Death Rope

by Leigh Russell

  Geraldine continued her enquiries, but even people who tried to be obliging came up with similar useless responses. Returning to the police station, she found her colleagues had also drawn a blank. No one had reported hearing an unknown dog barking at night, and no one had seen a large dog matching the description they were given. Opinions among the officers were divided. Some of the team concluded the dog couldn’t be living in the area, while others thought it was being kept somewhere out of sight.

  ‘No one could hide a dog that size,’ Ariadne said. ‘It would need to go outside to be exercised and then someone would see it.’

  ‘Not if it was only let out at night.’

  ‘But people would hear it barking.’

  ‘Perhaps it’s never let out at all.’

  ‘If it’s being cooped up somewhere, it’ll be going stir crazy.’

  But whether the dog was local or not, their failure to trace it was disappointing. Even approaching dog breeders nationwide yielded no result, although if the animal was an illegally produced cross-breed, there was unlikely to be an official record of its existence. The mood around the police station was deflated that afternoon. Eileen marched out of the meeting, frowning, and once she had left the room the remaining officers dispersed quietly. Not for the first time, Geraldine felt that Eileen had let slip a chance to motivate the team with a few encouraging words, although it was difficult to know what she could have said without sounding patronising. Everyone knew they were not getting very far with the investigation. With a sigh, Geraldine returned to her desk to begin writing up her decision log for the day.

  41

  Abe vanished so quickly Eddy might have doubted he had been there at all, were it not for the key in his hand. He glanced down at a standard car key on an unidentified metal key ring. Slipping the key in his pocket he set off to look for the black BMW. To his relief he spotted it straight away, parked exactly where Abe had said it would be, in a quiet side turning just round the corner from the row of shops. There were cars parked on either side of the road, but no sign of life on the street or in any of the houses along the road as he approached the car. Although a few years old it was still a nice looking motor, if unremarkable, a car that wouldn’t attract unwanted attention. Eddy breathed a sigh of relief. He had been worried he might not be able to find the car. As it was, he was going to earn himself a tidy sum driving that set of wheels.

  The waiting around had been making him nervous, but now the time had come to do the job, his apprehension melted away. Never one to shy away from a risk, he felt a surge of his characteristic optimism. He just knew things were going to turn out all right. It had only ever been just a question of time before he got his hands on enough money to pay off his debts. Once that was all dealt with, he would be sorted. It was a sign, Abe having turned up out of the blue when he did, just when Eddy had hit rock bottom. And if the job with Abe failed to convert into a long-term money spinner, Eddy still had his back-up plan. Humming very softly under his breath, he sauntered along the pavement, his identity discreetly concealed behind sunglasses and baseball cap. As he approached the car he glanced around. Abe had warned him not to get in if he noticed anyone loitering nearby. But he saw nothing suspicious, no one who could have been a plain-clothes cop watching to see who was going to get in the car.

  Even so his hand trembled as he turned the key, and as the door shut, he felt trapped. If the BMW was being watched, he would be caught before he had even turned the key in the ignition. He shut his eyes and tensed, waiting for uniformed police to surround the car.

  Nothing happened.

  He sat motionless for a moment, his eyes closed, waiting. And still nothing happened. After a few minutes his breathing slowed down to a normal rate though his heart continued pounding as if he was running. He opened his eyes. There was no movement in the street. Now all he had to do was wait. That was the difficult part. He didn’t dare close his eyes again even fleetingly, for fear he would miss seeing Abe running towards the car. Neither of them had mentioned the jewellers a few doors along from the side turning where the car was parked, but Eddy was sure that must be the target of the robbery. He stared straight ahead, picturing the shop window, its contents twinkling and sparkling in the sunlight. He imagined Abe and another shadowy figure entering the shop, their faces masked, and a terrified shop assistant handing over money and fabulous jewellery.

  A shrill alarm startled him, sounding very close by. At the same time he heard a distant clamour of raised voices. He turned the key in the ignition and the engine purred softly while he waited. Two masked figures burst into view, pounding along the pavement. Eddy had a brief glimpse of Abe’s eyes glaring wildly from behind his balaclava. His stocky accomplice appeared to be struggling to keep up with him. Reaching the car, they wrenched open the doors Eddy had unlocked in preparation, and hurled themselves into the car, Abe in the front passenger seat and the stranger in the back.

  ‘Go! Go! Go!’ Abe cried out as he slammed his door shut.

  Before he had finished the first word, Eddy spun the wheel and was pulling away from the kerb while Abe called out directions. They turned left, right, and left again, zigzagging away from the spot where Eddy had been waiting for them. Crossing Lendal Bridge they were forced to slowed down.

  ‘I can’t go any faster,’ Eddy said, alarmed that they hadn’t travelled far from the scene of the robbery, and were no longer able to speed away.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ Abe said, still panting from his desperate sprint. ‘Head towards the station. There’s no panic now. We should be OK along here. No one’s going to spot us in all this traffic –’

  He broke off as a siren rang out above the hum of traffic. Automatically, Eddy’s foot hit the accelerator and the car jolted forward but he had to brake almost at once as they drew close to the car in front. The man in the back of the car swore.

  ‘Calm down. They’re not looking for us,’ Abe said. ‘Take that balaclava off, you fucking moron!’

  ‘Of course they’re looking for us,’ the other man said, his voice shrill with agitation. ‘We just robbed a fucking jewellers. Who do you think they’re looking for?’

  ‘Sure they’re after whoever did it, but they don’t know it was us, do they?’ Abe replied. ‘So shut the fuck up, will you? Eddy was parked round the corner, out of sight. No one saw us get in the car. Look,’ he went on, raising his voice, ‘the street’s packed with bloody cars. How are they going to know it was us? Just stay cool and there won’t be a problem.’

  The man in the back of the car fell silent. Eddy glanced in the rear view mirror and saw that he had pulled off his balaclava to reveal a large square face, still ruddy from his recent exertion. As though sensing Eddy was looking at him, he raised his head. Beady black eyes stared back at Eddy, who shifted his attention back to the road in front. There was something unnerving about the other man’s expression. It wasn’t just that he was scared, he looked malevolent. For the first time, Eddy began to regret his involvement. Abe had made it all sound so simple and risk-free, but the reality felt very different. Still, it was too late to back out now, even if he wanted to. Wordlessly he drove towards the station, trying to focus on the money he was going to collect when the journey was over, and telling himself it would be worth it in the end. In exchange for a few uncomfortable minutes, he would receive the best part of a thousand quid. It wouldn’t solve his problems, but it was a start.

  As the wail of the siren grew louder, they left the main road, turning back on themselves. Near the river, Abe barked at Eddy to stop. They waited in the car for a few moments without speaking, until another man approached them.

  ‘Who the fuck is that?’ the passenger in the back asked, while Eddy watched the stranger uneasily.

  ‘Come on,’ Abe replied. ‘This is where we ditch the wheels.’

  He jumped out of the car and nodded at the man who had now drawn level with them.

  ‘Give him the key,’ Abe told Eddy.

  Fumbling, Eddy d
id as he was told, and they watched the car disappear back the way they had come.

  Abe’s strained expression relaxed into a broad grin. ‘Time to go home,’ he said. He pulled off his gloves and slapped Eddy on the back. ‘Not a bad day’s work.’

  He said nothing about paying Eddy for driving the car. All at once, Eddy felt apprehensive. It was awkward having to ask, but he wasn’t about to leave without collecting what he was owed. He was entitled to be paid, but all the same his voice trembled slightly as he asked for his money.

  Abe scowled. ‘What’s your problem, Eddy? Don’t you trust me?’

  The other man laughed, and Eddy forced a smile.

  ‘Sure I trust you. I just thought we weren’t going to hang out together for a few days, and if I’m not going to see you for a while, I’d like my money now. I don’t want to wait for it.’ He paused, aware that he was talking too much. ‘I need it,’ he added plaintively.

  ‘Ah, he doesn’t want to wait,’ the other man taunted him. ‘He needs his money.’ He turned his head to one side and spat on the ground.

  Alone in a deserted spot with Abe and a physically powerful stranger, Eddy was helpless. If they were going to rip him off, there was nothing he could do about it. Slowly, Abe reached into the pocket of his jacket. For a terrible moment, Eddy thought he was going to pull out a gun, but instead he withdrew a grubby envelope which he held out to Eddy who snatched it gratefully.

  ‘Destroy the envelope and change the notes as quickly as possible. Now get lost,’ Abe said. ‘I’ll be in touch when we need you again.’

  ‘Don’t you want my number?’ Eddy asked.

  He was desperate to check how much was in the envelope, but didn’t dare to look.

  ‘I’ll know where to find you,’ Abe said. It sounded like a threat. ‘Now fuck off. We can’t be seen leaving here together.’

  Eddy nodded and hurried away, overwhelmed with relief to be leaving.

  42

  Eddy couldn’t wait until he reached home to check the contents of the envelope. Going into the first pub he passed, he hurried to the men’s room and locked himself in a cubicle before taking out the dirty white envelope. His hand shook as he counted it. The money was all there, just as Abe had promised, in soiled twenty pound notes. Eddy wondered what kind of stash Abe had made for himself that was worth being so generous to a driver who had been in the car for less than half an hour. But there was no point in speculating. He would probably learn all about the haul in the news the next day. In the meantime, at least Abe had been right about one thing: it wasn’t a bad day’s work.

  Abe had told him to destroy the envelope straight away. He understood the urgency as it would be covered in fingerprints, so once he was outside he slipped into an alleyway, lit a match, and held the flaming paper between his finger and thumb until he was forced to drop the last charred corner. The black scrap floated to the pavement and, with the cash safely stowed in his pocket, he set off for home. He didn’t go that way deliberately, but his route took him towards the betting shop. Of course, he knew better than to succumb to that temptation, so instead of continuing on his way, he turned round and went back to the pub to have one quick beer before going home. After a couple of pints, he felt a lot better. He wasn’t sure why he had been so worried earlier on. All he had done was sit in a car for about ten minutes and then drive it round the corner. There had been nothing so frightening in that. The fear had been all in his mind. He had done a good job, so there would no doubt be more like that.

  He leaned back in his chair and contemplated what to do next. It was a while since he last had so many options to choose from. He could go home, or have another drink, or even take his chances on placing one small bet, just for the hell of it. With getting on for a thousand pounds in his pocket, he could afford to risk losing a single modest stake. On the other hand, a thousand pounds would retrieve the television and go some way towards sorting out his rent. Still undecided, he went over to the bar for one last pint. Mulling over his situation rationally, he realised he would be a fool to let this opportunity pass. Luciana didn’t know he had taken the day off work. He had free time and money in his wallet. A chance like this might not come his way again for a while.

  The old man seated at the table didn’t even look up as Eddy walked past him and placed twenty pounds on the favourite. For once there was no need to feel nervous about the possibility of losing his stake, because he had plenty more cash on him. One tiny flutter, just for luck, and he would be on his way. All the same, he could feel his heart pounding as he leaned against the wall, watching the race on a small screen. With a horrible sinking feeling he saw his horse stumble. It recovered, but not quickly enough to win the race outright. That was it. Reluctantly he turned to leave the betting shop.

  The old man reached out a gnarled hand and clutched at Eddy’s sleeve as he passed by the table.

  Eddy paused in his stride. ‘Did you want something?’

  The old man nodded, leering up at Eddy. ‘I been at this game a long time,’ he mumbled.

  ‘So?’

  ‘I know a winner when I see one.’

  ‘How?’

  ‘I make it my business to know. I been studying form all day, waiting for a good bet, and I’m telling you, son, this is a big one.’

  He jabbed at the paper with his knobbly finger, mouthing the name of a horse.

  ‘Here, son.’ He held out a greasy ten pound note. ‘Do me a favour, put this on for me. I been waiting for a sure bet all day. Go on. Save my legs.’ He gestured impatiently with his other hand.

  Eddy frowned. ‘It’s good odds, but it’s not the favourite –’

  ‘What’s that to you? It’s my money. I’d put more on if I had it. I’m telling you that horse is going to win. It’s a sure thing. Go on.’

  Eddy took the tenner and went up to the counter. He took his own money out of his pocket and hesitated, wondering how much to put down. He would be a fool to ignore a tip from someone who knew how to gauge the odds. He was trembling at being given a credible tip just when he had money to place a bet. If he didn’t seize this chance he would regret it for the rest of his life. He glanced back at the old man who nodded eagerly at him, muttering inaudibly. With a rush of adrenaline Eddy turned round, drew his own money from his pocket, and slapped it down on the counter. The bookie’s expression didn’t alter as he counted the notes. Eddy stepped back, feeling as though he was going to suffocate. He had walked in there resolving to place just one twenty pound bet, and now he had put down all of his money. This was make or break. He held his breath as the race started.

  Too late, he changed his mind. He had made a stupid mistake. He shouldn’t have risked more than half his money. He knew nothing about the old man. Even if he knew what he was talking about, and the horse wasn’t outclassed by any of the others, it might stumble, or have an off day, and he would have lost everything. He could hardly breathe, couldn’t watch or even listen to the commentary. When the result was announced, he was so agitated he could hardly hear what was said. In a daze he went to collect his winnings.

  Luciana was waiting for him at home.

  ‘Let’s book a holiday,’ he said, as he sat down.

  ‘A holiday?’

  ‘Yes. We’ve been so bogged down with the funeral, and my stepmother, and everything, I clean forgot we agreed to take some time off in August. Well, let’s book something and go away together, just the two of us. What do you say? I was thinking, you’ve been so supportive while all this has been going on, you deserve a break. Where do you fancy going? We can go anywhere in the world. Just name a place you want to go and I’ll book it up.’

  ‘Are you serious? You want to go away? Can we afford it?’

  ‘Sure, I’m serious. And yes, we can afford it. To tell you the truth, I’ve been planning this for a while but then with all that trouble with my father I didn’t have a chance to tell you, but I’ve been saving up for ages. You have a think and let me know where you want to go, anywhe
re at all, and I’ll book it up straight away.’

  ‘Italy,’ she replied without hesitation. ‘I’ve always wanted to go to Rome.’

  ‘Rome it is then. I’ll book it up first thing in the morning.’

  43

  ‘What the hell’s he found this time?’ Christine said, scowling at the dog. ‘He’s got something in his mouth. What is it?’

  Tom shook his head. ‘I can’t see, but I don’t think it’s alive any more.’

  ‘Don’t be flippant. Drop it, Benjy. Drop it!’ She put her hand over her mouth and shuddered. ‘Tom, get it away from him. It could be diseased.’

  As Tom stepped forward, the dog backed away from him with a low growl, all the while keeping hold of whatever was in its jaws. Shouting at the dog to drop whatever it had found Christine took a few steps closer to it. The dog backed away again, before turning and bounding off into the bushes. No amount of yelling persuaded it to return. Reluctantly, Tom set off in pursuit, with Christine alternately shouting instructions to him, and summons to Benjy. Neither of them paid much attention to her. Picking his way through the shrubbery Tom searched for Benjy, cursing as he slipped on the muddy ground. Nearby, he could hear the dog whimpering and gnarling, and after a few minutes he spotted its brown and white coat through the foliage. Slowly he approached and stopped in his tracks as he saw what Benjy had found.

  ‘Jesus Christ!’ he blurted out.

  ‘What is it?’ Christine shouted back from the path. ‘What has he found? Is it a rabbit? Get him out of there, Tom. If it’s dead it’s probably diseased. It could have rabies or something.’

  ‘I don’t think rabbits get rabies,’ Tom shouted back, before adding under his breath, ‘and that’s not a rabbit.’

  He inched towards Benjy and halted.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Christine shouted. ‘Benjy! Benjy! Get back here now!’

  The dog was crouching beside the remains of a person. As Tom took another step closer he saw the mutilated body of a woman. Only her blood-caked skirt revealed her gender as her face had been so badly damaged. It was a shred of her blood-soaked shirt that they had seen hanging from Benjy’s jaws. With an exclamation of horror, Tom turned away and threw up. Flecks of pale brown vomit trembled on the leaves of a nearby bush. He was only vaguely aware of Christine’s voice calling to him, demanding to know what was going on. Pulling himself together with an effort, he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and yelled at her to stay where she was. Whatever happened, he didn’t want her seeing these mangled remains.