His Third Victim

by Helen H. Durrant

  Lily was puzzled when he told her. “Why would she do a runner, sir? Given that her son has been located and about to be returned to her? She’s been desperate for news all week. Leaving her phone behind sounds dodgy too. The thing lives in her hand.”

  “We’ll find her,” said Matt.

  “What if this is down to the man she’s hiding from? What if he’s taken her?”

  Matt held up a hand. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There may be a simpler explanation.”

  “What makes you think anyone will have seen where Bella went?”

  “Because it’s that kind of street. All her neighbours know what has happened. Bella has hardly left the house in the last week. She’ll have been spotted, take my word for it.”

  * * *

  Within half an hour, Matt and Lily were knocking on doors all along Bella’s street. They soon learned that she’d left the house alone and taken a taxi. Lily went back to the car and started ringing round the local firms.

  “Yorky Cabs, sir!” she called out to Matt, who was still at it. “She was taken to the railway station in Huddersfield. She wanted to be there by one. The driver reckons she was getting the Manchester train.”

  Matt got back in the car. “She could have been going anywhere. We’ll go back to the police station and see if we can pick her up on CCTV.”

  “Do you think she went to see someone?”

  “Well, I don’t think she went for a browse round the shops, Lily. When we get back, check her phone records, see if she rang anyone or received a call before she went out.”

  Back at the station, Lily contacted security at Victoria Station, who emailed the footage of the platform where the Huddersfield train pulled in. The film covered a period of two hours. Matt fast-forwarded to just before two and they watched.

  The train pulled in and around two dozen people got off. One of the last to alight was Bella Richards. She appeared to be in a daze, with no makeup on her face and messy hair. She was carrying a shoulder bag and had a mobile phone in her hand.

  Matt pointed. “She has a second phone. We must ask her about that.”

  “What now, sir?”

  “Well, we could do with knowing where she’s going.”

  “I could try and get hold of the street footage,” Lily suggested.

  Just then, Matt’s phone rang. It was Alison Wray.

  “Bella is back home. She arrived a few minutes ago looking shattered, and went straight up to bed without saying a word.”

  “Okay. Don’t push her, but make sure you know exactly where she’s going next time, she can’t just wander off on her own. It’s getting late. I’ll speak to her in the morning.”

  Lily looked at him. “She’s still in one piece, then?”

  “Yes, Lily. We will get to the bottom of this, but we’ll give Bella time to think things over. My guess is that she went to meet someone — secretly. If we’re going with her being in witness protection, that someone could have been her contact. And if that’s so, she won’t tell us anything anyway.”

  “We’ve had the forensics back on the boy’s bag by the way.” Lily accessed the report. “Nothing much. A mishmash of fingerprints, some of which belong to a child — presumably the boy — and Bella’s.”

  “The kidnapper will have worn gloves when he ditched it.”

  Lily was reading through a second report. “No one noticed anything odd on the moorland roads either. He must have known how quiet they are, that’ll be why he used them.”

  “Not daft, our killer, is he?”

  * * *

  Bella had a lot to think about. What she really needed was someone to talk to. Agnes had been the only person to know her situation apart from James. Bella lay in bed, considering whether to confide in someone else. But who? Not one of her colleagues — word would spread around college like wildfire. Nolan perhaps? He was a solicitor. He had said he wanted to help. But could she tell him the truth about her past?

  “Are you okay, Bella?”

  It was Alison, bringing her some tea. Bella looked up at her and smiled. “Getting there. Any news? Have the Stornoway police checked that address?” Bella asked simply because it was expected of her. She knew very well that Olly wasn’t there.

  Alison shook her head. “We’ve heard nothing yet. Where did you go today? You had everyone terribly worried. My guv’nor was livid.”

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t intend to get you into trouble. I had to get out. I felt trapped in these four walls. Stupid of me, I know.”

  “You were gone a while.”

  “I took the train into Manchester. I wanted to see the station again. It was the last place I saw Alan alive and spoke to him. I hung around for a bit and then I got the train home.”

  Bella could see from Alison’s face that she didn’t believe her. Well, she didn’t care. The police could do nothing for her, no matter how hard they tried. There was only one course of action — to fix this herself. With luck, James would arrange the visit within a matter of days. Then she would know.

  Chapter 18

  Day 13

  “You will do exactly as I tell you, Bella,” James said. “I will accompany you to the waiting room but no further. You will meet your ex-husband in a private room. There will be the two of you and a warden present. Your conversation will be recorded. Do not answer his questions. The whole point of this is that he answers yours. You must not give him anything he can use to find you.” He paused for a moment. “There must be no physical contact either.”

  Bella nodded. She’d do anything. She just wanted him to talk to her, tell her what had happened to Oliver. At the same time she was nervous. Bella had last seen him over two years ago, in court, after the judge had passed sentence. The look he’d given her then was venomous. He had been led away cursing her, screaming death threats and obscenities. He hated her with a passion.

  But he loved his son.

  “Take all the time you need. I’ve sorted things with the FLO and the investigating officers. Good luck.” James pushed her forward gently.

  Bella was terrified. She was a very different person now from the one he would remember. But what about him? She’d loved him once, in another life. Back then she’d known nothing about the world he inhabited. He had been the man of her dreams. How could she have been so gullible? How could she not have seen him for what he really was, a brutal killer who showed no mercy? How could she have married one of Manchester’s most infamous villains, and not have known?

  In the months that followed his arrest, Bella believed he must have brainwashed her. But the truth was much simpler. Bella wouldn’t listen. People had tried to tell her, Agnes in particular, but Bella had been so besotted that she’d ignored them all.

  She walked slowly into the room. He looked relaxed, harmless, nothing like the hype at all. Just a tall, thin man who had dimples in his cheeks when he smiled. Still in his mid-forties, he should have had everything to live for. He certainly didn’t look like a villain. There were no scars, no tattoos, only a big smile on his face when he looked up and saw her.

  Bella felt the tears well in her eyes. His dark hair was cut very short and he looked pale. He’d always been so proud of his tan and his designer clothes. Now he was dressed in a prison overall, looking just like any other bloke. Ordinary. But he wasn’t just any other bloke.

  “How you doing, doll? You look good. You smell good too.”

  Bella inched forward. She began to shake. Perhaps James was right, and she should never have done this. “Ronnie, I . . . I want to talk to you.”

  Ronnie Chalker lifted his slight shoulders and shrugged. “Talk away, babe. It’s been a while. We’ve a lot to catch up on. I was hoping you’d come and visit sooner. I’ve missed you.”

  He sounded so matter of fact, so reasonable. But Ronnie Chalker wasn’t reasonable. He would share a joke with his enemy, then shoot him in the head while they laughed together. He was hard, calculating, and very dangerous.

  “Why so nice? You
hate me. You must hate me after what . . . what I did.”

  “Time passes, things change. I’ve changed.” He gave another shrug. “I had an accident. I fell down the stairs and got a bang on the head. It put me in hospital for ages. It made me different.”

  No one had told her that. “Are you alright now?”

  “They say so. I’ve had scans and tests. The doctor says there was some brain damage. The back of my skull was broken. It’s left a scar on my brain. The upshot is, I’m not the same man. Those awful moods, all that anger I used to have, it’s all gone. I’ve got gaps in my memory too.”

  Dare she believe him? Was this part of some elaborate plan? Two years had passed since the court case. He’d certainly hated her then. He’d wanted to kill her. Bella was sure that not enough time had passed for him to have changed his mind.

  “How did you fall? Was it an accident?”

  “I don’t remember. The screws say it was. Never mind that. What have you been up to, Izzie? Tell me about Olly. How is my little man?”

  Izzie. It seemed like a lifetime since anyone had called her that. When she’d gone into witness protection she’d had to choose a different name. She’d chosen Bella because it was a derivative of Isabelle, and Richards was her mother’s maiden name. Ronnie, of course, knew none of this.

  Bella searched his face, stared into his eyes. Was he telling the truth about the accident? He did seem different, much more placid. But she just couldn’t be sure.

  “You tell me how Oliver is, Ronnie. You’re the one who has had him taken.”

  He stared at her for a few moments and then laughed. “You’re crediting me with something there, babe. Had our Olly taken, have I? Now there’s an idea!” His expression changed. A frown clouded his face, and his dark eyes shrank to pinpricks. “What you saying, doll? What’s happened?” The edge was back, the sharp, staccato tone that Bella remembered so well.

  “Olly was taken. He’s been gone a week and the police can’t find him. People close to me have been murdered, Agnes has.” She continued to stare into his eyes. “They were shot in the head. In the temple, Ronnie! It was your favoured method of killing, so I’m told.”

  He laughed again, shaking his head. “You think I’ve had people killed? You think I’ve had my own son kidnapped? In case you hadn’t noticed, babe, I’m banged up. I’m done with all that. No choice, have I?”

  “I don’t believe you, Ronnie. I think you had Alan Fisher killed and Agnes too. I also think you’ve had Olly taken from me as punishment for what I did to you. Who is looking after him? He needs care. He has asthma, and hasn’t got his inhaler.”

  Ronnie Chalker leaned forward suddenly. The warden made a move to interfere but Ronnie waved him away.

  “Be very careful, Izzie. Accident or not, I’m still capable of losing it, particularly if I’m pushed. I won’t let you stitch me up again, so don’t even try.”

  “This is no joke, Ronnie. Olly has been taken. I came here today to find out if it’s down to you.”

  He spoke slowly and deliberately. “I have no idea who Alan Fisher is. I knew Agnes, of course, and I’m sorry she’s dead. As for our son, I’m not stupid, Izzie. His place is with you. I’ve spent days, weeks, trying to come to terms with what you did to me. In the early days, if I could have got hold of you I would have throttled the life out of you with my bare hands. But since the accident, I’ve changed.”

  Was this the truth? Bella couldn’t tell. His eyes told her nothing. She couldn’t read him. He was always very good at keeping his real thoughts to himself.

  Her voice faltered. “You’re not lying about Olly? You swear you haven’t taken him?”

  “I owe you nothing, Izzie. It gladdens my heart to see you suffering. I don’t want to ease your pain, not in the least. But I had nothing to do with Olly’s disappearance, I promise you. You need to find him.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I didn’t have him taken. But I will promise you this. If anyone on the outside hurts my boy, banged up or not, I’ll have his head.”

  “Has Amy got him, your sister? She would help you if you asked.”

  “Amy disowned me. I don’t even know where she’s living these days.”

  Bella almost reached out to touch him. She withdrew her hand. “I need to know, Ronnie. This isn’t about me, it’s about Olly. He gets ill, he needs his medication. If you know anything, you have to tell me.”

  Ronnie Chalker smirked. “Make no mistake about it. I hate what’s happening to Olly, babe. He’s my only child. I’m banged up in here and powerless to do anything about it. How do you think that makes me feel? But on the plus side, loving all the worry it’s causing you. It’s playing havoc with your looks.”

  “This is not about me!” she shrieked. “I just want Olly safe! Surely you want that too? You’re his father, for God’s sake!”

  He slapped his hands down on his knees. “Okay, fun and games over. Not me this time. No way would I harm my own son. You know how I idolised that child.”

  “So what’s happened to him?” Bella said. All the stomach-churning panic rushed back. Bella had been so certain that Ronnie had had Olly taken to punish her. That thought alone had kept her sane. If that was the case, she knew the boy would be looked after. Ronnie loved his son. But now he was telling her he had nothing to do with it.

  He ran a hand over his barbered hair. “The police will have to try harder to find him. It’s up to you to crack the whip, babe. Someone must know where he is. Look around you, Izzie. It will be some idiot in your circle of friends who has done this, or someone you work with. Make the police work it out.” He leaned towards her slightly. “Get him back Izzie,” he hissed at her. “Because if anything happens to Olly, it won’t be pretty. I’ll have the bastard found, and you’ll suffer too for letting this happen.” He leaned back again. The smile was back. “You know what I’m saying, babe? You understand how things are?”

  Bella understood only too well. Ronnie had nothing to do with Olly’s disappearance, but worse than that, he blamed her. The realisation that Olly might be lost to her forever tore at her heart. Her tears spilled out, and she could do nothing to stop them.

  Chapter 19

  Bella returned home shattered. The prison was a few miles outside York, a car journey lasting an hour or so. James had dropped her off in Huddersfield centre and she’d caught the local bus to Meltham. When Bella walked in, Alison did not ask prying questions, just if she’d had a good day. Bella had made up an excuse that she had to have some time on her own, and had spent the day window shopping in Huddersfield. Alison was fine with that, as long as she checked in every two hours by text.

  “Any news?” The same old words, and the same old answer — a shake of the head. “Tell that Detective Brindle that I want to know what he is doing to find my son. It is taking far too long.” Bella went upstairs for a lie down.

  She had a lot to think about. On the journey back, she’d asked James about Ronnie’s accident. She wanted him to confirm the details. If Ronnie had told her the truth, it was possible that he was no longer the threat he’d once been. The hard edge was still there, but he seemed subdued, less angry. Once she’d impressed upon him that Olly was in real danger, he’d urged her to get help.

  But now Bella had to face the awful truth. Someone else out there was hell-bent on ruining her life. Someone who hated her even more than Ronnie was systematically eliminating everyone she held dear.

  Alison brought her a cup of tea. “Joel Dawson came round while you were out. You’d only been gone a few minutes when he was at the door. An odd man, that. Wanted to know exactly where you were, and got proper shirty when I couldn’t tell him.”

  “It’s just his way. Joel gets anxious. Don’t worry, I’ll ring him later.”

  Joel was a friend, one of the few she had left. He understood, and Bella didn’t want him being upset. She was going to need people like him to keep her sane. Bella was facing the hardest time of her life.

&n
bsp; * * *

  She slept soundly for a couple of hours, until Alison woke her. “DI Brindle is here. He wants a word.”

  Bella dressed hurriedly and went downstairs. She wanted information. If she believed what Ronnie had told her — and she thought she did — it meant that she had no choice but to rely on the police. The big question was, how much should she tell them?

  She made her decision. “I have to tell you something. Oliver is not in Stornoway. He was not spirited away by Gabe Parker, I can assure you of that.”

  Lily looked at her. “How can you be so sure? Has Mr Parker been in touch?”

  “There is no Gabe Parker.”

  DI Brindle cleared his throat. Bella knew he had suspected as much.

  “Would you like to explain, Ms Richards? This is vital information. We needed to know this from the start.”

  “I moved here two years ago. Oliver had no dad. I didn’t want folk gossiping about us, so I made one up. I told everyone that Gabe was working miles away on the rigs in Scotland. That way no one would expect to see him around.”

  Brindle was silent for a moment or two. “Why didn’t you tell us that sooner?”

  “I didn’t think it was important. I never expected you to get that letter.”

  “Given what you’ve just told us, do you have any idea who sent it?”

  Bella lowered her head. “No, and that’s the truth. I made no secret of Gabe Parker. My work colleagues, the people who live around here, all of Olly’s friends knew the name, and where he was. Anyone could have written that letter.”

  Brindle looked hard at her. “I cannot stress enough how important it is that you tell us everything, Ms Richards. If Gabe Parker is a fiction, what about the rest of your past? Do you feel any more inclined to tell us where you were and what you were doing up until two years ago? It might help us with the investigation.”

  “This again! Now that I’ve levelled with you, your time would be better spent looking for Olly. Remember him? The missing five-year-old boy? He’s out there somewhere, he’s alone and he needs me. I’m going out of my mind with worry.” Bella began to cry.