The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum

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The Guardians Complete Series 1 Box Set: Contains Mercy, The Ferryman, Crossroads, Witchfinder, Infernum Page 15

by Wendy Saunders


  ‘Damn it, I didn’t want any of this to happen. Jake’s wanted to be a cop ever since we were kids. I never meant to cause him trouble with his job.’

  ‘Olivia,’ Erica told her bluntly, ‘none of this is your fault; Jake’s a big boy. Trust me, he can look after himself.’

  ‘Doesn’t stop me feeling bad,’ she sighed.

  ‘I know,’ Erica sat down next to Olivia and patted her knee companionably.

  Olivia dropped her head back against the sofa and blew out a deep breath.

  ‘So you and Jake huh?’ she asked curiously.

  ‘Not exactly,’ Erica chuckled, ‘we’re both married to our jobs. We have a casual ‘whatever’ going on.’

  ‘If it works for you,’ Olivia shrugged.

  ‘What about you?’

  ‘What about me?’

  ‘No guy pining for you because you moved back to Mercy?’

  ‘I don’t do relationships,’ Olivia took another sip of her tea.

  ‘Because?’ Erica nudged.

  ‘Just because,’ she answered evasively, suddenly wishing she hadn’t brought the subject up in the first place.

  Erica looked up at the knock at the door.

  ‘That’s probably Jake; I’ll get it.’

  Olivia allowed Erica to fuss over her; it was kind of nice to have people care. Dropping her head back against the sofa again she stared into the flickering flames of the fireplace. She’d always found the fire soothing, maybe because it was her element, but as she watched the flames she found them separating, strands of gold, red and yellow winding and twisting. Her heartbeat slowed as did her breathing and she felt peace for the first time in days.

  ‘Olive,’ Jake shook her gently.

  ‘Sorry,’ she murmured, blinking to focus her eyes on the good looking guy crouching in front of her with a look of concern, ‘my mind drifted a bit.’

  ‘Are you okay?’ he tugged a loose curl that had escaped the messy knot on the top of her head.

  ‘I am now,’ she gave a small smile. ‘Erica took good care of me.’

  He threw a grin over his shoulder as the redhead took a seat in the chair opposite.

  ‘Yeah, she’s good at that.’

  Casual whatever, my ass, she thought in amusement, at the intimate look which passed between them.

  ‘So, are you going to fill us in on what happened?’ Erica glanced down at her watch. ‘I have a client meeting at one o clock.’

  Olivia took a deep breath and looked at both of them.

  ‘I am assuming what I say here is going to be held in confidence?’ She placed her cup down on the floor and sat up a little straighter, turning to look directly at Jake. ‘I know I’m putting you in an awkward position Jake, but the simple fact is I don’t trust Chief Walcott and there are things I don’t want him to know.’

  ‘Olive,’ Jake frowned, ‘whatever you say to me will be between us. Something is going on with the Chief and I don’t know what. I’m not sure I trust him at the moment either.’

  Nodding in agreement she cast her mind back, trying to organize her chaotic thoughts.

  ‘You were right Erica when you said this wasn’t just about Brody Walker. The Chief blindsided me with information about my father, just to see how I’d react.’

  ‘Your father?’ she frowned. ‘What has he got to do with this?’

  ‘You know about my family history?’

  Erica nodded.

  ‘I made it my business to know, when I took you on as a client.’

  ‘Okay, so twenty years ago my father was arrested and convicted, for murdering my mother and grandmother and kidnapping me. Due to his mental status at the time he was sentenced to a high security mental institution rather than prison. After a few years being a model patient he was downgraded to a medium level security facility and about thirteen years ago he ended up at Morley Ridge, where he has remained.’

  ‘You kept an eye on him?’ Jake murmured.

  ‘Self-preservation,’ Olivia replied. ‘As soon as I was old enough I found out as much as I could. He’d already kidnapped me once and I was afraid he would try again. He never did and he remained in Morley Ridge and life went on.’

  ‘What changed?’ Erica asked.

  ‘He escaped yesterday morning.’

  ‘What?’ Jake stood abruptly and paced the room in agitation.

  ‘How?’

  ‘He had help. Chief Walcott had security footage of the escape. He had several people helping him, and from the footage it looked like they were professionals of some sort. They had gas masks on, so I guess they released some kind of gas which knocked out all the guards and other patients, then they basically strolled straight out the front door.’

  ‘Jesus.’

  ‘It gets worse,’ Olivia sucked in a breath. ‘The Chief had the visitor logs and my name was on it. Now he thinks I’m in on breaking him out.’

  ‘You went to see your dad?’ Jake asked softly.

  ‘No,’ her voice was barely above a whisper. ‘I was going to. After Aunt Evie died I thought, hell I don’t know what I was thinking. I guess I wanted some answers, so I went to see him. I signed in and got as far as the first lot of security checks when I freaked out. I had a massive panic attack and ran out. I never saw him or spoke with him. I don’t even think he knew I was there.’

  ‘Is that all the Chief said?’ Erica asked.

  ‘No,’ Olivia shook her head. ‘He told me that there were a string of murders back in ‘94 just before my mom died and that they stopped mysteriously after my dad got arrested.’

  ‘Was he a suspect in the original investigation?’ Erica asked, glancing across at Jake who remained curiously silent.

  ‘That’s just it,’ Olivia frowned, ‘I don’t think he was. But, according to Chief Walcott, Adam Miller was murdered in exactly the same way as the first victim from ‘94. There were details that were never released to the public. There’s only three possible explanations. One, the murderer has access to the police files, two, it’s the same murderer, or three, the new murderer is either a partner or protégé of the original murderer.’

  ‘It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the Chief has done the math on this one,’ Erica grimaced.

  ‘Yeah except he is putting two and two together and coming up with thirteen,’ Jake suddenly spoke up. ‘There’s nothing concrete to tie Charles Connell to the ‘94 murders and he was still at Morley Ridge when Adam was killed.’

  ‘Why has he got it so bad for Olivia then?’ Erica replied in confusion. ‘I’ve never seen him so sheer bloody minded, it’s like he’s ignoring all logic.’

  ‘I don’t know,’ Jake shook his head and he looked over at Olivia, noting the look on her face. ‘What? What are you not telling us?’

  ‘My father may be tied to Adam’s murder, I’m not sure,’ she looked him straight in the eye.

  ‘The man who seemed to be in charge of breaking my father out of prison, he is a very distinctive looking man. He’s young, he doesn’t appear to be more then maybe mid thirties but his hair is pure white.’

  ‘Go on,’ Jake indicated for her to continue.

  ‘I’ve seen him before. The first time I saw him was outside the pub, the night Adam was abducted. Since then I’ve seen him several times around Mercy. He’s never done anything threatening and he doesn’t seem to bother hiding himself from me. It’s almost like he’s watching me and he wants me to know it.’

  ‘Christ Olive,’ Jake blew out the breath he was holding.

  ‘What if my father was involved in the murders and this white haired man is his partner?’

  ‘We don’t know that for sure,’ Jake replied thoughtfully. ‘We need to get a look at the original case files from the ‘94 investigation.’

  ‘How?’ Erica interrupted. ‘It’s not like the Chief is just going to hand over copies.’

  ‘Chief Walcott won’t, but Chief Grady might.’

  ‘
Who’s Chief Grady?’ Olivia asked.

  ‘He’s retired now but he was the Chief of Police who headed up the investigation back in ’94. He should be able to tell us what happened and who they were looking at, even suspects that didn’t make it into the original file.’

  ‘You seem to have given this some thought,’ Olivia replied suspiciously.

  ‘Olive,’ he sighed. ‘Look the truth is I’ve known for a couple of days about the earlier murders. Doc Hughes mentioned it to me when I went by to pick up Adam’s autopsy report. I’ve been trying to get a look at the files down at the police station but the Chief has them locked up in his desk. I can’t get to them. He’s already taken me off the investigation into Adam’s murder and he’s finding the shittiest jobs for me to do, that keep me tied up and out of the station. So I had to figure out another way to get my hands on the information.’

  ‘And you came up with Chief Grady?’ Olivia’s eyes narrowed.

  ‘Yeah,’ he shrugged.

  ‘Fine,’ she pulled the blanket off her legs and stood up, ‘then I’m going with you.’

  ‘The hell you are.’

  ‘Jake,’ she grasped his arms stilling his agitated movements. ‘I need this, I need the truth. Whether you like it or not, I seem to be caught up in the middle of whatever this is. I have to know how my father is involved. I deserve to know.’

  ‘Olive’ he breathed, torn between the desperate desire to protect her and knowing that she was right. She deserved to know the truth about her father, even if it meant finding out he was a serial killer.

  ‘Fine,’ he nodded. ‘As far as the department are concerned I’m not due back from Salem for another couple of hours, so we should go now.’

  ‘Alright then,’ Erica stood up. ‘Call me later and let me know what you find out.’

  ‘I will,’ Jake promised.

  ‘Good,’ she glanced down at her watch. ‘I’m really sorry but I have to run.’

  ‘Erica?’ Olivia called out as she headed towards the door, ‘thank you. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t turned up at the police station when you did.’

  ‘You’re welcome,’ she smiled. ‘Just be careful.’

  Olivia nodded as Erica headed out the door.

  ‘I like her,’ she turned to Jake.

  ‘Well how about that,’ he smiled. ‘Come on, let’s go.’

  Wallace Grady’s house was a smart little, single storey bungalow with white washed walls and neat lawn. The American flag snapped proudly in the afternoon breeze as Jake and Olivia climbed out of the car and headed up a path that was flanked by neat rows of shrubbery.

  ‘Stop fidgeting,’ Jake murmured as he knocked at the door.

  ‘I can’t help it, I’m nervous.’

  Jake knocked again. This time the door opened and they were greeted by a short sturdy looking woman in her fifties. Her short, dyed blonde hair was tucked behind her ears and she wore a nursing uniform.

  ‘Ma’am,’ Jake nodded. ‘I’m Jake Gilbert with the Mercy police dept. I was hoping to speak with Wallace Grady.’

  ‘Gilbert eh?’ Her gaze narrowed as she looked him up and down appraisingly, her eyes studying his badge. ‘You John and Harriet’s boy?’

  ‘Yes Ma’am,’ he replied.

  ‘Hmmm,’ she replied grudgingly, ‘knew your mama back when she was a nurse.’

  She stepped back, seemingly satisfied, allowing them to enter the neat living area.

  ‘This is my friend Olivia West.’

  The woman nodded.

  ‘I’m Adele Leland.’

  ‘Is Wallace home?’ Jake asked.

  ‘He is,’ her lips pursed speculatively. ‘He’s in his room. Don’t know as you’ll get much out of him but you might be lucky, today is one of his better days.’

  ‘Sorry?’ Jake replied in confusion.

  ‘Come with me,’ she beckoned them forward.

  They both followed Adele down the hallway toward a bedroom where she slowly opened the door and allowed them to enter. The room was light and airy, decorated in a soft blue, edged in white. A medical bed was tucked neatly against the wall to the right of them and to the left by the dresser were French doors overlooking the garden.

  A high backed chair sat facing the serene view of the autumn garden and in it sat Wallace Grady, Olivia presumed. The older looking man was leaning heavily against the winged side of the chair.

  His hair was iron grey and curled tightly against his head, a contrast against his dark skin. The side of his face seemed to droop slightly and his gaze deviated to the left. His left arm curled into his side and his gnarled hand hooked against his chest.

  A very pretty young woman with honey colored skin and jet black corkscrew curls, perched on a small stool beside him, smiling affectionately at him as she slowly spooned soup into his mouth.

  ‘What’s wrong with him?’ Jake asked softly.

  ‘Massive stroke last winter,’ Adele answered. ‘I’m his full time nurse and this is his grand-daughter Charlotte.’

  ‘Charlie,’ she interrupted with a smile, ‘only Pops here calls me Charlotte, usually when I’m in trouble.’

  ‘Is he able to speak?’ Jake asked.

  ‘A little on a good day,’ Charlie wiped his mouth with a cloth napkin. ‘He usually finds a way to communicate what he wants, if you’re patient enough,’

  Olivia wandered closer and knelt down next to the chair. She watched curiously as Wallace Grady’s gaze tracked across the room before finally falling on her. His eyes burned into hers and for a moment she saw a flicker of recognition. There was intelligence in that sturdy gaze; his mind still functioned but it was trapped in a broken body.

  ‘Hello Mr Grady,’ Olivia smiled, her voice soft. ‘My name is Olivia.’

  His other hand came up slowly and his fingertips grazed her cheek. His skin felt dry and papery, but not unpleasant.

  ‘Pretty girl,’ his voice was low and gravelly, his words slurred.

  Olivia’s smile widened.

  ‘Look like your mother,’ he spoke very slowly and deliberately, fighting to get his mouth to form the right words. His voice was heavily slurred and difficult to understand. ‘Knew you’d come back.’

  Olivia’s smile dimmed and her eyes filled with tears as she pressed his warm hand to her cheek.

  ‘Looked for you,’ he sighed, his hand trembling with the exertion. ‘So long.’

  ‘Thank you,’ she whispered.

  ‘Chief Grady,’ Jake stepped into the older man’s field of vision. ‘We need to ask you about a string of unsolved murders back in the summer of ’94. Do you remember them?’

  ‘Files,’ he slurred, perspiration breaking out on his forehead as he pointed towards a closet.

  ‘Pops has a box of old police files in there,’ Charlie explained.

  ‘Can we take a look?’ Jake crouched closer so the old chief could reach him.

  ‘Trust no one,’ he whispered as his eyes drooped closed.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Charlie interrupted, ‘that’s the most I’ve heard him speak in months. He’s probably exhausted. You’re welcome to take a look at his files but I’m afraid he needs to rest.’

  Jake nodded, stepping back with Olivia as Charlie lifted her grandfather’s feet onto a small footstool and covered him with a patchwork blanket, before kissing his forehead tenderly.

  ‘Rest now Pops,’ she whispered, before turning back to Jake and Olivia. ‘If you want to go back through to the other room, I’ll find the box and bring it to you.’

  Jake nodded and took Olivia’s hand, leading her back out of the bedroom.

  It only took a few minutes for Charlie to reappear carrying a shabby brown box file which she placed on the table in front of them.

  ‘I don’t think he’s supposed to have these,’ she frowned. ‘But I remember him telling me before the stroke, that there were a couple of cases that just didn’t sit right with him, unsolved cases
. I know one of them was the deaths of Isabel and Alice West.’

  Olivia stiffened as her eyes sought out Charlie’s.

  ‘Your mother?’

  ‘Yes,’ Olivia replied quietly.

  ‘I’m sorry,’ Charlie murmured thoughtfully, ‘that case never sat well with him. He used to keep going over the file, even after he retired.’

  ‘Why?’ Olivia frowned.

  ‘He always felt like they’d missed something.’

  ‘There were other files though?’ Jake asked as he lifted the lid off the box and started leafing through the stack of files.

  ‘Yes,’ Charlie nodded, ‘but just what’s there in the box. Like I said, I think they’re all unsolved cases, the ones he couldn’t let go.’

  Jake stopped as he came across a thin file labelled ‘multiple homicides Jun-Aug 1994’, but when he opened it the file was empty.

  ‘What the hell?’ he murmured. ‘Do you have any idea what happened to this file?’

  ‘No,’ she frowned.

  ‘Has he had any other visitors recently, anyone asking about old cases?’

  ‘I don’t think so, just family,’ she looked across as Adele wandered back into the room. ‘Adele, has anyone else been to see Pops recently?’

  ‘Your mama and your brother last week, and his cousin Truman came in from Florida last month.’

  ‘Anyone not family?’ Jake persisted.

  ‘There was a gentleman here about a month and a half ago,’ she frowned thoughtfully. ‘I mentioned it to your father at the time, Charlie.’

  ‘Who was he?’ Jake asked suspiciously.

  ‘Said he was internal affairs, just cleaning up some loose ends on a couple of old cases.’

  ‘Did he ask to see any of these files?’

  ‘No,’ she shook her head. ‘He wanted to speak with Mr Wallace but he was having one of his bad days and he wasn’t making any sense. I could tell the young man was getting quite frustrated.’

  ‘Was he alone in his room at any point?’

  ‘Now that you mention it, yes, yes he was. I was about to show him out but I had to take a phone call. It was the drug store, there was a problem with the dosages printed on his meds and it took me a while to straighten it out. When I went back into the room the young man seemed a lot calmer. He thanked me for my help and left.’

 

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