With a pang, Geraldine remembered how Nick had saved her life, and Sam’s too. Much to Sam’s chagrin, Nick had come to their rescue like a knight in shining armour. What made it worse was that the situation had been entirely Geraldine’s fault. Unwittingly, she had sent Sam to the house of a killer on her own. By the time Geraldine had realised her mistake, Sam had already arrived and was questioning a demented psychopath. Geraldine had raced after her sergeant too late to prevent them both being attacked. Only Nick’s quick thinking had saved their lives. Geraldine had escaped relatively unscathed, but Sam was still recovering from her injuries. They were both lucky to have survived the encounter. To his credit, Nick had never mentioned it afterwards, but Sam was still smarting from the debt she owed him. She had never liked Nick, her dislike exacerbated by his friendship with Geraldine.
By the time Geraldine heated up something to eat she had lost her appetite so instead of opening a bottle of wine she made herself a cup of tea. She sat down in front of the television, trying to take her mind off Nick, but she couldn’t stop thinking about him, wondering if he might still be alive if she had taken his concerns seriously. The thought made her cry again. Weak and lightheaded, she forced herself to eat something, still sobbing as she ate. She had never felt so alone, not even when she had first moved to the capital.
She wondered whether she ought to talk to a counsellor about what had happened. If she still felt upset in the morning, that might be sensible. Emotional distress could affect an officer’s judgement, and in her job errors of judgement could cost lives. As she had just demonstrated. On the other hand, the only other person who had known about her secret was dead. She didn’t have to confess her ineptitude to anyone else. What she did have to do was work out a way to deal with her secret. Finding Nick’s killer would help alleviate her guilt. She would start with that.
After clearing away her supper things she called Sam back.
‘I heard,’ were the first words Sam said. ‘How terrible. Are you all right? What happened? Or would you rather not talk about it?’
‘No, that’s OK. I mean, I’m OK talking about it. But there’s nothing much to say except that we’re on it, but we haven’t got anywhere yet.’
‘It’s early days.’
‘I know.’
‘If there’s anything I can do…’
‘You can get better and come back to work!’
Sam gave an appreciative grunt before asking, ‘Who’s working the case with you?’
‘You won’t know him. He’s called Max Grey. He’s been brought over from West London. Thinks he knows it all. You know the type. Arrogant youngster, barely out of college…’
‘Hey!’
Sam wasn’t much older than Max.
‘He’s a graduate on the fast track to promotion, thinks he’s going to be Commissioner by Christmas. And of course Reg falls for it. He thinks Max is a bright young lad. Well, he’s clever all right, but as for being a good officer, you’re worth ten of him. He’s been decent enough so far, but he’s ambitious as hell and I daresay he’ll turn out to be a bit of a shit.’
‘So you like him, then?’
Geraldine laughed for the first time since she had heard about Nick’s death. They chatted for a while, avoiding talking about their dead colleague.
After Sam rang off, Geraldine remained sitting on her sofa, dozing fitfully. Finally she dragged herself off to bed. Nick flitted in and out of her dreams, sometimes alive and flirting, at other times a grinning death’s head, drenched in blood. Once she woke from a dream in which her own hands were dripping with blood. In the dream she knew it was Nick’s blood, but she didn’t know why it was on her hands. She woke, trembling with terror and confusion, glad when morning came.
Before climbing out of bed, she leaned over to slide open her bedside drawer. Taking out an envelope, she pulled out an old photograph, the only souvenir she had of the mother she had never known. Having given her up for adoption at birth, her mother had refused to have any contact with her. Geraldine had spent some time searching for her mother. When she had finally traced her address she had summoned all her courage and gone to meet her, only to discover that the records were out of date and her mother had moved away. After a period of nearly unbearable expectation and apprehension, the disappointment had been acute. Fear of yet more disappointment had put her off making another attempt.
Nick’s death had reminded her that life was short. If she had agreed to go out with him when he had first asked her, they might have had more time together. It was a mistake to hold back. Under her breath, she made a promise to the sad-faced woman in the photograph who stared back at her with her own eyes. Once Nick’s killer was safely behind bars, Geraldine would look for her mother again. This time she would find her.
41
The following morning, Ed wanted to go in the garden to play football. Taking him out of the house was risky. Someone might spot them. Not only that, Ed might see his own face in a newspaper, or on a television news channel. Since the police had been round, snooping, he must have been reported missing. It had always only been a matter of time. He hadn’t watched the news but the story of Ed’s abduction must have hit the headlines by now. All the same, Brian realised he would struggle to keep the boy cooped up in the house forever. Although he had kept him occupied tolerably well so far, watching cartoons and playing games on the computer, he was becoming twitchy, asking to go to the park to play football, nagging to go home.
It was only four days since Ed had moved in with him, and Brian was already running out of ways to entertain him. They would have to move away soon, leave London altogether. If he could think of a way to get him out of the country, he would take him to France, or America. He would have to figure out how to get hold of a false passport for him if they were to go abroad. It was possible. People did it all the time, only Brian didn’t know how. Wherever they went, it would be best to act quickly, but first he had to gain the boy’s trust. Without that, the plan would come to nothing. Keeping him well fed was part of Brian’s campaign to win his affection. He had given him sausages and waffles for supper. He served the same for breakfast.
Luckily the wet weather had offered an excuse to stay indoors for a couple of days. That wouldn’t last. When the sun came out he would have to find another reason for him to stay inside. He couldn’t keep that up forever. It might be as well to meet the problem head on and take him out, drive away from London to some remote destination where he could run around and let off steam.
‘I thought we might go to the seaside. You’d like that, wouldn’t you?’
Ed’s eyes lit up. He bounced on his chair with excitement.
‘When can we go? Can we go today? Can we take a football?’
Brian was gratified by his enthusiasm. ‘Yes. We’ll get a football, if that’s what you want. We’ll take a picnic and eat it on the beach.’
‘And paddle in the sea!’
‘And run on the sand.’
Their eyes met in mutual understanding, and Brian felt a rush of joy at this unexpected connection with his new friend. As he cleared away the breakfast plates, he considered the options. He could suggest they go out in disguise, but that might alert the boy to the need for secrecy. He didn’t want him to start asking awkward questions. They couldn’t travel by train for fear of being recognised. If they got in the car quickly, right outside the house, the chances of anyone seeing them were negligible. It had to be worth that slight risk. A deserted beach would be an ideal place to take him. It was impossible to be absolutely certain they wouldn’t be caught on CCTV but that was unlikely. They were going to have a glorious day out, one they would both remember for the rest of their lives. What was more important was that the outing would cement their relationship. They would settle down together, and Ed would stop harping on about his mother and his brother.
‘We’re going to the seaside. And we can have lots more fun outings together after that. You like it here, don’t you? If there’s an
ything you want, you only have to say.’
‘I want my mum.’
‘But if you go home, you’ll have to go straight back to school, and we want to have some fun first, don’t we?’ he insisted. ‘You like it here, don’t you?’
‘I don’t like it here. It’s boring. And I haven’t got a toothbrush.’
‘You’re bored because we’ve been stuck indoors for so long. But look, it’s a lovely sunny day out there, perfect for going to the seaside. Let’s go today! And on the way we can stop off and get you a new toothbrush and some new clothes if you like. Anything you want.’
Ed screwed up his eyes and squinted up at Brian. ‘Why are you being so nice to me?’
‘I promised your mother I’d take good care of you, and that’s what I’m going to do. And besides that, I like you. You’re a very special boy. You know that, don’t you?’
‘What do you mean?’ He was still wary, but he was curious now as well. ‘What’s so special about me?’
Brian hesitated, wondering how much praise he could dish out without making Ed even more suspicious of him. With a flash of inspiration, he remembered that Ed was a twin. He was probably fed up of being lumped together with his brother all the time.
‘You have an independent spirit,’ he hazarded, taking care not to mention Matthew. ‘You’re an individual.’ From the way Ed’s shoulders relaxed, it was clear he liked that idea. ‘And you’re clever and funny. I don’t have much time for most people I meet, but I like you. I thought we were friends. Of course, we don’t have to go to the seaside today, if you’d rather go back to school.’
Ed shook his head, mumbling that he wanted to go to the seaside.
‘Good. Let’s get ready then. I’ve got some old shorts you can wear on the beach.’
‘I can’t wear your old shorts!’
Brian laughed at his outrage. ‘Then we’ll stop off and get you some new ones on the way. And you can help me choose the picnic.’
‘We need a football.’
‘Yes, we’ll get one on the way.’
Beach ball, football, Brian didn’t care. They were going to have a fantastic time at the seaside, just the two of them. They didn’t need anyone else. It was frustrating that Ed was taking so long to grasp that. They couldn’t afford to wait much longer. Soon they would need to start making plans to leave England for good.
42
Seconds after Brian slammed the front door they were inside the car and accelerating away from the house. He glanced at Ed, sitting beside him on the front passenger seat. His face partly concealed behind the sunglasses Brian had given him, he was grinning and chattering excitedly about what he wanted to buy for their trip. No one who saw him would recognise him behind the large lenses, and no one could possibly suspect he wasn’t with his father. They drove out of London, finally stopping at a massive out-of-town shopping centre on the way to the coast. Stepping out of the lift, Brian noticed there weren’t many children around. They would all be at school. Nervously, he took Ed’s hand.
‘You don’t want to get lost here.’
‘I won’t get lost,’ he answered with the cheerful optimism of childhood.
He was excited about their adventure, but Brian had grown fearful in case they were recognised. Having just gained Ed’s trust, he wasn’t prepared to give him up now.
‘Come on, we can get everything we need in one department store.’
Ed agreed they didn’t want to waste time shopping when they could be outside playing on a beach. They started off buying him some summer clothes and sandals for the beach. In the food hall, no one challenged them as Brian pushed a trolley round the aisles while Ed filled it with whatever he fancied: biscuits, chocolate bars, fizzy drinks, crisps and cakes. There was nothing healthy in his selection. Brian would have to educate him in how to eat properly. For now, all he wanted to do was finish the shopping and get out of there.
‘Not at school today?’ the cashier asked Ed as she rang up the items.
‘He’s got the day off,’ Brian answered quickly. ‘He’s recovering from a virus.’
‘He looks well enough to me,’ the woman replied, smiling at him while speaking to Brian. ‘You’re obviously taking good care of him.’
‘What’s a virus?’ Ed asked as they drove out of the car park. ‘You said I had a virus. What’s a virus?’
Brian smiled. ‘It’s nothing.’
‘But you said I had a virus. I heard you. What’s a virus?’
‘It’s a little illness, like a cold.’
‘I’m not ill!’
‘No, I know you’re not.’
‘Why did you say I was then? You lied.’
‘Just a little.’
‘Why did you lie?’
‘You don’t want to go back to school yet, do you?’
Ed shook his head vigorously.
‘So when she asked why you weren’t at school, I had to say something.’
‘Why didn’t you tell her the truth that we’re going to the seaside?’
‘Yes, I could have said that, but some people might not think that’s a very good reason for staying away from school.’
‘But you lied.’
Brian sighed. This was becoming irritating.
‘You shouldn’t ever lie,’ Ed said solemnly.
‘I won’t lie again, all right?’
His companion shrugged and they drove in silence. After a while Ed began to grow impatient.
‘When will we be there?’
‘Soon.’
‘How soon?’
‘Not long now.’
‘I need to pee.’
‘Can’t you wait a bit longer?’
‘No. I need to go now.’
They pulled off the main road and drew up in a quiet country lane. No one would see him urinating there. Once out of the car, he changed his mind. The stop gave Brian an opportunity to fetch some snacks from the boot before they drove off. For the rest of the journey Ed crunched his way happily through two packets of crisps and a sticky bar of chocolate. Brian hoped he wouldn’t be sick. Ed told him he had eaten far more than that before on car journeys.
‘I once ate a whole bagful of sweets, I mean a really big bag, bigger than a carrier bag, full of sweets, all by myself, and I didn’t feel the littlest bit sick,’ he assured him earnestly.
At last they drove over the crest of a hill and saw the grey-blue vastness of the ocean stretched out beneath them. Ed cried out with excitement as they descended a long incline that led them straight down to the sea. Leaving the main road they followed a winding lane to a deserted stretch of coast. It wasn’t exactly a beautiful smooth sandy beach, but Ed was happy clambering around rock pools, poking them with a stick. Every time he found a tiny creature in the water, or prised a crustacean from a rock, he shrieked with joy. He brandished his discoveries on the end of the stick while Brian made suitably admiring noises. After eating a whole tub of ice cream, he washed out the empty container with sea water so he could use it to store his treasures: a tiny crab, a spiral shell, together with an assortment of bits of stick and gritty pebbles.
Neither of them wanted to leave, but at last it grew dark. It was difficult to find their way among the rock pools without tripping over as they made their way back to the car.
‘I don’t want to go,’ Ed whined.
Brian didn’t want to leave either, but it could be dangerous to stay after dark. Someone might see them and call the police.
‘Come on, you can sleep in the car.’
‘I don’t want to go to sleep.’
Like a cold shiver down his back, Brian heard him asking to go home.
‘That’s where we’re going,’ he replied softly.
‘I want to see my mum.’ He began to cry. ‘I want to go home.’
‘We’re going home,’ he whispered.
‘I feel sick. I want to go back to mum.’
Wordlessly Brian led him back to the car. He put one arm round the boy’s shoulders, glad that t
he darkness hid his expression.
‘Come on, I’m taking you home,’ he repeated softly as he opened the door.
Before long Ed was fast asleep on the passenger seat.
‘I’m taking you home with me,’ Brian whispered. ‘You’ll be safe there. I won’t let anyone take you away from me, not ever. I’ll take you to the seaside again whenever you want and we’ll have fun, won’t we? You and me. We don’t need anyone else.’
At his side the sleeping boy didn’t stir.
43
After forcing down a miserable breakfast, Geraldine felt surprisingly clear headed as she drove along busy streets. She was almost cheerful at the prospect of getting stuck into work. Dave’s case was as good as wrapped up. There was only the paperwork to go, and the legal checks. Reg was confident they had enough evidence to convince the Crime Prosecution Service to proceed. After her initial gut feeling to the contrary, Geraldine had to accept that Greg was guilty. There was no longer much room for doubt.
‘It’s all over bar the shouting,’ Reg had assured the team.
Apart from Geraldine, the entire team had been convinced all along that Greg was guilty. She had already stuck her neck out over it and disagreed with everyone else on the team. Reg was difficult enough to get on with at the best of times, and he was an experienced investigating officer. If he was happy with the outcome of the investigation, she was in no position to challenge him. It was time to put that investigation behind them and focus on finding Nick’s killer.
By the time she reached her office, the list of duties was already being discussed. Reg looked up as she entered the incident room and announced that he intended talking to Eve again himself. Geraldine took a deep breath and waited to hear if Nick’s colleagues were to be questioned as a matter of routine. Lowering her eyes, she saw that her hands were trembling. She glanced around but no one else was paying her any attention. Not only were they all shocked at the loss of a colleague, Nick’s murder raised the possibility of an aggrieved ex-con out to be avenged on the force that had put him away. They might all be at risk. Her hands probably weren’t the only ones to be shaking that morning.
Killer Plan Page 16