DANIELS LOOKED AROUND HER. Hospitals had given her the creeps since her mother died in one. She’d walked the corridors in the small hours for weeks, praying she’d get better, experiencing the deathly hush when it was too late for the drunks, too early for the accidents to pour into A & E.
The smell of the place brought back unbearable memories.
A bell rang, signalling the arrival of the lift. As the doors opened, she expected to hear footsteps on the highly polished floor. But when no one emerged, she swung round to face the doors, her eyes scanning the gloomy corridor. Suddenly on high alert, she listened. But all she heard was the lift doors close again.
Fearon?
According to Jo, he was an untreatable psychopath who had it in for Emily. But surely he wouldn’t risk coming here? Would he? As the hairs rose on the back of Kate’s neck, she ventured a quick glance at Emily. The woman was oblivious to her concerns, so deep in thought that the lift probably hadn’t even registered.
But still . . .
Telling Emily she’d get them both something warm to drink, Kate left her side to investigate. As she walked away, she caught the attention of the WPC guarding the door to Rachel’s room. Pointing at her own eye, the DCI sent a clear message to show vigilance.
There may still be a threat to the girl and/or her mother.
In the end, she found nothing untoward.
By the time she returned to the bench where she’d left Emily, Jo was comforting her. Kate handed them each a coffee she’d bought at the machine and sat down for a moment, extending a few last words of comfort. Then she stood up again, kissed them both and left for the station, telling Jo she hoped to see her later – her way of asking her to visit the MIR when she was done.
IT WAS TWENTY past six when Kate reached the office. By seven the entire Murder Investigation Team had arrived. By the time they took their seats in the incident room, most had already heard what had gone on during the night. Kate gave the official version. Martin Stamp’s death was shocking but, as murders go, it was cut and dried. It didn’t require their input.
‘Fearon is someone else’s problem,’ she said. ‘Whoever abducted Rachel McCann was considerably older than she was. I’ll be calling in on her later. She was sleeping when I left, but Jo will talk to her as soon as she wakes, try to get a better description of this Vic character. We know it can’t have been Stamp because she knew him personally. For the time being, Kent stays in custody.’
‘You think it was him, boss?’ Maxwell asked.
Daniels pointed to the list on the murder wall. ‘Or Walker, or Harrison, or John Edward Thompson . . . the TIE action still hasn’t ruled him out.’
JO ARRIVED IN the incident room two hours later. Kate could tell straight away she had some vital news. Rachel had described being kept in a windowless lock-up and she was keen to take them there.
‘She knows where it is?’ Carmichael was excited.
‘She does indeed. The garage was empty apart from an old motorcycle and—’
‘How did she get out?’ Gormley asked, apologizing for the interruption.
Jo gave a half-smile. ‘She’s her father’s daughter, Hank. She knew something the offender presumably didn’t. Under the motorcycle saddle there was a set of tools. She took the lock off the door with them.’
‘Outstanding!’ Kate said, a biker herself.
‘How the hell did she manage that if she was heavily sedated?’ Brown asked.
‘I guess the drugs had worn off by then.’
‘While we had Kent in custody, I bet.’ The comment had come from Carmichael.
Kate agreed. Her protégée had just taken the words right out of her mouth. ‘Hands up anyone who doesn’t think Rachel was the third intended victim?’
Not one detective raised a hand.
Jo was about to say something more when Kate asked another question of her team. ‘OK, anyone here think that Walter Fearon was involved in Rachel’s abduction?’
Still no takers.
‘For what it’s worth,’ said Gormley, ‘I think we’re dealing with two separate incidents. Whatever is going on in Fearon’s head, it’s to do with his obsession with Emily McCann, not Rachel. I think he killed Stamp because he was jealous of the friendship he had with Emily, something he may have picked up on at the prison. I could see it a mile off that day we bumped into them at the beach.’
‘Yep, I could too,’ Daniels said. ‘Fearon might be vicious but that doesn’t mean he’s not intuitive. In which case Emily and Rachel need a safe house right away. They can’t go home, that’s for sure.’
‘My house in Jesmond is standing empty,’ Jo said. ‘If it’s acceptable to you and the guv’nor, Emily can use it until Fearon is no longer a threat . . . until you pick him up, I mean. She and Rachel have stayed over with me on occasions. They’d be happier there than at an unfamiliar place.’
‘I don’t know.’ Kate yawned, then apologized to everyone. It was hot in the room and she was fading fast. ‘It’s your home.’
‘It makes sense.’ Jo threw a set of keys at her.
Kate caught them. They were her old keys. She recognized them from the little silver house on the end of the key ring. The sight made her sad. Too tired to argue the toss with Jo, she acquiesced. ‘OK, I’ll have a word with Ron. If he clears it, that’s a done deal. Thanks, Jo. One more job I won’t have to worry about.’
‘There was something else in that lock-up.’ Jo’s tone was serious. ‘Apart from the bike, I mean.’
Oh God! ‘Why do I get the feeling I’m not going to like this?’
‘On the contrary, you’re going to love it.’
All eyes were on Jo.
‘The scene Rachel described was completely bizarre. At first, I thought she’d experienced some kind of drug-induced hallucination. She told me there was a table and two chairs set for a party in the centre of the room: balloons, paper cups, beautifully wrapped presents, a set of clothes . . .’
‘I’m not loving it yet. What made you think it was something more than a hallucination?’
‘She mentioned a set of pearls . . .’