I nodded.
‘But only just. It’s all recent news to me.’
‘We lived in a children’s home in Blackpool. It’s been shut down now. We became good friends straight away – you couldn’t separate us. We couldn’t believe our luck when we were adopted together. We thought we’d hit the jackpot when Tom and Mavis took on both of us. As it turned out, it was the short straw.’
‘What do you mean?’ I asked, intrigued.
She looked up from the photos, met my gaze momentarily, then looked away again.
‘Let’s just say things didn’t stay happy for very long. Did you know that I live in Spain now, Mr Bailey? Or can I call you Pete? I guess we’re family, aren’t we?’
I hadn’t thought about that one. Did that make her my sister-in-law?
‘I didn’t know that. I thought that you were all dead. In a road accident, according to Meg. In fact, according to what Meg told me, you don’t even exist.’
‘Really? It’s interesting that she should choose that as a way of killing us off. I moved to Spain to get away. I couldn’t face the stigma of the past, I wanted to leave this sodding country behind forever. Sorry, I don’t usually use bad language. It’s being back in England that’s done it. There’s no love lost between me and this place.’
‘How long have you been over there? Does Meg know?’
‘Meg and I went our separate ways a long time ago. We had a difficult relationship.’
‘Why don’t you use Yates as your surname?’ I interjected.
‘I wanted to bury Hannah Yates forever, after the fire and all the press coverage at the time. Young is my birth surname. As Hannah Young I got my identity back.’
‘Why do you think that Meg lied about her past?’
‘I think we both did. We were anxious to put it all behind us. It wasn’t only the fire. All sorts of bad things happened around that time. I went to hide in Spain. It’s worked reasonably well for me. Until now. Until those murders. It felt as if it had all come back to torment me again. I thought I was away from it.’
‘What do you mean? Surely everything was all over and done with, once the investigation into the fire was completed.’
‘I wish! The journalists used to call us “the fire sisters”, did you know that, Pete? You wouldn’t have seen it in the papers at the time, but they were convinced there was something suspicious about the fire. Something our neighbour said, I think. One journalist in particular, who knew Tom Yates, wouldn’t leave it alone. Kept chasing us for years afterwards. I hope he’s dead now. He was a complete bastard. Sorry, that’s the second time I’ve sworn now.’
‘You know I’m a journalist too, don’t you? A radio journalist, not the sort of investigative stuff the papers do. I’m surprised Meg even looked twice at me if you’d had a run-in with the papers. They give us all a bad name.’
‘I can see why she fell for you, you’ve got kind eyes. When we were kids she always used to say that you need to look in the eyes, they’re the gateway to a person’s soul. If you look hard enough, you can see the evil in a person before it comes out. That’s what Meg used to say. She used to yearn to meet people with kind eyes ... like David had.’
‘David?’ I asked.
‘A lad that we knew in the home. A long time ago. Someone Meg knew when we were younger.’
‘So why are you here?’ I asked.
There was so much more I wanted to ask Hannah. I’d have to keep on topic, I didn’t have long. At long last her drink arrived. The youth from the bar shuffled the beer mat and the glass to make sure that it was right in the middle of the table.
‘You don’t want to join us for a game of Cluedo do you?’ asked the boring chap. Fortunately, Hannah declined the invitation more gracefully than I would have done, and he went back to his table and began his game with his wife. They’d condemned themselves to an evening of traditional board games. It was like the seventies all over again.
I pushed my question one more time. She hadn’t answered it yet.
‘What brought you back to the UK, if you hate the place so much? Have you come to see Meg?’
‘I’m not sure that she’d want to see me. We didn’t part in very happy circumstances; I haven’t heard from her in years. I’m not even sure if she knew that I was still living in Spain. I only found out that she’d married you when I read about the murders in a magazine. It was as if it was all happening again.’
Your entire life story has been plastered all over the press. I was buying fish and chips in our local expat café and happened to read a UK magazine. I don’t know what made me pick it up. And there you were, you and Meg. I almost missed it at first, she was Meg Bailey in the article. But in the photograph it was still the Meg that I knew. She looked good, you must have made her happy. I’m pleased that you made her happy again.’
‘Is that what brought you here then? To find Meg?’
‘Yes, I want to find Meg. It’s been too long, we need to speak. But it was important that I found you, Pete. You know what I said about Meg looking at the eyes to see into the soul of a person? Have you ever looked really closely into Meg’s eyes?’
‘Of course I have. We’ve been married for years. What are you trying to say?’
‘Meg is troubled, Pete. She’s been like it since we were kids. Why do you think they called us the fire sisters? That was Meg’s doing. Sometimes something would make her snap. If you looked into her eyes when that happened, you’d see a very different Meg from the one you know.’
I looked at her. What was she trying to tell me about my wife?
‘I knew it as soon as I saw the magazine article. You look like a nice guy, Pete. I can see why she chose you. But you need to be careful. You need to know about Meg. When things turn ugly, you’ll usually find Meg at the centre of things. She has a knack for screwing up people’s lives.’
‘Oh shit!’
I’d got distracted by our conversation. I was going to be late for my meeting with Becky.
‘I’m so sorry. I have to go. This is really frustrating ...’
‘Oh, I thought we’d have more time to chat.’
‘Yes, I’m sorry, something came up. I have to ... er, I have somebody else that I need to meet this evening. It took so long to get served by Lurch over there, and that clock is wrong.
‘Can we meet up again? I’m not in the country for long, but I had to come over. I needed to find you and tell you about Meg. I have to find Meg if I can. It looks like it’s all happening again. Everything is turning to shit. And Meg is always at the heart of it.’
I wanted desperately to stay and talk but I had to leave. I should have consulted my mobile phone rather than the clock on the wall of the bar. I hadn’t wanted to appear rude by leaving it out on the table. I was going to be late, I still had to drive over to the house. They were digging up the roads in the city centre, laying water pipes or something like that. I’d get stuck at the traffic lights, no doubt.
‘Can we meet again? When are you going back to Spain?’
I have to fly out in two days. I have an early start, so that day will be a write-off. I’ve got your email address – can we meet again tomorrow sometime? I’m here all day. Maybe we can meet in town next time? This place depresses me, it reminds me of everything I hate about this country.
‘Yes, let’s do that. How about Fran’s Coffee House in the shopping centre? You’ll find it. Head for the town hall, the shopping centre is opposite.’
Hannah nodded.
‘Do you mind if I hang onto the photos?’ she asked. ‘I haven’t seen these faces for some time, I’d like to look at them again. I’ll let you have them tomorrow. Okay if I make copies in town?’
‘Yes, of course. How about 3 o’clock tomorrow afternoon? I’ll send you an email.’
I shook Hannah’s hand again, and then made my way out of the bar.
I was running late for Becky, but I’d been completely absorbed by what Hannah had been telling me. She was painting a picture
of a Meg that I didn’t know. Or did I? Had I seen a glimpse of it in our final meeting in the cemetery, when she’d revealed to me that it was she who’d killed Tony and not poor old Sally who’d taken the blame for everything.
I checked my phone. I’d have to risk speeding through town if I was going to catch Becky. She’d texted me while I’d been in the bar. I’d half expected to see more naked pictures, so I got a surprise when I saw what she’d written.
Don’t meet at the house, Pete. He might be watching. I’ll be waiting by the corner shop at the end of your road. 7pm. Make sure he’s not following you. I’ll be there. Becky x
Who was she talking about? I was pleased that she didn’t want to meet at the house, but why the secrecy? Had she run into JD too?
I texted her back.
Running late. Sorry. Will see you at shop soon, Pete
The roadworks at the traffic lights seemed to take forever. If watching paint dry is supposed to be slow, then this was even slower. I was getting agitated. I only wanted to get to the end of the road, but it was taking so long. I tried to stay calm, I needed to get to Alex, I had to locate her and then get the police involved. If I messed this up, it could all go badly wrong.
I reached my neighbourhood, driving past my house to get to the corner shop. It was quiet. The police had gone, and there was a bit of blue tape left on the drive.
I parked my car on a double yellow line, putting the hazard lights on in case the traffic wardens were about.
Becky was waiting a short distance from the shop entrance. She was smoking. I hadn’t smelled that on her breath the night we hooked up – it would have been a complete turn-off.
‘Becky, I’m so sorry I’m late. I got caught up in--’
‘Is he here? Has he followed you? He’s a nutter, Pete!’
She looked terrified. Her eyes were darting all over, scanning the street for something or somebody.
‘Calm down, Becky. What’s going on?’
‘It’s all turned bad, that’s what, Pete. He’s gone mental on me. He knew the deal.’
‘Becky, take a breath. What’s going on? You know he’s got my friend, don’t you?’
‘Oh Jesus, no I didn’t know that. I thought it was you and me he was after. He’s really jealous of us, Pete. But he knew the deal. I told him what’s what. Now he’s gone psycho on me!’
‘Is this JD, Becky? Was it JD who sent me those text messages?’
She looked at me.
‘Who is JD? I’m talking about Lee. Lee Taylor. I don’t know any JD. Why?’
‘Who is Lee Taylor, Becky? Is he the one who’s taken Alex? What is going on here?’
‘Lee Taylor is a very violent man, Pete. I’m surprised you haven’t heard of him. He was on that Crime Beaters programme that your friend presents – they’re looking for him, you know. I’m out of my depth, Pete. I hooked up with him through a website. Fetish dating. I get off on crime scenes. I like to screw where people have died. It’s my thing. It excites me.
‘When I found out your house was for sale, I had to go there. I hooked up with Lee on the web. He was supposed to be you. It was a fantasy thing. I got him to have sex with me in your house. And at the cathedral. And then I had sex with you in your caravan. But when I found out that you really fancied me, I had to try it. I wanted to sleep with you again, in your house. It’s the closest I’ve ever got, Pete: to screw someone who was actually there in the house where the murders took place. But Lee messed it up. He’s a nutter, Pete. He’s obsessed with me. He went off on one after you and I slept together. He was furious, but I told him he was only there for the sex. It was exciting, him being wanted by the police and all. But he got violent when I told him what we’d done. He made me tell him every detail. When he saw the video, he hit me. He’s a nutter, Pete. Look at my arm.’
She pulled down her jacket, her right arm was heavily bruised. I was shocked, he must have really hit her hard.
‘Damn it, Becky, are you okay? Has somebody looked at that?’
‘It’s fine, it hurt like mad when he did it. I had to sneak out on him after sex. It was all I could do to calm him down. I found somewhere else to stay. He’s gone mad, Pete. He wants to kill you. I told him it was only ever about the fantasy, there was never any relationship in it, but he’s got all possessive, like he owns me. I’m scared, Pete. I’m really scared.’
She looked frightened for her life. I was angry with her for bringing all this violence back to torment me again and for sending me those crazy texts. Those texts were screwed up. They were unnecessary and over the top. I was furious about her filming what we’d done together in my caravan. But as her stifled tears began to make their way out onto her cheeks, I could feel nothing but pity for Becky. She’d swum into the deep end without a float. Now she was scrambling around, desperately trying to reach safety at the edge of the pool. Only, it wasn’t over for either of us yet. Lee Taylor had Alex. And the only way I was going to be able to locate him was by using Becky as bait.
Chapter Sixteen
‘Was it you who threatened to send out the video, Becky? That was a crappy thing to do.’
‘Look, I filmed it. Yes, that was my idea. But it was for me to watch, I wouldn’t have shared it. Not with the masks off. I usually put them on porn sites, but only with the masks. I tore yours off at the last moment. I wanted to see your face. That video was only for my use. And yes, look, I’m sorry. When I thought you were blanking me, I said I’d send out the video. I wouldn’t have done it. Honest, I wouldn’t.’
This was opening up a new world to me. I’d never put anything on a porn site before. I was feeling a bit old fashioned. I’d never filmed myself in the bedroom either. I’d watched porn, and I’d look at stuff that I’d never done myself, sometimes, but it’s like reading a book: you use it to inspire your imagination, to take you to places you’ve never been before.
‘How well do you know this guy? Will he hurt Alex?’
‘You saw what he did to me. He was really angry when I sneaked out of the hotel room. He’s trying to find me. I daren’t tell the police I’ve been with a wanted criminal. I can’t get caught with him – I’ll go to jail ... won’t I?’
‘Who has a copy of that video, Becky? Does Lee have one?’
‘He texted it to himself, but it’s not backed up or anything like that. Lee uses disposable phones. They don’t have anything fancy on them, like that cloud stuff. When I met him it seemed exciting using those throwaway phones, but it’s so he can’t get found.’
‘Are you sure, Becky? I can’t have that video leaking onto the internet. What happened was between you and me. It was private. That video has to go. Those texts you sent ... well, they made you look like a crazy woman. A bunny boiler.’
She looked ashamed. I hadn’t wanted to embarrass her. I don’t mind people’s sexual preferences, whatever turns you on, but it has to be legal and it has to be consensual. That video was not filmed with my permission. Becky’s crime scene fetish was a bit niche for my tastes, but the masks and porn thing? I might have gone for that, with the right person. It’s all a matter of taste. I wasn’t going to judge her for it, but she had made a bad error of judgment getting mixed up with a wanted criminal. And she’d been out of order trying to force a reaction from me with those texts. She knew it too. I didn’t need to hassle her over it.
‘Has Lee been messaging you? Did he send you any pictures of Alex? We need to find out where he’s taken her, Becky, and then we have to get the police involved.’
‘I’ll get into trouble, won’t I, Pete? Lee’s wanted, I knew that. It was part of the thrill. You have to help me to keep out of this.’
‘Did you use your proper names anywhere? Have you only used those phones? It all depends on how careless you’ve been.’
‘We called ourselves Alan and Ruth Simpson at the hotel – and when we looked around your house. And we’ve used the same phones all the time too.’
‘Look, Becky. I don’t know if you can stay o
ut of all this. I want those phones as much as you do. I don’t want the police getting that video – the bloody thing will leak out somehow if they do. Even if it only does the rounds of the local police station, somebody will see it.
‘You’ll have to plead ignorance, tell the police you didn’t know who he was. If we can get to Alex, she’ll have some legal friend who can advise you and tell you what not to say. I’m sure we can sort it. You haven’t done anything wrong, have you? You weren’t involved with Glenn Elliot’s murder or Len’s at the caravan? Please tell me you didn’t kill Vicky? I’ll hand you in myself if you did.’
‘What’s he done? He hasn’t hurt anybody, has he? That wasn’t me, Pete. You have to believe me. I know you don’t have many reasons to trust me at the moment. Jesus, Pete, I didn’t mean it to get like this. Who has he hurt?’
‘I don’t know. There have been three deaths, haven’t you seen that in the papers? They’re all connected with me or the house in some way. It would make sense if it was Lee--’
Becky’s phone buzzed. She looked at it anxiously.
‘It’s Lee again,’ she said. ‘He won’t stop messaging me.’
‘It’s another threat, Pete. And more photos of Alex.’
Bring that fucker to me, then me and you will be okay. Have you got him? Bring him to me. Lee x
I took the phone from her to read the message for myself. There were three files attached. He’d moved to a new location. I opened up the images. More pictures of Alex, her bruised eye looked worse than before. It was swelling.
Two of the photos were dark, but in one the flash had gone off. I could see the background clearly. It took me a moment to figure it out, but then I got it. In the background was a box marked ‘Meg’s Stuff’, exactly where I’d left it the other day.
Lee was holding Alex at my storage unit. He must have taken the key from the caravan, it had to have been Lee who broke in. I knew where he was and he didn’t know I was coming for him. I was going to get Alex. And I was not about to sound the alert by telling the police where I was heading.
Don't Tell Meg Trilogy Box Set Page 44