Death Sentence

by Sheryl Browne

  ‘He’s not being very helpful, I take it?’ Steve nodded towards the DCI’s office as he stood to walk to the door with Matthew.

  ‘Not a lot, no.’ Selecting Rebecca’s number, Matthew pressed his phone to his ear. ‘Dammit,’ he muttered, as Rebecca’s voicemail picked up for the umpteenth time. ‘Becky, will you please pick up?’ He left yet another message. ‘I need you to call me.’

  ‘Problem?’ Steve asked.

  ‘No, ‘course not,’ Matthew grated sardonically and selected his home number. ‘Sullivan’s made threats to my wife. She’s on the missing list. Me, I’m just being the tiniest bit paranoid on account of the fact that the bastard killed my daughter! No problem, Steve. Should there be?’

  Steve glanced away uncomfortably, then, ‘Can I have a word?’ he asked, over a silence now so profound a paperclip could be heard dropping.

  Matthew held up his hand, indicating Steve should wait while he made his call. ‘Becky, it’s me. Can you pick up?’ Pulling a frustrated breath when she didn’t, he went on, ‘Becky, if you get this, can you please ring me urgently. If not … I’m on my way back. See you soon.’

  Matthew prayed to God he would see her soon, that he was being paranoid, at least on this. ‘I need to go, Steve. I’ll catch up with you later.’

  ‘I’ll walk with you. One second.’ Steve turned to grab his jacket from the back of his chair and follow Matthew out.

  ‘Well?’ Matthew’s stride was brisk, his attention span nil.

  ‘I’ll help you out. I’m taking some sick leave,’ Steve announced, ‘as of now. Least I can do.’

  That got his attention. Matthew glanced curiously sideways at him. ‘Have you cleared it?’

  ‘Not yet, no. I’ll let Davies know and then I’ll come and keep watch on the house.’

  ‘If it’s not too late to do any damn good,’ Matthew growled, then, ‘Sorry, Steve.’ He closed his eyes, feeling some sense of relief. ‘Are you sure about this? It won’t do you any favours.’

  Steve shrugged. ‘They can bollock me, but they can’t sack me. There’s something else,’ he said, as Matthew swung out of the doors at the back of the station.

  ‘What?’ Matthew didn’t pause, but headed swiftly for his car.

  Keeping pace with him, Steve ferretted in his pocket. ‘This.’ Waiting until Matthew had climbed behind the wheel, he presented him with a plastic evidence bag.

  Matthew looked at it, noted the contents, and then looked back to Steve, astonished.

  ‘I, erm, volunteered to assist the officer assigned to make sure duty of care was carried out,’ Steve explained. ‘Sullivan had to take his coat off and that, er …’

  Matthew eyed Steve narrowly. ‘Fell out of his pocket?’

  ‘Something like that.’ Steve glanced at him sheepishly. ‘I know it won’t be admissible, given how it was obtained, but, well, I saw him using it when we paid him a visit, clocked you’d seen it and … I figured we had nothing to lose.’

  Matthew thought about it. It wouldn’t be admissible. No way on God’s green earth would it be. It might also be too contaminated to collect any DNA from, but …

  ‘I thought if forensics managed to come up with anything we could … I dunno … convince the DC to ask for a search warrant? Maybe get lucky and get hold of the tie? Something anyway,’ Steve trailed off, assessing Matthew worriedly.

  ‘You could get kicked off the force, you know?’ Matthew warned him.

  Something Steve had obviously considered. He nodded. ‘I’m not sure I want to stay on it, to be honest, boss. Lindsey’s got this idea about us running a dog kennel together. She’s trained, got her dog counselling certificate and everything. We’re both into them, dogs, I mean, and … Well, to be honest, I’m struggling to sleep nights, you know?’

  Matthew did know. Oh, how he knew.

  ‘I wondered …’ Steve hesitated, scratching his forehead with is thumb. ‘It’s just a hunch, as they say, but …’

  ‘I need to go, Steve.’ Matthew started the engine.

  ‘The shoe,’ Steve said quickly. ‘Brianna’s missing shoe. It wasn’t found. I wondered whether it might be worth trying to link it to similar cases, maybe find an MO? I dunno, I’m probably just fishing in the dark, but—’

  ‘Do it,’ Matthew said, wondering why he hadn’t already actioned that himself. ‘Before you go off sick. And get that to Nicky.’ He handed the bag back. ‘We’ll discuss the pros and cons later.’

  Pulling his car door shut, Matthew skidded into reverse. ‘I owe you one,’ he shouted through his window, as he careered towards the car park exit.

  ‘Two.’ Steve shouted back. ‘I’ll see you at your place a.s.a.p.’

  ****

  ‘So what do you fancy?’ Rebecca asked after Ashley’s preference for dinner as she signalled to turn into their road. ‘Lasagne or … Shit!’ she cursed, as something thudded metallically into the back of her.

  ‘I think I’ll pass on the shit,’ Ashley said, fending off the dash, as Rebecca slammed on the brakes.

  ‘What the hell is that idiot doing?’ Rebecca glanced angrily through her rear view mirror at the idiot behind them. ‘Are you all right?’ She turned anxiously towards Ashley.

  Ashley mustered up a smile. ‘Yep,’ she assured her. ‘All in one piece.’

  ‘Right, I think I’ll give him my considered advice on his driving skills.’ Rebecca heaved her door open and climbed out huffily, only to meet the driver who’d just rammed them coming in the other direction.

  ‘God, I am so sorry,’ he said immediately. ‘Damn sat nav’s got me going around in circles. I wasn’t paying attention. Are you hurt?’

  Rebecca’s bluster depleted a little. ‘No, but we could have been. Seriously. You really should keep your eyes on the road.’

  ‘I can’t apologise enough,’ the man said. ‘I’ll pay for any damage, of course. If you let me have your details, I’ll get on to my insurance straightaway.’

  ‘I don’t think I have my documents with me.’ Rebecca frowned and turned back towards the car.

  ‘Not to worry.’ He reached inside his overcoat and extracted a pen and notebook. ‘We’ll just swap names and phone numbers. And vehicle registrations, obviously,’ he said, as Rebecca turned back, eyeing him dubiously.

  She doesn’t like him, Emily, ever-present, when Ashley wished she would just go-away, observed. I don’t. He’s got a funny face.

  ‘Right,’ Rebecca nodded, ‘okay. It’s Rebecca Adams.’ She watched while he wrote it down. ‘01—’

  ‘Oh, wow! I thought it was!’ The man’s eyes widened interestedly as he looked back at her. ‘Matthew has your photo on his desk,’ he explained, in answer to Rebecca’s puzzled expression.

  By which, Rebecca seemed somewhat reassured, Ashley noted. Emily was right though. He was funny-looking, smarmy, and he looked like he was sucking on a gobstopper.

  ‘DS Sullivan.’ The man extended his hand. ‘Matthew’s my boss. I’ve just dropped him off, actually. He’s got one on him, I’m afraid.’ He sighed melodramatically and glanced skywards.

  Now Rebecca looked doubly confused. ‘Matthew?’

  ‘You know how he is,’ the man went on chummily.

  He’s a troublemaker, Emily said. He’s got slitty eyes. I don’t like him.

  ‘Shush.’ Ashley was trying to listen.

  ‘Obsessed with his work,’ the man elaborated, with a sigh. ‘Wants all the t’s crossed and i’s dotted, every criminal brought to justice. He’s like a one-man crusade sometimes.’

  ‘Well, yes,’ Rebecca nodded thoughtfully, ‘he does take his job seriously, but I can’t say I blame him, given the line of …’

  ‘No, no, I don’t either,’ the man said quickly. ‘We all stand in awe of him. He’s like a dog with a bone, refuses to let go once he’s got his teeth into a case, particularly if it’s some young girl, who’s been …’ he trailed off, glancing pointedly towards Ashley. ‘Well you pr
obably know what I mean better than I do. It’s understandable he’d lose it sometimes.’

  ‘Lose it?’ Rebecca blinked at him, astonished.

  ‘My fault. I cocked up, again.’ The man glanced embarrassedly down. ‘Let a piece of crucial evidence slip through my fingers, lost us a big case. The boss was well-annoyed, as you can imagine.’ He furrowed his brow, pressing a hand to his chin gingerly and wincing demonstrably as he did.

  Rebecca was now staring at the man, looking utterly confounded.

  ‘You mean,’ her gaze strayed to the obvious swelling on his face, ‘Matthew did that?’

  ‘Like I say, my fault,’ the man smiled benevolently and winced again. ‘I’d better let you go. Sorry to deliver the old man back in such a bad mood. Don’t worry about the details.’ He waved his notebook as he turned back to his car. ‘I know where you are.’

  ****

  ‘Where the hell have you been?’ Matthew demanded, immediately when Rebecca and Ashley came through the front door.

  ‘Shopping.’ Rebecca glanced warily at him, and then beyond him, bewildered, as she noticed the lounge in complete disarray: cushions tossed arbitrarily from sofas, cupboards pulled away from walls. The console table next to the front door had been moved, too, drawers open, the contents spewing out. The items that were normally on top of it were strewn on the floor, and the wall-mounted phone socket appeared to have been unscrewed and left dangling.

  What on earth? Rebecca shook her head, confused. ‘Matthew, what’s wrong?’ She looked back at him, panic rising in her chest.

  ‘Why wasn’t your bloody phone on?’ Avoiding the question, Matthew seemed almost to be challenging her, as he came towards her.

  A feeling of uneasiness washing over her, Rebecca deposited her bags on the floor and urged Ashley on past her. ‘I left it in the car. I … Matthew, what’s going on?’

  ‘I said I’d come with you!’ Matthew glared at her angrily. ‘Why the bloody hell didn’t you wake me, Rebecca?’

  He’d called her Rebecca. He never did that, ever. She scanned his face, growing more and more anxious. His eyes had darkened, she noticed, flint-edged and hard, his pupils were so large there was barely any chocolate-brown there at all. He was furious, palpably. With her? But why? Rebecca blinked back the tears pricking at the back of her own eyes.

  ‘I thought you could use the sleep,’ she answered uncertainly. ‘You looked exhausted and I didn’t want to disturb—’

  ‘I’ve left you a thousand messages, Becky!’ Matthew raised his voice, causing her to flinch. ‘Didn’t it occur to you to ring me?’

  ‘No!’ Rebecca held his gaze, though her stomach knotted queasily inside her. ‘Why would it? I said we were going shopping. I left you a note! I didn’t realise I had to ask your permission or check in every five minutes!’

  Matthew closed his eyes, looking momentarily as stunned as she felt.

  ‘You don’t. I—’ He paused, pinching the bridge of his nose hard between his thumb and forefinger. ‘I’m sorry. I was—’

  ‘What’s this all about, Matthew?’ Rebecca cut in, disoriented and desperately worried. She’d never seen him like this before, ever. Had he been drinking again? In the day? He’d been in a very dark place once, drinking to anaesthetise himself. Rebecca was aware of that and why. But he’d stopped. For the sake of their relationship and his job, he’d cut down considerably. Or so he’d said. And now this.

  ‘I just need to know where you are, that’s all,’ he said shortly.

  His tone was less aggressive, but still intimidating. Rebecca felt a hard kernel of anger unfurling inside her. ‘Don’t do this, Matthew,’ she warned him. ‘Just don’t.’

  Looking him over disappointedly, Rebecca left it there. She needed explanations, and she needed them now, but out of earshot of Ashley, who’d undoubtedly already witnessed enough upset and anger in her life.

  ‘We’ll talk in the kitchen.’ She glanced up the stairs to make sure that Ashley wasn’t loitering on the landing and then moved past him. ‘I’m going to make some tea, assuming that’s all right with you, of course.’

  ‘Becky …’ Sighing heavily, Matthew turned to follow her. ‘Look, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to lose my temper. There are some things I need to explain. I—’

  ‘No?’ Rebecca turned back, wondering how it suddenly seemed that she didn’t know Matthew at all. ‘I don’t suppose you meant to lose your temper with your colleague either?’

  ‘What?’ Matthew narrowed his eyes quizzically. ‘Which colleague?’

  ‘The one who just dropped you off, who then, incidentally, ran into the back of my car. And no wonder. To his credit the man actually stood up for you, though I have no idea—’

  ‘What man?’ Matthew stepped quickly towards her, his expression now thunderous. ‘Becky, what fucking man?’ he shouted.

  ‘DS Sullivan!’ Rebecca shouted back tearfully.

  ‘Jesus Christ.’ Matthew paled, visibly. ‘You spoke to him?’

  ‘Of course I spoke to him! He ran into the back of my car!’

  Matthew took another step towards her, catching hold of her arm. ‘What did he say?’

  Rebecca felt herself starting to shake, inside and out. ‘I gave him my details,’ she stammered, fear clutching at the pit of her stomach. ‘He talked about you. He—’ she stopped, noting the look now in Matthew’s eyes, one of pure unbridled hatred. ‘Matthew, stop! You’re frightening me.’

  ‘When?’ Matthew demanded furiously.

  ‘Just now.’ Rebecca caught a sob in her throat. ‘I told you.’

  ‘We need to talk,’ Matthew grated, loosening his grip on her arm to fumble for his phone.

  Rebecca watched in disbelief. It was true. All that man had said was true. This Matthew wasn’t the Matthew she knew. Rebecca swallowed hard, watching him pace, the agitation in his body language, as he searched for a number. His knuckles were bruised. She noticed them again, a sick feeling of trepidation washing over her. Cautiously, she stepped past him, her mind running through all sorts of reasons why he should be like this. Was he having some kind of a breakdown? She needed to get help, call someone, Steve possibly? Her brother? Her gaze strayed to the dangling landline socket, and her heart sank. Her mobile, she realised, was still in the car. Glancing again at Matthew, who was busy with his call, Rebecca took her chance. Her car keys still in her hand, she flew to the front door and yanked it open.

  ‘Becky!’ Matthew whirled around, pursuing her as she fled. Rebecca could almost feel him on her. Panic surging her forwards, she pulled open the car door, threw herself inside and dropped the locks fast.

  ‘Becky! For God’s sake!’ Matthew tugged at the door handle, slamming the flat of his free hand against the driver’s side window.

  ‘Becky, don’t!’ he shouted, as she shoved the key in the lock and started the engine. ‘Listen to me. Please. I’m begging you.’

  She needed to ring someone. She needed to do it now. Closing her eyes briefly, her heart thundering inside her, Rebecca pulled away.

  Matthew gave chase, as she plunged her foot down on the accelerator. The car rattling as it dipped and lurched over deep tyre-tracks and divots, Rebecca pressed her foot harder down and gripped the steering wheel tight.

  ‘Becky!’ Matthew called, losing ground, as she forced the car on. ‘Becky!’

  God, no … Matthew ground to a halt, his head reeling as he watched the car disappear into the distance. What the hell had he done?

  His chest tightening, he turned to run back to the house. ‘Ashley!’ Coming through the front door, he scrambled through the rubbish he’d dumped on the floor in search of his own car keys. ‘Ash …’ Shit! Matthew straightened up to find her standing right behind him.

  ‘Why did you do that?!’ Ashley’s screamed. ‘We had a lovely day and you had to go and spoil it!’ Her arms were rigid at her side, her eyes wild. ‘Why did you do it?’

  Matthew’s heart flipped over, as
the front door slammed shut behind him. Trying to still his escalating panic, he turned his attention to Ashley.

  ‘Ashley, I know what it looked like. I know it seemed like I was angry. I was. I am, but not with Becky or with you. She’s in danger and I’m scared for her, Ashley. I don’t have time to explain right now. I have to go and look for her. Do you understand?’

  Her expression a little less hostile, Ashley nodded uncertainly.

  ‘Will you help me? Will you stay here in case she comes back?’

  Another small nod, the fury he’d seen sparking in her eyes beginning to wane.

  ‘The phone’s working.’ He indicated the socket he’d unscrewed while he’d been searching for any kind of device that might somehow have been planted. ‘Stay by it.’

  Placing his hands on her shoulders, he locked his gaze on hers and prayed she’d realise the importance. ‘Ring me if she does come back. Ring me if you’re worried about anything. Slide the bolt on the door while I’m gone, and don’t answer it to anyone. Anyone, Ashley,’ he reiterated forcefully. ‘After what you just witnessed, I know your instinct is not to trust me, but I need you to, for Becky’s sake. Can you do that?’

  Ashley’s nod was more fervent, this time.

  ‘Okay, good.’ Matthew turned back to the front door. ‘Make sure to lock it.’ He glanced meaningfully at her again, before racing to his car.

  Chapter Eleven

  ‘Typical copper, thinking he’s above the law.’ Patrick shook his head disgustedly, as he watched Matthew drive past the lane he’d parked discreetly in while he waited. ‘He’s way over the speed limit, look at him. You’d think he’d have learned his lesson, wouldn’t you? I mean, there are only so many kids you can put in the ground, before you get a light-bulb moment and realise it might be a good idea to stop bending the rules, don’t y’think?’

  The lady didn’t answer. That was okay. Patrick didn’t really expect her to.

  ‘Did you know he’s bent?’ he asked, putting the finishing touches to the spliff he’d been rolling. ‘As bent as a nine bob note, my old man used to say, bless him. Well, actually, no, don’t bother with the blessing bit. He was a vicious bastard. He was another one who needed teaching a lesson. I shot him up with dodgy heroin, yesterday, actually. Funny old day.’