by Adam Carter
Jeremiah dropped from the tree and landed upon the ground in silence. Starling was already ahead of him, stumbling as he moved, mumbling oddities to himself. When Jeremiah had chased him earlier he had believed Starling stumbled because he was afraid of his pursuer. Now he could see Starling was simply unable to walk in a straight line. He would not last much longer, Jeremiah was surprised he had lasted this long in fact, and he even felt a certain amount of pity for the man who was now far less than a human being.
He followed Starling for some minutes until finally Starling vaulted over a fence and disappeared into a park area. This was handy for Jeremiah, since it meant he could question Starling without being observed, although he could not help but wonder at how easy the man was making this for him. Thoughts of a trap were not far from Jeremiah’s mind; a trap forged by Lake, not Starling of course. Still, he had to make progress and so slipped through the fence without even concentrating, re-forming upon the other side. He saw Starling stumbling through a hedge and trailed him still. Peering out, Jeremiah did not know what to expect, but what he saw was definitely not it.
Starling had found the park’s fountain, which was still spouting water even though the park was closed. It was a grand affair of stone, depicting two great fish carvings shooting water from their mouths. Starling was sitting in the fountain, showering in the water with his clothes on.
For several moments Jeremiah just stood there. His intentions of striking terror into this man were diminishing at the ridiculous sight, although he could only assume Lake had told him to clean himself up and so he had come to the only source of a free shower he could think of. To aggressively interrogate such a basket-case seemed somewhat inhumane.
“Starling,” he said, stepping into view then. Starling noticed him, but did not stop vigorously rubbing under his arms. “Starling,” Jeremiah repeated as he stopped close by. “I need to talk to you.”
The man fixed Jeremiah with barely cognisant eyes but said nothing.
“I need to find Richard Barrows,” Jeremiah continued. “Your mistress knows something of him. I need you to spy on her for me.”
“Mistress,” Starling almost wailed. The insanity was being rekindled at the mention of Lake’s name and Jeremiah decided he had no time for this.
Widening his eyes, he fixed Starling with a piercing gaze, his will exerting itself upon the simple-minded man. He blasted out a wave of mental energy and was instantly rebuffed. Lake had put incredible blocks in place, but Jeremiah was determined and his jaw trembled, his eyes narrowing, as he stared harder into Starling’s soul. Starling cried in pain, blood vessels bursting in his nose, but he could not tear his eyes from Jeremiah. Jeremiah held him and continued to push, knowing it might kill the man but knowing also it might just allow Jeremiah access to his mind.
Starling collapsed, his body convulsing, and Jeremiah cursed, blinking rapidly, a pain forming within his own head at the sudden tearing away of his prey. He cursed aloud, hoping Lake wouldn’t find out he had just killed her lackey, when he heard a groan from the fountain and realised Starling was still alive. Hurrying over to his side, Jeremiah lifted his head clear of the water and shook him gently.
“Starling!” he hissed. “Sidney, can you hear me?”
“What? What are ...?” Starling sat up, and Jeremiah was left speechless as the man rubbed his aching head. The insanity had fled his eyes, he held his frame straighter and he seemed far more in control of his own basic motor functions than he had a moment earlier. Jeremiah was confident if he rose to his feet he would not go stumbling about any more. “Why am I bathing in a fountain?”
“You were attacked,” Jeremiah lied. “I chased off your muggers, but I think you hit your head.”
Starling looked at him strangely and Jeremiah could see memories flooding back. At first he seemed afraid, then angry, until finally he remembered just what Lake was and what she had done to him and he almost collapsed.
“What do you remember?” Jeremiah asked, trying to sound kind but coming off desperate.
“I don’t think I want to. You’re ... like her, aren’t you?”
“Yes. But I’m a policeman so you can trust me.”
“Really?”
Jeremiah produced his badge. “I need to find Richard Barrows. Has your mistress ... has Lake ever mentioned him in your presence?”
“Barrows?” Starling was rubbing his sore head. “Yeah, yeah I think so. He’s asleep or something.”
“Asleep?”
“Yeah. Lake doesn’t know where he is, but he sleeps a lot. I never got it myself, but that’s what she said.”
Suddenly it all fit together within Jeremiah’s mind. It would explain why Barrows had simply dropped off the radar one day. If he spent a great portion of his life in hibernation no one would even know he existed. It would explain why not even Sanders was aware of his existence, assuming Sanders wasn’t aware that was. It bore further investigation, but perhaps Barrows would not prove so easy to find after all.
Starling grabbed his head with both hands then, and Jeremiah could see he was undergoing an attack of intense pain. He curled up in silent agony amidst the froth and dirty water and Jeremiah took a step back as he writhed. And then Starling began to mumble, to laugh, and Jeremiah felt his heart sink as he saw the insanity had returned to him. Jeremiah had been able to push aside Lake’s influence for a time, but her power was strong and there was no defeating it. Starling rose from the fountain and shambled off, almost falling several times before he disappeared from Jeremiah’s view.
It was somewhat annoying to watch, unnerving also that Lake had such power, but Jeremiah reflected that at least Lake would now not become aware that Jeremiah had spoken with him at all. He was under the impression Lake spent as little time with Starling as possible now. How low a man could go.
An incessant buzzing sounded from his inside pocket and Jeremiah removed his phone. He expected it was Baronaire, chasing him for an update, and thumbed the receive button. “I’m working on it,” he said irritably.
“Jeremiah. We have to talk.”
Jeremiah blinked. “Lin?”
“Can we meet?”
“What? Now?”
“Yes now. Unless you have something better to be doing with your nights.”
Jeremiah did not quite know how to respond. “Uh, I’m sort of in the middle of something, Lin.”
She gave an exasperated sigh. “God, Jeremiah, why is it so difficult to talk to you?”
“Because I’m a man?”
He could feel her glower down the phone. “I’m driving over to your place right now and you’d better be there.”
And she hung up.
Jeremiah held the phone at arm’s length, staring at it, aghast. His relationships with women didn’t usually go like that. He was the very measure of charm and wit, and his women were almost always flirtatious; every sentence, every word, either of them spoke would have double, triple, meanings, and it would be a delight in fencing conversation. He seldom had a woman telling him what to do and never had one hung up on him before.
A broad grin spread itself across his face. It was perhaps because she did not conform to his usual type of woman that he liked Sue Lin so much. Pushing all thoughts of Lake and Starling from his mind, Jeremiah decided to head for home.
CHAPTER FOUR
It did not matter how quickly Detective Lin could drive, there was no way she would be able to beat Jeremiah to his home. He arrived in the form of a mist, drifting through the roof to re-form inside. Jeremiah’s house was as large as Lake’s, for over the years he had accumulated a vast amount of wealth. With more rooms than Jeremiah knew what to do with, it was more a mansion than a house, but it was entirely utilitarian. He knew one day he would be attacked, and there were special surprises waiting for intruders about the house. Well, he reflected, perhaps the house was not entirely utilitarian. It was human nature to over-indulge if one had the money to do so.
As he made his way to the drawing r
oom, where he would be awaiting Lin’s arrival before his great hearth, Jeremiah began to wonder what she even wanted. Detective Sue Lin was one of the best officers of Operation WetFish. She was only a recent addition compared to most of the officers, but she had risen swiftly in the eyes of the DCI. She had also seemed to latch onto Baronaire and the two made a formidable partnership. Only a few short months ago Lin and Jeremiah had been on a case together and for some reason ended up in bed. Even Jeremiah could not quite explain how that one had happened, but neither of them had really mentioned it since. Indeed they tended to avoid one another now. When they did speak it was in short sentences and always about work. If one made eye contact, the other generally looked quickly away.
And yet she had phoned him and told him she was coming here, to his house. For a first rendezvous without anyone else present, it was an unusual place for them to meet, considering it was in this house that they had spent the night together.
Jeremiah reclined in an armchair and noticed the fire was already burning as he settled. That meant his maid was still around. DCI Sanders no doubt did not like him having a servant, but so far as Jeremiah was aware Sanders didn’t even know where he lived. But Sanders knew everything, about everyone, and had likely tailed his maid personally. He had probably even questioned her without her knowledge. Jeremiah didn’t really care whether he had; he had nothing to hide. Sanders would believe that Jeremiah’s servant was a mindlessly loyal shadow like Starling was to Lake, but Jeremiah was not so foolish. He would never leave a trail so obvious.
His maid entered the room then and he smiled, forcing down his continual urge to grant Sanders the ammunition he needed. Julia Greyling was a delightful young woman of small stature and deep red hair. Her smile was always genuine, her eyes ever playful, and she always brightened Jeremiah’s day simply by walking into the room. She wore tight black jeans and a loose white T-shirt, and many were the times Jeremiah contemplated buying a nice little French maid uniform for her just so he could see Sanders’s reaction. Also of course because he knew how hot she would look in a nice little French maid uniform.
But Jeremiah did not live his life in order to fulfil his own carnal desires. “Jules,” he said with a smile he could not help. “I’ll be receiving a guest soon. Could you show her into the drawing room once she arrives, please?”
“Yes, sir,” she replied, her voice honey, her eyes flashing life at every blink of her perfect lashes. Julia Greyling was the type of woman who shunned modern cosmetics, and indeed she was beautiful without the need for them. Having enhanced senses, Jeremiah found make-up, eyeliner and all that rubbish made him choke. Perfume was fine so long as it was delicately applied, but sometimes even a strong deodorant got on his nerves. Julia only ever smelled of her own natural sweetness, and whether this was enhanced by a smattering of perfume he could not say. Nor was he rude enough to ask.
Julia left him without even having asked the identity of the visitor, but that was not unusual. Should anyone undesirable turn up at the door, Julia would know to eject them. And she could be very adamant when she needed to be. Jeremiah smiled at the thought of someone trying to force their way in. Also, if they hurt her in the process, Jeremiah would tear their eyes out.
It was not long before the door opened and Lin was admitted. Jeremiah had his feet up on a pouffe, browsing the evening paper. In truth his senses were projecting outward and he was more aware of Lin than she was of him; and she was looking directly at him. He could tell by the hesitation in her step that she had not expected to find him so cavalier; he knew by her sudden increase in heart rate that his presence unnerved her; he even heard the sharp intake of breath which told him she intended to make some form of speech in his presence.
Then he looked up and met her gaze and he realised something else; all his evaluation had been in error. The hesitation in her step, the increased heart rate, the sharp intake of breath ... it had nothing to do with their relationship. He had no idea what it could all have meant, and for once was as blind as an ordinary human would have been in such a situation.
It took him several further moments to realise he was being a terrible host and rose, putting the newspaper aside. “Detective Lin, it’s good to see you. Can I get you something to drink? You must be cold.”
“I’m fine, thanks,” she said. Lin was a short woman of Chinese origins. Her serious attitude and genial nature had seen her rise quickly through the non-existent ranks of WetFish. He noticed she was dressed in her usual smart-casual work attire. She was not wearing a coat and assumed Julia had taken this to hang up somewhere. “You, uh, have a maid, Jeremiah.”
She had not asked it as a question and he was fighting the urge to make a joke out of it. “Do I? Well we should put her to use, then.”
“Why do you have a maid, Jeremiah?”
“Because I don’t like cleaning?” He could see his usual charms weren’t working on her so he sighed and motioned her to a seat. When she did not sit, he took the chair opposite and hoped she wouldn’t stand there the entire visit. “I’d love to think you just dropped by for a chat, but you sounded urgent in your message. What’s up?”
“We need to put this behind us,” she said stonily.
“I wasn’t aware we hadn’t.” It was true they had not actually sat down and talked about what had happened, but they were both adults and Jeremiah did not see that they needed to. That they were both willing to move on without discussing what had happened was good enough for him, and he had thought it had been good enough for Lin also. But then he wasn’t a woman and guessed Lin needed to discuss it before she could stop talking about it.
“Sanders doesn’t like his officers to have relationships,” Lin said, finding something fascinating about the open fireplace. “If he found out about us, he’d throw a fit.”
“He wouldn’t be best pleased,” Jeremiah agreed. “What’s your point?” She turned to him sharply and arched an eyebrow. Jeremiah tried not to roll his eyes. “I’m sorry to be so blunt, Lin, but you called me, remember? You want something, I can see that, and I’m not too sure it has to do with us. Mainly because there is no us. Do you need help with your case, is that it?”
“Sanders doesn’t like his officers helping each other out on their cases, either.”
“Sanders doesn’t like a lot of things, Lin. He gets over it.”
“Are you seeing anyone, Jeremiah?”
Oh God, he cringed inside, she’s only gone and fallen in love with me! It was perhaps the worst scenario he could imagine. He may have been a popular, crowd-pleasing type of guy, but in truth Jeremiah knew precious little about women. But then, what man did? She was here to try to rekindle their relationship, and if he read correctly between her words she was not above blackmailing him to do it.
“Well?”
Jeremiah realised he had been taking his time in answering her, and thankfully Julia Greyling chose that moment to step back into the room, bearing a tray of tea and a platter of biscuits and small cakes. Lin turned annoyed eyes upon the maid and Jeremiah smiled a genuine, heartfelt thanks. Julia was his rock, the one constant in his life upon which he could always rely. She always knew precisely what he wanted and what he needed, and was always willing to go the extra mile to achieve it. Also he had found Julia to be a most studious judge of character, and one who always felt a certain amount of jealousy towards Jeremiah’s female guests. No, jealousy was not the correct word. Julia wasn’t jealous, she was protective. And that was what he loved about her.
“Camomile, ma’am,” Julia said, balancing the tray and platter deftly. “Would you like me to pour for you?”
“What? No, I can pour a cup of ... Jeremiah, do you honestly have this woman pour tea for you?”
Jeremiah shrugged. He never drank tea, but would not tell either woman that. Sometimes he felt certain Julia knew perfectly well what he was, but she never mentioned any of her suspicions. It was true indeed that she was familiar with many of his strange habits, and one time had even patch
ed him up when he had been shot, stumbling through the front door several years back. But even after that she had asked no questions.
He realised the two women were practically wrestling with the teapot and rose swiftly – too swiftly – to steady the platter as it fell from the maid’s hand. Lin stared at him with a frown as he set it upon a table, although did not question his swift reflexes.
“We’re fine,” Lin told Julia, smiling falsely. “Go make a bed or something.”
Julia smiled back, and while hers was also false it was far more convincing. “Do you require anything else, Jeremiah?” she asked sweetly.
“Uh, no. Yes!” He did not want her to go, but could not for the life of him think of a reason for her to stay in the room. He began to stutter, and thankfully Julia realised he was after an excuse to keep her.
“I’ll stoke the fire while you think about it. We wouldn’t want your lovely guest to catch a chill.”
He saw Lin set her jaw firm as Julia went about her business, although his own stomach was beginning to settle with her presence. “You were saying?” Jeremiah asked, trying to keep his tone light.
“I was wondering whether you were all alone in this big house,” Lin said tartly, “but I’m not sure why I bothered.”
Ouch. He could see she really still had it bad for him, which was terrible. Still, she wasn’t storming for the door, and he could not make her out at all.
“Have you seen Charles lately?” Lin asked at last, her expression still stern. “He’s dropped off the radar.”
Now this was something interesting. Jeremiah narrowed one eye and Lin looked away. Yes, he was beginning to see it now. She had not come here to discuss the two of them at all. She was here on a more sinister purpose. Lin’s heart rate leaped once more and he knew he had her. Why would she be looking for Baronaire? Had she perhaps stumbled onto the fact that he and Baronaire were actively seeking out Josephine Dalton so they could move against Sanders and WetFish? Lin was certainly intelligent enough to work out anything – she had realised the existence of WetFish after all. But she was not foolish enough to come here alone.