by M A Comley
The phone rang again. Carla did the honours and answered it. She stared at Sara, her eyes wide open. “Can I ask you to hold the line for a moment, Miss Shaw?” She covered the mouthpiece with her hand. “This woman says she’s Harvey Burrows’ former girlfriend, says she has some information for us, but doesn’t want to tell us over the phone.”
“Okay, get her address, we’ll shoot over there now.” It was almost six-fifteen, so much for telling Mark she would be leaving around five. She made a mental note to call him on the way to the woman’s house. “Craig, are you okay to work longer?”
He waved a hand. “Sure. I’m enjoying myself, why would I want to go home?”
Sara chuckled. “Fair enough.”
Carla ended the call and stood up. “She’s out at Bobblestock.”
“Let’s go. I’m dying to hear what she has to tell us.”
They set off, and en route, she rang Mark. He wasn’t angry with her at all for going back on her word, not that she had expected him to be. “I’ll see you later. We’ve got to stick with it now, love, I’m sensing we’re closing in on the bastard.”
“You’ve got to do what you think best, Sara. Just be careful out there. Come home in one piece.”
She giggled. “I’m going to do my very best. See you later.” She jabbed the End Call button.
“He’s a good man, Sara. You’ve got a gem and a half there.”
Sara briefly glanced sideways at her partner and patted her on the knee before returning her attention to the road ahead. “You’ll find your own knight in shining armour soon, hon.”
Carla sighed. “I think I’d rather stay single. Less hassle that way.”
“Answer me one thing, do you believe Gary was behind the attack?”
“Truthfully? I don’t think so. I doubt he’d have it in him to either pounce on me or get someone else to do it on his behalf. I’m intrigued to know who did, though.”
“I haven’t forgotten about it, I promise. Let’s get this case out of the way and we’ll throw some resources at finding your attacker next.”
“I’m fine, don’t worry about me. It was a minor blip which has taught me to be more wary regarding my surroundings in the dark.”
“That’s so wrong. You shouldn’t need to go through life checking over your shoulder, expecting something to happen.”
“I know, but what’s the answer?”
“We’ll find them, rough them up a bit before we haul their arses into the station.”
Carla laughed. “You’re hysterical when you’re riled up.”
“Thanks, although I was trying to be assertive. What number was it again?”
“Fifty-three. It’s the one with the red door.”
Sara parked the car and they exited the vehicle. The house, a neat little semi-detached, stood out like a beacon in the dark. “How to drain the national grid within one household.”
Carla sniggered.
Sara withdrew her warrant card from her pocket and knocked on the door. A woman in her late fifties opened it and gestured for them to step inside. “Come in, come in. Elizabeth is waiting for you in the sitting room.”
“Don’t you want to check our IDs first?”
“If you insist.” She nodded once she’d viewed their warrant cards and urged them to enter.
They followed her through the house to a large lounge at the rear. A young woman sitting in a wheelchair greeted them with an awkward smile.
“Are you Elizabeth Shaw?” Sara asked.
“Yes, that’s right. Are you the officers dealing with the missing person cases?”
“Yes, I’m DI Sara Ramsey and this is my partner, DS Carla Jameson.”
“Please, take a seat. I’m very nervous about speaking to you, but I think it’s a necessity.”
Sara and Carla sat on the sofa opposite the young woman. “We’re so glad you called us. Perhaps you can tell us what you know about Harvey Burrows?”
“I intend to. There’s a lot to tell you. Mum, would you make the officers a drink, please?”
“Of course. Sorry, I should have asked. What would you like?”
“Two coffees, milk, one sugar would be great, if it’s not putting you out.”
“It’s not. I’ll be right back.” She cast her daughter a worried glance and reluctantly left the room.
Once the door was closed, Elizabeth let out a relieved sigh. “She smothers me at times. I know she’s only looking out for me, but it’s still a struggle all the same.”
“I’m sure her intentions are good.”
“They are. Anyway, you don’t want to hear about my dull existence. Where do I start?”
“At the beginning would be best. You said you’re the former girlfriend of Harvey’s, how long did you go out with him?”
“Over two years. I suppose you could say I know him well. Him and his brother, Daniel, not sure if you’re aware of this or not, but they’re twins.”
Carla jotted the information down and glanced up at Sara who was looking her way with her eyebrow raised.
“Twins? Are they identical?” Sara asked.
“No, far from it. Even in nature. Harvey is a go-getter in life. When he sets his mind on something, he goes after it with gusto.”
“I see… and Daniel, does he try to hold his brother back?”
“Not really. Most of the time, he takes a back seat and lets Harvey get on with things. Every now and again, when he believes his brother has gone too far, he’ll snap and cut him off for a few days, until Harvey backs down and apologises. I find it hard to believe that Harvey is connected with the missing person cases we’ve been hearing about on the news all week. Saying that, I shouldn’t really be surprised, not when I cast my mind back to how he treated me.”
“If it’s not too upsetting for you, would you mind telling us how you got together?”
“I used to work at a gym in town. I can see the confusion written on your face. I wasn’t always in a wheelchair, it’s only been in the last two years…” She swiftly wiped away a stray tear and cleared her throat. “I refuse to get upset. I’m over it, over him.”
“If you want to take a break at any time, please do. We’ve got all the time in the world, there’s no rush.”
“No, it’s important for me to tell you this. I need to do it, if only to give me peace of mind. I’ve been struggling to find any of that lately, stuck in this thing.”
Sara smiled. “It must be a tough situation for you to get used to.”
“Some days are better than others. The winter mornings are the worst, the weather has a major affect on my joints, and I spend most days trembling, trying hard to keep warm. The doctor says it’s all in my head, or words to that effect. It’s all down to the accident, you see.”
“What accident? Do you have it in you to tell us what happened?”
The door opened, and Elizabeth’s mother entered the room. She set a tray down on the coffee table and retraced her steps to close the door. Then, she distributed the mugs and sat in the easy chair close to her daughter. “Have I missed anything? Have you told them what that bastard did to you?”
“Mum! Let it go. What’s done is done. There’s no turning back the clock, you know that.” Elizabeth rubbed her mother’s arm.
“He should have been punished, love. It’s not right that he should be walking the streets after what he did to you. He stole your life, your independence.”
Sara stared at the exchange between the two women; her curiosity heightened, but she held back, not wishing to interrupt.
“It’s all right, Mum. We’re coping, aren’t we?”
Her mother tugged a tissue from the box beside her and dabbed at her eyes. “Yes, but life as we knew it is long gone now. He should have been punished… instead…”
“Leave it, Mum. There’s no point going round in circles about this. I’m fine, I’m alive, that’s all that matters.”
“But at what cost?”
Elizabeth stared at her mother, and neither
of them spoke for a few moments. “I need to speak to the officers, they don’t want to hear this, Mum.”
“Very well. In other words, ‘sit here and shut my mouth’ is that it?”
Elizabeth smiled at her mother. “You’ve got it in one. Sorry about that. Sometimes, the raw emotions emerge when we least expect them.”
Sara smiled. “It’s fine. By listening to your conversation, am I right in assuming that Harvey caused your disability?”
Elizabeth’s chin dipped to rest on her chest. She raised it again, and Sara saw the unshed tears welling up. “Yes. Of course, he denies it, but yes, he did this to me. The surgeon told me that I’m lucky to be alive. Sometimes, I wish I’d never survived.”
Her mother gasped. “Elizabeth! Please, don’t say that. I can’t imagine life without you here.”
“It’s a fact, Mum. I keep strong most days because I’m afraid of upsetting you.”
Her mother broke down. Elizabeth glanced at Sara and Carla and shrugged. She mouthed she was sorry and Sara smiled, letting her know that everything was okay.
“I do my best for you, Elizabeth. Your disability has turned both our lives upside down, not just yours. But I will never give up on you, no matter how much you try to push me away, and you do at times, believe me.”
“I’m sorry, Mum. I don’t mean to. I have days when I recall what my life used to be like. The fun I used to have going on walking expeditions with my friends.”
“The same friends who have deserted you since the accident,” her mother stated with another sniffle.
Elizabeth gulped. “Thanks for the unwelcome reminder.”
“Oh gosh, I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ll keep quiet.”
“Is that a promise?” Elizabeth asked, a glimmer of a smile tugging at her lips.
Her mother bowed her head in shame.
Sara sucked in a deep breath. “Would it be too hard, for both of you, if you explained how the accident happened?”
“Not for me. I can’t change history. I’m stuck with the consequences, but life goes on, for all of us.” Elizabeth shrugged and sighed a little and then added, “Harvey and I went on a walking holiday to West Wales, to Pembrokeshire. We were having a marvellous adventure, discovering the extensive coastline in that area.” She smiled a little at the memory. “We rented a cottage close to the sea, so we had the exceptional walks nearby and were able to take off at will. Well, this particular day, Harvey had got up in a foul mood. I told him the walk would do him some good, it’s surprising how invigorating a bracing walk by the sea can be, blows the cobwebs away, usually.” She paused to sweep back a lock of hair. “Anyway, he agreed, but during the five-mile walk, his mood didn’t alter at all, not in the slightest. I tried to draw him out of what appeared to be a depression, but it was as if he was revelling in being in a foul mood, if that makes sense. In the end, I walked on ahead, there was no way I was going to let him upset me and put a downer on the fabulous walk. He let me get a few hundred yards ahead of him, and the next thing I knew, he was standing beside me. I asked him if he was all right. He nodded, didn’t speak and just stared at me. I chose to ignore him, thinking that he’d share what was bothering him, eventually. I wasn’t about to let him spoil my day. The scenery in that particular area was breathtaking. I stood on the headland and stared out at the stunning coastline off to the left and to the right. Suddenly…” Elizabeth paused, gulped and stared off at the wall behind Sara.
“If it’s too much, please, don’t put yourself through the agony of telling us all the details.”
“No, I have to. Every now and then, I need to voice how my disability occurred. Somehow it makes life bearable again for a few months. I know some people find that incredibly hard to believe, but it’s true.” Her gaze drifted over to her mother and she reached for her hand. “As I was saying, suddenly, I felt a hand in my back and the next moment, I was falling down the cliff face. My mind whirling as fast as I was travelling. Fear enveloped me and I grappled, trying to grab hold of some vegetation jutting out of the rocks, but there was nothing. You know what they say about life flashing before your eyes, it’s true. I struggled to find anything. I ended up praying that something would break my fall. No sooner had the thought occurred to me, I came to a grinding halt when I landed on a ledge. I heard Harvey crying out for help. I can’t tell you if he’d been shouting before I came to a halt or not, that’s still fuzzy in my mind. I suspect he hadn’t. Truth be told, he was watching my fall with a sinister sneer etched into his features.”
What the fuck? Incredulity swept through Sara. “Really? You’re convinced he pushed you and you didn’t just lose your footing on the edge?”
“I’m positive that was the case.”
“What happened next?”
“The rescuers came, thank goodness. One of them abseiled down the cliff face with a stretcher and I was pulled up to the top again. Harvey was all over me. Crying, kissing my face. I couldn’t move, it was impossible to pull away from his false concern. I knew then that I had suffered serious damage to either my back or my neck. As it turned out, my neck was broken.” She glanced down at the wheelchair. “And this is the result. I’m going to be forced to spend the rest of my life in this damn chair.”
“I’m sorry to hear that, Elizabeth. Maybe the doctors will come up with a cure for your condition soon. Or am I talking baloney?”
Elizabeth smiled. “We’re always hopeful, Mum, aren’t we?”
“We are, love. We have to believe that, one day, a miracle might come our way.”
Sara’s heart went out to the young woman and her mother. She couldn’t imagine the heartbreak the couple had gone through to get this far. “And Harvey? Did you complain to the police?”
“Oh, yes. He was arrested and the case went to court. The police believed me.”
“That’s great news. I’m sensing things didn’t go as planned.”
“That’s right. His family is mega-rich, you see. They employed the services of a top barrister. There was no sympathy for me when he got me on the stand. He let rip, demoralised me and made me out to be a bloody liar.”
“How awful, after all you’d been through, to be confronted with such callous behaviour.”
“It rocked my world. Harvey got off on a technicality. Outside the courthouse, he and his family stood around, laughing with the barrister as Mum and I wheeled past them. It was horrendous, one of the worst days in my life, apart from when I went head first over that edge, that is. It took me months to recover from the humiliation. Knocked my confidence. I had dark thoughts and was desperate to end my life. Mum had to hide my pills from me. I used to lie in bed at night and cry myself to sleep. At the time, I thought my quality of life stank, sometimes, I still think that way. But then, his face appears in my mind and my determination grows… I’ve just realised what I’ve said, this truly isn’t me trying to get revenge. Harvey is definitely the man in that photo, I swear he is. I wouldn’t deliberately try to set out to destroy someone else’s life, unlike some I could mention.”
“To put your mind at ease a little, we’ve had a few calls mentioning Harvey’s name, so I have no doubt what you’re telling us is the truth. Have you had any contact with him since the court case?”
“He pops up on my phone now and again with a text message, asking how I am.”
Her mother gasped. “You never told me that, Elizabeth.”
“Because I didn’t want to upset you, Mum. It’s fine. I ignore the messages. I refuse to get rid of my number before you suggest it.”
“Very well, I won’t suggest it then.” Sara smiled. “All I can do is reassure you that we’re closing in on him. We can’t arrest him just yet, as we have to consider the girls he has abducted. But now that he’s killed one of them, we’re going to find him and put him under surveillance.”
“I don’t understand,” Mrs Shaw said.
“If they arrest him now, Mum, the girls might die if he doesn’t reveal the location where he’s keeping th
em.”
“Ah, yes, of course, silly me.”
“That’s right. You said he comes from a wealthy family, can you tell us a little about his background?”
“Yes, his mother and father own a stately home out near Ross-on-Wye, but they’ve always refused to give their sons handouts. Right from the time Harvey and Daniel left university, their parents told them they had to make their own way in this world.”
“Okay. What job does Daniel do?”
“He’s a financial advisor, they both are.”
“In Hereford?”
“Yes, in the centre of the city. It’s called Burrows Finances.”
“Excellent news. Would I be pushing my luck if I asked you for Harvey’s address?”
“Not at all.” She reeled off his address and the road where his brother lived, but she fell short of supplying the house number for Daniel’s home.
Sara’s phone rang. “Sorry, will you excuse me a moment? Carla, can you see if Elizabeth can give us anything else, like where his parents live exactly? Maybe Harvey’s car details? Thanks, I’ll just take this in the hall.”
“Go, I’ve got this,” Carla shooed her out of the room.
Sara answered the phone quietly in the hallway. “Craig, what’s up?”
“Umm… I’ve just received a worrying call from a concerned parent, boss.”
“Concerned? Can you enlighten me as to why they should be concerned?”
“Actually, I’ve received two calls within minutes of each other that have piqued my interest.”
“Go on, sounds promising.”
“The first was from a woman who was crying, I had a problem making out what she was saying to begin with. I thought she was one of those crank callers, messing me about. Anyway, once I could hear her coherently, she told me the woman in the photo with the suspect is her daughter, at least, she thinks it’s her.”
Sara’s heart leapt with interest, but then sank when she realised what that meant. She’d have to break the news to the woman that her daughter was lying in the mortuary. “Crap. Did she give you a name?”