Her Dark Heart: A totally gripping crime thriller (Detective Gina Harte Book 5)

by Carla Kovach

  ‘I need to get out for a while. Me, please. I’m sick of wading through all Susan’s paperwork and following up on calls of people who think they’ve seen Susan everywhere.’

  ‘Great! Quick updates on the media appeals.’ She awkwardly glanced at Briggs.

  ‘Annie has kept me informed. The appeals are still hitting the local news. Susan has no connections to the wider community, her life existed mostly in Cleevesford so we aren’t spanning the search any further than the Midlands as yet. Our friend Lyndsey Saunders seems to be running with the story in the Herald. It’s been on all social media platforms, appeared in their local papers and she’s keeping us updated with anything she hears.’

  ‘At what cost?’ Gina knew Lyndsey well. Her help would come with a price.

  ‘She wants the story as soon as we have a break. Of course, we will give her what we want and only when we want to. No harm in dangling that carrot while we have her on side. The appeals will continue. The news channels have been great. Volume calls are overloading the switchboard, you know how it is. Nothing to follow up on as yet. It is as if Susan has vanished from the face of the earth and taken Phoebe with her. Our perp or perps know the area well.’ Briggs headed towards the door.

  ‘Anything on Clare Collins? O’Connor, did you look into her?’

  He smiled and flicked to the right page in his file. ‘The only thing we have on her is that she’s a recent bankrupt and has moved back into the family home. One child. Also recently made redundant from her factory job. That’s all I could find. Clare Collins seems to have a pretty uneventful life.’

  ‘Thank you. Carry on sifting through Susan’s paperwork. Jacob, tie up with Annie and look further into the calls that have come in regarding anyone who may have spotted Susan? Also, do a bit more background on Lawrence, Dale’s partner, and see if Samuel Avery has the CCTV ready to collect from the Angel Arms.’

  The phone rang and O’Connor rolled in his chair towards his desk and answered it. After a few words were exchanged he swivelled around to face Gina. ‘The material found in the field by Dale’s body is confirmed to be Susan Wheeler’s. That was Bernard. It contains a direct match for her DNA, hair apparently.’

  ‘Don’t let me keep you all any longer. We have a missing child and I know we’re close to catching the killer.’ Gina gulped. ‘Check everything, however small it seems, check it all. I can only imagine how scared Phoebe is at the moment. We will not let her or Susan down.’ Gina gulped. The person who murdered Dale was capable of anything and she knew it.

  Sixty

  Stephanie gripped her umbrella as she walked down the old roman road. Years ago it had been a popular route for dog walkers. Now it was nothing more than a derelict mess, paved with hazards. If she were to ever stand a chance of remembering what was hiding behind the dark veil at the back of her mind, she had to keep walking. Just like back then when they hung around in the little room at the back. It was the first time she’d been drunk, the first and only time she’d smoked marijuana and the first time… she gulped as she halted by the barriers. The gang had been her safe group, her little haven, until everything went wrong.

  Signs had been tied to the fence warning trespassers of danger, hazards and prosecution. There was no way she’d get in, not without climbing over the barbed wire and cutting her skin to shreds. She gripped the fence with her free hand and shook it. ‘What happened?’ she yelled as tears flooded her face. ‘Remember, damn it!’ Susan had told her to come for a reason. Maybe she had the photo, maybe it was to help her remember; maybe she was in trouble. Whatever the reason, Stephanie knew she had to come back to the place she’d avoided for so long. She had to do it, for Susan.

  Struggling to catch her breath, she let go and took a few steps back. Holding her phone up, she selected the torch app and shone it through the bare trees and shrubs. The building was still there but lacking the glory it once had when she’d used it. Back then, there had been a team of eager volunteers keeping the place looking lovely, cleaning the windows and lovingly tending to the hanging baskets. It had been the hub of the community, amateur dramatics, art groups, rollerblading nights, teen discos. It had been the base for coach pickups for many a day out. Trips to the zoo, theme parks. She smiled as she remembered going to Drayton Manor with Dale and Susan.

  Hailstones began to fall, flicking her face. Now, the trees were growing out of the building, entwined in its foundations, just like she was. Just like they all were.

  She’d taken the vodka back then, just like they all had. They’d enjoyed the parties that went on behind the door. She’d once been a quiet, shy girl until her mother took her there. It would help her mix with other kids, so she’d been told. Dale was a quiet boy and she’d recognised him from school. She soon found herself drawn to him. Best friends, taking on this cruel world together. At the club, they were no longer bullied like at school. They were accepted, safe, allowed to express themselves and have fun as a part of the gang in the clubhouse. The fun had developed into mischief. Drinking had become a regular thing and then Susan joined them. As the popular girl amongst them, they suddenly became popular too and life had seemed rosy.

  Stephanie closed her eyes, listening to the distant rumble of a bus, then a couple of cars, just like back then. She visualised going through the door that evening before the other two had arrived. She had become his special one and it was their secret. The others would be jealous and fall out with her if she told, that’s what he’d said.

  Through the door, that led to a door; that led to a door, she entered the room. This time, he wasn’t alone. There was someone else.

  ‘Keep going, Steph,’ she whispered to herself.

  Through the door, then what? An old couch covered in dusty knitted blankets that one of the craft clubs had made. It was the office. A desk at one end. Was he that someone else? She tried to remember his features as she compared them to what she’d seen through the window the other night. Holding her breath, she tensed.

  Remember, remember – she couldn’t. That’s where the memory of that night ended. Maybe nothing happened.

  An image flashed through her mind. Struggling, dark. There was something over her head and muffled laughter. Then crying and shouting. Then, she was back outside the room, holding a stick of red liquorice.

  Her stomach lurched and she almost heaved until she calmed herself, holding her breath as footsteps stopped behind her. ‘Stephanie, wait.’

  What was he doing here? Where was Susan? The warmth of his breath in the chilly air tickled her neck, causing her to shiver. A feeble arm came around and grabbed her. She stamped on his foot and elbowed him in the ribs. He hadn’t banked on her knowing a little self-defence. She wasn’t going anywhere without the fight of her life. ‘Get off me!’

  ‘I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to do this.’ He pulled what looked like half a brick from under his coat and brought it down on her head. Blood trickled down her face as her voice failed and the stars above spun. He couldn’t hurt her again.

  She lifted her umbrella and smacked him several times, knocking the brick from his hand, continuing until he toppled to the floor. A metal spike poked through the umbrella. She jabbed again as he yelped. If he got up, her luck might just run out. Run, she had to run. Without hesitation, she sped down the old pathway, not stopping once to look back, crashing into trees and lampposts as she lost her balance.

  She needed to go home, grab her bag and hide from him while she planned her next move. Susan had until morning to answer her calls and that was it. She was going to the police, alone. She glanced back and saw him getting to his feet and stumbling forward. Head pounding as lightning flashes almost brought her down, she fought through the pain. Adrenaline pushing her on. She wasn’t going to end up like Dale.

  As she ran, heart pounding, water flowing in through the tops of her pumps, his face flashed across her mind. She stopped and glanced back, she’d outrun him. The man who’d attacked her was no match for her when it came to strength a
nd speed. The one who was taunting her would have put up more of a fight. A jagged memory flashed through her mind, almost crippling her. Her memory hadn’t been teasing her, it had led her to him. Telling her he was sorry didn’t make it right. She tried Susan again but the phone rang out. Someone was coming and the stars were vanishing. She couldn’t see, couldn’t think. She shuffled on her bottom and curled up in a ball behind the tree as he passed.

  ‘Stephanie, Stephanie. I hate to use this but I have the photo. Say anything and everyone will know what you are, your work place, your family, everyone. If you say anything, it’s not only you that will suffer. Susan will die. He’s coming for you, you can’t run forever.’

  She felt the trail of blood trickling along her neck. A fit of trembling passed through her body and she felt an uncontrollable wooziness take over as she held her breath.

  Sixty-One

  Mary lay on the living room floor playing with Harrison. For the first time in days, he was playing nicely and it opened her eyes to how delightful he could be.

  She checked her watch, it was gone eight in the evening and Clare still hadn’t come home. She felt an ache running through her bones and Howard looked the same after coming home from the search. It was dark and the search would begin again in the morning. Her heart ached for Phoebe but she couldn’t let Harrison see her cry.

  A mobile phone rang and Howard answered as he passed. ‘Ron, now’s not a good time.’

  ‘It’s okay,’ Mary said. They had to go on as normal, for Harrison.

  ‘Okay, I have a minute. What’s the problem? Stop, don’t click on anything. The virus will spread. If that happens, pow.’ He rolled his eyes and his face formed a joking expression as he covered the handset. ‘Some people should never own a computer. I’ll put the kettle on in a minute, love.’

  She felt as though she should put the kettle on. He’d been out there searching with the police and the community while she had remained in the warm. She smiled and focused her attention back to Harrison as Howard went off to his office. ‘Right, Harrison. Shall we put the cars away and read a story?’

  ‘Story, Nanny.’

  His little eyes lit up. How could she have missed all the signs he was giving her? He needed a bit of attention just like Clare had back then. She felt herself choking up. After the death of her ex-husband, she had just left her two kids to fend for themselves. Clare never understood what it was like when the maintenance stopped. Their father had accrued no assets, had no life insurance, it was just her, alone. She had been responsible for keeping a roof over their heads and food in their mouths. Money for trainers, money for youth club, money for trips and shopping days. She’d ended up in debt too, all to try to make them happy. She hadn’t appreciated that Clare had put her life on hold; that she’d essentially lost her teen years so that Mary could work as many shifts as possible. After her shifts at the hospital she would also go to a local care home and help with the bedtime routine.

  Clare had it tough doing the job she, as a parent, should have been doing. It hadn’t been a flurry of dates, college courses and summer jobs. She’d grown up and become second mother to Susan. The afternoon with Harrison had given her time to reflect. Deep down she knew she’d lost Susan despite what everyone was still saying, but she wouldn’t lose Clare and she certainly couldn’t even contemplate losing Phoebe. She gulped back a sob. Harrison couldn’t see her heartache.

  She picked up her phone as the little boy looked through his books. No messages. She parted the curtains and looked out of the window into the darkness and spotted a van. A woman stepped out and knocked on the door. Hurrying, she answered.

  ‘Lyndsey Saunders of the Warwickshire Herald. Can you tell us a bit more about Susan and Phoebe? We’re looking to run an article in the morning. We can help you.’

  The press camping on her doorstep, that’s all she needed. She’d seen press camp outside houses on television, normally when a celebrity had been arrested.

  ‘I’m sorry. The police are looking for her.’ She knew from the police dramas that what the press published could compromise cases and she wasn’t going to let that happen, not when it involved her family.

  She spotted Clare running down the path. The reporter left her and went for her daughter.

  ‘You’re Susan’s sister, aren’t you? Tell us about your relationship with her. What’s it like with you being made redundant, a bankrupt and living with your parents while she has a nice house and family? Did you resent Susan?’

  Clare barged past the woman. ‘Piss off.’

  Mary stood there, unable to move. That’s the first thing she’d heard about her daughter being bankrupt. What else was she hiding?

  Clare nudged the reporter out of the way and dragged her mother into the hallway, slamming the door on her. The letterbox was pushed open.

  ‘We can help you all, if you just tell us your story. The public will help, get behind you and look for your sister.’

  ‘And they need to know I’m a bankrupt for that.’ Clare slammed the letterbox back down and poked her umbrella through it.

  Howard hurried out of his office and held the umbrella in place for a few seconds. ‘I’ll stay here, you two go and get warm. Damn it. Bloody parasites.’ He stood against the door, as if holding back a stampede that was about to burst through.

  ‘We’re calling the police,’ Mary yelled. The pushing at the letterbox stopped and they heard Lyndsey’s heels as she stepped away from the porch.

  Mary hurried into the living room where Harrison was sitting in the middle of the room yelling and screaming.

  ‘Nanny, Nanny.’

  ‘Come here, sunshine.’ Clare picked him up and held him close, rocking him back and forth. Spotting a tear forming in the corner of her daughter’s eye, Mary hurried over to her. ‘I’m so sorry. Please forgive me for everything. I’ll always be here for you.’ She kissed her daughter’s sodden face.

  Clare pushed her away and began to bawl. ‘Why haven’t they found Phoebe? No one is doing much.’ She hit the door. ‘I miss Susan so much and she’s going to be so upset with me.’

  ‘Why? What is it, Clare? You can tell me.’

  Harrison began twisting Clare’s unruly curls.

  ‘I’ve done something terrible. What I’ve done is unforgivable, Mum. Please don’t hate me.’ Her legs crumpled as she fell to the floor. Mary grabbed Harrison just in time.

  Sixty-Two

  A rat scurries along what was once a skirting board. It squeaks as it reaches its nest. I love how the rats freak little Susan out as they scurry along the floor. They love blood and decay and the rotting of her flesh. ‘Shut up.’ And on cue, the whimpering begins again. Go do your work rats. Strangulation is too fast for that one. I grin as I suck on my vape, puffing out the vanilla scent through the gaps around the edge of the door. That should cover up the stench, if only for a few moments.

  I kick the door open and laugh as the little beady-eyed creature nips at her ankle where the rope has dug into her soft flesh. Shivering, hallucinations, fever – you’ve had the lot, but now, you look like you’re back. You understand what’s going on. You see me and you wait for what’s next. Have I broken you? Have you given up the fight and accepted that death is just around the corner? ‘Don’t worry, darling. It will all be over soon.’ I’m telling the truth too, but first, I need you to see the truth. In your dying moment, you will see the man for who he really is. He’ll come, I know he will. He kept this side of himself from you but all will make sense, I promise.

  My bags are packed and I can’t wait to leave, then Phoebe and I will drive off into the sunset. I’m finally taking back what I lost, what you took from me.

  I hold up the hip flask. ‘Cheers.’

  You stare at me, wide-eyed, pleading for your release as the creature nips again. At least I don’t have to listen to your cries. I glance at the girl and she sleeps so peacefully, murmuring as her dreams take her on a journey to another world. I lean over and kiss her on the forehe
ad. ‘Goodnight, darling. Here’s to a new life, just me and you.’

  Susan fidgets and pulls against her restraints knowing I’m the winner in all this and she is going to die. I sit, take another drink and watch as another rat scurries along to join his friend. Hurry up, cousin, I’ve prepared this final showdown for you.

  I check my phone, no messages. There’s someone else I need to call. I love a friendly voice. ‘Hello,’ I say into the phone. ‘I needed to hear your voice.’ What I really need is to find something out.

  Sixty-Three

  ‘Wyre, take a look around the back. Here.’ Gina threw the torch to Paula Wyre as she headed to the side of Stephanie Baxter’s house as Gina peered through the gap in the curtains. It was far too dark to see anything. She could just about make out the edge of a coffee table from the clock on the cooker. She knocked again. ‘Stephanie. Stephanie Baxter. It’s DI Harte.’

  ‘Come here, guv,’ Wyre called.

  Gina trod carefully along the concrete passage, trying not to trip on the uneven slabs. She rubbed her hands together and blew into them, hoping to get some feeling back soon. ‘What have you found?’

  Wyre shone the torch through the shed window onto a pile of old blankets and a pillow in the corner, just behind the mower. An empty bottle of water stood on an upturned box. Wyre pushed the shed door, it wasn’t locked. She flashed the torch around. ‘I’d say someone has slept here or has been sleeping here.’

  ‘Hmm.’ Gina glanced back at the house and stepped towards the kitchen window. Again, the curtains and blinds were all drawn across the back end of the house.

  They stopped as they heard someone shuffling towards them, sniffing. The woman turned into her garden and screamed as she almost bumped into Gina. Flapping her arms, she went to run but Gina caught her arm.