1983

‘It’s not really mine.’

‘But you got the key?’

‘It’s for a friend.’

‘Who?’

‘That journalist, Eddie Dunford.’

Haunted:

1977 all over again -

This the time, the place -

The Redbeck:

There was a knock on the door, you jumped.

Bob went to the door: ‘Who is it?’

‘Jack Whitehead. Let me in, it’s pissing down out here.’

Bob opened the door and in Jack stepped.

‘Fuck,’ Jack said, looking at the walls, the words and the photographs.

‘I’m John Piggott,’ you said. ‘I’m Bob’s solicitor.’

But Jack was still looking at the walls, the photographs and the words -

Haunted:

The words -

Jack Whitehead, Bob Fraser and Eddie Dunford -

Haunted:

The photographs -

Clare Kemplay, Susan Ridyard, and Jeanette Garland -

Haunted:

The photograph in your pocket -

Hazel.

You’ve got a photograph and a key in your pocket -

This the place -

The Redbeck;

The time -

1983.

You pull in behind the Redbeck -

There is one other car parked in the depressed, coarse car park.

A man is sat alone in the car -

It is an old Viva.

He is watching the row of deserted rooms -

He has his headlights on.

They are shining on a door -

A door banging in the wind, in the rain.

You don’t stop. You put your foot down -

Ninety miles an hour.

Haunted, old ghosts and new -

Tapping against the pane;

You are lying on your back alone -

Branches tapping against the pane;

You are lying on your back alone, swollen and wrapped in bandages -

The branches tapping against the pane;

You are lying on your back alone, swollen and wrapped in bandages, your mouth open -

Listening to the branches tapping against the pane;

You are lying on your back alone, swollen and wrapped in bandages, your mouth open, contorted and screaming and howling, listening to the branches tapping against the pane -

Wishing she was here with you now:

Thursday 2 June 1983 -

D-7 .

Chapter 36

The Black Angel, the hair in his eyes and the blood on his teeth, he is standing by the window in the Church of the Abandoned Christ -

They come for BJ on Tuesday night.

They kick in door, splinters of wood and sevens flying.

They grab BJ.

They slap BJ.

They punch BJ.

They kick BJ.

They cuff BJ.

They gag BJ.

They put a bag on BJ’s head.

They drag BJ from room.

They throw BJ down stairs.

They kick BJ across Spencer Place.

They toss BJ in back of a van.

They slam doors.

They drive away with BJ.

They whisper.

They light cigarettes.

They burn BJ through shirt and trouser legs.

They laugh when BJ scream.

They laugh as BJ choke upon gag.

They slow down.

They stop.

They open doors of van.

They punch BJ.

They kick BJ.

They push BJ out of back of van.

They throw BJ through a wooden gate.

They pick BJ up off floor.

They drag BJ up some stairs.

They bounce BJ down some corridor walls.

They stand BJ in a room.

They whisper.