Watch Me

by Angela Clarke

  ‘Here, lads, what do you think?’ Saunders called to the uniformed guys behind the desk. ‘Would you rather be locked in a small room with Chips or pretty little Nasreen here?’ They guffawed.

  ‘What the hell?’ Freddie rounded on Saunders.

  Nasreen felt her face flush. She wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of looking away. She held a hand up to silence Freddie. ‘I’m a trained interrogator, I know how to exploit a nominal’s weaknesses. Sir.’

  ‘You gonna flash him your nominals?’ Saunders smirked.

  One of the uniforms wolf whistled. She spun towards them, making sure her voice was even, not hysterical. ‘Mind your manners, Constable.’ As she turned back the other snickered. She wouldn’t let them bully her.

  ‘Wish we’d cracked on to this years ago, hey, Chips?’ Saunders led them past the smirking uniforms. Chips refused to meet her gaze. ‘Think of how many we could’ve banged up if only we’d worn a pair of high heels!’

  ‘That’s enough. Sir.’ Nas dug her fingernails into her palms to mask the anger in her voice. Chips looked abashed. They were in a corridor, recessed light panels sitting among the ceiling tiles. It smelt faintly of bleach.

  Saunders turned to grin at her. ‘We all gotta make sacrifices, Cudmore. Lie back and think of England.’

  She would not rise to it. Wouldn’t give him the pleasure. ‘What do you think, Chips?’ She held his gaze as Saunders turned back: I will tell him what you did if I have to.

  Chips didn’t react to her look. ‘I say give the lassie a chance.’

  Had she forced his hand or did he really believe in her? Nasreen had to believe in herself. Had to believe that she could get the truth out of Liam.

  ‘Fine. Let’s see what you’ve got, Cudmore,’ Saunders said without bothering to turn. She felt a tingle of adrenaline. ‘So far the SOCOs have found no trace of Lottie at the house, or in Schofield’s van.’

  She caught Freddie glancing at Chips. What had Liam said to him?

  ‘What about Liam’s laptop and phone?’ She kept stride with Saunders, Freddie puffing behind them.

  ‘Computer’s on the way to the local lab, but I had one of the SOCOs take a look. Brain of Britain here didn’t use a password. He had a folder, helpfully named “Chloe,” which contained the images that were posted online. And he had a photo of the suicide note from the first girl, which looks mighty similar to the one that turned up on Snapchat.’

  ‘Does it have the banner across it?’ Freddie interjected.

  ‘Nope, and it was saved to his machine before Chloe’s Snapchat was sent.’

  Nasreen was running through the timeline in her head.

  Freddie was completely out of breath now. ‘What does that mean? He sent the note to Chloe? As a suggestion?’

  She’d been thinking the same thing. It didn’t add up.

  ‘That’s what I want to find out.’ Saunders came to a stop outside a door. ‘Chips, you and Civvy Longstocking can watch the interview on the live feed in here.’ He opened the door to a small beige staff room.

  ‘Oh goodie – coffee,’ Freddie said.

  Nasreen saw a kettle and microwave on the side. It must double as the officers’ mess. A number of chairs were grouped together, facing a flat-screen television. On the screen she saw Liam, shot from above, sitting at a table in a small, white interview room. He was leaning back, picking his nose. ‘He doesn’t want a lawyer?’

  ‘You’ll like this, Cudmore.’ Saunders smiled at her as he might a child. She was sick of them treating her like a useless kid. ‘He wants a brief, all right. He gave us a specific name, a Mr H. D. Cooper of Webb and Cooper. A pretty fancy-pants London lawyer for a kid who lives next to a Chinese takeaway.’

  ‘Where’d he hear of a lawyer like that?’ Chips folded his arms and leant against the wall.

  ‘Very pleased with himself as well, when he told us,’ Saunders said.

  ‘We have to wait till Mr Cooper arrives from town?’ asked Nas in dismay. That could take an hour. Maybe more. She looked at her phone. It was nearly half seven. They were into the evening. The deadline was gaining on them

  ‘No, the dingbat’s happy to go ahead before he gets here. I think he thinks lawyers are like magicians, they just stroll in, click their fingers and poof! You’re home safe again.’

  ‘Lucky for us,’ Chips smiled. Had he really not touched Liam?

  ‘So let’s be quick.’ Saunders winked at her.

  This was it. This was their chance. ‘Was there anything else of relevance on his computer?’

  Saunders frowned. ‘There was a “Lottie” folder as well. A lot of images I don’t think we want the guv to see.’ She swallowed her wince.

  ‘And the suicide note?’ Freddie asked.

  ‘Not this time.’

  Could that mean the kidnapper was someone else? That Liam didn’t have anything to do with Lottie’s abduction? But the evidence suggested he was involved, at least in some way.

  ‘He did have a folder with instructions on how to hack into someone else’s network,’ Saunders said.

  ‘Genius,’ muttered Chips.

  ‘The Scene of Crime Officer is sending over copies, and they’re printing it for us here.’ He looked up as a woman in her fifties, with dyed black hair and heavy eye make-up, hurried towards them. ‘Right on cue. Thanks, Barbara.’ The woman passed him a folder of printouts.

  ‘There you go, pet,’ she said. ‘And I’m seeing if we can shake up some rooibos tea for you.’

  ‘You angel.’ Saunders gave her a hundred-watt grin. Barbara walked off in a warm glow. He dropped all pretence of charm in a second. ‘Ready to smile for Daddy, Cudmore?’

  She ignored his leer. ‘One sec.’ Pulling the band from her ponytail, she shook her hair down. ‘You got any lipgloss, Freddie?’ It didn’t matter what Saunders had lewdly suggested, she knew what Liam had posted on Are You Awake. She was fairly certain he hadn’t had much interaction at all with females. Hating herself, she undid three shirt buttons.

  ‘Do I look like I’m packing MAC?’ Freddie crossed her arms over her chest.

  Nasreen ignored the judgement in her tone. Whatever it took, she would get the information they needed. She would prove herself to Saunders and Chips. This was the same as going undercover, she reasoned, feeling a bit sick as she put her hand inside her shirt and hiked her breasts up. Chips had the good grace to find something incredibly interesting to look at on the ceiling. ‘Okay?’

  ‘Better than your usual repressed headmistress look,’ Saunders said. ‘Who knew you had those babies?’

  ‘God, you’re a dick,’ said Freddie, shaking her head.

  ‘I’m only doing this because it’s the guv’s sister.’ Her voice was flat.

  ‘Whatever lets you sleep at night, Cudmore,’ Saunders grinned. ‘Ready?’ She nodded. ‘You play good cop, Cudmore. And I’ll play better cop.’ In two strides he’d opened the door to the interview room. Nasreen followed him. Liam’s face lit up like an Apple Store window when he saw her walk in. The clock was ticking. This was it.

  Chapter 27

  Wednesday 16 March

  19:40

  T – 13 hrs 50 mins

  Freddie gripped her half-drunk cup of coffee, staring at the screen. On the chair next to her she’d spread out her printouts. On the other side sat Chips. He’d eaten most of his Polos by now and the air smelt minty fresh. Green sat behind them.

  ‘We’ve got your laptop, Liam.’ Saunders casually sat back in his chair while Nas sorted the photos and papers they had. Her hair was tumbling over her shoulders and she kept shaking her head as if to flick it back. Liam, who was fidgeting in his chair, kept looking up at her, then back down at his hands. ‘We’ve seen the photos. No point lying anymore.’

  Liam didn’t respond.

  Nasreen’s voice fluttered through the mic. ‘It was quite something how you managed to get hold of all these images, Liam.’ She looked straight at him. ‘I’d have no idea where to even start!’
/>   ‘Did she just giggle?’ Green said.

  ‘Yeah,’ Freddie said, aware her coping mechanism was kicking in. Make jokes. Draw attention away from the frightening reality. ‘It’s like watching Police Barbie. Saunders is Ken.’

  ‘More like GI Joe,’ she said. Freddie laughed.

  ‘It’s working though.’ Chips looked impressed.

  Liam’s tongue was practically on the floor. His eyes were wide and the words were falling out of him. ‘It’s not hard once you know how to do it.’

  ‘But how did you even know where to start?’ Nas was breathy.

  ‘You just have to know the right people.’ Liam was pleased with himself. A sour taste filled Freddie’s mouth. She took a gulp of coffee.

  ‘People who know big fancy-pants London lawyers?’ Nas giggled. Did she just quote Saunders? Brilliant.

  ‘It doesn’t impress me,’ Saunders sounded petulant.

  ‘Shush!’ Nasreen flapped a hand at Saunders. Her voice sing-song Disney, ‘I wasn’t talking to you, silly.’ Chips spat his coffee out. Freddie laughed. On screen, Saunders scowled, and folded his arms over his chest in a sulk.

  Liam looked like he might burst with pride. ‘Bet he wishes he was on Mr Cooper’s list,’ he said, quickly glancing at Saunders to check he wasn’t about to get punched. Saunders simply glowered.

  Nasreen put her elbows on the table and leant on her hands. Channelling Marilyn Monroe. ‘How did you get on the list, Liam?’

  ‘Jesus, are all men this easy?’ Chips said.

  ‘You’d be surprised, sir,’ Green said. ‘She’s doing a great job though.’

  ‘The lad will need a cold shower after this.’

  ‘So will Nas,’ Freddie shuddered. She felt soiled just watching.

  ‘The chosen get a special little black book.’ Liam had pride in his voice. ‘I’m one of the chosen warriors.’

  ‘I’ve heard that before,’ Freddie said. ‘On the website. That’s what Apollyon’s Revenge said. Hold this.’ She pushed her mug at Chips and rummaged through the papers.

  ‘That sounds cool,’ said Nasreen.

  ‘It’s like an elite special force,’ Liam said. It sounds like a cult, thought Freddie, the Apollyon fanboys springing into her mind.

  ‘How’d you get selected?’ Nas asked breathily.

  ‘You have to prove yourself. Complete a task.’ Liam could’ve been talking about an honourable act, not sharing revenge porn online.

  ‘What did you have to do?’ Nasreen sounded enthralled.

  ‘You’re looking at it.’ He tapped the table in front of him.

  ‘What did he touch?’ Freddie looked up.

  ‘The photo of the suicide note,’ Chips said. ‘Christ. Someone else told him to do it.’

  And Freddie thought she knew who. She was leafing fast through the pages now. There were countless mentions of ‘chosen warrior’. ‘He’s telling them what to do. Look. Here he says he’s chosen this dude for a special task. A few posts down and the dude posts instructions for how to inject heroin!’

  Green grabbed her shoulder. ‘That’s how Chloe killed herself.’

  He was orchestrating the whole thing from this website. ‘He got this guy to send Chloe instructions on how to kill herself!’ Freddie slapped the paper.

  ‘Wait a minute,’ Chips said. ‘Slow down. Who are you talking about?’

  ‘Apollyon’s Revenge,’ Freddie said, her words echoing in the room as Nas said the same name on the television.

  ‘You don’t know who he is though?’ She was teasing, flirty. ‘That must be an awfully big secret.’

  ‘I know who he is,’ Liam said confidently.

  Nas exhaled. ‘Have you met him?’ They were all leaning in towards the screen now. Come on. Come on.

  ‘He’s not the type to do personal appearances,’ Liam smiled.

  ‘But you’ve spoken to him?’ Her voice light and fluffy as candy floss.

  ‘He only communicates online. He comes to you.’ He paused. ‘But I know his name.’ Liam was loving his moment in the Nas sunlight.

  ‘You don’t!’ Nas reached out and lightly touched his hand. Bet he won’t wash that for a week.

  ‘Alex Black,’ Liam said.

  Got ya.

  Nas pulled her hand back like he was dog shit. Straightened. Started doing up her blouse. All trace of sugar gone from her voice. ‘If you have a contact for Alex Black – a number, or an email – we’ll find it on your computer or phone. The Child Exploitation and Online Centre are very excited to meet you.’

  ‘Wait, what?’ He looked bewildered.

  ‘Do you know what they do to paedophiles in prison, Liam?’ Saunders said.

  ‘I’m not a kiddie fiddler!’ Liam looked from Saunders to Nas frantically. Trying to work out what had happened.

  Nasreen leant across so she was close to him again. This time she was in his face, her voice cold, hard, and clear. ‘Chloe Strofton was a fifteen-year-old girl. A minor. You stalked her. You stole personal photos from her. Photos you had no right to have. And then you published those photos online. You shared her home contact details and encouraged others to threaten and abuse her. You sent her a scripted suicide note. You may not have pressed the plunger on the heroin syringe that killed her, but you as good as did. I will see that you go down for every last bit of it, you pathetic little boy.’ Nas pulled the photos from under him, slammed the folder shut and stood up. Yes!

  ‘Interview terminated. Nineteen forty-nine.’ Saunders flicked the machine. And they stalked out.

  Chapter 28

  Wednesday 16 March

  20:00

  T – 13 hrs 30 mins

  ‘High five!’ Saunders held his shovel palm up.

  ‘No, thanks.’ Nasreen didn’t want to encourage any physical contact after the way he’d humiliated her in the reception. He’d made it clear he was in charge now, and that this was a series of tests. Trials to put her through. This was as close as she was going to get to a well done, or even just a thank you.

  ‘Suit yourself.’ He wound his hand back and pop! Punched the air. He was pumped from the interview, his energy levels increasing as the day drew on. Nas was exhausted. She put the folder between her knees to tie her hair back up. She’d have to try and get some sleep in the car. If she could stop seeing either Lottie or Burgone every time she closed her eyes.

  ‘Cheer up, Cudmore.’ Saunders clapped her on the back. ‘We got a prize idiot there. Like taking candy from a baby.’

  ‘Easy for you to say,’ she said, her voice thin. ‘I did all the work.’

  Saunders stopped bouncing and smiled. A dark, uncomfortable smile. ‘We found your use, Cudmore.’

  This was just another form of resource management. Cudmore’s female, she can handle the educational work and the flirting.

  ‘You’re riding with me,’ he added.

  Great: more dance anthems and racing line bends. So much for that power nap. Saunders leant into the staff room and slapped the wall. ‘Chips, we need to get back to the station. You all right to come with us? I want to cross-reference what we’ve got on the Alex Black guy.’

  Chips was pulling his jacket on. ‘Yup.’

  ‘There’s a load of it in here.’ Freddie held up the printouts from Are You Awake. Her face was flushed and her voice fast. ‘At one point he tells another of his “chosen warriors” that he’ll send them details of “a present Chloe can pick up at the Galleria.” That must mean something?’

  ‘The Galleria is the shopping centre Chloe stopped at on her way to Wildhill Wood, the day she killed herself,’ said Nasreen. That had to be a reference to the heroin. ‘Nothing used to cook the heroin was found at the scene – she could have been picking up the drugs?’

  ‘She’s on the security cameras at the shopping centre isn’t she?’ Freddie was stuffing the papers back into her bag.

  ‘The footage has been sent over to us,’ Nasreen said. ‘I could get Morris to get onto it?’ If they could trace the drugs back,
they might be able to work out who this Alex Black is. The name Apollyon’s Revenge tugged at her again. There were too many links. These instructions were all being sent online. Again she thought of the Hashtag Murderer’s prison officer’s denials that communication could be getting out.

  ‘Where’s Green?’ Saunders sounded irritated. He was swinging his car keys round on his finger.

  ‘Gone with one of the constables to put Alex Black through the PNC,’ Chips said. ‘Give us a bit of a head start.’

  Saunders caught his keys in his palm and pointed at Freddie. ‘Civvy Street, you’re with us. I want to know what else is on that site. Just make sure you wipe your shoes before you get into my car.’

  Freddie rolled her eyes. Nasreen tried to smile. She was pleased they’d caught Liam, and he’d given them vital intelligence, but an end still wasn’t in sight. The Alex Black lead might go nowhere. It might not even be a real name. She’d been here before with investigations: teetering on the edge of what felt like a major breakthrough, only for it to all crumble to dust. In her mind she wrote the word Apollyon in the dust.

  ‘He’s like a Svengali. Or a cult leader,’ Freddie was saying. ‘All this chosen warrior crap – he’s manipulating them into doing what he wants.’

  ‘Not getting his own hands dirty, more like,’ Saunders grunted.

  ‘Looks like he might have supplied instructions on how to inject heroin to one of his goons,’ Chips said. ‘The kid then boasts about sending it to Chloe’s phone.’

  Poor Chloe. A fresh wave of anger rolled over her. They’d made the girl’s life a living hell. They’d harangued her into killing herself. And it all led back to the mysterious Alex Black. ‘I’d like to talk to the prison guards of the Hashtag Murderer again.’

  Freddie made a small gasping sound. Turned it into a cough.

  ‘Too many links for your liking?’ Chips asked.

  ‘Something like that. I think we should speak to him.’

  To her left Freddie emitted a small ‘No’. Nasreen talked over it. Covering up for her friend.

  ‘I want to make sure this isn’t him. Sending these instructions, puppeting this from inside.’