Abandoned

by Lee Shepherd

  ***

  Georgie was the first to wake early the following morning; her head was pounding from the effects of the alcohol and she was blurry eyed due to lack of sleep. God, please let it all have been a dream. She nervously rolled over and freaked out when she saw Taylor still fast asleep beside her. She then peeked under the duvet; her thoughts of last night’s events were confirmed when she saw that they were both still fully undressed.

  She made her way out of the bed and towards the bathroom, picking her way through the numerous items of clothing strewn across the hotel room floor. As she closed the bathroom door behind her, she sat on the toilet with her head held in her hands. What had she done? She could not believe that she had potentially destroyed a marriage, and promised herself that she would not let anything like this ever happen again. She stepped into the shower and cleansed herself of any evidence of last night’s actions ever taking place.

  Back in the bedroom, Taylor was also starting to regain his senses and, although he felt guilty for deceiving his wife, he’d actually really enjoyed the previous night and hoped it may develop into something more regular. He was taken aback as Georgie returned from the bathroom draped only in a towel that wrapped around her slender frame, with her hair still soaking wet and dripping down her front as she picked up a brush and started to run it through her sodden locks. Taylor glanced up at her sheepishly; as his eyes met hers he could tell that she was remorseful as she immediately disengaged from his gaze and looked at the floor.

  ‘Last night should never have happened,’ she said firmly. ‘I don’t know what came over me. You are married and I feel like a complete and utter bitch! Please can we forget that last night ever happened and get back to being just colleagues? I don’t want this to affect our working relationship.’

  Taylor could sense her genuine sincerity and remorse and, although he was somewhat disappointed, he agreed. He scooped up his underwear from beside the bed and made his way past Georgie and towards the bathroom to shower himself.

  ***

  The pair of them made their separate ways to work that morning so as to avoid any awkward questioning or suspicion. They simply nodded knowingly at each other and greeted each other with a ‘good morning’ as they met at the headquarters of the investigation.

  Taylor rallied his team together to see if any more information had come to light in the wake of Mr Beattie’s murder, and also in the investigation into the three girls. He addressed his team.

  ‘Right, this is what we know. Due to yesterday’s discovery, it is looking very much a possibility that the case with the dead farmer, Mr Beattie, and the case of Amber Thompson may possibly be related due to the exact same way in which their limbs were bound together. Although the M.O. does not match up with the previous three girls’ disappearances, it is looking as though we are faced with the very real possibility that this is the work of a serial killer. And the likelihood is that he will strike again.’

  He paused for effect as members of the team around him shuffled uncomfortably.

  ‘I want to know everything there is to know about James Beattie — anything that might give us some indication of why he was brutally killed. His lifestyle, his family, his friends, anything that can maybe shed some light on why he could have become the victim. And as far as the press, or anybody else for that matter, is concerned, we are investigating the two cases separately and there is no obvious connection between them. The last thing we need is more nationwide media coverage and speculation over the issue, and not to mention mass hysteria in the local community if they were to believe that a serial killer is on the loose!’

  Taylor dismissed his staff, letting them return to what they had been previously been doing. He then looked at Georgie.

  ‘You come with me.’

  Chapter 13

  There was an awkward silence between the two of them as they made their way downstairs and out into the car park towards Taylor’s waiting car. As they entered the vehicle, Taylor just had to get the elephant out of the room and assured Georgie that he wholeheartedly agreed with what she had told him earlier. He was lying, of course, as he undoubtedly wanted a repeat performance, but did not want her to resign her services as he knew he was much more likely to solve the case with her expertise. She could see right through his comments but just chose to nod in agreement and assured him that from now on until the case is over she would conduct herself professionally at all times. The pair of them finally became more relaxed.

  ‘Where are you taking me?’ Georgie asked.

  ‘We’re going to see Minister Davies from Carlisle Cathedral to try and get an understanding of the meaning behind the message the killer left for us on the wall at the murder scene. He has agreed to meet with us this morning to try and assist us with any of our questions.’

  She agreed that this was probably a good idea, and they left the station car park and made their way to see the minister. When they arrived they were greeted by the clergyman. Details of James Beattie’s murder were yet to be released to the press, so Minister Davies had no idea why the detective and his colleague had arranged to meet with him; all Taylor had told him over the phone was that he needed some help deciphering a biblical verse and its meaning. The minister welcomed the two of them into his private chambers, offered them a seat and exchanged pleasantries. Finally, they got down to business.

  ‘So, what exactly can I do for you today?’ the clergyman asked.

  Taylor removed his notebook from his jacket pocket and opened it to the page where he had written down the quote word for word. ‘Can you explain the meaning behind the words and where they came from?’

  As Minister Davies read the words he knew instantly that they were from the King James Version of the Bible. It was a passage from Levictus 20:13. He just didn’t know why they would bring it to him instead of just typing the verse into a search engine to find the source and meaning.

  His curiosity was now excited and he couldn’t help himself from asking, ‘What is this in relation to, Detective?’

  ‘Would it make a difference?’ Taylor replied.

  The minister knew full well that he is not being given the full picture. ‘Well, actually, it would make a massive difference if it was taken out of context! What I mean by that is that first and foremost this is a direct quote from the Bible, more specifically the King James Version, which in itself has more of a hellfire and damnation feel about it. Secondly, you would not be bringing this to me just to explain this to you unless it was directly related to something I may be able to help you with.’

  ‘For example?’ Taylor asked.

  The minister was extremely confident now that the detective wasn’t being exactly forthright with him. ‘Proof-texting by any chance?’ he said, in a manner that showed Taylor that he had a fairly good idea of why he had arranged to meet with him.

  Taylor was unfamiliar with this term, but before he could ask the minister to elaborate, Georgie quickly chirped in.

  ‘Oh yes, of course! The art of taking verses and passages from the Bible and twisting the meanings to suit yourself, or something along those lines. Why didn’t I think of that? We learnt about that in our third year of study at university. I can’t believe I didn’t remember.’

  She knew exactly why she hadn’t remembered, and that it was because she had been riddled with guilt all morning thinking about what had happened the night before, but now it was all starting to make sense.

  ‘You’re almost right,’ the minister says to Georgie.

  ‘Almost?’ Taylor asked.

  ‘Proof-texting, Detective. It is the habit of taking verses out of the Bible, out of context, and forcing your ideas onto the text. For example, you could say that the Bible says that “there is no god”, because it does say that, but only if you take that phrase out of context of the verse in the book of Psalms. Psalms 10:4 to be exact. In it, it says “In the pride of his face the wicked does not seek him; all his thoughts are, there is no god”.’

&nbs
p; Minister Davies looked at the detective and could see that he wasn’t quite grasping what he was telling him, and went on. ‘Let me tell you about a humorous proof-texting experience that apparently happened when a man was desperate for God to speak to him over a situation he found himself in. The man opened the Bible at a random place and read Mathew 27:5 which talked about Judas, who betrayed Jesus and then went and hanged himself. The man thought that this was a bit odd, but went again and randomly opened it at Luke 10:37, and Jesus said to him, “You go and do likewise”.

  ‘You see, Detective, the point I am trying to make is that two different people can look at and read the very same material, yet have two totally different opinions of the meaning of what they have read. And by taking it out of context, they can make it fit to whatever situation they find themselves in. With that in mind, it would probably be beneficial for you to explain to me your reason for being here, so that I may be able to help you.’

  Taylor, by this point, was in total agreement and decided to entrust the minister with the information and circumstances surrounding Mr Beattie’s murder. He told the clergyman the events at length.

  ‘Given the details of what you have just told me, Detective, and the way in which Mr Beattie was killed, and the fact that the Levictus quote was found beside the body, suggests that this was the act of a man. Obvious, I know, but what do we know of Mr Beattie? Was he a homosexual man?’

  Georgie once again rolled her eyes as Taylor flashed her a smug smile, as he had been totally shot down by her the previous night when he dared to question the sexuality of Mr Beattie.

  ‘He was a married man for many years and a well-respected member of the local community by all accounts,’ Georgie explained respectfully.

  Minister Davies seemed somewhat puzzled and further probed, ‘Are you one hundred per cent sure of this? As this statement would clearly suggest otherwise! What else can you tell me of the man?’

  ‘Well, according to research conducted since yesterday, it would appear that he and his wife were practising Christians and regularly attended church, and they were also very much involved in charity work in the community. They didn’t have any children of their own, but apparently they were long-term foster parents for children throughout Cumbria for a period of about twenty-five years.’

  ‘Interesting…’

  ‘What do you mean?’ Taylor asked, intrigued.

  ‘Does Mr Beattie have any kind of criminal record on file?’ the minister probed.

  ‘There was an arrest and caution for a domestic disturbance in the early 80s, and also again a couple of years later for another drunken disturbance in the home, but no charges were ever brought against him as his wife would never give evidence against her husband according to our archives.’

  Davies thought for a second before asking one last question. ‘And what about any sexual offences detective?’

  ‘Absolutely nothing, like I said, the man was practically faultless in the eyes of the law.’

  ‘I suggest you dig a little deeper, Detective, because I believe that whoever did this — and like I say, the verse suggests it was the actions of a man — inflicted this torture and death on Mr Beattie in a revenge attack. His actions were either that of a spurned lover or perhaps the actions of someone who was the victim of abuse at Mr Beattie’s hands.

  ‘I would suggest you start by going over the records of all the young people he and his wife fostered and see if you can find any evidence to back up this suggestion, and maybe try and locate the people you find on that list. As I believe that somewhere in this you will find your answers’. Taylor and Georgie then thanked the minister for his time before leaving the Cathedral and making their way back towards the car. Davies followed them to the door before adding one last comment. ‘Find the victims Detective, and I guarantee you will find the killer!’

  Back at the car, Taylor turned to Georgie.

  ‘What did you make of all that?’

  ‘It makes perfect sense in my eyes’ she reluctantly replied, as she realised she had totally overlooked this angle of enquiries.

  ***

  Back at the station, Taylor left it to Georgie to relay this information to the team and to try and get a list of all the children that were looked after by the Beatties in all their years as foster carers. In the meantime, he went to see his senior, Chief Inspector Ian Messenger. As Taylor relayed all the new theories to the Chief Inspector, he could clearly see that his senior was becoming more uncomfortable with what he was hearing.

  ‘Everything okay, sir?’

  ‘No, no, everything is not okay, Detective Taylor! I’ve got the case of the three girls casting a shadow over this station, with people wanting answers. Now there’s been another murder in the shape of James Beattie. You are suggesting that this is possibly some sort of revenge attack for some kind of abuse that happened years ago. You’re telling me that these cases are related and there is potentially a serial killer at large in our community. That’s not to mention the media circus that swarms outside the station every day, so you can pretty much rest assured that everything is not o-fucking-kay!

  ‘I want some fucking answers, and I want them fast, as I now have to go and give another statement to the press and inform them about the death of Mr fucking Beattie, and once again I do not have anything concrete to give them. And another thing, Taylor…’

  ‘Yes, sir?’

  ‘I want kept up to date on any further developments in both cases as soon as anything — and I mean anything — arises, you hear me?’

  ‘Yes, sir.’

  Taylor left from Chief Inspector Messenger’s office and back towards his team and Georgie.

  ‘Right guys, shit just got serious. I gather Miss Riley here has informed you all of the new information regarding the death of James Beattie? I want a list of all the kids that the Beatties have ever fostered over the years, and I want them yesterday. Now everybody get back to work and find me something I can use!’

  With that, everyone went back to their desks to try to gather information for their boss. Detective Taylor headed to his office, slamming the door behind him as he entered, his pride dented after the berating he had just received from Messenger.

  Chapter 14

  Family life seemed back to normal in the Lee household; Rebecca and the children were enjoying having Charles around more over the last few days and the family was really starting to reconnect — so much so that Charles hadn’t even bothered to follow the recent news as he had done before. Instead he chose to concentrate on odd jobs around the home he had put off as of late, therefore trying not to give thought to what he had done over the past few months. He thought he was starting to turn over a new leaf and put it all behind him, totally resisting his narcissistic urge to play with and torment the police and their enquiries.

  ***

  The media didn’t go public with the news of Mr Beattie’s murder until a few days after Chief Inspector Ian Messenger’s meeting with the press, as he had asked them for a couple of days grace whilst his detectives determined whether or not the cases were related before they released the details of the old man’s death. He knew that when the news went public, and if the horrific details in which he was murdered were to emerge, the media circus would just increase tenfold, and the added pressure could hinder his officers in their investigations.

  He soon received the post mortem verdict on Jim Beattie, accompanied by the forensic report. The report stated that the cable ties used were the exact same type and batch as those used on Amber Thompson — plus the fact that they were tied in the exact same way — thus confirming his suspicions that the cases were connected. Chief Inspector Messenger, after much pressure from his superiors and the victim’s families, reluctantly contacted the media yet again to confirm the findings.

  ***

  Charles and Rebecca had not long sat down on the sofa after cleaning up following their evening meal when all of a sudden the programme they were watching was interrupted. In
its place was an incoming news bulletin, headed by Chief Inspector Ian Messenger.

  ‘It is with great sadness that I can now confirm that there is a direct link between the murders of Mr James Beattie and Amber Thompson. At this point we also strongly believe that the person responsible for these two crimes is responsible for the disappearances of the two missing schoolgirls, Lucy Mitchell and Sarah Davidson. This is now a direct plea to the person responsible to come forward and give themselves up and put an end to this matter. If you come forward and cooperate now, it will be a better outcome for all involved.’

  Messenger ended his address by finally reassuring the public that his dedicated team was following several leads, determined to bring the investigations to a swift end.

  Charles felt sick to the pit of his stomach at what he had just seen. Not because the police had actually connected the dots and knew they were looking for the same person in connection to the cases; not even due to the fact that the news made him think about the girls he had abused and murdered, and the promise he had made to never hurt another. No, what made him feel sick this time in was that he actually believed he recognised the man on his TV screen.

  No, it can’t be.

  The last time he had seen the man he was then just a junior police officer in his twenties back in the 80s. Charles searched deep into his memory to try and recollect the faces of all his abusers at that time — memories he had tried desperately to forget. But there was no denying it; Chief Inspector Ian Messenger was definitely one of the men that had not only visited Jim around that time, but he was also one of the men that frequented the terrified young boy’s bedroom. This absolutely enraged Charles, who, sensing Rebecca was beginning to tell something wasn’t right, decided he was going to take Tess for a walk to clear his head, as he needed some fresh air.

  ***

  Charles followed any further developments with real intent over the following days and, after scanning through the many articles in the local and national papers, he finally came across the details he was looking for, confirming the time and date of the funeral of Mr James Beattie. In that moment he decided that he would go along, in an effort to see if not only Ian Messenger would attend, but to see if he recognised any of the other guests.