by G D Sanders
‘Are you all right, Lucy?’ asked Ed. ‘Would you like to take a break?’
‘No, I’m good. It’s just the memory.’
‘You said he always wore a black hood when he was with you. What about his voice, his accent? You said it sounded odd.’
‘Yes. It was odd. He sounded like Mr Punch at the seaside.’
‘So he was using a reed to disguise his voice,’ said Ed. ‘Did he ever speak without the reed?’
‘I don’t know what that is – a reed, I mean – but he always sounded the same. When he came in I sometimes saw him take a thing from his pocket and put it in his mouth. Perhaps that was the reed you’re talking about. He must have taken it out to eat because he never spoke during meals.’
‘Thank you, Lucy, that’s been very helpful. Is there anything else that you haven’t mentioned? Something, no matter how small, may help us build a bigger picture.’
Lucy hesitated, adjusting her position in the corner of the sofa, and then said, ‘There were a couple of things. One was strange and the other was odd.’
‘Let’s start with the odd thing.’
‘Well …’ Lucy paused and looked at Ed ‘… one time he called me Lucy. When I asked how he knew my name he said it was written on my purse but it wasn’t. I told him that I wasn’t a little girl, I didn’t write my name on my purse and things. Then he said it was on a card inside my purse.’
‘Was it?’
‘I don’t know. I usually put my school pass in my bag but sometimes I take my purse and I put it in that. I can’t remember what I did that Friday.’
‘There’s no need to worry, our forensic people have your things. We’ll check when we get back to the Station.’
Ed glanced at Jenny, who nodded.
‘Okay, that’s fine, Lucy. Now … is there something else you can tell us that might help?’
Ed waited and then added, ‘Just now, you said there were two things. He called you Lucy and there was something else.’
‘Oh, yes, I took something.’
‘Tell us about that.’
‘Well, it was a bit childish.’
‘Don’t worry about that. Just tell us what happened.’
‘I was annoyed. He’d taken my phone, my purse and my clothes. I had nothing except the things he’d given me. I just thought this was my chance to have something of his and it would be my secret. He had secrets from me, so I wanted a secret from him.’
‘And …’
‘Well, it might seem a bit silly, but I saw it as a chance to do something for myself, something he wouldn’t know about.’
‘Exactly what did you see, Lucy? What was it?’
‘The paper – well, it was a parcel really.’
‘A parcel? What parcel? Where did it come from? Take a moment and then tell us exactly what happened from the beginning.’
Lucy swung her feet to the floor and faced the two detectives.
‘It was the time I heard the car door slam. He came in with a bag of food and a parcel, which fell on the floor making a sort of splat sound. The wrapping came open and I saw some blood. From the sound when it hit the floor and the blood I thought it was liver or some other kind of meat but that’s not what we had to eat that night.’
‘Why did you think it was some kind of meat?’
‘Well …’ Lucy paused, thinking. ‘Because he was carrying a shopping bag full of food, I assumed whatever was in the parcel was also food he’d got for us to eat.’
‘Why liver?’
‘The sound of the parcel hitting the floor and the blood on the wrapping reminded me of earlier this year when my mother dropped Dad’s calf’s liver on the kitchen floor.’
‘Did you ever find out what was in the parcel?’
‘No. I didn’t see it again, but that night I couldn’t sleep. I lay awake and remembered The Merchant of Venice. I couldn’t stop thinking about it, the pound of flesh. Then, the next day I remembered how he kept saying he wouldn’t hurt me. And it was true, he hadn’t hurt me, he’d looked after me. So, I began to really believe him and I just ignored the parcel. After all, it would have been silly to be upset by a piece of meat.’
‘What happened to it, the parcel? Did he take it with him when he left?’
‘I don’t remember. He hardly spoke that evening. He seemed upset and he left as soon as I’d eaten.’
‘So you didn’t see the parcel again?’
‘No …’
‘And you didn’t find out what was in it?’
‘No … I’m sorry.’
‘Don’t worry, Lucy, you’ve been very helpful.’
‘Perhaps the paper could tell you something …’
‘The paper?’
‘The thing I took. It was a piece of the blood-soaked wrapping paper.’
Ed and Jenny looked at Lucy in astonishment.
‘You took some blood-soaked wrapper. How did you manage that?’ asked Ed.
‘When he stumbled and dropped the parcel … it fell against the wire partition. He was very upset. He grabbed the parcel and took it into the far room.’
‘What happened there?’
‘I don’t know. I couldn’t see inside. Once he left the door ajar and I heard the sound of liquid being poured and there was a faint acrid smell. I didn’t recognize the smell so I don’t know what he was doing.’
‘Never mind. That’s fine, Lucy.’ Ed paused. ‘Going back to the parcel; how did you get a piece of the wrapper?’
‘Some of the paper got caught in the wire mesh. I tore off a piece of the blood-soaked part and stuck it under the frame of the bed.’
‘Have you still got it? Did you manage to bring it with you?’
‘Yes, that was easy. One day, after he’d asked for my ID so he could use my mobile, he brought me my own clothes. I guessed he was about to let me go so I got the piece of paper and put it inside the toe of my shoe.’
‘That was very clever of you, Lucy.’ Ed turned to Jenny. ‘As soon as we finish here, call forensics. Ask them to retrieve the paper and conduct a presumptive test to identify the blood.’
Lucy looked directly at the two detectives.
‘You won’t tell my parents, will you? I’m going to tell them what happened but I won’t mention the parcel. I’m sure it was liver but if I mention the blood it will upset my mother.’
‘I agree with you, Lucy, it was probably a piece of meat from the butcher’s, which he bought to eat at home. Is there anything else you’d like to tell us?
Lucy shook her head.
‘Thank you. You’ve got a good memory and you’ve been a great help.’ Ed stood up and handed Lucy her card. ‘If you think of anything else, please call me on this number.’
As soon as they were out of the house, Ed touched Jenny’s arm. ‘I’ll drive us back while you get on to forensics about the blood-soaked paper.’
44
‘We’ve got it, the breakthrough we’ve been waiting for,’ Ed announced as she returned to the CID Room.
Mike Potts straightened in his chair and turned to face Ed. Nat Borrowdale punched the air with a cry of ‘Yessss!’ which he cut short when he realized nobody else was celebrating in such an overt manner. As Nat’s exclamation died away, Ed continued.
‘I’ve sent Jenny to check possible leads with forensics. While we wait for her I’ll fill you in on what we got from Lucy.’
‘How is she?’ asked Potts.
‘Clearly traumatized but, just like Kimberley, Lucy feels positive towards her abductor because she was well cared for. Why she was taken and then released unharmed remains a mystery. She’s as perplexed as we are.’
‘Was it the same guy?’ asked Nat.
‘Same guy and she was held in the same place.’
The door opened and Ed looked up as Jenny entered the room.
‘I was about to say that Lucy told us a couple of new things that happened while she was held captive.’ Ed turned back to Nat and Mike. ‘At one point the abductor used her name. Luc
y asked how he knew and he said it was on a card in her purse. Was it on a card, Jenny?’
‘Forensics say the name on the cards was L. A. Naylor. She said he called her Lucy.’
‘So it was someone who knew her name,’ said Mike.
‘Maybe not, said Ed. ‘Jenny, did forensics get anything useful from her mobile?’
‘Most of the messages were exchanged with Debbie and a few with her parents. She’s frequently addressed as Lucy so the abductor could have got her name from the texts.’
‘She’d have an ID password,’ Nat objected.
‘He could have got her name from the mobile before he switched it off …’ Seeing Nat was about to interrupt, Ed held up her hand. ‘We can’t assume the perpetrator knew her name before he abducted Lucy.’
Ed’s hand dropped and Nat stepped in as if securing a major triumph.
‘That leaves Drakes-Moulton in the frame along with the caretaker and two teachers.’
‘Yes, Nat; Drakes-Moulton, Podzansky, Grieves and Leaman are all still suspects.’
Ed had been afraid that would be the case. The longer the case took to solve, the more concerned she’d become. Not revealing her suspicion of Desk Sergeant Williams was one worry; what might happen if the team started pushing Nigel hard was quite another.
‘And Lucy?’ asked Nat. ‘When will we know if she’s pregnant?’
‘Don’t let newspaper stories focus your thinking. Although there are reasons to believe the girls were pregnant following their release, we’ve no clear-cut evidence any of them became pregnant as a result of being abducted. Kimberley was, but she could have had sex with Callum, her boyfriend.’
‘And Teresa …?’ said Jenny, leaving the question hanging forlornly in the air.
‘It’s a possibility, but you could argue that all we have is hearsay and newspaper speculation.’ Ed turned to Mike. ‘That reminds me, how’s the search for the Mulhollands going?’
‘We’re still waiting.’
‘Come on, Mike, push them on that.’
Ed moved to close the meeting. ‘We mustn’t let the pregnancy issue distract us.’ She paused and then added, ‘Right, if there’s nothing else …’
‘What about the parcel with the pound of flesh?’ asked Jenny.
‘What?’ said a startled Nat. Even Mike raised his head and looked questioningly at Ed.
‘It’s not what you’re thinking. One evening the abductor arrived with a bag of shopping and a parcel under his arm. He stumbled and dropped the parcel. Lucy said it sounded like a packet of liver hitting the floor, the wrapping paper split and she saw blood.’
‘What did you make of that?’ asked Mike.
‘It terrified Lucy,’ said Jenny. ‘She kept thinking about the Merchant’s pound of flesh.’
‘Merchant?’ ask Nat.
‘Of Venice.’ Nat still looked puzzled so Jenny added, ‘Shakespeare.’
Nat turned to Ed. ‘What was in the package?’
‘He arrived with the package together with a bag of food shopping. Lucy thought it was liver and was surprised they didn’t have it for supper. My guess is that he took whatever meat it was away with him for a meal at home. We’ll know exactly what in a day or two.’
‘How come?’ asked Nat.
‘Lucy took a piece of the blood-soaked paper and smuggled it out. We’ve asked forensics for a presumptive test to identify the blood. The abductor didn’t harm Kimberley or Lucy; he’s not into hurting people. So there’s no good reason to assume it was anything other than some fresh meat.’
‘Should we check out local butchers?’
‘Good point, Nat. Check all local butchers and fresh meat outlets in supermarkets. See if any still use wrapping paper. If any do, get samples for forensics. It’s a long shot, but it might give us a lead.’
45
‘Human! You’re saying it’s human?’ Jenny was silent as she listened intently, scribbling notes on her pad. ‘Thank you for calling ahead of your formal report.’
Jenny lowered her phone and turned to her colleagues. Her face was grey.
‘The blood, it’s human. I’ve just taken a call from forensics.’ The young DC gathered herself and spoke quickly. ‘The blood on the paper from Lucy’s shoe didn’t come from some kind of meat. It’s human blood.’
‘Are they certain?’ Ed was shocked.
‘The presumptive test indicated it was human.’
Nat started to speak but Ed cut him off.
‘The blood Lucy smuggled out is human?’
‘Yes.’
Mike swivelled his chair to face the room. ‘If it’s human blood and there was flesh in the package, we’re looking at murder.’
‘Or mutilation,’ said Nat, trying to cap Mike’s conclusion.
‘Hold on, you two. If it’s Lucy’s blood there’s been no murder.’ Ed turned back to Jenny. ‘What about DNA?’
‘It’s a mixed profile, but no male marker.’
‘How many profiles?’
‘Just two. They’re confident they can separate them.’
‘Thanks, Jenny.’
Ed was relieved that the picture was clearer than it might have been. She turned to Nat.
‘Blood with a mixed profile, what do you make of it?’
‘Well, if it’s two profiles, and no male marker, we have two women.’ He paused, thinking fast. ‘If the paper was in Lucy’s shoe, it’s likely mini-taping picked up skin cells from Lucy’s foot and white cells from the blood. If the blood was Lucy’s we wouldn’t have a mixed profile so the blood must have come from another woman.’
Jenny shuddered. ‘Mike’s right, if there was flesh in the package, he’s killed some poor woman. Not just killed but mutilated her and we don’t even know who she is. Thank goodness Lucy’s safely back home.’ Jenny paused, then added with a rising sense of urgency, ‘We must catch the bastard before he takes another victim!’
The four detectives sat in silence.
Ed was annoyed. She’d allowed herself to be convinced the package was some kind of meat. Faced with an unexpected development she spoke decisively, setting out the options.
‘Right … this is where we go from here. Nat’s right, we’ve probably got DNA from Lucy’s foot but that doesn’t mean the other woman’s DNA came from the blood. The blood could be Lucy’s and the second DNA comes from another source.’
‘Skin cells from a woman who touched the wrapping paper,’ said Jenny.
‘Maybe,’ said Ed. ‘Human blood is a game-changer but before we launch a murder investigation we need to be certain the blood didn’t come from Lucy.’
‘Where could the blood have come from?’ asked Jenny. ‘Lucy wasn’t injured.’
‘All I can think is Lucy had a period and it was that blood,’ said Ed. ‘Jenny, get hold of forensics to check if it’s systemic blood or menstrual blood.’
‘If the blood isn’t Lucy’s, what are we to make of that?’
Mike had addressed his question to Ed but Nat responded.
‘In that case, he must have got it from someone else. Perhaps he’s got a second line in killing women after all.’
‘Hold on, Nat,’ said Ed firmly. ‘Let’s not get ahead of the evidence. At the moment two things are important. First, wait for forensics. Second, keep a tight lid on this discovery.’
‘Right,’ said Mike, ‘the last thing we need is stories about human flesh in the tabloids.’
‘Nor menstrual blood,’ said Nat smiling. ‘Local man goes with the flow!’
The rest of the team ignored him. Ed brought the discussion to a close.
‘Until we hear from forensics the only leads will come from our suspects: Drakes-Moulton, Grieves, Leaman and Podzansky. Let’s get back to them.’
Slipping out of the building, Ed called Nigel’s direct line. Ever since she’d found evidence of surveillance in her hotel room she’d been convinced he’d filmed them having sex. She needed her own insurance and she knew how she was going to get it. He answered on th
e third ring.
‘Drakes-Moulton.’
‘Good morning, Nigel, I’m calling as promised.’
‘It’s good to hear your voice. What time would you like me to arrive?’
‘It’s my treat. You choose the restaurant and say when you’d like me to be there.’
Nigel’s initial silence indicated that dinner at a restaurant wasn’t what he’d had in mind as a celebration of her new home.
‘I’ve a string of viewings today.’ There was only a slight pause before he added, ‘How about supper at 7.30? Nothing formal, there’s a relaxed place in Sun Street that I like.’
‘If you like it, I’m sure it’ll be fine. We can have a celebratory drink while you walk me through the menu. What’s it called?’
‘It’s a no-name place opposite Deakin’s. When you get to Sun Street you can’t miss it.’ His tone softened. ‘I’ll spend the day in anticipation.’
‘Let’s make it 8 p.m. I’ll see you there.’
Eight would give her more time to prepare.
46
Nigel entered the restaurant in Sun Street wearing a natural linen suit with a dark shirt open at the neck. He made a striking figure as he walked towards the alcove table where Ed was sitting with a gin and tonic. Seeing him weaving through the crowd of diners, she acknowledged an element of regret in the decision she’d been forced to take.
Nigel moved an empty chair to sit beside her.
‘The main room was already busy when I arrived. I thought you’d prefer this more secluded spot.’
‘It’s my favourite table.’ Nigel glanced at her drink. ‘G and T?’
‘Right in one and it’s really hitting the spot.’
Ed was surprised not to receive a rejoinder; when a girl’s provocative she expects a response.
‘I know it’s your treat but I insist you allow me to get a celebratory bottle of champagne.’
‘I’m happy to go along with whatever you say.’
When the champagne had been poured, Nigel talked Ed through the menu and chose their wine. Despite her feelings towards him, the meal went well.
‘Shall we have coffee here or would you like to invite me back to your new apartment?’