The Next Girl: A gripping thriller with a heart-stopping twist

by Carla Kovach

  ‘Maybe. I’ll leave you to deal with your chip pan. Goodnight, Chris.’

  She looked at the time on her phone as she headed towards her car. It was almost nine. The past couple of hours had flown by. She needed to get home, type up her notes and message Jacob before it got any later.

  Thirty-Eight

  Wednesday, 6 December 2017

  Gina swigged her coffee as she talked Jacob through the points she and Wyre had discussed the previous day. He scrolled down the report, nodding as he read Adele Sutter’s statement. He grabbed a tissue and blew his nose before throwing it on top of the pile that was rapidly filling up the waste paper bin beneath his desk. It had been a long week for them all. Most of them were putting in extra hours without pay. They were all hungry for a result. With budget reductions, everything was taking longer than it should. Lab results were taking longer to come back; research was being done by individuals rather than teams. It was hard to know how long they could all go on working under such high pressure before the department cracked.

  Gina smiled as she thought back to the previous night. After she’d left Briggs, she’d spent what was left of her evening typing up notes in her cold kitchen. She’d eventually rolled into bed at about one in the morning, only to be back at the station for seven. Her whole night had been filled with one weird dream after another, with intermittent waking followed by constantly fidgeting in bed.

  Wyre threw down her pen and smiled as she turned to face them both. The room went quiet as the other officers waited for her to speak. ‘We’ve had a call, ma’am. An Alice Lenton from number twelve Brookfield Avenue, the road that starts on the corner of Luke Jenkins’ road. She picked up the letter Smith dropped through her letter box yesterday while doing the rounds. She was at her daughter’s all day and only found it this morning. She said something about it being tangled up in her net curtain. Anyway, she claims she saw someone loitering at about two thirty in the morning on the same night that someone tried to break into the Jenkinses’ house.’

  Slamming her cup down onto Jacob’s desk, Gina smiled. ‘We needed something and this is it. Come on, Jacob. Let’s go and pay this Alice a visit.’ Jacob stood with little energy, dragging his coat from the back of the chair. ‘O’Connor, when we get back, I want all details on rural businesses in the area fully collated and on my desk. We can’t delay any longer.’

  ‘I’ll have it all ready and waiting,’ he said. ‘Oh, and guv?’ Gina turned as she zipped up her coat. ‘Thanks for the money.’

  Gina looked at him. ‘Sorry?’

  ‘My bike ride, this weekend. You sponsored me.’

  ‘Oh yes. No worries. I just hope you survive it with all the training you’re putting in.’ She laughed and grabbed a digestive biscuit off his desk.

  ‘You’ll see. I’ll show you all when I not only smash it, but come first,’ O’Connor replied as he shoved a whole biscuit in his mouth. Gina laughed as she and Jacob left the incident room.

  Thirty-Nine

  Jacob sucked on a lozenge as Alice Lenton passed Gina a mug of tea. ‘Thank you, Mrs Lenton, that’s very kind of you,’ Gina said as she took the cup from the trembling lady. Mrs Lenton’s bony hands reached for her own cup before she sat in what looked like an orthopaedic chair. It sat higher than the sofa they were sitting on, making the petite old woman look tall. ‘As you know, we need to talk to you about the morning of the fourth of December.’

  ‘Of course, Detective. I don’t know if I can add much to what you know, but as I did indeed see something, I though it only right and dutiful to call in.’ She put her tea down and straightened her collar, tucking a strand of long white hair behind her ear and sitting up straight with a smile.

  Family photos and Christmas cards adorned the immaculate bookshelf behind her chair. Gina noticed a photo of a woman in her twenties standing with Mrs Lenton. She was holding a baby. ‘That’s a lovely photo of you and your family,’ Gina said as she pointed.

  ‘Taken last year. My third great-grandchild, a little boy. I am so blessed to have such a wonderful family,’ she replied. Gina smiled and opened her notes. She could see Jacob out of the corner of her eye trying to suppress a cough. He cleared his throat and reached for the glass of water in front of him.

  ‘You certainly are. They’re beautiful. Anyway, back to that morning. Tell me what you saw.’

  ‘As I said on the phone, I often wake up in the night. I have sleeping pills but I try not to take them all the time as they really knock me out and, as you know, they’re addictive. I treat myself to one a couple of times a week, but that night, I hadn’t taken any. I’d watched a bit of telly in my chair, like I am now, and I’d fallen asleep. I awoke about two. The room was cold as the heating is on a timer, and all I had to keep me warm was a throw over my knees.’

  ‘What happened when you woke up?’ Gina asked.

  Mrs Lenton twiddled her thumbs and stared at the window. ‘I was tired but knew I wouldn’t sleep once I went to bed, so I went into the kitchen and took one of my tablets. They act quite fast so I knew I’d have to get myself up the stairs and ready for bed as soon as possible. That’s what I did. I turned the light off on the landing and felt my way along the walls to my bedroom. I remember my bedroom curtains being open. I can’t rest with them open, even after one of my tablets. We all have our going-to-bed routines, don’t we?’

  ‘We certainly do, Mrs Lenton,’ Gina replied.

  ‘You can call me Alice. Mrs Lenton sounds too formal, like I’m a head teacher or something. I worked in a delicatessen that we used to own. Me and William, when he was alive. I’d serve; he’d present the goods and do the paperwork. We were a good team,’ Alice said as she smiled.

  Gina cleared her throat and glanced at Jacob. ‘Alice it is. Can you tell me what you saw when you reached your bedroom?’

  Alice pulled a small piece of fluff from her thick tights and looked up. ‘I was getting a little sleepy at this point, so I leaned on the windowsill. I was about to close the curtains when I saw a man leaning against the lamppost just outside my house. He didn’t look drunk or ill, he was just loitering. At this point I was a little suspicious so I watched him, hoping that he would soon go away from my house. Being on my own, you can appreciate that I’m terrified at the thought of being burgled, especially when I’m at home. I have a good security system but people are clever, especially the young when it comes to technology. I suppose you know all this in your profession, don’t you, Detectives?’

  ‘We certainly do,’ Jacob croaked.

  ‘So, he was leaning against the lamppost,’ Gina said, trying to bring the wavering conversation back on track.

  ‘He was. It was odd. He wasn’t wearing a coat and it was cold. He just had on one of those zip-up hooded tops. The hood was up. I remember it was a dark colour, maybe black or navy, definitely not a warm tone like brown. I could tell that much in the lamplight. I remember him turning to look up at the houses, my house. He looked right into my bedroom. I don’t think he saw me, as the light was off and I was standing behind the curtain, but he did make my heart skip a beat. By this time my tablets were making me woozy.’

  Rain began to tap on the window. Gina took a swig of her tea. It was just as she remembered her mother making: sweet with full-fat milk. ‘Did you see his face?’ she asked.

  Alice pulled an embroidered handkerchief from her sleeve and wiped her nose. ‘He had a scarf covering his mouth and nose. I didn’t catch his eyes but he scared me. Something about the time it took him to stare up at our houses, like he was checking for signs of life before committing a crime. But then he walked away, down the street in that direction.’ She pointed towards the Jenkinses’ house. ‘I was so tired by then, I almost pulled my curtains off the hook as I drew them. I stumbled to my bed and woke up with a thick head about seven.’ The woman paused. ‘I’m sorry I didn’t see more.’

  ‘You’ve been really helpful, Alice.’

  ‘Did he burgle a house? There have been rumours up and down
the street that Mr Jenkins was burgled. He’s such a lovely man and his children are lovely too.’

  Jacob closed his notebook, coughed and drank the rest of his water. Gina knew she needed to put Alice at ease. ‘He wasn’t burgled, luckily. If you see this person on your street again, could you please give me a call?’ Gina handed her card to Alice.

  ‘I certainly will, Detective Inspector. What a credit to your sex you are. I wished I’d done more than work in a deli.’

  ‘You did do more. You and your husband were businesspeople; you worked hard. You have a lovely house and a beautiful family. You should be very proud of what you’ve achieved. Your great-grandson is adorable, too,’ Gina said as she stood. ‘We will now leave you in peace. You have my number.’

  * * *

  As they reached the car, Gina stood against the lamppost. It was the perfect vantage point. If he was seen, he could duck around the corner and head onto George Street. If he was undisturbed, he could see Luke Jenkins’ house perfectly from afar. Her gaze turned to the house next door, near where the intruder had been sitting and watching Luke. ‘He came from this direction both times. Maybe he parks up George Street,’ she said. They had interviewed many people who lived on the surrounding streets, asking them whether they’d spotted any unusual vehicles that had been parked on the road, anything that had seemed out of place, but nothing had been said. Again, no one had CCTV on the surrounding streets. This area was normally trouble-free. It was a nice area, where people felt safe.

  ‘Maybe, but I don’t think that interview yielded much we don’t already know,’ Jacob said as he pulled out a tissue and gave his nose a good blow.

  ‘It confirms he’s stalking them. We have Luke’s statement and we have Alice’s statement. He’s careful, wearing a scarf over his face. But yes, I had hoped for more. We should get back, see if O’Connor has made any headway with the farms.’

  Jacob placed his used tissue in his pocket. ‘I’m glad you’re driving; my head is so thick with this cold.’

  ‘A bit of hard work will soon clear it up,’ Gina said as they got in the car.

  ‘I didn’t get my bed bath. In fact, she hasn’t called again. I think my relationship with Abigail is over.’

  ‘Did it ever start?’ Gina asked as she pulled away.

  ‘Plenty more fish and all that.’ Jacob grinned.

  Gina’s phone beeped. It was a text from O’Connor. The information on all the local farms had been collated. Gina put her foot down as they reached the carriageway.

  Forty

  Gina shivered as she wedged her office door open to try and disperse the condensation. Two cups sat on her desk, both containing the dried-up dregs of coffee from earlier. She switched the computer on and removed her damp coat. The interview with Mrs Lenton had added nothing new to the evidence they already had. Nothing that would help them catch this man and find Deborah. It did seem that Luke and his family were being stalked, but by who?

  She couldn’t shake off what she and Wyre had discussed before. This person was most certainly dangerous. Luke had been warned, and he had her number should the man return, but were they doing enough? Before the cuts, they would have offered Luke regular checks by PCs, but the money just wasn’t there.

  Gina grabbed her phone and dialled PC Smith. ‘Smith, could we organise a regular drive-by past the Jenkinses’ house? Yes, get it out on the briefing system.’ She paused to listen. ‘I know you’re busy. I know and understand, it’s the Christmas season and you’re all busy. Please, make it happen.’ She paused. ‘Thank you.’ If something happened to the family and she hadn’t done everything in her power to protect them, she’d never forgive herself. She shuddered at the thought. Something was off, she could sense it; they could all sense it.

  O’Connor tapped the door and walked in. ‘You’ll be happy to know that I did some training this morning. I cycled to the station.’

  ‘You only live a mile away and the ground is flat,’ Gina replied.

  ‘It was piss easy though. Do one mile, you can do hundreds.’ He placed a file on her desk.

  Gina opened it. ‘Well collated.’

  ‘Thanks, ma’am.’ Gina scanned the information in front of her. ‘It looks like we have forty-three businesses that fit the brief in the area. Only twelve are operating and they are all farms that would be entitled to use red diesel. Eight of them farm animals and four farm vegetable matter, mostly asparagus and grains.

  ‘Twelve is a manageable number, although I would like a drop-in on the other thirty-one that are not classed as operational at the moment. You never know. Our perp could have a business that is no longer going but could still have access to red diesel. And we can’t discount the fact that some of these people might also be selling the odd bit of red diesel for their own gain. That would increase the legwork big time, so I hope it isn’t the case. Start with the working farms and then move out to the others. Keep me posted all the way.’

  ‘Will do. We’re short on PCs but I’ll do my best,’ O’Connor replied.

  ‘I know how hard it is,’ said Gina. ‘I’ve already put on Smith today. If the PCs can’t go to them all, we’ll need to. Go with Wyre and get this done quickly. We need to find Deborah.’ Gina closed the file and placed her hand on her stomach as it grumbled. She looked up at O’Connor. ‘Sorry, no breakfast.’

  ‘I’ll get on to the farms. It would be good for us to get out there too. We need to work hard on this one. If it takes all day, I’m in it for the duration, whatever the time,’ O’Connor replied. ‘By the way, Mrs O has made a Herman cake. It’s in the kitchen. Go get a slice, you sound like you could do with some food.’

  Gina smiled. ‘What the hell is Herman cake? Is it a cake made of Hermans?’

  ‘It’s a Herman the German friendship cake. She spent days bubbling up some yeast mix on the worktop and she somehow turned it into cake. The house stinks of the stuff.’

  As he left, Gina checked her phone. Still no word from Hannah.

  Jacob entered, tapping on the doorframe. ‘A long day ahead it is then. Farms to visit, leads to follow.’

  ‘Don’t make any plans. I’ve learned not to make plans, saves letting people down.’ Gina stared down at the floor, deep in thought.

  ‘You alright, guv?’

  She nodded. ‘Just being silly. My daughter’s on one with me at the moment.’

  ‘She’ll come round, I’m sure.’

  ‘You don’t know my daughter. I’ve let her down so many times. Most other nans probably babysit occasionally or visit regularly. Me, I arrange for them to come over, or for me to go and visit them, and I inevitably end up letting them down.’ Gina felt a lump in her throat. ‘I should be seeing more of my granddaughter.’

  ‘Not many people understand the demands of the job. No one cares that we’re understaffed or that a major crime has just come in. You do a cracking job. I mean look at me – most of my relationships last a month, max. They get fed up of not being able to go out on weekends or evenings. They get fed up when you leave in the middle of a date. Balancing the job and relationships, it’s a tricky one. Not all of us can find a husband or wife like O’Connor’s. She certainly is one in a million.’

  ‘She certainly is.’ Gina paused. ‘I’ve tried my best to be a good mother.’

  ‘Listen to me, guv, you are a good mother. You rid the streets of dangerous people, the same streets that your granddaughter will be out on in a few short years. When that little girl is old enough to understand how cool her nanny is, you’re going to be her hero.’

  Gina smiled. ‘Oh, you’re smooth, Jacob.’

  ‘I heard something like that on the TV – Jeremy Kyle, maybe. Those words aren’t mine. And tell anyone about what I said and I’ll blankly deny it, especially the Jeremy Kyle bit. Right, moving on. It sounds weird, Herman sourdough cake? I hear it’s good.’

  Gina laughed and nodded. She knew why she loved the job so much. Yes, it was satisfying to catch the bad guys, but it was also about the comr
adeship, the police family. ‘Quick piece of cake and back to work,’ she said. ‘A starving body equals a poor mind.’

  ‘Who said that?’ Jacob asked.

  ‘Me, I think, unless I just heard it.’

  ‘Grab one of your mouldy cups. I hear mould tastes good with coffee.’

  ‘Who said that?’ Gina asked.

  ‘Me. I always drink my coffee with mould in it and look how healthy I am. Police perk.’ Jacob coughed, pulled a tissue out of his pocket and spat in it.

  Gina pulled a mock grimace. ‘I’m heading to the Jenkinses’ in a short while, so I’ll catch up with you later. Get on to the farms and bring me good news.’

  Forty-One

  ‘Mother always said I was too kind for my own good. A sensitive, caring boy, she calls me,’ he said as he held a cold compress against the lump on the back of her head.

  Debbie remembered heading towards the door, but he’d grabbed her chain and yanked, then it had all gone dark. She flinched as she opened one eye. Since the tumble down the stairs, she’d been seeing a halo around objects and was struggling to adjust to any light. She had no idea how long she’d been unconscious. It could have been a few hours, it could have been a day. Fragments of strange dreams began to surface. Her head felt as though it has been smashed with a sledgehammer. Then she remembered: he had tapped her with a hammer. Not quite the sledgehammer that she was picturing in her mind, but it had hurt. As she shivered, gritty sweat gathered above her eyes.

  ‘I can’t believe you turned on me after I’ve been so kind.’ He stopped dabbing the back of her head. ‘Why? I keep you clean, I feed you, I do everything for you and you know it. You know how much I love you, but I don’t feel loved in return.’

  She looked away from his cold stare.