Phil walked outside into the car park. He sat on a wall. Sighed.
He didn’t remember getting his phone out, but there it was, sitting in his hand. Then he found himself dialling the number. And waiting.
And waiting.
Answerphone.
He sighed. ‘Hi, Marina, it’s me. Listen, I know where you are. Bury St Edmunds. It wasn’t hard to work out, I am a detective. And I should have known. Somewhere special. Special for us.’
Another sigh. He kept going.
‘I don’t know what else to say. I’m here. For you. Whatever. I… Whatever. Just… just call me.’
He hung up. Sat back. Looked at the sky. That beautiful, robin’s egg blue again.
Thought of what to do next. How to move the case along.
He stood up, making his way back inside. Stopped. His phone was ringing. He checked the display.
Marina.
He answered.
‘Hey,’ she said.
73
‘Is this the one? Are you sure of that?’
Rose Martin sighed. ‘Yes, Ben. Stop being such an…’
He summoned a smiled. ‘Old woman?’
‘I was going to say arse, but that’ll do.’
They were standing before Mark Turner’s house on Greenstead Road, Rose knocking once more. They waited.
‘I don’t think he’s in,’ said Fenwick, clearly uncomfortable with what was happening and wanting to walk away.
‘I hope not,’ she said. ‘In fact, I’m counting on it.’
Fenwick’s heart skipped at the words. ‘What d’you mean?’
Rose smiled. ‘I’ve spoken to Mark Turner before. A couple of times. If I speak to him again he’s going to get lawyered up. He threatened to do it last time and then we’ll get nowhere. So we need leverage.’
She dug into her jacket pocket, brought out a memory stick. ‘Let’s make sure he’s got the same photos on his computer. ’ She then brought out a lock pick. Held it up to show to him. Smiled.
Fenwick physically recoiled, frantically looked round to see if anyone was watching. ‘Oh no… oh no…’
‘Oh yes.’
‘But this is… this is wrong. If we do this then any evidence we find, any confession we make on the basis of that evidence, is inadmissible in court. It’s tainted. We have to follow compliance…’
She turned to him, no longer smiling. ‘D’you want this collar, Ben? Really want this collar?’
‘Yes…’
‘Or do you want Phil Brennan to get all the glory? Again?’
Fenwick shook his head. ‘No… no…’
‘You sure? Maybe I chose the wrong man.’
‘No, no you didn’t. You didn’t…’ Fenwick swallowed hard, eyes never leaving the lock pick. ‘No, I want it… I want…’
She smiled, nodded. Clearly in control. She knew what he wanted.
‘Good,’ she said, and began to pick the lock.
It didn’t take long. She pushed. The door opened.
Fenwick was still nervously looking round.
Rose smiled at him. Reassuringly this time. ‘If anyone asks, we heard a cry and had to break in. Got that?’
He nodded.
‘Sure?’
‘I’m…’ He took a deep breath, swallowed hard. ‘We heard a cry. Right. I’m sure.’
‘Good. Then let’s go in.’
Rose stepped inside first. The house was as dark as she remembered it, the curtains still drawn, the light hardly penetrating. Fenwick followed, closing the door quietly behind them. He looked round. Stepped into the centre of the room, head going from side to side. ‘Should I-’
He didn’t get to finish his sentence. A dark shape emerged from behind the sofa and, before Fenwick could react, was on him.
Rose turned. Gasped. The figure was all in black, looking like a moving, angry shadow in the darkness. She watched as the figure pulled back its arm and thrust towards Fenwick’s stomach. Fenwick crumpled. And again.
‘Oh God, oh God, I’m bleeding, oh God…’ Fenwick staggered, holding his stomach.
‘Ben…’ Rose cried out, moved towards him, but the figure turned. She stopped moving, frozen, saw the blade in its hand. She looked at Fenwick who was swaying, now falling to his knees. Heart hammering, she turned and ran for the door.
The figure was on her. Arms holding her tight, pressing round her like the grip of a huge anaconda.
She tried to get her hand inside her pocket, reach for her pepper spray. Her fingers touched but didn’t connect. The figure saw what she was doing, loosened his grip with one arm, knocked her hand away, leaving it stinging from the blow.
Taking advantage of the loosened grip, Rose twisted her body round, trying to pull away.
That was when she saw his face.
‘Oh God… oh God…’
His mouth opened. Some kind of awful sound emerged.
‘Hahhneee… Hahhneee…’
He seemed to be saying the same word over and over. She didn’t know what it meant, didn’t want to think about it. Just wanted to escape.
‘Hahhneee… Hahhneee…’
But it was too late for that. She saw him bring his arm up.
But didn’t feel it come down.
74
‘Hi,’ she said.
‘Hi yourself,’ said Phil. He knew he was grinning like an idiot. Didn’t even try to stop it. ‘How are you?’
‘Been better.’
Silence.
‘Bury St Edmunds,’ he said. ‘Should have guessed.’
‘You did.’
‘Right.’ He looked round the carp park. Saw Fiona Welch walking out of the building. She glared at him. He looked away.
‘I’m… sorry.’
He nodded. Then, realising she couldn’t see it, said, ‘That’s OK. How’s Josephina?’
