Carla typed Thaxted Street into her GPS and saw it was a short dead-end street carved into an otherwise barren landscape. Franklin was clearly extending the town’s limits, changing the shape of Jericho as he pushed into surrounding tracts of land. She’d left a note for Patricia on the kitchen table and a voice message for Erin. It was the only back-up she could think of. The people she also wanted to contact – Jack, Max, Albert, Franklin – she was now unsure of their trustworthiness. If she got it wrong, the outcome could be devastating for her. As she turned into the development, she saw an advertising board jutting out from the hillside. Franklin Enterprises. All roads led to Franklin.
She parked up at the top of the road. A square brick house Erin had said, a description which was no use at all. There were ten of them, five on each side built in a mock colonial style. She tried to remember what car Albert had driven when he took her over to Silent Brook, but the day had become a blur. She’d have to improvise but wasn’t sure it was a good idea to go knocking up and down the street. She’d watched too many Halloween films and would likely be met with suspicion as a lone woman. The Kantz family, however, would surely be known by their neighbours. She put on her old dig jacket, its earthy smell a source of reassurance and comfort, and set off.
The first two houses were empty. Neither of them had made any attempt to disguise the fact they were in total darkness, which suggested the area didn’t have much of a crime problem. The resident of the third house took an age to come to the door. In the distance there was the sound of two little dogs yapping and eventually a burly man with tattoos on his arms answered.
‘I’m sorry, I’m looking for Viv and Albert Kantz’s house.’
‘What d’ya want with them?’
‘Albert is my boss at the college. I need to speak to him urgently. I can show you my pass if that helps.’
The man shook his head. ‘You don’t want to be knocking on random doors at night. Not everyone wants to answer the door after dark even if it is Halloween.’
‘Point taken. I’ll try another couple of houses.’
‘They live across the way there.’ The man nodded over the road and shut the door.
The house opposite had a light burning above the door and three glowing pumpkins with grotesque faces on the doorstep. The carvings were inexpertly done, executed with more enthusiasm than skill. The door opened immediately to Carla’s knock. Albert stood on the threshold, his gaze focused on the empty driveway behind her.
‘Carla, is there a problem?’
‘I… I don’t know.’ Carla felt her knees buckle and Albert reached out to catch her. She got the scent of cigarettes. She never knew he was a smoker, hadn’t got up close enough to notice and she realised with relief he wasn’t her attacker. ‘I’m sorry, I had an accident this evening. Can I come in for a moment?’
He took her into the kitchen and the expectant faces of Zoe and Liam turned to greet her. They were dressed as Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker and already had their buckets ready.
‘We thought you were Mom,’ said Zoe. ‘She was going to take Liam trick or treating and she’s not come home.’
‘Do you know where she is?’
Zoe looked at her father. ‘We’re not sure. I’ve put on her costume and am taking Liam myself.’
‘Okay, kids, off you go,’ said Albert. ‘Start at the top of the drive and work downwards. Remember to ask politely and, if there’s a loud dog, keep your hands in your pockets.’
‘Sure, Dad.’ Albert took them to the door and let them out into the night.
He came back into the kitchen. His eyes were tired and he sat down at the counter, rubbing his face. ‘Viv isn’t home yet, which is strange. She never misses a Halloween. When the kids were younger, it was for the fun of it. Then more recently after all the deaths she’s had to deal with, she didn’t want Liam out by himself. I told her this is a safe area and the kids will stick to this road but still.’
‘Perhaps she’s caught in traffic. Have you tried her mobile?’
‘Every ten minutes or so. It’s switched off. Why are you here, Carla? I know things have been a little fraught recently with us and I’m sorry about that.’
Carla steadied her voice. What she needed, more than anything, was for him to believe what she was about to tell him. ‘I’m worried Viv might be in danger. I think it’s due to the killings that have taken place here.’
‘Oh God, Carla. Go home. I’m trying to track down my wife. I don’t have time for any madcap theories.’
The injustice of it made Carla smart, but she kept her cool. ‘I’m asking you to ring the station and say you need to get in touch with Viv urgently. Pretend one of the children is ill if you have to but get hold of her.’
Albert studied her face for a moment.
‘You’re serious, aren’t you?’
‘Very. I was attacked earlier tonight. Whatever the killer is planning, I think it’s going to be executed tonight.’
Albert paled and slid off the stool. ‘Give me a chance to call Charlie Baros. It means if I make a prize ass of myself, I’m doing it in front of a detective I know.’
He took himself out of the kitchen to make the call and Carla used the opportunity to check her phone. There was a message from Erin asking if she was OK. Fine. I think, she typed as a reply. I’m at the Kantzs’s. I’ll be in touch.
Albert returned looking unhappy. ‘Baros has been trying to get hold of Viv himself. Apparently, a group of kids has caused damage to a garden down by the river. Fallen statues, plants trampled on. Nothing spectacular but, as it’s the Mayor’s family, ruffled feathers need to be smoothed. A job for Viv, but no one can find her. Baros is coming over here. Says it’s the second time he’s seen you this evening.’
‘He might want to listen to me this time. Shall we wait for him to arrive?’
‘I’d rather you told me what this is all about now.’
‘OK.’ Carla pulled out her map. ‘Could you listen to me until the end? I need your brain on this too, Albert.’
‘Go on.’ Albert had his eyes on the map.
‘Here’s the daisy wheel that I’ve overlaid with the locations of the crime scenes of six women who died in the last few years. One of which was your colleague, Lauren Powers. I’m sorry, I know it’s painful, but there is a pattern. Look at the six points of the flower. One Stella King; two Madison Knowles; three Iris Chan; four Lauren Powers; five Jessica Sherwood; six Tiffany Stoker. All dead.’
Albert bent his head over the map and looked at each of the sites. ‘I can see that. What’s in the centre?’
Carla experienced a surge of triumph. He’d asked the important question straight away. ‘It’s Lawrence Hill cemetery and, I think, specifically the Miller graves.’
‘Jesus. What the hell is going on? What’s my wife’s family got to do with this?’
‘I don’t know. All I can assume is that the elaborate killings are a message to Viv. I did wonder if Viv was responsible for the pattern.’ Carla saw Albert’s face colour. ‘I know, I’m sorry, but Viv was furious at the thought of the daisy wheels and it might have been because I was getting closer to their meaning. But the killer of those girls is male and I don’t believe Viv is a killer.’ Carla paused. ‘Please at least reassure me on that point.’
Albert took a deep breath. ‘I promise you she had nothing to do with those women’s deaths. They’ve kept her awake at night with worry.’
‘Then we need to look for someone else. I know my idea sounds off the wall, but I don’t understand why it’s been dismissed out of hand. I can only suppose that, at some point when she discovered I was arguing that the daisy wheels were significant, she realised there might be a connection with her family.’
‘You think one of her relatives might be responsible for this?’
‘I’m not sure. I don’t understand why she’s tried to close me down. It doesn’t make sense after all the experts she brought in found nothing. It was she who invited me to Silent Brook on my first day.’
He stared at the map, trying to make sense of the pattern. ‘If the very first mark you make is at the place where you place the compass, then shouldn’t the first death have occurred at the centre?’
‘Possibly, but when you’ve drawn the daisy wheel, you lift off your compass and, if you’re correct, all the lines intersect. It’s the end as well as the beginning. That’s the whole point of the design; it never ends. The design is supposed to capture devilish forces and keep them suspended in perpetuity.’
Albert lifted his head, his expression anguished. ‘Do you think my children are in danger?’
‘I don’t know.’
They both jumped as the doorbell rang, which Albert hurried to answer. Baros came in alone, his face tense. ‘I’ve dropped Perez at the Mayor’s house. She’s taking statements. We’ve asked at the station and the lieutenant definitely left about forty-five minutes ago. She left no message where she was headed, but she was in a hurry. So, what’s going on?’ Baros shot a concerned glance at Albert. For the first time, Carla saw him off kilter.
‘Carla has a theory about the daisy wheel and I think you should listen to her.’
This time, Baros didn’t roll his eyes. ‘Go on.’
Carla explained her theory once more as Baros stood close to her. Another male smell, this time soap and water, not the aftershave she might have expected to go with his sharp clothes. When she’d finished speaking, he chewed his lip, thinking.
‘Can I report her as officially missing?’ asked Albert. ‘There’s no way her mobile should be off.’
Baros nodded. ‘Dial 911 and say it’s a priority. I’ll take the rap if it’s a fool’s errand.’ He turned to Carla. ‘You think she’ll be at Lawrence Hill?’
‘I think that’s where she’ll be killed. Locations have been important all the way with these killings, but I can’t guarantee she’s there right now.’
‘It’s the only place we have. I’ll go there now.’
‘I need to come with you,’ said Albert, grabbing his jacket.
‘Albert, please. Go and find your kids and wait with them away from here.’ Baros looked at Carla. ‘The prof can show me the graves.’
‘I—’ Albert looked between them.
‘I think Viv would want you to look after the kids,’ said Carla finally. ‘We’ll find her.’