by Jay Gill
Seeing her shocked me, and I had only one thought on my mind. “Are we good? I mean, is the threat against my family over?” I sank my hands into my jacket pockets, where I felt a canister of pepper spray and zip-ties.
“You didn’t fulfil your end of the bargain, did you, James?”
“I was never going to kill him, you know that.” My grip tightened on the pepper spray. “Answer the question.”
“James, my love, how could I ever harm your family? I’d hate to see that handsome face of yours sad.” She reached over and stroked my cheek. “Your family are safe. In fact, Sienna and I are looking forward to meeting Baby Hardy. Sienna is particularly excited; she’s getting more than a little broody herself.”
I sighed inwardly with relief and eased off the pepper spray.
“I know you want to arrest me, James. Put me in a cell, throw away the key, blah, blah, blah. I’m sure you’re considering it this very second. I will admit, I have been naughty in the past, but now, thanks to you, that’s all behind me. Arresting me would be pointless. Not only will it ruin our burgeoning friendship, which I hope will one day become romantic – a girl has to dream – but I have friends in very powerful places. I say ‘friends,’ but their influence is mostly bought with blackmail, threats or bribes. Let’s gloss over that, shall we? So, you see, it’s better we keep the status quo.”
“We can’t meet like this anymore. You know that, don’t you?”
Lyle looked taken aback. “If you feel that way, you won’t want to hear my proposal. Sienna will be deeply disappointed. She’s giddy at the idea.”
“I really don’t want to hear it.”
Lyle smiled and tossed her hair. “Yes, you do.”
“No, I don’t,” I insisted.
“Yes, you do. I can see it in your eyes. They twinkle when you’re excited. You do, James. I’ll be quick. Just don’t say anything now. Think about it.” Lyle prepared herself before continuing. She wanted to contain the smile on her face before going on but was finding it hard. “Okay, here goes. When it comes time to choosing godparents, I want it to be known that Sienna and I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea. I hope you’ll consider it and don’t reject the idea out of hand. There’s a lot to be said for having a wealthy godmother like me.”
Before I could respond, Faith came bounding up behind Lyle. She clung to me and stared at the stranger I was talking to. I looked past Lyle and could see Monica, Mum and Alice heading our way.
Lyle smiled at Faith and said in a Scottish accent, “Aren’t you bonnie? I was just asking your daddy here for directions to the town centre. I seem to have gotten myself a wee bit lost. Perhaps you know the way, lassie?”
Faith stood up straight and pointed down the road towards the roundabout. “It’s that way,” she said. “There are signs down on the corner.”
“You’re a clever little thing, aren’t you? That way, is it? Very good. Thank you.” She looked at me and said, “Please think on it, James.” Without looking back, Lyle headed off in the direction of the town centre.
Faith looked at me quizzically. “What did she mean, Daddy? Think about what?”
“Nothing. She was saying how beautiful Scotland is and how we should visit,” I lied.
“Found yourself a girlfriend, have you?” said Monica, coming up beside me.
“Hardly. She was a tourist, looking for directions,” I said.
“She was Scottish,” said Faith. “She sounded funny.”
“We’d sound funny to them if we were in Scotland,” said Alice.
“Who’d like a fish and chip supper?” said Mum. “I’m buying.”
“Yes, please, Nana!” Alice and Faith each grabbed one of Mum’s hands and started telling her what they’d like. I held Monica’s hand, and we all walked towards our favourite chip shop near the lifting bridge. For the first time in a long time, the knot in my chest had gone. I felt as though ghosts from the past had left me and unanswered questions had been resolved.
I squeezed Monica’s hand and kissed her.
“How’s my man?” asked Monica.
“Happy. How’s my woman?”
“Happy.” She stroked the baby bump. “Getting bigger by the day.”
“More of you to love.”
“You can say that again.”
I went to say it again and she stopped me by putting her hand over my mouth. “It’s okay; you don’t need to repeat it. I know I’m big. I wasn’t trying to encourage you.”
“I was going to say I love you.”
“Yeah, sure you were.”
“I was.”
“Okay. You can say that. I like hearing that.”
I put my arm around Monica and squeezed her to me. “I love you,” I said. Then added, “Especially now there’s so much more of you to love.”
“You cheeky…” Monica took a playful swipe at me, and I had to move quickly to duck.
Chapter Seventy-Nine
Cotton tucked away her phone and took her ice cream. “Thank you.”
“You’d better be quick. These are melting already,” said Alex. He handed her a napkin, which she wrapped around the cone.
“Mmm, that’s nice. Didn’t they have mint choc chip?”
“Yes, but I was having butterscotch and I thought you might prefer it. It’s good, isn’t it?”
“Very good.” Cotton licked around the cone to catch the drips. “Where shall we go next? The primates are that way and the reptiles are that way.” She pointed.
“I don’t mind. Primates?”
“Primates it is. How’s your side holding up? If you need a rest, we can stop for a while.”
“Sore, but okay. Let’s take a break after we’ve seen the monkeys. Perhaps get a bite to eat?” Alex opened the map of the zoo. “It looks like there’s a restaurant over by the monkeys. I’ll buy you lunch.” Alex pointed to a sign beside the path, and they began walking towards the primate house.
Cotton chuckled and gave Alex a sideways glance.
“What?” asked Alex with a chuckle. “What are you smiling about?”
“You. You’re going all out. It’s nice. I’m having a great time; I like being spoiled. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Miss Emma Cotton. I’ve been looking forward to today. I want today to be memorable.”
“Me too. It’s nice to take a break and find time to clear my mind. Think about things other than work.”
“Is that who was on the phone? I noticed you on the phone when I was getting the ice cream.”
“Spying on me, were you?” teased Cotton.
“No,” said Alex, sharply. He stopped walking, his eyes fixed on Cotton’s.
“I was just pulling your leg,” said Cotton. “It was Hardy, the detective chief inspector I told you about. He’s a nice guy. You’ll like him. He had a couple of questions about the case we were on.”
“I see,” said Alex. He forced a smile.
“You’ll get used to it. It’s what we detectives do. Long unsocial hours, never a dull moment. Apart from the paperwork, that is. That’s a chore.”
Alex finished his ice cream, wiped his mouth and hands on his napkin and dropped it in a bin. “Ever thought of doing something different? Something nine-to-five?”
“God, no. It’s all I ever wanted, since I was young. I’m doing my dream job. Yeah, it’s crap sometimes, but the highs… There’s nothing like it.”
“Married, is he, Hardy?”
“Was. He has two daughters. He’s in a relationship. They’re expecting.”
“You and him? You know. Any history I should know about?”
“What do you mean? No. I mean, he’s… no. We’re colleagues and friends, nothing more. He’s not like that. You’ll understand when you meet him.”
Alex and Cotton reached an enclosure where an orangutan sat behind the glass watching them. Cotton waved and the orangutan placed its hand flat on the glass. “Sad to see them in there. I know they’re safe and fed and warm and all that, but it would be n
ice to think they could just live in their own habitat and do whatever it is orangutans like to do.”
“I’m sure they’re happy,” said Alex. “They don’t need to go searching for food, and they get way more leisure time here than in the wild. Pretty cushy life.”
Cotton and Alex moved along to some small golden monkeys that sat in the corner holding each other, their heads twisting and turning at every sound.
Cotton’s phone started ringing.
“Leave it,” said Alex. “It’s your day off.”
“I can’t,” said Cotton. She took out her phone.
Alex took the phone out of Cotton’s hand and turned it off. “Yes, you can.”
“What the hell are you doing? That might be important.”
“It also might not be. Today is also important. You and I are spending time together. It’s better if it’s just the two of us. Without interruption. Don’t you agree?”
Cotton took her phone back and turned it on. “In an ideal world, perhaps. But I’m a detective inspector in the serious crimes unit. It’s vital I can be reached. Don’t ever do that again.”
“I’ll tell you what. You make your call. I’ll meet you in the restaurant.” Alex turned and walked away.
Cotton felt herself go hot all over and her ears tingle. What just happened? For a fraction of a second, she wondered whether she was being selfish. “Alex?” she called. She watched him reach the restaurant and go inside. She looked at her phone. The missed call was from Hardy. The phone vibrated as a text message came through: Sorry to call. All sorted. Enjoy the zoo. Never smile at a crocodile. Will leave you in peace. H
Too late for that, thought Cotton. She tucked the phone in her pocket and headed to the restaurant to try to salvage the day.
Chapter Eighty
It was a surreal feeling to sign in as a visitor at New Scotland Yard. It was a place where, for too many years, I’d spent more time than at my own family home. Yet, here I was, ready to ask to return to the life I thought I’d left behind.
I was escorted through familiar hallways. There were new faces I didn’t recognise, as well as the familiar faces of friends and colleagues. I passed the old offices, hearing sounds and smelling odours that awoke dormant memories. During my absence, the Metropolitan Police Service had continued unabated without me.
“Come in, come in,” said Chief Webster. My old boss looked tired and older, his hair more receding and greyer than I remembered. We shook hands and Webster returned to his desk, easing himself into his well-worn leather chair. A patch of stuffing in the arm hung out, a small detail I’d forgotten. We’d seen each other a few weeks ago at my father’s funeral, but we continued the small talk as though we hadn’t. “You’re looking well, considering. How are the family? Are they coping okay after the fire?”
“They’re doing fine, thank you, sir. We’re all staying at my mother’s home at the moment. Naturally, Mum’s spoiling them, so for the time being it’s all a great adventure for them. There’s talk of making it a permanent arrangement. Only time will tell.”
“How does Monica feel about that?”
“With the baby on the way, I get the feeling she welcomes the idea. Many hands making light work and all that.”
“Good, good.” He picked at the chair’s stuffing. “I’ve spoken to Rayner; he seems more optimistic. Of course, I told him to take as much time as he needs. His wife has to be his first concern right now.”
I nodded. “He hit rock bottom. He thought he was going to lose Jenny. It was touch and go for a while, but she’s getting stronger. So is he. I can see the big man returning.”
Webster eyes appraised me. “What’s this all about, Hardy, truthfully? I know what you told me on the phone – you’re missing the job and all that. If that’s all it is, then let me offer some friendly advice. Give it another six months. If you still feel the same way, we’ll talk again.”
“Nice try, sir.” I could see he didn’t mean a word of it. “My mind’s made up, sir. I took a leave of absence, and now I need to find a way to get back to case work.”
“It was a little more than a leave of absence, James. You as good as retired. Early retirement, you called it.”
“What can I say? Like a champion boxer, I’m ready to come out of retirement and get back in the ring.”
“I have cases I could hand you today, but I’m worried you’re not ready. I just don’t want you back for the wrong reasons. After Fischer, the house fire, and what happened to Rayner and Jenny, how can I be sure your head is in the right place? Give it more time. Go home. Finish writing that bloody book on psychological profiling you keep promising to finish.”
“I didn’t see it at the time, but all I needed was distance,” I insisted. “I didn’t take enough time after Helena’s death. I never dealt with my grief. I just worked, and when that wasn’t enough to blot out the pain, I worked more and harder. I’ve now had time to grieve, and that’s given me perspective. I’m a different man to the one I was back then. A lot has changed. I’m a different man,” I said again. “It’s time I got back to what I do best, sir. Give me a case that needs looking into. I can stop killers. I can save lives.”
“From what I gathered during our phone call, you want your old job back without the upheaval of moving the family back to London; is that what you’re telling me?” Webster tugged at his earlobe and looked at me out of the corner of his eye. “You’re sure this is what you want?”
“Yes, sir. Definitely, sir.”
“Luckily, I’m owed a few favours. Do this job long enough and everyone and their dog wants something from you, which leaves you with credit for times like these.”
“There’s one other thing, sir.”
“You’ve got to be kidding,” said Webster, his bushy eyebrows raised so high they almost touched his hairline. “You’re not kidding, are you?”
I smiled at his dramatic exasperation. “It’s Rayner. He’s going to be in Dorset indefinitely while Jenny gets her treatment. I’d like him to be reassigned, when he’s ready. We make a great team. I’d also like to request that Heidi Hamilton, our forensic pathologist, be able to consult on my cases. She’s the best; just don’t tell her I said that. It’ll mean a bit more travel for her, but I know she likes to get out of the lab.”
“Anything else?” asked Webster with a touch of humour in his voice. “A chauffeur, maybe? Front-row seats at Wimbledon?”
“No, sir,” I said. “It’s a generous offer, but not right now. Just access to Hamilton and for Rayner to join me.”
“I thought you’d request Rayner. When Rayner’s ready, he’ll report to you. Hamilton shouldn’t be a problem, as far as I’m concerned. Though she has a busy workload, so I’ll leave you to discuss the finer points with her.” Webster took a file from a tray on his desk and slid it in front of me. “The way I see this working is that I cherry-pick the cases. For the time being at least, they’ll be cold cases or investigations that have lost momentum or come to a dead end.”
I opened the file. Crime scene photos of a murdered family.
Webster made a list on a piece of paper. “I’ll get copies of everything else we have on this case forwarded to wherever you want them sent.”
“Thank you, sir.”
Webster tapped the end of his pen on the note pad. “What you have in front of you is a file from the case Rayner was working on. Some sick bastard is murdering families with twin children; the twins are of the identical type. Maybe the pair of you, working together, will have a breakthrough. I’ll expect to be kept updated no differently to when you had an office down the hall. I’m sticking my neck out for you here, James, and I expect results. It’s only a two-hour drive from here to Dorset, so if I need to, I’ll drive down and kick your bloody arse. Understood?”
“Understood. Thank you, sir.”
“Good. Now push off, before I regret it.”
I got up, we shook hands, and I headed for the door before Webster changed his mind.
�
��Detective Chief Inspector,” said Webster.
I reached the door and turned. “Yes, sir?”
“It’s good to have you back.”
“It’s great to be back. Thank you, sir.”
Chapter Eighty-One
It had been nearly two weeks since my quayside conversation with Lyle. If she wanted me dead, she’d have attempted it by now. Life began to adjust to a rhythm as close to normal as my life ever gets.
I’d spent the morning at the hospital visiting Jenny. Both she and Rayner were in good spirits. Privately, Rayner had told me that, though tearful at times, she was coming to terms with her injuries. Both she and Rayner were open about the challenges that lay ahead and were ready to face them together. Whenever I saw Jenny, I had a nagging sense of guilt that I knew would never leave me. Through her smiles and laughter, I sensed a deep sadness in her eyes, and it cut me to the quick.
In the afternoon, I started looking at the case involving the murders of the families with identical twins; little by little, Rayner had been getting more involved. I was working out of the garage at Mum’s when he visited, and I closed my laptop and stood up to take a break when he arrived.
Nana Hardy, as Rayner fondly called my mum, was like a second mother to him. It had been that way since we were kids, and she spoke to him in a way only a mother could, dishing out tough love to ensure he looked after himself, behaved responsibly and showed respect where it was due.
We went into the house together, and she shooed the two of us into the kitchen and handed Rayner a heaping plate of food left over from our family lunch earlier.
“You eat that, Gabriel. There’s more if you want it. Once you’ve finished that, I want you to shower, wash your hair and shave. You look a mess. I bought you some new clothes; they’re on the chair there.” She pointed across the room where a bag from High and Mighty sat on an armchair. “You need to start taking care of yourself. If you can’t take care of yourself, then how are you going to be there for Jenny and the baby when it arrives? Hmm? I know it’s hard.” She reached up and squeezed his shoulder. “I can only imagine what you and Jenny are going through, but you need to be strong. You need to be thinking about the future, and that means getting back to work too. It’ll be good for your mind to be thinking about other things. Have you called Chief Webster lately?”