‘And later, when he explained how he’d found the Ashwells and how he found … other families, suddenly I knew how to make that payment. Ridding the world of those who prey on others.’
‘Caleb and Billy got what they deserved,’ replied Brook. ‘No argument.’
‘As did Sammy Elphick and Bobby Wallis. And of course Floyd Wrigley,’ she added with a tilt of the head.
‘Floyd Wrigley was a mistake. I’ve been trying to correct it ever since.’
‘Have you?’ Nicole shook her head. ‘Uncle Vic said you were a moral man. That’s why you were so right to be The Reaper. He never told me you were weak. In the early days, he’d tell me how he met you after Harlesden; how he knew you were the one, the one to take his work forward. He said you got so close that you were the only one who could’ve caught him; the only one capable of understanding what he was trying to do. He said you became friends.’ Brook looked away. ‘He was so happy to find Floyd Wrigley for you — to give you Laura Maples’s killer.
‘You were my hero, you know.’ She smiled. ‘I even think I had a crush on you. Then two years ago, after Uncle Vic left Jason Wallis for you to finish and you resisted, he wasn’t so sure. But he said we owed you another chance to come to your senses, to recognise the value of The Reaper’s work. It would’ve pained him to know that you failed him again.’
‘You really did expect me to kill Wallis.’
‘Why not? We killed Harvey-Ellis for you as a gift — to remind you. I trained for weeks to get in shape. It was quite difficult not to give it away, especially when I got back from sick leave. I had to play the delicate flower for a while.’
Brook smiled. ‘The way you sprinted up that hill on the walk followed by all that fake panting — that was a nice touch. So it was you who ran Harvey-Ellis down and drugged him.’ Grant nodded. ‘How did it feel pushing him into the water?’
No answer. ‘You wanted him dead, don’t bother to deny it,’ she said finally.
‘It doesn’t mean I would have killed him…’
‘Because you couldn’t, not after you’d assaulted him that time. We understood. So we did it for you. You owe us, Damen. And we made it easy for you. Was removing Jason Wallis so high a price to pay? You must know what a stain on the face of the earth he is.’
‘Maybe. But he’s not stupid. Wallis knew it was a trap.’
‘He didn’t know for sure, Damen. But you’re right. He would have suspected. So we were careful. We were confident he wouldn’t speak to the police, and if he didn’t turn up it wasn’t a problem. But he did turn up, Damen, because, thanks to John Ottoman, he thought he’d made a deal with The Reaper. I wish we’d known at the time. I’m willing to bet Jason would have held up his end and killed his friends if we’d just left him to it — maybe not the young boy or Mr and Mrs Dysfunctional, but the others, the ones who killed Annie Sewell. If we made it easy for him, he’d have done it. Just to get himself off the hook. He’s a very dangerous young man.’
‘Dangerous?’
‘You saw him in hospital. He didn’t give a shit that his friends were dead. And worse, thanks to you, he’s survived a visit from The Reaper twice. Now he thinks he’s untouchable.’
‘He’ll get what’s coming to him.’
‘Will he, Damen? I hope so, before others suffer. He’s got a taste for killing.’
‘And have you?’
Nicole’s face hardened. ‘Don’t try that Lesson One psychology on me. What I do is valuable work. I take no pleasure. It’s clinical, like removing a tumour.’ Nicole, tired of standing, went to sit on the bed. Brook stood to stretch his legs. Nicole’s gun was still raised.
‘You know how to use that?’
‘I wouldn’t want you to test me.’
‘The strong woman in a man’s world?’
‘I’ve had to be.’
‘I’m sure … but stop waving it around, please. You won’t kill me no matter how much I get in the way.’
She hesitated. ‘Why so confident?’
‘Because I’m just as exposed as you — Sorenson saw to that with Floyd. That’s why you could afford to hang around and film me in the hope I’d slit Jason’s throat.’
‘Which you nearly did, apparently.’
‘You weren’t there?’
‘I had to get back to the hotel.’
‘On the remaining bike,’ nodded Brook. ‘How’d Mike get away?’ Nicole stared hard at him. ‘You can tell me. Mike and I have an understanding.’
Nicole narrowed her eyes. ‘Do you?’
‘We’re the good guys, remember. We’ve served. So have you. That’s
Nicole nodded. ‘Our war, Damen. Don’t forget Floyd.’
Brook pulled out another cigarette. ‘I’ll try not to. So what now?’
She looked at her watch, then went to the doorway to look out. ‘We leave Derby tonight.’
‘And if I try to stop you?’
‘You won’t.’
‘A leap of faith?’
She smiled. It was a distant, hopeless smile. ‘Far from it. Like you say, you’re exposed. I think you just want us gone.’ She checked her watch.
‘Where are you going?’
Her lips tightened. ‘A place The Reaper is needed.’
‘And is this your life now, Nicole, planning the deaths of dysfunctional families?’
‘That word. Makes it sound like a bowel disorder. Everybody I held dear was killed by one of those families. Now Uncle Vic is dead. Even I’m dead. Nicole Bailey is dead. This work is all I have. But every day I question it, Damen, and every day I see my sister’s face and hear her screams. I don’t sleep at night, I have to walk. I have to keep moving like a shark. Maybe that’s why I have to hunt. But when I see the relief after The Reaper has paid a visit I know it’s all worthwhile. Those people on the Drayfin are just the first. Soon, on every estate, law-abiding residents will be thinking the same. In every school, teachers will…’
Brook laughed. ‘Spare me. I heard this speech when you were still a carefree schoolkid.’
‘Playing with my carefree sister Sally,’ she responded bitterly.
Brook lit his cigarette. ‘You can’t keep avenging her death.’
‘You think it’s personal. It’s not. After the first, it’s not personal. You forgot that with Floyd — he died so you could sleep without seeing Laura Maples’s rat-infested corpse. But after that your work is for others.’
‘Is that why you mocked up her little squat in the Wallis house, as a reminder?’
‘And why Victor chose to call me Laura. To remind you of what we do and why.’
‘Damn it, I haven’t forgotten, believe me, but it’s futile. Nothing changes. All the deaths are meaningless because there’s always someone else ready to step up. Don’t you see? The death of the Wallis family allowed the Ingham family to flourish. Now the Ingham family are gone another will take their place and so it goes…’
‘And somebody will come to remove them. It won’t be me but there are others. We’re not alone. The Reaper is not just an idea any more, Damen, it’s an organisation. There are so many police officers like me and you around the world, biding their time, waiting for the chance to make the world a better place.’ She smiled. ‘You’ll see that soon.’
Brook shook his head. ‘It’s madness. It’ll destroy you like it destroyed Sorenson.’
‘That’s okay. Uncle Vic was a soldier. He gave his life right up to the end. What are you doing?’
Brook took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. He looked up and fixed her in his sights. ‘Then where’s the beauty?’
‘What?’
‘You’re the one who’s forgotten. I knew Sorenson better than you. It’s not just about wiping the scum off the earth. The professor had class. He gave them something before they died. He showed them beauty so they’d know what to look for if they ever found themselves in a better place. He made them see. What do you do? Destroy. What’s the point? That’s what your victims do, without thought for others, without the sensibility to know what
