“Great.”
“Oh, one other thing. There was a camera over the front door to Cole’s recording people in the communal hallway.”
“Who put it there?”
“Huh? Cole, I guess. The guys said it looked like it was there a while. SO15 took it away.”
“Christ.” Kapoor leapt to her feet and knocked over her chair. “I gotta warn her.”
“Who?”
Kapoor cut him off without replying and dialled Alice’s number as she ran. She stumbled and dropped the phone. When she picked it up, she saw Flanagan had replied to her by text. Yes. That’s the guy who viewed the house.
120
Ian heard several muffled noises below and wished Alice would be quieter. When he heard a strange voice, he got to his feet and listened at the door. Clumsy footsteps sounded in the hall. A man spoke in a low voice. Something thumped to the ground. An awful chill of fear cut through him and agitated the base of every hair on his neck. He couldn't move. Both his body and his mind froze. Downstairs, he heard a male voice call Alice by name, followed by the noise of sticky tape being pulled from a roll.
Ian had only one explanation. Lewis Cole had returned. And worse, Cole had Alice. His legs shook so much, Ian had to prop himself against the door. He reached into his pocket, but it was empty. The same with the other one. Where was his mobile phone? He glanced at the desk, more in hope than anything else. Then he remembered. His phone was in the kitchen. On the counter. He had to get to it.
Footsteps came from the stairs. Supposing Cole came into the office? The computer screen was on and Ian powered it off. Trembling, he hid behind the door and fought for control of his breathing. He counted. One, two, three, in. One, two, three, out. His heart rate soared into three figures and he squeezed his fists so tight his nails bit into the skin. He concentrated on the pain as much as he could. But he felt lightheaded, and another pain rose in his chest. For a moment, he thought it was the onset of a major cardiac event, and he broke into a profuse sweat. He took a deep breath, then another, and the feeling eased.
The footsteps stopped outside the door. Ian watched as the handle moved down. The door swung open. He pressed against the wall. He sensed a figure on the other side look in. Whoever it was would see the screen off and the chair empty. Ian held his breath. He heard Alice whimper and Cole laugh.
Through the crack in the door jamb, he saw Cole manhandling Alice on the landing. Cole had a knife to her neck, and he saw Cole had bound and gagged her. Ian tried to keep still, but the violent trembling in his legs continued. He clenched his buttocks tight and held his breath. Seconds seemed like minutes. Then Cole pushed Alice into the bedroom and the door closed behind them.
Ian forced himself to shake the paralysing fear. Sweat dribbled into his eyes and he rubbed them clear. He had a choice. Play the hero and burst into the room where he would likely fall prey to Cole's knife or make it downstairs and call the police.
He took several deep breaths. Speed and silence were essential. He moved away from the door and slipped off his shoes. With slow, deliberate movement, he made his way onto the landing. It pained him to hear Cole’s voice taunting Alice. But the inner voice taunting him pained him even more. The accusation followed him as he moved towards the stairs. Cowardice in the face of the enemy. Cole’s voice continued in a cruel confident manner while Ian descended the stairs and denied his shame.
He reached the kitchen and saw his phone on the island. With shaking hands, he grabbed the phone and hurried to the utility room. He shut the door behind him and called the detective.
“DS Kapoor.”
“Hello detective. This is Ian Morgan…”
“Can you speak up please? I can’t hear you.”
He raised his voice as much as he dared. “Ian Morgan. The rape case against Lewis Cole. He’s got Alice now.”
“Say again?”
“Cole. He’s in our bedroom. He’s got a knife. Alice… Alice is… Please help.”
“All right, Ian. Calm down. Are you telling me that Lewis Cole is in your house?”
“Yes. Yes.”
“Are you in the house now?”
“Yes. I’m hiding in the utility room. He doesn't know I’m here.”
“Right then. We’re on our way. We’ll be coming in heavy so get out now. Don't let him hear you leave. Go out the back if you must. Do not attempt to tackle him. He’s extremely dangerous. Get out now. Go.”
The call ended and Ian looked at the phone. Her words echoed in his head. Get out now. He opened the door into the kitchen and listened. Nothing. He glanced to the garden door. It would be best to heed the detective’s advice and slip out the back. He put his hand on the key and then remembered the stiff lock and the warped door. It made a terrible grating noise when opened. So loud Cole would hear it. Ian imagined Cole rushing down the stairs, brandishing a long sharp knife and gutting Ian like a fish. He rubbed his belly at the thought. The back garden wasn’t an escape option.
Ian crept into the hall. The door to the lounge was open, and he glanced inside. The chained woman in the photograph regarded him with an accusatory stare. Ian stopped. Nobody expected him to be the hero. He wasn’t a latter day Perseus. And the police had warned him to leave. They’d be here any minute. The
