Dangerous Girl_An utterly heart stopping thriller

by Emma Tallon

  The door opened, the torch shone over and she closed her eyes to the harsh, bright intrusion. She waited for him to sit on the chair he usually favoured, but this time he walked straight over to the bed. Her eyes flew open as she tried to get some small glimpse of him, but as the light moved, allowing her to see, she clocked the ski mask that covered his face. Her hopes dropped. He stopped by her feet and suddenly pulled up her calves.

  She screamed an almost silent scream, the agony almost making her pass out. She felt the ropes being moved off her ankles. She heard the tear of her skin as some of it pulled away with the rope where it had become half attached. Her eyes filled with tears as the pain intensified. The rope was pulled away totally, releasing a putrid stench from the rotting flesh.

  Unable to contain herself anymore, she heaved over to the side and retched onto the floor, the meagre contents of her stomach spilling out next to the bed. Her body kept convulsing even after there was nothing left. Hot tears fell down her face, one after the other, making track lines in the deep layers of dirt.

  She heard the clunking of the chain being picked back up from the floor and winced in renewed terror as he came to the top of the bed.

  ‘Please, no,’ she breathed, gulping in quick bursts of air as she began to go into shock. He grabbed at her bound wrists. She half-heartedly tried to pull away, her lack of strength evident. He tutted.

  ‘Stop it,’ he ordered curtly, his words sounding deep and guttural through the voice changer. ‘I’m just moving it to your wrists.’

  He attached one end of the chain to the ropes around her wrists and the other end onto the bedframe, then pulled hard to make sure that they were secure. Katherine watched as he carefully placed the putrid ropes he had taken off her ankles inside a plastic food bag and sealed it. With his gloved hand he put that bag inside another coloured plastic bag, hiding them from view.

  Wiping the dirty tears off her face, Katherine lay her aching head back on the pillow. He had listened to her after all. She had begged him to remove the ropes and finally he had. He was still a psycho, but perhaps there was a small sliver of humanity in there somewhere. She tried to reach out to it.

  ‘Thank you,’ she said quietly, her voice gravelly.

  There was a pause. ‘This was not for your comfort. If anything I need you to suffer. That is the only way this will work.’

  Katherine couldn’t answer, frozen at his words. It felt like there was a rock sitting heavily in the pit of her stomach where the last few strands of hope had been.

  He walked away with the bagged-up ropes, shut the door and left her there alone again. It was only after he went that she sinkingly realised he hadn’t left her any food this time.

  26

  Sarah Riley stared up at the swinging sign above the door of The Black Bear pub. She had heard of this place but had never had cause to visit it. It wasn’t exactly somewhere she was keen to be entering either, but in this instance she had no choice. Freddie Tyler was currently inside, and she had to speak to him urgently. There was no time to set up a meeting or wait until he was somewhere she was more comfortable with. Taking a deep breath, she strode forward and through the front door.

  The décor of the place was traditional. The mahogany bar was polished to a shine, and the brass beer pumps were complemented by the warm tones on the walls. Small round tables were dotted around the room surrounded by sturdy wooden chairs, and comfortable booths lined one of the walls. If this place wasn’t one of the most notorious hubs for organised crime gangs in London, she would have quite liked it.

  The chatter in the room slowed to a stop as the people drinking at the tables registered Sarah. Eyes looked her up and down, and expressions turned hostile. One of the men in the corner snorted in surprised amusement. Not all of them knew who she was personally, but they could tell she was filth. The way she dressed, walked, held herself all gave it away. She wasn’t stupid; she knew this was the case. But then again, she wasn’t trying to hide who she was.

  Lifting her chin in forced confidence, Sarah slowly walked forward through the long room. Out of the corner of her eye she saw two of the men who had been seated at the end of the bar get up and fall in line behind her, closing off her route to the door. Her heart began to race, but she held her outward composure. It wouldn’t do to let the bastards think they were scaring her. The only sound came from a radio somewhere behind the bar.

  She moved slowly, to appear casual, checking round the high backs of each booth, looking for Freddie. As she reached the far end, she heard the hum of a quiet conversation, which had continued regardless of her presence, coming from the end booth. She sped up her pace a little, and as the inside of the booth came into view, she almost felt a small wave of relief. He was here.

  Freddie paused mid-sentence and blinked at her, frowning. ‘And what the fuck are you doing here?’

  He leaned out and looked back down towards the busier end of the bar. ‘I wondered why you’d all gone quiet. What’s the matter, no one fancy pork for dinner?’

  There was a wave of laughter, and he grinned at them before sitting back straight. He looked up at her and raised one eyebrow in disdain. The two men behind her stood together, clearly awaiting instruction from Freddie.

  Sarah had gone red at his comment but stayed silent, well aware of the vulnerable position she was in. Police were far from welcome in this pub. She was beginning to question whether she had made the right choice. If Freddie decided to throw her to the wolves here, anything could happen. But what she had to say couldn’t have waited.

  ‘I asked you a question,’ Freddie said to her. He stubbed out the cigarette he was smoking in the ashtray in front of him. Yet another middle finger to the law, she noted. But of course that was nothing of importance to a man like him. She cleared her throat.

  ‘I need to talk to you and it can’t wait,’ she answered simply.

  He stared her out, the dislike clear in his face. Eventually he looked behind her and gave the nod to the two men with a wink. She felt them move away and heard them take their places back at the bar. She breathed out and relaxed her stance slightly.

  Freddie turned to the two men he was sitting with, who were watching the exchange with open interest.

  ‘Excuse us for a minute, will you?’

  ‘Sure. No problem, Freddie.’ They stood up and went to refill their glasses at the other end of the bar.

  Freddie motioned towards the empty bench. ‘Sit.’

  ‘I’m not a dog, Mr Tyler,’ Sarah snapped, her eyes narrowed.

  Freddie raised his eyebrows and screwed his mouth to one side as if in disagreement. Sarah fought the urge to rip into him but reminded herself where she was. She let it go grudgingly.

  ‘Do you actually know where you are?’ he asked, genuinely curious.

  ‘I’m well aware.’

  ‘Then have you got a death wish?’ His eyes glinted wickedly as she squirmed in her seat. ‘You realise that if anyone in here decided to do anything to you due to your, er, life choices, shall we say, then there ain’t one person in this room that wouldn’t back them up. Your kind ain’t welcome in here. Most of these men have either gone away or had someone they care for taken away by one of you.’

  ‘Well then, maybe they should—’

  ‘I’d be very careful what you say right now,’ Freddie interrupted her with a slow, deliberate tone that brooked no nonsense. Sarah felt a chill run through her as his eyes pierced into her intently. ‘These men take an even bigger dislike to coppers who play both sides of the law and still have the gall to look down on them. And let’s face it, you’re more bent than Elton John.’

  ‘I most certainly am not.’ Sarah’s tone was indignant.

  ‘Oh, save me the production,’ Freddie scorned. ‘You think you hide it well, but you don’t – not to the people who look closely. Your watch for example. You don’t see many plods with TAG Heuers on their wrists. Or driving top-of-the-range Mercs either.’

  Sarah held his stare.
‘My finances are nothing to do with you, nor do they make me bent,’ she spat.

  ‘No. But when a little birdy tells me that you don’t come from money and live a sad, single life alone with your cat, it makes me wonder.’

  Sarah took a deep breath and refocused the conversation on what had brought her here in the first place.

  ‘Listen’ – she dropped her voice – ‘something was left on Hargreaves’ back step this morning. It’s from the kidnapper.’

  ‘Not here,’ Freddie barked, silencing her. The last thing he needed was to look like he was working with the police, especially here.

  ‘Where then?’ she asked.

  ‘My cabin at the docks. One hour.’

  ‘Fine.’ She turned and glanced warily at the sea of unfriendly eyes between her and the door. As she looked back at Freddie she could see the amusement in his face. He was enjoying her unease. Lifting her chin, she walked swiftly back out the way she came.

  As she neared the door one of the men watching her jumped forward and barked near her ear. She nearly jumped out of her skin, and the crowd around her burst into cruel, raucous laughter. She straightened herself and marched out of the front door.

  Freddie chuckled under his breath as his companions once again took their seats. The older of the two men smiled at Freddie curiously.

  ‘Ain’t that the pig that’s been sniffing round about that missing girl? Surely they don’t think you had anything to do with it.’

  ‘Nah, they know I haven’t.’ Freddie stared at the doorway Sarah had just left through, hiding his annoyance. ‘She’s just taken a little fancy to me. Likes the idea of a man the wrong side of the tracks and don’t seem to understand the feeling ain’t mutual.’

  ‘Ha!’ He banged his hand on the table and shook his head. ‘Bloody hell, Fred. That ain’t the attention you need. And what is she like, walking in here like that? That desperate cow needs to go find someone in her own world to give her a good seeing to. Jesus.’ His gravelly voice held a melodic Irish accent.

  ‘Now that I agree with!’ Freddie laughed. ‘And hopefully that’s exactly what she will do.’

  He downed the last of his drink and stood up. ‘I have to get off. So have your guy meet Robbie at the gym ring tomorrow and we’ll see how it goes. Hopefully he has what it takes.’

  ‘Will do, Freddie. Thanks again.’

  ‘No problem at all.’ Freddie patted the older man on the shoulder respectfully as he passed. As he reached the man who had barked at Sarah, he grinned and chuckled again with him, then left to head to the docks.

  27

  Freddie walked down the cobbled path towards his office in the bright sunshine and breathed in the breeze that flowed off the river. He loved London in the summer. Everyone else seemed to prefer the country or the beach, but not Freddie. Here was the place to be. London. The centre of the universe.

  He frowned as he heard raised voices coloured with anger. The path curved round and the Portakabin came into view. Alan stood with his back to the front door, his stance stubborn and his arms crossed. Sarah Riley was right in front of him, her hand on her hips as she argued. She leaned forward and stretched up to her full height so that she towered over him. Alan did not move and determinedly stuck his chin out further. Freddie growled under his breath. Who the fuck did she think she was, trying to intimidate one of his men like that? He quickened his pace and approached the scene.

  ‘Hey, what are you doing?’ He pushed past her and then walked back into her personal space, forcing her away from Alan. Sarah stepped back and took a deep breath, straightening the front of her jacket.

  ‘You just told me to meet you here,’ she snapped.

  ‘Yeah, meet me here, not go ahead and let yourself in. Alan works for me, and as we’ve discussed before, I don’t take kindly to one of mine being treated disrespectfully.’

  Sarah pursed her lips and narrowed her eyes. The reminder of their last ‘conversation’ was enough to keep her from commenting further.

  Alan let out a heavy breath and stepped away from the door, more relaxed now that there was no banshee trying to force her way into places she wasn’t allowed. He righted his flat cap on his head and acknowledged Freddie with an upward tip of the head. ‘Alright, Freddie?’

  ‘Good, mate. You?’

  ‘Yeah. I’ll see ya later.’

  ‘OK. Thanks, Alan.’

  Opening the door, Freddie walked in and motioned with his hand for Sarah to follow. He took his seat behind the desk, crossed his fingers in front of him and waited. After a moment’s hesitation Sarah closed the door and walked over to the desk. She unbuttoned her jacket and pulled an evidence bag out of her inner pocket. She dropped it onto the desk in front of Freddie. Freddie picked it up and began studying the contents through the plastic.

  ‘It arrived this morning in an empty cake box on the back step. I took it to forensics and they confirmed that it definitely is Katherine’s blood. There’s infection too; she’s not in a good condition. There are other particles but nothing that directly gives away the location. Some soot and other common London grime suggests that this comes from somewhere still in the city. No DNA on there from anyone else.’

  Freddie turned the ropes over in his hands. ‘What about the cake box?’

  ‘Nothing of any use. Some vanilla icing smudged on the inside. It’s a basic, cheap white box that half the bakeries in London use. No prints or DNA on that either.’

  ‘And I’m guessing you’re going to tell me that there are no cameras on the back of the house either, right?’

  ‘Correct. They don’t have cameras at all.’

  ‘Can you get the tapes from the local traffic cameras?’

  ‘I’ve got someone working on that at the moment.’

  ‘Get them over to me as soon as possible.’

  Sarah frowned then raised one eyebrow. ‘I don’t answer to you, Tyler. I’m only passing this on because I’ve been directly ordered to by Hargreaves. Don’t think for a second that we’re working together.’

  Freddie sat forward and frowned back at her. ‘Just get me the tapes. I don’t know what you’ve got stuck up your arse, but whatever it is, pull it out, get off your high horse and get on with your job. I want this stupid girl found. I don’t give a flying fuck what you do or don’t like here, that is the only objective.’

  ‘You know what, I’ll tell you something now, sunshine: you might be the high and mighty here in your seedy little underworld, but you are nothing in my world. When this is over I’m going to be watching you like a hawk. I’m going to have you followed wherever you go. I’m going to make it my mission’ – she leaned forward over the desk – ‘to bring you in for every tiny little misdemeanour. I’m going to wait for that one mistake you make that trips you up and gives me everything I need to lock you away for a very long time. And when that day comes’ – she stood back up and smiled coldly – ‘I’m going to relish it.’

  Freddie’s mouth curled slowly into a smile as he watched her, and after she had finished talking he burst out laughing. His deep, rumbling laughter filled the small space, and after a minute he shook his head at her, not able to stop. Sarah blinked, not expecting this response. Her body filled with frustrated anger at his mocking laugh. Without another word, she turned and swept back out of the Portakabin, slamming the door behind her.

  As soon as he was sure she was gone, Freddie stopped laughing, and his grin turned down to a wry smile. He pulled out his cigarettes from his pocket and lit one. DCI Sarah Riley wouldn’t be putting him or anyone else away once this was all over. After all this had been dealt with, he would make sure that she never worked in the force again.

  Freddie picked the bag up again. Still no blackmail, no demands – nothing. What was this person thinking? What was going on inside their head? If Freddie didn’t work it out soon, he’d lose everything.

  28

  Tanya put her arm through Daniel’s as they left Club Anya and waved goodbye to the bouncers. She smil
ed happily as they walked down the road on their way out of Soho. The streets were busy with merry-makers as was usual for 11.30 p.m. on a Friday. Tanya had been working her shift at the club when Daniel had turned up to surprise her. Carl had immediately offered to close up, insisting that she go enjoy herself, when she’d introduced her new boyfriend to him.

  Boyfriend, Tanya giggled internally. It sounded so strange. She had never really had a proper boyfriend before. She had casually seen people in the past for a little while, but nothing serious. Mainly she just dated and things never really worked out. Not that she was fussed – she had plenty in her life and didn’t need a boyfriend to be happy. But it was a nice change to have someone she could talk to and share things with in that way that couples do. It was certainly something she could get used to. She wrapped the long, polished fingers of her free hand around his arm and smiled up at him warmly.

  ‘I still can’t believe you’re here. What with your work and mine, it’s near impossible to get you to myself on a Friday night.’ She said it lightly, no accusation behind her words.

  ‘I know. But it turns out that I have this entire weekend totally work free. The client I was working with had to go away at short notice,’ Daniel replied enthusiastically. ‘Which means that I actually have some prime, quality time with my best girl.’ He stepped in front of her and grasped her to him, lifting her slightly off the ground with a big grin on his face. Tanya shrieked and laughed at him, wrapping her arms around his neck. ‘That is, if you think you can manage to free up your schedule too?’ He leaned forward and kissed the tip of her nose.

  Two lads smoking outside a nearby bar gave a whistle. ‘Oi, oi, get a room, you two.’