Death Track

by Sally Rigby

‘She didn’t have to. It was implicit from her few words. I could also tell she’d been directed by my father.’

  ‘Are you going to cancel taking him to the wedding?’

  ‘Of course not. I’ve asked him, and I’m not going to change my mind. He knows what my parents are like, and he still said yes when I asked him.’

  ‘You go girl. Are you sure I can’t come too? We could hit them with a double whammy. The artist and the cop come face-to-face with Britain’s finest.’

  ‘I think taking Ross will be enough,’ George said, laughing.

  ‘You’re reacting very well,’ Whitney said. ‘If I’d been on the receiving end of your mother’s comments, I’d have gone ballistic and told her what I thought.’

  ‘That’s not how I operate. I like to keep things calm and controlled. What’s the plan now?’

  ‘We go to the office and prepare for tomorrow.’

  Chapter Thirty

  Saturday, 22 June

  George and Whitney went back to the incident room, which was buzzing with the sound of officers talking on phones or to each other. The tension was palpable, as everyone knew they were working to a tight deadline. Everything had to be in place if they were to stand any chance of preventing the next murder. She followed Whitney to the board.

  ‘Attention please, everyone,’ Whitney said. ‘Norman Thackeray isn’t giving us any information, but we can assume he was working with his son, Ben, or at the very least, he knows what he’s up to. Ellie, an update on Ben Thackeray.’

  ‘He joined the army in 2004 as part of the infantry brigade. He’s been deployed twice overseas. After the suicide of his mother in early 2017 he was given compassionate leave, but he didn’t return. Ill-health meant he was finally retired from the force.’

  ‘Were you able to access his medical records?’

  ‘No, but I did speak to someone in the army’s HR section, and they implied it was on mental-health grounds.’

  ‘We know the trail of murders started after the mother’s suicide. Do we have an up-to-date photo of him?’

  ‘Yes, I found him on social media and although he doesn’t post much, there were several photos of him. I made a copy of one and it’s on the desk.’

  George picked it up and pinned it to the board.

  ‘Email the photo to everyone. If he’s going to be on one of the trains, we need to identify him,’ Whitney said.

  ‘Unless he uses a disguise, which is what we thought might have happened,’ George said.

  ‘He does have a scar on the side of his cheek which he wouldn’t be able to disguise so easily,’ Ellie said.

  ‘Good. I want everyone to be aware of that when looking out for him. Give me the details of the trains we’ve picked out as potential targets again, so I can write them on the board,’ Whitney said.

  ‘There’s the eight-thirty Newcastle to Lenchester train, the eleven-thirty Birmingham to London train, going via Lenchester, and the eleven-forty-five Salisbury to Birmingham train, also going through Lenchester,’ Doug said.

  ‘We’ll place officers on every train, starting from where each one begins its journey.’

  ‘Do you want uniform?’ Terry asked.

  ‘We’ll have one plainclothes officer in each carriage, and two uniform patrolling the train. The murderer will be expecting us to be on there.’

  ‘What if he decides not to commit the murder because of the huge police presence?’ Vic asked.

  ‘He didn’t change his MO the last time and still succeeded,’ Whitney replied.

  ‘I suggest we try to lead him to a certain victim. Let’s put an additional officer on each train in a carriage where there aren’t many people, in the hope he goes after them,’ George said.

  She glanced around the room, wondering how the team would react to the suggestion. Being on the front line could be dangerous, but no one appeared perturbed.

  ‘Jamieson will have to sanction using decoys,’ Whitney said.

  ‘Surely it’s better being one of us, than the target being a member of the public,’ George said.

  ‘I think it’s a good idea,’ Terry said.

  ‘I’ll do it,’ George offered.

  ‘No. Jamieson would never approve it.’

  ‘What about me?’ Ellie asked.

  George could see the indecision on Whitney’s face. But allowing the young officer to take part would give them the most chance of success.

  ‘Okay. But you’ll need to be kitted out in protective clothing,’ Whitney said. ‘All decoys will, so if they’re stabbed before we can get to them, the knife won’t be able to penetrate through to the heart or lungs.’

  ‘We need to decide who’s going where,’ Matt said.

  ‘I’ll go on the Birmingham to London train with Ellie. We’ll get on at Birmingham and act like passengers. We don’t want anyone to know who we are and what we’re doing, if at all possible. Is that okay with you, Ellie?’

  ‘Yes, guv.’

  ‘Doug, will you be one of the targets? You can go on the Newcastle to Lenchester train.’

  A look of hesitation crossed his face. He’d recently become a father, and George assumed he had those thoughts on his mind.

  ‘Yes, guv,’ he said.

  ‘Terry and Sue will be with you, and you’ll all keep in contact via radio. You’ll need to get on at Newcastle. Terry, I’ll leave you to coordinate the rest of the officers.’

  ‘No problem,’ the detective said.

  ‘On the remaining train, Matt’s in charge and Frank can be the target.’

  ‘Why me?’ Frank said.

  ‘I’ll do it,’ Vic said.

  ‘Okay. Vic’s the target, and Frank, you can be in one of the carriages. I’ll leave you to sort it, Matt. You’ll get on the train at Salisbury.’

  ‘Yes, guv,’ Matt said.

  ‘Ideally, we need to catch the perp in the act. It’s important not to arrest him too soon, to make sure we’ve got sufficient evidence. Obviously, we have the DNA, but we all know a good lawyer can get that dismissed in court for God knows how many reasons. It’s much better if we catch him attempting the attack, and then it’s irrefutable. Are there any questions?’

  ‘What about me?’ George asked.

  ‘I don’t think we need you.’

  George frowned. Why was she being excluded? They’d worked well together on this case and had come up with the plan together.

  ‘Why not? I can check the passengers and identify anyone acting suspiciously. I will notice even the smallest sign, whereas other people might not.’

  ‘I’ll have to check with Jamieson.’

  So, that was the reason. That, she could accept.

  ‘If he says yes, which train do you want me on?’

  ‘You can come with me on the Birmingham train.’

  ‘Good.’

  ‘We’re going to need officers on every platform for the entire journey. I’ll get in touch with the transport police and they can carry out that function, the same as they did last time.’

  ‘We need to consider the location where we think the murder will take place, so everyone is on their guard,’ George said.

  ‘The three so far have been within two stops of Lenchester,’ Whitney said.

  ‘Maybe we don’t need a police presence for the entire journey, then,’ Vic said.

  ‘I disagree. Having them there might help us spot when the perp actually gets on, and then we’ll know the targeted train,’ Matt said.

  ‘If they spot him,’ Vic said.

  ‘Well, they won’t if they’re not there. We shouldn’t leave anything to chance,’ Matt said.

  ‘Agreed. We’ll keep it as planned. Terry, were the previous murders all carried out within two stops of the targeted city?’ Whitney asked.

  ‘I believe so. Check that out, Vic.’

  Yet again, George noted how their investigation was lacking. These were all things they should’ve known without having to check.

  ‘Right, does everyone know what th
ey’re doing? Those of you going to Newcastle and Salisbury will need to leave tonight and stay over.’

  The phone on the desk rang and Whitney picked it up. ‘Walker.’ She was silent. ‘Okay, thanks.’ She ended the call. ‘DNA results from Thackeray have just come in. He’s only a partial match to our sample, which is confirmation the murderer is most likely Ben Thackeray, his son.’

  ‘Shall we put out an APB for Ben?’ Frank asked.

  ‘No. We want to catch him at the crime scene while he’s attempting the fourth murder. I’m going to see Jamieson for approval.’

  ‘I’m also leaving,’ George said. ‘Providing Jamieson agrees, what time shall I meet you tomorrow?’

  ‘Nine in the morning at Lenchester station. We’ll go together to Birmingham. I’ll text to confirm,’ Whitney said.

  George had arranged to see Ross that evening. She’d contemplated cancelling because she didn’t know how the case was going to progress, but now it seemed she had the time free.

  Whitney went to Jamieson’s office. As she got close, she could hear his voice booming out. He was giving someone a bollocking. She waited outside until the door opened and one of the admin staff left. She knocked and walked in.

  ‘Yes, Walker,’ he said.

  ‘We’ve identified our murderer.’

  ‘The person we have in custody?’ he asked.

  ‘No, it’s his son, Ben. Thackeray confessed to the crimes to cover up for him, but we have the DNA results back and they show only a partial match. We’ve also identified the inciting factor for when the murders first started. It was the suicide of Ben’s mother, which happened as the result of the father being made redundant from Transwide.’

  ‘Good work, Walker. Do we have the son in custody?’

  ‘Not yet, sir. We want him to attempt the fourth murder, so no clever barrister can get him off on a technicality. We’ve identified three possible trains where he could make his move, and I will deploy officers on all of them. I’d like your permission to have an undercover officer acting as a decoy on each train. We’ll put them in a suitable carriage, one he’s most likely to target.’

  ‘I’m not sure it’s a good idea to wait for him to strike. We’d be better putting out an APB and catching him first.’

  Wasn’t he listening to anything she’d just said?

  ‘Even if we did that, we still need to be prepared for him to be on the train, as he’s evaded capture so far.’

  ‘How do you know you’ve got the right trains?’

  ‘It’s all based on the type of train, the train’s journey, and what he’s done in the past. We got the right train the last time, just missed catching him.’

  ‘Who do you want to use as decoys?’

  ‘DC Ellie Naylor, DC Doug Baines, and DS Vic Rowe. We’ll also have a plainclothes officer in every carriage, uniform officers patrolling the train, and the transport police on the platforms. He’s not going to get away this time.’

  ‘What about Dr Cavendish? Is she involved in this?’

  ‘I’d like permission for her to be on the train with me and DC Naylor. We could use her help identifying anyone with suspicious body language.’

  ‘I’ll agree, as long she’s not going to be involved in the actual apprehension of the criminal, or as the undercover target. It’s not appropriate, in terms of risk.’

  ‘No, sir. She definitely won’t be involved.’

  ‘Good. What systems do you have in place to catch this man?’

  ‘Officers on each train will keep in contact via radio and the decoys will be wearing vests, so even if the perp attempts to stab them, he won’t succeed.’

  ‘That’s good to know. I don’t want any injuries. I’m happy for you to carry on with the suggested plan. Make sure you keep me up to date with everything. I don’t expect to be the last to know.’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  Whitney went back to the incident room. ‘Jamieson has given his approval for the operation to go ahead. Ellie, you meet George and me at Lenchester station, and we’ll travel to Birmingham together.’

  ‘Yes, guv. I’m going to be fitted for my protective clothing now.’

  ‘We’ll plan which carriage you’ll be in once we get there and see the layout of the train. Terry and Matt, I want you to do the same with Doug and Vic. Make sure you’re in contact with me at all times.’

  ‘Yes, guv,’ both officers said at the same time.

  ‘Before the operation, I want you all to study the photo you have of the perp and commit his face to memory. All of you going to Newcastle and Salisbury, get going now. Any questions?’

  ‘Not a question,’ Terry said. ‘But a thanks from Vic and me. We wouldn’t have been this far in the investigation without you. We’ve worked the case for over two years with little progress, but this is such an awesome team, we’ve managed to crack it. We’re really grateful.’

  ‘We’re all in this together,’ Whitney said, warmth flooding through her.

  He didn’t have to be so giving, especially after the way she’d treated the pair of them when they’d first arrived. Not that they didn’t deserve her treatment. They’d been extremely patronising. That aside, they’d managed to break through the barriers and work together. Of course, it helped that they didn’t like Dickhead Douglas and could see through his supposed professional behaviour.

  ‘But it took your team’s insight and persistence, so thank you.’

  ‘You’re welcome. We’ll call it a successful joint operation. At least, we will once we’ve captured him.’

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Sunday, 23 June

  George stared at herself in the mirror, wondering if the clothes she’d finally chosen for the train journey were suitable. Why had it been such a hard decision? Was she overthinking? It was a Sunday, so they weren’t expecting commuters dressed for work. She imagined the passengers would mainly be people out on a day trip, or visiting family, or going shopping. So, surely the jeans, lightweight cream jumper, and dark brown leather jacket would be fine.

  Nerves caught in her throat and she reached for her cigarettes. It was only seven in the morning, but it was going to be a long day.

  The Newcastle train would be leaving in just over an hour, and the team would already be at the station waiting to depart. She wasn’t due to meet Whitney until nine, but the officer was bound to be up and ready, so she decided to call to see if she’d like a lift. It would give her something to do.

  She retrieved her phone from the kitchen table and pressed the shortcut key for Whitney.

  ‘Morning, George. Is everything okay?’ Whitney asked.

  ‘Would you like me to pick you up this morning, and we can go to the railway station together?’

  ‘I’m already here. I couldn’t settle at home.’

  That made two of them. Even though this was the third operation George had been on, she was more nervous about this one than the other two.

  ‘Same for me. Shall I come now?’ she suggested, hoping Whitney would agree.

  ‘Good idea. We can pace the platform together.’

  ‘I’ll be with you in about thirty minutes.’

  She ended the call, picked up her bag, and drove to the railway station. When she arrived, Whitney was talking with the manager. She made a beeline for them.

  ‘There’ll be officers on the platform at all times, until this is over,’ Whitney said. ‘Try to operate as you normally would. We’re expecting an attack today and anticipate apprehending the perpetrator before he does any harm.’

  ‘I hope you’re right,’ the station manager said. ‘I’ve already had a number of staff resign because they don’t wish to work in such a threatening environment.’

  ‘It will soon be over. He won’t avoid capture, as we know who he is.’ To the untrained eye, Whitney was giving off a confident air, but not to George. Whitney’s nerves were evident by her eye movements and the biting down on her bottom lip.

  The station manager walked away, and George a
pproached.

  ‘Let’s go to the café,’ Whitney said, her jaw tense.

  Once inside, they ordered their drinks and sat down. Whitney fidgeted in her seat and drummed her fingers on the table.

  ‘We’ve done as much as we can. We’ll catch him.’ George tried to be reassuring but didn’t know whether she’d succeeded.

  Whitney looked at her watch. ‘The Newcastle train is due to leave shortly. Will the murderer target the same journey the first victim made? Or will he go somewhere else? I’m waiting to hear back from Ellie to see if Thackeray’s credit card has been used recently.’

  ‘How can Ellie be at work if she’s going to be with us on the train?’

  ‘She went in early to do a bit of research. She’s meeting us here later.’

  Whitney’s phone rang. ‘Walker.’ She paused. ‘Good work, Ellie. We’ll see you soon.’ She ended the call. ‘A ticket was bought using the credit card last night, going from Birmingham to Coventry, which is one of the stops of the Newcastle train.’

  ‘Are you going to call the other two operations off and concentrate on the Newcastle train?’ George asked.

  ‘No. I’m going to let it run its course. Just because he booked a ticket, doesn’t mean he’ll use it. He could be doing it to throw us off.’

  Whitney’s phone rang again. ‘Walker.’ She paused a moment. ‘Crap. Okay, thanks for letting me know.’

  She ended the call and put her phone in her pocket. She let out a sigh.

  ‘What is it?’ George asked.

  ‘That was Ellie. He knows we’re onto him, or he’s got some idea. She’s found out he bought tickets for the two other trains, too. One to Rugby, which is our train, and one to Reading, the Salisbury train.’

  ‘Damn.’

  ‘All it means is nothing’s changed from first thing this morning, so we carry on with our plan.’

  ‘Actually, things have changed. We now know the three trains we’ve chosen are correct,’ George said.

  ‘Unless he pays cash on another train.’

  ‘It’s a possibility, but from his behaviour so far, I believe he’d consider having three alternatives will be sufficient. I stand by my assessment.’