Dead to Me: A serial killer thriller (Detective Kate Matthews Crime Thriller Series Book 1)

by Stephen Edger

  Kate: How does she react?

  John: She is frightened at first, but then she sees the look in my eyes, and she yields. I tie her wrists and ankles to the desk legs with computer cable. She is scared, but she doesn’t resist. I slowly unbutton her blouse, pausing between each button I unfasten; prolonging the seduction. I spread the sides of the blouse and grope one of her breasts through her bra. The breath catches in her throat, but she doesn’t ask me to stop. I climb onto the desk and sit astride her. She is surprised by how much she is enjoying me in control. I’m picturing you right now. Shall I continue?

  Kate reached over and closed the conversation window.

  Trish lowered the laptop to the floor. ‘Jesus!’

  ‘I warned you: there are some real sickos out there. You never know who you’re really speaking to. I bet that’s not his photograph either.’

  Trish giggled. ‘Uh, how creepy.’

  ‘We shouldn’t have egged him on.’

  ‘I know, but seriously? What a creep. You should find out who he is and arrest him.’

  ‘If I do, they’ll look at the transcript and see us encouraging it. What if he contacts me again?’

  ‘Don’t worry, you can block him the next time you log on.’

  Kate drained her glass. ‘Let’s forget about it. I need food. I’ve got some nachos, if you fancy?’

  ‘Sounds perfect! But be careful though: you don’t know who might be out there watching you.’

  Trish’s laughter followed Kate out to the kitchen. She opened the bag of crisps and tipped them into a bowl. She was about to return to the living room when she noticed the blind was still open. She moved over to the window and surveyed the street below. The sun was setting behind the houses across the road; the street was empty.

  She chastised herself for being paranoid, before lowering the blind and carrying the bowl back through to Trish.

  9

  He lights a cigarette and inhales before heaving out a few ratcheting coughs. He can taste blood in his mouth. The room is dark, save for the light emanating from the computer screen in front of him. He should put a light on, but the glare is too much.

  A red light flashes in the corner of his screen. Now her computer is his.

  With the last swirl of smoke curling off into the darkness, he squashes the butt into an ashtray and checks the clock in the corner of the display. It’s nearly time for him to lock up and return home. He wishes he could tell someone what he has been planning, but they wouldn’t understand.

  Nobody would.

  He blows a kiss at the screen. ‘Good night, Kate.’

  10

  WEDNESDAY

  Locking the car, Kate was just heading towards the main entrance of the station when her phone rang. She raised one hand to cast a shadow from the sun over her eyes, and the other with her phone to her ear. ‘Rob?’

  ‘Finally! You pick up!’

  ‘Please, I don’t have time to exchange insults with you. I’m on my way into the offi—’

  ‘Wait. Please, don’t hang up. I’m sorry. It’s important…’

  ‘Quickly.’

  ‘Right, sorry, things are a bit manic here. The thing is…’ There was a moment’s pause on the line. ‘I need you to take Chloe for a few days.’

  Panic filled her. ‘Take her where?’

  ‘No, not take her somewhere. I mean, you need to have her; she needs to come and stay with you for a few days.’

  ‘You want her to stay here, with me?’

  ‘I’m at the hospital. Serena collapsed late last night, and she’s been rushed in. I need to be here with her, and I don’t have time to watch Chloe as well.’

  ‘Oh my god, Rob I’m so sorry. Is she ok? I— ’

  ‘The summer holidays started here this week. We were packing to take her away at the weekend when Serena collapsed. Please, Kate, I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t desperate.’

  She knew that much was true. ‘What about your parents? Wouldn’t she be better off with them?’

  ‘They’re away on a cruise and don’t get back until next week. As soon as they’re back, she can go to theirs. I just need you to cover the few days in between.’

  She realised she’d been chewing at a nail and pulled her hand away. ‘I’m SIO on a murder investigation. I’m working crazy hours, it just… I can’t! What if it happens again?’

  ‘You’ll be fine. That was a long time ago and you’ve been doing so much better. It’s only for a few days. You must be owed some time off anyway.’

  ‘It doesn’t work like that.’

  ‘You can’t be the only DI who can shoulder the responsibility. There must be someone else who can run the case until you’re back? Given the circumstances, I’m sure they can oblige.’

  ‘There really is no one else!’

  ‘All you need to do is watch over her for a few days. Please, Kate. I know you can do it, things will be different this time.’

  ‘But I don’t know anything about looking after a baby.’

  ‘She’s nearly six years old. You’ll cope just fine.’

  ‘But I don’t know what to do! I don’t know what she eats, when she goes to sleep, what she likes to do. I—’ She stopped herself, suddenly aware of the tremor in her voice and the closeness of other people in the car park.

  ‘She will tell you all those things, and I’ll even write a list for you. She’s far easier to take care of than a baby. Honestly, Kate, it could be good for you.’

  Kate didn’t answer, aware that the thing that scared her the most – that she wanted the most – was about to happen, and she wasn’t at all prepared.

  ‘Hire a childminder to help you. I’ll even pay. Serena is in intensive care. She is on life support, and they don’t…’ His words trailed.

  She closed her eyes, willing herself not to, but she caved. ‘Okay, I’ll do it.’

  ‘Wait, you will? You’ll watch over her for a few days?’

  Her eyes were still clamped shut. ‘If you think I can, I will.’

  ‘Oh, Kate, thank you. Thank you so much. You don’t know what a relief this is.’

  ‘So, how do you want to do this? Will you drive her down, or…?’

  ‘If you could come and collect her tonight, you’d be a lifesaver. Listen, I have to go back in. I’ll tell my neighbour you’ll be over by seven. Thanks, Kate. I promise you’ll be fine.’

  ‘By seven? Wait—’ But it was too late, he’d already hung up.

  11

  Kate had only just removed her jacket when Patel came rushing over. ‘Ma’am, don’t get comfortable. We’ve got a break. A witness has just come in and may be able to identify our vic and the person who killed him.’

  She poured coffee into her favourite mug. ‘Great. Who is it?’

  ‘Harold Watson’s daughter. I don’t have all the details yet, but she’s in the Soft Interview Room downstairs. I was going to call DI Hendrix—’

  ‘No, don’t do that. It may have nothing to do with Hendrix’s case. I’ll speak to her first.’

  Patel frowned. ‘Ma’am? I thought you wanted to work with Hendrix on this.’

  She patted his arm. ‘We are liaising with her team, but there’s no point in chasing her down if it’s a waste of her time, is there? I’ll speak to this witness, and if I feel the information is more relevant to Hendrix, I’ll pass it on. Okay?’

  He didn’t hide his disdain. ‘Do you want me to come down with you?’

  ‘I’ll take Laura. It’ll probably be easier to get her to open up with two female detectives in the room. You could do me a favour though: the forensic pathologist retrieved a partial thumbprint from the vic – it’s been sent for checking – can you chase up the results and let me know as soon as we have an ID?’

  She didn’t wait for a reply, signalling for Laura to follow her.

  The Soft Interview Room was used for taking witness statements, resolving low priority community incidents and anything that didn’t require the reading of rights. Located at th
e front of the headquarters building, by the enquiries desk, the room resembled a normal interview suite, only without the digital and video recording equipment.

  Kate stopped Laura before she entered. ‘I want you to ask the questions. Remember, this isn’t an interrogation, so the key is to gently probe for information. Let her talk without interruption, and clarify any points when she gives you space. I’ll jot some notes, and will only speak if I feel there’s more to uncover. Any questions?’

  Laura answered by opening the door. Before making introductions, she noted there was already a steaming beaker of tea on the desk. ‘Miss Vyner, is it? I’m DC Laura Trotter, and this is DI Kate Matthews. I understand you want to make a statement.’

  It was hard not to stare at Nicola Vyner as she looked from Laura to Kate and casually sipped the tea. She had a figure that Kate couldn’t help but envy, but also a pout that wouldn’t be out of place on the front of a fashion magazine. Her appearance reeked of money and an easy life, but there was a tiredness behind her eyes too.

  ‘You lot are investigating that fire down by the docks, aren’t you? I think I know who might have started it.’

  Kate sat beside Laura opposite the young woman. Laura began immediately. ‘Yes, what can you tell us about the fire, Miss Vyner?’

  ‘Only what I heard on the news last night. That’s why I’m here. It’s my dad, you see. He was at that warehouse on Monday night, and now he isn’t answering his phone. I need you lot to tell me if you’ve arrested him.’

  Laura fired a look at Kate, before continuing. ‘What is your father’s name?’

  Nicola scoffed. ‘I know you know who I’m talking about.’ She sighed. ‘Fine. My father is Harold Watson. You lot have been after him for as long as I can remember. Can we cut the bullshit and just assume that I know he’s a crook and you know he’s a crook?’

  Laura paused, and Kate nodded for her to go on. It was hard to determine whether Laura’s constant pauses and nervous glances were genuine or driven by Kate’s presence in the room with her. It would have been easy to seize control of the questioning, but she bit her tongue.

  ‘Okay, Miss Vyner, are we to assume that you believe your father is somehow mixed up in what happened at the docks in the early hours of yesterday morning?’

  ‘Uh, yeah, you could say that.’

  ‘What makes you think he would have been at the docks?’

  ‘Because he was on his way there when I last saw him.’

  ‘When was that?’

  ‘Monday night, of course.’

  ‘What time on Monday did you see him?’

  ‘He came to my restaurant to wish me happy birthday.’

  Laura cleared her throat. ‘You don’t share your dad’s surname; can you describe your relationship with him?’

  Nicola sipped more tea. ‘My mum was a dancer in one of his clubs, and when she fell pregnant with me, he did what he thought was the decent thing: bought her a flat, and allowed her to work at night while I was asleep. I never used to understand why there was a different man in our kitchen each morning, but eventually I realised exactly what it was my mum did for him. Turned out he was already married with a son of his own, and he didn’t need an illegitimate brat around the place, so he kept our existence quiet. I didn’t know any different until I started at school, but by then, I was used to only seeing him twice a year. He always used to show up on my birthday and at Christmas, with a few gifts. It used to drive my mum nuts, but she knew not to argue with him.’

  ‘It sounds unconventional. You can’t have been happy with the situation.’

  She shrugged. ‘Having a rich benefactor has its advantages. On my twenty-fifth birthday, he told me I was getting too old for presents, so he said he wanted to invest in me instead. I was intrigued, and he said he wanted to buy a restaurant, make me licensee and manager, and split the profits. I couldn’t refuse. I was suspicious about where he got the money to buy the place, but with me in charge, I knew I could make it a clean business, and stop him ruining it.’

  ‘What’s the restaurant called?’

  ‘It’s the Pearl of the Ocean in Town Quay, down where the ferry goes to the Isle of Wight.’

  ‘I know the place. I’ve been in.’

  ‘We’re the best seafood restaurant in the city,’ she said with pride.

  Kate and Laura glanced at each other, recalling the victim’s last meal.

  Nicola continued, oblivious. ‘I’ve worked hard to build a great team around me, and we don’t scrimp on the quality of our food. Anyway, it was my birthday on Monday night, and as usual, the old man rocked up. It should have been my night off, but we were short-staffed so I said I’d run the front of house. He arrived just after nine, and took his usual table near the front. He has a pathological fear of open water, and the table I gave him is the only one in the place without a sea view.’

  ‘Did you eat with him?’

  ‘No, I didn’t have time to. I sat with him for ten or so minutes so he could toast my birthday, but then he got a call, and I left him to it.’

  ‘Who was on the phone with him?’

  ‘He keeps his business very private. He has a number of companies across the county, so I assumed the call related to one of those.’

  ‘And you’re certain the call related to one of your father’s businesses?’

  ‘No, that’s what I assumed at first, but then he called me back to the table and told me what the call was really about. He said Danny had been on the phone, and wanted to meet him.’

  ‘Danny?’

  ‘Danny Fenton. He’s one of my dad’s rivals. I dated him for a time, but we wanted different things and split before it got serious. Anyway, whatever Danny said must have spooked him.’

  ‘Why do you say that?’

  ‘I don’t know, really. Things he said, his body language… my father is a confident man. He’s quite savvy, and he knows it. I’ve never seen him look as anxious as he did that night.’

  Kate resisted the urge to cut in, but was pleased when Laura asked the question on her mind.

  ‘What was making him anxious?’

  ‘He wouldn’t say, exactly, but he said he had to go and meet Danny to sort it out.’

  ‘Sort what out?’

  ‘Whatever their disagreement was about.’

  ‘So, when your father left, he told you he was going to meet with Danny Fenton?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘At Fenton’s warehouse?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘How can you be so certain that that’s where they were meeting?’

  ‘Because I followed him there.’

  ‘You followed him to the docks? Why?’

  ‘As I said, I’d never seen him looking so worried, and I was concerned about him. After he left the restaurant, I followed him to the warehouse in my car.’

  ‘Did he know you were following him?’

  ‘I don’t think so. I didn’t tell him, and I was several cars behind on the short drive from the restaurant, so there was no reason for him to suspect.’

  ‘What did you see when you arrived at the warehouse?’

  ‘Well, it was after ten o’clock, so it was pretty dark out. I saw my dad’s taxi park outside of the warehouse, and him go inside.’

  ‘If it was dark outside, how can you be certain it was your father who went inside?’

  ‘The warehouse is covered in security lights. I could see it was him.’

  ‘And where were you parked in relation to him?’

  ‘I was parked by a neighbouring property, maybe fifty yards away.’

  ‘Did you see anybody else enter the warehouse after your father?’

  ‘No. I messaged him to see if he was okay, and he messaged back saying everything was fine and that I shouldn’t worry. I was about to message him again, to say I was outside and would wait for him, when the restaurant phoned to say there was an issue with the card machine and that I needed to get back.’

  ‘What time did you leave the war
ehouse?’

  ‘Probably about twenty past ten?’

  ‘The fire didn’t start until several hours later. What makes you think your dad was anywhere near there when the fire started?’

  ‘As I was driving back, I saw Danny’s car parked by one of the other buildings.’

  ‘How do you know it was Fenton’s car?’

  ‘Everyone knows Danny’s car. He has a personalised plate.’

  ‘How could you be certain that Fenton was the one who’d driven there?’

  ‘If you know Danny, you’d know he doesn’t let anyone drive his car but him. It’s like an extension of his manhood.’

  ‘That still doesn’t explain why you think your dad started the fire. Why are you really here?’

  ‘I told you. Because I can’t get hold of him. As soon as I heard the story on the news I phoned his mobile to ask if he’d had something to do with it.’

  ‘Why would you do that? If your relationship is as remote as you suggested, I don’t understand why you’d be concerned about his actions.’

  ‘He wasn’t the one I was concerned about; it was Danny.’

  ‘Why were you concerned about Fenton?’

  ‘Because when Danny and I were dating, my dad didn’t react well to it. He swore he would kill Danny for daring to look at me. That was another reason why I broke it off with Danny. It just wasn’t worth the hassle. But seeing Dad at his warehouse, it reminded me of what he’d said. The two of them have had a running feud for years. I was just worried about what he might do…’

  ‘Have you spoken to your dad’s family?’

  ‘I spoke to his wife and she hasn’t heard from him either. She said she’s worried, but also that he took his passport with him before coming to see me on Monday night. I want you to confirm if you’ve arrested him, and if not, to check if he’s gone abroad. It’s not fair on Danny.’

  Laura was about to speak again when a knock at the door interrupted her flow.

  Patel poked his head around. ‘Ma’am, a word, please.’

  Kate excused herself, closing the door behind her. ‘What is it?’

  ‘I’ve just heard from SSD. We’ve got an ID on the vic.’

  But she already knew.

  12

  ‘How did you know?’ Patel asked, staring at her incredulously.