Dead Secret

by Noelle Holten

  ‘You’d be surprised how much comes out of a cut like that. Took nearly forty minutes for me to stop it. But it was worth it … Did you buy it?’ Olivia didn’t wait for a reply.

  ‘Back to Mum. When Tim had finished placing the chest in the car, I returned to Sophia and tears fell as I told her that we’d be going for a short ride. When we untied her hands, she struggled for a bit and I held the knife to her throat. “One word and you can say goodbye to this loving family of yours.” Her face tensed and I smiled. “Scratch her face!” I bellowed at Tim. I wanted to laugh as he hesitated – until he saw my eyes. His feeble hands shook as he reached over and drew his nails across her cheek.

  ‘After that, she didn’t need much convincing to get into the car, and I drove to the allotment – wearing my Dad’s clothes. She thought I didn’t know she went there to escape. Escape what? SHE had it good the ungrateful bitch! After parking up on the backstreet behind the allotment, where I knew there were no cameras – did my homework you see – Tim and I took hold of her arms and marched her to the fence. I handed Tim a pair of wire cutters from my backpack and told him to make a hole big enough for us to get through. The fucker had the nerve to ask me why we didn’t just use the front entrance. “You have the code,” he moaned. I smacked the back of his head. “DO IT!” He didn’t need asking twice. Once the hole was big enough, Tim pushed through first while I held on to Sophia. She went through willingly – well, a knife in the back would convince anyone, wouldn’t it?

  ‘Once we were in the shed, the fun started. I pushed her on the couch and as I ripped the tape from her mouth, I whispered, “One word and I will make this as painful as possible.” She whimpered. “Why are you doing this to me? I’ve never done anything to you.” Suffice to say I lost it then. I stabbed her multiple times. It was like cutting meat – jab after jab. Deep enough to hurt but not deep enough to kill. Yet.

  ‘Tim stood by the door, turning his face away from what I was doing. I think the little bitch even cried a bit. Though that could have been Sophia; it was hard to tell, as I focused on my task at hand. I was in the moment and loving every second of it.

  ‘“Hand me the garden shears!” He passed them over, and I stood back and looked at her sitting there. Wrists bound. Ankles tied together. She was slumped over, struggling to breathe. I pulled her head back by her hair. “Are you sorry you ever met me now?” Her eyes widened. I wonder if she was thinking about how to answer that question. Maybe she thought if she said no, I might stop what I was doing and she’d have a chance to live? But she must have found some courage. Her chance to defy me now in front of her. She had accepted her fate and I almost had second thoughts … almost. She nodded and then I plunged the garden shears into her neck and … have you ever danced in the rain? I’ve always wanted to – I imagined dancing as the blood sprayed around me. Was this what happiness felt like?’

  Maggie listened intently. Olivia was not well – Hastings was right about seeking professional help.

  ‘Then it was time to go. I told Tim to meet me in the woods behind Castle Bank Industrial Estate and make sure he stayed out of sight. I was putting my trust in Tim – he could have easily gone to the police despite it implicating him. But I knew deep down, he wouldn’t. He belonged to me now. I had one more thing to take care of back at the house and then there would be no turning back. I wondered if Tim knew what would be happening when I met up with him. I bet he was running through everything in his mind. Hoping that because he had done so well – not protested too much and did what he was told – maybe I would spare him. Or did he realize and accept his fate the same way Sophia did?

  ‘Would anyone miss Tim? Would he fight back? Would he even be at the designated meeting place we had spoken about when I planned this?

  ‘We already know how that story ended. Don’t we?’

  Chapter Seventy-Six

  ‘Poor Tim. He really didn’t take much convincing. Thought he’d be helping – and he did – but he wouldn’t be around to bask in that glory.’ She blew on the steam coming from the mug of tea before taking a sip.

  ‘It wasn’t difficult to convince him to meet up in the woods. He would have done anything if he thought it would gain him more friends. He just wanted to be liked and when the seed was planted, he followed like a lost puppy. After we spoke, Tim looked confused. At first, I wondered if he was piecing everything together. I didn’t need to be worried; he wasn’t that clever.

  ‘But then came the questions. For the sake of all the fucks. The whine in Tim’s voice was annoying as he fired question after question. What did he know about anything anyway?

  ‘A spark in Tim’s eye – when I saw it, I knew he understood. At first, he tried to play me – like he was on my side. He wasn’t a good actor and when I had called him on it, he didn’t like it. He said he wasn’t going to go along with it – despite all the promises he had made. After everything we’d already done. Was he really that stupid? He was in it as much as I was, except the police would know of his involvement … they’d never believe him. “You’ll never get away with it.” Oh that sulking bastard voice of his.

  ‘We fought then – and everything began to fall right back into place. You see, I needed to look like a battered woman; otherwise Lucy would never let me stay, and I had to stay close by. It couldn’t be any other way.

  ‘Poor Tim. Punches connecting with flesh. Blood oozing from already swollen lips and open cuts. “Harder you pussy! Harder!” I shouted at him and laughed when I saw the pleasure in his eyes as his fist connected with my face. He was enjoying it, but he hated himself – it didn’t stop him though. Each blow brought me a sense of satisfaction. “Is that the best you can do?” I took pleasure in taunting him. We danced around each other for a bit, fists up and the soggy leaves beneath our feet providing the dance floor. He fell to his knees and I grabbed his hair. A greasy film covered my gloves. “Dirty fucker. Get up, we’re not finished yet!” I stood back and held my hand out. He grasped it and I pulled him up with one hand and removed the hammer I had tucked in the back of my jeans. My Daddy’s hammer – his prints already on it and my gloves to make sure it was his prints you found. How clever am I?!

  ‘“Are you ready for the next part?” I tried to sound upbeat – give the poor fucker some hope. There was more to come, and Tim didn’t know about this part. When he saw the hammer, his face changed. He frowned and then the fear took over. “My what big eyes you have.” That made me laugh. He was going to run; I saw his feet shuffle and his eyes look around – clocking whether there was enough space between us to make his move. “Don’t be such a dick. Take it like a man!” His lips tightened then. He was angry at that comment. Maybe he had daddy issues.’ She looked directly at Maggie. ‘Oh wait, that was me.’

  Olivia cackled then. A long, piercing scream of a laugh. She stopped almost as quickly as she started and carried on with her confession.

  ‘At first, he stood firm, staring, almost taunting me to hit him but then his lower lip fell. This bitch is going to fucking cry! He backed away from me and then his feet slipped from under him. I covered my mouth to hold in the laugh that was bubbling to get out and watched as he tottered, trying to regain his balance while mocking over his shoulder: “You won’t get away with this.”

  ‘What the fuck does he know? I came close … With the hammer raised, I took a step forwards and gave chase. Tim was unsteady, reaching out to invisible trees in the hope of finding something to help him. I smiled when I heard the CRACK as Tim’s skull met the end of the hammer. I gripped the handle tight. Tim was on the ground now. Whimpering. The fucker was dragging himself towards the car park. One step. Two steps. I followed behind him. I needed to capture the moment and took out my mobile phone. I looked around the woods – voices in the distance. Fire crackling – they weren’t a threat, though, as it was still early enough and they’d all be too pissed to make any sense. That’s why I chose this place.

  ‘The flash from my camera was bright. I looked around once m
ore and then hit save. Memories … we all need something to remember.

  ‘I walked slowly behind Tim and watched his shaking hands reach forwards. His swollen fingers digging deep into the ground to get hold and then pulling himself forwards. When he had finally reached the edge of the forest, I bent over and whispered into his ear. “Nearly there, Tim. Go on. You can do it.” Rasping breaths and spittle of blood drops sprayed from Tim’s mouth. He spat but missed me. He certainly was determined.

  ‘A branch snapped in the distance. So of course, that brought me back to reality, right? I kicked him hard in the ribs before I had to go. I wanted to do more but couldn’t risk getting caught. Not now. It was too soon. I remember I looked on the ground for Tim’s mobile. He was reaching for it. Probably thought he could ring for help. I let him stretch as far as he could; I wasn’t completely heartless, you know. Everyone needs that one more second of hope. As he raised his head and turned to look up, another crack to his head and I dropped the hammer.

  ‘Shall I tell you what happened next?’

  Chapter Seventy-Seven

  ‘DCI Hastings – or Daddy – looked at me with fear in his eyes. I left him tied up at the house while Tim and I played with Sophia. Neither deserved the terms of endearment that children use to identify their parents. They wanted to lock me away. I was getting out of control, I overheard them say. Of course, Sophia was in denial at first – worried about what people would think.

  ‘WHAT WOULD PEOPLE THINK!?’ She shouted those words, and Maggie’s ears rang – the whole building probably heard her.

  ‘The selfish bitch. Not concerned at all about what I might think. It had been going on for years. My threats no longer had any hold over either of them. Well, I’d have the last laugh, wouldn’t I? And then we’d see what people would think.

  ‘His eyes pleaded with me as I approached him. I think he actually believed that if he gave me that look – the one I hadn’t seen since I was about nine years old off him – things would change. I’d change my mind. Some copper …

  ‘“Don’t worry, I’ve a little more in store for you.” I bent down and started to untie his ankles from the leg of the chair. “Don’t try any of your heroics either or this won’t end well for you at all – do you understand?”

  ‘He nodded.

  ‘I pulled a pair of handcuffs out of my pocket and released one of his hands, clamping the cuff on his wrist. He was weak from the drugs. Glad Tim knew some dealers – the drugs really helped, so I guess he hadn’t been that useless.

  ‘I picked up the knife I had placed on the table and cuffed his hands behind his back, pressing the knife firmly against the base of his neck. “Now we’re going to walk out of here to the car. If you try anything, I will push this knife through your neck … and I’ll enjoy every second of it. Got it?”

  ‘I shoved him towards the door and once outside, we walked towards the car. I unlocked the boot and pushed him inside. His eyes still pleading with me. I raised the butt of the knife and knocked him just above his eye before closing the door.

  ‘We used to … oh wait, if I tell you, that might give the game away – who knows how much Daddy shared with his family here? … but where he is, it had been planned for a long time – about two years – I had set up a little home away from home. I found somewhere to escape, and dear old Dad could sit there and think about all his secrets and lies while I finished what I had started.’

  Maggie was determined to let Olivia continue without interruption. But something she said, about the location of Hastings, niggled at her. She was sure he had talked about drives in the countryside – but that was all she could remember. It may not even have been him.

  ‘I pulled up close to the building and parked. There was no need to hide the car, as once I dumped him, I’d need to leave the car back at the house.’

  Olivia was recounting the details as if she was back there in the moment and her calmness chilled Maggie to the core. She looked over at Nathan and he was just as engrossed in the confession as she was.

  ‘I opened the back passenger door and pulled out my bag of treats before opening the boot and pulling him out. “Walk.” I shoved his back forcefully and reminded him of the large knife I still had in my possession by giving him a prod with the tip. He complied.

  ‘Inside the building, I could see the look of shock on his face as he realized that I must have been planning this for some time. We were in the middle of nowhere and even if he did scream, only I would be able to hear his pitiful cry. I tore the tape from his mouth, and he cringed as the sticky bits pulled at his stubble.

  ‘“Sit!” I secured his feet and hands to the chair and then sat down myself, facing him. I couldn’t help but smile.

  ‘“Let’s see how you like being locked away.”

  ‘“Please, sweetheart. Why are you doing this?”

  ‘“Is that all you care about? Don’t you want to know where your wife is?”

  ‘“Of course I do. Why are you doing this?”

  ‘“Your colleagues should find her in a day or two.”

  ‘“Wha-what have you done, Liv?”

  ‘“You did this! Now drink.” I removed a water bottle from my bag and held it to his mouth. He turned his head.

  ‘Grabbing his cheeks, I squeezed tightly. “Don’t fuck about. I’m not sure when I’ll get back to you so drink this now.”

  ‘My words must have struck a chord, as he opened his mouth and drank. I reached into my bag and fed him a sandwich and, once he was finished, I tore off some gaffer tape and shut the fucker’s mouth.

  ‘Noises emanated as he shook his head. “Mmmmm. Mmmmmm. Mmmmm. Fucksake.”

  ‘“I know you don’t want me to go but I’ve not finished yet … and once I’m done, people are going to think you are responsible … how does that feel … Daddy?”’

  Olivia stopped speaking then. She stared directly at Maggie.

  ‘And now you’ll have to find him. Tick tock … You may already be too late.’

  A knock on the interview room door pulled them back into the room and out of the evil they had just witnessed. Bethany handed Nathan a piece of paper and he then shut off the recording.

  ‘Interview suspended. Maggie, let’s go.’

  Chapter Seventy-Eight

  There wasn’t any time to process things as Maggie and Nathan raced to the address that Bethany had located in the sat nav device that came from Sophia’s car. They found it in Olivia’s possessions when she was arrested.

  It was an abandoned property located just outside of Markston – about twenty miles from where the Hastings family lived and twenty minutes from Lucy’s refuge. That was where Olivia must have been heading when Kat and Maggie caught her. There was no way they would have found the property if it wasn’t for the sat nav, as Olivia had hinted it was something from her childhood that only she and the DCI would know about.

  ‘I hope we’re not too late.’ Maggie bit her nail. She didn’t have a good feeling about what they’d find, as Olivia wouldn’t give anything away in interview. It was like she was thriving on the worry and fear of his colleagues.

  Nathan slowed down. ‘Bloody tractors. Move you asshole!’

  ‘He’s pulling to the side.’ Maggie looked ahead.

  ‘Yeah, I can see that.’ Nathan sped up and passed the tractor. Maggie noted the focus on his face alongside the furrowing brows. He was pushing the pool car to its limit.

  ‘It’s a left up ahead.’ Maggie sat forwards. The area was secluded enough – grassland spread for miles with old barns and buildings scattered about. ‘Are all these properties empty?’

  ‘Not sure. I know that there had been some trouble with farming around here at one point. The land had been poisoned and the farmers lost their homes. I guess people just moved on. There! That must be it.’

  ‘The ambulance shouldn’t be too far behind. If you pull up at the side of the house, they’ll have space to park as close to the door as possible.’

  Nathan agreed.
The pair exited the vehicle and Maggie felt a rush of adrenaline as well as trepidation. What if they were too late? The last thing she wanted to stumble across was the body of her DCI.

  ‘Hang on five minutes and wait for the rest to arrive. We don’t know what to expect or whether she has anyone else involved. I don’t want to risk anyone else getting hurt.’ Nathan looked down the lane and pointed. The calvary was arriving. They walked towards DI Rutherford’s car. Kat was with her. No sign of DCI Meechan – Maggie had thought he would want to be there, even if it was only to get some glory.

  DI Rutherford waved them over. ‘Okay. Let’s be sensible about this. We have no idea what to expect when we get inside and, as positive as I want to be right now, we have to face the fact that what we may come across is a body. Nathan and Maggie – I’d like you to go around back. Looks like two floors. You two clear the bottom floor, and Kat and I will head upstairs. The rest of the field team will secure the area and start looking through any of the surrounding buildings. Forensics should be arriving any moment now – but we can’t hold off. If there is any chance that Hastings might be alive, I’ll be damned if I am going to worry about compromising a crime scene. Watch what you are doing. If there is someone else in there – don’t play the hero, okay? Any questions?’

  No one had anything further to add. Maggie checked her gear and then followed Nathan through the overgrowth alongside the left side of the building. They crept up the stairs and checked the back door. It was locked. Nathan motioned for the PC with them to use the ram and he called out. ‘Police! Open up or we’re coming in.’ He waited a further minute before banging on the door and repeating that they would enter forcefully if the door wasn’t opened. No response, so they stood back as the PC rammed the door.

  Dust flew everywhere and the pair coughed as they entered the premises. ‘Jesus Christ.’ Maggie choked on her words. ‘Well, it doesn’t look like anyone has been in this part of the house, as we’ve just unsettled all the dust.’ She pointed to the counter where a thin film of dust had resettled. ‘I’ll check out these doors on the left.’ She pointed.