Only the Good Die Young

by George Helman

  ‘Can we interview your neighbours?’ said Shirley.

  ‘Good idea,’ said Dave.

  They went to the house next door. A woman opened the front door on the chain.

  ‘Police,’ said Dave.

  ‘You’re the police?’ she said.

  Shirley showed her police badge.

  ‘Are you a policeman then?’ the woman asked.

  ‘Yes,’ said Dave. ‘That’s how I got this bruise. Seems I’ve brought my work home. I’m sorry for that.’

  ‘Come in,’ she said.

  She closed the door and Shirley heard the chain rattle. She wondered if Dave was up to this. He seemed so tired.

  ‘We need to ask if you saw anything or anyone unusual today,’ said Dave.

  ‘Well, just about everything. I heard the ambulance come to Mrs Bolton’s place. I have to admit, I’m not usually a curtain twitcher but I did look out to see if she was alright. Is she OK?’

  ‘Not really,’ said Dave. He rubbed his face.

  Shirley decided to take over.

  ‘I’m really sorry to inform you of this,’ said Shirley. ‘I’m sure you’ve heard about the man we’re looking for, the man who targets the elderly.’

  ‘Oh,’ said the woman. ‘I’ve seen it on the news.’

  ‘Mrs Bolton was the victim of him I’m afraid,’ said Shirley.

  Dave looked at the ground. He seemed to be murmuring again. Shirley nudged him and he looked up. His eyes were glazed again. It seemed like he wasn’t all there.

  ‘Detective Inspector McDonald and I are looking into the murder,’ said Shirley. ‘When you looked out today, did you see anyone coming out of the neighbouring house?’

  The woman put her hand over her mouth.

  ‘Was he this close to us?’

  ‘I don’t mean to frighten you,’ said Shirley.

  She put a hand on Dave’s arm to stop him from saying anything. She didn’t need his bluntness right now.

  ‘Did you see anyone at all when you looked out at the ambulance?’

  ‘I did!’ she said. ‘I saw a man. I did see a man. I didn’t see where he came from but I did think he looked suspicious, he was walking so cautiously.’

  ‘What did he look like?’

  ‘I don’t know. He gave me a fright at first. He wore a mask. I thought it was strange but then he got on a bike, just up the road and I realised he was a cyclist. They do wear those masks sometimes don’t they.’

  Shirley drew breath. She looked at Dave. His eyes were strained as if he was concentrating.

  ‘What was the man wearing?’

  ‘An orange jacket. That’s why I had him down as a cyclist. It was a fluorescent one. Have I seen the murderer?’

  ‘We’re going to put a police presence on your house,’ said Shirley. ‘I’ll just radio through now.’

  The woman seemed shocked. Dave nodded to her.

  ‘He targets the elderly,’ he said. ‘You are not at great risk. It is precautionary.’

  She nodded.

  ‘Are you the policeman who went missing?’ she asked. ‘I did think when I saw the picture on the news that it seemed familiar. I didn’t know you were in the police.’

  ‘That seems to be the nature of the modern world,’ said Dave. ‘What do you do?’

  ‘I work part time in an office. It’s my day off today. I can’t believe what I’ve seen.’

  ‘Good job you were home. Your information has been very useful to us.’

  Shirley got off the radio and looked over at Dave. She’d never seen him this chatty. It must be because he liked the neighbourhood.

  ‘You seem different,’ she said when they went outside.

  ‘Different?’ he said. He looked worried.

  ‘Good different. I’ve never seen you so friendly.’

  ‘Cheers,’ he said.

  ‘I mean with strangers,’ she said.

  ‘Maybe I’m trying to be a better person, make up for my failings. I mean, this whole disaster is all my fault.’

  ‘No it isn’t,’ said Shirley.

  He seemed so sure he’d done wrong. It wasn’t like him.

  ‘It isn’t your fault,’ she said. ‘You are in danger because of this evil killer.’

  ‘This evil killer I should have killed a long time ago,’ said Dave.

  ‘You trusted the rest of the force to help. You didn’t realise they were all blithering idiots who look the other way when a killer is on the loose.’

  Dave smiled.

  Shirley could tell he didn’t share her anger.

  ‘Look, come stay at mine,’ she said.

  ‘That would put you in danger,’ he said. ‘He’ll find you and kill you and then where will I be. I’ve got enough blood on my hands.’

  They stopped. They had reached the main police presence. The Chief was standing in the middle of it all.

  ‘We know he got away on a pedal bike,’ he said. ‘We need to find out if anyone saw him.’

  He turned and saw Dave and Shirley.

  ‘Inspector,’ he said. ‘We’re going to put you up in a hotel. We can’t have you staying here.’

  ‘Thank you,’ said Dave.

  ‘‘It’s the least we can do,’ said the Chief.

  Shirley thought the least he could do was find the killer but it wasn’t her job to say so.

  ‘Take him there now,’ said the Chief. ‘I can see you both need a break.’

  ‘But we need to find him,’ said Shirley.

  ‘We’ll take it from here.’

  Shirley felt her stomach bubble up with anger. She took Dave’s arm and marched him to the car.

  In the car, Shirley let off steam. ‘I’ve had enough of incompetency. I am going to report the Chief. Can’t his superiors see that he’s a drunkard who can’t do his job?’

  ‘I don’t think you should report him,’ said Dave. ‘It’ll come back to you.’

  ‘True.’

  ‘I know you like things to be in order but the Chief really does play golf with the Mayor and Prime Minister. They will cover his back,’ said Dave.

  ‘Do you know what, I don’t care.’

  They sat in silence for a while.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ said Dave. ‘I’m putting you in danger. He’ll come for you next.’

  ‘No he won’t,’ said Shirley.

  ‘He will. I know you’re next. I know it. I’m scared. Stay safe Shirley. Make sure you’re ready.’

  ‘I’m thinking,’ said Shirley. ‘He really wants you to suffer. We can tell that from what happened today. I’m wondering. The police are not going to find him in this city. Not with a mask and a jacket, walking straight past them in broad daylight. We need to do something.’

  ‘We need to trap him,’ said Dave.

  ‘Exactly,’ said Shirley. ‘How though?’

  Chapter 14

  Dave looked out of the car window. He had to turn his face away from Shirley.

  ‘Shirley is next,’ said the voice of Richie.

  ‘I’ll stop you,’ said Dave in his head.

  ‘Like you stopped me killing your neighbour? You can’t stop me. I’m Richie Henders. I rule London and I rule your head.’

  ‘I will defeat you,’ said Dave.

  ‘It’s your fault,’ said Stephen. ‘Why did you go to the station? Why didn’t you stay at home like I said? It’ll be Mum next.’

  Dave felt like it was his fault. He tried to brush the voices away but they continued.

  ‘I’m to blame,’ he said aloud.

  Shirley looked over at him.

  ‘We’ve been through this,’ she said. ‘Why is it troubling you so much?’

  Richie was shouting in his ear. It was hard to hear Shirley. He couldn’t hear the radio. He needed to get rid of these voices. He knew they couldn’t be real.

  ‘Not real?’ said Richie. ‘I’m real. I can read your thoughts.’

  Dave hoped it wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. Stephen was dead and Richie was, well, he didn’t know wh
ere Richie was.

  He thought about what Stephen said. His mother.

  ‘Shirley, I think I could be the bait,’ he said.

  ‘It’s too dangerous,’ she said.

  ‘Firearms Team,’ he whispered.

  ‘What? Have the Firearms Team at your hotel? There will be other guests.’

  ‘We could clear the place,’ he said.

  It felt strange to talk out loud. He had a feeling Richie could hear him. He dismissed it. He was mad that was all. Richie couldn’t hear him.

  ‘And anyway, Richie doesn’t want to kill you. All he’ll do is bring you another body. We don’t want that,’ said Shirley.

  Dave had his mother’s face in his mind.

  ‘Sorry Stephen,’ he said. ‘If Mum dies, please look after her for me.’

  Aloud he said to Shirley, ‘I think I can use my mother as bait.’

  ‘Your mother?’ she said.

  ‘Yes. We could stay together at the hotel. He’ll come after her and I’ll shoot his head off.’

  ‘Are you mad?’ she said.

  ‘Yes,’ he said. ‘But that’s not the point. With the SWAT team there, we could easily lure him in and kill him.’

  ‘You’re very sure to kill him. What about arresting him?’ said Shirley.

  ‘Are you doing your procedure thing again? I need to kill this man,’ said Dave.

  ‘Well be careful. Don’t lose your job over it,’ said Shirley.

  Shirley called the Chief and told him what they wanted to do.

  ‘He agreed straight away,’ she said.

  ‘Really? Even with the general public at the hotel?’ said Dave.

  ‘He seems to have a plan for that,’ said Shirley. ‘He said he’d get a car to drive your mum to the hotel.’

  ‘I’d better ring her,’ said Dave.

  ‘It’s too dangerous,’ said Stephen’s voice.

  ‘I’ll kill her,’ said Richie’s voice.

  Dave rang his mother’s mobile.

  ‘Hi, Mum? It’s Dave,’ he said. ‘Are you up for a challenge?’

  ‘What challenge? The policeman here said I’m going to be moved.’

  ‘I wanted to tell you first. This is really difficult but we think we can use you to bring Richie to us,’ said Dave.

  ‘Who is Richie?’

  ‘The killer.’

  ‘Oh no, I’m not going. You can’t put my life on the line. What about your sister? I’ve got grandkids you know.’

  ‘Mum, all the victims have grandkids and there will be more victims if we don’t stop him. You’ll be very safe with me. I’m armed. We’ll stay at a hotel together and there will be armed police all around us.’

  ‘I’m not sure,’ said Mrs McDonald.

  ‘It’s our only chance,’ said Dave.

  ‘Well alright then. If I die though, I want you to make up with your sister.’

  ‘It won’t come to that,’ said Dave. ‘You’ll be very safe.’

  Shirley drove into the hotel car park.

  ‘I’ve got something to tell you,’ she said.

  ‘What?’ said Dave.

  I reported him. The Chief. I reported him to the Police Commission,’ said Shirley.

  ‘No way. Did you do it anonymously?’

  ‘No. I said I’d give evidence in court. They said they’d look into it.’

  They got out of the car. Dave looked around him. There were tall pot plants and the wallpaper looked expensive, especially with the high ceilings.

  ‘Bit plush,’ he said.

  ‘Only the best, the Chief said,’ said Shirley. ‘Should be fun staying in here with your mother. She’ll be very impressed.’

  Dave went to the foyer. The receptionist looked him up and down.

  ‘Can I help you?’ she said.

  ‘Police. We have a room booked,’ said Dave.

  Shirley showed her badge.

  The receptionist’s expression changed to a smile.

  ‘Under the name of Mr McDonald?’

  ‘That’s me,’ said Dave.

  ‘You have a suite booked on the top floor. There will be someone joining you, is that right?’

  ‘My mother,’ said Dave.

  She handed over the key and pointed to the lift. Dave and Shirley walked over and pressed the button. Shirley giggled.

  ‘A suite is booked under the name of McDonald,’ she said in a plummy voice.

  ‘Indeed it is,’ said Dave.

  ‘I will be joined by my mother therefore madam I will not be requiring your prostitute service. I’m sure your service is very professional, however on this occasion I will not partake.’

  ‘How long did they say until my mother arrives?’ said Dave, winking.

  The lift arrived and a man in uniform came out. Dave kept his key in his hand, worried the hotel staff would think he was a tramp. They got in the lift and went up.

  When they opened the door to the suite, Dave was amazed. He walked through the place, sitting room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms.

  ‘How are they affording this?’ said Dave.

  ‘Taxpayers’ money,’ said Shirley. ‘I guess this is where the Chief hangs out every weekend.’

  ‘Well, I think I could stay here a while. Let’s forget the trap and stay here for the rest of our lives.’

  Shirley lay down on a chaise longue and he wished she was staying. Dave made a cup of tea from the kettle and put the telly on. Dave sat on the sofa and closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep but the voices were talking to him. He tried to ignore them but they were strong. His eyes flickered and Shirley looked concerned. He had to keep up the pretence that everything was fine. It was taking a lot of energy.

  The phone rang to say his mother had arrived and they were sending her up. Shirley said she’d better get back to the station.

  ‘You have had no rest,’ said Dave.

  ‘I know. I hope we catch him soon. I’ll need a long holiday after this one,’ she said.

  ‘Me too,’ said Dave.

  He thought it might be a long holiday in a mental hospital if he wasn’t careful. He was glad Shirley was going in the end. He needed to talk about his voices and he couldn’t do it in front of her.

  His mother was shown into the room.

  ‘Wow,’ she said.

  ‘I know,’ said Dave. ‘Only the best.’

  He made her a tea and they were left alone.

  ‘Is Stephen still with you?’ she asked.

  ‘Why do you ask that?’ he said.

  ‘I just thought you seemed distracted.’

  ‘Mum, I’ve not only got Stephen in my head, but the killer, Richie Henders, he’s in my head too. It’s getting worse.’

  ‘What does the killer say?’

  ‘He tells me where he is and what his plans are. I knew he was in my house. I knew it.’

  ‘It could be a coincidence,’ said his mother.

  Dave took a deep breath.

  ‘I’ve done mental health training,’ he said. ‘I know I’m mad. But the voices just won’t stop. I didn’t mind when it was just Stephen. It was nice to talk to him.’

  ‘Oh love,’ said his mother. ‘That blow to your head, it must have affected you. You need to get it seen to. Maybe there’s something they can do.’

  ‘I can’t. If I let the police force know they won’t keep me on. They will say I’m mentally unstable. They’ll say I’m not able to do the job.’

  ‘Try not to worry. Your brain has always been good. It will sort itself out.’

  ‘They can’t be real. I can’t be communicating with Stephen and Richie. But it seems so real. I keep telling myself it isn’t real but when they speak, it is so much like their real voices, I don’t know if I could imagine it.’

  ‘It could be that it’ll go when the killer is caught. It could be stress related. You have had quite a hard time.’

  ‘I hope so,’ he said.

  ‘Is there anything I can do?’ said his mother.

  Dave’s head still hurt. He rested hi
s hand over it. He didn’t want to slow himself down with painkillers. He needed to be on the ball. He needed all his senses. Now he had this new sense. The voices.

  Dave’s phone rang and he saw it was Shirley.

  ‘We need to advertise that your mother is there,’ she said. ‘Chief says can you take her shopping or something? Just a short walk and back. Just so he knows she’s there. We’ll tail you.’

  ‘OK,’ he said.

  ‘Can I take you shopping?’ he said.

  ‘Now I do know you’ve gone mad,’ said his mother.

  ‘Do you need anything?’

  ‘Will you leave me here?’

  ‘No, we’ll go together. We can walk to the shops. I’ll buy you anything you want. Then we’ll walk back.’

  ‘If we don’t get murdered on the way.’

  ‘We won’t – the police are tailing us. We’ll be the safest we’ve ever been.’

  She smiled and agreed. Dave laughed to himself. Time to make up for forgetting her birthday for the last forty years.

  They set off. Dave recognised police officers in plain clothes. He pretended he didn’t see them. They were in the hallway, in the lift, in the foyer, and then on the street. His mother’s face was pale. He whispered to her.

  ‘I’ve seen eight police officers so far. We’re safe.’

  His mother looked around her. He wondered if she could pick them out. Most likely as they weren’t as well dressed as everyone else round here.

  Richie in his head kept talking to him and Dave tried to ignore him.

  ‘You think I’d walk into a trap like that? I’m going for Shirley. I’m going to kill the love of your life.’

  ‘She’s not the love of my life,’ he murmured back.

  He heard laughter. Richie’s laughter. He sighed in annoyance. He kept walking into Richie’s traps. He needed to concentrate. He looked around him at the police tailing him. He eyed the men walking down the street. He couldn’t see Richie.

  ‘This shop?’ said his mother looking in the window.

  ‘Sure,’ he said.

  His mother looked longingly at a handbag.

  ‘It’s a bit expensive,’ she said.

  He looked around him. There was Shirley outside the shop. She was coming in.

  ‘Maybe I’ll go for something over here,’ said his mother. ‘The cheaper range.’

  Dave watched Shirley come up. He raised his eyebrows. She gave him a nod.