by D. S. Butler
When he was finished, Marlo could breathe more easily. Only now that Benny was safely secured did Marlo allow him to see the steel blade. It was long and pointed, like one of those fancy letter openers they had back in the day.
Marlo had picked it up during a robbery a few years ago. It had coloured glass embedded in the handle, and although he knew they weren’t real jewels, he liked the blade for its elegance and had kept it with him.
Benny’s face was a picture.
“What’s that? What are you d…doing with the knife?”
Benny bucked against the fastenings, and for a moment, Marlo was truly concerned he might get free. But despite his strength, Benny didn’t have a violent nature, and his struggles soon gave way to sobs.
As soon as he’d stopped moving around so much, Marlo lunged forward and buried the knife in Benny’s gut.
Benny’s eyes flew open and fixed on Marlo’s face.
Marlo held his breath in anticipation.
He wanted to see the life drain out of Benny’s eyes, but he closed them only a few seconds later.
Marlo stood there, staring down at him, feeling cheated.
He’d died much faster and less violently than Marlo had expected. He reached down, and with some effort, managed to pull the knife out of Benny’s body.
The fact that Benny didn’t even flinch told him everything he needed to know.
Benny was gone.
Chapter 35
When Mackinnon left Drake House, he phoned DI Tyler straightaway to ask him about Ruby Watson’s English teacher.
They had questioned a number of Ruby’s friends and teachers, and Mackinnon wanted to know if they’d already spoken to Mr Addlestone.
As soon as Tyler answered, Mackinnon said, “I have just had a word with Ruby Watson’s brother, Curtis. He mentioned that we might want to speak to Ruby’s English teacher, Mr Addlestone. Curtis said, and I quote, ‘he is a bit of a letch’.”
Tyler paused on the other end of the phone before saying, “Addlestone. The name rings a bell, let me check.”
In the silence that followed, Mackinnon looked up at the sky. In London it was never truly dark thanks to the number of street and residential lights.
Large clouds moved quickly across the sky as the wind picked up. It wouldn’t be long before a storm hit.
Tyler came back on the line. “We haven’t spoken to him yet. He is on the list, but we had no reason to put him at the top. We will probably get to him tomorrow…unless you think it’s worth bumping him up the list.”
Mackinnon didn’t need to think about it. Immediately he replied, “Yes, move him to the top of the list. In fact, I could go and see him right now if you have his address.”
The fact that Ruby’s brother mentioned him, made Mackinnon unwilling to leave this for another day.
Tyler hesitated for a brief moment and then gave Mackinnon the okay. He reeled off Terrence Addlestone’s address, and Mackinnon thanked him and hung up.
Mackinnon took another look at the sky and hoped the rain would hold off until he reached Addlestone’s residence.
The walk would only take him ten minutes, and he set off at a brisk pace. When he reached Addlestone’s road, Market Road, the first fat raindrops were just beginning to fall.
Addlestone lived in a three-storey terraced house that had been converted into three flats. Mackinnon pressed the buzzer beside the communal door and stepped underneath the covered doorway, sheltering from the rain.
A reedy voice came over the intercom, and Mackinnon identified himself.
After a brief pause, a low pitched buzz sounded and the door clicked unlocked.
Inside was a small entrance hall with old-fashioned wooden shelves converted into pigeonholes for mail along one wall. A staircase was on the right.
A door at the far end of the entrance hall opened, and a tall, thin man stepped out into the hall.
“Mr Addlestone?”
The man nodded. “Yes. What’s wrong?”
“I’d like to have a quick chat with you about one of your students.”
Terrence Addlestone’s face paled.
He reached up to run a hand through his hair, which Mackinnon noticed had started to thin on top. Addlestone was in his early forties and according to their records he wasn’t married.
“One of my students? I hope they haven’t been getting themselves into trouble.” Addlestone gave an uneasy chuckle. “I can’t be held accountable for what they get up to out-of-school hours, and it is the school holidays.”
“Could we go inside, please, Mr Addlestone?” Mackinnon asked.
The tentative smile left Addlestone’s face and he nodded, now looking truly concerned. “Of course, it is just through here.”
Mackinnon followed him into a small but tidy ground floor flat.
A great deal of work had been done on the property.
Walls had been knocked-through so the entire living space was open plan. The remaining walls were painted magnolia and most of the furniture was in warm shades of oak.
Addlestone went and stood beside a black leather sofa and indicated for Mackinnon to take a seat.
Mackinnon sat in one of the matching black leather armchairs and turned to Addlestone to ask his first question.
“How long have you worked at City College?”
Addlestone’s eyes drifted over to the dining table, which was standing in-between the sofa and the open plan kitchen. On top of the table was an open MacBook.
Addlestone cleared his throat. “Four years. I worked at a private school in Berkshire before that.”
Mackinnon leaned forward. “I’m here because one of your students, Ruby Watson, has been abducted.”
He paused to gauge Addlestone’s reaction.
“God, how awful.”
He looked suitably shocked, but it was possible he was just a good actor and had been expecting a call from the police.
“So, how can I help you?” Addison said nervously as his eyes shifted once again to the open laptop.
“We are talking to everyone Ruby came into contact with on a regular basis. When was the last time you saw her?”
“I haven’t seen her since school broke up for the summer holidays. I can’t think of anyone who would want to hurt her. Are you sure she hasn’t gone off somewhere on holiday? You know what young girls can be like.”
Mackinnon didn’t answer straightaway, allowing the silence to add to Addlestone’s discomfort. He had started to sweat.
Finally, Mackinnon said, “Her passport hasn’t been used, and we have strong evidence to suggest she has been abducted.”
Addlestone nodded. “I see. Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound flippant. I am not sure I can tell you much. She’s been in my English literature class for the last year. She’s a good student who gets consistently high grades.” Addlestone shrugged. “I do know that her parents are rather wealthy perhaps that’s why she’s been targeted.”
Addlestone glanced for a third time at the laptop, and Mackinnon made up his mind.
He reached into his pocket. “Sorry, I did set it to silent, but it’s on vibrate, and it’s my boss. I’d better take this. I will be back in just a moment,” he lied smoothly.
Mackinnon took his phone outside the flat, stepped into the entrance hallway and quickly dialled Tyler’s number.
Speaking quietly, he filled Tyler in.
“We need a search warrant. Something about him is off.”
He heard Tyler sigh on the other end of the line. “We need more to go on than that, Jack.”
“He’s hiding something. He is extremely nervous and keeps looking at his computer. We need a warrant.”
“Well, a police officer has just turned up at his home out of the blue. His nervousness might have nothing to do with our case. Have you got anything to go on besides your instincts?”
“No,” Mackinnon said honestly. “But trust me, he’s hiding something.”
“Okay, Jack. I’ll initiate the process.
Keep talking to him and try to get something concrete at least. This will be my neck on the line if we screw up, and I could do without another bollocking today.”
Mackinnon hung up and paused before he went back into Addlestone’s flat. He didn’t normally work like this. It was usually Tyler going on his gut instinct, and Jack played things by the book, but in this case, there was something about Addlestone that didn’t sit right with him. He couldn’t let it go.
He pushed open the door to Addlestone’s flat, and saw the man standing in front of the laptop.
He hadn’t heard him enter, so Mackinnon moved quickly and quietly to look over his shoulder. He was dragging files and emails to the trash can at the bottom of the screen.
“What are you doing?” Mackinnon asked.
Addlestone jumped and whirled around. “Uh… Nothing. I was just checking my email.”
“Do you mind if I take a look?” Mackinnon asked, his eyes already scanning the screen.
Addlestone closed the lid of the laptop. “Yes, actually I do. They’re private.”
Mackinnon stared at him as he sweated and looked more and more uncomfortable, but he finally decided not to push it. He would wait until they got the warrant.
He smiled. “Fair enough. Shall we sit down and continue our conversation?”
Addlestone shuffled off back to the sofa, looking like it was the last thing he wanted to do.
“I really don’t see why you’re questioning me. I don’t know anything about this.”
“I hoped to get a different viewpoint into Ruby’s life. Sometimes, teachers can offer a clearer insight than parents.”
Addlestone nodded. That seemed to satisfy him and he settled back onto the sofa.
“Well, I do like to take a modern approach to my teaching. I am younger than most of the students’ parents, and I do my best to bridge the generation gap. I teach mainly sixteen to eighteen-year-olds, and it’s a difficult time for them. I think a teacher can play an important role in helping students develop confidence to take the next step in their lives, on to university or employment.”
Mackinnon nodded. “Do you know a girl called Lila George, or have you heard Ruby mention her?”
Addlestone frowned. “No, I can’t say I recognise that name.”
“Ever heard of Benny Morris or Rob Morris?”
Addlestone shook his head. “No, were they involved in the abduction?”
Mackinnon didn’t answer, and instead, pushed on with his own questions. He kept one eye on the clock as he did so. He planned to keep Addlestone talking as long as possible, giving Tyler time to get the warrant.
Mackinnon was convinced as soon as he left Addlestone would be immediately trying to get rid of evidence.
* * *
He continued circling Addlestone’s story, testing for holes, but finally after an hour had passed, Addlestone lost patience.
“I am sorry, detective, but I’ve got nothing else to tell you. To be honest, you would be better off out there looking for her.” He pointed at the rain-splattered window.
Mackinnon didn’t bother to push it and outstay his welcome. He got to his feet, thanked Addlestone for his time and wished him good night.
Outside, there were large puddles beside the curbs, but at least it had stopped raining. Mackinnon could see the window to Addlestone’s flat from the road, it was brightly lit, but the blind was down. He could only guess what Addlestone was doing now.
Mackinnon kept a close eye on the window as he called Tyler and asked about progress on the warrant.
“I can’t perform miracles, Jack,” Tyler said. “These things take time.”
“He is in there destroying evidence. I know it.”
“He can’t delete it all. If there is something to find, we will find it.”
“So what am I supposed to do now? Just wait?”
“Yes, that’s exactly what you’re supposed to do.”
After he had hung up, Mackinnon put his mobile back in his jacket pocket and walked away from the front of Addlestone’s flat. Based on the unlikely possibility he hadn’t already started to destroy evidence, Mackinnon didn’t want his lingering presence to tip Addlestone off.
He walked around the corner and stood, partially hidden, beside a brick wall. The tall lime tree beside him helped shelter him from view and shaded him from the streetlights.
It was beyond frustrating to think that he was unable to act while Addlestone could be destroying evidence that would ruin their chances of a successful prosecution.
There had been no signs in the flat that he was involved in either girl’s abduction. Perhaps Tyler was right. Perhaps he had something else to feel guilty about. Whatever it was, Mackinnon was determined to find out.
On the other hand, if he was involved in the girls’ abduction, then he was obviously keeping them somewhere else.
Mackinnon turned up the collar on his coat as the rain started to fall again. He managed to shelter from the worst of it by standing beneath the tree.
He was staring at Addlestone’s flat, wondering what was going on inside, when the front door opened.
There was a streetlight immediately in front of Addlestone’s building, and Mackinnon could see him clearly as he stepped out onto the pavement with a plastic bag in his hand.
Addlestone looked around furtively and then walked over to a brown wheelie bin in front of the property.
He looked around once more before placing the plastic bag in the bin.
He wiped his hands together, turned around and disappeared back inside.
Mackinnon couldn’t resist the temptation. He quickly walked forward, crossed the road and headed directly to the bin as he pulled a pair of blue nitrile gloves from his pocket.
He slipped on the gloves and lifted the lid. Looking inside, and grimacing at the smell, he prodded the bag.
There was some kind of clothing inside. A navy blue, extremely short pleated skirt – the type of skirt girls wore for PE at school. Now, this was definitely suspicious.
Mackinnon looked back at the flat and narrowed his eyes.
This would nail Addlestone.
“Got you,” he whispered.
Chapter 36
Rob Morris got back to the basement flat and stuck his head in the sitting room.
The television was off, and Benny was nowhere to be seen. The door to the room where the girls had been held had been smashed off its hinges. Splintered wood still lay on the floor, and the door was propped up against the wall.
“Benny? Marlo, what the hell has happened here?”
Marlo stepped out of the kitchen and into the hall, wiping his hands on a tea towel.
“Oh, the wanderer returns. It’s about time you got back. I don’t appreciate being left in the lurch.”
Rob shook his head and pointed at the door. “How did that happen?”
Marlo licked his lips. “The girls did it. They are stronger than they look.”
Rob frowned and shook his head. He didn’t believe it.
There was nothing in that bedroom they could have used as a battering ram, and he couldn’t imagine how either girl would have been able to break down the door like that.
“No way,” Rob said.
Marlo walked forward and ran a hand along the broken door.
“It had started to rot, and the frame was already weakened. I have put the girls in the other bedroom. That door seems fine.”
“But there’s no soundproofing in the other bedroom.”
Rob cocked his head to one side and listened. He couldn’t hear the girls or Benny.
“Yes, I know. It is a pain in the arse. I had to put duct tape over their mouths and tie them up. I don’t think they’ll be trying anything again.”
Rob stared at Marlo, unsure whether he was telling him the truth, but why would he lie? What reason would he have for spinning Rob a story?
“Where’s Benny?”
“Oh, he is fine. I gave him some cash and sent him out to get us Chinese
.”
“What? Why did you do that? He doesn’t know this area. He’ll get lost.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I gave him instructions, and it’s only two streets from here. He’ll be fine.”
“I’d better go and find him.”
“There’s no time for that. You’ve been missing for long enough already. Now it’s time for you to pull your weight. Unless, of course, you’ve decided to walk away from the money?”
Rob took a deep breath and shook his head. “No, I’ll do it.”
“I’m glad you’ve come to your senses.”
Marlo walked into the kitchen and returned with the two mobile phones still in their plastic bags. “Take these. You need to give one to Janice George and the other to Claire Watson. I have sent instructions to the email address set up on your mobile. The email contains everything you need to know — where to leave the phones and how to communicate with the mothers to tell them where to find them.”
Rob breathed a sigh of relief. “You mean I don’t have to give them the phones directly?”
“Of course not,” Marlo shook his head. “That would be madness.”
Rob took the mobile phones. “There will be police crawling all over the place. How am I supposed to let them know where the phones are without being noticed?
Marlo grinned. “I think we’ve been working together long enough for you to realise I always have a plan. Anyway, you’re wasting time. The instructions are on your phone and you can read them on the way. Chop chop.”
Rob turned to go and then hesitated. “Are the girls all right?”
Marlo gave a cold smile. “Yes, they are fine. I haven’t heard a peep out of them. Go on, hurry up. If you are lucky, Benny and I might even save you some Chinese.”
* * *
By the time Mackinnon returned to Wood Street Station he was soaked to the skin. Addlestone had been brought in for questioning and a search was currently underway at his property.
When he reached the incident room, Mackinnon realised he had missed all the excitement. People were talking in hushed whispers, and Tyler was currently holed up in Brookbank’s office.