Detective Lucy Harwin 01-The Lost Children

by Helen Phifer

  ‘Be careful – don’t you think you should wait for backup?’

  But Mattie was already running out to his car. Backup could sod off; he wasn’t waiting for anyone.

  Lucy tried to count the traffic lights, but her brain was still foggy. As the car slowed down, then came to a stop, she whispered to her daughter who had her head between the passenger window and her head: ‘Ellie, get out of the car and run.’

  For the first time in her life, Ellie listened to her mum’s order. She clambered between the small gap between the seats and fell into the front of the car, knocking both Lucy and Lizzy at the same time. The car swerved across the road. Lizzy, clearly realising what was about to happen, put her foot down on the accelerator as Ellie climbed across her mum’s lap and jumped out of the door. Lucy watched her daughter in the wing mirror as she fell to the ground and rolled to a halt. A crowd of people ran to help Ellie up and relief flooded through Lucy as she grabbed the car door and slammed it shut. The car was going too fast for her to try and jump out after Ellie.

  ‘You sneaky cow,’ Lizzy said. ‘How long have you been awake?’

  ‘Long enough to realise that you’re not going to take me to the hospital,’ Lucy said. ‘It’s over, Lizzy. We know everything about you; we know that you killed them all. If you hand yourself in now and tell us what really happened, it won’t be as bad as you think. The judges love a good sob story.’

  ‘Fuck off,’ Lizzy said. ‘I’d rather die than get locked up again.’

  She put her foot down. Lucy watched out of the window, helplessly. If it all went wrong at least she would die knowing that she’d put her daughter’s safety first. They were heading as fast as possible in the direction of the asylum.

  55

  Mattie turned onto the promenade, passing the speed camera at sixty. A brilliant white light flashed in his rear-view mirror, but he didn’t care. He drove straight through the first three red lights, then spotted a crowd of people in the distance gathered around a girl. He slowed down, recognising a scraped – but safe – Ellie. She recognised him, and pointed frantically down the prom. He saw the small speck that was Lucy’s car in the distance, and radioed for more patrols, giving them the direction in which to head.

  * * *

  Lizzy pushed the little car until it was doing ninety, taking a sharp bend so tightly that Lucy thought there was a good chance they were going to die in a head-on collision before they even reached the asylum. As the huge, abandoned hospital came into sight, Lucy wondered if she’d be able to fight Lizzy off. Her vision kept swimming in and out of darkness.

  To Lucy’s surprise, Lizzy drove straight past the hospital gates and headed for the old cemetery. The building work there had been ordered to stop after the discovery of Edwin Wilkes’s body, so it was empty. Rain began to fall in big wet splotches on the windscreen. Slamming the brakes, Lizzy skidded the car to a halt near the small pedestrian entrance to the cemetery. Then Lizzy threw out her fist and punched Lucy on the side of the head where the open wound was. Lucy’s head snapped back, and for the second time, she lost consciousness.

  * * *

  Getting out of the car, Lizzy knew she didn’t have long. She opened Lucy’s door and dragged her out of the car. She was only little, but she was heavy. Putting her hands around Lucy’s waist, Lizzy threw her over her shoulder as best as she could. Lucy groaned.

  Lizzy began to walk as fast as she could manage under Lucy’s weight to where she knew there was a deep hole in the ground. It was tucked away in the far corner. The rain was torrential now, making the ground slippery underfoot. Lizzy could feel herself sliding with every step. Barely managing to keep her balance, she finally reached the hole and peered over the edge. It had been full of water anyway: the extra rain would make it so slippery it would be impossible for Lucy to climb back out.

  With one final heave, Lizzy pushed the unconscious woman from her shoulders. Lucy fell down into the muddy water with a huge wet splash. Lizzy turned and ran as fast as she could. There was no point in driving Lucy’s car: they would find her. She ran towards the asylum. She knew plenty of places to hide inside there until things had calmed down.

  * * *

  As Lucy’s body hit the cold water, the shock of it made her eyes open. She tried to stand up but she couldn’t find the bottom: it was far too deep. It was so dark and cold wherever Jane had just thrown her. The rain was falling into her eyes, blinding her. Doing her best to tread water, she gulped in mouthfuls of the dirty water. She tried to look around for something to grab hold of to pull herself out of the hole, but there was nothing. The earth walls were too slippery.

  As she tried to stay afloat, her legs touched something cold and hard in the water and she let out a scream. She was in someone’s grave… Oh god, please don’t let that be a body.

  She was shivering so much that her teeth were chattering. She didn’t know what to do. She screamed again, hoping desperately that someone would hear her.

  She was getting more tired and cold by the second, when she heard a voice in the distance, shouting her name.

  ‘I’m over here!’ she cried. ‘Help me!’

  * * *

  Mattie screeched to a halt behind Lucy’s car and jumped out. He could hear sirens in the distance and hoped that backup wouldn’t be long. The passenger door of Lucy’s car was wide open. He looked inside, and his stomach lurched to see the blood that covered the head rest. Where were they?

  He ran towards the cemetery, shouting: ‘Lucy? Lucy? Where are you?’

  He heard a faint response: ‘I’m over here! Help me!’

  ‘Lucy?’

  But there was no more response.

  Mattie ran frantically backwards and forwards through the cemetery, calling Lucy’s name. Where was she? Why wasn’t she responding? Finally, he ran towards the large hole in the far corner and peered over the edge – only to see Lucy’s head as it went underwater.

  Screaming down his radio for help, he heard heavy footsteps behind him, heading in his direction. Stripping off his jacket and shoes, he jumped down into the hole to the sound of the DCI’s voice bellowing at him to stop.

  The water was cold, and much deeper than he’d imagined. He took a deep breath, then ducked under. He felt for Lucy, and grabbed at her shoulders under the water. Pushing her up, he managed to lift her head above the water. By this time, two officers were leaning down into the hole, and Mattie tried his best to lift Lucy’s unconscious body towards them, straining and pushing with every ounce of strength he possessed. The officers managed to grab her arms and dragged her out while he trod water.

  Tom was standing on the edge of the hole, shouting at Mattie to get out of the water. Another two officers leant down to grab him – only he couldn’t. He’d felt something else in the water. He dived back down again, struggling to lift up what he already knew was a dead body. It was female: he could guess from the shape, and from the long hair streaming across his face in the water. He couldn’t leave her down there.

  He managed to push her up, and the two waiting officers recoiled and drew back their hands. It was Tom and Browning who bent down and grabbed the dead girl, pulling her up. Browning leant down and pulled Mattie up next. He felt a foil blanket being wrapped around his shoulders while he looked at Lucy lying on the ground beside the hole, the dead body nearby. The paramedic from the crime scene yesterday was now performing CPR on his best friend.

  Mattie stood with his fingers crossed behind his back as he watched them pump Lucy’s chest. Come on, Lucy. Don’t you dare die on me. It felt as if time was standing still as he watched every single chest compression. Finally, she took a breath and began to cough up dirty great mouthfuls of muddy water. They turned her onto her side, so that she was facing the dead woman.

  ‘Lauren…’ she said. ‘That’s Lauren Coates.’

  ‘All right, Lucy,’ Mattie said, bending over her. ‘It’s all right. We’re dealing with it.’

  Lucy lost consciousness. As she was loaded in
to the back of the ambulance, Tom looked at Mattie. ‘Come on, let’s get you inside a car before you upset any nice members of the public. I want you checking out at the hospital – god knows what contamination was in that water.’

  ‘Lucy thinks that body is Lauren Coates,’ Mattie said. ‘Where’s Heidi? Lizzy, I mean.’

  ‘I have no idea where she is. She can’t be far if she’s on foot, though. My best guess is she’s gone into the hospital. I’ve requested a dog handler; they’ll be able to catch her scent. We’ll get her. I’ve got every available officer surrounding the hospital and grounds until the dogs get here.’

  ‘Good.’

  The ambulance drove away with Lucy inside, its blue lights flashing. Mattie watched it go. The relief that she was alive was unlike anything he’d ever known.

  He looked around as a lot of shouting went up from the hospital grounds. Officers were running and pointing upwards. Mattie’s gaze followed where they were pointing to see the small figure of a woman standing on the top of the asylum roof. Before anyone could do anything, the woman threw herself off and hurtled towards the ground, landing with a loud thud.

  Mattie flinched. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tom motion for Browning to take him, but he pulled away and began running towards the crowd of officers that had gathered around the body on the floor. They stepped to one side to let him through, and Mattie stared at the bloodied mess that had yesterday been his lover.

  Tom had followed him. ‘Is that her?’

  Mattie nodded. ‘Yes, it’s her. I can confirm that is the woman I knew as Heidi Jane Toppan.’

  He turned and walked back to where Browning was waiting at the car for him.

  ‘Come on, Matthew,’ Browning said. ‘Let’s get you to the hospital so they can give you a tetanus shot or something. You did pretty good, lad.’

  Browning patted his shoulder as he got into the car. Then they drove in silence towards the hospital and Lucy.

  56

  Lucy could hear the steady beep of the machine she was hooked up to. The noise of it was a relief: at least it meant she was alive. Just as she was wondering where Ellie was and if she was OK, she felt a warm hand squeeze hers. Her daughter was there, beside her.

  Lucy opened her eyes, and was surprised to see George and Mattie beside her as well. As she smiled at them, Ellie let out a shriek, jumping up to kiss her on the forehead. Then she bent close and whispered: ‘I love you, Mum.’

  Lucy felt her eyes fill with hot tears. She was so grateful that she’d been given a second chance to prove just how much she loved her daughter. She croaked back: ‘I love you more.’ It hurt her parched throat to speak.

  George bent down, kissing Lucy’s cheek. ‘You had us all scared there. I’m so glad you’re OK. I’m going to take Ellie home now so you can get some rest. If you need anything, you know where we are. The nurses have our number.’

  Lucy smiled at them both. She watched them walk out of the door, then turned to face Mattie, who was dressed in a set of blue hospital scrubs. She pointed at the jug of water on the bedside table. He poured some out and held it up to her lips while she sipped. When she’d finished, he put the glass down and wiped her lips with a tissue.

  ‘That was close. You almost…’ His voice tailed away. He looked awful.

  ‘Thank you.’ Lucy clasped his hand.

  The door opened and Dr Stephen King popped his head in. Lucy noticed that Mattie pulled his hand away from hers.

  ‘I’m glad to see that you’re back with us, Lucy,’ Stephen said. ‘You didn’t half give us a fright when they brought you into resus. How are you feeling?’

  ‘I have a terrible headache and I can taste muddy water – apart from that, I’m fine.’

  ‘All your scans are good. I’ve spoken to the doctor in charge of your care, and there’s some swelling to the brain around your injury, but it doesn’t look like there’s any permanent damage. If you need anything at all, tell them to bleep me. I’m on duty until tomorrow morning.’

  ‘Thank you,’ Lucy said.

  Dr King left, and Mattie took hold of her hand again. ‘You know he likes you, a lot,’ he told her. ‘You should go out on a date with him.’

  Lucy smiled. ‘What about you?’

  ‘I’m OK thanks; I don’t think he likes me that much.’

  ‘That’s not what I meant.’

  She watched his cheeks begin to turn red as he realised what she was implying. He squeezed her hand. ‘Let’s just say I’m glad you didn’t die, Harwin. Do you know how much paperwork there would have been?’

  She nodded. ‘Yes, I do. Oh, thank god you found me. Where is Lizzy Clements? Did they arrest her?’

  ‘She’s dead.’

  Lucy stared at him. ‘How?’

  ‘She left you for dead and ran across to the asylum. She got into the hospital and somehow managed to get up onto the roof. She jumped.’

  ‘Oh Mattie, what a mess. I’m so sorry. Are you OK?’

  He squeezed her fingers. ‘It’s fine, really it is. We were over anyway. Oh, and you were right.’

  ‘About what?’

  ‘Lauren Coates. She must have been in the wrong place at the wrong time when Audrey Stone was killed. I felt her body in the water when I was in the hole, and after I got you out I went back under. Browning and Tom dragged her body out. Her parents flew back from their holidays last night and identified her body an hour ago.’

  Lucy sighed. ‘You know, for once I wish I’d been totally wrong.’

  Mattie bent down and kissed her cheek. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow. Get some rest. In the meantime, try not to be a pain in the arse, Lucy Harwin.’

  He walked out of the room. As the door softly closed behind him, Lucy let the tears flow: for herself, for Mattie’s loss – and for Lauren Coates, who had somehow got caught up in this whole mess and had ended up paying with her life.

  A LETTER FROM HELEN

  I really hope you enjoyed meeting DI Lucy Harwin and DS Mattie Jackson and I hope you will follow them on their next adventure.

  For me writing this series was a new beginning and one which at first I was a little daunted by, but I thoroughly enjoyed getting to know Lucy Harwin and can’t wait to see what happens to her next.

  I’ve worked for the police for the last ten years and I’m hoping that Lucy, Mattie, Col, Browning and Tom are pretty believable characters. Although I’ve had to bend the rules slightly to make the book flow, real life is much slower and seldom as exciting as my colleagues in Cumbria Constabulary well know.

  I’d like to send a huge thank you to each and every single one of my readers, your support is invaluable and so very much appreciated. I’d also like to thank the many book bloggers and clubs who read and share my work, you’re all amazing.

  I always enjoy hearing from you and if you would like to get in touch my links are below. Or, if you’d like to be kept up to date with my latest releases, you can sing up to my mailing list at the link below. We will never share your details with anyone else:

  Helen’s Email List

  Love always,

  Helen xx

  @helenphifer1

  Helenphifer1

  www.helenphifer.com

  ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

  I am extremely grateful to Oliver Rhodes and the amazing team at Bookouture for giving me the chance to bring this book to life. Thank you all so much from the bottom of my heart.

  I would like to thank my editor the amazing Keshini Naidoo, who has worked so hard to make this book what it is. Your insight has been invaluable and I can’t thank you enough. A huge thank you to Kim Nash for her never ending enthusiasm and hard work, it truly is appreciated. And a very special thank you to my lovely copy editor, Gabrielle Chant, for all her hard work.

  I’d like to thank Caroline Mitchell, Angie Marsons and the rest of the fabulous writers, too many to mention at Bookouture for your amazing support and for always being there. I feel privileged to be in such esteemed company.

  A hug
e thank you also to Annie Lyons and Liz Tipping. You two gorgeous ladies are the light in my ever so dark writing life and I love you both for making me laugh out loud on my darkest days.

  I am forever indebted to my amazing readers, you are all amazing and I can’t thank you enough for taking a chance on a writer called Helen Phifer. Your support is everything and I’m truly grateful to each and every one of you.

  I’d like to thank my husband Steve and my amazing children for understanding that when I have to write it’s best to keep out of the way. I love each and every one of you more than you could ever know.

  Last, but definitely not least I’d like to thank my wonderful friends and colleagues at Cumbria Constabulary. Sam Thomas, Tina Sykes, Tracy Livingston, Gail O’Neil, Phil Sullivan, Iain Richards, Caroline Kendall, you’ve been there from the start. I love you all for making me laugh and keeping me sane in our sometimes, crazy world.

  Published by Bookouture

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  Copyright © Helen Phifer 2016

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  Helen Phifer has asserted her right to be identified as the author of this work.

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  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publishers.

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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events other than those clearly in the public domain, are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.