Shadow of the Beast: A DS Hunter Kerr Novel
Page 24
* * *
At the bar, in the back room of the George and Dragon pub, Barry Newstead hooked an arm around Hunter’s shoulders and man-hugged him. ‘Good job me old mucker. Five murders detected and two serial killers locked up. Not bad for a beginner. I’ll make a detective of you yet.’
Hunter broke into a grin and wriggled himself free from Barry’s clutches, ‘Coming from you I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘It is, bearing in mind how you performed on that first job we worked on, remember?’
‘You won’t ever let me ever forget it, will you?’
Barry started chuckling. ‘It still makes me laugh every time I think about it. Those two paramedic’s faces were a picture.’
‘I was so embarrassed afterwards.’
‘That was a classic faux pas I’ll never forget. In fact, if I’m still around for your retirement it’ll be something I put into my speech. There was our female victim, lying on the floor, stabbed at least a dozen times by her husband. I’m there, putting on the cuffs and locking him up, and there you are drawing around her outline with yellow chalk. Just as I’m asking you what on earth you’re doing, those two paramedics come rushing in, and you reply, “I’m just drawing around her body for evidence,” The paramedics just stopped in their tracks and looked at you as though you were out of your mind, and I had to say, “but she’s not dead. She’s still alive!” Your face! You didn’t know where to put yourself. It was a good job she was unconscious at the time. Seeing you doing that might have given her a heart attack, and seen her off good and proper.’ Barry started to laugh again.
‘All right, all right. You’ve had your fun. I was a naïve detective back then. I thought it was like I saw in the movies. I didn’t know you didn’t draw around bodies.’
‘Certainly not round live ones.’ Once more he guffawed. Then, straightening his face, he added, ‘And now I have to say, credit where credit’s due. That was a good result today. You’ve more than redeemed yourself over the years. Especially with this one. The case will make headline news tomorrow, and you’re not going to get a look in, you know that?’
Hunter shrugged, ‘That’s not what we sign up for though, is it? At least I’ve the satisfaction of knowing what my contribution was. You know what it’s like – you’ve had the same happen to you over the years. You just get on with it don’t you? We didn’t join this job for praise, just to make a difference.’
‘You sound like an advert,’ he smirked. Barry slugged the last of his beer, set down his empty glass and raised a hand to catch the bar man’s attention. Turning, he asked Hunter, ‘Want a top up?’
Hunter eyed his glass. It was still half full. ‘No thanks mate, better not, this is my second. The last thing I need is to get breathalysed. I’ve had enough of being suspended to last me a lifetime.’
Barry handed his glass over to the waiting barman and took out a fiver. When the barman stepped away to pull his pint, Barry indicated over his shoulder to a trestle-seat where Dawn Leggate was sitting, chatting with Grace and Carol Ragen. ‘What about what’s happened in the gaffer’s life eh? I mean Mike almost getting killed by a hit and run driver, and then discovering it was her ex that did it, that must be a real shocker. What with this enquiry, and all that going on, I don’t know how she’s functioned some days, especially the ACC and Professional Standards getting involved. That is really some weight to carry around on your shoulders. I only hope we catch him soon for her sake.’
Hunter agreed with a nod. He wanted to look back over his shoulder, to where the other three were sat, but knew that Dawn was savvy enough to guess that they were discussing her and so resisted. He said, ‘I have to say I have the deepest admiration for her. Things are not going to be easy for her, the position she’s in. There’re a lot of jealous bosses out there who will try and make capital of this. It’s probably scuppered her chances of the next rank. I feel sorry for her. She’s a very good gaffer. I thought after Mike no one would replace him but we couldn’t have wished to get a better boss.’
‘I have to agree,’ replied Barry, accepting his freshly filled glass from the barman and handing over his money. He’d swallowed a good quarter of the beer by the time the man returned with his change. Wiping the froth from his moustache he added, ‘Anyway the good thing is, we know who we’re after. Jack can’t stay on the run for ever. The Mounties always get their man,’ he chuckled.
The MIT squad all finished their drinks at roughly the same time. Hunter was the first to say he had enough and everyone agreed that it was time for home.
Pulling on his overcoat, Hunter checked his watch. nine-fifteen p.m. He suddenly realised how hungry he was. The last time he’d eaten was seven hours ago and that had only been a ham salad sandwich. He decided he’d grab some supper on the way home and eat it while watching the news. He pulled out his car keys from his coat pocket and was the first to step out of the side door into the pub car park. As he aimed the fob at his Audi, he became conscious of Barry and the girls following him out. He was about to turn and wish them goodnight when a pair of headlights flashed on, catching him in full beam, instantly blinding him. At the same time as a myriad of bright dots and flashes exploded into his field of vision, he heard the loud revving of an engine, followed by a squeal of tyres. His instinct told him it was coming directly for him, and, although he couldn’t see a damn thing, he flung himself sideways, shouldering the wall.
* * *
Barry stood in the side doorway zipping up his coat, keeping his eye on Hunter making his way to his car. As Dawn, Grace and Carol appeared behind him, he stepped into the car park and waited for them to join him. Then, the four of them began their stroll to their cars. In the instant he saw Hunter’s car indicators flash on he saw a set of headlights blaze into life at the back of the car park and caught the screech of tyres as it raced out of its parking spot. It took him just one second to realise the speeding car was heading towards them, especially that it was zeroing in on Dawn, who was a good few yards away. Barry instantly leapt into action, launching himself towards his boss, and just as the car was about to plough into her, he threw himself sideways, catching her with his bulk, bundling her aside. The car’s offside thumped his thighs and mid-section, smashing into him with such force that it rocketed him upwards, and spiralled him backwards, flinging him to the tarmac with a sickening crunch.
* * *
The collision with the wall knocked all the wind out of Hunter, but his actions saved him from a worse fate – the speeding car missed him by as little as two feet. As it flew past he could just make out that only one person was in it, though he couldn’t make out who the driver was.
Following its path, preparing to note its registration, he heard a loud bang, and simultaneously saw a human shape being tossed into the air. At the same time, he saw the car veer out of control, and a split-second later watched it smash head-on into the corner of an outbuilding opposite the pub side-entrance. Pushing himself away from the wall, he sprinted towards the driver’s side and yanked open the door, throwing it back against its hinges. The air-bag had detonated and the driver’s face and chest were resting against the cushion. The man was letting out a light moan. Reaching inside, Hunter grabbed hold of the driver’s jacket collar and, with a swift heave, dragged him sideways out of his seat, slinging him heavily towards the ground. The dark haired man let out a sharp yell as he hit the floor, followed by another as Hunter fell on top of him. In a flash Hunter was grabbing at his arm, ramming it up his back, at the same time pressing his face into the tarmac. The man let out a loud squeal and, with eyes bulging, started screaming, ‘This is your fault. I told you this wasn’t finished.’
Hunter was trying to make sense of it all and then Dawn appeared at his side. He glanced up at her while trying to strengthen the arm-lock on his struggling prisoner. He could see her face was horror-struck and she yelled, ‘Jack!’ it all fitted into place. Before he could say anything, Grace was beside him, coming to his assistance. She had
her handcuffs out of her bag and was searching out Jack Leggate’s wrist. Hunter twisted one hand outwards and she clamped on the first cuff. Then she grabbed his other arm and completed the task. As soon as the restraints were in place Jack stopped wriggling.
Positioning one knee in the middle of his back Hunter switched his gaze to where he had seen someone hit by Jack’s car. What he saw made his stomach churn. Carol Ragen was kneeling beside Barry, a look of astonishment on her face. Although the car park was only bathed in weak light from the pub’s windows, Hunter could see how misshapen and still his friend lay. A dark pool surrounded his head and his eyes were closed. A strange sensation overcame him. It was the same feeling as when he’d seen Shaggy lying on the road after he’d been shot. The word ‘no’ was repeatedly screaming inside his head. Pushing himself off from Jack he ran to his friend’s side and dropped to his knees. His eyes scrambled the full length of Barry’s crumpled torso, before settling on his chest. He concentrated hard on the sternum section, seeking out Barry’s breathing, but there appeared to be no movement. He pressed an ear to his chest, willing to hear or feel something, but there was nothing. He glanced up and shouted, ‘Get an ambulance! For fuck’s sake get an ambulance!’
* * *
Outside the Intensive Care theatre, Hunter wandered aimlessly back and forth along the corridor, waiting for news. A team were working on his buddy in theatre two; they had been doing so for over half an hour. He kept returning to the theatre door, pressing an ear to it, listening to the frantic activity going on behind, trying to visualise what was happening. Although he couldn’t pick out anything that was being said, he knew it didn’t sound good – that his friend’s life was in danger. He was about to return to the door again when the ICU entrance doors crashed open and in stumbled Sue Siddons – Barry’s partner – followed by Grace and Carol Ragen. Sue was wearing a sweatshirt and jeans and by her lack of make-up he guessed she’d come straight from her bed. Her face wore a look of horror. She made a bee-line for him.
‘They’ve said Barry’s been knocked down!’
Hunter was about to respond when theatre two’s doors opened and out stepped a slim man in green scrubs pulling down his face-mask. The expression he bore did not look as though he was the bearer of good news.
Sue reached Hunter’s side and she grabbed his arm. Hunter’s gaze leapt from the surgeon, to her and then back.
The man directed his gaze at Sue and in a calm voice, he said, ‘Mrs Newstead?’
Shaking her head Sue replied, ‘We’re not married – I’m Barry’s partner.’
‘It’s not good news I’m afraid!’ the man said softly ‘When Barry was bought in he had suffered very serious injuries. He had a lot of internal bleeding. We operated to try and stem it, but there were complications and he had a cardiac arrest.’ He paused and took a deep breath. ‘We did our best to save him, but I’m sorry to tell you that he died a few moments ago.’
Sue let out a howl that was almost animal-like.
Hunter felt her legs buckle and he snapped his arms around her to stop her falling. Holding onto her, grabbing her even tighter, he felt her head press against his neck. She started to tremble and then she sobbed. He could feel his chest tighten, at the same time his eyes started to well up. He tried to hold himself together, but Sue’s sobbing overwhelmed him and he couldn’t stop himself from weeping. Within seconds both were inconsolable.
AFTERWORD
I would like to thank the following people, who collectively, have helped turn an idea into a published novel.
First up, Kevin Ware. I first met Kevin in the cells at Barnsley, when I was a Detective Sergeant and he was a drugs support worker providing care and services to drug abusers. After our first meeting it would be fair to say that, thereafter, Kevin became a port of call whenever I dealt with anyone who had a drug habit. Upon my retirement, I bumped into Kevin at the gym and we talked about my writing. I told him about the ‘Beast’ character I was developing and he told me about his time working at Rampton hospital. The up-shot was that Kevin helped me ‘flesh out’ Terrence Arthur Braithwaite.
Next up, forensic anthropologist, Dr Anna Williams. Anna came to a three-day crime writing event I organised and I took the opportunity to probe her about her fascinating job. Anna gratefully helped me with the excavation and examination of my corpses.
I cannot thank enough, fellow writers Lesley Merrin and Sam Swanney, and my wife Liz, who read my first draft, and kindly pointed out what worked and what didn’t. Their help was invaluable.
Finally, there is Wills, my cover designer. Even though he takes no notice of my ideas, he comes up with some terrific images. Thanks also go to Susan Hunt, my proof reader and editor, and I cannot finish without giving special thanks to Darren Laws, managing director of Caffeine Nights. Not just because he is my publisher, but because he goes that extra mile. He always responds to every phone call, text and e-mail and is the nicest guy to do business with.
Michael Fowler
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Some more great titles from Michael Fowler
THE DS HUNTER KERR TITLES
HEART OF THE DEMON
COLD DEATH
SECRETS OF THE DEAD
COMING, READY OR NOT
BLACK & BLUE (e-book novella)
REAP WHAT YOU SOW (short story)
THE SCARLETT MACEY SERIES
SCREAM, YOU DIE
OTHER NOVELS
CHASING GHOSTS (short book)
NON-FICTION
SAFECRACKER (The true story of Britain’s most infamous safe blower)