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

by Robin Roughley

  'In response, Bretherton agreed to move from the area, which of course was a bonus for him, a new start in a town where no one knew him. Redgrove sorted that as well, Bretherton moved up to Lancaster,' Mack paused and sighed heavily. 'In exchange Redgrove got sole ownership of you Carly.'

  He heard her sharp intake of breath, her hands rose and suddenly she was yanking at her hair pulling it out by the roots.

  Mack grabbed her shoulders and looked into her eyes. 'You were sold Carly, like a slab of worthless meat,' he dragged her close and she looked up at him her eyes fractured and burning with hate.

  'That's why Redgrove was furious when you told him that Bretherton was back, that's why he came here tonight to make sure you were silenced permanently.'

  'No!' Redgrove croaked.

  Carly Hughes reached out a hand and Mack passed her the blade with a smile.

  CHAPTER 147

  The side of the Audi clattered against the thin branches of the Hawthorne bushes as the car slithered down the narrow lane.

  'Are you sure this is the way?' Bannister asked as a branch whiplashed the windscreen.

  'Of course I'm sure.' Lasser snapped as the car threatened to plunge into the shallow ditch that ran alongside the lane.

  As they broke clear of the trees, Lasser pointed to the left. 'That's the place.'

  Bannister peered through the window; he could see a light in the left hand bay window. 'You've been here, what's the layout?'

  'The lounge is the one lit up, the window to the right is a bedroom, a hallway runs between into a small dining room and then into the kitchen.'

  'Right, once we get in there we stick together is that understood?'

  'No problem, do you want to park up here and walk the rest of the way?'

  Bannister thought for a moment. 'I can't see the point, knowing our luck; if we walk then one of us will fall and break a leg.'

  Lasser eased off the gas. 'So we go in loud?'

  'Look at this place Lasser, chances are Mack already knows we're here.'

  'Exemplary officer you said?'

  Bannister grunted and looked at the photograph. 'And a big fucker to boot.'

  Lasser turned slowly onto the drive, the Range Rover stood tight to the right.

  'Block the drive we don't want him making a break for it.'

  Parking up Lasser climbed out and made his way to the rear of the car.

  'What the hell are you doing?' Bannister hissed.

  Lasser popped the boot and rummaged in the small space, when he emerged from the shadows a twisted grin split his face a baseball bat held in each hand.

  'You do realise these could be classed as a lethal weapon?' Bannister said with a frown.

  'That's what I'm counting on,' Lasser snapped back, before handing one over.

  Bannister tested the weight. 'Not much use against a sodding axe though is it?'

  'Stop your whinging it's better than nothing.'

  The DCI spat onto the block-paved drive. 'Right let's get this over with.'

  CHAPTER 148

  The meat clever clattered to the floor, Carly was on her knees, blood soaked her hands, it felt sticky in her hair her face was speckled red. Mack looked down at the damage done. Redgrove, or what was left of him, jerked on the slick hardwood floor, his right leg had been neatly severed below the knee. His left arm attached by nothing more than a sliver of skin and tendons. The left side of his face had been obliterated by the heavy blade, a cross section of white skull gleamed from the eruption of red, another blow had removed the top of Redgrove's head, brain tissue leaked from the ragged hole.

  'Do you feel better Carly?' he asked with genuine interest.

  Her chest rose and fell, her eyes shone with a dark inner light. 'Yes!' she hissed.

  Mack smiled just as the front door blasted open, then he was lunging across the room, swiping the blade from the floor as he went.

  Bannister careered down the hallway, Lasser a couple of feet behind, he could feel the fear in the pit of his stomach as he remembered the body parts strewn in the woodland, Philips head in the microwave, Wilson's head floating in the toilet.

  Bannister reached the doorway to the left and Lasser saw the hand holding a gleaming meat clever slash towards the DCIs head.

  At the last second Bannister ducked and the blade whistled over his head before gouging a deep groove in the plasterboard wall.

  Bannister spun sideways and then Mack suddenly appeared in the doorway between them. He seemed to fill the small space, a snarling mass of hate and fury; lashing back his elbow, he slammed it into the side of Bannister's head. The DCI flew down the hallway and into the dining room.

  Mack locked eyes with Lasser and grinned before raising the blade, suddenly Lasser could see everything with perfect clarity, the blood dripping from the keen edge of the clever, Mack's eyes swamped with insanity.

  Lasser altered his grip on the handle of the bat, without the room to swing it sideways he suddenly lunged forward like a Second World War soldier stabbing with his bayonet. The end slammed into John Mack's grinning mouth, his front teeth shattered under the impact.

  The big man bellowed and shook his head before spitting out the fragments of white enamel, blood ran slick down his chin and then he was moving forward the bone handle of the blade clasped tightly in his right hand.

  Lasser jabbed the bat forward again only this time Mack snatched hold of it with his left hand. Instinctively, Lasser tried to pull it free and Mack closed the gap with dizzying speed slamming his shoulder into Lasser's chest. The sergeant felt his feet leave the ground, tucking his chin to his chest he hit the floor hard and rolled back to his feet just as Mack swung the clever. Lasser scampered back, the blade slammed into the corner of the bedroom door and Mack grunted as he yanked it free.

  Desperately, Lasser snatched the phone from the small table by the door and hurled it towards the toothless grin, the big man swatted at it as if it were no more than an annoying insect, then Lasser saw Bannister raise the bat behind him. Some animalistic sixth sense kicked in and Mack turned and dropped, the bat ripped through the air and bounced off his shoulder, Bannister tried to lash out a second time but Mack kicked out his right leg, the boot crashed into the DCIs right knee and he went down in a crumpled heap as his legs gave way.

  Lasser made a grab for the mirror hanging on the wall and for a couple of seconds, he saw his own reflection glaring back at him in terror, then he yanked it free and spun around bringing it down hard on the back of Mack's head. Glass shattered and rained down on his shoulders before tinkling to the ground.

  'For fucks sake!' Lasser screamed, as the ex sergeant turned a baleful eye in his direction. Lasser lifted the remains of the frame with the intention of slamming it into Mack's face, though before he could follow through Mack lunged and grabbed him around the waist lifting him clear of the ground and out through the front door. As they cleared the threshold, his foot twisted on the step sending them both hurtling into the icy night. Lasser tried to reach back to break his fall then they slammed down hard onto the block paving.

  Lasser looked up at the stars, dazed and broken. Mack scrabbled forward and sat astride his waist slamming the air from Lasser's lungs, blood ran freely down his forehead, and Lasser watched in slow motion as a drop slid free and dripped down onto his upturned face.

  Mack grinned and raised the blade and suddenly Lasser lashed out with the broken remains of the mirror frame, the sliver of glass that remained trapped in the wood swept across John Mack's exposed throat. The big man's eyes snapped wide in surprise, the blade quivered in mid air and then the side of Mack's head exploded in a shower of red.

  Watching him topple sideways was like watching a tree fall, he slammed hard to the ground, Lasser looked up to find Bannister glaring down at him with pain-filled eyes, the bat clasped between his shaking hands.

  'Are you alright?' he gasped.

  Lasser turned and vomited onto the flags.

  CHAPTER 149

  Whe
n Lasser walked into the room Medea hardly recognised him, his face looked gaunt, somehow older, Alan looked no better as he limped to a halt.

  Medea leapt up from the sofa and dashed across the room, Lasser opened his arms, and she grabbed him tight as he folded her into his embrace.

  When Bannister looked up Suzanne and Kelly were standing in the kitchen doorway, wearing matching looks of concern.

  He felt his face flush with a strange mixture of embarrassment and relief and then Kelly moved hesitantly forward, her long dark hair swinging.

  When she stopped in front of him, he raised a hand and then let it fall back to his side with a sigh.

  Kelly slowly lifted her head; he could see the confusion in her eyes. 'Are you alright?' she asked in a small voice. 'We saw you on the news and...' her voice stuttered and failed.

  Bannister tried to smile reassuringly but his face seemed fixed, his mind still back at the bungalow watching as John Mack died.

  'I've had better nights, Kelly,' he admitted.

  And then she stepped forward and his arms opened as if it was the most natural thing in the world. He held his daughter for the first time in almost eighteen years, the realisation of the lost years broke his heart.

  From the doorway, Suzanne smiled.

  CHAPTER 150

  'So what do you think will happen to her?' Lasser asked. They watched as Carly Hughes was led back to the cells.

  Bannister frowned. 'You heard what she said, she admitted to killing Redgrove.'

  'Yeah I know, but...'

  'No buts sergeant, she hacked off the top of his head. I mean what would you suggest, a bit of community service, a slap on the wrist and don't do it again?'

  'Come on, you know there's more to it than that.'

  'Of course I bloody know it,' Bannister snapped, and thrust his hands into his pockets.

  'What about the rest of what she had to say?'

  'Look, we know about Bretherton's involvement with John Mack's mother, we know why he went on his killing spree, so as far as I'm concerned it's end of story.'

  'What about the strings that Redgrove pulled to get Bretherton off the hook, it must have been someone high up to sort something like that out?'

  Bannister flicked him a cold glance. 'I don't doubt it.'

  'Well, what about Mills he...'

  Bannister snapped up a hand. 'All in good time, sergeant, all in good time.'

  Lasser held his gaze for a few seconds before giving a brusque nod. 'No problem.'

  CHAPTER 151

  Adam Stokes wobbled his way down the street, his mind foggy with beer fumes. When it started to rain, he cursed low under his breath as his shirt soaked up the heavy downpour.

  'Sodding weather,' he mumbled as he weaved from side to side.

  A late night taxi swept by, water sprayed up from the gutter to pattern the bottom of his designer jeans.

  'Bastard!' he spun around and raised a fist as the car disappeared into the distance.

  Somewhere close by a dog howled and Adam shivered as the rain seeped through to his skin.

  When he reached the gate, he pushed it open and stopped, his mind spluttered like a misfiring firework as he peered through the rain.

  The paint ran down the front door of the house, long dribbles of green that pooled on the doorstep.

  'Fucking bastard!' he barked as he staggered up the path, he was ten feet from the door when the words suddenly became discernable.

  'I'm watching you.'

  Adam Stokes suddenly felt sick.

  End

  As always, none of this would have been possible without the brilliant Odette who works tirelessly on hammering the gibberish into shape.

  If you would like to know more about the Lasser series then please feel free to get in touch rob-roughley@live.co.uk