by Steven Dunne
Nicole nodded. ‘Our war, Damen. Don’t forget Floyd.’
Brook pulled out another cigarette. ‘I’ll try not to. So what now?’
She looked at her watch, then went to the doorway to look out. ‘We leave Derby tonight.’
‘And if I try to stop you?’
‘You won’t.’
‘A leap of faith?’
She smiled. It was a distant, hopeless smile. ‘Far from it. Like you say, you’re exposed. I think you just want us gone.’ She checked her watch.
‘Where are you going?’
Her lips tightened. ‘A place The Reaper is needed.’
‘And is this your life now, Nicole, planning the deaths of dysfunctional families?’
‘That word. Makes it sound like a bowel disorder. Everybody I held dear was killed by one of those families. Now Uncle Vic is dead. Even I’m dead. Nicole Bailey is dead. This work is all I have. But every day I question it, Damen, and every day I see my sister’s face and hear her screams. I don’t sleep at night, I have to walk. I have to keep moving like a shark. Maybe that’s why I have to hunt. But when I see the relief after The Reaper has paid a visit I know it’s all worthwhile. Those people on the Drayfin are just the first. Soon, on every estate, law-abiding residents will be thinking the same. In every school, teachers will…’
Brook laughed. ‘Spare me. I heard this speech when you were still a carefree schoolkid.’
‘Playing with my carefree sister Sally,’ she responded bitterly.
Brook lit his cigarette. ‘You can’t keep avenging her death.’
‘You think it’s personal. It’s not. After the first, it’s not personal. You forgot that with Floyd — he died so you could sleep without seeing Laura Maples’s rat-infested corpse. But after that your work is for others.’
‘Is that why you mocked up her little squat in the Wallis house, as a reminder?’
‘And why Victor chose to call me Laura. To remind you of what we do and why.’
‘Damn it, I haven’t forgotten, believe me, but it’s futile. Nothing changes. All the deaths are meaningless because there’s always someone else ready to step up. Don’t you see? The death of the Wallis family allowed the Ingham family to flourish. Now the Ingham family are gone another will take their place and so it goes…’
‘And somebody will come to remove them. It won’t be me but there are others. We’re not alone. The Reaper is not just an idea any more, Damen, it’s an organisation. There are so many police officers like me and you around the world, biding their time, waiting for the chance to make the world a better place.’ She smiled. ‘You’ll see that soon.’
Brook shook his head. ‘It’s madness. It’ll destroy you like it destroyed Sorenson.’
‘That’s okay. Uncle Vic was a soldier. He gave his life right up to the end. What are you doing?’
Brook took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked up and fixed her in his sights. ‘Then where’s the beauty?’
‘What?’
‘You’re the one who’s forgotten. I knew Sorenson better than you. It’s not just about wiping the scum off the earth. The professor had class. He gave them something before they died. He showed them beauty so they’d know what to look for if they ever found themselves in a better place. He made them see. What do you do? Destroy. What’s the point? That’s what your victims do, without thought for others, without the sensibility to know what they’re doing, how it damages them. Don’t you see? Victor showed them a better way, a shaft of light, of reason. A design for living that didn’t involve instant gratification, didn’t involve taking pleasure from the misery of others. Where was that for the Inghams? Where were the tears?’
Nicole stood now, unable to look at him. She checked her watch again. A noise from the other room focused her attention. ‘In here,’ she shouted over her shoulder. She raised her gun to Brook. ‘Your phone please, Inspector.’
Brook stood up. ‘I’ve told you. You won’t kill me. Sorenson would spin in his grave.’
Nicole aimed the gun lower. ‘How would he react to a kneecap, do you think?’
Brook held her gaze for a few seconds, then pulled out his phone. He took a huge pull on the last of his cigarette and threw the phone wide of her left hand. As she turned instinctively, he leapt for her gun hand and managed to knock the revolver up, then jammed the lit cigarette butt into her hand. She screamed and released the gun into Brook’s hand. She glared at him, nursing her hand.
‘Drop it, Damen!’
Brook and Nicole Bailey turned to the doorway together.
Brook’s heart sank. Mike Drexler stood, face set, eyes like pebbles, looking at him down the barrel of a gun.
‘Real careful.’
After a pause, Brook bent slowly to place the revolver on the floor. For some reason, Nicole didn’t bolt over and pick it up. He looked over at her. She hadn’t moved. Her eyes were glued onto Drexler, waiting while she massaged her burned hand.
‘Good. Now kick it under the sofa.’
Brook backheeled the weapon under the sofa. ‘Mike…’
‘Shut up.’
‘Agent Drexler. It’s been a while. Let’s see…’
‘Fifteen years, Nicole — 1995. Think I’d forget?’
Nicole held his gaze, nodding in awe at the passing of time. ‘As long as that?’
‘Mike,’ said Brook, looking from one to the other, unsure of what else he would say.
‘Don’t talk, Damen,’ said Drexler insistently, a look of distaste on his face. ‘Get on the bed, Nicole. No, not on your ass, on your knees. You can keep your clothes on this time.’ Nicole slowly walked round the bed, then clambered onto the mattress.
‘Mike,’ tried Brook again. ‘You’ve got to…’
Drexler trained the gun between Brook’s eyes to halt him. ‘Sorry to interrupt but I can’t listen to you. I actually believed you, you’re that good, Reaper man. Sorenson drilled you real well — and I ought to know.’ He adopted a sneering, British accent. ‘“I was young and in a bad place.” That was a good line. So imagine my surprise the next morning, looking out my window and seeing you with Nicole Bailey. All cosy — going for a walk and all. Now how careless is that, after all these years?’ He speared a glance at Nicole. ‘Did you think I wouldn’t recognise you after all this time, kid? Think I wouldn’t see past the hair colour and the cosmetic surgery?’
Nicole shrugged, adopting a pose. ‘What do you think?’
Drexler broke into a smile. ‘I think you look pretty damn good. For a dead girl.’
Nicole nodded. ‘Better than my sister?’ Drexler squirmed and rearranged the gun in his hand. ‘Can you still see Sally’s face, Mike? I carry it with me every day.’
‘So do I,’ he replied, through gritted teeth.
‘Thank you for that, Mike. I appreciate it. I’m just glad you can’t hear her screams like I do.’
Drexler lowered his gun and turned to Nicole, a haunted look in his eye. ‘Cut it out.’
‘Do you ever dream, Mike?’
‘I said, cut it out.’ Drexler aimed the gun at Nicole. ‘Listen, kid, I dream about the things I’ve seen, sure, the things people do to other human beings. And I was on that estate after you took down that family.’ Brook tried to speak but was halted by a wave of the gun. ‘And no, they won’t be missed. And yes, people are even glad they’re gone. But Jesus, kid. A nine-year-old child?’ Drexler took a deep breath and his tone became more measured. ‘Look, I understand the impulse. And I’m not going to preach. You do whatever Sorenson wants; it’s none of my business.’ He lowered the gun. ‘Killing a rapist is one thing but I couldn’t shoot you any more than I could hang an unarmed kid. That’s not why I’ve been all round the country looking for you.’
‘Victor Sorenson is dead, Mike,’ said Nicole with lowered head.
‘So it’s true.’ Drexler looked at Brook.
‘Mike. You have to know something,’ began Brook.
‘Damen, give it up,�
� said Nicole. ‘We had a good run. But Mike’s got us cold.’
‘But, Mike, wait…’
‘You heard. Give it up, Damen. I’ve been following you since I saw you together. See, you were my one link to Sorenson and The Reaper.’
‘That’s why you moved to Hartington.’
‘And right next door too. How lucky was that? And boy, you were good. I was almost convinced but then you slipped up. And here I am in your secret lair. Your Aladdin’s cave,’ he chuckled, looking around the room. ‘Sorenson was always so well organised. But like I said, I’m not trying to step on any toes. I’m here for one thing — to see my friend.’ There was silence for a moment. ‘Where is she?’
‘Right behind you, Mike.’
A moment later Drexler’s grip relaxed and the gun lowered. ‘I can’t.’
‘Kill him,’ screamed Nicole, tearing towards Drexler.
McQuarry stepped across her path and grabbed her flailing fists. She picked up the slight girl and threw her onto the bed where she stayed, sobbing into a pillow.
‘Easy, honey.’ She moved back to Drexler and patted him on the back. ‘What’s this?’ She picked up an envelope from a side table. It had Drexler’s name on it. She handed it to him.
Drexler took it from her and tore it open.
‘What is it, Mike?’
‘It’s from Sorenson.’ Drexler read the three lines of type quickly then let his hand fall and turned to stare at Jacob Ashwell moaning on the ground. He looked over at the girl, a bitter smile on his face. McQuarry took the note from him and read.
Your father’s new name and address is overleaf.
You know what to do.
Remember…
‘Go on, Ed. Finish the sentence.’
McQuarry smiled at her partner. ‘Remember Sally Bailey’s face.’ She dropped the letter on the floor and walked over to the portable CD player and turned on the music. ‘This is nice.’ When she turned back to Drexler his weapon was raised again. ‘Good, let’s get this done, Mike.’
‘You didn’t speak to the nurse, did you, Ed?’
‘This is a shock, Mike, I know…’
‘Sorenson found the girl at Caleb’s cabin — still alive.’
‘Barely alive, Mike. The crash nearly killed her.’
‘I wish it had,’ squeaked the girl, tears still rolling down her face.
‘All this time, trying to connect Sorenson to the Ashwells, and the girl was hidden away in his house. And the nurse … did you actually speak to her, Ed?’
McQuarry shook her head. ‘No. But it stopped you talking to her.’
‘And all that … stuff Sorenson knew about my father and Kerry. You?’ McQuarry nodded. ‘And Hunseth?’ She nodded again. ‘How could you?’
‘I did what I had to do, Mike. Same as you will.’
Drexler nodded faintly. ‘You think I’m going to shoot Ashwell for you and Sorenson?’
‘Don’t do it for either of us. Do it for her.’ McQuarry nodded at Nicole Bailey. ‘Do it for Sally.’ Nicole covered her face with her hands, sobbing harder. ‘You’ve no idea what she went through, Mike.’
‘That doesn’t justify…’
‘Tell him, honey.’
‘It doesn’t matter, Ed. I can’t just execute the guy…’
‘You had no problem with Hunseth.’
‘Hunseth could’ve killed you.’
McQuarry shook her head. ‘I don’t think so.’
‘Every day I prayed those men would kill me, Agent Drexler,’ said the girl softly. Both agents turned to her. ‘I took a big hit in the crash, you see. Hurt my hip and my head. I was unconscious when that man and his brother and son killed Mum and Dad. I didn’t wake up for days, though I could hear things sometimes. Hear what they did to Sally and the way they laughed when she begged them to stop.’ The tears continued to roll down her face. ‘They were going to kill me, but the boy wanted to wait. Wait till I woke up. They wouldn’t … hurt me unless they knew I could feel the pain. That’s what they liked best. Towards the end I was conscious more and more, but you know what I did, Agent Drexler? I pretended. Every time they came in I pretended so they wouldn’t touch me. But I had to listen when they hurt Sally. I had no choice — except one. I could have protected my little sister. I could’ve taken her place. I’m glad she’s dead. She doesn’t have to live with what happened to her. She doesn’t have to hear the voices when she closes her eyes.’
‘I’m sorry about your family, Nicole,’ said Drexler.
‘Then let’s stop the hand-wringing, Mike and put an end to this,’ urged McQuarry. ‘Shoot the son of a bitch so we can get out of here. That’s why you brought Sorenson’s gun.’
Drexler looked down.
McQuarry looked at her watch. ‘Come on, Mike. We haven’t got all night.’ She set off for the bathroom.
Drexler brandished the gun. ‘Where the hell you going, Ed?’
‘I’ve got to douse this baby in gasoline. We can’t leave all this evidence around after you kill Ashwell.’ She disappeared into the bathroom and returned with a canister and began to unscrew the top.
‘Stop it, Ed.’ She ignored him so Drexler braced to fire.
‘Stop.’
McQuarry stopped unscrewing the top of the canister and stood upright. ‘What are you going to do, Mike? Shoot me with a rogue gun, then ride off into the sunset with Ashwell? Think it through for once. That’s always been your weakness. I know this is sudden, but I’m still your friend and always will be.’
Drexler stared coldly at her. ‘I’m beginning to wonder if you’ve ever been my friend. How long have you been planning this?’
‘It doesn’t matter, Mike. It doesn’t change our friendship…’
‘How long?’
McQuarry took a deep breath. ‘The professor picked you out three years ago.’
‘The professor?’ snarled Drexler.
McQuarry looked down at her shoes. ‘Then all we had to find was the right welcome gift.’
‘My father,’ nodded Drexler.
‘It wasn’t easy, Mike. He sure didn’t want to be found. But we managed it.’ She picked up the note. ‘Put the address in your pocket. That’s your introduction.’
‘Introduction to what?’
‘To our organisation. The Reaper. You figured it out. That’s who the professor is. That’s who I am now — a disciple. So will you be after your initiation.’
‘Killing Ashwell?’
‘He’s already dead, Mike. You’re just here to make it official.’
Drexler smiled grimly. Sorenson-speak. ‘Why?’
‘Because we’re losing, Mike. Losing the war against the bad guys.’
‘So we just execute them.’
‘That’s right. Like Hunseth was executed.’
Drexler nodded. ‘That was no accident. You got too close, Ed. You got cut. Deliberate?’
‘To do good, sacrifices have to be made. I told the professor you’d be useful to us but we had to be sure. I knew you’d take Hunseth down. He was a Doppelganger for your father.’ McQuarry took out a cigarette and her lighter. ‘And now you’re going to take down Caleb’s brother.’
‘Can I have a cigarette?’
McQuarry threw him the packet and the lighter after lighting her own. ‘Remember Sally’s face, partner.’ She nodded at Jacob. ‘He came in here to screw that little girl. He screwed her younger sister then stood around laughing while Caleb put a bullet in her head. It shouldn’t be hard. You can do it. You’ll be one of us.’
‘Us?’
‘Another disciple. The professor’s recruiting all over the world.’
‘Detective Sergeant Brook in England?’
‘He’s just one of many. Soon there’ll be dozens, maybe even hundreds of us. Really making a difference.’
‘He recruits traumatised little girls to help him?’
‘Hell no. She volunteered.’
‘That’s right, Special Agent,’ said Nicole. Drexler had almost forgotten s
he was in the room. ‘I wanted to help. For Sally’s sake. For Mum and Dad.’
‘Can you even begin to imagine what she’s been through in that hellhole of a room? The professor saved her life, Mike. If he hadn’t gone there to kill Caleb and Billy, she’d be dead now.’
Drexler hung his head and remembered his own father torturing and abusing his sister, his mother.
‘Of all people, Mike, you must understand. Remember that nothing is so difficult as not deceiving oneself.’
‘Wittgenstein. Sorenson’s got all the answers, hasn’t he?’
McQuarry nodded. ‘So shoot this piece of shit and avenge that little girl.’
‘And if I don’t? You kill me?’
‘Jeez, Mike. Don’t be so melodramatic. Think I could do that? That’s not what we’re about. You’re one of us. One of the good guys. That’s our oath to Sorenson. Go to the authorities, tell your story. We won’t stop you. Not if it means killing one of our own. Chances are you’ll be spilling to another disciple. Think about that. I’m your friend no matter what. We take out the lowlifes only when we’re sure. If you won’t do it, I’ll have to.’
Drexler lit his cigarette and took a huge pull before picking up the note from Sorenson and holding the flame under it until the fire took hold. McQuarry pulled her weapon.
‘Tell Sorenson I’ve made friends with my past.’ He dropped the burning paper into a metal bin.
‘He’ll be as disappointed as I am,’ said McQuarry, walking round the room now towards Ashwell.
Drexler levelled his gun at McQuarry. ‘I can’t let you do that, Ed.’
‘You gonna stop me, Mike?’ she said, pointing her weapon at Ashwell’s head.
‘Ed. I mean it.’
‘Jacob Ashwell is going to die tonight. It’s just a question of whether you kill me at the same time. That what you want?’
Drexler tossed the cigarette. ‘I mean it, Ed. I will fire.’
McQuarry dropped her weapon to her side and turned to her partner. She looked him in the eye and moved towards him. ‘You don’t actually think Sorenson would give you a working gun before we were sure, do you?’
Drexler squirrelled a glance at his gun, but maintained firing position. McQuarry lifted her gun into her holster and clipped it home. ‘Have it your way, Mike. Put that down. It’s a dud.’ She walked towards him and stood with her eyes an inch from the M9’s barrel.