The Creeper

Make her answer to it.

He didn’t like that man being around, though. Felt a shaft of something hard and icy hot lance through him when he thought of that man with her, touching her, talking to her… He wished he were nearer to her than across the road. In the house with her where he should be. Living together as lovers.

Soon, though. Once he’d worked out how to go about it. Soon.

He closed his eyes. He could feel her, trying to get through, trying to talk to her.

And there she was.

‘Hello, Rani.’

Hello, my love.

‘I… I’m watching you. Can you see me?’

Yes, I can see you. I always know when you’re there.

He grinned, let out a little giggle. ‘Good.’

Listen, she said, d’you want to come and meet me?

He was too shocked to talk for a few seconds. That wasn’t what he had been expecting to hear her say. ‘Wha-… when? Where?’

She gave him directions.

As for when… Why not right now?

‘Really? You mean that? I don’t need to watch the house any more, I can come and meet you?’

I’d love you to.

He heard the yearning in her voice. No mistaking it. Yearning for him. He giggled again.

But there is one thing. I have to tell you this and you’ve got to know. It’s very important.

‘What, Rani? Anything. You can tell me anything…’

Well, there’s this man. He’s been bothering me. Wanting me to… well, I couldn’t say. But I’m sure you can guess.

And there it was, that hard, icily hot shaft spearing him once more. Making him angry. ‘Is it the one from the car last night?’

She was silent for a few seconds. Yes. That would be him. I want you to deal with him for me. Get rid of him. Would you do that?

‘Of course I would. You know that. I’d do anything for you. Anything.’

She laughed. I know. He’ll be with me. Get rid of him and then…

He waited. ‘Yes?’

You can have me. I’m all yours.

‘I can’t wait.’

Me neither. Isn’t this great? We can be together again…

72

‘You got a minute?’ Milhouse grabbed Phil as soon as he entered the bar. He was trying to be secretive about it, but since he was standing by the door looking shifty and suspicious, he couldn’t have been more obvious if he’d been wearing a trench coat and a trilby with the word ‘spy’ written across the hatband.

Seeing Milhouse, he realised that he hadn’t thought about Marina for hours. With the case moving the way it was, and at the speed it was, that was understandable but he still felt guilty over it.

Milhouse led him over to his desk. ‘Those cards,’ he said quietly, ‘the ones you asked me to trace…’ His voice dropped to a stage whisper. He sat down at his computer.

Phil stood over him, waiting. Anxious once again. ‘Yeah?’

Milhouse waved his hands over the keys. ‘Bury St Edmunds,’ he said. ‘Hotel, restaurant, supermarket.’ He looked up, compassion in his eyes. ‘That’s where she is.’

Phil managed a smile. ‘Thanks, Milhouse, I owe you one.’

‘My pleasure.’

‘Could I ask you another favour, though?’ Phil gave a quick look round to make sure no one was in earshot. ‘Could you keep this quiet?’

Milhouse gave what he supposed was an enigmatic smile. ‘I am a keeper of many secrets.’

‘I’ll bet you are,’ said Phil, and crossed the room.

Bury St Edmunds. That made sense. So obvious when he thought about it. Where he should have looked first. It was almost like she wanted him to come, to find her. Suddenly his mobile felt hot in his pocket.

He took it out, ready to call, when he saw Fiona Welch enter. He quickly put it back, crossed to her.

‘Fiona,’ he said.

She stopped walking, looked at him. Her lips had been moving, deep in conversation with herself. She looked up, surprised to see him, startled, as if she had just woken from a dream.

‘Yes?’

‘The geographical profile,’ he said.

‘Yes.’ Her eyes flickered like she was running through her mental Rolodex, working her way round to what he was talking about. ‘Right. Been working on it all morning. Nearly done.’

‘Don’t worry about it.’

Fire flashed in her eyes. ‘What? What d’you mean?’

‘We have a suspect under surveillance that we favour very strongly.’ He smiled, trying to play the diplomat. ‘So we won’t be needing it after all. But thanks.’

Her eyes began moving quickly from side to side, like she was scanning something, reading it quickly. ‘What? Who? Who is he?’

‘An ex-squaddie. Burns victim, apparently. Was being treated by both Suzanne Perry and Julie Miller.’

Her features became unreadable. ‘How did you… how did you find him?’

Phil shrugged. ‘Police work. It’s what we do. So, anyway. Send in your invoice and we’ll get it sorted.’

She stepped closer to him, got right in his face. ‘No.’

Phil stepped back, looked at her, frowned. ‘I’m sorry?’

‘I said no. I’m not going. I won’t go.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because you need me. I’m an integral part of this investigation and you need me. So no. I won’t be got rid off so easily.’

Phil felt anger rise inside him. He had never liked Fiona Welch, never rated her, never even wanted her on the team in the first place. And he was tired of being polite to her.

‘Listen,’ he said, letting his voice be as angry as he could considering where he was, ‘your contribution so far has been to give us a profile that was so inaccurate, so inept, that an innocent man is now on life support because of it.’

‘Innocent?’

‘Well, it’s looking that way, isn’t it?’

‘That’s not my fault.’ Her voice was low, hissing. ‘I provided you with the best profile I could on the information provided. Anyone else would have done the same.’

‘No they wouldn’t. Not anyone. Certainly not anyone competent.’

Her eyes were dancing with anger. It seemed it was all she could do not to physically assault him. ‘Don’t you dare. Don’t you dare say that about me…’

Phil was matching her. ‘Good job we didn’t get your geographic profile. Might have sent us looking for someone in Cardiff.’

She stared at him. ‘How dare you.’ Her voice low, ominous. ‘You. A copper. An uneducated copper talking to me like that. How dare you.’ She spat the word ‘uneducated’ at him.

Phil stared at her, struggling to control his temper. ‘Send us an invoice,’ he said and walked away.