The Broken Ones

by Carla Kovach

  ‘He killed his mother, Jhanvi. We found her body in the shed. He was keeping you at his mother’s bungalow.’

  Kapoor took a couple of deep breaths. ‘It makes sense. He blamed her for Hailey’s death. He killed his mother and I think it sent him on a path looking for a replacement for Hailey. He fed me Hailey’s favourite food, spoke to me as if I was going to be possessed by her and become her. I think that’s what he thought.’ Her voice cracked and she took another sip of cola. ‘He kept playing this song over and over again and it was sending me crazy. Even when it wasn’t playing, I couldn’t get it out of my head. I can’t now. Every time there is a moment of quietness, it starts again and I hate it…’ Tears spilled down her cheeks and she dropped the can of Coke on her bed sheet.

  Gina quickly grabbed it and Wyre pulled a handful of tissues from the dispenser.

  ‘I knew I had to become her to survive. I tried to play along, then I failed and it sent him crashing into reality. That was the start of the end, I know it was. He was going to kill me like he did Amber then he’d probably have dumped me in a lake too. All that time I imagined my family finding out what had happened to me. I thought I’d never find out if my mother got the all-clear or see my brothers again. I faced my end. I thought that was it, so to be here now, even in this state, I’m happy. I’m elated and I’ve never felt so alive in my whole life. I want things I’ve never wanted before and when I inhale, it’s like I’ve never breathed before. Everything is so vivid. The taste of this Coke, it’s like the best thing ever. Hailey wanted to die and I feel for her. I’ve been thinking about her. She must have been such a confused kid.’

  Gina finished mopping up the cola and turned the sheet down so that the damp bit wasn’t pressed against Kapoor.

  ‘My mother got the all-clear by the way. She is finally cancer free. I just want to get better, get out of here and go home so that I can celebrate with her. I was thinking something else…’ Kapoor flinched as she sat up a little more.

  ‘What’s that?’ Gina helped to adjust her pillows and arrange the tubes that were coming from the cannula in her arm.

  ‘I’m going to study to become a sergeant. I’m ready for anything now. I fought him. I survived and here I am, standing to tell the tale. I have more to give, so much more.’ She paused and dabbed a little Vaseline onto her lips.

  ‘You just concentrate on getting better. You’re going to need all your strength.’

  ‘I’ll be out of here in a couple of days. A week of my mother fussing will force me back to my apartment and back to work. Scrap that, I can walk so I’m going home.’

  Wyre finished making notes and closed her pad. ‘Is there anything else you want to tell us?’

  Kapoor shook her head. ‘No, that’s the lot. One day I will get that song out of my head, these wounds will heal and I’ll be back as a fitter and stronger version of myself. It’ll take more than what has happened to crack me.’

  ‘You know, if you need to talk, we’re all here.’

  Kapoor placed her hand on Gina’s again. ‘I know. We’re like family.’

  ‘I’ll check in on you tomorrow.’

  The nurse tapped on the window and pointed at the clock on the wall. It was nearly midnight, way past any visiting hours.

  ‘We’re going.’ Gina and Wyre stood. ‘See you tomorrow.’

  ‘See you then.’ Kapoor lay her head back onto the pillow as they left.

  ‘She looks so frail, but what a fighter.’ Gina threw her bag over her shoulder.

  Wyre popped her notebook in her pocket. ‘I don’t know how she did what she did? She’s amazing.’

  As they neared the entrance, Mrs Kapoor was on the phone filling in all her relatives with the news of how her daughter was doing and her father sat on a bench smoking a cigarette. The woman ended the call and ran over to Gina. ‘Was she okay? I didn’t want to leave her.’

  ‘She’s doing as well as can be expected and more. I bet you are all so proud of her.’

  ‘We are and we’re so grateful to have her back. I thought she was dead.’ The woman waved her hand in front of her face to ward off her tears.

  Gina and Wyre walked back to the car park with the Kapoors before saying one last goodnight.

  As they got in their own cars, Gina waved goodbye to Wyre then sat in the car park alone for a while longer. She glanced up at the mound and remembered what had happened to Madison in this very car park. She gave one last thought to Amber, the girl who had washed up in the lake. It had been a long week and she was exhausted. Then she gave a final thought to the Gallaghers; a mother and her twin children. If Curtis was to be believed, his mother had confessed to leaving the tablets for Hailey to deal with their family shame by ending her young life and once the mother had confessed what she’d done to him, Curtis had exacted his revenge and sought to find Hailey once again by trying to turn these innocent young women into her. It didn’t get more messed up. Her phone began to ring.

  ‘O’Connor. You okay?’

  ‘Yes, I’ve just been digging a bit deeper. Hailey, the sister of our perp. She killed herself at sixteen and it was in her notes that she was pregnant.’

  ‘We’ve just found that out. I’ll fill you in later.’ When the call had ended, Gina rested her head back on the headrest and rubbed her temples, giving her last thoughts of the day to Hailey, the young girl whose life ended too soon. Her phone rang again.

  ‘Sir?’

  ‘Harte.’ Briggs’s usually stern voice was soft, as it always had been when they were alone. ‘Just checking on things.’

  She smiled. ‘I’m okay. Thanks for checking.’ It had been a long day and all she could think about was getting some food and having a long hot shower before crawling into bed. That was still a few hours away but that thought would keep her going.

  Epilogue

  A cold wind blew Gina’s hair but it didn’t matter. She’d neatly tied it back into a high ponytail with the bobble that Wyre had given her. Her make-up was well fixed and her best jeans fitted a treat. She’d even bought a new pair of heeled boots. ‘Are you sure you want to be here. Everyone else is at the pub and they’re all queuing up to buy you a drink, especially Briggs. He’s buying too so you can go to town on that tab.’

  Jhanvi Kapoor swallowed and stared at the bungalow covered in police tape. ‘I needed to see it one last time but I could do with a gin and tonic too.’ She shivered and rubbed her hands together. ‘I came and I’ve faced it. I won’t let what happened or that place,’ she pointed at the front window, ‘beat me.’ She paused and licked her scabby lips. Her eyes watered up.

  ‘You know, you don’t have to be brave about this. It’s okay to feel upset.’

  Jhanvi shook her head letting her long glossy hair follow her movement. ‘I’m not shedding a tear for myself or for what I went through. I feel so sad for Hailey. He badly wanted his sister back and he’d been prepared to kidnap and kill to find the right replacement. That poor girl killed herself. I just can’t get over that. Such a waste of life.’

  ‘I agree. She must have been in a bad place. I suppose knowing she was pregnant and then the reaction from her mother, it had left her feeling like she had no way out.’ Gina felt herself getting a little choked as she imagined Mrs Gallagher leaving all those paracetamol tablets for Hailey to take, knowing how low her daughter felt – that’s if it were even true. For some reason, she couldn’t imagine Curtis Gallagher making that bit up. After he’d finally talked, he’d sobbed his eyes out as he told his story.

  ‘There’s always a way out. It’s sad no one was there for her to help her see that.’

  Gina nodded. ‘It is.’

  ‘When I was listening to that song, I hated it but now, in my mind, I see her in her last moments and I like to think of her. She was the beautiful dreamer except she was never going to wake up.’

  ‘She was beautiful, and kind, and caring.’ The man standing behind them stepped closer. He had to be in his early sixties with a greying moustache an
d heavy bags under his eyes. ‘I’m sorry, Hailey Gallagher was my daughter and I’ve just heard what happened to my ex-wife and son. I can’t believe he did what he did, but his mother, she had a nasty streak about her. We were already living apart but after Hailey killed herself I had to get away and Curtis didn’t want to come with me. I really wanted him to but he was sixteen and I had to respect his decision.’ The man shook his head and looked at his booted feet.

  ‘You’ve been away for a long time, Mr Gallagher. I’m glad one of the team managed to contact you.’ Gina remembered that the last address they’d had for him was an apartment in Amsterdam.

  ‘I still live close by. The people living in my last apartment forwarded the message on that police were trying to contact me. Curtis had my last address but never called or came to see me. He never forgave me for moving away at such a bad time so I guessed after years of trying, I should finally stop upsetting myself. So I moved again and never told him.’ He paused. ‘I suppose my ex-wife died in this bungalow?’

  Gina nodded. ‘In the shed at the back. Sorry.’

  ‘I’m not. She was a cold person. She pushed my Hailey into killing herself and I’m glad she’s dead.’ He paused again and rocked back a step. ‘I’m sorry for what my son did to you.’ His stare met Kapoor’s.

  She looked away. ‘It’s not your fault, Mr Gallagher.’

  ‘It is. When his mother and I split up, I wasn’t there for him. They were both just kids and Hailey could have done with our parental guidance not my ex-wife telling Hailey that her only way out was to kill herself!’ His eyes glazed over and began to water slightly. He closed them and swallowed before opening them again. ‘After Hailey’s suicide, I couldn’t bear to call Curtis. When I saw him, which wasn’t often, all I saw was Hailey… they were twins.’ He clenched his fists. ‘I was angry, I was grieving and, yes, I was also mad that she’d got pregnant at such a young age. I did what I’ve been doing ever since, I ran away and buried my head in the sand.’

  ‘It must have been a difficult thing to go through.’ Gina furrowed her brow.

  ‘I can’t run away any more. I need to sort all this out.’ He pointed to the bungalow. ‘It’s my responsibility. The home where my son killed a woman and he held you.’ He nodded to Kapoor. ‘The house where he flipped and eventually killed his mother when he heard what she did. Up until then, he’d only thought she’d worn Hailey down causing her suicide, he never knew she’d shoved the tablets under her nose and pushed her into it. It’s all my burden to bear. You can leave it behind, sweep it under the carpet and pretend it didn’t happen while you carry on living but eventually, it comes back for you. My past has come back for me tenfold.’ He shook his head.

  Rain began to fall. ‘I’m getting cold.’ Kapoor shivered.

  ‘Anyway, I’m sorry. I’m truly, truly, sorry for what my son did to you. I know you say it’s not my fault but there’s so much more I could have done. I’m sticking around now and I’m going to be there for him despite what he’s done. I’ll visit him in prison or wherever he ends up. It’s my burden as his father. I have to be there for my killer son. Saying it sounds weird but that’s how it is. I best get used to it.’

  Gina looked away.

  ‘I suppose I best go as I’m getting soaked. You’ll let me know when I can go into the house and sort everything out and when my ex-wife’s body will be released? I’m going to have to sort out a funeral. Someone has to.’

  ‘Of course we will, Mr Gallagher.’ Gina could see the guilt etched on the man’s face and she knew that guilt would gnaw away at him until his last day.

  ‘Thank you, and bye.’ He forced a smile and began walking away.

  ‘Guv, I can’t feel my fingers it’s so cold. Can we go to the pub now?’

  ‘We’re not on duty, you can call me Gina, Jhanvi.’

  ‘Gina, Jhanvi. That sounds comical. Okay, Gina. Let’s go and get something strong down our necks especially as Briggs is paying.’ Jhanvi Kapoor led the way to Gina’s car and waited for her to unlock it. ‘And thanks for being there this week. My family are great but it’s hard to talk to them. They mean well but they’re overpowering sometimes. I couldn’t wait to get back in my flat.’

  ‘You can talk to me anytime. My door is always open. Oh, and Jhanvi?’

  ‘What?’

  ‘Next time you see some man lurking in your car park in the middle of the night, call it in.’

  ‘Okay. I didn’t call because I live by a pub, there’s always some drunk person or people loitering around in the middle of the night. I’d become the station’s number one nuisance caller which is why I keep my notebook.’

  ‘Just be vigilant. None of us mind attending a call out if some weirdo is hanging around, okay?’

  ‘Yes, okay.’

  Gina smiled at the young woman as they got in the car, ready for an evening with the team. Kapoor was making a brilliant recovery and they had all the evidence they needed to make a solid case. Gina only hoped that Jhanvi Kapoor wouldn’t be haunted by her past trauma like Gina had been throughout most of her adult life. She hoped the young woman could go on to be a sergeant one day and she’d have a long and happy life.

  ‘We’re never going to get there if you don’t turn the engine on, Gina.’ Jhanvi’s screechy Brummie accent was a delight to hear.

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  Hear More from Carla

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  Books by Carla Kovach

  Detective Gina Harte Series

  The Next Girl

  Her Final Hour

  Her Pretty Bones

  The Liar’s House

  Her Dark Heart

  Her Last Mistake

  Their Silent Graves

  The Broken Ones

  Meet Me at Marmaris Castle

  Whispers Beneath the Pines

  To Let

  Flame

  AVAILABLE IN AUDIO

  The Next Girl (Available in the UK and the US)

  Her Final Hour (Available in the UK and the US)

  Her Pretty Bones (Available in the UK and the US)

  The Liar’s House (Available in the UK and the US)

  Her Dark Heart (Available in the UK and the US)

  Her Last Mistake (Available in the UK and the US)

  Their Silent Graves (Available in the UK and the US)

  A Letter from Carla

  Dear Reader,

  I’d like to say a huge thank you to you for choosing The Broken Ones. There are so many books out there, I remain grateful that you’re reading mine.

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  I’m often asked where I get my ideas from so I thought I’d share the origins of this particular story. It came from the spark of an idea when I was visiting my dad in hospital while he was still alive. I’d left The Heartlands Hospital in Birmingham and it was dark and chilly. I’d also parked right at the back of the car park and it felt like I was far away from everyone else, especially as I’d left late at night. I literally scared myself silly walking back to the car as elements of this storyline ran through my head.

  Thankfully, I reached my car in one piece and drove home safely – phew – and then I got to invent the rest!

  If you loved The Broken Ones, I’d be hugely grateful if you’d leave me a review on Amazon, Apple Books, Google or Kobo. I’m also a huge social media user and I love chatting to readers, so pop by and say hi.

  Massive thanks once again for reading The Broken Ones.

  Carla

  The Nex
t Girl

  Detective Gina Harte Book 1

  Get it here!

  You thought he’d come to save you. You were wrong.

  Deborah Jenkins pulls her coat around her for the short walk home in the pouring rain. But she never makes it home that night. And she is never seen again…

  Four years later, an abandoned baby girl is found wrapped in dirty rags on a doorstep. An anonymous phone call urges the police to run a DNA test on the baby. But nobody is prepared for the results.

  The newborn belongs to Deborah. She’s still alive…

  THE GRIPPING THRILLER EVERYONE’S TALKING ABOUT – if you like Lisa Gardner, Robert Bryndza or Clare Mackintosh, you will absolutely love The Next Girl. A completely unputdownable page-turner with an ending that will blow your mind.

  Buy now!

  Her Final Hour

  Detective Gina Harte Book 2