The Organisation (Detective Jane Sparrow Book 1)

by Claire Merrington

  “Well I can see you’re a little more jumpy than the last time we met. A little more anxious, don’t worry it’s completely understandable. How are you feeling Jane?”

  “Perhaps more cautious around people that I don’t know so well just incase but other than that fine. I’ve gone about my day as I would any other so I don’t feel it’s affected my ability to work this case if that was what my Supervisor was worried about.”

  “No, No he mentioned nothing of the sort it’s protocol that after an upsetting event a psychological examination is carried out to make sure no officers are under any duress. And your Supervisor felt because I had already met you the once I would be able to distinguish any differences in your body language and actions easier. Now why don’t we discuss why you were singled out do you have any theories on the matter?”

  “I have but I’m not sure whether it is correct or not. My assumption would be that the killer did it to throw me off my game try and scare me off the case perhaps I have gotten close to the answer. Or another possibility he is watching me wanted to gage my reaction to his newest piece of art as he calls it. That is one thing I am surprised by that we didn’t receive a letter, no doubt he probably thought the tongue said it all. No pun intended.”

  “Interesting, yes I do believe it could have been to throw you off balance and perhaps maybe you did get close to the right answer. There is also one more possibility. If I’m correct you are the only detective so far to have been called out personally. Yes I agree it could be because you are the one that made the connection with the other murders but it could also mean that the killer is originally from Essex as well. And no doubt he has crossed your path in law enforcement at some stage. You definitely mean something to this guy.”

  “That is an interesting take on it I’ll look into that thanks. We made a connection to some low life mob guys that had a similar technique for some of the injuries the victims sustained in the area. Perhaps that was this guys way of telling me who he is.”

  As Dr Tad Woodrow was about to continue on with his questioning Jane’s phone buzzed in her pocket with the arrival of a text message. Jane apologized for the interruption but said she best check it wasn’t from her colleague as a press conference was being set up for later that evening. As Jane checked and read the message she tried to hide the fright from her face as what she read sank in. Her gut instinct on the way over had been right. Amy had just confirmed that their supervisor hadn’t set up the meeting with the Doctor so it was unknown how he had found out about the tongue. And to add more terror to the news another girl had been reported missing. Confirming and cementing their theory in place even more the young girl to be reported missing was that fifteen year old Layla Brown. Was reported missing by her parents two hours ago when she didn’t come home from a friends house after a study group.

  “I’m really sorry doctor I believe I am going to have to cut our meeting short we have a report that another young girl ahs been taken. I really need to get back to the station and sort out my press conference. Thank you for all your help.”

  “Your welcome I will schedule another meeting with you before you leave though as I really need to finish the mandatory questions with you for the report that I need to give to your supervisor.”

  “Oh right yes I must say I’m sure it’s not important I’ll speak to my supervisor. I don’t want to take up any more of your time than needed and my supervisor isn’t normally the type to schedule such appointments so I’m sure he won’t mind if we don’t finish it.”

  “Never the less until I get confirmation from him we should reschedule.”

  Before Jane knew it Tad had managed to move himself around her and was blocking the exit. Jane decided it would be best to play to rebooking an appointment in case he thought she was getting suspicious.

  “Of course perhaps that would be best wouldn’t want to get you into trouble. Let me just get my phone out to check my calendar to see when is good.”

  With that Jane sent off a quick text to both Perry and Amy saying only SOS she had managed to just get it to send when the Doctor noticed what she was actually doing and snatched her phone out of her hand.

  “Oh Jane, Jane, Jane why did you have to go and do that? I knew you were smarter and starting to catch on. It’s why I invited you here I wanted to see whether you were putting the puzzle pieces together or not. And of course a psychopath like myself likes nothing more than to see people’s reaction to his handiwork. And ripping out the tongue definitely has had a good effect. From seeing you flinch and look over your shoulder continuously from the minute you left the confines of your apartment. And my does your supervisors know your hooking up with a low life drug dealer. I must say I was rather shocked to see you fall into his awaiting arms.”

  “Tad stands for Thaddeus. I should of connected it sooner. But I’ve never met you before and you put that idea out there.”

  “Well I look a lot different now to when I first met you. The wonders of plastic surgery and fifteen years. I met you in your first year in the police force. I was rather fat then and naturally I have blonde hair. So I’ve lost a bit of wait dyed my hair bought a better suit. But I was a low life mob guy you put in jail for none other than drug trafficking. Where I also got some of my psychological certificates and counseling ones. Such a great program that they run helping you retrain. From the moment you put me in jail I started plotting how I was going to bring an end to you. Now because you sent that naughty text we best get moving.”

  Jane tried to make a run for it but she wasn’t quick enough. In her haste she knocked over a lamp from a side table and a stack of magazines on the floor. She only just caught a glimpse of the needle out of the corner of her eye. Next thing she knew there was an arm grabbing her around her waist as there was a sharp stab of a needle to her neck. Jane was shocked at how instantly she began to feel woozy.

  “Injection straight into the blood stream I would have had it done that way with all the girls as it means the drug works quicker but you see it’s more noticeable this way. Easier to slip it into a drink. Now your going to take a nice nap Jane we are going for a ride.”

  Jane had only just realized that while she was concentrating so hard on hearing what he was saying he had been guiding her out to the elevator and was heading to the ground floor, which was the car park. As the cold air hit her as it flowed around the open space coming through the exit only a few feet away Jane felt the sudden loss of motor co-ordination and balance. Her legs seemed to have gone like jelly she no longer felt like she had control of any of her limbs. Jane was struggling not to panic and was putting all her focus into not losing consciousness. But the urge to sleep was too strong. The last thing Jane felt was Tad swinging her up into his arms as he placed her down in the trunk of his awaiting boot.

  Jane didn’t remember any of the journey and couldn’t place how long in time had passed from when she had left his office. Even more scarily Jane awoke to find herself cable tied to an upturned bed frame. Tied at all four limbs Jane found that a gag had been placed in her mouth. To Jane’s terror she realized she was wearing nothing but her underwear and she was not alone. Looking at her with wide-eyed fear was who Jane could only assume was Layla Brown. A scared fifteen-year-old girl who had no idea the terror she was about to face.

  “Ah Jane your finally awake have you met our friend Layla. She is our newest candidate for saving. And well I decided that as much as I like communicating with you through letters and parcels well I don’t think you quite understood the concept of my art. You see my mother named me after one of the apostles of Jesus. I am a disciple of Jesus. I am a messenger of God. My mum helped me understand that I was destined for great things. I was destined to help save others. And you, you gave me the incentive. I did all this for you to show how good I could be. To show you how well I could help others. You know I was blesses with a heightened olfactory system. I can smell the sins in these girls sweat. I mean this young thing. Her parents brought her to me because
she is already a drug addict. I can smell the weed on her and taste the cigarettes and ecstasy in her sweat in the air. She is riddled with sin and it isn’t going to get any better the older she gets she needs saving now and I am going to be the one to help her. I have my twelve apostles I am the modern day Jesus. I needed to show you.”

  Jane felt like she was in a daze she was still hazy from only just waking up from a drug-induced sleep and she couldn’t assess the situation around her. She didn’t want to believe that the young girl strapped to the bed frame in front of her could be real. She didn’t want it to happen again and to have to watch. The idea went against everything that Jane stood for as a human being, as a Detective. It was her duty and honor to protect and serve the people. And right now a person was looking at her with nothing but pleading in her eyes asking her to save her. And all Jane could do was drift in and out of consciousness with her own bouts of fright.

  “Now Jane stay awake my dear I don’t want you to miss anything. Now you were so close with your theory it was unbelievable. The father’s they pretty much do everything. They are my apostles after all. The first young girl Jennifer well she was riddled with dirt and carrying a baby of sin. We tried to get her to miscarry away her discrepancy but the sin was too strong but it died with her. Her soul was purified for her passing. James and Barbara can take comfort in that and I know they do. Valerie well we tried to cure her. We tried to show her the ways of men and the comfort that they could bring to a woman’s body but she resisted. She told lies and her tongue was the last to go. The soul needed it to be gone so she could rest in peace. I am helping these girls I am saving them. Jennifer was laid out with due care after her passing because we had managed to purify her soul. Valerie was dumped with less care because she would not revert. The tongue was the last hope for her, so she could keep the sin of who she is deeper hidden. Layla here needs to be purified. You must understand. Now can you see?”

  Jane went to speak but only proceeded to choke on the gag that was wedged so tightly into her mouth it was actually making it hard for her to breathe. Tad stepped forward to pull it out so she could speak but Jane flinched away at his touch. For that wince she received a short sharp slap across her left cheek and was told not to struggle against the restraints otherwise he would be forced to make them tighter. Jane held still as much as possible but it felt like all the cells in her body were repulsed at his touch that they couldn’t help but try to claw away. He managed to relieve the gag from her mouth and Jane felt like she could finally take in the deep breaths that were needed to steady her emotions and take stock of the situation.

  “Tad your delusional you’re not saving these girls your murdering them, you’re torturing them to admit to the perceived sins, you murdered Jennifer because she was only 17 and wouldn’t get rid of the baby. James you spoke of teaching Jennifer responsibility that was what your daughter was doing owning up to the responsibility of her actions. Your problem with the whole situation was your pride you felt like it was too much of a bad reflection on you. You killed your daughter to save your own image. Valerie who you tried to cure was repeatedly raped and my guess when she refused to say that she enjoyed it you ripped out her tongue and she drowned in her own blood. Patrick you spoke of how Thaddeus had made such a difference to Valerie. I spoke to your daughters partner you should have been proud the one thing any parent should want for their child is that they are happy and confident. Everyone knew what Valerie’s lifestyle choice was all her friends knew you were the last to be told. Because Valerie knew how much religion meant to you after losing her brother. She was considerate to your feelings but you murdered her because she couldn’t change whom she loved. And Layla she is only fifteen find me one teenager that isn’t making wild decisions and rebelling. It’s a phase all you can do is offer your support. Try to guide her without pushing her away. Teach her the damage she is causing to her body if she really is taking drugs. But strapping her to a bed and trying to purify her soul is going to cost you her life and that is one thing you cant replace. You will lose your daughter long before she has had the chance to live. You may be her parents but what right do you have to take her life. You Tad are a martyr you have created your own delusion that allows you to sleep at night and get away with murder. You convince innocent parents to murder their own children. You have created a story to suite your needs. You are no Jesus you have no apostles. This is over.”

  “Well Jane it seems we are still at an impasse but this is far from over as you see your still tied to a bed with no where to go and Layla here is still a drug addict. So lets start the purification process and we will see how far you come round to believing in my work.”

  With that the first father stepped up to the young girl and placed a small but deep gash to the young girls upper chest. She let out such a gut-wrenching howl as the pain engulfed her. Tears pricked at Jane’s eyes as she watched the young girl scream and writher in pain. Jane thrashed against her restraints trying to break free but the wrought iron bed that she was chained to wasn’t going anywhere.

  “Layla, Layla look at me I promise I am going to get you out of this stay strong for me Layla. Breathe sweetheart, in and out nice big deep breaths. You’re doing so well you’re so strong.”

  Jane received another harsh blow to the left cheek and felt her lower lip split against the force. Jane didn’t flinch and made sure to show no sign of the pain pulsating through her face. She sucked it in and promised herself that he would pay. The next father stepped up and placed another gash into Layla chest on the opposite side not as deep but twice as long. Layla tried to hold in her scream she transfixed on looking Jane in the eye. She tried to show strength and courage but her confidence wavered as the cut continued and she let out a small but heart rendering sob. Jane held the young girls gaze and tried to show calmness as well as an undying belief that Layla was going to make it through it. Layla took a deep breath and seemed again to Jane’s astonishment to gain control of her emotions. Jane went to speak but Layla shook her head. Jane couldn’t help but be grateful her face hadn’t quite calmed from the last blow and if she kept on going at the rate she was it wouldn’t be long before Tad knocked her clean out and she wouldn’t be there to offer what little support and comfort that she could to Layla. Jane closed her mouth and held in her words but offered a small grateful nod instead. The girl seemed to except this as the way forward. Jane watched in horror as the next two fathers stepped forward and placed gashes in either side of the young girls thigh. Jane was amazed at how much strength the young girl had. Jane had expected her to pass out from the pain and overload of adrenaline that must have been pumping through her system but this young girl was definitely a fighter she refused to back down and held on with the grit of her teeth.

  “Well I say we take a break from the young Layla now I believe it is the good Detective’s turn. James I believe you had some extra attention you wanted to pay to our dear Jane step forward show her our cause. Make her believe.”

  Jane took in a deep breath and tried to wipe the look of fear from her face. She stared ahead at Layla who had tears streaming down her cheeks and plastered a look of serenity on her face all the way to her eyes. Jane was determined she wouldn’t give them what they wanted she would not scream she would not flinch. James stepped up and rather than a knife in hand like Jane had expected he approached with a knuckle-dusters. One for each hand from the looks of them they were made from solid brass. The first blow was to Jane’s stomach and it knocked the wind right out of her but with the way she was bound she could not bend towards the blow how your body would chose for you to react. Her head had gone forward but Jane found the strength to look on up and back forward at Layla. James seemed determined that he would make her scream so he landed the next three blows in quick succession Jane was positive that she felt a rib crack under the force but still she did not scream. James landed another two blows to her body and one to her face when Tad yelled out for the attack to stop.

  “Stop now
James I don’t wish her to be unconscious yet there is still too much for her to see. But the damage you have caused already will make for a great photo to send to the police station that will get them panicking.”

  Jane had managed to hold on through her attack but for a while her eyes hadn’t been able to focus on Layla. The blood was pumping through her head all she could hear was her pulse and the throbbing of her aching body. Jane managed to refocus her eyes to find Layla grief stricken and in shock staring at Jane. Jane managed to muster enough strength to nod to let Layla know she was still there with her. The flood of relief that washed the young girls face let Jane know it was worth the effort.