Maggie sat on the train and rubbed her growling stomach. She didn’t feel like cooking when she got home, so she rang Kate to see if she wanted a takeaway. A new fish & chip shop had opened down the street from her house, and she thought she would pick something up on her way back. A peace offering.
There was no answer. Maggie left Kate a message, as she figured by the time she got to the takeaway, Kate should be back at the house. Markston was closer than Stafford. When she called again forty minutes later and there was no answer on Kate’s mobile, Maggie called her own landline. If Kate had misplaced her own phone, she would answer – Maggie had told her to use the landline if she needed to.
No answer.
She shrugged and pocketed her mobile; Kate was probably in the bath. She had made Kate a promise not to panic so much and she wasn’t going to break it, no matter how hard it was. At the takeaway, she ordered enough food for three in case Andy came home; she paid and walked towards her house. With everything that had been going on, Maggie was always extra vigilant when in her neighbourhood. The killer could be out there, watching. They’d know that Kate was now staying with her, so she looked at every car, licence plate, person, and house as she strolled home. She didn’t want to take any chances.
Nothing unusual today.
Balancing the paper bag with one hand, she reached into her bag and pulled out her keys. Once inside she called out, ‘Kate, are you in?’
No response.
Maggie and Kate had agreed that if one or the other had to work late, they would let the other know. She walked to the kitchen and put the bag on the counter. Pulling out her mobile phone, she double checked that Kate hadn’t tried to call or message her, but her screen showed only the picture of Scrappy.
She dialled Kate’s number again. ‘Hey, it’s just me. If you’re working late, can you drop me a text? I just want to check that everything’s OK.’ She remained casual on the phone and ended the call before plating up her fish and chips. She placed the other two dinners in the oven. Kate and Andy could heat them up when they got in if they wanted to.
Maggie settled onto the couch and ate her dinner as she watched the news. The police hadn’t released all the details about the murders in the hope that when an individual was caught, they’d be able to confirm that it was really their killer and not some nutjob looking for fame. What the police hadn’t released to the press was the fact that both women had blue contact lenses inserted in their eyes. Although some had guessed about the sewing of the orifices, the police hadn’t confirmed this. Maggie shuddered. Thick black thread had been used and it was macabre in nature. She struggled at times to get the images out of her head. She didn’t even want to think about what the women had been through, but Dr Blake at least confirmed that both had been deceased when their eyelids and lips had been sewn shut.
She looked down at her plate of food and her stomach turned. Maggie took her plate to the kitchen and binned her dinner. She grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge and went back to watch TV. Kate still hadn’t returned her call, so Maggie texted Andy in the hope that maybe Kate had left a message with him. Within a few minutes, her brother texted back.
Sorry. I’ve heard nothing from Kate. Is everything OK? A x
She didn’t want him to worry and sent a quick message back reassuring him that she was probably just overreacting. He knew what she was like when she was working a difficult case.
Maggie pulled the blanket that balanced on the couch arm over her and lay down. She hadn’t realized she’d fallen asleep until she heard the front door close.
It was Andy. Kate must have come back and left her to sleep.
‘What time is it?’ She rubbed her eyes.
‘Just gone two. Why are you up?’
‘I must have fallen asleep watching TV. I’m going up now though. This couch is so uncomfortable. Night.’
‘See you in the morning.’
Maggie tiptoed up the stairs. As she passed the spare bedroom, she couldn’t help but peek in.
No Kate.
Fuck.