by J. A. Kerr
The Braille Club Reborn
By J. A. Kerr
The Braille Club Reborn
Copyright © 2016 by J.A. Kerr.
All rights reserved.
First Print Edition: 2016
Redhouse Publishing,
www.thebrailleclub.com
Cover Design: Dedicated Ink
No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to locales, events, business establishments, or actual persons—living or dead—is entirely coincidental.
Ben
57
Take the pieces and build them skywards.
Tracey
I want to thank my amazing team, you did a terrific job.
I would like to thank my mum who passed on her passion for books, for which I’ll always be grateful.
Many thanks to all my family and friends for believing.
To my angels for their friendship.
To G, C and L, all my love, I couldn’t have done it without you.
.
The Braille Club Reborn
The Braille Club, where darkness is not just blindfolds. Fanatical fantasies are coming to life with dangerous consequences. This is no longer a game but a maliciously twisted pain. Pain that shows no mercy. Who will end up on top…and who has the most to lose?
Benedict and Siena Harrison want justice…
After the abduction of their children, they are shaken to their core. Harrison’s becomes their sanctuary…they won’t leave until the perpetrator is found. As the case picks up pace, the evidence points to one suspect.
Evan Radley is a modern-day bounty hunter with Nick Waters in his sights…
Tasked with following Waters, Evan realises how dangerous this man can be. When he receives a panicked call, he swings into action. This is a race against time—a matter of life or death. Will he get there before it’s too late?
Guy Walker’s relationship with Anna Dunbar is at the breaking point…
Consumed by the abduction investigation, Guy ignores the widening rift. Anna, no longer willing to compete with the case, takes matters into her own hands. Distracted and preoccupied they don’t see what’s coming.
Nick Waters planned the perfect crime…
His clever manipulation of the evidence has fooled the police—he is still at large. Consumed with hatred he strikes again. Will this be third time lucky?
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Epilogue
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Chapter 1
The Braille Club Reborn
Nick
Nick lay on the fresh clean linen sheets in his hotel bed and closed his eyes. Although he’d planned every last detail, nothing prepared him for what happened. He remembered everything...
The terror of waking to hear the police smashing their way into Katie’s home. Officers bursting into the room as adrenaline pumped through him. The humiliation of being dragged out of bed. Stupidly, he resisted...and a moment later, he was flat on his face, barely able to breathe, a knee in his back as an officer cuffed him. Rage and terror made him kick out until more hands restrained him. Nick lost all control while the police shouted at him to stay still. It was over in seconds and with no real choice; he complied. Yanking him up, he recalled how the cuffs dug into his flesh. He stood there, his shoulders slumped in submission—degraded.
The police turned their attention to Katie next. She lay on the bed cowering, the duvet up to her chin. They allowed her to get dressed as officers averted their eyes. Nick tried to calm her with his gaze, mouthed he loved her and that everything would be okay. Her confused and blank expression didn’t change until the last moment—then she tentatively nodded. Relief rushed through him; his earlier outburst as much a surprise to Nick as Katie. He hated his loss of self-control and wanted to reassure her, but was manhandled out of her flat. During the journey to the station, he felt like a caged animal in the back of the police van. The metal reinforced grill was a horrible reminder of his past. But his clearest memory—fear.
Being back in a police interview room made him want to be sick. Horrible memories of his first few days in prison crowded his thoughts. The officers opposite didn’t intimidate him but the room was a reminder of his past and it was making him jumpy. Inside he was incandescent with rage and panic but—as always—he gave nothing away. His face was impassive. He must hold his nerve and say nothing. He wondered if Katie would be taken to the same station and interviewed, just like him.
“I am DI Clark and this is my colleague, DS Marsh, can you confirm your name for the tape?”
“Nick Waters,” he said sullenly.
“Thank you, sir. We would like to question you regarding your whereabouts over the last twenty-four hours?”
“I want my lawyer,” said Nick, his mouth set in a firm line.
“Sir. With your cooperation, these questions should eliminate you from our enquiry,” said DI Clark, his tone even.
“I want my lawyer,” Nick repeated.
“Sir, your cooperation would be appreciated. We are investigating the abduction and attempted murder of two toddlers.” DI Clark’s voice wasn’t so nice anymore.
“I want my lawyer,” said Nick stubbornly, but his insides had turned to jelly. Abduction. Attempted murder. These were crimes he’d been found guilty of. Sweat was beading on his forehead. He’d been meticulous about leaving no trace evidence behind but feared the police weren’t above planting it themselves. Guy Walker was an ex-copper after all, he still had connections. The thought made Nick feel worse. If he got out of this—that fucker would be first in line for some retribution. Siena and Benedict Harrison were no longer a viable target. He wouldn’t get near them again. But Guy Walker was a different mat
ter.
DI Clark leaned over. “Interview suspended until Mr Waters’ legal representation arrives.”
Nick smiled and relaxed a little.
“You can wipe that smile of your face,” snarled DI Clark, “because as far as I’m concerned, you’re our prime suspect. You’ve got motive and opportunity. I will enjoy putting you away for life, you sick bastard.”
His violent delivery of the sentence shook Nick to his core. His smile disappeared because he realised, if he’d made a mistake, this man would find it. The following hours were the longest as he waited for his lawyer. He kept hearing that jumped-up officer’s veiled threat. He didn’t scare Nick. However, the thought of them finding Nick’s DNA at the crime scene did. His lawyer arrived and immediately took control. Although unhappy, Nick had no choice but to submit to the police and have a DNA sample taken from him. He opened his mouth reluctantly as the gowned technician inserted the swab and ran it against his cheek. The police had questioned him for hours and Katie’s confirmation of his alibi was crucial. DI Clark snorted when Nick stated Katie would corroborate his story.
“We’ll see. You better hope that alibi of yours is cast iron.”
His lawyer had been quick to jump to his defence. “The sooner you establish that it is, the sooner my client can go home.” His mouth snapped shut.
His comment made the DI narrow his eyes. “I’ll be happy to release your client if his alibi is confirmed, and his DNA eliminated from the enquiry.”
“Either charge my client or release him,” his lawyer demanded.
A few hours later, DI Clark stormed out of the room as Nick left the station with his lawyer.
Nick sat up agitated. Just thinking of the police made his skin crawl. He expected them to burst through his door again and rearrest him. His frayed nerves made sleep impossible. He was not surprised when Katie remained in custody. She did not have access to a shit hot lawyer like he did. He was more shaken than he cared to admit. With nowhere to stay and his holdall still at Katie’s flat, he had no alternative but to check into a hotel and buy new clothes. His remaining possessions were still in storage; all he had left of his life with Siena. He couldn’t bear to part with any of them. Deciding to leave them for the time being, he had his lawyer purchase a new laptop for him and settled into his hotel suite. The influence of a credit card and money was a powerful ally.
He’d been lucky to get away from the scene without getting caught. Nick, still stunned by the turn in events, found it hard to concentrate on his next move because he didn’t have one. He’d sped away from the woods with his mind in turmoil. He’d researched all access points and driven Siena’s car via a different route, just in case he needed to escape in a hurry. As he distanced himself from the site in Katie’s Volvo, he congratulated his ingenuity. He couldn’t understand how Harrison had found the site so quickly. As he travelled towards Katie’s he tried to tell himself it wasn’t him; that it someone else. A stranger perhaps, but Nick didn’t believe in coincidence. He went over his plans looking for flaws. The only variable he could think of was Siena’s car. Did it have a tracking devise? He hadn’t thought of that. Had he inadvertently led them to the site? It was just the type of thing that bastard Harrison would do. Nick cursed his stupidity. He should have dumped Siena’s car and used another hire car for the rest of the trip. He couldn’t believe something so simple had ruined months of meticulous planning.
Desperate for answers he searched the internet for the abduction story. His elation at outwitting the police was quickly replaced by anger when he read of the GPS tracker found in the girl’s pocket—he blanched. It was her mother’s; a sophisticated medical ID bracelet which the child had been playing with. The story said, ‘without it, the twins would surely have perished.’ All his careful strategies ruined at the hands of a child. A freak set of circumstances out of Nick’s control had saved them. But he was also at fault. His need to torture Siena, to inflict the most pain and anguish, had clouded his judgement. He wanted her to understand how her children suffered. How they slowly suffocated while being cold and frightened, hungry and thirsty.
But he never considered the possibility they might be found alive. If he’d given them a fatal injection...that would have been irrelevant, but he didn’t. Nick’s euphoria at outsmarting the police evaporated. His failure led him to the mini bar, and the alcohol helped to block out his disappointment. His hangover the next day did not improve his mood. He couldn’t think. His plans lay in ruins. The only thing he’d done right was to frame Katie, but would the police take the bait?
They’d definitely find her coat in Siena’s car where he’d left it. While investigating Nick, they were bound to discover her muddy boots in the flat. If removed for analysis, Nick knew it was only a matter of time before they matched them with the crime scene. Once she was a suspect, they would take her computer too. This would link Katie irrefutably with the case. Nick knew eventually they would get their match, and by default their suspect. Katie Burns would be in trouble. The evidence he’d planted on her computer was extensive. It would reveal intricate details of Google map searches on the Harrison address. Internet orders for the drugs used to sedate the twins and nanny.
The DNA evidence he’d planted would put her at the Harrison home and the burial site. When they discovered that, her cries of innocence would go unnoticed. Throughout his relationship with Katie, he had fed her insecurities. Her jealously, when he spoke of Siena, which he did often, was obvious. Siena became an imaginary rival in Katie’s mind. If he could see it...the police would too. Feeling better, Nick was still keeping a low profile. He worried about Guy Walker’s influence on the case, positive he’d have DI Clark’s ear. That was dangerous for Nick. He needed to cause a diversion that would keep Mr Walker occupied.
The problem got him thinking as he considered his next move. He would have to follow the case via the media. He knew the police in the past were not above planting evidence—but he’d already beaten them to it. The overwhelming DNA evidence found at both crime scenes and belonging to Katie Burns could not be ignored. Nick exhaled. All his instincts told him to get out, leave while he had the chance. However, only the guilty ran. He must hold his nerve and see it through. So many variable factors had affected events that day. He had been enraged Siena was not at the house, only the stupid nanny. Somehow, his contact missed Siena leaving. He’d told Nick he had a call of nature, as he put it. His back turned for a moment but that was all it took for her to leave the house. There would always be outside factors. Somehow, Siena had slipped through his fingers again. Meanwhile, the room was still waiting for its occupant. He’d gone to a lot of trouble and it was a pity to waste his efforts.
An idea was taking shape in his mind. There was nothing he could do to get to Siena. However, the abduction would have lasting consequences. Siena and that bastard Harrison would never relax again. Good, the bitch deserved nothing less, he thought viciously. Revenge was indeed sweet. The ache in his hand was a constant reminder of Guy Walker’s handiwork. If he thought Nick was finished…well, he’d have to make him think again.
.
Chapter 2
The Braille Club Reborn
Benedict
Benedict sits in the dark. He senses it isn’t over—and Nick Waters isn’t finished. Now released from custody, Benedict was informed Waters was in a hotel. His parole officer would check up on him, but that wouldn’t stop him from running. Benedict knew Waters was up to something. His biggest fear was him disappearing. A hidden enemy is hard to find, never mind eliminate. Elimination of Nick Waters was the only way forward for Benedict.
When your home is breached, you never feel safe again. Nick Waters had by-passed all his elaborate security precautions. He’d simply walked into his home and taken his children. Benedict’s hands seemed to be permanently clenched into fists. His babies. He’d drugged them and buried them alive. The full horror of what Nick had done was sinking in. Benedict didn’t believe for a second it was Katie Bu
rns. CCTV footage confirmed someone wearing her jacket but nothing else.
The police were still gathering evidence. The crucial piece so far—a woman’s jacket found in Siena’s car. It pointed to Katie. She was still in custody but police had no alternative but to release Waters when his lawyer turned up. It didn’t make sense to Benedict. How could Katie vouch for Waters when she was supposed to be somewhere else? If he was to believe the evidence, Katie Burns was the one wearing the coat and abducting his children. If that was the case, then her collaboration of Nick Waters’ alibi was worthless. But as of this moment, he was out there—he was free. Benedict must do something. Modern day bounty hunters still existed. Evan Radley was the best. He’d come highly recommended by Guy, and Benedict made enquiries.
Finally, he let his emotions go. Tears streaked his face and his sobs were muffled by the hand he clamped over his mouth. He was alone in the study that no longer felt like his; tainted now like everything else in the house. Sometimes his mind replayed the horror of that day. If Reeva hadn’t been wearing Siena’s bracelet, he’d have lost them...he bit his lip hard to stop the thought, but it was there. They would have died. Images of Leo’s pale unmoving body crowded his thoughts. Reeva’s blonde curls covered in soil. However, Siena’s bracelet had been their saviour. She’d removed it before showering and forgotten it as she rushed to meet him at the club. Reeva was fascinated by the charms and Siena often let her play with it. She must have taken it from the bathroom. The hospital staff found it in the top pocket of her pyjamas. He pulled himself back from the brink. They were okay, recovering, but as long as Nick Water was out there, they weren’t safe and neither was Siena.
The doctors were relieved the twins bounced back so quickly with no memory of their ordeal. It was a blessing. Like all children once they’d felt better, they were back to their usual selves although they sensed their parents were deeply troubled. Reeva hugged Siena like the little mother hen she was.
