He pressed the button lock on the boot and it popped open.
‘Get in.’
‘Please. I’ll do anything. Don’t put me in there.’ Her eyes pleaded with him. She looked so innocent … but no.
‘Get. In. NOW.’ He shoved her this time. He picked up the gaffer tape and wrapped her legs tightly. Biting off a smaller piece, he covered her mouth.
The look of terror in her eyes surprised him for the briefest of moments.
‘It won’t be for long, I promise. Soon we’ll be just where we need to be. Is that OK? Do you mind if I call you Kate?’
Chapter 4
Nathan had headed straight to DI Rutherford’s office when they got back. He would be updating her on the new case. Meanwhile, Maggie filled PC Bethany Lambert in on what they had found and asked her to contact Markston Police Station to see if she could find out more about Kate’s stalking complaint. Bethany’s small frame was swamped by the large chair she sat in. Often it was only the clacking of her keyboard that alerted Maggie that she was in the office.
‘Can you also see if we can get a hold of that evidence to compare it to anything we find from the crime scene today?’ Although the cases may not be related, Maggie had a bad feeling and following her instinct, along with over ten years’ experience as a detective investigating cases, often proved right.
‘Do you think there’s some connection?’ Bethany turned around.
‘I’m not sure. But we’re not ruling anything out at this stage. Did Kate happen to call here while we were out?’
‘Sorry, no messages at all.’
‘OK. Thanks. Let me know what you find out from Markston.’
‘Will do. Do you know if we’re going to get any help with this case? We’re a bit thin on the ground now that Nathan is Acting DS.’
‘I haven’t heard anything yet. I’ll ask him when he’s done with DI Rutherford. But given it’s one victim, I suspect the higher-ups aren’t going to give us any specialist help. We’ll probably be linked up with the field team again. Soon they’ll be honorary detectives in the MOCD.’ Maggie smiled.
She headed to her desk, threw her coat over her chair, and sat. Booting up her computer, she dug her mobile out of her pocket and looked at the screen. No missed calls.
Kate Moloney, where the hell are you?
Although the victim wasn’t Kate, Maggie was still worried about her friend. She looked at her watch; only a few more hours before she could head home. She’d stop by Kate’s on the way back.
‘Right, guys. We don’t have a name for our Jane Doe as of yet, but let’s not let that stop us from setting up the incident room and start putting together what we do know.’
Nathan really was taking his new role seriously as Acting DS. He had accepted the position during their last case and if Maggie was honest, it suited him. She stood and followed Bethany and Nathan to the room that would be used for the main investigation.
‘I know we’re short of hands on the ground, so I’ve asked DI Rutherford, but with the scope of the investigation at the moment, we’ll just have to make do for the time being.’
Bethany tutted.
‘I tried.’ Nathan shrugged. He went to the front and cleared the whiteboard. ‘What do we know?’
‘Unidentified female. She looked between twenty-five and thirty-five years old. Caucasian. Goth appearance. No ID or valuables located nearby and she was face down when she was found in Granger Park, in the village of Hartley.’ Maggie processed the information, making sure she hadn’t missed anything. ‘Victim was found in the early hours by two teenaged males out delivering the local newspaper. They didn’t see or hear anything on their walk to the park. They’ll be coming in at some point to complete a formal statement.’ Nathan paused.
‘Maggie mentioned a possible link to Dr Moloney. Do you think we should be including that? From what she’s just said, the victim does sound an awful lot like Kate.’ Bethany stared at the board and looked like she was about to add something, before Nathan jumped in.
‘Have we had any contact from Kate yet?’ Nathan looked at Maggie.
She shook her head.
‘For now. I’ll make a note of it, but I don’t want us to start going down one avenue and get lost in a bunch of what-ifs. Agreed?’ Nathan’s brows furrowed, and Maggie knew there was no point in arguing. Truth was, without any tangible evidence, they had nothing to go on, other than the victim and Kate sharing a likeness.
Maggie looked around and realized DI Rutherford had not joined them. ‘Where’s the guv?’
‘She had a meeting so asked me to lead the briefing. I’ll be updating her later. Anything else to add at this point?’
‘I can’t think of anything else. We’ll need forensics and the details from the door-to-door enquiries in Hartley before we’ll be able to add anything else.’ Maggie looked through her notes. Nothing else stood out.
‘Well, it’s a start. Bethany, can you liaise with the Misper Unit and see if anyone matching our vic’s description has been reported missing recently? Also, collate the information from the door-to-door enquiries as they come in. Maggie, I’d like you to contact Dr Blake and see if she can tell us anything at this stage. I’ve got to put something together for the press but can be disturbed if need be.’
The team dispersed, heading back to their desks to start their designated tasks. Something was niggling at Maggie’s mind; she just couldn’t figure out what it was … yet.
Chapter 5
Maggie picked up the handset and held it between her ear and shoulder as she dialled the number for Dr Blake. It took nearly ten minutes before she was finally put through to the pathologist.
‘Wow. That took ages, Fiona. How are you?’
‘Yes. Sorry about that. We have a lot of agency staff here at the moment. Half these people don’t know their heads from their arseholes. I’d be better off answering the phone myself! But I’m guessing you didn’t call to hear me rant. What can I do for you?’
‘I know it’s a long shot, but do you have anything for us on the victim?’ Maggie held the phone slightly away from her ear in case Dr Blake decided to let off more steam. She didn’t think her ear could take anymore.
‘I know I’m fast, but not that fast. I don’t really have much to tell you as this one isn’t as straightforward as a stabbing or strangulation. Other than two black eyes, and bruising where she was bound, I haven’t been able to distinguish the cause of death just yet. There are no lacerations or visible wounds. I’ve ordered some further tests and a scan to see if it was an overdose or something not visible to the human eye. Of course, it may be more obvious once I get a chance to do the full post-mortem, but as she has only recently arrived, I haven’t had time to prep for that yet. I can tell you that she was bathed before being disposed of – probably to get rid of any trace evidence. I can’t really offer you anything further at this time.’
‘Thanks. I knew I was grasping at straws, but just thought we might get something to kickstart the investigation.’
‘I’ll be sure to forward all my findings as soon as I have them. Speak later.’
Nathan popped his head out of his office and signalled for Maggie to come over. ‘Have you heard anything from forensics yet?’
‘I just got off the phone with Dr Blake. She doesn’t have anything substantial at the moment, but did say that there were no discernible trauma wounds on the body. She’s running further tests and will be starting the post-mortem soon. Do you think the victim could have died of a pre-existing condition before our killer had a chance to do anything?’ This had been niggling Maggie earlier; the injuries at the outset hadn’t looked like they would necessarily kill a person. No visible head wounds. No knife or gunshot wounds. Just a lot of bruising and some abrasions.
‘Interesting point. Maybe that’s why she ended up in the park – because our killer hadn’t been expecting her to die so soon.’
‘Maggie! Nathan! Can you come here for a minute?’ Bethany was holding her hand over the telephone handset.
‘I’m just on the phone with Missing Persons and they advised that a twenty-eight-year-old female—’
Bethany looked down on to her desk where her notepad sat open, ‘name of … Tracy Holloway was reported missing five weeks ago by her parents. She was on her way to their house but never showed up and she would usually call if her plans had changed.’ Bethany returned to her call with the Misper Unit.
‘OK so we may have ID’d our vic. Let’s wait until Bethany is off the phone and has a picture and address details.’
Maggie’s mobile phone rang before Nathan had the opportunity to finish his sentence. She held a hand up to stop him from continuing before answering.
‘DC Jamieson speaking.’ Maggie’s shoulders sagged with relief. ‘Kate. Holy shit, where have you been?’
Chapter 6
‘What in the world is all the fuss about, Maggie? I’ve had everyone under the sun ringing me and leaving messages to say that it was urgent I return your call.’
‘Where are you now? And why the hell weren’t you answering your phone?’ Maggie knew she sounded stern, but the sense of relief flooding over her made her feel frustrated at the fact that Kate had taken so long to return her calls. Although Maggie didn’t know much about Kate’s life previous to working with her in the DAHU, she felt a strong bond with her which at times she couldn’t explain and this, along with her attraction towards the criminal psychologist, made her overprotective.
‘I forgot my mobile and left it at home by accident. You know what I’m like with this thing. So, are you going to tell me what the panic is about?’ Kate sounded exasperated.
‘I will. I think it’s better I tell you in person though, as there are a few things I’d like to talk to you about. Are you in for the rest of the night?’ Maggie hoped Kate would be free.
‘I am. What time should I expect you?’
‘I’m just going to have a word with Nathan and then I’ll shoot over to yours. And Kate …’
‘Yes?’
‘Do me a favour and make sure you have your phone with you at all times from now on. I know you aren’t taking the stalking situation seriously, but I think you should still be cautious. You nearly gave me a heart attack.’
Kate laughed. ‘OK. I’ll do my best. Anyway, there haven’t been any more letters or gifts delivered; perhaps I was just being paranoid. Looking forward to hearing what all your drama is about.’
Maggie rolled her eyes, knowing that Kate would probably carry on as normal, so it would be up to her to keep an eye on her friend. They said their goodbyes, and Maggie knocked on Nathan’s door.
‘I take it that was Kate on the phone then?’ Nathan looked up from the computer monitor.
‘Yes. I can’t even begin to explain how relieved I am. I told her I would stop by hers shortly. Are you OK with me discussing details of the case with her at this stage?’ Maggie leaned into the doorway.
‘Why wouldn’t I be? She may be consulting on the case at some point.’
‘I only ask because of the victim’s similarity to Kate. If she does turn out to be the target, or if this is somehow related to her, wouldn’t it be a conflict of interest?’
‘Yes, but for now, other than the physical appearance, there’s nothing to suggest there is a link, so Maggie, try and get as much out of Kate as you can in case it does turn out to be connected. The more background we can get now, the better.’
‘Sure thing. I’ll see you tomorrow.’ She closed his door behind her as she left.
Maggie collected her coat and bag and, leaving the office, she headed to Stafford train station. The fresh air felt good in her lungs. Walking through the park, Maggie realized she would have to be careful with what she told Kate, as she didn’t want to make her unnecessarily afraid or compromise the current case in any way. If she could collate some features on the various stalker types and look further at common patterns of escalation, she might be able to gather enough information to draw up a list of people they already know who fit the profile. Maggie also thought it would be a good idea to speak to Probation to see if they had anyone on their books they were concerned about. The more details they had, the better.
While she was at Kate’s, she would also check Kate’s security. If Kate’s stalker had now turned killer, they wouldn’t give him the opportunity to make a move.
Chapter 7
He hummed quietly to himself as he brushed her long, black hair.
The song in the background was perfect. One of his favourites. ‘Living Doll’.
‘Just like you, sweetheart.’ He smiled.
Glassy blue eyes stared at him – loving eyes. She wants to be here, he’s sure of it.
He took her hand in his. Still warm. Turning it over, so it was palm-side up, he placed two fingertips gently in the groove on her forearm, down from the fold of the wrist, and then he felt it.
A faint pulse.
He bent over and kissed her gently on her forehead. Brushing her hair behind her ear, he whispered, ‘Can you hear me now, princess?’
No response.
‘Don’t be shy.’ He held back his frustration. ‘Squeeze my hand if you can hear me …’
Was that a twitch he felt?
The excitement mounted, and he hoped he hadn’t imagined it.
Her head lolled forward and he had to help her straighten up. He placed the brush on the side table and lifted up a picture. He held the snapshot beside the woman in front of him and looked over her shoulder into the mirror.
‘The likeness is uncanny, don’t you think?’ He waited for her response.
Then he saw it. Her eyelid. A slight twitch. And he smiled.
She would have to do for now. Practice makes perfect.
His first attempt had been a complete failure. She’d died immediately once the procedure had been performed, and so he’d had to start again. He wished he could have been there when they found her body.
He would have loved to have seen the look on the police’s faces when they realized.
He turned his attention back to the woman before him. ‘Now, Kate, hair up or down?’
Chapter 8
Dr Kate Moloney felt unnerved when she got off the phone with Maggie.
Something in the way Maggie spoke didn’t feel right and she had counted down the hours waiting for her to arrive. She checked her locks and looked out of the window so many times her neighbours probably thought she was up to something. But she couldn’t help herself.
Although they seemed to have stopped now, Kate wondered if the creepy notes on black paper and the unwanted gifts of dead flowers, pig-skinned rings and vials of liquid that looked like blood had been a message or just a harmless prank. She had no doubt Maggie would be giving her a good bollocking for leaving her phone at home and, given her situation, she should know better. It reminded her of some unpleasantness she’d had in London. Although nothing had come of the harassing calls, they had really affected her emotional wellbeing. She had worked hard to forget that time in her life and she wasn’t going back there again.
The truth was, mobile phones and social media were two things that Kate tried to avoid. She’d never liked the idea that she could be reached or should be available at any time day or night, and she absolutely despised the negative vibe she felt from social media most of the time. Kate only had a small circle of friends and she wasn’t interested in knowing about other people’s day-to-day goings on, just as much as she was sure they weren’t interested in hers.
She felt restless. Looking at the clock again, she knew she still had to wait a little longer before Maggie arrived. She plonked down on her couch, picked up the remote, and flicked through the channels until she reached the news.
More politics. Something else Kate couldn’t be bothered with. Just as she was about to turn off the television a reporter mentioned the next village over, Hartley. Kate turned up the volume.
‘Early this morning two teenagers discovered the body of an unidentified female. Police have not released many details at this time, but the woman is young, described as goth-like in appearance and was found face down in Granger Park, Hartley. Police have confirmed that they suspect foul play and have launched a murder inquiry. We’ll bring you news on this story as soon as more details come to light …’
Kate switched off the television and threw the remote as if it was on fire. A shiver ran down her spine.
Was this why Maggie was coming over? Is that what the panic was about? Had Maggie thought the victim had been her? It sounded ridiculous, even with what had been happening with the strange gifts she had been receiving and she dismissed it immediately.
But Kate’s fear soon turned to fury. She was angry that Maggie hadn’t given her more details over the phone. Although Maggie was a work colleague, Kate had felt a friendship was growing. Wasn’t that what friends did? Keep each other in the loop? Tell them if they should be worried? Kate could feel her insecurities return as she went around and checked the locks again.
She quietly opened the door to her bedroom. She double checked that Salem, her cat, was in, as he’d have to use his litter box tonight. Kate wasn’t going to risk leaving the window open for him.
What am I doing? This probably has nothing to do with me. She clenched her hands as she realized she was letting her paranoia take over. The last contact she’d had from her stalker had been an email to her work account. He knew she had been to the police about the items and wasn’t happy. Was he punishing others until he could get to her? No, that couldn’t be it. There was nothing to say the murder was even connected to her and now she was drawing ridiculous conclusions. She needed a distraction and headed to the kitchen to make sure Salem’s litter box was clean.
So focused was she on her task that she jumped when she heard the thumps on her door. She walked down the hall and peered through the peephole. Maggie. Kate unbolted the door, removed the chains and before her friend could say anything, Kate spoke what was on her mind.
‘Why didn’t you tell me that a female was murdered today – who just so happens to look a lot like me? What are you playing at, Maggie?’ She stood firm in the doorway.
Maggie didn’t respond. Instead she pulled Kate into a tight hug, and Kate immediately started to laugh before gently pushing Maggie away.
‘Christ, we’re a dramatic pair, aren’t we? Come in, sit down, and tell me what the hell’s been going on.’
Chapter 9
Maggie couldn’t help herself. The minute she saw Kate a wave of relief washed over her. Generally not one for displaying her emotions, she gave in and pulled her friend close for a hug.
‘I’ll make us a coffee then, shall I?’ Kate stepped aside and let Maggie into her flat.
Maggie nodded and then felt a little foolish for being so emotional. Her affection for Kate was growing but she couldn’t let her personal feelings overshadow a case.
After Kate had unleashed her anger, Maggie could finally breathe knowing that at least she was safe. Maggie wanted to keep a clear head so had refused the first beverage offer of a glass of wine – though if she was honest, that was what she really wanted. Something to take the edge off. Maybe later.
Kate returned from the kitchen and handed Maggie a large mug. ‘Right then. I want you to tell me everything and please,’ Kate gave her a stern look, ‘don’t leave anything out to spare my feelings.’
‘What do you know so far?’ Maggie didn’t want to frighten Kate into believing that she was a target – even if that was what Maggie was beginning to believe.
‘I only saw what was on the news. What freaked me out was the description of the victim and then your panic calls to me today. I was beginning to believe something more sinister was happening. Am I wrong, Maggie?’
‘I don’t know. And that’s my honest answer. We think we have ID’d the victim through the Misper database, but we’re waiting to speak to the family first. When I heard the initial description of the victim, I did think it was you – Nathan did too. The outfit the woman was dressed in could have been straight out of your wardrobe. When I couldn’t get a hold of you and no one seemed to know where you were, my fear was ramped up tenfold. Although the team are not treating your stalking complaint as directly linked to this murder, they haven’t dismissed it either.’
The colour from Kate’s usually pale face drained even further. ‘That’s a lot to take in. Do you know anything else about the victim?’
‘Not as yet. Between us, Dr Blake has asked for further tests to establish the cause of death as there were no wounds on the body other than two black eyes, which were sewn shut … as was the mouth. She hadn’t started the post-mortem so something may come out of that. I’m hoping we’ll know more in the morning.’
‘In your honest opinion, forget all the police talk … I’m asking as a friend. Should I be worried?’ Kate rubbed her arms.
‘Well, first of all, I think you should keep your bloody mobile phone with you at all times. Tape it to your hand if you have to but don’t go anywhere without it. Can you promise me that?’
Kate nodded. ‘It’s not intentional. I just never really got into the idea that I could be contacted at all times. I guess I’m a bit old-fashioned that way.’ She pointed to the landline. ‘That’s my idea of a phone.’
‘I totally understand but given we know someone has been sending you letters and strange gifts – threats even – for your own safety you should have your phone on you. What if you need to call the police? You can’t just run to a phone box these days, Kate.’
‘OK. Point taken. Can we move on now?’ Kate’s brow furrowed. Maggie hoped she hadn’t overstepped the mark, but Kate had wanted an honest answer; she couldn’t be angry when that was what she got.
‘Sorry. I know we haven’t known each other for long, but I still consider you my friend. I just panicked when I couldn’t reach you. I’ve said my piece. Have you had anymore letters or contact from whomever is targeting you?’
‘The last contact that was made was the email to my work account. Whoever sent it was clever as no trace on the IP address could be found. Markston police aren’t really taking it seriously and, as things have calmed down, perhaps they were right. I still can’t figure out how they got those details though. Do you think it’s someone I know?’
‘That’s always a possibility. But it could be that someone gave out your details accidentally without realizing the implications of doing this. Or this person has their own ways and means of getting the information they need. Individuals of this predisposition can be very resourceful, in my experience.’
‘I guess that’s true.’ Kate shuddered.
‘What kind of security do you have on this place?’ Maggie stood and walked to the large windows. She tugged then smiled to herself when the window wouldn’t budge. At least she’s keeping herself safe when she’s home.
‘Window locks. I have the strong lock on the door and I recently put a chain lock on it. That’s basically it. I’ve been thinking I should get some sort of camera installed as the security in this building is shit. I mean, people let strangers in all the time.’ Kate rolled her eyes. ‘One of the main reasons I chose this building was because I thought it appeared pretty secure …’
‘I think cameras are a good idea. Do you need some contacts for that? I’m sure I could find a reliable place to get that sorted for you.’
‘Thanks, Maggie. I have some details as I began looking into it when everything started happening, but if those don’t pan out I’ll come back to you.’
