Inferno

by Jay Gill

  Judy placed her clasped hands on the table. She leaned close so she got his full attention. “That might be so, but I think you’re being less than honest with me. I want you to know, I saw you in here earlier with your lady friend. I’m guessing that was your wife or girlfriend. I noticed the way she was with you. I’m not being fooled and let down by a man ever again.”

  Fischer widened his eyes as though he was innocent of all charges.

  Judy stood up straight and swept imaginary crumbs off the table onto the tray.

  Fischer put his hands up in playful surrender.

  Judy moved to the next table and started cleaning it.

  Fischer turned in his seat and spoke softly. “She isn’t my wife or girlfriend. She’s my younger sister. Her name’s Faye. She had to get home to put her kids to bed. I was hoping she would stay so I’d have somebody to share my meal with, but she took a cab home. She has her life and commitments. Also, her husband doesn’t like me. She fits me in where she can. And that’s fine. I understand. I’ve made a few mistakes in the past. All that’s behind me, but not everyone is as forgiving as my little sister. She has a generous heart.”

  Judy stopped and looked his way again. “In that case, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be rude. Thank you for the compliments. I’m not used to them.”

  “Not enough people do it. A small kindness, especially when true, can brighten someone’s day. I like to do it. I see no harm. And I mean it – your husband was a fool.” Fischer drained his drink.

  Judy watched out of the corner of her eye as Fischer stood and walked towards the exit. He dropped his empty cup in a bin next to the door. She felt her chest tighten and her neck prickle as he turned and walked back towards her.

  “What time do you finish here? I’d like to buy you a drink, or a meal. I’d like to see you again.”

  Judy stopped what she was doing. She looked into his warm, dark eyes and wanted to say yes. She couldn’t figure him out; he was full of contradictions. He was assertive, almost to the point of arrogance. Yet there was also something soothing, kind and reassuring in the language he used and in his manner. The stark-looking tattoos, his scarred hand and lack of dress sense didn’t reflect a man who could quote Charlotte Bronte. She was finding it hard to work out whether he was trouble in a good way or trouble in a bad way. Unsure how to respond, she picked up the tray and started clearing another table. Then, sensing him turn to walk away, Judy said, “My shift finished ten minutes ago. If you’d like, we could go somewhere and get a coffee. I just need to get rid of this.” She held up the tray full of empty packaging. “Do you have a car? I walked to work this morning. Left my car at home.”

  Fischer beamed “Yes, I do. I’ll wait for you outside.”

  Judy gave a shy smile. She felt like a teenage girl getting a wink from the school heartthrob. She cleared off the tray and, with a spring in her step, headed to the back of the restaurant to gather her belongings.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Fischer leaned against the bonnet of the black Ford Galaxy as Judy approached. Her head was tilted down slightly as she tried to contain her excitement, but she couldn’t disguise the big smile on her face. Fischer opened the passenger door.

  “Milady,” he said with a flourish and a sweeping arm gesture. Once she was comfortable, he gently closed the door.

  As he walked around the car, Judy watched him and smiled.

  Fischer climbed in behind the wheel and fastened his seatbelt. “We can go wherever you like,” he said. “I don’t know the area well, so it’s best you choose.”

  “Fischer, I was thinking. Would it be okay to drop by my place first? Just so I can get changed and freshen up? I can put some food out for Darcy too. It won’t take long.”

  “Sure thing. I must say, you do look fetching in that McDonald’s uniform, but I understand if you’d like to change.”

  Judy turned in her seat to avoid the eyes of her colleagues who had also finished their shifts and were outside gossiping. “Take a left out of here and then go up to the roundabout and straight over.” As they drove, they chatted, and for some reason she felt the need to explain once again the breakdown of her marriage. “The hardest part of all was when, after being given the choice, my son decided to live with his father. I never imagined in a million years he’d do that.” Judy pointed to a pretty red-brick bungalow about halfway up the road. “It’s that one there on the left.”

  Fischer parked the car and turned off the ignition. “I’m sorry to hear that. I understand the hurt. I have a daughter I haven’t seen since she was a baby. She’s a teenager now. It hurts to think of the time I’ve missed.”

  The pair sat in silence for a moment, unsure what to say next. Judy pulled on the door handle. “I won’t be a moment.”

  “I’ll be right here waiting. Take as long as you need.”

  “Okay. I won’t be long.”

  Fischer waited as Judy opened the front door and went in. In the driveway was Judy’s car, a pale-blue Volkswagen Polo. He waited five minutes, then got out. He looked up and down the road. It was quiet. He’d not seen a single car the whole time he’d been waiting. He put the keys in his pocket and walked up the drive to the front door. He rang the doorbell. Judy opened the door and peered out. Her face showed a mixture of surprise and pleasure.

  “I’m really sorry,” said Fischer. “That Coke went straight through me. Would you mind if I used the bathroom?”

  Judy hesitated for a second and then opened the door. “Of course. Come in.” She stepped aside to let Fischer in and pointed to a door. “Down the hall. It’s that first door on the left.”

  Fischer went to the bathroom while Judy went to the kitchen to open a tin of food for Darcy. Once in the bathroom, Fischer started looking round. He went through a mirrored cabinet on the wall and found it stocked with the usual items: mouthwash, toothbrush, Colgate, plasters, nail clippers, cotton buds and so on. He took the lid off a wicker wash basket. He pulled out a few items of clothing until he came to some cotton tights. He rolled them up and put them in his front pocket. He looked around the room again and noticed a bathrobe hanging on the back of the bathroom door. He pulled out the belt, rolled it up small and stuffed it in his back pocket. He then flushed the toilet before going to the sink and running the tap to suggest he was washing his hands.

  In the kitchen he found Judy. She’d changed her clothes, applied a little makeup and, having fed the cat, was now tidying up. He leaned casually up against the worktop beside the door. The kitchen was very orderly. A small oak kitchen table with four matching chairs took up one side, while the other side had white gloss cupboards with silver handles above and a black granite worktop below.

  “I think we’re done here,” said Judy. “Shall we get going?”

  “That sounds like a good idea.” Fischer waited until Judy was just in front of him. He reached out and put a gentle hand on her shoulder. She turned and looked at him. “You look beautiful,” he said.

  Judy gave a coy smile. Her face reddened like it had done earlier in the restaurant.

  “I don’t want to hurt you, Judy. You seem like a nice person. I’m genuinely fond of you.”

  Judy’s smile vanished, replaced by a look of confusion. Somewhere, deep down, a spark of panic ignited and spread through her body like a wildfire. She pushed it away and spoke as if ignoring it would mean it didn’t exist. “Hurt me? It’ll be fine. We’re just going for coffee. It’ll be nice.” She kept walking towards the door.

  Fischer moved to fill the space between her and the kitchen door. Judy almost bumped into him and looked up at his face. He didn’t look the same. Where had those kind, warm brown eyes gone? They looked stormy, almost black.

  Instinctively, she turned away and considered the back door. She knew it was locked. She could picture the key in the lock. Her legs felt leaden. Her body lurched towards the door and as it did, she felt Fischer’s strong arm around her neck.

  He reached out and grabbed her. Taking a fistfu
l of hair, he yanked her head back while sliding his other arm around her neck and squeezing just enough to let her know he meant business.

  With a firm hold around her neck, he let go of her hair and placed his hand over her mouth. He whispered in her ear. “If you scream, I’ll break your neck. Believe me, it’ll snap like a twig.”

  He felt her body go heavy as fear overwhelmed her. He could smell her perfume; it reminded him of his grandmother’s rose garden when he was a boy. Her hair felt silky on the side of his face. “I don’t want to hurt you, but I need a place to stay for a short while. If you do as I say, and don’t do anything stupid, I give you my word you will not be harmed. Nod if you understand.”

  Judy nodded.

  “I’m going to take my hand away. If you scream, I’ll crush your neck.”

  Even if she had wanted to, Judy was too scared to make any kind of sound.

  Fischer moved his hand away from her mouth. “Good girl.”

  Judy was trembling. Her body shook and she couldn’t stop it. She thought she might pee herself. She found the strength to say, “I’ve got money. Take my money and leave me. I won’t tell anyone you were here. Not even the police. No one.”

  “We can talk about money another time. Right now, I just need a place to crash.”

  “You could let me go and stay here. I’ll stay with a friend. I won’t say a word. I swear.”

  “You seem like a very sweet and honest person, and I’m sure you’d keep your word, but I can’t take the risk. I’m sorry, you need to stay here.”

  Fischer sat Judy in a chair. Using the tights he’d found in the bathroom wash basket, he gagged her. He used the belt from the dressing gown to tie her wrists together behind her back and then to the chair. Cutting the flex from a reading lamp, he used it to tie her ankles to the legs of the chair. He then got clingfilm from the cupboard and wrapped the clear plastic around her body and the chair.

  Satisfied she couldn’t call for help or move, he crouched down in front of her. “Open your eyes, Judy. Look at me. Everything’s gonna be okay. I give you my word. Nod for me if you understand.”

  Judy nodded.

  “I’ve got to go out for a little while and pick up a few things. I should only need to stay in your house a few days. Then, I’ll be gone and out of your life for good. So please, be smart. Don’t do anything silly, and very soon this will be over and you can carry on with your life. Do you understand?”

  Judy nodded her head once more.

  Fischer got up and, with his fingers, moved her hair out of her eyes. Judy recoiled.

  “About my sister Faye. She likes to be called Moon. You remember we spoke about her in McDonald’s? Back in the restaurant I told a little white lie. You were right. She isn’t really my sister. Now, the thing about Moon is that she can be a little… how can I put it? Unpredictable. Volatile. Moon can be a little excitable. She’s also the jealous type. The thing is, she’ll be joining us. I’ll do my best to keep her away from you. Don’t worry, I feel sure it’ll all work out. Sit tight. I won’t be long.”

  Fischer picked up Judy’s house keys from the kitchen worktop and walked out without looking back.

  Judy shuddered. Hearing the front door close made her feel more alone than she’d ever felt before. Fat, warm tears rolled down her cheeks. Her body shook as she sobbed. She desperately needed to pee. Her throat ached as she moaned behind the gag.

  The silence of the house tore through her body like a million screaming sorrows. Her mind raced as she processed all the mistakes that had led up to her being tied to a chair by a madman. She was the victim. Once again, she’d allowed a man to take advantage of her. Why her? How could she have behaved differently? Her instincts had warned her. Why hadn’t she listened to them? Why had she been so eager to trust him? She had little doubt that unless she could escape, her need to feel warmth and human contact would have just cost her her life.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Fischer and Moon sat in the car watching the home of Inspector Hardy. Moon had her bare feet on the dashboard and was painting her toenails sparkly pink. The radio played a modern song Moon didn’t recognise. It didn’t stop her singing along.

  “For Christ’s sake, Moon, can you focus? And do you have to do that now? Your nail polish stinks.” Fischer opened the window a little.

  Moon wriggled her body to the rhythm of the music. She answered by singing her own words to the song: “Uh-huh. Uh-huh. I need to do my tinkly toe-oe-oe-oes. I want to look hot for my man. For my ma-a-a-a-n!”

  Fischer shook his head in frustration.

  “What’s Judy like? Is she pretty? Is her house nice?”

  “She’s normal. Just an average, normal person. What can I say?”

  “Do you fancy her?”

  “No. That’s enough. Don’t start down that road.”

  “What road?”

  “You know exactly what road. I chose her because she lives alone. She got unlucky. We’re using her house for a day or two. Then we’re out of there. We don’t need to harm her. We’re going far enough away that it’s not necessary to hurt her, but she doesn’t know that.” Turning his attention back to the house, he shifted his weight and leaned against the car door. As he did, a dark-blue Honda CR-V reversed out the driveway. He could make out two women and two girls inside. One of the women he guessed must be Hardy’s girlfriend or wife, and the girls were definitely his daughters; they had his look about them. Fischer nudged Moon and nodded towards the car.

  Moon looked up and saw the back of the Honda as it turned in the road and accelerated away from them. “About time.” She was fanning her toenails with her hand and blowing on them. “We can’t go just yet. My toes aren’t dry.” Moon fanned her feet furiously. “I’ll know if you’re lying.”

  “I don’t fancy her. Drop it.”

  “Okay,” said Moon, unconvinced.

  They waited ten minutes before approaching the house. Fischer carried a black canvas bag containing tools.

  Moon peered through the front window. Fischer went around the back. Feeling exposed and unable to see much at the front, Moon followed Fischer to the rear of the house. Fischer looked up at her as she approached. “There’s a dog in there.”

  “Well, it’s a shit guard dog. What’s it doing? Sleeping?” said Moon, sarcastically.

  “I don’t think it’s noticed us.”

  “What are we going to do now? I don’t want to get bitten by a dog,” said Moon as she leaned against the glass and peered inside.

  “I’ve got an idea. We should leave Hardy a surprise.”

  Thinking whatever it was sounded like fun, Moon smiled. “I’ll go back around the front and distract the dog.”

  Fischer took a crowbar and a screwdriver from the black canvas bag and started examining the edges of the patio doors. “I’ll get these patio doors open, while you call the dog through the letterbox. Just mind your fingers.”

  Moon skipped as she made her way to the front of the house. Fischer took off his jacket and, leaving his fingers free, wrapped it around his forearm, tying the sleeves in a knot over his wrist to keep the jacket in place.

  The dog, a golden Labrador, was barking now. It came running up to the patio doors and watched him as he jammed the crowbar into the gap beside the lock. He waited for Moon to call the dog through the letterbox before forcing the door open.

  Moon started calling. “Here, doggy-dog. Come here, doggy-dog-dog.”

  The dog stopped barking and turned its head. It didn’t move; instead, it turned back and barked again at Fischer.

  Moon rang the doorbell, knocked on the door and called. “Doggy! Come on, doggy. Good doggy! Look what I’ve got for you. What’s this?”

  The dog calmed down at the sound of Moon’s soothing voice and trotted across the kitchen and up the hall to the front door, where it stood sniffing and looking back and forth between Moon and Fischer.

  Fischer worked quickly. He moved the crowbar back and forth while pressing his weight ont
o it. He moved the crowbar to the hinges, both top and bottom, and did the same before moving it back to the middle. The patio door creaked and sprang open. He stepped into the kitchen of DCI James Hardy.

  Seeing Fischer enter the house, the dog began barking again. It bounded down the hallway and back into the kitchen. Fischer moved around the kitchen table and kept it between him and the dog.

  “Hello, girl,” said Fischer. “Who’s a good girl?” The dog stopped barking and watched him. “Are you hungry?” The dog wagged its tail. “Yeah. You’re hungry. Shall I see what there is?” Carefully and slowly, with the arm wrapped in his jacket out towards the dog for protection, he made his way over to the fridge.

  Fischer opened it and pulled out some cooked chicken and sandwich ham slices. He unwrapped the meat and threw it down on the floor. Carefully, he stepped forward and stroked the dog. The dog sniffed the meat, looked at Fischer then wolfed it down.

  The dog lifted its head when Moon appeared at the patio doors. She stepped into the kitchen and watched. “What are you doing? You look like you’re going to adopt it.”

  Fischer crouched down beside the dog, and it started licking his face. Its whole body swayed from side to side as it enthusiastically wagged its tail. “Have you ever wondered why dogs are so trusting and obedient?” he mused. “The shit and abuse some dogs must take from their owners, and yet they are unquestioningly loyal. Centuries ago, dogs worked out that if they hang around humans, they get fed. We worked out that dogs are great for protection. Perfect partnership.”

  Moon walked over to the worktop where a block of knives sat. She pulled the large cook’s knife from the block. Fischer took some more food from the fridge and tossed it to the dog to underline his point.

  Moon’s eyes fixed on the dog’s neck. She walked around the table to get a better view and raised the knife.

  Fischer jumped up and grabbed her wrist. “What the hell are you doing? We can’t kill the bloody dog. It’s a dog. It’s like killing one of his kids. Are you crazy?”