‘Sound deadening.’ Freddie grinned. Benny’s leering chuckle in the background made Kelly feel sick. Her eyes welled and her head started shaking; she had no way to control it. Benny stooped down in the corner of the room. When he stood back up he was holding the strips of material in his hand. Kelly could see that they were gags and it wasn’t lost on her that there were two of them.
‘Better safe than sorry, though!’ Benny chuckled again as he handed them to Freddie.
* * *
‘Hey, Harry.’ Maddie stopped to answer the call. She’d only made it one floor down from the caretaker on her way out. She’d stopped on a small landing that gave her a view out over the car park. Idly, she watched a youth with his hood up leaning against one of the brick walls that defined the area where the bins were supposed to be stashed.
‘Maddie, any update for me?’
‘I didn’t realise I was giving you one?’
‘Is that a no?’ He didn’t sound in the mood to be challenged.
‘I’m just coming away from Truro House.’
‘Truro House? What are you doing there?’
‘Freddie Rickman has three places here. They’re all listed in Holly Maguire’s address book.’
‘And?’
‘And it’s a relevant line of enquiry.’
‘I just got off the phone to CPS. They say they tried calling you direct a couple of times but you’re not answering. Some of the work needed on that case file is now officially a few days overdue apparently? They said you knew about it, that you had discussed dates.’
Maddie paused. She was still peering out of the window. The hooded man with his foot up against the wall was now approached by another man. He stood away from the wall to greet him. ‘Okay.’
‘Okay? What do you mean, okay?’
‘I do know what they want. I’ve told them I know what they want and we agreed a deadline. I’m not over that.’
‘They say different. They also have the impression that you’re now ignoring them.’
‘No, they have the impression that I work one case at a time, so if I’m not working on that one then I’m not working at all. I have other cases, other enquiries. That’s what I’m doing now. I missed a call around ten minutes ago when I was talking with a potential witness. That isn’t ignoring someone, that is being busy.’
‘I guess they didn’t get that from their call being cut off.’
‘I guess not. Maybe they could have given me half an hour or so to call them back before they went to my inspector — that sounds reasonable to me. Or maybe they should just stop wasting my time with phone calls at all. I know what they want.’
‘They’re concerned that you’re not prioritising this case file like you should. You can’t ignore calls from CPS because it’s wasting your time because all they do is call me straight after and that wastes my time. And that is a different thing altogether.’
Maddie paused again. She still watched the two youths far below her who had now made their quick exchange and were both walking away in different directions.
‘Fine. I’ll call them and tell them again. I didn’t know it was CPS. Like I said, my phone went off but I was talking to someone, that’s all.’
‘And you’re done now?’
‘I’m done here. Although I’m pretty sure I just saw a drug deal outside!’ She laughed, trying to see if she could lighten her colleague’s mood a little. She should have known better.
‘Priorities, Maddie. That means this case file. That means securing a murder conviction at court with a real offender and with very real press interest. This needs to be absolutely airtight. Not chasing after bad reputations or street deals. Do you understand?’
‘I think you’ve made it very clear.’
‘So that investigation you’re on now, what is the status? And think before you answer.’
‘There are still some bits I need to bottom out.’ Maddie waited for the explosion. It didn’t come, but she quickly wished it had.
‘Come and see me when you’re back in,’ he growled.
‘I just—’
The call was cut and her expletives bounced around the concrete interior. She looked back down to the car park. The man who had been waiting in the area was now a speck in the distance, his customer already long gone. Maybe this was a fruitless exercise. She still wasn’t entirely sure what she was hoping to achieve here. This wasn’t an area where police questions were going to be answered readily. The caretaker had already proved that.
Her phone buzzed. It was a message telling her she had missed a call from a number she didn’t recognise. She pressed to call it back. She considered she might be able to appease Harry a little if she could at least confirm she’d returned CPS’s call. She stayed pressed up against the window, trying to muster the energy to sound genuinely apologetic. The call was answered quickly.
‘Hello, this is DS Maddie Ives. I’m very sorry but I think I missed your call?’
‘Ah yes, I did leave you a message — ten minutes ago, if that. Sorry to bother you . . . it’s probably not relevant, really, but it’s been playing on my mind . . .’
It wasn’t CPS at all. Maddie recognised the voice of the woman she had met as a witness to the car going over the cliffs in Capel.
‘Ms Thoroughgood. . . sorry, Margaret. Please, do tell me more?’
‘A girl. This morning, I saw her standing on the edge. I did what I do . . . I took a walk out to speak with her. I know I said I wouldn’t—’
‘The edge? The cliff you mean?’
‘Yes. The very same spot.’
‘Are you okay? Did something happen?’ The words were sinking in, Maddie suddenly realised that they might have another emergency on their hands. She started to move quickly down the stairs.
‘I’m okay. And so is she. Seems I was able to convince her to sit down for a cup of coffee and to take some time to reflect. I’m not convinced she was one of the more serious ones. She had a bottle of something strong to give her a bit of courage for a start. I guess you don’t need that when your mind is made up.’
‘Oh, that’s good.’ Maddie slowed. ‘Let me take a few details and we’ll see if we can find out who she is so I can have my uniform colleagues do a welfare check. I don’t suppose she gave you her name?’ Maddie wished she hadn’t given her card over; now this woman would be calling her every time someone walked past her house and cast so much as a look over the cliff edge.
‘Kelly.’
Maddie had made it to another of the landings. She leant on the windowsill to write down the details.
‘Kelly, you say. Did you get a surname or any other details?’
‘Well this was the reason I called. I wasn’t going to bother . . . only she said her girlfriend was in the car.’
‘In the car?’ Maddie shook her pen; the end seemed to have dried out.
‘That went over. It was her partner. She was very cut up about it, no doubt about that. When she left she said she was going to the police. Her partner had told her to. She talked about how her partner took her own life so she could set this Kelly free. But she needed to tell you something first to make sure it all came right. I’m sorry . . . it all sounds a bit silly really, now that I’m saying it out loud. I guess I was hoping you had spoken to her.’
Maddie didn’t have a reply, not an immediate one. She ran the words back through her mind, trying to catch up. ‘Set her free?’
‘That’s what she said — a couple of times. I should have asked her for a bit more, really, but she said she was going to the police. She seemed set on it. I did offer to run her down to the station right away but she said she had something to do first. Did she come down?’
‘Not as far as I’m aware.’
‘I see. Maybe she’ll come down later.’
‘I am out of the office right now, Margaret. It’s possible she’s spoken to a colleague already. I’ll have a look into that.’
‘I see. I am sorry to bother you with this. I’m n
ot sure it’s too relevant for you. I just wanted you to know. She seemed very distraught. You will let me know she’s okay, won’t you?’
‘Yes, yes of course I will.’
The call ended and still Maddie didn’t move. So Kelly was Holly Maguire’s girlfriend? And her death over the side of a cliff was designed to set her free? Yet why take a taxi driver with her? Nothing about him had revealed that he might have any hold over Holly or anyone associated with her — he’d only just moved to the area. There were still so many questions. But at least now there might be someone out there who had some answers.
‘Kelly . . .’ she said out loud. She had been through all of Holly’s linked associates on the police system and there was no one she could recall by that name. ‘Who the hell is Kelly?’
She started back down the stairs. She caught sight of Floor 2 above a fire door. Freddie Rickman had a couple of flats on this floor and one more on the floor above. With Harry’s words still ringing in her ears, she had intended on leaving without knocking, but her interest was stoked again now. She could try one of them at least. One thing she had learned about detective work was that you never knew where answers might come from. She pushed the door open to the second floor and started along the corridor, counting up the numbers as she went.
Chapter 21
It was the closest thing Kelly had ever seen to a genuine smile from Freddie as he shuffled his feet to give himself a firm base and moved the blade slowly towards Libby’s face. She was now gagged; Kelly wasn’t. The black material had been tied firmly around Libby’s head to force its way between her teeth, fixing her jaw open. Her eyes were fixed, too — wide and full of panic. She was pressed back as far as she could and Kelly watched as her eyes followed the blade, helpless as it moved in slow motion towards her pretty face.
Kelly held her breath.
There was a knock at the door, solid and assertive enough for Freddie to stop dead and twitch towards it. Benny was already close to the door. He shrugged at Freddie. They obviously weren’t expecting anyone.
Freddie inclined his head irritably towards the door and Benny edged hesitantly to the peephole, approaching it like it might somehow be a two-way. Eventually he pressed up against it just as it thumped again to make him flinch.
‘Police!’ The voice was female, urgent and somewhat muffled. Kelly made a sound from her throat and Freddie jerked to it. He pushed his hand over her mouth, no doubt wishing that he’d gagged her, too.
‘I just want to ask a few questions!’ the voice called out.
No one moved. Benny was back to peering back over at his boss, waiting for some sort of direction. It didn’t come.
‘A neighbour said there was someone in here? You’re not in any trouble.’
The third knock was even louder. Again, Benny reacted like he had been prodded in the ribs. He looked a little panicked as he waited for an instruction.
Freddie snatched the second strip of black material from the floor and applied it roughly and tightly between Kelly’s teeth. Then he walked over to the door. He transferred the razor to his left hand and pushed against the door with his right.
‘I’m worried now,’ came the voice. ‘I’ve been told someone is in here but I’m not getting a response. Do I need to force entry to make sure everyone’s okay in there?’
Freddie and Benny exchanged glances. Something was whispered between them.
‘I’m not decent!’ Benny called out. His voice was strained.
‘I can wait,’ came a delayed reply.
‘I’m fine.’
‘I can wait!’
Benny shook his head then exchanged another whispered word with Freddie. Freddie turned back to the two girls. The blade was back in his right hand as he motioned at them to stand then hustled them towards the bedroom. At least Kelly understood this to be what he meant; Libby didn’t move and Freddie grabbed her roughly. She grunted as she was pushed through the doorway. Behind her, Kelly could hear a front door being opened slowly. She strained to listen but she was pushed further into the room. There was a clump of material under a far window that she recognised as the floral bedding and Libby was pushed to collapse onto it. Kelly’s bag had been tossed in here too and was lying on its side.
Kelly was allowed to stay on her feet at least but that just meant she was closer to Freddie. And the blade he held tightly under her throat.
* * *
‘So you’re the decorator?’ Maddie said. The man seemed to have struggled telling her, as if the word decorator was too long and made up of more syllables that he was used to using. He was sweating, a layer of moisture clear on his forehead. His skin in general was a washed-out and clammy white and his lips were pulled back in a sort of tense sneer.
‘Yeah.’
‘You paint naked?’ Maddie smiled playfully.
‘Naked?’
‘A moment ago you weren’t decent?’
‘Top off. Hot in here.’
‘How very thoughtful of you to cover your nipples for me. You’ve made a start, then?’ Maddie leaned to see round him, she was conscious that he seemed to lean with her. The small area she could see was barren, no furniture or personal belongings at all. She could see one wall on the right side and it did look like it had been stripped back to the plaster, even if it didn’t appear to have been done recently. The floor had a carpet that looked worn and tired. The place certainly needed a decorator.
‘Not really. I keep getting interrupted.’ His face was still a sneer and he leaned forward a few inches to get closer. His chest puffed up as if he was trying to make himself bigger.
‘Just you in there?’ Maddie held her ground and persisted.
The man stepped forward now, he pulled the door shut behind him as he went and Maddie was forced to step back. His movement had caught her out and she cursed herself for letting him shut the door.
‘Not even me, now. I’m done.’
He was too close for comfort but Maddie didn’t want to give any more ground.
‘It doesn’t look done . . .’
‘Just popped in for a bit of measuring. So I guess you got all the answers you need?’
‘Not even close. Is that your flat?’
The man moved first. He stepped past her and started down the hallway. Maddie watched him go for a few steps, her mind swirling with options. His head was turned slightly to one side, just enough to make sure she was following. She stayed still, her focus flicked back to the closed door.
‘You staying there?’ he called out while continuing to walk away. More than anything she wanted to know what was in that flat, what it was he was so obviously trying to lead her away from. But there was nothing she could do; she had no power to be kicking in doors, she never had. Her only chance to get anything at all was to find out what she could about this man. She walked after him.
‘What did you say your name was?’ she called out.
‘I didn’t.’ His pace quickened. Maddie’s did too.
* * *
Kelly rested her hand gently on Libby’s shoulder. Libby lay on her side, her eyes held tightly shut. All the while, she sobbed through the thick material of the gag. Kelly needed to present herself as calm; if she was seen to be panicking, too, it would only make Libby worse. She wondered how Holly had always been able to stay calm and assured, no matter what was going on. Perhaps it had all been an act, like what she was doing now, projecting a calm exterior for the benefit of others while her mind was in turmoil.
Freddie had stepped out of the bedroom but she could still see him. He was at the large window in the living room, staring intently out. His phone was upturned in his right hand as if he was waiting for it to ring. The razor was on the windowsill, still within his reach but he seemed distracted. Kelly’s self-imposed calmness had her thinking straight, almost logically. Freddie was here to kill Libby, to torture her and extract the information he needed, but then to kill her. Libby would tell him of Kelly’s plan to go to the police straight from here and then
neither of them would leave the building alive. Freddie was just waiting for the police officer to leave and for Benny to report back what she wanted. That could all be resolved within a couple of minutes.
She turned back to survey the room. There was hardly anything in there. The bed frame was propped up under a small window with some of the bedding draped over it. She could see enough of it to tell that it was still largely complete — too bulky to be of any use. Then her eyes rested on her bag. It was on its side and some of her make-up items had spilled out. The neck of an empty vodka bottle protruded from inside.
Freddie’s phone rang for a split second. He snatched it to his ear.
‘She gone?’ His voice was rasping, laden with tension. ‘Okay, fine. What did you tell her?’ He paced as he listened, his attention still out of the window.
It was now or never.
Kelly stretched for her bag. She could just reach the edge of it but enough to pull it gently towards her. She met Libby’s now open and panicked eyes as she did so. She got enough of a handful of the canvas to turn the mouth of the bag towards her. Now she could grip the vodka bottle by the neck, leaving most of it still hidden in the bag. She made eye contact with Libby again. Libby jerked a nod. Even in a glance she had been able to communicate her thoughts. This was it. It was their only chance.
Kelly stood up and started forward in the same movement. Freddie was facing away, the phone still pressed to his ear. He started to turn when Kelly’s foot scuffed on a rucked-up bit of carpet. Her grip tightened on the bottle. As he turned she swung it with everything she had.
The bottle struck him with a sickening thud. He grunted and stumbled away from her. His phone dropped to the floor with a clatter. A few more seconds passed and he dropped to one knee. She swung the bottle again, this time bringing it downwards on top of his head. The bottle smashed. The noise was tremendous and the sounds of scattering glass seemed to be all around her. Freddie slumped forward, groaning, and his palms slapped on the ground as they took his weight. His face hung close to the floor and his head shook as if he was trying to clear it. He pushed back off his palms, struggling to get back up.
He Knows Your Secrets Page 16