by steve higgs
I rang the doorbell and waited for it to be answered. I had described the house and Bartholomew’s parents to Patience on the way over. She was standing back from the front door taking the property in now though, looking around appreciatively.
‘I wish I had paid attention in chemistry class.’ She said. ‘Why couldn’t the teacher just have said that I could have this if I just learned the boring crap he was saying. I would have done my homework then instead of watching cartoons.’
I heard a noise behind the door just before it opened. This time it was Mr. King senior in the open doorway. The jovial, convivial expression he had greeted me with last time was still there in the background but losing its battle for dominance with annoyance because there were now two police officers on his doorstep.
‘Is your son here, Mr. King?' I asked, not giving anything away.
‘Yes. He arrived home just a few minutes ago.’
‘Can you take me to him, please?'
‘I must insist you tell me why you wish to see him first.’
Patience came to stand by my right shoulder. ‘We have evidence that places him inside the property of Kimberly Kousins, the woman I came to see you about yesterday. Her claim against your son has been substantiated by physical evidence and further evidence is being analysed at this moment. It will greatly help your son's defence if he willingly accompanies us to the station.'
‘Who is it, dear?' asked Mrs. King, appearing by his side. ‘Amanda is that you? Surely you are not back here to bother Bartholomew again?'
‘I'm afraid I am, Mrs. King.'
‘They claim to have evidence that he was stalking the young lady she told us about yesterday.’
‘I can’t believe that.’ She replied.
‘Nevertheless, I can assure you it is true.’
‘He isn't here.' She lied, which came as surprise.
‘Your husband said that he had just arrived home.’ I replied, making it clear that I did not believe her.
Just then I heard a door slam deep within the house and seconds later the sound of footsteps running across the gravel around the side of the house.
The car!
Patience was already running, I followed, rounding the side of the house a few paces behind her. Ahead of us, by his car, Bartholomew was fumbling in his pockets for his keys. He pulled them triumphantly from his back trouser pocket and checked where we were just in time to see that he was too late. Patience barrelled into him, knocking him to the gravel.
‘Bartholomew King I am placing you under arrest for the crimes of harassment and of breaking and entering. You do not have to say anything, but it may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned something which you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence.' I finished the caution just as Patience was ratcheting the cuffs onto his wrists.
‘Oh dear. This is most unfortunate.' Said Mr. King.
'Will you be alright, Barty?' asked his mum.
‘Your son is under arrest, Mrs. King.' I wanted to add that this could have been avoided if they had helped more yesterday but I wondered if they even knew what he was up to. ‘He will be taken to Maidstone police station and processed, where after he will be questioned in connection with several crimes.'
In the road, Brad pulled up in the squad car.
‘Young lady.' Mr. King was calmly addressing Patience as she hauled Bartholomew off the ground. ‘You’re a woman of colour, just like us. How is it that you dare to turn against us? This is not acceptable behaviour.' Mr. and Mrs. King were literally the calmest, nicest people on the planet.
‘Sir I suggest you move out of my way so that I do not have to arrest you for obstruction.' Patience was also being remarkably calm, normally she would have roughed Bartholomew up a bit in taking him down and would have given Mr. King a mouthful. Perhaps it was the calm demeanour that Mr. King projected.
‘This will not be forgotten.’ He warned.
‘That sounded like a threat.’ Patience thrust Bartholomew into the back of my car and shut the door. ‘Was that a threat, Mr King?’ she asked turning back to face him.
He remained silent, just staring at her.
‘Let's go.' I grabbed the sleeve of her uniform and tugged her back towards the street. I didn't think it had been a threat, but I also didn't know what he meant.
Brad was waiting by the car with Robbie Fischer, a new guy that was twenty-two but looked more like seventeen.
‘Brad, can you follow us back to the station in my car?'
‘Err, sure.’ He said. ‘Everything okay? Didn’t you hand your uniform back already?’
‘I didn’t get the chance yet. I guess this will be my last arrest though.’
He nodded. ‘Come on, Robbie.’ I threw him my keys.
We left Bearsted with Bartholomew in the back of the squad car. Before we had gone around the first corner he started talking.
‘You’re far in deeper trouble now than you can possibly understand.’
‘Are you threatening a Police Officer, Mr. King? Patience please takes note of what he is saying.'
Patience pulled out her issue notebook, but Bartholomew carried on as if I had not spoken.
‘How are you enjoying the snakes and spiders? There is no hiding from my curse. It will find you wherever you go. This latest insult though deserves some special treatment, I think. I shall leave that as a surprise though. Not so for you, I’m afraid.’ He said, turning his head to address Patience. ‘My father was right. You have betrayed your own people. I shall make you my slave for that.’
‘What?' Patience squealed. ‘Your gonna make me your what? Boy, you ought to know better than to use the S word around other black people. What is wrong with you?'
‘You will not have to wait long. The ceremony is planned for Friday night.’
‘Huh? What ceremony?’ I asked.
He clammed up then. Refusing to say another word. The remainder of the journey to the station was conducted in silence.
I dropped Patience and Bartholomew off and parked the car. By the time I had made my way through the station, she was already at the front desk with him getting ready to hand him over to the duty Sergeant for processing. In less than thirty minutes, I would have him in an interview room and be able to show him the evidence that proved he had been inside Kimberly's house.
‘Harper!’
‘Oh, nuts.' Quinn's shout had caused the entire room to go silent.
‘Harper, what the hell are you doing in uniform again? Take it off and get out.' He was storming across the room, his face incandescent with rage. ‘Woods. I might have known you would be involved as well.'
He was staring down at both of us, once again holding all the cards.
‘Why is this man in restraints?’
‘Sir he…’
‘Be quiet, Harper. I was asking the Police Officer.’ He didn’t even look at me when he said it. He was staring at Patience.
‘Well, um. He ran when we went to arrest him.’ she managed, her voice betraying how unsure she was.
‘What cause did you have to arrest him, Woods?’
‘Well, um.’
‘His fingerprints were found inside the house of a woman that has reported him to be stalking her.’ I said quickly before he could silence me again.
‘I told you to be quiet. Since you insist on talking and believe you know how best to proceed, why don’t you tell me why you think that gives you grounds for arrest?’
I was confused now. I could place him inside the property. He had no right to be there. It was an open and shut case.
‘Struggling for an answer, Harper?’
‘No, I.’
‘Enough. The person you have arrested was in a relationship with the supposed victim, yes?’
‘They went on one date.’
‘So she claims. I have had the family lawyer on the phone. He claims that Mr. King has been involved in a long-term relationship with Miss Kousins. His fingerprints will be all over
her apartment. Anything else, Harper? A shred of evidence that you could use to justify arresting this man?'
My mind was racing. I could feel the earth shifting beneath me like it was tipping and threatening to throw me off.
‘I thought not.’ He concluded. ‘Takes this man’s cuffs off.’ He indicated to the desk Sergeant who scurried across the silent room to perform the task.
‘Your Police ID, Harper.’ He demanded. Then hissed, ‘Now.’ when I failed to instantly react.
Reluctantly, and with half my former colleagues watching, I took out my ID and handed it to him. He snatched it from my grasp. ‘Now take that uniform off and hand it in.'
‘I don’t have a change of clothes with me.’
‘I don’t care, Harper. Just get it done.’ He dismissed me then and turned to Patience. ‘Go and wait in my office, Woods.’ Then he walked away.
I felt like crying. I could feel my face puffing up from the effort of holding the tears back. He was such an arse.
I was bumped then as Bartholomew pushed past me. ‘Enjoy the spiders, won’t you?’ he said, then tapped Patience on her shoulder as she was trudging towards Quinn’s office.
‘Don't be pushing your luck today, Mr. King.'
‘Just remember what I said please. It will happen soon enough.’ I could see Patience wanted to react. He was goading her, but we had both just been publicly admonished in front of him and he knew he could do whatever he wanted in this moment. ‘I wish I could stay and entertain you for longer, ladies, but I have a date tonight.’ He waved us goodbye and went out the door.
I had been lying about not having a change of clothes. It was in my car, so I retrieved it, went into the changing room and took the uniform off for what I was quite certain now would be the last time. The tears that had been threatening finally came now that I was on my own.
Administration. Tuesday, November 1st 1804hrs
When I was finally dressed in my own clothes and had composed myself again, I fetched the other sets of uniform from my car and went to hand them in. I was made to wait, which gave me even more time to stew. I had hoped I would see Patience, I had dropped her in it. Unlike me, she still had to put up with Quinn. I could leave here today and never deal with him again. Or if I did, the next time I saw him he would not have the advantage of rank to hold over me.
I kicked the wall. It didn’t make me feel any better and I hurt my toes.
My phone rang. I pulled it from my bag to see that it was Kimberly calling. I had completely forgotten about her.
‘Hi, Kimberly.’
‘Yeah, hi, Amanda. Um, I finished work and came outside to go home and then remembered that I don’t have anywhere to live right now. Do I come back to your place?’
‘Sorry, Kimberly. I should have given this more consideration.' I really didn't want her staying with me. I wanted Brett to stay with me, that was what I wanted, and the two things seemed mutually exclusive. Having heard her moaning on my sofa last night, I had no intention of having her there tonight listening to me. Then an idea popped into my head. ‘Kimberly, do you have your bag with you with all your things in it?
‘Yes. Big Ben dropped me off with it this morning. I could stay with him quite happily. I'm sure he didn't mean that he never sleeps with the same woman twice.'
I was sure he did mean it. My idea was better than sending her to stay with Big Ben though. ‘Kimberly I will have Jane from the office come to collect you. Stay at work. She will not be long.’
We disconnected, and I called Jane. She was at home with her boyfriend but said she could collect Kimberly. I told her where to take her and confirmed she could get all that done and then be back at my place for her date with Bartholomew in time.'
Twenty minutes had ticked by while I was on the phone, but it was still not my turn to be dealt with at the equipment and uniform store. I wondered if the old lady that worked there had been instructed by CI Quinn to make me wait.
I kept checking my watch as the time ticked by. I needed to get away and meet up with Jane and Big Ben at my apartment. I wasn't sure if Patience would even turn up. I had sent her a text but got no reply. I could only imagine what Quinn had said to her or punished her with.
Finally, all my gear was handed over and, with a final signature, I was done.
It was gone seven when I escaped the police station, the shift had changed over while I was downstairs handing over my uniform, but even though the people I had to walk by had not been present to see my shame earlier, they would all know about it. Rumour was rife in the Police Station, much as it was in any closed environment. A couple of them tried to talk to me, but I shook my head that I was in no mood and left them behind.
It was so late that any rush hour traffic was long gone so the journey home was swift. My favourite spot in front of my building was empty. As I parked in it, I saw that the car to the left of mine was Jane's. She was sitting in it checking her reflection in the fold-down mirror. She had a date tonight and we were already behind schedule.
She saw me, folded the mirror up and got out of her car as I climbed out of mine. Across from us, another car door shut and we both turned to see Big Ben. I had never seen Big Ben's car before. Maybe he had more than one, he certainly appeared to have some money. Not like Brett had money, but enough that he saw no need to work. Anyway, he was walking away from a huge black Ford Ranger. It had black paint and black wheels and a whole load of body kit bolted on to make it look meatier than the standard model would. Across the fold-down tailgate, I read the word Deranged.
It fitted.
‘I was starting to wonder where you were. Everything okay?’ he asked, crossing the carpark to join us.
‘I have had better days.’ I turned to face Jane. ‘Kimberly settled in?’
‘Yes, no problem. I think she will be very comfortable.’
‘Where is she?’ Big Ben asked.
‘I stashed her at Tempest’s house. I don’t think Bartholomew will find her there.’
He chuckled. ‘Did you tell Tempest?’
‘Nope. He left me here with this mess, so he can have an unexpected house guest for a night or so. I doubt he will ever know it happened. I will clean the bed sheets and remake his bed before he returns.'
We had gone into the building and were standing in front of my door as I fiddled with my keys. The door across the landing opened.
‘Amanda.' Mrs. Fox called from her doorway.
‘Hi, Mrs. Fox.'
‘There was a flower delivery for you earlier, dear. I let the man in and put them on your kitchen counter.’
‘Thank you, Mrs. Stone.' she was a sweet old lady. No doubt Brett had sent them in advance of our date tonight with a little message attached.
I pushed the door open, bent to scoop some mail from the carpet and walked through to the main room while shuffling it to see if it was anything other than bills.
‘Wow.' Came Jane's voice from behind me. I looked up to see an enormous spray of flowers sitting on my kitchen counter. The stems disappeared into one of those water bubbles things trapped inside a box. The box though had a compartment at the bottom, a flap that was hanging open.
I moved to look inside but caught something moving out of the corner of my eye. Over by my fruit bowl. Hadn't I seen something?
‘Guys make yourself comfy. I'll put the kettle on.' I called over my shoulder as I lifted a banana.
A tarantula ran up my arm.
I froze for a second, completely unable to move as my brain tried to process the horror I felt. Then it got to my elbow and kept coming, which was altogether too much spider getting far too close to my face.
I screamed and flicked my arm to rid myself of the hairy, black menace. It shot across the room and flew in front of Jane's face.
‘Aaaaaaargh!’ said Jane. She got up and ran for the door as I spotted another tarantula emerging from behind my bin, its front two legs extended in the air like a threat.
‘Amanda you have a spider problem.’ Big Be
n advised me as he started towards the door as well, he was pointing to another three huge, hairy spiders that were climbing my curtains.
I ran, my heart threatening to burst from my chest and I didn’t stop until I had gone down all the stairs and was out in the street. Big Ben sauntered out a few seconds after me, far too cool to run or show that he was scared.
He already had a phone to his ear and was informing the police about my latest predicament.
‘Thank you. I believe we will wait outside.’ He hung up. ‘The police will be here soon along with animal control. You may want to consider sleeping somewhere else tonight.’
Miserable, I slumped onto the bonnet of my car. How was Bartholomew doing this? How had he even had time? Although perhaps he already had the spiders and it had been hours since he was released from the station. It was enough time to buy flowers and drop them off.
‘I need a drink.’
‘Jane.’ Big Ben called. Jane was sitting in her car looking quite freaked out. ‘Jane dear, why don’t you two ladies go across the road and get a drink? I’ll call you when the police arrive.’ He produced a crisp twenty pounds note from somewhere and stuffed it into my hand. ‘Go.’ he insisted, his voice gentle.
Then my feet were moving. Jane had hold of my hand and was pulling me across the street to the pub there. I don't remember much about it. Mostly Jane kept hold of my left hand and pushed a glass of something dark and strong into my right. It turned out to be brandy. My brain was on lockdown, it had taken a break from operating my body. There were spiders in my apartment. This morning there had been a giant snake in my car and now I had a dozen tarantulas in my home. I was freaking out.
Presently, the brandy was gone, and Big Ben came into the pub to find us. We were tucked into a corner by ourselves. A couple of young lads had spotted the two girls sitting unattended a while ago and had sauntered over full of swagger. I hadn't even looked up, but I did hear Jane tell them to go away in her deep voice. I might have laughed had my brain been working.