More Equal Than Others. The DS Lasser series. Volume five: Robin Roughley

by Robin Roughley

  Carly lifted a hand to her face and touched the tender spot. 'I did it earlier in the garden.'

  Sally threw a look towards Mack the smile had vanished from his face.

  'Carly can be a little accident-prone can't you sweetheart?'

  She nodded and hitched up her shoulders. 'I was trying to get the spade from the shed and the rake fell forward and well you can see what happened.'

  'I've done the same thing myself on more than one occasion,' Black said with a wry smile.

  Mack nodded sagely. 'Right well thanks for hanging around...'

  'It just seems strange that none of the locks have been forced and apart from the kitchen window everything else is intact.' Sally said.

  Black threw her a sour look, it was late and he was knackered and ready for bed, the last thing he needed was Wright playing detective.

  'Well I can only presume that's where they got in,' Mack said.

  'But the window has been broken from inside,' she said. 'If you look there's a heavy cast iron pan on the patio.'

  Mack raised an eyebrow before crossing the room, a thin breeze seeped in through the gap. 'That is odd,' he said with a frown.

  'Yes well, we've taken up enough of your time and I'm sure you'll want to make arrangements to get the glass replaced.' Black said ignoring the look on Sally Wright's face.

  Mack tugged at his ear lobe. 'I've got some plywood in the garage; I can always nail it to the frame till morning.'

  'Very wise sir and don't forget to ring the insurance company, you know what they're like the sooner you get the ball rolling...'

  'It's on my list of things to do.'

  'Right, well goodnight to you both.'

  Sally tried to catch Carly's eye but she was looking towards the broken window her face locked rigid.

  Black gave her the nod and Sally frowned before heading for the door.

  Steve slid the helmet from beneath his right arm before plonking it onto his head. 'I know it's upsetting but believe me these things are usually one offs but rest assured we'll do all we can to catch those responsible.'

  Mack flicked a piece of broken plate with his foot. 'We appreciate that officer and thank your colleague for us.'

  Black turned Sally had vanished.

  'I will,' he said before leaving the room.

  Mack followed him down the hallway. 'Thanks again,' he said from the doorway.

  Sally was already sitting behind the wheel of the Astra, her face stern.

  Black turned and raised a hand. 'Take care sir,' he said.

  A few moments later the car was reversing down the drive, Sally Wright threw him one last dark look before driving away.

  When Mack turned Carly was standing in the hallway.

  'I'm sorry,' she said quietly.

  Closing the door, he shrugged. 'I know what it's like to lose control Carly.'

  'I...'

  He pointed a finger towards her. 'The bit about the rake was inspired.'

  'I don't think she believed me.'

  'Oh, I'm sure you're right.'

  'You know they'll come back.'

  Mack checked his watch. 'I don't doubt it, but hopefully our friend Redgrove will get here before they make a return visit.'

  'You're going to kill him aren't you?'

  Suddenly the smile was back on his face. 'I can guarantee one of us will do the dirty deed.'

  Carly looked at him in confusion. 'I don't understand.'

  'For now I think that's probably for the best.'

  CHAPTER 139

  'The estate has one entrance and we've got a couple of cars waiting to seal the road off if Mack shows up.'

  Lasser nodded. 'Good idea.'

  They'd spent half an hour searching the house, Kerrie Fleming had stayed in the lounge watched over by PC Coyle.

  Now they were back in the car, the windscreen coated by a thin skin of frost. 'Even if John Mack is our man then we still have bugger all to tie him to the crimes.'

  'I'm not an idiot Lasser, but let's concentrate on catching the bugger, we can worry about the rest later.'

  'How did you manage to get the file on him I thought it was only due later today?'

  'I called in a few favours got an old mate of mine to fax the lot over.'

  'So what does it say?'

  Bannister shivered before flicking the heater on full blast. 'It's pretty much as we expected, Mack was a first rate officer, a bit heavy handed at times but nothing too outrageous. In fact it sounds as if you two were cut from the same cloth.'

  'Yeah thanks for that,' Lasser said as he slid the zipper down on his jacket.

  'Headstrong, liable to be the first to kick the door down but he had an impressive arrest rate.'

  'So do you really think he's our man?'

  Bannister tapped his fingers on the wheel. 'Look, we follow the facts and they tell us that Mack is involved in some way, now whether he's the one swinging the axe is open to debate. But he's here in this town, he's lied to his girlfriend and we know he's been in contact with Simon Cropper, plus, on the nights these individuals died he wasn't with Kerrie Fleming.'

  'Maybe he's got another woman on the side.'

  Bannister scratched his chin. 'Perhaps, but we still need to collar the sod.'

  'So what do you want to do?'

  'Well we have people in place here, so if he does show up then we'll have him.'

  'And if he doesn't?'

  Bannister narrowed his eyes. 'We need to get back to the station and take another look at the files on the bodies found in Liverpool and Manchester. Now we have a name, it should make it easier to see if there are any other links to John Mack.'

  'Is it alright if Coyle comes with us?' Lasser asked.

  'Why?' Bannister asked quizzically.

  'Well she's good on the computer,' he paused, 'and to be honest, if Mack does turn up then I'd sooner she was well away from the place.'

  Bannister sighed heavily. 'Look sergeant what happened to Cathy was terrible but we all have a job to do.'

  'Please boss.'

  Bannister looked at him in surprise before flapping a hand. 'Go get her.'

  Lasser smiled in relief and Bannister watched as he climbed from the car and slithered his way towards the house.

  A moment later, he had a cigarette on the go.

  CHAPTER 140

  As the phone vibrated towards the edge of the bedside cabinet, terror filled Brewster's brain. Suddenly, he had an urgent need to use the toilet.

  Reaching out a shaking hand, he picked up the mobile as if it were a steaming turd.

  'Hello,' he whispered into the handset, his guts churning.

  'Michael my friend how are you?'

  At the sound of the voice, Brewster started to cry as the memories of the nightmare in the derelict house came flooding back. 'I...'

  'I take it you got home without too much distress?'

  'Please, I don't want...'

  'I have one last job for you and then you can get on with your life, imagine that Michael, free from worry, free to make a fortune when you sell your story.'

  Brewster pushed himself up the bed kicking the duvet free as he went. 'I don't understand.'

  'I want you to ring DCI Bannister...'

  'Bannister?'

  'Don't act dumb, Michael.'

  'Sorry, sorry, I didn't mean...'

  'Twenty two Larch Road.'

  Brewster reached over and slapped on the bedside lamp. 'I know it.'

  'Tell Bannister there's another body at the house.'

  'Another..!'

  'I'll ring back in ten minutes for an update, do this one last thing for me and you're home and dry.'

  'I promise I'll...'

  'Fail and I'll nail you to the lock gates, can you picture it Michael nails through your hands and feet and then I'll wind the gates open, I'm sure you can imagine how unpleasant that would be.'

  'I...'

  'Twenty two Larch Road,' he repeated. 'Ten minutes, no more, no less.'

>   Brewster looked at the blank screen, his bladder twitched and he felt a trickle of warm piss run down his legs. In desperation, he jabbed at the numbers on the keypad; his mind already locked in the nightmare, nailed to the huge wooden gates as the filthy water rose, his life's blood pouring down into the dirty trough.

  'Oh God!' Brewster yelped as he slammed the phone to his ear.

  CHAPTER 141

  Bannister was half way through the cigarette when his phone rang; dropping the stump out of the window, he fumbled it from his trouser pocket.

  'Hello.'

  'Bannister?'

  The DCI grimaced in anger. 'Brewster what the fuck do you want?'

  'He's just been in touch, just now, he told me to ring you!'

  'What are you talking about?'

  'The killer,' Brewster whispered as if afraid of being overheard. 'He says there's another body at twenty two Larch Road.'

  'If this some kind of sick joke?'

  'No, no listen you have to believe me!'

  Bannister could hear the fear in the reporter's voice. 'Why should I trust you, you're nothing but a lying bastard?'

  'Look I'm telling you the truth; he said if I didn't tell you then he was going to nail me to the canal lock gates! I mean, do you think I'm fucking making this up, do you think I want to fucking die?'

  Bannister looked up just as Lasser and Coyle walked from Kerrie Fleming's house. Coyle slipped and Lasser grabbed the sleeve of her jacket before steering her down the driveway.

  'Twenty two Larch Road you say?'

  'Yes, yes!' Brewster hissed.

  'If you're bullshitting me...'

  'I swear on my mother's grave...'

  'That means nothing to a twat like you,' Bannister snarled. 'Now in the next five minutes you will hear a knock on your door, make sure you answer it.'

  'You've been watching me!' Brewster said in disbelief.

  'Don't act so surprised...'

  'But you have no right!'

  Bannister's anger spilled over. 'Ok, have it your own way. I'll pull the men out and you can sit in your apartment and wait for the killer with his hammer and nails?'

  'No, no wait...'

  'You really are a total shit aren't you Brewster?'

  'I...'

  'Just answer the fucking door,' he ended the call just as Lasser clicked open the door. 'Hurry up for God's sake!' Bannister snapped.

  Lasser frowned as he clambered into the car, Susan Coyle slid into the back seat.

  'What's up?'

  'I've just had that whinging bastard Brewster on the phone, he says the killer's just been onto him, and apparently there's another body at twenty two Larch Road.'

  'I know where it is,' Lasser said as he snapped the seatbelt into place.

  Bannister slammed his right foot down on the accelerator the wheels spun but the car didn't budge. Slamming his hand against the wheel, Bannister turned the air blue. With a sigh, Lasser climbed out and pushed the vehicle until it started to crawl along the gutter, then the tyres gripped and the car kangarooed down the street with Lasser in pursuit. When he caught up, he leapt inside as Bannister eased his way along the slippery surface.

  'Right sergeant, which way?'

  'Turn left at the junction and head out towards Leigh.'

  Bannister grunted and tapped the gas, immediately the car began to slide. 'Bastard thing!'

  Lasser glanced into the rear of the car; Susan Coyle smiled at him nervously.

  CHAPTER 142

  The blinds were drawn; Mack had cranked the central heating up to full. Carly Hughes sat scrunched on the sofa as if she were trying to curl herself into oblivion.

  When headlights lit up the window, he smiled.

  'It looks as if our guest has arrived.'

  'Please don't do this,' Carly whispered as she shot to her feet. 'I mean you don't have to kill him, he isn't worth it.'

  Mack ignored her. 'Go and let him in, Carly...'

  'I...'

  'I'll make myself scarce.'

  She looked at him in confusion as the headlights died. 'I don't understand?'

  'Don't worry I'll be listening.'

  'But listening to what?'

  Mack ushered her towards the hallway and then he opened the bedroom door and stepped inside. 'Remember Carly no whispers because I have very good ears.'

  'But what shall I do?'

  Mack flicked his head towards the door. 'Why are you asking me, he's the boss?'

  Carly swallowed and jumped when she heard Neil Redgrove slam a hand against the front door.

  'Open the door right now!' he bellowed.

  Mack smiled. 'You heard the man,' he said as he eased the bedroom door closed.

  Carly Hughes licked her lips and did as he asked.

  CHAPTER 143

  The sudden snap of cold weather had caught the council on the hop; either that or they had no money to send the gritters out to salt the main roads. From the corner of his eye, Lasser could see Bannister concentrating on the road ahead, a sliver of tongue poking out between pursed lips.

  At the Bull and Butcher pub, Bannister turned right, spinning the wheel in an attempt to stop the car from slamming into the curb. The Audi twitched and then the DCI got his foot down as the road straightened. Lasser gripped the seatbelt; he could feel Coyle's knees poking into the back of his seat.

  Ten minutes later, Lasser told him to take a left. 'This is Larch Road,' he said with relief.

  Bannister merely nodded and slithered to a halt outside number twenty-two.

  'And that sergeant Lasser is how you drive on ice,' he said snapping on the handbrake before pushing the door open. As soon as he stepped onto the road, his feet snapped from under him. Lasser watched as his boss made a grab for the open door before slamming down hard onto his arse.

  'Bastard,' Bannister hissed and then snapped his head left; Coyle had her head wedged between the front seats, her mouth open in a perfect ‘O’.

  Lasser raised an eyebrow. 'You ok?'

  'Do I fucking look ok?' Bannister snarled as he scrambled upright.

  Coyle's face disappeared sharpish. Bannister dusted the speckles of ice from his backside as they climbed onto the pavement.

  Larch Road was made up of uniform council houses, two and three bedrooms with small front gardens all of the front doors painted green.

  Lasser looked up; he could see a pair of old trainers hanging from a telephone line swaying slightly in the cold breeze.

  By the time Bannister had tiptoed around the car, Lasser and Coyle were making their way up the garden path of number twenty-two.

  Lasser went straight to the window, the curtains were open, the gas fire turned to full bathed the small front room with flickering light.

  Bannister thumped loudly on the door. 'Anything, Sergeant?'

  'Well the lights off but the gas fires on.'

  Coyle peered up at the bedroom window.

  'Right, let's try around the back,' Bannister kept one hand on the wall as he eased down the side of the house. The side gate was unlocked and they shuffled their way through in single file into a neat garden. There was a small neat lawn bordered with Daffodils and early spring pansies a stone birdbath had been placed by the side of the back door the water in the bowl frozen solid.

  Trying the handle, Bannister grunted as it swung inwards. 'Coyle, get onto the station and tell them to send backup,' he said before striding over the threshold.

  Susan dipped her head and pressed the button on her two-way.

  Lasser gave her what he hoped was a reassuring smile before following Bannister into the kitchen. The room was blisteringly hot every ring on the gas hob had been lit; the kitchen window ran with condensation. Lasser could see a box of Sugar Puffs standing open on the worktop a round of brown toast had popped up from the toaster.

  Bannister flicked his head and Lasser followed into a narrow hall, when he opened the living room door the heat swept out to meet them. Lasser headed for the stairs, he could see an old-fash
ioned hat stand by the door, a thick winter coat and scarf hung from one of the pegs.

  Turning, he placed a foot on the bottom step and looked up, at first he wasn't sure what he was seeing, then his mind rearranged the pattern and the image swam into stark reality.

  'Jesus,' he whispered as Bannister came out of the lounge.

  'Nothing in there.' The DCI grumbled.

  Lasser glanced towards him and then back to the flight of stairs. 'Boss look at this.'

  Bannister frowned and walked down the narrow hallway. The body had been dissected into pale white chunks, the head sat on the top step, followed by an arm on the next, then a leg and a hand. Body parts had been placed central on each step, the carpet drenched with spilled blood. Lasser looked down, a scattering of fingers and toes lay inches away from his raised foot.

  'Good God,' Bannister grabbed hold of the handrail his knuckles white.

  Lasser looked up at the top of the stairs, a piece of white ‘A’ four paper had been tacked to the magnolia painted wall. Gingerly, he started to climb, keeping his feet spread wide. Half way up and he was level with the head, the eyes were missing leaving dark savage holes that ran red; the thinning hair coated with dried blood.

  Swallowing his disgust, he made it to the top, the head sat between his spread feet.

  'What does it say?' Bannister's voice sounded distant and muffled. At the top of the stairs, the heat was intolerable, forcing Lasser to snap down the zip of his jacket and yank at his tie as if he were suddenly finding it difficult to breath.

  'Come on man get a move on!'

  Lasser ignored him and leant forward plucking the paper from the wall. As he turned his right foot brushed against the head, he could see Bannister standing at the foot of the stairs his mouth wide, eyes glaring as the head dropped from the top step.

  'Fuck!' Bannister bellowed as the chunk of meat began to bounce down the stairs towards him.

  Lasser heard the squelch as the head rose into the air and cart wheeled down, Bannister lunged to the side just in time. The head hit the second step from the bottom and careered upwards. Lasser closed his eyes and listened as it hit the coat rack with a dull thud.

  'You stupid bastard what the hell do you think you're doing!' Bannister glared up at him his face ragged with fury.