A Kettle of Hawks (The Birdwatcher Series Book 3)

by European P. Douglas

  “I should, but I won’t,” she said ruefully. “I think I’ll stop into my local bar and have a couple of beers before bed tonight.” Was that an invitation? Probably not.

  “They might help you sleep,” he said. She didn’t answer and he imagined her nodding her head at the other end of the phone line. “This is the bottom of it all,” he said to her then, “but at the top of things, after they swing around we get Spalding, don’t you forget that.”

  “I won’t,” she said in the least enthused voice he’d ever heard when Spalding was mentioned.

  “Take care, Sarah, I’ll see you soon.”

  “See ya.”

  Tyler walked to the window and looked out to his small dock on the river. It was grey and dull outside but still the forest looked wonderful. He thought about Sarah being down and then his mind wandered back to thoughts he’d been having yesterday when Sarah called him.

  Why had Megan Stanver suddenly gone to the police with what she knew about Spalding’s message to them, and why hadn’t she come to them first? He wondered if Ellie had some part to play in this and that felt right to him. From all accounts Ellie was jittery and unstable and it didn’t take much to scare the life out of her any more. Megan must have told her and it was Ellie who called the police about it. Perhaps he should try to talk to them, or Megan on her own?

  Chapter 42

  The three remaining suspects were glad to have police escorts when they left their respective police stations. Delgado was assigned to Eddy Hobbs, in fact assigned himself. He had a very strong feeling Hobbs had done something and he wanted to keep an eye on him. Sarah had Ray Pallister and Mike Duggan took James Belfoy. Though they’d all be even more jittery than usual during their interviews, still none of them had told the police anything new. They all swore they didn’t know who was killing them off. It didn’t make sense to Sarah at all, what could be so big and worth dying for if it wasn’t people they knew in danger? Even if they had committed other crimes it wouldn't be so bad to go to jail rather than sit at home waiting to be murdered. Sarah intended to talk to Ray again, she felt he was the weakest link in the whole crew, the one most likely to crack and reveal something. If he did that might be all the leverage she needed to get the others talking.

  Sarah pulled up behind the patrol car that dropped Pallister home. She got out and met Ray as he was being let out of the back of the car.

  “Thank you officers, I’ll take him to the door. You can wait here until he’s inside,” she said. The officer nodded and closed the door and stood back to wait. “Come on,” she said to Ray.

  “Is someone going to go inside and make sure no one is in there before I go in?” Ray asked, looking very scared.

  “I can do that, but you know,” she looked back over her shoulder to be sure the officer wasn’t following close by, “It’s only a matter of time before he gets you.”

  “Who?” Ray stepped back from her aghast.

  “I don’t know who,” she said, “But I think you might?” She saw his eyes sweep back to the police car and then back to hers and he shook his head.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Do you have a bath tub, Ray?” she asked.

  “Yeah.” he said and she could tell by his eyes he knew what she was hinting at.

  “I wonder what it is about bathtubs with this guy,” she said. They got to the door while she was saying this. “You wait here and I’ll look inside, give me your key and don’t think about running. The two officers at the curb have orders to shoot if you try to escape, you’re still a suspect for murder, don’t forget that.” Pallister handed her his key and stepped to one side of the door.

  As soon as Sarah opened the door she felt something was not right. She hesitated in the doorway a moment and her mind went back to Staines’ place- was this the feeling of death she had missed back then?

  “Officer,” she called back and the one on the sidewalk walked to her.

  “Yes, ma’am?”

  “I need you to cover me in here,” she said. She looked to the street and saw the other officer was out of the patrol car now. She nodded towards Pallister and he understood to keep an eye on him.

  “You think someone is in there?” the officer at the door with her whispered.

  “I don’t know, but I don’t want to take any chances,” Sarah said drawing her gun and stepping inside. The officer pulled his own piece and stepped in after her.

  The apartment was still but there was an inaudible hum in the air, Sarah could feel it like tension. At each second she expected to hear something, someone coming at her or a gun firing. Her nerves jangled and the tiny hairs on her skin prickled as her heart pounded loudly in her ears. Was someone lying in wait? It felt like it.

  She moved through the few rooms slowly, making sure she wasn’t leaving herself vulnerable. The main living space was clear, the bedroom was clear, all windows closed and undamaged in these places. Then she came to the bathroom and now she really felt the sense of presence. She looked in through the half open door, checked the reflection in the mirror but saw nothing. The shower curtain was pulled back so there was no way to hide behind it. She saw the bathtub, grimy looking like it hadn’t been scrubbed clean in many years. She imagined Pallister’s body slumped in it. Sarah pushed the door back all the way and went in.

  It was clear. The whole apartment was clear. She drew in a sigh of relief and put her gun away. As she turned she saw the officer’s face white with fear and clammy with sweat relax and he too put his gun away.

  “You can come in now Mr Pallister,” Sarah said as she went into the main room. He stepped in looking scared. Sarah’s show of caution probably hadn’t done anything to sooth his nerves.

  “Are you sure it’s safe?” he asked, looking around as though he might be walking into some kind of trap.

  “Doors and windows are all sealed. Can you have a look around and let me know if you see anything that is out of place or looks strange to you?” Sarah asked. Pallister looked around and Sarah walked beside him, keeping an eye on his body language and also looking at the things he was looking at.

  “Everything looks the same as ever,” he said after a minute.

  “I want you to look in kitchen cupboards, drawers, and check your bathroom and bedroom,” Sarah said. Pallister looked at her like he thought she was joking but on seeing her face he knew she wasn’t. He went about his task without enthusiasm and Sarah was perturbed when he was finally done and hadn’t noticed anything at all out of place. She was hoping for something, anything to justify how she had felt on entering the apartment. Someone had been here, she could feel it. Or did she just want to believe it?

  “Okay, Mr Pallister,” Sarah said as the officer was leaving the apartment, “Someone will be posted outside to protect you. If you have any trouble at all, or if you think of anything just go to whoever is on duty outside right away, no matter how small you might think it is, got it?” Pallister nodded.

  “They’ll be outside in a car?” he asked.

  “Yes, it might not be a patrol car, but I’ll be part of the team protecting you and we will each introduce you to the next person guarding you so you know who we are.”

  “Okay.”

  “The number one thing for your own safety is don’t leave without us knowing. Don’t try to sneak out your back window or anything like that. We can’t protect you if you aren’t here.” He nodded at this and she could see the fear in his eyes. It was unlikely he was going to go anywhere anytime soon.

  “Will you catch him soon?” Pallister asked.

  “Who?” Sarah replied.

  “Whoever it is killing all of us,” Pallister said with a sorrowful tear welling in his left eye.

  “That’s what we are trying to do,” Sarah snapped. She was annoyed that Pallister and the others were holding back something that could benefit her case and help her find the killer. Pallister recoiled from her harsh words. “If you told me what you really know, we might h
ave him already!” He was wavering, his eyes darted about and she felt his need to talk surge. “What is it you haven’t told us?” she pressed forward, even taking a step closer to him, piling on the pressure.

  “I...I...;” Pallister hesitated, his eyes wide and scared.

  “What?” He turned away from her gaze and the spell was broken.

  “I’m tired, I think I need to sleep for a while,” he said, “I don’t have anything else I want to tell you.” Sarah heard his words very clearly and knew she was beaten for now- nothing else I want to tell you.

  She turned to leave but at the doorway stopped and looked back at him. He stood there with a vacant look in his eyes.

  “Whatever it is you are keeping from me,” she said, “That’s the thing that’s going to get you killed.” She stormed out leaving the door open behind her.

  Chapter 43

  “I just got a call from the FBI,” Megan said as she came into the bedroom. Ellie was sitting on her bed watching an old movie on the TV. She picked up the remote and muted it.

  “What did they say?” she asked pushing the edge of the bed. Literally on the edge of her seat, Megan thought.

  “Not much. They say they have spoken to Sarah and they are conducting further investigations.”

  “What does that mean?” Ellie asked.

  “I have no idea, I asked if she had been put on paid leave or anything like that, but he said he couldn't comment further on an ongoing investigation,” Megan said, flopping down onto her own bed. She looked at the ceiling; though she had been very scared at the time and annoyed now at the lack of information from the FBI, she felt bad about what she’d done to Sarah and Tyler.

  “It sounds to me like they’re doing nothing about it and they just want us to go away,” Ellie said indignantly.

  “Maybe,” Megan said. She didn’t really want to get into a whole thing about it right now. She was vaguely aware of Ellie shaking her head in dismay.

  “We’re never going to be safe here,” Ellie said after a time. Megan looked at her.

  “In this house?” she asked.

  “In this country,” Ellie replied. “So long as Spalding has people everywhere in the police and the FBI we won’t be safe.”

  “What do you propose?”

  “We should leave the country,” Ellie said, she came over hurriedly and sat on Megan’s bed and looked down into her face.

  “What?”

  “You heard me. We should go away, far away, to Europe maybe. That’s the only way to be safe.” Megan propped up on her elbows.

  “Are you serious?” she asked. She could tell however by Ellie’s face that she was. Ellie nodded. Megan didn’t say anything for a moment as she ran this idea through her head. Was it so crazy? Ellie was right about Spalding having tentacles everywhere here in the US, at least the eastern half of it. Surely that reach didn’t extend to say Ireland or France? Would they feel safer there?

  “How would we do something like that?” she heard herself ask.

  “It would have to be in secret,” Ellie said musing.

  “I’d have to tell my mom where I was going,” Megan said. Mrs Stanver had been beside herself with worry the day Megan and Ellie disappeared to find the coordinates and Megan didn’t want to put her through anything like that again unnecessarily.

  “We couldn’t tell her,” Ellie said, “That would put her in danger.”

  “Well I can’t leave her on her own,” Megan said. Ellie thought a moment and then said,

  “Your mother loves you and would do anything to keep you safe. I’m sure she’d come with us if we explained it to her.”

  “What about your family?” Megan asked.

  “I think they’d come too if we could convince them we would all be safe,” Ellie said.

  “I don’t know,” Megan said then after a short pause. “We would have to change our identities and without the FBI I don’t see how we’d manage that.”

  “Maybe we could go as we are but just not use Facebook or any social media in our own names or post pictures ever,” Ellie said.

  “We would have to go somewhere very obscure for that,” Megan said.

  “Not necessarily,” Ellie said, “It could be anywhere. Once we don’t draw attention to ourselves there’s no reason to think Spalding could ever find us there. Besides I seriously doubt he would ever be able to get out of America without getting picked up.” Ellie was excited about the idea and Megan could see she was getting carried away and glossing over some things she definitely knew to be true.

  “Leaving America sounds so final,” Megan said and she felt sad even at the idea.

  “What’s the alternative?” Ellie asked, “Live here in constant fear waiting for the day Spalding comes and gets us?” Megan could see she was getting annoyed at her for ruining the fantasy.

  “I think we made a mistake going to the FBI about Sarah,” Megan said.

  “What?”

  “I think we panicked and rushed to a wrong choice. I think she’s the only one who will ever be able to take Spalding down,” Megan said. It felt good to get this off her chest. Why had she let Ellie’s fear get hold of her too?

  Ellie stood up and took a step away from the bed. She glanced at the flickering silent TV and then to the window. She had the look of a person perplexed by a betrayal.

  “No one can bring him down,” she said sourly. She went and lay down on her own bed and put her hands over her eyes. Megan thought she was probably crying but she didn’t see Ellie’s body judder with sobbing and there was no sound either. It was a long time before Ellie said anything else.

  “I think it might be time for me to go back home,” she said from still under her arms. She sounded deflated.

  “You’re very welcome to stay,” Megan said though it rang hollow in her own ears. It seemed everything had changed in a flash and Megan’s heart felt like it was breaking. How had it come to this, and in such quick order?

  “I think it’s best I go,” Ellie said, “I feel better now.” It was such a lie and yet neither of them felt capable of challenging it. Megan felt like asking Ellie again about talking to someone from psychological services but knew it wasn’t the right time. It felt like a break up and in that moment she felt that if Ellie left she might never see her again.

  “I don’t want you to go,” Megan said. Ellie took her arms down and seeing her eyes Megan knew she had been crying.

  “I’m not good for you,” Ellie said, “and my not being good for you is not good for me. It’s best I go back home so we don’t lose what we have.”

  “We could never lose what we have!” Megan said and she jumped from her bed and went over to take her friend into an embrace. They both cried now and it went on for a long time. It felt to Megan like the end of something, but what she couldn’t be sure.

  Chapter 44

  Delgado was stunned when a dispatch came over the radio calling for backup at the address of James Belfoy. He shot his eyes to Eddy Hobbs’ apartment where he was on watch, and all looked quiet. The call to Belfoy could be a diversion he reasoned so he got out of the car and went up to the apartment door.

  “You okay in there Hobbs?” he called out as he banged on the door. There was no answer. He banged again and then sidestepped to the window and cupped his hands around his head to see inside.

  “Hobbs?” he yelled and then banged on the window. He couldn’t see anything but there was the faint noise of music coming from within. A split second decision had to be made and Delgado made it. Hobbs could be being attacked right now, or worse still he could have gotten out without Delgado seeing him and have been at Belfoy's’ place right now where the backup was rushing.

  He stepped back and rushed the door with his shoulder and his full weight behind it. It didn’t give on the first go but he heard the frame crack and felt the door move and knew the second would send him inside. He pulled his gun and barged the door again, this time the cracking groaning wood gave way and splinters erupted and spra
yed everywhere as he came in.

  “What the fuck!” came the startled voice of Hobbs from somewhere to the back of the apartment.

  “Hobbs!” Delgado called out rushing that way, “Are you okay?” Hobbs appeared at the bedroom door at the end of the short hallway.

  “I’m fine, what’s going on?” he asked, looking very edgy.

  “Why didn’t you answer the door?” Delgado asked, reaching him and pushing him out of the way so he could look into the bedroom.

  “I was asleep,” Hobbs protested. Delgado went into the bedroom and looked around quickly. There was no one there. It must be Pallister he thought, and he took his phone and called Sarah.

  “Stay in your room,” Delgado said to Hobbs as he passed him again, this time heading back to the front door.

  “Is it Hobbs?” Sarah said as soon as she answered.

  “No, Hobbs is fine, he was asleep.”

  “Where is he now?”

  “At the end of the hall,” Delgado said.

  “Can you see him?”

  “Yeah, how’s Pallister?”

  “Fine. He was here the whole time too.”

  “So it was someone else after all,” Delgado said.

  “The immigrant,” Sarah said sounding frustrated. As she said this, Delgado was looking down the hall at Hobbs who was now staring at the ground and looking upset. Something sifted in the back of Delgado’s mind, something he’d seen very recently.

  “I’ll call you back in a few minutes,” Delgado said.

  “Is everything okay?” Sarah asked.

  “Yeah, just give me a couple of minutes,” he said and then hung up. Hobbs looked up now perhaps feeling Delgado’s eyes on him and there was sorrow there, close to tears. Then it struck Delgado what he’d seen. The flap of the curtains in the room when he went in. Hobbs’ window had been open. He’d just come back in, that was why he hadn't come and answered the door to Delgado when he knocked. The whole time he was gone, most likely killing James Belfoy? And Delgado had been sitting out in his car doing nothing!