by Mistry, Liz
Gus shrugged. When Naila had described the other officer to him the previous night, he’d known immediately it was Wentworth. Whether or not he was The Matchmaker remained to be seen. Although, Gus acknowledged internally, it would be a whole lot better for Bradford if the dodgy officer came from Cambridge. ‘I don’t know. I bloody hope not, but I don’t know. It could have been him Jamal saw and he was around during the initial investigation in Cambridge.’ He shrugged. ‘We’ll have to wait and see.’
‘Yeah, but it would be better if it was him, rather than one of our own, wouldn’t it?’ He flushed ‘When I say better, I mean for us. Not for the kids. Fuck nothing could make it better for them but–’ his voice trailed off.
Gus squeezed his arm. ‘I know what you mean, Sampson. But no matter who it is the shit’s going to hit the combine harvester with a vengeance.’
Sampson sniffed, ‘Well if we’re employing combine harvesters, sir, I know which body parts I’d like to see hit those blades.’
Gus bit back a laugh and moved to the front of the room. ‘Right, listen up. I want everyone to leave the room except Cooper, Compo, Hussain and Sampson.’
The officers sifting through and inputting data, paused and looked expectantly at Gus.
He raked his hand through his hair. ‘Now!’
At once a hustle of activity ensued as the officers left the room. When the door closed behind the last one, Gus turned to his small team. ‘This is big, ok? Fucking big and we’ve got to make it airtight.’
They all nodded.
‘Compo, I need you to make our entire PC trail invisible and inaccessible to anyone outside this room – including DCI Chalmers.’
Compo saluted and turned to his computer, clacking the keys at a rate of knots.
A smile flicked quickly over Gus’s face and then just as quickly disappeared to be replaced by a worried frown.
‘I know I can trust you. That’s why you’re here. However, this is sensitive, in capital letters. Alice, as soon as I’ve briefed you all, I want you to personally contact DCI Chalmers. Don’t do this on the phone. Find her and speak to her face to face.’
Alice nodded. In the ensuing silence, Compo’s computer pinged making everyone jump. Then three things happened almost simultaneously
Firstly, a collective indrawn breath, secondly every phone in the room simultaneously began to ring and thirdly the door burst open and one of the officers who’d just been evacuated burst in. ‘Sir, you’ll never guess what’s happened!’
Gus answered his phone, listened and then turned to the officer with a curt nod ‘I’ve just heard thanks.’ He turned and grabbed his coat. Scooping the manila folder with the photos off his desk, he thrust it into Sadia’s hands. ‘Get these photos to Jamal. I want an ID, ASAP.’ He turned and headed to the door. ‘Come on, Sampson and Alice, with me. The officers guarding Beth Graves are dead.
Chapter 102
Sunday 8:30am
Molly, curled in the foetal position under the duvet, with only her face visible, stared, through red-rimmed eyes, at the wall. She felt numb. Her entire body was ice-cold and the shivers that wracked her body, had only recently shuddered to a stop. Now, the only sensation that registered in her head was the dull throb in her bandaged hand. Time and time again, she saw him place the snippers round her pinkie. She could still feel the sharp, almost unbearable pain that followed when he pressed the handles closed and her finger fell to the ground.
Within seconds he’d picked up from the floor the small cook’s blow torch, an exact duplicate the one her mum had for her famous creme brûlée. His horrid Scream mask face loomed towards her. His laugh was wild and scary and then… the stench of burned meat accompanied by unimaginable pain, then darkness. When she woke, it was dark and she was on her own, lying uncovered on the bed. A bandage had been unskilfully wrapped around her tender hand and blood was seeping through its folds.
That had been yesterday morning, yet the pain was still there. She’d dozed off and on all day and most of the night. Now, she felt hot and feverish. She knew she should eat something from the bag the other man had brought, but she couldn’t face it.
She looked at her hand as if it was an alien part of her body she’d never seen before. It would never, ever look the same again. Her finger wouldn’t grow back. With tears trickling down her cheeks, she reached for the bottled water that someone, probably the creepy bloke, not the masked maniac, had left beside the mattress. She locked the bottle under her arm to hold it steady and using her good hand, she opened it. Balancing the bottle in the space between her crossed legs, she scooped up the pills that had been left beside the bottle and flung them into her mouth. Grimacing at their sour taste, she flung her head back and swallowed them down with a glug of water. Awkwardly, she replaced the lid and let the bottle fall to the floor, before edging her way under the duvet and pulling it up over her head and round to meet under her chin. She knew now that there was no way she was ever getting out of this warehouse alive. No way would she ever see her mum or her dad or her grandma or even the squealing brat. Unable to stop herself, she let hot tears dribble down her face until her pillow was soaked.
Chapter 103
Sunday 9:15am
Gus, face pinched, leaned forward in his seat, as Sampson edged his way down Oak Lane and onto Manningham Lane which, thankfully, had been gritted. The roads were quiet and Sampson made good tracks onto Keighley Road, past The Branch Pub and The Hop in Saltaire and onto the bypass where the traffic thickened. Alice perched on the back seat stretched her belt till she could lean, her arms one on each of the front seats. She poked her head through the gap between the two. ‘Fuck, Gus. This is shit. Just fucking shit.’
Gus nodded abruptly and pulled his jacket round so he could retrieve his phone from the pocket. ‘Al, get on to the officer in charge and find out all you can about the scene. I’m phoning Compo.’
Alice leaned back and made the call, whilst Gus waited for Compo to pick up. ‘That you, Comps? I know we’ve not had a firm ID from Jamal, but I want you to ask around. See if anyone knows where Wentworth was last night and the day of Molly’s abduction. See if you can get some sort of alibi for him.’
Compo’s reply was slow to come, then in a strained husky whisper, he said, ‘Ok, I’ll attempt to expedite that last instruction immediately.’
Gus frowned. What the fuck was Compo playing at? ‘You ok, Compo?
‘Not completely, sir. No, I’m not on my own. DCI Wentworth is here in the office now. Shall I tell him you’ll contact him when you’re free?’
‘Christ, Comps, he’s in the office with you? You need to engage him in conversation, ask him casually where he was last night and then check it out.’
Gus heard Compo swallow hard. He knew Compo and Wentworth had got off to a bad start but he needed the information. Compo would just have to man up and get over it.
Chapter 104
Sunday 9:20am
Compo tried out a few different smiles and settled on one that felt manageable, before standing up and walking over to where DCI Wentworth was studying the investigation board, one arm folded over his chest, the other bent upwards from the elbow. With one hand cupping his chin, he tapped his lower lip rhythmically with his index finger. Compo approached, tugging the hem of his t-shirt with one hand as he shifted from foot to foot, his manic grin still pasted on his face.
Wentworth glanced at him. ‘Yes?’ his tone was supercilious and immediately made Compo want to run back to his computer, where he’d be in control. Mindful of Gus’s instructions, though, he manned up.
‘DI McGuire’s been called away, but I’m under strict instructions to look after you. Can I make you a coffee?’
Wentworth spun round on his handmade Italian leather shoes and with a slight frown, studied Compo. Compo immediately flushed. His grin stretched even further across his cheeks.
Wentworth shrugged and turned back to his perusal. ‘Yeah, a coffee would be good. Hot and black, soon as you like.’
>
Compo barely managed not to salute before ambling over to the coffee machine. With relief he released his rictus smile as he pushed the appropriate buttons and waited till the rich dark liquid filled the mug. He opened and closed his mouth to relieve his cheek muscles, before reinstating the grin. Lifting the mug, he slowly carried it over to Gus’s desk, where Wentworth now sat. He noticed that the other man was flicking through the few files Gus had left on his desk. Eyes narrowed Compo glanced at Gus’ computer screen and was relieved to find that flashing on the screen was the icon asking for Gus’s access codes. Wentworth hadn’t managed to get into sensitive records, thank God! With barely a dribble, Compo deposited the mug on the desk and then, at exactly the same moment as Wentworth did, he noticed the mug’s slogan. ‘I’m the Office Queen and proud of it!’
Wentworth snorted. ‘Not the most appropriate mug for a visiting senior officer, is it?’
Compo all but snatched the mug back, stumbling over his words as he did so. ‘I’m sorry, I never thought. I’ll change it, Sir’
With a magnanimous wave of his hand, Wentworth said, ‘Don’t bother. I’ve become used to slumming it since I came up to Bradford. Compared to the Indian restaurant, and I use the term restaurant very, very, loosely, I visited last night with DCI Chalmers, this is positively silver service.
Compo relaxed slightly and replaced the mug. ‘Oh, which restaurant was that then?’
Wentworth sipped his coffee experimentally before replying. ‘Mumtaz, I believe. Bloody expensive but, would you believe, they didn’t even serve alcohol. What sort of restaurant doesn’t serve alcohol?’
Compo, head on one side, replied, deadpan, ‘A Muslim one, sir?’
Wentworth made an explosive sound from his mouth. ‘Bloody stupid if you ask me. Half the people in there weren’t even Muslim. Where the hell is their customer service? The whole British concept of ‘the customer is always right’?’ He took another sip of coffee, ‘And the food was too bloody hot. I spent most of the night on the toilet last night. I, for one, won’t be recommending that restaurant to anyone.’
Compo, realising he’d got the information Gus wanted, relaxed his grin slightly. ‘Well, Sir, with all due respect, Mumtaz has won many awards and is considered to be one of the best Asian restaurants in Yorkshire.’ He made to walk back to his computer, then hesitated, ‘There’s a huge sign at the entrance explaining that it is a Halal restaurant and therefore alcohol-free. Perhaps you need glasses?’
Wentworth spluttered on his coffee, but Compo ignored him and picked up his phone to text Gus with the information. He reckoned Gus could confirm Wentworth’s alibi with DCI Chalmers.
Chapter 105
Sunday 9:45am
As they drove into Wendy Horan’s cul de sac, Gus noticed that, though it was less private than Beth’s street, Roseberry drive had a decidedly posh feel to it. The detached houses were spaciously placed with long flowing drives punctuated by well-tended evergreen trees and perfectly positioned windows to allow complete privacy from the neighbours. Of course, today the evergreen branches were hanging low with the weight of the snow. As a teenager, Gus would have delighted in using his extra few inches in height to reach up to twang the branch sending an avalanche of snow over his much shorter sister. He doubted Katie would be any more impressed if he repeated those actions today.
Gus could already see the dead police officers’ car. It was parked in front of number 44 with a swarm of crime scene investigators doing their stuff around the vehicle. As they pulled in behind a SOCO car, the mortuary van, carrying the two deceased officers drove off. Gus’s stomach clenched as he steeled himself to get out of the car and engage with the first responders. He walked over to an officer with a pale strained face and introduced himself and his team before ducking under the crime scene tape and donning protective coveralls. A female officer from Ilkley approached him, hand extended, face serious.
‘Inspector Jain?’ Gus gripped her hand and nodded towards the house. ‘What’s inside?’
The officer grimaced. ‘Not good, not bloody good at all.’ She kicked a chink of ice that lay on the frozen path. ‘Two dead bodies in the living room, both shot. The pathologist is just finishing up the paperwork for the two dead officers.’ She swallowed hard and directed her gaze away from Gus before continuing. ‘There was a woman upstairs with a syringe hooked up to her arm. She’s drugged and groggy. We’re not getting a lot of sense from her, but I reckon she’s your Beth Graves. The paramedics are just getting her ready to take to the BRI now.’
‘And the baby?’ asked Alice.
Inspector Jain’s lips tightened and she shook her head.
Gus exhaled slowly. The Matchmaker was really escalating now. He presumed the two dead bodies downstairs were Wendy Horan and her husband. Shit, the death toll was increasing by the minute. Shoulders hunched, he wondered how Beth was feeling. How the hell had he managed to kill the two officers and creep into the house, kill the Horans and drug Beth without alerting anyone? Just as he was considering just how much heat he’d get from Nancy, he felt his phone vibrate. Nancy! Gus braced himself as he answered. For a good minute he listened, then said goodbye, promising to phone her back when he had anything to report.
‘Nancy’s just got back from informing the officer’s next of kin. They’ve called in an emergency pathologist from Leeds to do the PMs and Nance says she’ll attend,’ Gus told Alice.
‘She give you much heat?’ asked Alice,
‘No more than I can handle. Although I suspect Bowles is being an arse and the press office is on at her to get a quick result. Lucky she knows what we’re up against or she’d be hauling us across the coals.’
He turned to Sampson. ‘Make sure the door-to-doors are activated. I want to know how he got to our officers. Someone must have seen something.’
Gus turned to see two paramedics wheeling Beth out of the house. She was hooked up to a drip with her eyes closed. A sudden shout erupted from behind the crime scene tape and a figure wrenched himself away from the police officer who tried to detain him and began to sprint towards Beth. The officer beside Gus started to sprint towards him but Gus grabbed her arm. ‘It’s her husband, leave him. Let him go with her.’
Gus reckoned Beth Graves could do with as much support as she could get and now her husband had been cleared of possession of child pornography, he was best placed to provide it.
The paramedics glanced over and, when Inspector Jain nodded, they allowed the now weeping man to climb into the ambulance before closing the doors and driving off.
Gus turned back to Jain. ‘Did you find a baby?’
Jain bit her lip and shook her head. ‘No, you best come see the scene for yourself. There was a baby’s travel cot in a single room with a note left on top.’
Gus and Alice followed Inspector Jain up the steps leading into the house, following the blocks placed by the SOCOs. ‘Take me to the baby’s room first,’ said Gus.
Jain walked to the inner stairs and began to climb them, followed by Gus and Alice. The room she took them to was large for a single and was obviously the spare room. A single bed stood under the window. The duvet cover and curtains matched and a dressing table and single wardrobe stood to one side. Next to the bed stood a travel cot. A suited SOCO approached and showed Gus the bagged note. As he looked down at the travel cot with the hand-knitted baby blue blankets thrust roughly aside Gus’s heart sank. Alice craned over his shoulder as he read the note. ‘Number two down. Wonder how hard it’ll be to snip a baby’s little, bitsy pinkie. Maybe I’d be as well opting for the whole hand. You’ve got email!’
Alice shuddered. ‘Fuck’s sake, Gus, we’ve got to close this down.’
‘Do you think I don’t know that, Al? Maybe you think you’d be better in charge.’ As he spun on his heel to retrace his steps he saw the surprise on Alice’s face and felt like an arse. What the hell was he playing at, letting his emotions take over like that?
He headed downstairs to the living room,
his shoulders hunched and his fists clenched tightly inside his coat pocket. As he approached the open door the cloying metallic smell reached him. Immediately, his stomach spasmed and his heart began to thump uncontrollably in his chest. Bile rose in his throat and he felt the colour drain from his face. He felt like he’d been thrown into some sort of time warp. He felt like he was back with little Billy trying to staunch the flow of blood. Half-turning to Alice, he gestured for her to go in and stumbled away toward the kitchen where the back door stood open.
Slumped against the door frame shivering, Gus gulped in huge breaths of frosty air. Closing his eyes, he slowly sank down on the back step where he remained until a huge, firm and wholly reassuring hand descended on a shoulder like one of those grab machines at the funfair. Instantly, the smell of blood was replaced by his dad’s familiar tobaccoey, Old Spice smell. Gus turned glazed eyes to his dad, whose striking blue ones twinkled back at him. With the tightly fitting white hood circling his face, he looked like a white smiling moon.
‘Och, son,’ said Fergus, and his huge arm engulfed Gus in a hug. Tears sprang to Gus’s eyes. He knew his dad understood exactly what he was feeling and he was grateful for his support.
‘Come on, laddie, we’ll go in together. You’ll be fine,’ said Fergus
Gus breathed deeply and then, helped by his dad, got to his feet. ‘It was the smell. Soon as it hit me I was back in that room with Billy and Becky and Greg.’
Dr McGuire dipped his hand into his pocket, rummaged for a second and then produced a pot of Vicks. ‘Here, dab a bit under your nose and the blood smell won’t be so bad.’
Face still pale, Gus smiled weakly and dabbed a liberal dose of menthol-scented goo above his upper lip and, with a firm nod, they walked back down the corridor.
When they arrived in the living room, Alice looked at Gus with anxious eyes and then, with a nod, turned to Dr McGuire. ‘Hiya Doc, here’s body number one.’