The Escape (Detective Jane Sparrow Book 2)

by Claire Merrington

  “Your right he isn’t a police office but he is an official consultant for the police force. I have officially procured and borrowed him from Frank to help aid our investigation. So for now legally he is part of this team. So there are no ethical qualms there. Plus what helps us is the fact that Perry is a very well connected man in this area. So the likely hood of either Kyle knowing who he is or having heard of him is high and it gives us leverage to get him to talk. And James York as I remember is not an easily intimidated man and Perry here might just help with that.”

  “Fine as you wish Detective. Come on Mr Fierce we have a long drive ahead.”

  “Ok well good luck to the both of you keeps me informed. The rest of us are going to head on over to meet the bomb unit at the new crime scene.”

  Without another word the Superintendent walked out of the station. With Perry in tow who felt the need to stay silent. As he did not want to aggravate the already irritated Superintendent further. He hand signalled to Jane that he would text her. Jane nodded a signal of appreciation and turned her attention back to her team.

  “Ok guys are you ready to head off to our location? A member of the bomb unit is going to meet us at the perimeter line as they should already be there working to clear the area.”

  “Ok let’s go.”

  “One other thing before we leave. After the procedure that we followed at the previous crime scene the safety procedure that we will be following has changed slightly. We do not split up we all stay together at all times ok. I want every member of this team to have constant eye view of each other understand?”

  They all replied with a yes mam and headed on out the door. As there was only the four of them they decided to travel in the one car to the location. Jane still had her three escorting police unit cars as well that were going to be tailing them there and keeping her under a protective watchful eye. Jane was trying not to get too nervous. The thought of having to go back near that house did not feel her with any optimistic feelings, even though it was only a house it contained too many painful memories and reminders of everything that had happened. Jane and Amy sat in the back of the car while Eric travelled up front with Ian who was driving the vehicle. Amy could obviously tell that Jane was lost in a world of her own and reached out and squeezed her hand as a sign of encouragement and understanding. They made their way to the perimeter border where a crowd of locals had gathered with interest. Some of which had been moved back to the line for their own safety. Once there a member of the bomb disposal unit greeted them.

  “Hi you must be Detective Jane Sparrow I am Greg Barnes. I am to wait here with you at the perimeter line to keep you updated with the progress of the search and clearing of the scene.”

  “Thank you Greg can you tell us how the search is going and if there is anything we can be doing for now?”

  “The main building on the grounds has been cleared although it was free from any devices your man has redecorated it in a fashion that you are going to want to take a look at. The rest of the out buildings have also been cleared and the scene of the crime itself has been located within the property line. At the moment the team are working at clearing that area safely now. From what they have found your guy set his own perimeter line up around the body with trip wires that were hooked to four explosive devices. For now there are several residents that live within the surrounding area. Those two couples over there are the neighbours you could check in with them and see if they saw anyone coming or going and if and when they saw smoke.”

  “Thank you for your help we will go over there and talk to them to find out any probative information if you receive an update on the progress please come let us know.”

  “Sure thing.”

  Jane, Amy, Ian and Eric went over to meet the two couples that neighboured their interesting property. They introduced themselves as Anne and Fred Franklin and Susan and Kenny Thompson. Neither of them had seen any vehicles coming or going off the property but admitted the fact that the entrances to their own properties were too far away to notice. Both couples had noticed some smoke the day before. But they had all assumed it was somebody going onto clear the property finally of any personal effects to be able to sell the property and grounds on.

  “One thing I will say after what happened those months back at that house all it does is breed evil. It needs tearing down so our town can recover from the sin of those who behold it. I’m sorry I cant help you none more.”

  With that there were no more questions to be asked and no more information to be gained. They headed on back over to their awaiting bomb unit technician Greg Barnes who to great timing was just coming off the phone with an update.

  “What great timing the scene is clear I can take you up if you are ready?”

  “Ready as I am ever going to be.”

  Jane took in a deep breath and followed on after the bomb tech and the rest of her own team.

  Chapter 14

  The bomb technician Greg Barnes led them straight to the major crime scene first. The bomb disposal technician that they had met at the first body find, Tony Hill was still on sight talking to whom Jane believed to be the units chief. The sight of the crime scene and the lingering smell of burning flesh were more intense than what Jane had expected. After examining the crime scene photos that Thaddeus had sent them, Jane did not expect the actual scene to affect her as bad, but it did. There still tide to a stake was what remained of their second victim. All Jane could see was the carving of her name glaring at her from the victims collar bone.

  “Hi there Detective I am the unit chief for the bomb disposal team Graham Phelps. It’s nice to meet you even under these circumstances. It is safe for me to say though it’s quite an unusual situation for my boys to have to work under and we will all be glad to see when this maniac gets put safely back behind bars.”

  “Wont we all. Nice to meet you to I am Detective Jane Sparrow the lead on this case. What was the extent of the situation here?”

  “Four pipe bombs all linked together with trip wires. It created a barrier around the body, as well as two wires attaching the body to the parameter. So you couldn’t just step over the line and carry the body away it all had to be detached and safely disposed off. So we have managed to disarm all weaponry devices and dispose of them safely. We will examine any particulates from the devices to see if we can give you any extra helpful information. On one of the trip wires he had safely attached a note with your name on Detective so here you go. If there is nothing else we have cleared the whole house and grounds our final sweep has finished. So I will relinquish the responsibility of the scene to you Detective.”

  “Yeah that is everything. Thank you for all of your help. I am sure we will speak soon for an update. Thanks.”

  Now that the scene was clear of all devices Jane rang through to the crime scene investigation unit to get a team sent up. Amy rang through to the coroner’s office as well to let him know that the body would soon be ready for his collection.

  “Ok guys if you are all ok we will wait here until the crime techs arrive to take over the scene. Then we will head on up to the house to see what they meant about the redecoration. For now lets take a look at the new letter.”

  The team gathered round as the tension brew for what lay ahead for them to read in the letter. Jane’s main hope was that it contained the newest victim’s name. Jane hated it when they had to wait for identification and she didn’t like the thought of anyone being a Jane Doe.

  ‘Ah my dear sweet Jane the power

  And heat of my need for you ran

  Over the skin of the dear

  Beautiful Lucy Wilson. The flames licked and tore at her flesh,

  As I so dearly want to do to you.

  Don’t forget to visit our house

  Of love. Our home. I redecorated

  My dear Jane I hope you like.

  For now my love, my Andromeda

  I must leave you

  I have so much to do in the

 
; Preparation of our meeting once again.

  But I promise more love notes to remind you of how strong my want and need for your blood is.

  Take care now Jane.’

  So Jane had what she wanted a name for the new victim, Lucy Wilson. But she also had one thing confirmed that she didn’t want and that was that she had a definite reason for needing to go back in that house.

  “Ok so we have a name for our victim. A Lucy Wilson. Again we are going to have to let the good doctor confirm identity before anything else can be done. The house Thaddeus has said he has redecorated as well and he wants me to take a look and like it. So no doubt we can assume it is something else completely disturbing and overly obsessional.”

  “How lovely his delusional level has hit the roof since he went to prison. Are you sure you are going to be ok going back in that house though Boss? We would all understand if you want to stay outside.”

  “Well I’ll admit Eric it wasn’t an experience I wanted or certainly one that I am looking forward to. But one that definitely needs to be done. Not only do I need to see what Thaddeus has done for myself. I also stated that we are to stick together at all times and I stand by that.”

  Eric gave Jane a nod and didn’t push the subject any further. He seemed to gain what looked like an extra sense of respect towards her for the strength and courage she was showing. Well that was what Jane was choosing to take from it because it made herself feel more confident.

  The crime scene investigators arrived and Jane informed them that they would need to search the whole grounds and all properties for evidence, just in case Thaddeus had left them clues anywhere else that could be probative. Jane also let them know that Thaddeus and the bomb unit had made her aware that the main house had been redecorated to a fashion so they would definitely need to pay a visit there. Jane instructed them to clear the body crime scene area first so that the coroner could collect and remove the victim from the scene and start his work, while they could then move onto the rest of the grounds. Once Jane had finished discussing the scene with the lead crime tech Jane and her team made their way to the house where they had rescued Jane all them months ago. When they arrived at the front door Jane had to pause for a few moments and take a breath and steady her centre of gravity, swallowing back down the bile of panic that was beginning to rise up her throat. Jane had to run the constant reminder through her brain that it was just a house. They stepped over the threshold and Jane was relieved to find that the door didn’t swing shut behind her trapping her in this house once more. The hallway itself hadn’t changed in appearance as far as Jane could tell it was still just as dark and dingy. And it had the musty air smell about it, which confirmed the fact that the house had been kept locked up and secure. So even though Thaddeus had admitted to being in here he certainly hadn’t for long. Which also substantiated there reasoning that Thaddeus would not stay in this house if he had the smell would have started to dissipate. Jane didn’t really get the grand tour the last time she was in the house. She woke up in the basement and when the ambulance carried her out it was up the stairs and out the front door. Eric pointed out that it was going to be a living room area that led through into a kitchen dining area coming up on the left. Jane reached the door and was going to be the first one to enter the room but as she looked up from the door handle and got the first view of the display in the room she almost fell back and stumbled over Eric who was following closely behind her. Jane opened the door wider so that the members of her team could see what had shocked her so badly. Covering nearly every inch of the walls in the living area were photos of Jane. Some you could tell had been taken through a lens from quite a far distance and others were as close as having been take through a mobile phone. Some of the photos showed Jane being on her own, others were with Perry, Perry’s son Parker and times when she had met up with Layla. There were also other photos of Jane being back in the field. Jane didn’t think the view could get any worse; Thaddeus was far off if he thought that Jane was going to like this. But like most of the time when it came to Thaddeus things escalated rather quickly to a level Jane had not expected. As she entered the dining room space covering the walls in the whole of that area were photos of Jane as she was strung up tide to the bed stand where Thaddeus had held her captive.

  “How? How? I don’t understand. How did Thaddeus get these photos? I don’t remember any of these being taken and I know I was being drugged but you can tell I am conscious and awake in some of these photos. But I am certain that Thaddeus never had a camera. I thought it was only now that he started to get off on taking pictures of his victims?”

  “Jane I’m sorry. We never told you before. We didn’t want to cause you anymore upset and because you had already been through more than enough. And to be completely honest we never thought it would be something that you would need to know.”

  “Spit it out Amy are you trying to tell me you knew about these photos?”

  “Yes after you were taken by the ambulance and the crime scene investigators started their sweep through they found a hidden camera. It had been set up to take a shot roughly every five minutes. You were the only ones in the photos because Layla was out of camera range. But I have no idea how Thaddeus got his hands on copies of these photos. They were all on the camera’s memory card and that was confiscated along with the camera for evidence.”

  “Who else knew about these?”

  “Only me and the Superintendent.”

  Jane looked on at Amy as she bowed her head down in guilt knowing full well the level of betrayal that Jane was feeling and the fact that it had come from Amy was a low blow to Jane. Jane’s mind was left reeling with the possible thought that it was either Amy or her Superintendent that was helping Thaddeus.

  “You know Amy being one of the only people that knew about this piece of evidence that Thaddeus has managed to get his hands on. It’s not really helped you in your case in whether or not it has been you that has been helping Thaddeus.”

  Amy looked up from the ground, which she had been concentrating so hard on, with the look of absolute shock as though she had been slapped in the face. Tears began to prick at her eyes that Jane knew were not only a sign of being upset but that also when Amy was angry.

  “If you honestly believe that I am capable of that, that I would do something like that. Then you are strongly mistaken. I know I have hurt you by not sharing the full truths on some things. But I would never do anything to jeopardise yours or Layla’s safety or that of the rest of the general public. I don’t deserve that level of lack of faith from your behalf. I thought I had been a better colleague and friend to you than that.”

  “Your right Amy I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse you like that. It has all been so much to take in it’s been such a mad and scary time. And there always seems to be something new and more information to take in. I’m sorry.”

  “It’s ok.”

  “No it’s not. I’m very sorry you do deserve better than that. There must be some explanation. But at the moment lets not worry about it. I need to get out of here though. I can’t stand here looking at all of these photos. Make sure the crime scene technicians take their own photos and collect all of these ones up so we can examine them more closely at a later time.”

  “Sure thing Boss comes on then let’s get out of here.”

  With that the team followed Jane and Amy back out into the fresh air. Jane once again needed to take a few deep breaths and steady herself. If Thaddeus thought she was going to like being confronted with all those photos of her he was even more delusional than what Jane had given him credit for. It scared Jane to realise how much Thaddeus had been stalking her. But another part of her questioned whether he had been able to take all of them photos himself. Another part his little helper had played. There would not have been the time for him to kidnap, torture and murder two victims, make his own bombs, and follow Jane around. Jane felt like her whole world was spinning round under and away from her, she couldn’t catch h
er breath and her mind could not grasp what the hell to do next. Jane hated it when she got so tense and panicked by a situation. Since having her arms dis articulated the tension she put on herself when stressed caused them to throb. With the added weight in her muscles from the tension and with the memory of the day it happened, the ache was intense. Jane rubbed at her right shoulder, which was always the worst of the two and tried to think of a game plan. As Jane stood on the spot concentrating on her breathing and trying to think she could feel the eyes of her concerned team members behind her staring at her back, waiting.

  “Ok guys you can stop staring I’m not going to break. But I am frazzled and can’t get my brain to work properly. I can’t focus.”

  “Then use us Jane. Trust us. None of us here would help Thaddeus, and I don’t believe Perry would either before you say anything. I am with Ian all the time so we can both vouch for each other. And nobody can doubt the integrity and dedication and the upstanding cop that Eric is. Believe us Jane use us.”

  “What your saying makes sense but I cant even process any of this new information into a question at least to start with.”

  “Ok for the moment forget about someone in the police force helping Thaddeus concentrate on what Thaddeus is trying to tell you. And what does that lead you to?”