‘These are both the same person,’ observed Big Ben, bringing the pictures into one hand so he could steal a chip with the other. ‘This the guy then?’
‘That’s my current guess.’ I shrugged. ‘We haven’t been able to come up with anything else. The print of his right index finger was on Jane’s phone. I think that is a good enough indication. It’s time to call the police, but I want to speak with Tempest before I do.’
As if remembering something he had omitted to tell me, Big Ben’s food shovelling hand paused halfway to his mouth.
‘I think Jan has been taken.’
The piece of fish I was eating almost fell out of my mouth and everyone else apart from Basic froze instantly.
‘You don’t think you should have led with that?’ I questioned in shocked disbelief.
Big Ben rolled his eyes. ‘I led with supper. Which, you know, you’re welcome. You were showing me pictures and stuff. I only thought about it when you mentioned the police.’
I had my hands pressed against the sides of my face, grease from the fish and chips no doubt getting into my hair.
‘Oh, my word. This is another level. I have to call the station. I have to get them involved now.’ Though the idea made my stomach turn, I was going to have to get them to put me through to Chief Inspector Quinn. He and I hated each other, but this situation demanded I put my feelings aside and go high enough up the food chain to where I knew I would get a reaction.
‘I think Tempest already called him,’ said Big Ben around a mouthful of potato.
I yanked out my phone. ‘Then I’m calling Tempest.’
Two seconds later, his voice was booming over the speaker so everyone in the room could hear it.
‘Amanda, I hope you are doing better than me. I got nowhere with Karen. In fact, I probably made the situation worse though she has agreed to look at any pictures we want to send her. Oh, I think I went too far with Quinn as well. He’s not going to help us no matter what we say.’
‘Did you tell him about Jan Van Doorn?’ I blurted quickly before Tempest could say anything else.
I could hear the irritation in Tempest’s voice when he said, ‘I did. He did his usual thing of acting like I must be making it up, but I could tell he believed me. He’s probably got officers at his apartment right now. Is Ben back?’
‘I am,’ answered Big Ben. ‘I bought fish ‘n’ chips. If you hurry, there might be some left.’
‘Ooh, fish and chips,’ repeated Hilary excitedly. ‘I’m starving.’
I cut over the men and their stomachs. ‘Tempest I think I found him. The Sandman I mean. There was a fingerprint on Jane’s phone, and it matches a person who lived next door to one of the victims a while ago.’ I held my phone over the picture of Toby Carter and pressed the button to take a photograph. ‘I’m sending you a shot now. The quality might not come through great.’
Tempest fell silent, waiting for his phone to ping with the incoming message. We all knew when it did because the phone exploded with expletives.
Cautiously, I asked, ‘Tempest?’
He swore again, then said, ‘I’m fine. You’re right. That’s the Sandman. There’s no need to ask Karen.’
Big Ben frowned. ‘How can you be so sure?’
Tempest’s words came back with a tone of dreadful finality to them. ‘Because I was talking to him earlier. That’s Karen Gilbert’s next-door neighbour. His name is Harry Hengist.’
Tempest. Time for Action. Friday, December 23rd 2031hrs
The face on the picture Amanda sent me bore a wry smile. To me, it seemed like I was being mocked. I’d had him pressed into the carpet and completely in my control, yet he played me like a fiddle.
Hilary said, ‘He knew who you were the whole time.’
I could feel my back teeth clenching together. The memory of Harry Hengist’s wide eyes when he opened the door made sense now. He was at home and he knew who I was. He must have thought I had worked it all out and was there to bust him.
I wasn’t though, I was just an idiot knocking on doors and asking questions. Once he saw my guileless expression, he visibly relaxed. Why wouldn’t he? I told him everything he wanted to know about how my investigation was going.
I cursed loudly and tried to crush the steering wheel with my grip. I felt like driving straight to his house and dragging him out by his tongue. I wouldn’t bother to knock this time either. I was in the mood to drive my car right through the front door.
However, the situation called for an emotionless, controlled response. One that involved back up and redundancy to ensure he could not escape. What troubled me most was the distinct possibility Jane was in his house the whole time I was there. Did it have a basement? I never did find out.
I didn’t know the answer to that question and my gut reaction was that style of house did not include a floor below ground. How hard would it be for a person to dig one though? Maybe it was in the garden. A few decades ago, citizens of Kent were digging Anderson shelters to hide in when the Germans dropped bombs on the county like it was confetti. Harry’s house could still have
