who Guardian Angel is.’
‘I’ll get Humberidge and Quinlan on it.’
Kate disconnected the line, focusing on the road ahead, the traffic starting to clear, but the dark night sky enveloping the horizon.
*
The air was heavy with the smell of sea salt as Kate pulled into the South Beach car park, the uneven ground crackling beneath the tyres as she strained to see anyone who might have turned on Daisy’s phone. Completing a circle of the car park, she spotted two empty cars, parked at the far side, and as she continued around, the headlights finally fell on a shadowy figure just beyond the wooden railing that ran the perimeter of the cliff top. Parking as close as she could, Kate left the lights on as she forced open her door against the rushing wind, feeling the bitter chill as soon as it scraped her cheeks.
Shielding her eyes from the snow that continued to fall, though not settle, she moved unsteadily forward, turning on the torch from her phone, trying to make out whether Vardan or Phillips had summoned her. But as she moved closer, the headlights causing her shadow to shrink as she neared the figure, the breath caught in her lungs as she recognised the blue and green woollen lumberjack’s coat, and the fur hat with the ear flaps pulled firmly down. If Neil Watkins had noticed her arrival, he hadn’t shown it.
‘Neil?’ Kate called out over the wind. ‘It’s Detective Matthews. Do you remember me?’
His shoulders tensed, and he looked back at her over his shoulder. ‘Yes.’
‘What are you doing here, Neil? Are you okay?’
‘I’m cold.’
Kate took a tentative step closer, not wishing to cause him alarm, remembering what Mrs Kilpatrick had told her about Neil’s apprehension around people he didn’t trust. ‘It is cold, Neil. Why don’t we get into my car where it’s nice and warm?’
‘No,’ he said pulling an angry face.
Kate took another step closer, her legs brushing the wooden railing. She wouldn’t be able to get any closer without climbing over it, and to do so, might raise alarm, and he was far too close to the edge of the cliff to risk sudden movement.
‘Will you at least come away from the edge, Neil? It’s dangerous.’
‘No. I like it here.’
Kate struggled not to shiver as the wind continued to blow snowflakes into them. ‘Just take a couple of steps backwards. I’m worried you might fall.’
His head turned back to the sea beyond the cliff face, but rather than moving away from the edge, he carefully sat down, dangling his legs over the edge. It wasn’t ideal, but was a fraction safer.
‘What are you doing out here, Neil?’
‘I like it here.’
‘But it’s so dark and cold. It’s not a very safe place to be.’
‘I come here to think.’
‘Yeah? What do you think about?’
‘Stuff.’
‘Like what, Neil?’
‘Can’t tell you.’
‘Why not?’
‘Not allowed.’
‘Why aren’t you allowed?’
‘It’s a secret.’
‘What’s a secret, Neil?’
‘Can’t tell you,’ he said, the anxiety growing in his voice.
‘But I’m a detective, Neil. Do you remember? Like Sherlock Holmes. You’re allowed to tell me secrets.’
‘No. Not allowed to tell you.’
‘Someone told you you’re not allowed to speak to me?’
‘Yes.’
‘Who, Neil? Who told you not to speak to me?’
‘Can’t say.’
Kate began to slowly lift her leg, but he noticed the movement of the shadow in the light, and turned back to face her. Kate quickly lowered the leg, holding her hands out passively. ‘Do you remember what you told me when we first met, Neil? You said you wanted to be a detective. Do you remember, Neil? You said you were smart enough to be like Sherlock Holmes.’
‘I am. I am smart.’
‘I know you are, Neil. You are smart. That’s why you turned on Daisy’s phone, isn’t it? You wanted me to find you.’
He didn’t answer, but his eyes told her she was on the right track. It triggered a fresh flurry of thoughts in her mind: someone connected with the school and Abbotts Way; someone who would use a shearing implement – like secateurs – to cut out Petr and Maria’s lifeless hearts; someone who wouldn’t be able to cope with the guilt of his actions; someone who could
n’t communicate what had happened because he had been manipulated into keeping quiet; someone who, in a final cry for help, did the only thing he thought would bring the police to his door.
‘You sent me the hearts, didn’t you, Neil?’
Again, he remained silent, but his eyes began to water.
‘You can trust me, Neil,’ Kate beckoned. ‘I’m one of the good guys. Like Sherlock Holmes. He does what’s right, doesn’t he?’
Neil nodded slowly.
Georgie Barclay’s description of the man she’d seen speaking to Daisy in the darkness echoed through Kate’s mind. ‘Do you know where Daisy is, Neil?’
Another nod.
‘Will you tell me?’
‘Can’t.’
‘You can tell me, Neil. I want to help Daisy. Is she still alive?’
‘She’s not safe.’
‘Not safe from whom?’
He screwed up his face as he fought against the building tears. ‘Can’t say.’
‘Is that why you took Daisy? To keep her safe.’
He nodded rapidly.
‘I want Daisy to be safe too. I promise you, Neil, I can protect her against whomever you’re afraid of.’
He blinked against the tears, his expression softening slightly.
‘You can help me make her safe, Neil. You could take me to her, and then we could protect her together. What do you think?’
He was starting to nod when a squeal of tyres shattered the silence behind them. Turning, Kate saw the flashing blue lights of Patel’s car skidding into place alongside hers. When she turned back to reassure Neil that there was nothing to worry about, he gave her one final look, shuffled forward and was gone. Kate’s scream disappeared with him into the darkness below.
55
Staggering forward, Kate’s legs were like jelly as she hoisted them over the wooden railing, stumbling perilously across the uneven ground, craning her neck forward as much as she dared. She held her arms out to maintain her balance, her feet edged slowly forward, but the buffeting wind wouldn’t allow her conscious mind to move any closer. Daring to look down at where she could hear waves crashing against rocks, she could see nothing but the abyss-like darkness, stretching forever.
Kate finally let air back into her lungs, as loose rocks trickled off the cliff face, as her foot edged her closer to peril.
‘Ma’am, ma’am?’
Kate wobbled at the calling of her name.
‘Ma’am – Kate – come back!’
Kate stumbled backwards, adrenaline flooding her system as her outstretched arms made contact with the wooden railing again.
Laura gripped Kate’s arms and held her in position. ‘Ma’am, I thought you were going to… never mind, what’s going on? Why were you staring over the edge? Who was here? Where’s Daisy?’
Kate stared wide-eyed at Laura. ‘I-I-I don’t know. He didn’t…’
‘He? He who, ma’am? What happened here? Was it Phillips? Was Phillips here?’
Kate shook her head vigorously.
‘Was it Vardan?’
Kate searched Laura’s face for answers. ‘Didn’t you see?’
‘See what, ma’am?’
Kate gesticulated to the edge of the cliff, but the words couldn’t escape her mouth. ‘He-he-he…’
Laura leaned over the railing as much as it would allow. ‘Someone went over?’
Kate nodded frantically, not even believing her own memory of events. ‘One minute he was there, and then…’
‘Ma’am, you should come back to this side of the railing. It’s not safe out there.’
Patel rushed over to them, each taking one of Kate’s hands and helping her back over the top. Kate bent forward, away from the cliff, willing herself not to throw up, as the adrenaline began to subside and her mind came to terms with what had happened.
Patel crouched down in front of her, tiny glitter-like snowflakes catching in his beard. ‘Can you tell us what happened? Take your time.’
The image of Watkins leaping flashed through her mind again, but she still couldn’t bring herself to admit what she’d witnessed.
Laura lowered Kate so they were sitting on the railing. ‘Who was here? Where’s Daisy’s phone?’
‘W-w-watkins. It was Neil Watkins. He had the phone… he sent the hearts… it was Watkins.’
‘Watkins?’ Laura checked, her face cloaked with confusion. ‘The groundsman from the school?’
Kate was nodding, but the memory was swiftly becoming a blur.
Laura looked over Kate’s shoulder. ‘You saw Watkins here? Was he leaning over? Did he lose his footing?’
Kate shook her head, blinking back the tears that were beginning to pool at the edge of her eyes. ‘Didn’t you see? He jumped.’
‘He jumped?’ Laura repeated, unable to keep the surprise from her tone.
Kate straightened up, feeling lightheaded. ‘One minute we were both here, and then he-he-he was over the railing and gone. Where were you two? Didn’t you see him?’
‘When we reached you, you were leaning over the edge,’ Laura said. ‘I thought you were going to fall, so I raced from the car, screaming your name. Didn’t you hear me?’
‘He must have panicked when your car approached. He was terrified. He wanted to tell me what’s been going on, but he couldn’t. Someone was making him keep quiet.’
Patel straightened, staring into the gulf of black. ‘I don’t understand, ma’am. What does Watkins have to do with Jackson and the other two?’
Kate clamped her eyes shut trying to order her thoughts into a logical sequence. ‘All I know is: Neil had Daisy’s phone, and he came here to switch it on. I think he wanted me to find him. He was terrified that whoever’s been manipulating him was a danger to Daisy. He said he was trying to keep Daisy safe.’ Kate’s eyes snapped open. ‘She must be close. That must be why he chose this place. We need to get everyone here straight away. We need the Coastguard, Search and Rescue, SSD, we don’t have long.’
*
The floodlight on the boat bobbed up and down as it rode the waves, lighting the foot of the cliff as a team of divers worked just beneath the surface of the water. Kate, Patel and Laura watched from the viewing platform nearby, as close as they could be without getting in the water. Kate’s eyes fell on the awkward shape of Neil’s body, his legs at opposite angles, splayed on three jagged rocks sticking out of the sea, waves crashing against them, sending white foam into the air and landing like snow on his torso. The drop must have been eighty feet at least, but she couldn’t remember him making a sound as he’d vaulted into the open air, like a trapeze artist expecting to be caught by a partner who didn’t appear.
At least he was at peace now, oblivious to the activity carrying on around him. The divers were working to identify whether he could have buried the chopped body parts of his victims nearby, but they wouldn’t be able to excavate properly until morning when the sea had moved back to reveal its secrets.
‘Coastguard has been up and down the shoreline,’ Patel advised, coming off the phone, ‘but there’s nowhere obvious he could be holding her. If this wind passes soon, the chopper is ready to go up and use heat-seeking equipment, but they’re still not cleared for take-off. Apparently, there’s a maze of caves around these parts, but with the tide in, it’s virtually impossible to search them. There’s not a lot else can be done until morning, ma’am. The supe wants us to get back to Southampton and wait for news. Personally, I think that’s the best idea. It’s freezing out here.’
Kate knew he meant well, but she didn’t want to leave until she found Daisy. ‘You two go. I want to wait.’
‘Can you remember anything else he said?’ Laura tried. ‘Any kind of clue where specifically he could have taken her? Given how cold it’s been this week, would he really hide her somewhere so exposed to the elements?’
‘He was too trusting,’ Kate said. ‘He was easily duped. A couple of boys convinced him to buy alcohol for them at the school once. It wouldn�
�t have been hard for one or all of the others to convince him to do their dirty work. But which one? What if Daisy witnessed what was going on at Abbotts Way? He couldn’t let her go to the police and blab everything, but if he told his partner what she’d seen, would the partner have ordered him to kill Daisy? He wasn’t a killer, I’m certain of it. Someone else is behind all this, and was using Neil. But who?’
Patel held his phone up. ‘Word from Humberidge is Vardan and Phillips are now in custody. Rogers picked up Phillips at his apartment. Why don’t we head back to the station and ask them all?’
Kate stared back out at the Coastguard’s boat, knowing she wouldn’t find the answers here. But determined that she would do whatever it took to bring Daisy home.
56
The cool-persona, polished grin and carefully coiffed hair were gone. Liam Phillips looked terrified as Kate entered the interview room and took her seat across the table from him. All they’d disclosed to the solicitor so far was that Phillips was involved in a double murder enquiry.
Kate had insisted on leading the interviews. She had to be in the driving seat as the finish line loomed in sight. Patel was alongside her to ensure she didn’t stray too far, and Laura had taken her place in the viewing suite. Both Jackson and Vardan had been set up in the next two interview rooms, and she would stalk from one to the next until she had the truth, and more importantly, the location of Daisy. According to Watkins, Daisy was alive, but she wouldn’t remain so for much longer. Jackson, Vardan and Phillips all had access to the school, and all had demonstrated they had the skills to manipulate a vulnerable man like Watkins who longed to be accepted. The question was: were they all involved or was it just one of them?
Kate watched Phillips as Patel started the recording and introduced them all. Phillips’ solicitor had objected to the lateness of the interview, but Kate had waved those concerns away. With a child’s life at stake, every second counted. The sweat shining off Phillips’ forehead confirmed he was worried about some sordid secret being exposed.
‘We know about you and Watkins,’ Kate began, watching his every twitch and jar. ‘And we know why Petr Nowakowski and Maria Alexandrou had to die.’
His eyebrows had almost formed a single line at the mention of Nowakowski’s name.
Cold Heart: Absolutely gripping serial-killer fiction Page 27