Soul to Take

by Clare Revell

  “Yeah. Peter, isn’t it?”

  The bloke nodded. “Word was they sent you away.”

  “They tried,” Zander said wryly. “My lawyer sent me back.”

  Peter moved closer, still mopping. “I have a mate who don’t reckon you did what they’re saying you did. My cell mate says it’s got to be a cop though. Just not you.”

  “Oh? Why’s that?” Zander tried not to show too much interest.

  Peter kept cleaning. “It has to be. The Slayer knows how the system works. A cop could plant evidence, fix it so it doesn’t look like it’s him. Only an idiot would use his own car and phone, right? Then, when the investigation gets too close, he changed track. Gets you arrested to clear a path for himself. He wants to finish what he started. He’s making a way for the final one. The big one.”

  Zander frowned. “But if he’s free and clear, because I’m in here, why bother?”

  “He has an agenda. An end motive. Everything so far is a precursor move towards his end game. Only you just haven’t seen it yet. She has, or she’s starting to, but he’s a clever one. It’s vital he plays it to the finish, and no one stops him.”

  “A cop. You’re sure about this?”

  Peter nodded. “A high up one, too. He’s good at fitting people up, been doing it for years. Thing is, he’s not who you think he is.”

  Zander studied him. “It’s not your cell mate at all, is it? It’s you. You know who the Slayer is.”

  “I can’t say. Not in here. It’s not safe. And before you ask why, you know what the screws do to a grass? You think you had it bad being a cop. I may have a record, but I’m out of here in three weeks. I have a wife, grandkids.”

  “My boss can protect you. I just need a name.”

  Peter glanced over his shoulder at the guard. “OK…”

  “Oy. You’re not here to gossip. If you’re done cleaning, get out.”

  “Coming.” Peter glanced at Zander as he picked up the bucket. “Your boss,” he began.

  “I said no gossiping.” The guard took a step towards them. “Out of here. Now.”

  “I’ll clean in here tomorrow morning,” Peter said. “Catch you then.”

  Zander watched him hurry from the room. His boss? DI Holmes? Couldn’t be. But then doubts began to set in. Being arrested, locked up, and being jailed had been the Guv’s idea because the evidence pointed to him. Maybe…no, surely not. The Guv was an elder in the church, the last person one would think was capable of being the Slayer. He needed to talk to someone.

  A medic passed the bottom of the bed.

  “Can you get my lawyer to come in?” Zander asked. “Either visit or ring. It’s urgent I speak with him.”

  “I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks.” He had to warn Isabel, but first he needed proof.

  7

  Back at the police station, the squad room was a hive of activity. The Slayer files were spread over every surface possible. Isabel was checking missing persons, whilst Austin, Will and the two Sarges went through the New Wine list and rang the remaining one hundred and thirty women.

  “Isabel, you’re still on the list,” DS Philips told her.

  “I cancelled it, so don’t bother ringing me,” she said, not troubling to look at him.

  He chuckled. “I could do it anyway, just to make sure you’re all right.”

  “I’m half left. Besides, Zander did that the last time we did this.” She peered at the screen in front of her. “Don’t forget to check those new names of the late attendees.”

  “Do you have them?”

  “One second.” Biting back the sarcastic response, Isabel minimised what she was working on and brought up the list. She read out the names and numbers to him.

  DI Holmes opened his office door. “OK, there is a twenty-four-hour guard set up at Colebrook Pastures.”

  “We tried that before at the church yard.” Austin seemed to have a knack for stating the obvious. “He still got past us somehow. Although he was there all along, so this really is a waste of time.”

  Isabel shook her head. She grabbed the phone as it rang. “DC York.”

  “Hi, Isabel, it’s Adam West, Zander’s lawyer.”

  “Hi, Adam. What can I do for you?”

  “Zander is back in HMP Headley Cross. Via the ED for a check-up.”

  “Is he all right?”

  “He seems to be…” Adam paused. “Hang on one sec. I have a call on the other line. Give me a minute.”

  “Sure.” As she was put on hold, she tucked the phone under her chin and returned to matching a list of missing people to the printout in front of her. On a hunch she narrowed the time frame to three days and got the computer to redo the missing persons search.

  The phone clicked. “Sorry about that.” Adam sounded harassed.

  “Not a problem. What were you saying about Zander?”

  “Actually, that was Zander on the other line. Well, the prison, asking me to go in and visit.”

  “Is everything all right?”

  “Not sure, to be honest. I only left him a couple of hours ago.”

  “OK. I’ll let you go. Can you get me a visit at some point? Maybe ring later and tell me how he really is.”

  “Sure.” The line went dead.

  Isabel dropped the phone onto the base and peered at the screen. One name jumped off at her. She checked the sheet in front of her. “Bingo.”

  DS Painter stared at her over the desk. “Seriously?”

  “Sorry. Kacie Ingalls. Reported missing twenty-four hours ago when she failed to turn up for work.” She frowned. “I know her.”

  “You do?”

  “Yeah, kind of. She’s a firefighter. I met her after the fire at Gran’s place. She and Jared Harkin walked Zander and I through the building.”

  “You got an address for her?”

  Isabel checked the screen. “Seventeen Lytham Road.”

  “And another one,” Austin said. “Tessa Drake. Failed to turn up for work at Newgate Primary this morning. No answer on either number we have for her.”

  DI Holmes shut his office door. “OK, the priority is Ms. Drake. Several of the other victims have a connection to the school in one way or another. What’s her address?”

  “Twenty-eight Deerwood Estate.”

  “OK, you and Will get over there. Tony and Jason go with them. Dane and I will take the school.”

  “What about me?” Isabel asked.

  “Stay here,” DI Holmes replied. “You’re off the case.”

  “But Guv!” She stood up.

  “I’m not debating this one, Isabel.”

  She sat down in a huff. “Make your mind up!” she muttered, furiously. “Either I am or I’m not. You can’t have it both ways.” Well, apparently, he could and did. It was so frustrating.

  Everyone ran from the room.

  Isabel shook her head and picked up her handbag. She’d go herself. The fire station was opposite the bus stop. A five-minute walk from here. She’d be there and back before anyone was around to miss her.

  DS Painter came in with a ream of paper in his hand. “Got some…” He broke off, taking in the empty room. “Where’d everybody go?”

  “Missing persons kicked up two possible victims. They’ve gone to check on the one the Guv thinks is most likely. I got told to stay here because I’m ‘off the case.’ Which I think is ridiculous. I’m only off the case when it suits him.”

  His steel gaze took in her bag. “But you’re not staying here.”

  “No way. The other woman works a five-minute walk from here. It needs checking.”

  “I’m sure they’ll do both.”

  “No, they won’t.” Isabel shook her head fervently. “The Guv was only interested in the one Austin found as she works at the same school and lives on the same estate as several of the other victims.”

  “It does fit.” DI Painter put the paper onto his desk and opened it.

  “But I don’t know her,” she insisted.
“I do know the other woman enough to speak to.”

  “How many of the other nine did you know?” He walked to the printer and opened the paper section.

  “Know well? I’d say three. But to speak to? Six or seven.”

  DS Painter shoved the new paper inside the printer. “I’ll go with you.”

  “I don’t want to get you into trouble.” She shouldered her bag.

  “Honestly, I wouldn’t worry too much. I’m going back to Fleet Street nick fairly soon.”

  “When?”

  “Supposed to be tomorrow, but I can’t see that happening now the investigation has kicked off again. Tell you what, we’ll head over that way now so I can talk to my DI, and we can chase up this missing person report at the same time.”

  “Are you sure?” She wasn’t quite sure if he were making light of her concerns or really believed her.

  “Quite sure. Let’s go before anyone comes back.”

  “Thanks, Sarge. The fire station is five minutes away.”

  “Then we’ll start there, but we take the car anyway.”

  ~*~

  Isabel half expected the fire station to be empty when they arrived, but it wasn’t.

  One of the fire fighters showed them up to the mess upstairs.

  All the firefighters were gathered around the table, drinking coffee.

  “Guv, there’s a DS Painter and DC York to see you. It’s about Kacie.”

  The Station Officer held out a hand. “SO Wilson. Thank you for coming. Shall we go to my office?”

  Isabel shook her head. “Here’s fine. It’s just a general follow up on the missing persons report for now.”

  “Kacie is part of Red Watch. They started their four days off this morning.”

  “Oh.” A shaft of disappointment pierced her. She wanted answers now.

  “I can check the shift records for you. This way.”

  Isabel followed the tall firefighter. “Thank you. Who reported her missing?”

  “The watch manager, Callum Rennin. He’d have been in charge.”

  “We’ll need to speak with him as soon as possible,” DS Painter said.

  “It’ll have to wait, I’m afraid. He flew to Lanzarote this morning as soon as his shift ended. He’ll be back here 9:00 AM Tuesday morning, same as the others.” He checked on the computer. “Kacie was here for the two-day shifts. She left early Monday afternoon and didn’t show Tuesday or Wednesday nights. There was no answer when they rang her. Jared called around. Said he got no response.”

  Isabel and DS Painter exchanged a long look. “We need to speak to the rest of the watch urgently,” Isabel said.

  “They’ll be scattered by now. Some may be sleeping or may be up, depending on what sort of a night they had. I could ask them all to come in tomorrow at twelve. With the exception of Callum, of course.”

  “Tuesday will be fine,” DS Painter said. He looked at Isabel. “We can leave it until then. Thank you for your time.”

  She opened her mouth to object, but he ushered her to the door. “Sarge…”

  “She’s probably just taken an unscheduled holiday. She isn’t the first to skive off and won’t be the last.”

  Isabel huffed out a breath. She was sick to the back teeth of this now. The whole department was humouring her, and she wasn’t sure how much more of it she could take without snapping. “Well, if they treat her the same way you lot treat me, I’m not surprised.” She followed DS Painter to the car and got in. She didn’t say a word as he drove across town to Fleet Street Station.

  He opened the car door. “Coming in?”

  She shook her head. “I need a coffee. There’s a shop just over there. Want one?”

  “No thanks. I won’t be long.”

  “That’s fine. Nor will I.” She grabbed her bag and headed over to the crossing. More than coffee, she needed a break. And a job where people actually took her seriously.

  ~*~

  Zander walked down the corridor to the room they used as a lawyer/client interview room. Of course, it came with cameras, and a guard, but at least it meant he could talk to Adam. He was surprised when he was taken to join the other prisoners expecting visitors. He wouldn’t argue and followed the line into the main visitor’s room.

  Adam stood as Zander reached him. “Zander, this is a little cloak and dagger, even for you. What’s wrong?”

  Zander sat. “I have a name for you. Well, two names actually. I need you to run a check on them.”

  “OK.” Adam looked at him straight-faced. “In connection with?”

  “You know me better than that. I can’t say. Walls, ears, and so on.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

  “OK, with you so far.”

  A guard walked past them and hovered. Zander shivered. “Anyway, to cut a long story short, Uncle Gee and Peter, did I tell you about Peter? Nice bloke, nice wife, nice grandkids. So Peter and Uncle Gee met at nineteen hundred, went fishing, and managed to catch a big one.” Zander really hoped Adam was as smart as he was meant to be and understood the coded message.

  Adam glanced around the room, then rubbed the side of his nose as he reached seven o’clock where Peter sat talking with a woman with blonde hair.

  Zander coughed.

  Adam blinked in response. “Nasty cough you have there. Hope the prison doc is looking after you.”

  “Nothing changes here.”

  The guard moved.

  Zander leaned in a bit closer. “He’ll tell me more tomorrow, but the thing is that Isabel only thinks she’s safe, but she isn’t. You have to warn her. Peter says it’s a cop. He also mentioned Uncle Gee. But I don’t think—”

  A fight broke out across the room. Peter staggered back, a knife sticking out from his chest. The blonde woman screamed. Alarms sounded and the guards sprang into action, evacuating the room of visitors and prisoners alike in opposite directions.

  Zander was taken back to the infirmary, his heart sinking. The prison doctor ran past him, but Zander had seen enough to know that Peter was dead before he hit the floor. Along with the name of the Slayer.

  ~*~

  Isabel went home via the chip shop. A large car was parked outside the house that she didn’t recognise. Perhaps someone from the church had come to visit Gramps. She let herself in. “I’m home,” she called. “I’ve brought dinner with me.”

  “I’m in the lounge, Girlie,” Gramps replied. “A friend of yours came over. I said you were out, but he insisted on waiting.”

  “One minute.” A dozen names ran though her mind. Farrell? No, he wouldn’t be that stupid. CS Clydesdale? No, probably not. She dished up, then put her dinner on a plate and shoved it in the oven to keep warm. She picked up Gramps plate and a fork and carried it through to the lounge. “Here you go, Gramps. Eat whilst it’s hot.” She took in the tall stranger. She recognised him from church.

  The man stood and turned to face her. “Isabel, I’m sorry to bother you at home, but I thought this would be easier than ringing again. My name is Adam West.”

  She shook his hand. “Of course, yes. I know you by sight.”

  “I’m interrupting your meal, I’m sorry. I just need a minute of your time. Then I’ll be on my way home.”

  “Sure. Gramps, eat. I’ll be in with mine in a minute or two.”

  “Are you sure, Girlie?”

  “Yes, eat.” She looked at Adam. “Shall we talk in the kitchen?”

  He nodded. “It was nice to meet you, Mr. McNally.”

  “And you, son. Go home and read to those twins of yours. It’s never too early to teach kids the importance of Bible stories.”

  “I will.” He followed Isabel to the kitchen. “Your grandfather is a great chap.”

  “Actually, he’s Zander’s grandfather. It’s just easier to call him Gramps now I live here too.” She paused. “That’s a long story best saved for another time. Is Zander all right? I assume that’s why you’re here.”

  Adam nodded. “Yes. I went to visit this afternoon. He was v
ery cagy and most of what he said seemed to be coded and made no sense. He mentioned an Uncle Gee. Someone inside called Peter thinks the Slayer is a cop. He also said you’re not safe.”

  “He keeps saying that. But neither is he.”

  “I have to agree on that score. There was a fight in the visiting room. One of the prisoners got stabbed—the bloke that Zander mentioned. It didn’t look good.”

  Isabel caught her breath, not liking the way her mind was going. “Are you thinking he was silenced?”

  “That’s my guess. I figured I’d let you know, and you could look into it.”

  Her mind whirled. “Hang on. Go back a minute. Is the gist of this that Uncle Gee is the Slayer?”

  “Zander didn’t say as much. He wasn’t sure. He was hoping that Peter would tell him more tomorrow, but if he’s dead then that won’t happen.”

  She swallowed, her whole body cold and numb.

  “Are you all right? You’ve gone awfully pale.”

  “I don’t know.” She spun around. “It can’t be him.”

  Adam moved to stand in front of her. “Isabel? Who’s Uncle Gee?”

  “Just someone Zander and I know,” she managed. “If this bloke was killed because of some information he had, it’s probably safer I don’t give you his name.”

  “Fair enough.” Adam held her gaze for a long moment. “Promise me you’ll be careful.”

  “I will. Will you do what you can to get Zander out of there? He isn’t the Slayer.” She paused. “I know no one believes me, but you’re his lawyer. You’re meant to be on his side! I had a postcard from the Slayer, posted several days after Zander was arrested. We have two girls gone missing in the past two days. Both on the Slayer’s hit list.”

  “I’ll do what I can. I ought to get going. Let you eat.”

  Isabel saw him out. The car was still parked outside the house. Adam got into another one. Isabel frowned. She pulled out her phone and took a photo of the car, making sure she got the number plate. The car drove off quickly.

  “Are you eating, Girlie?” Gramps called.

  Isabel closed the front door and locked it. “Yeah.” She wasn’t hungry, but the old man wouldn’t let it rest until she ate something. Another reason she loved having him around. They had a mutual nagging thing going on. She retrieved her plate and carried it into the other room to sit with him. “Have you noticed anything strange today, Gramps?”