They introduced themselves to Harry as Constables Wainwright and Biggs, relaxing their postures a little but remaining all business.
Still ignoring me, Biggs turned away, using his radio to speak with dispatch and report their call out as a fake. Actually, he used the word hoax and twitched his eyes to meet mine when he said it. It felt like he was choosing to goad me, and I gave him no reaction at all.
The other cops, those who arrived in the second and third cars, were on the pavement outside the property and making no attempt to come closer. Wainwright had already informed them the call was a waste of time. They seemed content to chat about their day and take five minutes to relax before dispatch found them something else to do.
In contrast, though the call out required them to do nothing now that they were here, Wainwright and Biggs were nevertheless going through the paces. They wanted a statement from Harry and asked that we both step back inside the house. It was the first time either cop addressed me.
‘What brought you to Mr Hengist’s house this evening?’ asked Constable Wainwright.
I had nothing to hide so I went with the blunt truth. ‘There is a serial killer stalking women and murdering them.’ I got a surprised but bored expression, Wainwright dismissing my claim without giving it the slightest credence. ‘Chief Inspector Quinn is aware but only because I alerted him. You can refuse to believe me now, but you will hear about it from him soon enough.’
Wainwright fixed me with an even stare. ‘That fails to explain your presence at Mr Hengist’s house.’
‘The house next door belongs to Karen Gilbert, a lady who is currently in hiding because the Sandman,’ Wainwright chose to snigger at the name we had given Karen’s stalker, ‘had targeted her. She reported her stalker to the police,’ I added, making a point and then driving it home, ‘yet you chose to ignore her claims.’
Wainwright’s emotionless face became a scowl. ‘What evidence do you have of any of this and what does this have to do with your presence at the property of her neighbour?’ he was almost shouting.
‘The investigator from my firm who handled the case went missing earlier today and I am certain the Sandman has her.’ He was about to ask me another question, but I held my hand in front of his face to silence him. ‘You can just believe it because I have neither the time nor the patience to explain why I know what I know. Jane Butterworth has been kidnapped and will be murdered if we fail to identify the man behind the attacks. I came here looking for clues as to the whereabouts of Karen Gilbert. Mr Hengist knew things I felt he ought not to know and that caused my call to bring you here. It would seem I was wrong, and he knew about the Sandman because he overheard Jane say the name.’
Wainwright’s willingness to dismiss what I was saying was evaporating fast. I was making sense and I was known for solving cases the police were not even aware of.
‘I think I need to call this in,’ he said, reaching for his radio.
I took a step forward to make his hand pause. ‘And I need to go. This was a dead end, but I have a team working on this problem and a dwindling clock. The Sandman is unlikely to hold her for long – at least, that is our guess. Jane is going to run out of time and I cannot afford to waste my evening here with you.’
Big Ben. Surrounded. Friday, December 23rd 1742hrs
Emerging from the shadows at the edge of the carpark in Aylesford, four of the fake monks returned, their hands loaded with bats, crowbars and at least one machete. Those I put down in the first few seconds were getting back up, all bar the one I hit first and most firmly. He was out for the count.
All in all, even as good as I am, the odds were no longer in my favour. In fact, I’d go so far as to say I was in trouble. Even if I were also armed, the likelihood of surviving this encounter was now against me.
Grins widened as the weapons were handed out, the original two I met in the alleyway smiled the broadest.
‘You should have just taken the beating,’ said Flat Top. ‘We only needed to take you off the playing board,’ he sneered. ‘Now we’re going to kill you instead.’
His words confused me. He made it sound like bumping into me earlier was planned. However, there was no time for me to analyse what he meant or cross-examine him because they were coming for me.
There were ten of them now, eight or nine of whom were armed with something that could do a lot of damage. I had little choice but to turn and run.
I don’t turn and run though. I never have, and I never will. I’d rather go down fighting. So I faced them, raising my hands in readiness while vainly hoping they wouldn’t be brave enough to use the machete on me.
I was almost surrounded, but they did not spread out to form a complete circle. Rather, they were in clumps, sticking together because it made them feel braver to have someone at their side.
I picked a trio with bats and set my jaw as I readied myself to attack.
Basic hit all three of
