by Tom Weaver
'How big was the trapdoor?' Healy asked.
I shrugged, keeping my eyes on Drayton. 'Difficult to tell. Most of it was covered by boxes. It looked like a circular manhole cover. No bigger than two and a half feet across.'
We fell into silence again. Ten minutes passed. Twenty. Thirty. At six-forty, Drayton was still at the counter, writing. He had a calculator on one side of him now.
'Maybe he lives down the hole,' Healy said.
I smiled. Occasionally I'd look at Healy and see a brief glimpse of the man he once was. A different person, not built on revenge and regret, but on better qualities; on compassion and humour. I liked that Healy, and I wondered how long it would take him to reclaim that side of himself — and if he ever would.
A couple of minutes later, Healy's phone started ringing, buzzing across the dashboard towards him. He picked it up and looked at the display.
'Bollocks.'
'What?'
He didn't answer and flipped it open. 'Healy.'
Even with the rain, I could immediately hear the voice on the other end. 'Healy, it's Phillips. Where are you?'
'I've got the day off.'
'It's not marked on the board.'
'I told Moira.'
'It's not marked on the board,' Phillips said again.
'So I'll mark it up tomorrow.'
A pause. Healy glanced at me.
'You got any idea where David Raker is?' Phillips asked.
'Who?'
'David Raker.'
Healy paused again, looked out through the windscreen to where Drayton was still in the same position at the counter.
'Raker?' he said. 'He's the guy you brought in, right?' 'Right.'
'Why would I know where he is?'
'Davidson says he found you and Raker alone yesterday.'
'So?'
'So why were you alone with him?'
'Because Davidson had left him, and I didn't think it would look good if one of our best leads in the Carver case wandered out of the station, never to be seen again.'
You don't have any cases of your own?' Phillips asked.
'Listen—'
'No, you listen,' Phillips fired back. 'I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but whatever it is it's against the law, understand?'
Healy didn't respond.
'You know, there's a reason you're not part of this task force, or any other task force for that matter. And it's because you can't be trusted. You're a liar, Healy.'
'What did you say?'
'You heard what I said. We tried getting hold of Raker and his mobile's off. Been off all day. We went round to his house, and it looks like a mausoleum. So we go round to your place because, you know, it's supposed to be your day off - and guess what?'
'I'm out with my wife.'
'Bullshit, Healy. I know you're with Raker.'
'I'm out with my wife.'
'Raker's playing you. He's playing everyone. He sent us on a wild goose chase down to that youth club today, and guess what we found?'
Healy didn't reply.
'Fuck all. Nothing. Just like the last time.'
Healy glanced at me again and slowly shook his head. We're in trouble. His eyes moved to Drayton for a second time.
'I don't know where Raker is,' he said finally.
Phillips blew air down the phone, the line distorting. 'You just finished your career — you do understand that, right?'
Healy didn't reply.
'Right? Phillips said a second time. He got no response. 'You trust Raker above the people in this station? Above the people you've closed cases with, who stood by you and worked for free, when Leanne went missing?'
I watched him wince at the mention of his daughter's name. His cheeks started to flush, filling up like blood soaking through cotton.
'You didn't do anything for me. She's not even on your radar.'
'We tried to help you find -'
'Don't tell me you tried to help me find her!' Healy erupted, eyes burning now. 'The people who helped me, most of them weren't yours. You and Hart — you didn't give a shit about her. You didn't give me anyone. No one.'
'Leanne can't officially be linked —'
'Don't tell me that she can't be linked to this, you fucking prick!' he screamed down the line. That piece of shit Glass took my daughter. And you know what I'm going to do now? I'm going to find him — and I'm going to kill him.'
'Healy,' Phillips said slowly. You will go to jail.'
'I don't give a shit.'
Healy glanced at me. Then his eyes moved across the road to Drayton again, and he nodded to the office door. We're going in now.
I placed a hand on the door, opened it.
'You're in deep shit, Healy,' Phillips said. 'Deep shit. And so is your partner-in-crime there next to you, wherever the hell it is you're hiding. But let me tell you this now, so we're all crystal clear: we're on to you. You get me? We've picked up your trail.' Phillips paused. 'And when we get to you, you're both going down.'
Chapter Fifty-two
We marched across the road towards the office, Healy in front. His face was flushed and burning with anger, his fists opening and closing, ready to push aside, pull apart and tear into pieces. 'Healy,' I said to him, trying to keep my voice level, trying to clear the fog that was forming inside his head. 'Wait a second.'
But he didn't. He stepped up to the office door and shoved it open. It swung back so hard it hit the adjacent wall, the pane of glass clattering inside its panel. From the counter, Drayton looked up, eyes widening. He backed away from the desk.
'What are you doing —'
Healy grabbed the back of Drayton's head and yanked him forward, smashing him down on to the counter. The side of his face made a slapping sound as his cheek hit the vinyl. He cried out in pain. Healy leaned into his ear. 'What's under the trapdoor?'
'What?' Drayton said, his words muffled by Healy's hand.
'You better tell me what's in there.'
Drayton's eyes darted between us.
'Healy,' I said again.
He glanced at me. 'What?'
'Calm down.'
'Shut the fuck up,' he spat, and pulled Drayton towards him, dragging his small frame up and over the counter. Drayton hit the floor face-first, crying out, and then rolled up into a heap on the carpet as if expecting punches to rain down on him. When they didn't, he looked up at us, blood running down one of his cheeks.
Healy reached down, yanked him to his feet and pulled him in so they were nose to nose. 'Open the trapdoor.'
'What are you talk—'
'Open the trapdoor now.'
Drayton glanced between us. I backed up towards the office door and looked out. The road was dark and quiet; only the sound of rain on the metal roof. When I turned back, Healy had swivelled Drayton around and had a hand locked in place at the back of his neck. He guided him out of the office and along the front of the warehouse to the delivery doors. They were padlocked.
'Unlock them.'
'There's nothing —'
Healy pushed forward and Drayton's face hit the metal door. The noise passed across the building like a ripple.
'I'm telling you,' Drayton said, his voice wavering. 'Please. I'm telling you - there's nothing in there.'
'Open it, and we'll see.'
Drayton fumbled in his pockets and brought out a ring of keys. He selected a brass one with a red mark on the side and slid it into the padlock. It clicked. Healy reached around him, pulled the padlock out from the metal plate and tossed it into the street. Then he yanked open one of the doors and pushed Drayton inside. The warehouse was completely dark except for one faint rectangle of orange street light filtering in from a window above us.
'Where are the lights?'
'There,' Drayton nodded.
He was looking at a panel of white switches to my left. I flicked them all on. Strip lights buzzed in the darkness, then stark white light fed along the ceiling.
The rear door was
the same size as the delivery entrance at the front. Drayton unlocked the padlock with a second brass key, also marked red. Then Healy used him as a battering ram, forcing him forward into the door until it opened enough to let them through. Out in the yard, four security lights flicked on simultaneously, shining down from poles built into the fencing. In their glow, rain sheeted past us.
Healy glanced at me and jabbed his head towards the pile. 'Show him.'
I looked between him and Drayton, then walked around to the spot I'd glimpsed earlier and pushed aside a couple of the bigger containers. Beneath one, the edge of the trapdoor emerged.
'What's that?' Healy said to Drayton, pushing at his neck.
'It's for storage.'
'No shit.'
I moved some of the other boxes. A minute later, I'd cleared a space. A circle, cut into the floor and about two feet across, was freeze-framed in the security lights. It looked like a manhole cover. There was a handle cut into it and a lock attached. I dropped down, slid my fingers in and pulled. It didn't budge.
I glanced up at Drayton. 'Which key unlocks it?'
No reply.
Healy forced Drayton forward, so he was almost standing over the manhole. 'Which key is it?' he said through gritted teeth.
Drayton threw the key ring over. It landed in a puddle on the floor next to me. 'It's the small silver one, marked with a blue dot.'
I selected the key and slid it into the lock on the manhole cover. It clicked. Sliding my fingers around the handle again, I pulled it out from its surrounds.
The space dropped down less than a foot.
And the only thing inside was a piece of A4 paper, folded in half.
The rain started getting heavier, hitting the corrugated iron of the warehouse. I took out the piece of paper, slid it inside my jacket and nodded to Healy that we should go back inside. He pushed Drayton ahead of him, and we re-entered the building.
I opened up the piece of paper.
'What is it?' Healy asked.
It looked like a map of a street. We both recognized the style immediately: black marker pen; just lines. No street names. No places. No identifying marks. It was the same style as the map of the school I'd found on the LCT website. This one was a single straight road, with houses—drawn as identically sized squares - either side. Halfway down, one of the houses was coloured in red. A line came out of it to a number twenty-nine. Apart from that, there was nothing else on it.
I glanced at Drayton. 'Who gave you this?'
He just stared at me.
'Who gave you the map?' Healy said.
Again, Drayton didn't reply. Healy squeezed his fingers tighter around Drayton's neck. 'You tell us who gave you this map, and you tell us what it's of, or I swear to you the next time you wake up it'll be with your balls in your mouth.'
Drayton's eyes fixed on me. For a moment it looked like he was going to say something. Then he stopped, glanced as best he could at Healy and shrugged.
Healy smashed a fist into the side of his head. The impact sounded dull, like a wet flannel hitting a wall. Drayton didn't make much noise; just collapsed on to all fours, and then rolled on to his back. He looked up at Healy, blood leaking from his nose.
'Healy.'
He turned to me.' What?
I stepped forward, closer to him. Calm down. He saw my expression, and then glanced at my feet, as if I'd just stepped into his personal space. He took off his jacket and threw it on top of the nearest box. 'Who gave you the map?'
No reply.
'Who gave you the fucking map?'
Drayton glanced between us, but remained quiet.
Healy blew out some air. You're one stupid piece of shit, you know that?'
'Drayton,' I said, trying to rein Healy in. 'This is easy. Tell us who gave you the map, and then we walk out of here and you never see us again.'
He looked at me from the floor; a look that said he couldn't tell us, and that I was the only one who could intervene. Then he turned back to Healy, blood filling the gaps between his teeth, and looked him in the eyes.
Silence.
'I think we need to clean out your ears,' Healy said. Across from us, a set of metal stairs wound up to a viewing platform, where a desk and chair sat looking down across the warehouse. Healy's eyes locked on the chair, and then on a roll of duct tape on a box near to us.
He reached down, pulled Drayton up and dragged him across the warehouse, scooping up the duct tape on the way. When they got to the stairs leading to the platform, Healy shoved him up them. Drayton looked back at me, the same message in his face: Stop this.
'Healy—'
He flashed a look at me. 'If you don't like it, go and sit in the car.'
When they got to the top, they marched across the platform and Healy pushed Drayton into the chair. I followed.
'You wanna play games?' Healy said, unravelling the tape.
He used one of his hands to secure Drayton's wrist to the arm of the chair and started circling with the duct tape. Once that was done, he did the same to the other wrist. Then both legs. Drayton looked at me, then back to Healy, who was taking a handkerchief from his jacket and screwing it into a ball. He shoved it into Drayton's mouth, ripped off another strip of duct tape and secured the gag in place.
'You don't have kids,' Healy said, leaning in to Drayton, nose to nose. 'I mean, look at you: you're just a kid yourself. You've got no idea what you feel for something you created. The bond you have. What lengths you'll be prepared to go to, to protect them. What you'll do to avenge them.' He straightened, rolling his shirt sleeves up even further. 'But you're about to find out.'
He shifted forward quickly, arcing a fist up into Drayton's stomach. Drayton doubled over, the wind bursting out of him, arms locking into place on the chair.
This was starting to get out of control. I stepped forward. 'Drayton — stop screwing around. Just tell us who gave you the map and all this ends.'
He was leaning over, saliva and blood leaking from his lips.
'Drayton' I said again.
Nothing.
Healy smiled at Drayton. 'You're a fucking idiot, you know that?'
Not even movement now. Just silence and blood and saliva and the sounds of shallow breathing.
Healy turned around and started going through one of the drawers of the desk. In the third one down, he found something. A letter opener. Long and thin. Double edged. He removed it and then lifted Drayton up by his hair so they were facing one another.
'You remember what I told you?' Healy asked him.
Drayton said nothing.
'That you'll wake up with your balls in your mouth?'
A flash of fear in Drayton's face now. Air jetted out of his nostrils. He tried to shift in the chair, looking between the letter opener and Healy.
'Well, now you get to find out I wasn't joking.'
Chapter Fifty-three
'Healy,' I said, but he ignored me, reaching to the belt on Drayton's trousers and loosening it. 'Healy.'
This time he stopped, studying me. 'You think he's going to tell us anything if we ask him nicely? Does it look like that to you?'
'He's a fucking kid.'
'So what?'
'So, take a look at yourself.'
He paused, glanced down at the sweat coming through his shirt, and Drayton's blood dotted across the cotton. Then he studied me, his face blank. For a second, it felt like the fuse had gone out. Then he turned back to Drayton. 'I don't care if he's a kid,' he said quietly, and I realized the only way this was going to end was if I stopped it.
Drayton squirmed in his seat as Healy started fiddling with the belt again. Fear clouded his eyes. His breath came in short bursts through his nose. After a few seconds, Healy had undone the trousers and pulled them along Drayton's thighs, and the kid had started screaming. One long, terrible noise that was worse through the gag, like an animal in distress. Healy glanced at me, tugged at Drayton's boxer shorts and reached under his shirt, grabbing the penis. Dray
ton screamed even longer and harder this time, eyes like saucers: wide and terrified, and glistening with tears. When he saw he'd got the reaction he wanted, Healy let go, ripped the gag away and leaned in again.
'Talk,' he said.
'Okay, okay,' Drayton said, short of breath. 'Okay.'
'Talk,' Healy repeated.
'A man,' Drayton said, looking between us.
'What man?'
'He didn't tell me his name.'
'So what did he tell you?'
Drayton glanced to his left, a minor movement. Healy didn't seem to notice. He was boiling over. Fuelled by adrenalin. But I spotted it the first time, and then again a couple of seconds later: a swivel of the eyes, over his shoulder to the warehouse below.
'What did he tell you?'
'He just told me to keep the map safe, not to show anybody, never try to replicate it, photocopy it or write it down. Basically, just keep it under lock and key.'
'Why?'
Drayton hesitated. 'Why?'
'He's…'
Drayton's eyes drifted again. A split-second movement.
'He's what?' Healy said.
'He's a regular customer.'
'A regular whose name you don't know?' Healy snorted. He leaned in, placing a hand on either arm of the chair. 'You got two seconds, or I really will cut your balls off.'
Drayton sniffed. Moved his head from side to side gently, like he was trying to decide the best course of action. Then, quietly, he said, 'I don't know his name.'
Healy shook his head again. 'Wrong answer.'
Wait a second,' Drayton said. Wait a sec—'
Grabbing the handkerchief off the floor, Healy shoved it back into Drayton's mouth and secured it in place again with the duct tape. Drayton started shouting through the gag. I stepped towards Healy, crossing the line into his personal space. He looked at me and then rocked back. 'You gonna try and stop me?'
I looked past him, out through the rear doors of the warehouse. It was hammering down outside, rain lashing in across the yard. The wind had picked up too, whipping in over the fences and lifting the plastic sheeting away from the boxes.
'Stay here,' I said. 'And don't do anything'
'Where are you going?'
'Just stay here.'
