‘I went through her stuff when she wasn’t looking. How could I forget a name like that? “RIP”. You looked so alike I thought it had to be you. Sure enough, when I tested the waters you emailed straight back.’
‘So you tried to pin the murders on Cathy. That’s what it was really all about.’
‘What it was about was finding my happy ending. But I had to get rid of the bodies, and Cathy was there.’
‘Until you found out that Nathan was her father. I saw the look on your face when I told you he had a vested interest.’ As they were unmarried, Nathan had not been listed on the birth certificate. It suited Ruby at the time. The fact her daughter had originated from a family of criminals was something she had not wanted her to know.
‘So you switched the blame to someone else. Chris. You were blackmailing him because he was a client. That’s why chunks of money kept disappearing from his bank account.’
‘I’m impressed,’ Goldie said, pushing her hand into her apron pocket and pulling out a lighter and packet of cigarettes. Her face lit in an orange fuse as the lighter clicked into life. Closing her eyes, she dragged on the cigarette, blowing the smoke towards the cobwebbed ceiling. ‘You want one?’ she said, holding out the cigarettes.
Ruby nodded. Anything to escape her bindings. She had grazed her knuckles from rubbing the rope against the wall, but it was showing no signs of loosening.
‘Well tough,’ Goldie said, pushing the packet back into her apron. ‘Chris had mummy issues. Liked to do it in all sorts of places, including his workplace. He would have paid anything to keep me sweet. So when the money dried up he let me use his place instead.’ She took another drag of her cigarette. ‘Want to know a funny thing? He got a kick out of that too. Started advising me on how to cover up my tracks, told me where to dump the bodies. Even came to the house after I killed Harry Edmonds. Then he’d turn up later on, with you, ready to make sure nothing was traced back to me.’
‘If you were such good friends why was he ringing my DCI asking for help?’ Ruby said.
Goldie gave a half-shoulder shrug. ‘Doesn’t matter now, it’s all over. There’s no happy ending. Not for any of us.’
Ruby felt chilled by the words. Goldie was referring to Chris in the past tense. He had outlived his usefulness, just like the others.
‘I don’t believe you,’ Ruby said, trying to buy some time. If backup was on its way, they needed Goldie to tell them what she had done with Sophie. ‘Those murders took time. You said yourself that Frenchie never gave you five minutes’ peace.’
Goldie gave a low, mean chuckle. ‘Frenchie’s dead. I’ve been running the girls, not him. Chris helped me get rid of him too. We hid his body under the floorboards, but it isn’t half kicking up a stink.’
‘It’s not too late to recover this. What have you done with Sophie?’
But Goldie was gazing beyond Ruby, somewhere she could not reach. ‘None of those people deserved to live. I gave them every chance and they all failed miserably, just like you.’
Ruby’s heartbeat thundered in her ears. The room was quiet. Too quiet. She needed the sounds of the streets, the scent of pollution, voices from the room next door. An insect scurried over her hand, and she pushed herself away from the wall, kicking off her heels in order to stay upright. Ruby forced her focus back on Goldie.
‘You took refuge in the movie Lucy’s First Christmas, didn’t you? Waiting for a mother that never came.’
‘And I waited so long… ’ Goldie said, her voice etched with pain. ‘I’d sleep to the tune of my music box, praying I’d wake up to see her waiting to take me home. I really thought I’d found her this time. But Anita was just liked all the others.’ Goldie pulled at her thumb, ripping off the prosthetic piece and throwing it on the ground. ‘I made myself look nice so she’d take me in. But she only cared about her perfect little girl. There was no room for me.’
‘Where is she? Where’s Sophie?’ Ruby said, her words falling on deaf ears. She wrestled with her bindings, loosening them a fraction, then realised that Goldie was staring at her. Silence passed between them, two souls forced into solitude.
‘My birth mother’s dead,’ Goldie finally spoke. ‘Suicide. Couldn’t live with the disappointment, I suppose.’ A bitter laugh escaped from her mouth. ‘But then, I’ve done some terrible things.’ Goldie sighed, a smile touching her lips as she briefly closed her eyes. ‘Have you ever killed anyone?’
‘No.’
‘Let me tell you, the rush of a kill is better than any drug. It surprised me in the end. The reward became more important than fulfilling the dream.’
‘So the childhood fantasy was not so innocent after all,’ Ruby said, the disgust evident on her face. ‘It’s over. Untie me and take me to Sophie.’
Goldie extinguished her cigarette with the sole of her lace-up boot. ‘You forced my hand when you knocked on Chris’s door. If you’d brought backup she’d be safe in your arms now. Her death is on your head.’
‘Where is she?’ Ruby asked, her chest rising as she battled the rising tide of frustration. If she didn’t get out of this place soon… she couldn’t be held responsible for her actions.
Goldie smiled. ‘I told you, she’s asleep, frozen in time like Sleeping Beauty. But the minutes are ticking away.’ She waved a finger from left to right. ‘Tick-tock, tick-tock. If she’s not dead already, she soon will be. And you’ve nobody but yourself to blame.’
‘You monster! She’s just a little girl!’ Ruby raged, unable to hold it in.
Within three strides Goldie was upon her. And it was only then that she caught sight of the scalpel: an instrument Chris must have used countless times before.
‘Get back!’ Ruby pushed herself back against the wall.
With one sweeping kick, Goldie took her legs, and the floor rose up to meet her as Ruby’s face connected with a thud.
Dropping to her knees Goldie dragged Ruby’s head onto her lap. ‘Shhh, hush now, Mummy,’ Goldie said, stroking her hair. ‘It’s time. I have to make the bad stuff go away.’
‘Get off me,’ Ruby said, wriggling her entire body. But her movements were halted as the metal blade was thrust under her jaw. Ruby gasped and became very, very still. But unknown to Goldie her hands were still moving. Inch by inch she twisted her wrists against the bindings, loosening the badly tied knot.
‘It’s good that we’re together. You wouldn’t want to die alone, would you?’ Goldie said sadly. ‘I don’t like the thought of that at all.’
‘Think about what you’re doing… Please, I can help,’ Ruby said, staring up at her face. She worked her wrists against the prickly rope, her flesh stinging against the insistent pressure. Beads of sweat broke out on Ruby’s forehead as the knot loosened. She needed time. There was still hope.
Briefly closing her eyes, Goldie re-emerged with a smile. It was a clown-like grin which spread across her features in fetid glee. ‘My name’s Lucy. Are you my mummy?’ The child-like voice echoed around them.
‘I can be, if you want,’ Ruby said, wearing a tight smile.
‘Then say it, Mummy, please. Say you love me. Tell me you’ll bring me home.’
Ruby did not think twice. She would say anything to extend precious seconds of their time. She took a deep breath. ‘I lo—’ But her words were cut short as an arterial spray of warm blood slapped against her skin.
CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN
Cathy was a good kid, and despite everything she said she needed her mother. Nathan knew so little about her, but it was not too late to repair things – as long as he could get Ruby back safely. The thought of her being buried in a casket in the ground struck cold fear in his heart. It was an alien emotion, and he tried to shake it off as he followed Downes down the driveway of Chris Douglas’s house. He curled his fists. Replacing the emotion with the familiar lust for revenge had sharpened his focus. If Chris Douglas hurt a hair on Ruby’s head, he would blow his fucking brains out.
Thundering behind the police unit, he a
nd Downes pushed their way through the front door. Broken-hinged, it had been battered to submission. The last thing he expected to see was a man lying in a pool of blood on the kitchen floor.
‘Fuck,’ Downes said. ‘It’s Chris.’
But Nathan had no sentiment for Chris; his focus was solely on Ruby. A lump of dread rose in his throat and wedged like a hard ball. ‘There must be a basement,’ Nathan barked at the officers. ‘She said something about going down. Try the garden too.’
Downes gave him a look which told him who was in charge, but Nathan didn’t care. The detective inspector might have to play it by the book, but he didn’t. Nervous energy erupted in his bloodstream as he pulled back the door of a cupboard under the stairs. ‘Here,’ he shouted, lifting a panel on the floor which led him to an underground stairwell. Feeling for a light, he adjusted his eyes to the darkness. The stench of bodily fluids and human remains were overpowering. These were smells he had encountered from a young age when he was forced to watch his father’s ‘work’. He entered the bowels of the room, resisting the urge to draw his pistol. Carrying a firearm would land him a prison sentence, and judging by their sideways glances there were lots of officers here who would be too glad to collar a Crosby. Flicking on the light switch, he descended the steps to the basement. ‘Ruby?’ he called out, his voice echoing in the dank space.
Nathan’s heart plummeted as he gazed around the empty room. Nothing but a swivel chair, a bent-up Christmas tree, and some old stains on a splintered wooden floor. Sure, the basement harboured life. The rat droppings and cobwebs were testament to that – and the smell of death reeked from the floorboards. But if Ruby was here she had since been moved. They had found their killer alright. But where was Ruby now? Police boots echoed on the stairs as officers warily followed him down. They did not question their superior about Nathan’s presence, and Downes did not offer any explanation.
Who knew what they would uncover from beneath the floorboards? But Nathan was not here to solve past crimes.
Downes rubbed his chin, disappointment evident on his face.
‘Where’s he taken her?’ Nathan said. ‘You said he was a pathologist. Where does he work?’
‘We need to get to his office. I’ll take it from here,’ Downes said.
‘You’re having a laugh if you think I’m stepping back now,’ Nathan replied, pushing past officers to hike up the stairs. But Downes was not far behind, matching him step for step. He must have known what Nathan was planning because he was not allowing him out of his sight.
Downes grabbed the door handle of his Mercedes and launched himself inside. Revving the engine, Nathan tore up the road.
‘Listen, we both have one thing in common and that’s Ruby’s welfare,’ Downes said, pushing his seat belt into its holder. ‘Just leave this to the police. If Ruby comes out of this in one piece, then you’ve got your futures to consider. I won’t come between you.’
‘That’s very magnanimous of you,’ Nathan said, bemused. As if Downes ever stood in their way.
‘I’m thinking of Ruby and what she’d want for her daughter. Having you in prison isn’t one of them. Drop me off and then go home. I’ll call and update when I get inside.’
‘Don’t worry, Downes, I won’t throw any punches. It’s not how I do business,’ Nathan said.
Downes raised an eyebrow, as if to say that was not what he had heard, but he stayed silent.
Nathan pulled up outside the building and killed the engine of the car. Police sirens echoed in the distance, indicating they would not be alone for long. ‘I’ll give you five minutes, then I’m going in.’
Downes nodded in acknowledgement. A thin layer of perspiration shone on his forehead. Scrambling out of the car, he took long strides in the darkness towards the building. Neither of them noticed the thin sliver of crepe which had come loose from the front door. Edged with white ribbon, the breeze carried it away, along with any clues to Sophie’s whereabouts.
CHAPTER SIXTY-EIGHT
Ruby heaved a gasp, involuntarily swallowing the fluids which had sprayed on her tongue.
Goldie’s head connected with the floor, the clang of the scalpel jerking from her hand. Goldie knew exactly where to slice for maximum impact. And now she was as good as dead.
Pulling and tugging on the rope, Ruby cried out in frustration. The more her head cleared, the louder the voices became. You’re trapped down here. They’ll never find you. Trapped in the ground with a corpse, and a million insects for company. ‘No,’ Ruby whispered, her skin clammy with blood and newly formed sweat. Shuffling over to the scalpel, she grappled for purchase, being careful not to touch the blood-tinged blade. Razor sharp, it could have her fingers off in seconds. Goldie twitched behind her; her strangled breaths growing weaker. Blood pooled around them; the last few beats of a dying heart pumping it through the open wound. Ruby could feel it providing warmth as it soaked into her trousers. Wrapping her fingers tightly around the handle she inched the blade towards her bindings and sawed. The rope parted with a satisfying crack, leaving her free to undo her ankles.
Ruby was flooded with relief. It could so easily have been her lifeless on the floor.
Pulling off her blazer, she wrapped the sleeve around Goldie’s throat in an effort to plug the wound. It was like trying to stop the tide. But in this case the tide was blood red. She had to leave, search the house for Sophie and call for help. Goldie stared at the ceiling. Her lips parted, but, devoid of breath, she had taken Sophie’s whereabouts to the grave. Ruby rifled for her phone before rising to her feet. No signal. She needed to get out of here and call for help. Goldie’s words replayed in her mind as she took the stairs, praying for an unlocked door. ‘Just like Sleeping Beauty’. The truth finally dawned. She knew exactly where Sophie was. And if she was right she had just minutes to save her.
CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE
Ruby launched herself up the stairs, clinging onto the narrow railing for support. After checking Goldie’s pockets, there were no keys to be found, and she prayed that the door had been left unlocked. Pulling back on the door, she was met with resistance. Without a phone signal, she had no way of alerting anyone of her whereabouts. She had pinned all her hopes on the fumbled call she made. But it must not have gone through. Banging on the door with clenched fists, she pounded the wooden barrier between her and the outside world. And then in the silence, a crash of glass.
Somewhere in the distance, someone was coming.
Heavy footsteps drew nearer, approaching the other side of the door.
‘Help,’ Ruby shouted, ‘I’m locked in, can you get me out?’
‘Ruby, it’s me, Nathan. Stand back from the door.’
Ruby had never been so happy to hear his voice. She took a couple of steps down the stairs. Shielding her eyes, she waited as the crack of timber shattered the desolate air. Ruby caught Nathan on the top step as he kicked open the door.
Drawing back a sudden breath, he took in her appearance. ‘You’re hurt,’ he said, the words tumbling from his mouth as he checked her for injuries.
Of course. The blood. She must have looked like something out of a horror movie. ‘It’s okay,’ she said, batting him away as she stepped through the splintered door. ‘It’s not mine. But we need to get to Sophie. I think I know where she is.’
Ruby wanted to ask how Nathan had found her, but such questions could come later. For now, there was a young life hanging in the balance. ‘Where’s Chris?’ Ruby said, throwing a glance over his shoulder.
‘He’s dead,’ Nathan replied, leading her into the long dark corridor.
So that was what Goldie meant when she said he was serving a higher purpose. Chris was her accomplice, and she had killed him to shift the focus from her. Ruby looked around the hall. It carried the same smell of disinfectant, but this was not Chris’s house. ‘What?… Where am I?’ she asked, her words laced with confusion.
Nathan frowned. ‘You’re at the mortuary. Don’t you remember?’
‘I passed out. I… I thought I was in his basement.’ But as she got her bearings she remembered why she was there. ‘But this is better. Come with me.’
Running with her bare feet slapping against the cold tiles, everything felt surreal. As if trapped in a nightmare, she galloped down the corridor, searching for the door which would provide her escape. She turned left. Pushing through the double doors, Nathan was right by her side.
Laced with Goldie’s blood she must have looked a strange sight. Wild-eyed, she pushed her way through Downes and attending officers; their faces clouded in confusion as they stared at her bloodied face.
‘Call an ambulance,’ Ruby shouted. ‘Goldie’s in the basement. She’s cut her throat. I think she’s dead.’
‘Goldie?’ Downes said, holding his hands out in front as if he was calming a wild animal. ‘Ruby… stop for a minute, tell me, what’s going on?’
Ruby darted past him, making her way to the mortuary freezers, where the bodies of the dead were kept. ‘I know where Sophie is.’
There was no time for questions. Downes and Nathan exchanged a glance before following Ruby in haste.
You start down there,’ she said, pointing to the end. ‘And I’ll start here.’
Ruby grasped the handle, pulling back the long heavy drawer. It rolled on its wheels to reveal an elderly woman. Ghostly white with sunken eyes, she was queued for the autopsy that was yet to come. But Ruby had no time to afford her the respect she deserved. Slamming back the door, she paused only to turn and pull out the next drawer. Nathan began in the middle, and Downes was at the end. Under the glow of strip lighting and the faint tang of disinfectant in the air, the only sounds were police boots pounding down the corridor to the basement and the ominous rolling backwards and forwards of freezer drawers.
‘Ruby,’ Nathan said, his voice flat. Pulling open the rest of the drawer, he revealed a waif-like little girl who was lying fully dressed, with hands bound in prayer. Frozen in time, just like Sleeping Beauty.
Love You to Death: An Absolutely Gripping Thriller with a Killer Twist Page 28