DYING EMBERS an unputdownable psychological thriller full of breathtaking twists

by MARGARET MURPHY

  ‘What about Joe?’ Geri asked.

  ‘He’s gone.’

  Neither spoke for some minutes, until, unable to endure the thoughts that crowded her mind, Geri broke the silence. ‘He was so . . . charming. So damn plausible. What made you suspect him?’

  ‘The memorial service, when he had that stand-off with Barry. Baz implied that Joe was giving the kids M&Ms. It’s a street name for E.’

  ‘I found some hash in the lining of my coat.’

  ‘Oh, Geri . . .’ He touched her hand lightly. ‘I wish you’d told me.’

  ‘I know, I should have, but I was terrified school would find out. I was already in trouble — so bloody worried about my reputation,’ she added bitterly. ‘I thought Baz had put Jay up to it.’ She shook her head in disbelief. ‘I never once suspected Joe.’

  Vince ran a hand through his hair. ‘If I’d been allowed to see the security video earlier . . .’ His voice was husky with emotion.

  ‘He said he worked the railway station from time to time,’ Geri said, ‘but I was so sure Barry had something to do with the deaths.’ She sighed.

  He turned right, tailing the ambulance towards the city centre. ‘Baz gave us a statement this evening.’ He checked the rear-view mirror with elaborate care before indicating to follow the ambulance into the outside lane.

  ‘And?’

  ‘He’s admitted supplying. He said the men who attacked him were sent by Joe.’

  ‘Did he recognize them?’

  Vince shook his head. ‘Hired thugs, but they made it clear that Joe didn’t welcome his entrepreneurial forays into his empire.’

  They parked and went through the door marked Ambulance Admissions. They were going to have to wait some time — the neurosurgeon had been called and he had asked for a brain scan. Geri telephoned Lauren’s mother and they went through to the main reception.

  After a few minutes’ silence, Vince said, ‘I’m sorry. You don’t deserve this.’

  ‘Well, people don’t always get what they deserve, do they?’ she said bitterly.

  ‘Joe might take issue with that.’

  She had meant Ryan and Frank, their families. She snagged a tissue from her pocket and wiped her eyes.

  ‘What Joe said earlier . . .’ She left the question unsaid.

  ‘Yeah,’ he said. ‘It’s true. Not about me cruising for kids, but yeah, I’m gay.’ He shrugged.

  She waited for him to go on, and when he didn’t, she said. ‘Okay.’

  He turned to face her. ‘Is it?’

  ‘Why wouldn’t it be? Although you might have given a girl a hint — saved her from falling . . .’

  She looked up at him and he blushed. They both smiled, then Geri looked away, feeling suddenly shy.

  ‘What will happen to Dean?’ she asked.

  ‘That’ll be for the juvenile courts to decide.’

  ‘That’s a bit harsh,’ she remarked.

  He looked down at her. ‘I know,’ he said, his face lined with exhaustion. ‘I know. The kid’s been through a lot, but it’s not going to look good, a death in custody.’

  ‘He’s been out of his mind since Ryan died, Vince. He can’t be held responsible.’

  ‘You’ll get your chance to vouch for him, I’ll make sure.’

  They both looked up as a white coat approached them. Geri, her heart pounding, tried to read his expression.

  ‘Miss Simpson,’ he said. ‘If you’d like to come through.’

  Vince helped her to her feet, otherwise she would have sat, unmoving, in her moulded plastic chair. They trailed behind him, through reception, through the swing doors, and into the imperturbable chaos of the accident and emergency department.

  Geri walked ever more slowly until she felt Vince’s arm around her shoulders, a gentle pressure at her back.

  ‘It’s all right,’ he said. ‘Whatever happens, I’ll be with you.’

  She wanted to tell him that she didn’t want to go any further, with or without him; wanted to explain to him that until you opened the envelope, anything was possible: triple grade As in your exams; a monstrous win on the pools. Until you heard the words, everything was fine: your father was sober, coherent, carrying a birthday present to you; your mother was still doggedly fighting the cancer that struck her down at the age of forty; Lauren was recovering, waking from her coma as from a diffuse dream, complaining of the cold and demanding to know where Geri had skived off to. She reflected that perhaps only Dean could really understand her feelings at this moment.

  She stood at the threshold of the private waiting room, looking at the surgeon, knowing that she would have to go in after all, but delaying the moment for as long as possible; for here, where hope and dread were balanced equally, despair could not send its shockwaves to shatter her world.

  THE END

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  Writing this book under the scrutiny of fellow writers at Liverpool John Moores University was both a trial and a privilege. Their comments and feedback, though tough and uncompromising, were invaluable.

  For background research, I am grateful to Pat Riordan at the Big Issue office in Liverpool for his wisdom and insight into homelessness. He was generous with both his time and the wealth of information he was willing to impart, and I hope that the resulting portrayal of life on the streets is fair and realistic.

  I would also like to thank Dr Eric Robinson of UCL for some fascinating information about the geology of the Thames Valley — his input ensured that Ryan’s essay on fossil evidence was factually correct.

  Finally, thanks to Rinty, whose recommendation of pub therapy helped me to sort out a troublesome plot line.

  ALSO BY MARGARET MURPHY

  CLARA PASCAL SERIES

  Book 1: DARKNESS FALLS

  Book 2: WEAVING SHADOWS

  DETECTIVE JEFF RICKMAN SERIES

  Book 1: SEE HER BURN

  Book 2: SEE HER DIE

  Book 3: DON’T SCREAM

  ROWAN & PALMER

  Book 1: BEFORE HE KILLS AGAIN

  STANDALONE

  DEAR MUM

  HER HUSBAND’S KILLER

  THE LOST BOY

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  GLOSSARY OF ENGLISH USAGE FOR US READERS

  A & E: accident and emergency department in a hospital

  Aggro: violent behaviour, aggression

  Air raid: an attack in which bombs are dropped from aircraft on ground targets

  Allotment: a plot of land rented by an individual for growing fruit, vegetable or flowers

  Anorak: nerd (it also means a waterproof jacket)

  Artex: textured plaster finish for walls and ceilings

  A level: exams taken between 16 and 18

  Auld Reekie: Edinburgh

  Au pair: live-in childcare helper. Often a young woman.

  Barm: bread roll

  Barney: argument

  Beaker: glass or cup for holding liquids

  Beemer: BMW car or motorcycle

  Benefits: social security

  Bent: corrupt

  Bin: wastebasket (noun), or throw in rubbish (verb)

  Biscuit: cookie

  Blackpool Lights: gaudy illuminations in seaside town

  Bloke: guy

  Blow: cocaine

  Blower: telephone

  Blues and twos: emergency vehicles

  Bob: money

  Bobby: policeman

  Broadsheet: quality newspaper (New York Times would be a US example)

  Brown bread: rhyming slang for dead

  Bun: small cake

  Bunk: escape, i.e. ‘do a bunk’

  Burger bar: hamburger fast-food restaurant

  Buy-to-let: buying a house/apartment to rent it out for profit

  Charity shop: thrift store

  Carrier bag: plastic bag from supermarket

  Care home: an institution where old people are cared for

  Car park: parking lot

  CBeebies: kids TV

  Chat-up: flirt, trying to pick up someone with witty banter or compliments

  Chemist: pharmacy

  Chinwag: conversation

  Chippie: fast-food place selling chips and other fried food

  Chips: French fries but thicker

  CID: Criminal Investigation Department

  Civvy Street: civilian life (as opposed to army)

  Clock: punch

  Cock-up: mess up, make a mistake

  Cockney: a native of East London

  Common: an area of park land or lower class

  Comprehensive school (Comp.): high school

  Cop hold of: grab

  Copper: police officer

  Coverall: coveralls, or boiler suit

  CPS: Crown Prosecution Service, decide whether police cases go forward

  Childminder: someone who looks after children for money

  Council: local government

  Dan Dare: hero from Eagle comic

  DC: detective constable

  Deck: one of the landings on a floor of a tower block

  Deck: hit (verb)

  Desperate Dan: very strong comic book character

  DI: detective inspector

  Digestive biscuit: plain cookie

  Digs: student lodgings

  Do a runner: disappear

  Do one: go away

  Doc Martens: heavy boots with an air-cushioned sole

  Donkey’s years: long time

  Drum: house

  DS: detective sergeant

  ED: emergency department of a hospital

  Eagle: boys’ comic

  Early dart: to leave work early

  Eggy soldiers: strips of toast with a boiled egg

  Enforcer: police battering ram

  Estate: public/social housing estate (similar to housing projects)

  Estate agent: realtor (US)

  Falklands War: war between Britain and Argentina in 1982

  Fag: cigarette

  Father Christmas: Santa Claus

  Filth: police (insulting)

  Forces: army, navy and air force

  FMO: force medical officer

  Fried slice: fried bread

  Fuzz: police

  Garda: Irish police

  Gendarmerie: French national police force

  Geordie: from Newcastle

  Garden centre: a business where plants and gardening equipment are sold

  Gob: mouth, can also mean phlegm or spit

  GP: general practitioner, a doctor based in the community

  Graft: hard work

  Gran: grandmother

  Hancock: Tony Hancock, English comedian popular in 1950s

  Hard nut: tough person

  HGV: heavy goods vehicle, truck

  HOLMES: UK police computer system used during investigation of major incidents

  Home: care home for elderly or sick people

  Hoover: vacuum cleaner

  I’ll be blowed: expression of surprise

  Inne: isn’t he

  Interpol: international police organisation

  Into care: a child taken away from their family by the social services

  Iron Lady: Margaret Thatcher, applied to any strong woman

  ITU: intensive therapy unit in hospital

  Jane Doe: a person whose identity is unknown/anonymous

  JCB: a mechanical excavator

  Jerry-built: badly made

  Jungle: nickname given to migrant camp near Calais

  Lad: young man

  Lass: young woman

  Lift: elevator

  Lord Lucan: famous aristocrat who alleged
ly killed his children’s nanny and disappeared in 1974. Has never been found.

  Lorry: truck

  Lovely jubbly: said when someone is pleased

  Luftwaffe: German air force

  M&S: Marks and Spencer, a food and clothes shop

  Miss Marple: detective in a series of books by Agatha Christie

  MOD: Ministry of Defence

  Mobile phone: cell phone

  MP: Member of Parliament, politician representing an area

  MRSA: A strain of antibiotic-resistant bacteria

  Myra Hindley: famous British serial killer

  Naff: lame, not good

  Naff all: none

  National Service: compulsory UK military service, ended in 60s

  Net curtains: a type of semi-transparent curtain

  NHS: National Health Service, public health service of UK

  Nick: police station (as verb: to arrest)

  Nowt: nothing

  Nutter: insane person

  Nursery: a place which grows plants, shrubs and trees for sale (often wholesale)

  O level: exams taken between 14 and 16

  Old bag: old woman (insulting)

  Old Bill: police

  OTT: over the top

  Owt: anything

  Pants: noun: underwear adjective: bad/rubbish/terrible

  Para: paratrooper

  Pay-as-you-go: a cell phone you pay for calls in advance

  PC: police constable

  Pear-shaped: gone wrong

  Petrol: gasoline

  Pictures: movie

  Pillbox: a concrete building, partly underground, used as an outpost defence

  Pillock: fool

  Pips: police insignia indicating rank