by Mel Sherratt
‘When did you find him?’ he asked PC Mark White when he reached his side.
‘About twenty minutes ago.’ Mark nodded his head in the direction of an elderly man, a young Spaniel sitting at his feet. ‘He does this walk every afternoon. When he went past earlier, he wasn’t there. When he came back,’ he pointed, ‘he was hanging. Said it gave him the fright of his life.’
‘Nothing prepares you for it, does it?’ Andy looked around. There weren’t many professionals at the scene yet, only two more police officers, but he knew that in less than half an hour, the place would be swarming with them.
He stared up at the body. There was only this one tree in the area that would support the man’s weight and height: the rest were too small. Jackie Smythe had been accurate in her description of Kevin’s clothes: jeans, blue and white striped T-shirt. A black baseball cap had been found a few feet away.
‘He doesn’t seem to have any ID,’ said Mark. ‘But I’ve seen his face enough times to know him. It’s McIntyre, isn’t it? Lived over in Douglas Close. We used to get called there on domestics. I saw him at Cathy Mason’s too.’
‘Yeah,’ nodded Andy. ‘Kevin McIntyre. He was last seen walking his wife out of her property a couple of hours ago. Neighbour reckons she looked shit scared of him. They drove off in his car. I’ve circulated details of it.’
‘Fuck!’ Mark rubbed at his chin. ‘I remember her too. Small, nice-looking, really nervy. They have a young daughter, don’t they?’
Andy nodded. ‘I’m going to drive around the streets nearby. He can’t have got far with her in such a short space of time. I’ve got to find her.’
‘I’ll come with you.’
‘Hi, Josie, it’s Cathy.’
‘Hi, how’re you doing? Have you heard from Matt?’
‘No, but that’s not why I’m calling you. Have you seen or heard from Liz this morning?’
‘No, why?’
‘She didn’t turn up for this afternoon’s session. I’ve seen her twice since last week and she said she was really looking forward to it. I’ve tried her phone but it keeps ringing out.’
‘I’m at a tenant’s house but should be done in an hour. Would you like me to call by her flat then?’
‘No, I’ll pop round anyway. My mind won’t rest now until I’ve seen her.’
‘You don’t think anything’s happened to her, do you? After we’ve just got her back on her feet?’
‘I bloody hope not. I’ll kill that Kevin McIntyre myself if he’s done anything stupid.’
‘I suppose you’re off out with Austin the wonder boy tonight,’ said a bored-looking Jess as she painted her toenails a bright shade of orange.
‘Hmm-hmm.’
Jess tutted her annoyance. ‘You two are joined at the hip. I thought you were into having a good time and going out with the girls before you settled down.’
‘I am. It’s just that –’ Becky faltered then thought better of it. ‘Jess, sometimes he scares me.’ She told her what had happened the other day, when Austin had pushed her across the floor. But she pretended he’d made her get out of the car rather than tell Jess they were inside the disused pub. ‘He caused such a stir about me using sex as a way to get affection.’
‘Didn’t stop him from having sex with you, though, did it?’
‘He didn’t want to know again.’
Jess laughed. ‘You might have tired him out.’
Becky didn’t laugh with her. Jess noticed.
‘If he scares you that much, then why don’t you finish things with him? There’s plenty more where he came from. And,’ she nodded, ‘you should be looking forward to going out with him, not dreading what mood he’ll be in when he turns up. He’s a grown man, for God’s sake.’
Becky sat in silence while she thought through what Jess had said. Maybe she had latched on to Austin on the rebound from Danny Bradley. After all, she’d been abused constantly for a few years. Maybe now she didn’t really understand what was right and what was wrong behaviour. She mentioned this to Jess, being careful not to slip up about Danny.
‘If you spoke to half of the women on this estate, they’d say that you should let your man do as he pleases with you, but I disagree.’ Finishing her nails, Jess replaced the top on the polish and put it down onto the coffee table. ‘I believe a fella shouldn’t do anything that you don’t want him to. If you let him get away with his moody sulks, he’ll do it more and more. Then you’re in the circle.’
Becky looked confused. ‘The circle?’
‘The circle of violence. Once he smacks you and then makes you feel like you deserve it, his next step is to go on and on at you until you believe his messages. That’s the logic behind Josie Mellor’s courses, so I’ve been told.’
Becky paused for thought. Austin had scared her twice but he had apologised straight afterwards. Maybe she’d caught him at his worst.
Surmising that she was losing Becky, Jess continued. ‘Has he ever hit you?’
‘Not as such.’ When Jess raised her eyebrows, she continued. ‘He’s grabbed me a few times but he’s always been sorry afterwards.’
‘Like those bruises on your wrist?’
Becky nodded.
‘Those are typical signs to watch out for. Maybe you should stay away from him for a while?’
‘I can’t do that. He needs me. We’ll make it work, you’ll see.’
‘You’d better be more careful then. If I saw you coming out of the car park of the White Lion, who else might have?’
Becky gasped. ‘I hadn’t thought of that.’
‘Now if it was Cathy…’ Jess left the sentence unfinished for more of an effect but she continued. ‘Do you get down to it in the car or has he broken in to the pub?’
Becky felt herself blush. She turned away but Jess had noticed.
‘You go inside!’ she said. ‘Ooh, I’m not sure if I fancy that. Is it creepy?’
‘Not really, but it’s a bit smelly.’
‘I used to go in that pub until it shut down. Which rooms have you been in?’
‘Most of them,’ said Becky. Suddenly the secrecy was too much for her. ‘Jess, if I tell you something, will you swear not to tell Austin that you know?’
‘I promise,’ she said, truthfully. Austin might have caused a rift between them but Becky needed to talk.
‘Austin lives there.’
‘What, in the pub?’ Jess was shocked. ‘No way!’
‘Yes way.’
‘So when you go to have sex there, really he’s taking you back to his place.’
Becky nodded. ‘You won’t tell anyone, will you?’
‘No, but why have you told me?’
‘He gives me the creeps every now and again. For a moment or two,’ she explained as she saw Jess recoil. ‘And then the real Austin comes back to me. But it’s those times that scare me.’
‘He’d better not touch you. If anything happens –’
Becky laughed nervously. ‘Nothing is going to happen to me, you great nerd. I’ve told you, I can look after myself.’
Andy pulled up behind a blue Ford Focus. It was parked in Finlay Place, a row of one-bedroom bungalows for the elderly. An overgrown hedgerow followed the length of the pavement, the entrance to the adjacent playing fields was about ten feet away. The registration matched the one that Mark had taken down when Kevin McIntyre caused a commotion over at Cathy’s house a few weeks back.
The car was empty when they reached it. Andy quickly put on a pair of latex gloves and checked the driver’s door. Finding it unlocked, he flicked the boot release. Then, holding his breath, he lifted the tail gate. But apart from a towel and an empty petrol can, the boot was empty.
‘I’m going to walk back to the body, see if I spot anything on the way,’ Andy told Mark. ‘Then I’ll go over to the community house. You stay here until forensics arrive.’
Cathy was smiling as she chatted to one of the teenagers upstairs. Her face changed when she spotted Andy walking tow
ards her. By the look of him, he’d had a shock. This couldn’t be good. She ushered him into Josie’s empty office and closed the door.
Through the window, Andy watched as the world went on with its business, as if nothing dreadful was unfolding. He hadn’t been able to find anything on his walk back to the body so had come to see if Cathy had seen Liz.
‘Andy?’ Cathy touched him gently on the arm. ‘What’s happened?’
‘Kevin McIntyre hung himself this afternoon.’
‘Oh no! I can’t get hold of Liz. Please tell me he hasn’t hurt her.’
Andy had tears in his eyes as he spoke. ‘That’s just it. I can’t tell you anything. Her neighbour said he left with her this morning in his car. We’ve found it over on Finlay Place, not far from where we found him hanging. The car was empty.’
‘And Liz? What’s happened to her?’
‘We don’t know yet.’
‘You haven’t found her?’
Andy shook his head. ‘I walked Kevin’s likely path back from the car to the tree where he hung himself but I couldn’t see anything. It’s mostly grass but I only did a quick scan. The guys are out in force now. I’m going back to join them.’
Cathy was lost for words. She’d known something was wrong when Liz hadn’t shown up. She picked up her phone and tried the number again. It rang three times and then it was answered.
‘Liz?’ Cathy shouted excitedly.
‘No, it’s Josie.’
‘I thought –’
‘I’m at the flat. I couldn’t get her off my mind after I’d spoken to you so I called round. The back door was unlocked. I knocked but there was no reply so I went in. There’s no one here. Her phone’s lying on her bed and the iron’s still switched on. It’s as if she’s vanished into thin air.’
‘Oh, God. Josie, there’s something I need to tell you.’
Cathy told Andy what Josie had said.
‘I have to go,’ he said. ‘I’ll keep you informed as soon as I hear anything.’
‘And are you checking the hospitals?’
‘Already onto it.’
His phone rang then. Cathy held her breath while he listened to the message. She could tell it was bad news before he’d said a word to her. The colour had drained from his face and he began to tap his toe on the skirting board.
‘I’m on my way,’ he said finally and disconnected the phone.
‘Have they found her?’ Cathy asked, tears pouring down her face.
‘They’ve found someone.’ Andy thought back to Jackie Smyth’s description of what Liz had been wearing: blue T-shirt, cropped jeans, strappy white shoes with a chunky heel and a white clip in her hair. ‘Hidden well apparently, in the bushes at the edge of the walkway off Finlay Place, and on the way to where Kevin was found.’
‘Hidden? What do you mean?’
Andy kicked the wall. ‘Fuck!’ He kicked it again.
‘Andy, you’re scaring me!’ Cathy grabbed his arm. ‘Tell me, please. I have to know. Is she alive? Andy! Is she alive?’
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
‘Cathy!’ Chloe greeted her as she was dropped off there by Emily’s mum. She looked around the kitchen before twirling back to face her. ‘Where’s my mum?’
Cathy smiled at Chloe and took her bag and cardigan from her. ‘She’s not feeling too well this afternoon, pumpkin, so I’m going to look after you. How do you fancy something to eat with us? Jess and Becky are cooking.’
‘Cool!’ said Chloe. ‘I can show you my new gymnastics moves. I’ve learned how to do a crab today.’
Cathy sighed with relief. It seemed Chloe didn’t suspect a thing. At least they had some breathing space now until they heard from the hospital.
‘That’s great, honey,’ she said. ‘You can show us all.’
‘Josie!’ Chloe beamed as she came into Cathy’s kitchen an hour later. ‘We’re making pancakes. Would you like one?’
‘No, I’ve got to…’ Josie noticed Chloe’s smile drooping. ‘Go on, then. Just a little one, though.’
‘We’re having fun, aren’t we, Chloe?’ said Becky. She was standing next to Jess, watching the batter mix in the frying pan change to something edible.
Chloe grabbed Josie’s clammy hand and pulled her towards the table. ‘Sit down here,’ she demanded, ‘and I’ll bring it over to you.’
‘One minute.’ Josie pulled her hand away gently. ‘I need a word with Cathy first.’
‘She’s out in the garden,’ said Jess. ‘You go out to her. Me and Becks will look after this one.’
Josie smiled with gratitude. People were always the same in a crisis, she thought. They forgot about hindering and just helped all they could.
To all intents and purposes, Cathy was sitting on the garden bench, watching the sun disappear behind the hedge. In reality, all she could see was Liz’s face flashing before her eyes. From what Andy had told them, it seemed that she’d been dragged out of sight, possibly left for dead. Luckily it hadn’t taken too long to find her and she’d been rushed straight into surgery with internal bleeding. Cathy was blaming herself. How could she have let her move out to be attacked by that man? She should have insisted that she stay with her for longer.
‘We let her down,’ she said as Josie walked towards her. ‘We knew he’d go after her and we let down our guard.’
Josie flopped down beside Cathy and they sat in silence, neither of them wanting to start a conversation.
‘Will you stay for a while?’ Cathy spoke eventually.
‘Of course.’
‘You’re a good one.’
‘I had thought you’d be saying that about Matt. What happened between you two? One minute you were all smiles: the next, it’s as if it never happened.’
Cathy shrugged. ‘He stopped returning my calls after we slept together. He must have had his fill of me and moved on to pastures new.’
Josie shook her head. ‘Matt wouldn’t do that.’
‘You obviously don’t know him as well as you think you do.’
‘But everything was hunky dory until he was assaulted, wasn’t it?’
‘Who knows? I haven’t seen him since then.’
‘Not even at the community house?’
‘Not in the last week. He’s avoiding me completely. But I don’t care anymore.’
‘Now listen here, this is me you’re talking to. I know you too well for bullshit. You were mad about him, even through your guilt!’
‘He made a fool out of me.’
Josie shook her head again. ‘That doesn’t sound like Matt. Something doesn’t ring true. I’m going to ask him in the morning.’
‘You’d better not,’ Cathy retorted. ‘If anyone is going to ask him, it’ll be me. I can do my own dirty work.’
‘But what if –’
‘Forget it, Josie.’ Cathy stood up. ‘I’ve got more important things to think about. Besides, he’s a loser. He should have thought about what he was doing before he dumped me.’
‘Maybe he did,’ said Josie quietly, another thought crossing her mind as Cathy walked away.
It was seven thirty that evening before Cathy took a call from Andy. Jess and Becky were keeping Chloe entertained, watching television in the living room.
‘Andy’s on his way over,’ Cathy told Josie who had stayed there, waiting to hear any news. ‘I know it’s late for Chloe but I said I’d get the girls to take her out.’
Josie’s eyes filled with tears. ‘That poor child.’
They hugged briefly. Cathy put on a happy face before going into the living room.
‘Right, young lady, being as you are in my charge tonight, I think a chocolate treat is in order. Do you fancy a trip to the off-licence?’
‘Can I ring my mum first?’ Chloe asked. ‘I want to see if she’s feeling better.’
‘Not right now, sweetheart. Let’s leave her be for tonight. Now, I think I’ll have some Minstrels and a Mars bar. What do you fancy, Jess?’
Jess stood up quickly. ‘O
oh, I’ll have to wait until I get there. I can never make up my mind.’
She nudged Becky who then reached for Chloe’s hand. ‘We’ll race you to the end of the street.’
As the two girls disappeared through the door, Cathy handed a five pound note to Jess.
‘She’s so young.’ Jess held back her tears. ‘How could he… how could he do that to Liz?’
Cathy threw an arm around her shoulder and gave her a quick squeeze.
‘Is Andy on his way over?’
‘Yes. If there aren’t too many youths hanging around, perhaps you can come back through the park? Keep Chloe out for about an hour – just in case.’
‘What? You mean…?’ Jess shook her head vehemently. ‘She won’t be dead. She can’t be! She’s just injured, that’s all. She’ll be okay.’
‘I hope so, Jess,’ said Cathy. ‘I really hope so.’
Andy walked up to Cathy’s front door with a heavy heart. His shift had finished over an hour ago but it was what he’d seen during those hours that was playing on his mind. He really wanted to go home but he couldn’t until he’d been to see Cathy and Josie. They were the only people that knew Liz well.
Cathy opened the front door before he got to it. He walked in silence through to the kitchen where they joined Josie.
Andy gulped as he looked from one to the other. ‘She made it but barely,’ he said quietly. ‘Her prospects are good if she can fight everything but it’s still touch and go.’
Cathy held on to the edge of the worktop as she felt her legs go weak. Josie looked away unable to speak.
‘It seems McIntyre drove her to Finlay Place and assaulted her. Then he must have dragged her out of sight. There was no way she could have got to where she was with the injuries she had.’ Andy reached out a hand. ‘Sit down, Cathy, before you collapse.’
‘She fought back,’ he continued once they were sat around the table. ‘There are defence wounds on her arms, and her face has some vicious bruising appearing around her eyes. But the main damage was to her torso. She was found with a deep stab wound to her stomach. I might as well tell you now as you’ll probably hear it in the news tomorrow. The doctors have done all they could – she was in there for four hours – but it’s up to her now.’