Dark Fragments: a fast paced psychological thriller

by Rob Sinclair

  ‘Yes, I think it was. Dani saved me from trouble, and not for the last time. I hadn’t asked her to. In some ways I didn’t want her to. But she did it anyway. It only made her even stronger than me, even more noble and supreme. She saved me from the wrath of my mum, but in many ways, after the event at least, I hated Dani for what she’d done. Why did she feel she had to come to my rescue?’

  ‘Because she loved you. And she knew it wasn’t your fault.’

  ‘Yeah, I know. You’re right. But that’s not how it felt for me. It felt like just another in a long line of incidents that proved how much better Dani was than me.’

  ‘You say it wasn’t the last time Dani saved you from trouble. Did that carry on into your adult life?’

  ‘Of course. Dani always felt the need to look after me, I told you that before. But even in adult life, despite what others might think, I don’t believe her actions were purely noble. The thing with Dani is that there’s nearly always a hidden agenda. Something else happening under the surface that only ever gets brought out when she decides.’

  ‘And that’s what happened when she turned up at your house that day?’

  ‘Yes. I hadn’t seen her for four years, then all of a sudden she was interested in coming back into our lives and being a good auntie? No, I didn’t buy that. Not one bit. I knew it was just a matter of time before she revealed what she really wanted.’

  CHAPTER 31

  With the kids on their bikes, Dani and I walked the short distance from my house to Sutton Park – an expanse of more than two thousand acres of natural parkland that was one my favourite places to enjoy a leisurely few hours with my family. It was a haven of peace and tranquillity with paths and lakes and woods, a place full of adventure for the kids. I loved it. But with my sister and her as-yet-unspoken agenda accompanying me, I wasn’t feeling as positive as usual.

  I watched the other families as we meandered along. They all looked so content and carefree. I wondered how I appeared to them. Did they look at me and see just another dad enjoying a relaxing Saturday with his kids? Or could they sense in my face, in my eyes, the difficulties I’d seen in my life?

  I was a little surprised that Chloe and Harry hadn’t yet said anything to me about my sudden separation from Gemma. I knew they were too young to really understand what had happened, but I thought they’d be full of questions as to where I’d been and when I was coming back home.

  Their apparent lack of interest in the situation again led me to question just what they’d been told by Gemma and her undoubtedly acidic parents. But at least the kids were happy to see me and to be in my company. I wanted to make sure that for the next few hours I simply had a good time with them.

  The one hindrance to that, however, was Dani. What the hell was she doing there?

  ‘You said you’d come to see me?’ I said as we strolled along the pathway, the children storming ahead of us on their bikes and stopping or doubling back every now and then to stay within sight and earshot.

  ‘You always sound so suspicious when you speak to me,’ Dani replied.

  ‘Well, it’s hard not to be. The last time I saw you all I got was questions about Alice’s murder. Your visit was hardly fuelled by you wanting to rekindle our relationship. And I’m guessing this latest visit is probably more of the same.’

  ‘You should be a detective,’ she said sarcastically.

  ‘Very funny. So come on, spit it out. Have the police got anywhere on that new murder? A suspect? Anything?’

  ‘Actually there’s been some progress, yes.’

  I raised an eyebrow. Since her last visit I’d tracked down details of the murder in question on the internet. The victim was a forty-year-old, out-of-work single mother called Hayley Lewis. She’d been found strangled in her home by her teenage son when he returned home from staying with a friend.

  The details that had been released to the press were vague and provided no hint of a link to Alice’s murder. Nor was there any mention of how the body had been displayed, which I knew from the investigation into Alice’s death had suggested a sexual motive to the killing. In fact, without the details Dani had given me previously, nothing I’d read in the public domain would have alerted me to Hayley Lewis’s killing being in any way linked to Alice’s.

  ‘Are you going to tell me?’ I said when it was clear my sister wasn’t going to offer up what she knew.

  ‘Yeah, I will do. But that’s not all I wanted to talk to you about. What’s happened between you and Gemma?’

  ‘That’s none of your business.’

  ‘No, maybe not. But I’m interested to hear the story. You’re still my brother. I don’t like to see you struggling like this.’

  ‘Struggling? You’ve no idea what I’ve been struggling with.’

  ‘So tell me.’

  ‘Didn’t Gemma fill you in before I interrupted your party?’

  ‘No, she didn’t. All she said was that you hadn’t been staying there. I’m not sure she’d have told me much more even if I’d asked. Which I didn’t, because you turned up.’

  ‘Yeah, of course.’

  ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

  ‘Nothing.’

  ‘So just what is going on with you?’ Dani said. ‘She’s a great mum, you know. And the kids, they’re great too.’

  ‘I don’t need you telling me that. I know it. But life’s not always straightforward.’

  ‘Not for you it’s not.’

  ‘We’re just taking a break, that’s all. I’m sure we’ll iron things out.’

  ‘I hope so. Harry and Chloe need you.’

  I stopped walking and Dani followed suit. She turned to face me and gave me a questioning look.

  ‘If I needed relationship advice, I certainly wouldn’t be coming to you,’ I growled.

  ‘Don’t be so bloody nonchalant,’ Dani said. ‘You might think I don’t know anything about marriage or relationships and maybe you’re right, but that doesn’t mean I can’t see that you’re messing up everything you’ve got.’

  ‘You know nothing about it,’ I snarled and started off again at pace.

  ‘You think?’ Dani said as she set off in tow behind me. ‘Why can you never be happy with what you’ve got? You’ve always got to want more.’

  I ignored her. I wasn’t interested in a slanging match. If that was all she’d come for then she could forget it. I carried on walking at a measured pace, closing the gap with the kids who were about fifty yards in front.

  ‘Go right,’ I shouted out at them. ‘Down to the play area.’

  Harry turned and waved, acknowledging my instruction, and headed off down the path with Chloe toward the small play area at Town Gate.

  I didn’t bother to look back around at Dani, but I could hear her footsteps and knew she was only a couple of yards behind. When Harry reached the play area, he swung open the bright-green gate and he and Chloe promptly ditched their bikes and bounded off toward the swings and slides.

  When I got to the gate, I picked up the bikes, then moved over to the set of benches on the outside. I knew that whatever the reason Dani was there, she hadn’t yet finished having her say, and I didn’t want the kids overhearing us if our conversation got heated.

  ‘Look, I’m sorry,’ Dani said, holding her hands up when she reached me. ‘I was genuinely interested to know why things aren’t going well between you two. I don’t want to see you unhappy. And I know how much the kids mean to you. You just want them to be happy, and it’s not going to be easy for any of you without you there.’

  ‘I know that,’ I responded. ‘I don’t want to talk about it. I’ve got no idea what’s going on in Gemma’s head. She told me to leave. I didn’t have much choice. Believe me, I’d love to know what she was thinking, but I haven’t got a bloody clue.’

  ‘Fair enough,’ Dani said. ‘I hope you can both work it out. I really do. And you may not believe me when I say this, but I’m here whenever you need to talk.’

  ‘I’ll b
ear that in mind,’ I said, feeling more relaxed by her words.

  ‘But that’s not what I came to talk about today,’ Dani said. ‘Although I’m starting to wonder just where all the connecting dots lead to.’

  ‘You’ve lost me.’

  ‘I’m going to ask you this once and once only.’ Now Dani had shifted to her bad cop voice. Even on her day off there was simply no getting away from what she was. ‘So I want you to think really hard about what you tell me. Got it?’

  ‘Yeah, got it,’ I said.

  ‘I’m here talking to you as a sister. You have to understand that. I’m here to help you if I can, and if you’ll let me. But this is your one and only chance.’

  ‘I get the picture,’ I said, sounding calm but really I was already filling with dread over what was to come.

  ‘Tell me about Callum O’Brady,’ Dani said. ‘Tell me about your relationship with him. I want to know everything, and I mean everything.’

  CHAPTER 32

  What was I supposed to do? It was simply impossible for me to come clean to my sister in the way she’d asked. There was too much to tell. The story was too complicated, and too incriminating. No matter what assurances Dani gave me that our conversation was off the record, she was still a policewoman. And O’Brady was a career criminal.

  ‘Why are you asking me about Callum O’Brady?’ I said.

  ‘So are you at least admitting that you know of him?’

  ‘Everyone knows about Callum O’Brady.’

  ‘But not everyone is working for him.’

  ‘You think I’m working for him?’

  Dani tutted. ‘I don’t know what I think, to be honest. But I do know that you associating with him can only end one way: with you in big trouble. You must know that.’

  I said nothing but I could feel my resolve weakening.

  ‘Come on, Ben. Talk to me.’

  ‘I owe him money.’

  I thought I’d be stronger. I thought I’d at least be able to bullshit my own sister. But the fact was that O’Brady terrified me. The burden of dealing with O’Brady on my own was too much to bear. And given recent events, I knew that unless something gave before the fast-approaching deadline he’d given me, then I could very well end up a dead man.

  ‘You owe O’Brady money? How? Gambling?’

  I huffed in feigned amusement. ‘I wish it was that simple.’

  ‘Is it really that complicated, or do you just not want me to know what you’ve done?’

  Dani was right. It wasn’t complicated. The story was really quite simple to tell. The hard part was pushing my pride aside and bringing myself to tell it. And I wasn’t sure I was ready to do that. As much as I needed help from somewhere, telling Dani, a detective, my sister … I felt like I still had too much to lose.

  ‘How much do you owe him?’ Dani asked.

  ‘Two hundred thousand.’

  ‘Two hundred grand! What the hell, Ben?’

  ‘I know, I know. But have you any idea what O’Brady is like? He sucks people in, chews them up and spits them out. He uses everyone for his own gain, and he always gets the upper hand.’

  ‘Sounds like you really know him.’

  I tutted at my sister’s flippant comment.

  ‘Can you pay him?’ she asked.

  ‘I’m working on that.’

  ‘And then what? You pay him and then it’s all over?’

  I took a moment to digest Dani’s words. She’d hit the nail on the head. The simple fact was that one way or another I’d always be indebted to O’Brady. It was simply too late to change that.

  ‘Callum O’Brady is out of control,’ I said with naked fear in my voice.

  ‘I can help you,’ Dani said.

  ‘I’m not sure you can.’

  ‘Come on, Ben, listen to yourself. This isn’t you. You’re just a normal guy. You don’t belong in that world.’

  ‘Normal? You really think I’m normal?’

  My sister sighed and looked at me, initially with indignation and then with sympathy. Bad cop, good cop. Or was it policewoman and sister? One side of her wanted to grill me, to do what was right by the law, and the other wanted to extend me an olive branch.

  ‘If you’re in trouble,’ she said, ‘I can help you. We can help you.’

  ‘Why are you asking me about O’Brady now?’

  ‘We’ve been working for years to make some charges stick on him. Everyone knows what he is, but he thinks he’s untouchable. Somehow he always slips out from underneath us. But this time we think we can do it.’

  ‘Why this time?’

  ‘Because he’s making mistakes.’

  ‘And why have you come to me?’

  ‘Because having someone on the inside will help.’

  ‘You think I’m on the inside?’

  ‘You tell me. You’ve been surveilled going into his club numerous times over the last few months. Most recently just a few days ago, when it didn’t go unnoticed that you came out with blood pouring from your face.’

  I felt my cheeks blush with genuine embarrassment. What a ridiculous response. I was in a bind, a life-threatening situation, and my natural reaction on hearing my sister talk about it was to feel shame, as though I were a child who’d been caught having one too many sweets.

  ‘When the surveillance team ID’d you … I’m sure you can imagine it hasn’t gone down lightly with my colleagues. I’ve been put through the ringer already on this.’

  ‘So you want me to bail you out.’

  ‘Why do you always believe I have an ulterior motive?’

  ‘Because you always do.’

  Dani didn’t say anything to that.

  ‘How on earth did you get in bed with a man like that?’ Dani asked, the disappointment in her voice clear.

  ‘It wasn’t out of choice. Believe me.’

  ‘Then tell me what it was.’

  ‘I’m not sure where to start. You said O’Brady’s making mistakes. What did you mean?’

  ‘I can’t tell you that.’

  ‘If you want my help, maybe you should.’

  Dani huffed and looked away. I wasn’t sure whether she was play-acting or genuinely thinking through what she was prepared to tell me.

  ‘Do you know Mickey Egan?’

  ‘Yes,’ I said with revulsion. ‘At least I’ve met him. I don’t know him on a personal level. These people aren’t my friends.’

  ‘Well, you were asking me about that new murder. About whether we have any new leads.’

  ‘Yeah,’ I said, my brain whirring. ‘What are you saying? That you think it’s Mickey Egan?’

  ‘Maybe.’

  ‘Maybe?’ I said, unable to hide my anger. ‘Yes or no – are you telling me you think Mickey Egan killed Alice?’

  Dani didn’t answer the question for a few seconds. I wished I knew what she was thinking.

  ‘Yes,’ she said eventually. ‘Yes, I do.’

  CHAPTER 33

  ‘Do you know of any reason why Egan would have killed Alice?’ Dani asked. ‘Or why O’Brady would have had her killed? If you do, Ben, you have to tell me.’

  ‘I can’t believe you’re even asking me this. If I thought Egan or O’Brady had anything to do with Alice’s death then why on earth would I not have said anything to you?’

  ‘Good question,’ Dani said. ‘But do you think that’s possible?’

  ‘Do I think it’s possible? You’re the fucking detective – why don’t you tell me?’

  The anger in my voice was all too clear. Partly directed at Dani who I now believed was playing games with me, but also at Egan, who I’d always seen as being one chromosome short of a real human being.

  ‘It’s a theory we’re working on,’ Dani said.

  ‘A theory? Do you have evidence?’

  ‘Some.’

  ‘What? What links Mickey Egan to Alice’s murder? To the other victim? To the crime scenes?’

  ‘I can’t tell you that.’

  I let out an ex
asperated sigh. ‘Then what exactly is the point of bringing all this to me if you won’t even tell me the whole story? If you’re so sure it was Egan then why haven’t you arrested him already?’

  ‘It’s not that simple. Believe me, we would have done if we could.’

  ‘Because of O’Brady? Is Egan somehow protected?’

  ‘No. Look, the woman who was killed, her name was Hayley Lewis.’

  Dani paused and looked over at me, as though trying to gauge whether I knew the name. She must have cottoned on to my reaction.

  ‘You knew her?’ she said.

  ‘No, honestly I know nothing about her,’ I said, feeling as though I’d been caught out. ‘But after you told me about the murder, about how everything was so similar to Alice’s death, I did some digging online. So yeah, I knew the name. I’ve seen what’s in the papers. But that’s it. I never knew her.’

  ‘No, I didn’t think you did. And neither did Mickey Egan, from what I can gather.’

  ‘Then how on earth can you believe it was him? Why would Egan do that?’

  Dani just stared at me, and I held her gaze.

  ‘I really don’t want to say just yet,’ she said eventually. ‘Not until we know more.’

  Not for the first time, I questioned just how much Dani really knew about Alice’s murder that she wasn’t letting on to me. I’d always had a sneaking suspicion she hadn’t told me everything, but I’d never been able to put my finger on why that was.

  I groaned in frustration and was prepared to push Dani further, but the next second I spotted Chloe take a bump when she came off the end of the slide. She burst into tears and I rushed off over to her, as did Harry.

  Moments later both kids were hurtling around again, giggling wildly, but the conversation with Dani never restarted. Even though my mind was now swimming with thoughts of Mickey Egan and the two murders, I was happy to just spend the quality time with the children that I needed. As for Dani, she was great over the next few hours, showing herself to be the caring and loving auntie that I’d long ago expected she would be.