Trap Lane

by Stella Cameron

  He smiled and brushed her hair away from her forehead. ‘And you aren’t one bit upset, hm?’

  ‘Of course, I am but … why pretend, I’m very worried. This thing with Annie frightens me. But I’m even more worried thinking about what’s behind all this and whether we’re going to face more … well, you know what I’m thinking. Is someone else going to die. It’s horrible, Tony.’

  ‘Please relax.’ He pulled her even closer. ‘We’ll do whatever we need to do. And I trust the police to do the same. Most of all I’d like to hear they’ve found Annie. How the hell did she get away without anyone noticing? Was she snatched? What?’

  ‘I don’t think Bill and his people have any of the answers to that. I don’t have any idea why or how she left the police station, but she wouldn’t go if she didn’t want to – unless, well, unless she was forced. That’s something I believe. I’m trying not to think of her hurt and in danger.’

  ‘Tomorrow is another day,’ Tony said, and laughed. ‘Not original, especially when it’s already tomorrow. But it is true. And in the morning we’ll be better able to see all this more clearly. Or I hope so.’

  She settled against him, thinking, and trying not to consider what she’d given him. The sound of him unfolding the piece of paper and shaking it out put any idea of waiting a little longer aside, but it wasn’t right to keep it from him.

  Alex closed her eyes while she knew he was reading.

  He was quiet for longer than it would take for him to absorb what the letter said.

  ‘Alex,’ he said softly.

  ‘Mm.’

  ‘Whether we do or don’t have children – biological children – makes no difference to how much I want to be part of your life. For as long as possible.’

  She held onto him.

  ‘You know how I feel. I’ve told you often enough. Thank you for this – this report. It would never have made any difference, but I’d really like us to have children if you want them, too. Alex, can we get married? I’d really … damn it, girl, I’m fed up with trying to be so carefully unromantic. I want us to marry because I’m in love with you. I have been for longer than you can imagine. What do you say?’

  ‘Hmm.’ She smiled against his chest. ‘That’s all a bit soppy but I liked it. I say yes. Yes! But we do have some problems to deal with first.’

  ‘Right.’ It wasn’t easy to sit still and be cool.

  THIRTY-ONE

  The phone had awakened them both before six in the morning. Bill called to tell them he was at the Black Dog and there was no news of Annie.

  Alex stood in the kitchen, watching Tony make coffee. He had put bread in the toaster, pulled butter from the refrigerator and placed a carton of milk on the table. Neither of them had started a conversation since they came downstairs.

  She poured some of the milk into a jug and set a knife on the counter.

  All business, habit, to avoid talking about what really mattered.

  Tony took travel mugs from a cupboard and poured coffee. ‘Sit down while I do this, Alex. I’ll get the toast, too. Do you want marmalade?’

  Ordinary. Or trying to be ordinary when they were both so worried about what the day would bring – and enmeshed in their decision of the night before.

  He poured coffee for them both. And ducked to kiss her cheek before putting the pot back. ‘We’re ready, Alex. Bill has let us know what they’re doing. If we don’t hear anything else very soon, I think we should contact some folks when we get to the Black Dog and let them know what we’re planning for the day. Or at least for the morning. Hugh deserves that, too. He’s as worried as we are. What I want most is to hear they’ve found Annie.’

  ‘Tony,’ she said, ‘why doesn’t she just show up? She’s been gone all night. I don’t know what we’ll do if they haven’t heard from her.’

  ‘They hadn’t when Bill phoned,’ Tony pointed out. ‘I don’t expect him to be there when we arrive but we’ll hear as soon as they get news, though.’

  Carrying toast and coffee, they took the dogs and left for the Black Dog. Driving down the hill in Tony’s Land Rover, Alex felt tighter and tighter. The sun rose, promising a clear, bright day but she felt a deep turbulence, a sickening premonition that the best of this day was behind them.

  Tony pulled out his mobile and gave it to her. ‘Could you get Radhika on the phone, please? No clinic this morning but she’ll be there.’ He picked up his coffee. ‘She’s got the house fire to deal with. I haven’t done enough to help.’

  When Radhika answered, Alex handed over the mobile and stared out the window, inhaling the scent of her coffee rather than drinking from the mug. She recalled asking Bill what he thought about finding people who were missing within a certain number of hours? Twenty-four and the chances of a good outcome got slimmer?

  Sonia Quillam hadn’t been seen in days, despite media appeals and search efforts. What about her car? If she had driven away intending to lose herself, she would surely have been noticed somewhere by now. Alex knew that a rental car had not shown up, or she hadn’t heard about it if it had.

  ‘That woman is something else,’ Tony said, breaking into Alex’s racing thoughts. ‘Radhika takes things in her stride, some things that would stop a lot of people in their tracks.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘Are you trying to fall asleep on me?’

  She caught his little smile and patted his thigh. ‘No. Afraid not. We’re going to have another body show up, aren’t we? Sonia Quillam isn’t coming back.’

  ‘I understand why you say that. It’s impossible not to think the worst. But we must try to be hopeful – or, it would be easier if we could.’

  ‘It would. So we get squared away in Folly and then start driving to every place we’re aware of Annie going with Elyan. I keep hoping the police will find her Mini on CCTV from the day before yesterday. I tried to ask Bill about it but he cut me off.’

  ‘We’ll ask again,’ Tony said, turning at the driveway to the Black Dog car park. ‘A tow truck’s coming out,’ he said and backed onto the road again, parked to one side.

  ‘Who would call a tow truck?’ Alex said. She opened her door and jumped out. ‘That’s not even a tow truck. They’ve lifted it onto a flatbed.’

  Her waving arms stopped the truck and she ran to the driver’s window. ‘What are you doing?’ she cried. ‘You can’t do that.’

  ‘Talk to the man inside,’ he told her, indicating the pub. ‘This is official business.’

  And he drove on, carefully turning the vehicle onto the High Street.

  Tony joined Alex and they watched, stunned, as Annie’s Mini was hauled away.

  Breakfast was served as usual at the Black Dog. Bill had almost decided to go to his flat in Gloucester the night before, but he had wanted to see Radhika and remain at the center of what was unfolding in Folly-on-Weir. He still had to think most of the answers were here.

  He had barely slept and appreciated solitary quiet in the restaurant, drinking the excellent coffee Lily had served and waiting for his full English.

  He had no doubt that the parish hall was getting more frenetic by the hour and, no doubt either, fielding a stream of mostly useless tip-off calls.

  He also knew he would hear the moment there was something useful. So far, nothing. What he wanted more than anything was word of Annie Bell.

  He didn’t look forward to dealing with the superintendent about her disappearance while under police supervision, but it was the fate of the girl herself that troubled him more. Her Mini was to be taken in for forensic examination this morning. Bill couldn’t get his mind off the car being at Green Friday around the time Radhika’s house had been torched. If Hugh and Alex had followed up on what had to seem odd, at once, and informed him the moment they saw him … If? If a lot of things on this one.

  Voices reached him from the direction of the bar – growing closer. And hurrying footsteps. Alex preceded Tony into the restaurant and Bill prepared for whatever was making her search for
and find him at his corner table, with anger radiating from her every rapid gesture.

  ‘Did you arrange that?’ She pointed toward one of the front windows, then looked out at the forecourt. ‘It’s gone now. You know things you’re not telling us. That’s your right but not when we’re desperate to find Annie.’

  Doc James, coffee carafe in hand, was an unexpected arrival. He took two cups from another table and poured for Tony and Alex.

  Damn, he didn’t need more complications now, Bill thought. This time they needed to let him do his job, not distract him.

  ‘Sit and drink that.’ Doc wasn’t issuing an invitation. ‘And keep your voices down. Hugh’s using efficiency to pretend he’s not losing more control by the second, and Lily’s trying to appease everyone.’

  Tony smiled at his father and Bill knew gratitude when he saw it, but Alex wasn’t smiling as she slid into a chair opposite Bill and leaned toward him. ‘OK, this is quiet now. Why has Annie’s car been taken away?’

  ‘I couldn’t say.’ As if that would buy him any space.

  ‘Breakfast,’ Lily said, carrying in two plates. ‘One for you, Bill, and doughnuts for the table.’ She dislodged a wad of serviettes from beneath an arm and set them down.

  ‘Can I keep this on topic, please, people?’ Alex took a bite out of a doughnut, rested her elbows on the table, chewed, and stared Bill in the eye. When she had swallowed, she added, ‘That wasn’t an answer and I’m not taking much more of this.’

  The bacon was losing its appeal. ‘Alex, I cannot share that information with you.’

  ‘But—’

  ‘I can’t. We don’t have Annie yet. We’re going at her disappearance and at this case with everything we’ve got. I know you’re upset – and scared – but I also have a detective sergeant in the hospital and I need you behind me, not blocking my path.’

  ‘That’s awful,’ Alex said. ‘But what does that have to do with Annie?’

  He narrowed his eyes. ‘I’m letting you know I’ve got a lot on my plate.’

  She put her face in her hands and mumbled, ‘Sorry.’

  Tony stood behind her and squeezed her shoulder. ‘What can you tell us, Bill?’

  What he wouldn’t and couldn’t tell them was that Annie Bell could move into the suspects’ circle, if she wasn’t already there.

  All eyes were on him. No pressure here. ‘We have priorities – a plan with numbered bullet points. Joint top of the list: Sonia Quillam and Annie Bell.’ Not necessarily in that order. He looked at his congealing eggs and picked up a piece of toast.

  Doc James refilled the coffee cups, and Lily turned to leave the restaurant. The atmosphere did not get any lighter, but Bill would take any break he could get from the questions he couldn’t answer, or not with what they wanted to hear.

  His mobile, vibrating in his pocket, was a welcome diversion. ‘Lamb,’ he said when he answered. ‘Yes. One moment.’ He stood, holding up an apologetic hand to the rest of them, and withdrawing to stand by the reception desk. ‘Go on, Legs. What have you got for me?’

  ‘They’re going to feed the CCTV footage to you down there, guv,’ the detective constable said. ‘They say it’s not as good as they’d like it. They’re still working on it. Three sightings so far and one of them is promising. They think all three show the Mini.’

  THIRTY-TWO

  There was no way to turn the light off from inside the room.

  The fixture, high on a wall, had a metal mesh cover over a dim yellow bulb. By now it must be morning but there were no windows to help her know.

  Her shoes were gone. Or had she lost them before? Her head felt wooly. It ached. When she touched her forehead she felt a lump there, bruised and sore, and flakes of dried blood came away on her fingers. Her body was heavy, the muscles tight. More bruises. Bruises everywhere.

  This was a different room.

  Again, she touched her head and wanted to cry. Would anyone hear? They had to hear. They had to come for her. They said they would.

  Didn’t they? When she was picked up?

  The mattress on the floor had no pillow and her neck hurt, but she must stay there.

  The light went out.

  Screaming again. It had been screaming that woke her.

  Screaming, or laughing?

  Had she screamed?

  I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make any noise, but you frightened me. Don’t leave me here any longer, please, please. All I did was love him. All I have ever done for so long is love him. I never thought anyone would be hurt – would die.

  No one will know. Believe me, please. You never have to fear me or be angry with me again. If you let me out, I will keep the secrets forever.

  I fell. I remember now going down, pushed down, but I didn’t do what you think. I didn’t tell anyone. I kept you safe.

  If you’re not safe, I’m not safe. I told you no one had found out.

  Under the door, a line of bright light showed. Morning – or later. Daylight, but not in here. Even while she was sucked away – again and again, she had heard him talk. He said he had to decide, but he wasn’t going to let her …

  Pain seeped back in behind her eyes, exploded inside her skull.

  He was saying what he would not let her do, but she couldn’t hear the words anymore.

  THIRTY-THREE

  ‘Bill’s afraid we’ll do something stupid,’ Alex said while they watched him swing his car out of the car park.

  When they had closed the front door of the Black Dog behind them, they walked directly into Bill’s path. Their mistake for assuming when he quit the restaurant he had driven away immediately. He was standing beside the Optima, just finishing a call on his mobile. Bill asked what she and Tony intended to do next and she told him. And he came as close to losing his temper as she had ever seen. As the tirade went on about interference, risking hurting rather than helping those who were in trouble, or worse yet, in danger, only once he’d said his piece did he slip back into Bill Lamb mode and lose the flush in his face and the jut of his chin.

  He had said what he expected of them and walked away.

  Tony shrugged. ‘Shall we walk to the parish hall as ordered?’

  ‘Of course,’ she replied. ‘What is he going to do? Stand us in a corner with a police guard?’

  ‘I think we’ve stepped in it this time,’ Tony said, setting off briskly. ‘But you’re right in what you’ve been thinking and saying – the police have more information than we realized, and they’re determined to head off any interference.’

  Alex hurried to catch up and took his hand. ‘I want to know what they think they might find on Annie’s car? Fingerprints – should be plenty of those – fibers, or blood?’ She hunched her shoulders.

  Harriet Burke’s white handkerchief flapped from the window in their flat above Leaves of Comfort. ‘Don’t answer any questions,’ Tony said. ‘If anything gets passed on and Bill finds out, well, I think we’ll be careful, won’t we?’

  She smiled a little. ‘And that was your attempt to back away from telling me the obvious, I suppose. Work on it in case there’s a next time.’

  ‘Hi, Harriet,’ he called, waving. ‘Can’t stop now. Get you later.’

  ‘Just tell me if you’ve heard anything about Annie?’

  Harriet leaned farther out and Alex pulled Tony to a stop. ‘Let’s not cause her to fall out of the window.’ She raised her voice. ‘Nothing yet. We’ll let you know as soon as there’s any news.’

  ‘Did you hear that poor Mr Giglio was … well, he was beaten to death?’

  They hadn’t. ‘No, who told you?’ And no doubt Annie’s disappearance was all over the village by now.

  Harriet wafted a hand vaguely. ‘It’s fact. Coming from the post-mortem, we’ve been told.’

  ‘By whom?’ Tony asked, firmly enough to make it clear he intended to find out.

  ‘Who do they think the killer may be?’ Harriet persisted. ‘Have they arrested anyone?’

  Tony held f
irm. ‘We don’t know. Where did you hear about Giglio’s death?’

  ‘You come and see us later,’ Harriet said, and closed the window.

  ‘It’s already getting hot and I’m already tired,’ Alex said. ‘Next those two will be telling us they can’t reveal their sources. If they had a tele I’d accuse them of watching too many crime shows. And no, I won’t be telling Bill what was just said. As it is, he’s on the warpath about Folly gossip.’

  The air was still and seemed tinted by the intense blue of the sky. Even the few cotton wool blobs of cloud hung still. Alex longed for a breeze.

  ‘This walk is too short when you don’t want to get where you’re going,’ Tony said and laughed. ‘I wonder if Bill’s told Hugh not to do any searching of his own.’

  ‘He will anyway – if he wants to,’ Alex said. ‘I suppose searching might be pretty pointless, but you feel you have to do something.’

  The parish hall door stood open – on hot days it soon got stuffy in there. Alex heard the constant sounds of ringing phones and waves of conversation. Not too many laughs. She and Tony gave one another a significant look and went inside.

  Officers filled a phone bank on a row of metal desks facing the door in front of the tall screens that were now too familiar. Behind them, Alex knew, was the important stuff, the action center. Charts and photographs. Maps, whiteboards covered with briefing notes, sometimes more pictures taped there, and plans of attack on the current case together with names of detectives assigned to different tasks. And there would be that bullet-pointed master list, Bill had mentioned. She had caught sight of the ‘private’ area on two previous occasions.

  ‘Now what?’ Tony said. ‘I almost think we should wait outside. The last thing Bill wants is for us to hear anything useful.’

  ‘Useful how?’ The man himself had approached behind them and Alex saw that he’d moved his desk under the windows, facing the hall and putting more distance between himself and the general clamor.

  ‘Caught – again,’ Alex said. She didn’t feel like smiling. ‘You know what we’d find useful. Anything that started pulling all this apart and showing us what’s really happening – what you’re thinking and which direction you’re taking.’