The Back Road

by Abbott, Rachel

Leo sloshed some whisky into three glasses, and pressed one into Max’s hands. She couldn’t imagine how he was feeling.

  ‘Max, I know I said I wasn’t a policeman tonight,’ Tom said, ‘but you’re going to have to tell DI Corby about the deal between Sean and Gary. If Sean didn’t pay Gary, or there was a third party involved that you don’t know about – well, people have murdered for less.’

  Max gave a defeated nod of the head.

  ‘Fine. I’ll speak to him. But what happens now, Tom? With Ellie, I mean,’

  ‘Leo’s going to sort her out some clean clothes. I think it’s inevitable that she’ll be arrested. They have the text she sent him to set up the meeting at the farm, and they have her there all covered in blood. But it’ll be okay Max. We’ll find out who did it, I can promise you that. Ellie asked me to contact a solicitor for her, so we just need to offer as much support as we can.’

  Leo put a glass down on the table in front of Tom, but much as he looked like he needed it, she wasn’t surprised when he didn’t touch it. No doubt he thought there would be some more driving ahead tonight. Clearly deciding that nobody would mind, Tom walked over to the kettle and switched it on.

  48

  Gary Bateman was seriously sick of his wife. She had no idea what his life was like, and how he had to cope with a crap job just so they could live in a half decent house and not have to look like the riffraff of the village. Not that she would care. No aspirations - that was her problem. ‘I just want to be happy,’ was her favourite moan. Stupid bitch.

  He walked over to the curtains and released them from their absurd tie backs. He didn’t want the world to see what she had coming to her. Of all the brainless things to do. He couldn’t believe it when she’d admitted she had told Leo Harris about the Porsche - what day he’d picked it up, and how long he’d had it. He always knew Penny would be the weak spot in the plan. The whole world thought he’d been driving a bright red Porsche since last Thursday, and then blob-gob Penny had to screw it up. It was okay her saying that Leo didn’t notice or comment, but Leo was nobody’s fool. He’d told Penny not to let her in the house. He knew Leo’s type – they wheedled their way in until they found everybody’s darkest secrets.

  He was fairly confident that Ellie hadn’t seen him that night - or at least not recognised his car. He would love to know what she’d been up to, but could never ask. He would have been in the clear. Nobody even knew he’d been out; well, at least nobody who was going to admit it. Fucking Penny.

  He pulled the curtains together in anger, but just as they were closing he thought he saw some movement in the garden. He pulled one back again and peered out, but there was nothing there. Must have been a cat, he thought. Once he’d finished with Penny, he would go and chase the damn thing off. He didn’t want a handful of cat crap next time he was weeding round the roses. Where the hell was that stupid Smudge when he was needed?

  But he knew where he’d be. Lying by Penny’s feet as she sobbed again. Christ, what a life.

  Sean had improved things a bit with the wodge of cash that he’d handed over last night. He’d still not said who his private investor was, but Gary suspected it was that supercilious twat Charles. And wouldn’t he like to stuff ’em both so that Charles lost his money. Nothing would give him greater pleasure. He had a good mind to delay the permission, just to put the wind up them both. Or maybe he would find some reason to refuse it altogether. Hah!

  On second thoughts, he wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of Sean Summers. He appeared to be the gentle giant type, but Gary had seen his jaw set firm when somebody wound him up, and much as he could look after himself, he suspected that Sean might play dirty. He’d have to think about how best to deal with him - but for now, Penny needed teaching a lesson.

  ‘Penny,’ he yelled up the stairs. ‘Get down these bloody stairs. Now. You don’t want me to have to come and get you, do you?’

  This last week had been shit. His cock tease of a would-be mistress had given him the brush off too. She was talking bollocks, though. He was going to sort it after the weekend. Nobody treated Gary Bateman like crap.

  ‘Penny! I’m not telling you again. Get down these fucking stairs.’

  Penny appeared on the landing. Her face was blotchy with tears, but there was a stubborn set to her mouth that Gary didn’t like at all.

  ‘No,’ she said. She put her hands on her hips, and stared down at him defiantly. ‘I am not coming down to be brutalised by you. Leo says that I need to take the matter into my own hands and stand up for myself. I don’t need to let you do this anymore.’

  Gary charged up the stairs. She wasn’t talking to him like this.

  But Penny was too quick, and raced for the bathroom door locking it behind her. Smudge was attempting to stand guard, growling as fiercely as his little body would allow, his teeth bared as if ready to take a lump out of anybody who tried to get close to Penny. Gary was incensed.

  ‘Stupid fucking dog,’ he said, and lashed out with his right foot.

  Smudge yelped in pain as Gary’s foot connected with his fat little stomach, but as his body hit the wall he didn’t make a sound. Nor did he move.

  Penny screamed. ‘What have you done to Smudge? Gary? What have you done?’

  ‘Shit,’ muttered Gary. Now look what she’d made him do. The girls would be devastated. He was going to have to say Smudge was knocked over. Penny wouldn’t argue. She wouldn’t bloody dare tell them what had really happened. Shit.

  ‘I haven’t finished with you by a long way, lady. Don’t think that door is going to stand between us. I’m going to see to Smudge, but I’ll be back.’

  ‘What do you mean, see to him?’ Penny was crying, but that was nothing new. He knew how she would be thinking now. She’d be cowering behind the door, wanting to come out to see to Smudge, but knowing what would happen to her if she did. Well, he had news for Penny. She could stay in there for now, but she was going to get what was due to her as soon as he’d dumped this shitty little dog in the middle of the road to be squashed by every passing car. See how she liked that.

  * * *

  The latch on the back gate was lifted, gently and silently. There was movement in the house - shouting, doors slamming.

  He must be home.

  The dark figure slipped through the opening and moved towards the shrubbery where deep shadows would disguise the presence of an intruder. A copper beech tree stood proudly above the precisely trimmed bushes, its purple leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. Its low hanging branches would provide a secure place to wait.

  And waiting was the only option.

  His car was in the drive. The keys were in the ignition. He didn’t seem like a man so careless that he would leave them there all night. He would have to come out. And then it would be over. It had to end tonight.

  He had to die, but it wasn’t supposed to be like this. Another plan gone wrong. So many mistakes.

  Why had Ellie sent Sean? She said she was upset about a stupid mistake with a man. He had forced her to go out and meet him after midnight on Friday, and he kept leaving her yellow roses to let her know he was thinking of her. It was all there – in her text.

  But I saw who took her the rose. He cut it himself. It was Gary - the bastard who knocked Abbie over. The one man who can blow my life apart.

  It didn’t matter that Sean was dead. All that mattered was killing the right person now.

  There was more shouting from inside the house, and a muffled cry of distress. A dark silhouette passed in front of an upstairs window, walking hurriedly. A light came on in the kitchen, but the blinds hid the identity of whoever was there.

  The back door was abruptly flung open, so hard that it crashed against the kitchen units sending glasses toppling. The sound of their shattering reached the black depths of the shrubbery along with a muttered expletive.

  ‘Fuck.’

  He was carrying what looked like a small dog, and there was no time to waste. This might be the only oppor
tunity.

  The intruder took a step forward, and the light from the open doorway glinted off the steel of the knife.

  ‘Who’s there?’ Gary shouted. ‘What do you want?’

  The move had been made too soon. Gary was close to the door and could be back inside in seconds. But there was no turning back now.

  The intruder stepped farther into the light.

  ‘Shit,’ Gary said. ‘It’s you. What the fuck are you doing hiding out here in the garden? You nearly gave me a sodding heart attack.’ The relief was clear in his voice. No threat, then. Is that what he honestly thought?

  The intruder moved closer, hiding the knife from view.

  Gary was beginning to look wary. As well he might. His face changed as he took in the outfit - solid black from head to toe. No balaclava tonight - that wasn’t necessary. It had never been the intention to stay invisible for long.

  ‘What do you want?’ Gary asked, a hint of nervousness entering his voice as he advanced towards the intruder.

  Good. He was moving away from the door.

  ‘I’ve come for you.’

  Silence. Gary could never have believed that this was a casual visit, and confusion shone in his eyes.

  ‘You’ve come for me?’

  ‘I know what you did. I was watching. Didn’t you see her? Or were to too drunk to see the road?’

  Gary pulled the little dog closer to him, as if for comfort.

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about, or what you think you know. But you’ve got it all wrong.’

  ‘I’ve got nothing wrong. I was there. I watched you from the woods. I saw you hit her, and I saw you drag her by her ankles to the side of the road. But you saw me too, didn’t you? You looked into the woods - straight at me. You’ve been keeping quiet to save your own skin.’

  Gary’s natural arrogance briefly resurfaced.

  ‘What’s it to you, anyway? And you weren’t in the woods. That’s a lie.’ Gary took a step towards the dark figure.

  Come on, Gary - get closer.

  ‘We’re not here to talk about me. But I don’t trust you to keep your mouth shut. When they find you – and they will – you’ll send them to me, and everybody will know who I really am. And once again, I’ll be the focus of their unfair hatred.’

  It was clear that Gary had the scent of danger, because he was stealthily walking forward, and the two of them began to slowly circle.

  Perfect. You’re a fool, Gary - you’ve let me get between you and the light.

  With a sudden shout, Gary dropped the still body of the dog onto the grass and lunged towards the figure, his arms outstretched and reaching for the neck.

  It was the last move he made. The knife was out in a flash, and driven hard into his stomach.

  ‘She was mine. Mine. She would have come back – I could have convinced her. But you took away my only chance.’

  The knife was withdrawn and plunged again, higher up between his ribs.

  Gary crumpled to his knees and fell forward, driving the knife farther in.

  A foot came out and flicked him over so the knife could be withdrawn, and the intruder calmly and purposefully wiped the blood from the knife on the grass.

  * * *

  Gary’s attacker opened the back gate, and started down the drive, keeping close to the wall to avoid being seen. The car was parked at the end of the cul-de-sac - far enough away not to be noticed.

  In an explosion of sound on this quiet street, as if from nowhere two cars came speeding down the narrow road, and screeched to a halt, parking diagonally and blocking any exit. A man and a woman alighted from the front car and two police officers got out of the second one, taking up a position by its bonnet with arms folded. Nobody was getting out of this road either on foot, or by car.

  Shit.

  There could be only one reason for this. They must have found out about Gary. Somehow, they must know that he was the driver of the hit and run vehicle. How they knew was a different matter, but there was only one way out of the close - by passing the two policemen standing by their car. Quickly turning back into the garden and stepping over Gary’s supine body, the attacker looked around. There was no escape.

  High fences bordered the garden, with no obvious way of getting over. Eyes that were by now accustomed to the dark flicked around the perimeter, looking for a gate. Nothing.

  Fuck. I’m trapped.

  But what was that? The light from the open back door was picking up the reflection of something metallic - some writing - and it was just possible to see the shape of an object up against the fence at the end of the garden.

  The front door bell pealed. It would only be a matter of moments until somebody came around the back and found Gary’s body. Creeping as quickly but as silently as possible towards the shape and the metallic glint the attacker was finally able to make out the lettering.

  Smudge.

  The cheap, glittery letters were stuck onto the front of a very smart kennel that seemed way too big for such a small dog.

  Clutching the knife firmly in one hand, the dark figure clambered onto the top of the kennel, grasped the top of the fence and with a grunt managed to roll over the top, crashing painfully into the adjoining garden. But the car was still there, trapped at the end of the cul de sac, and it wouldn’t take the police long to work it out and come looking.

  49

  Leo had finally left Max and Tom to a serious conversation about police procedure, as Max tried to understand exactly what would be happening to Ellie. She knew she couldn’t afford the luxury of a bath now. She needed to give support to Max and be available if Ellie needed her, so she quickly washed any visible blood off her body, and pulled on the first clothes she could find.

  As she made her way back downstairs, hugging some jeans and a T-shirt for Ellie to her chest, the phone was ringing in the hall. Hoping that it would be Ellie to say that she could come home, Leo picked it up.

  ‘Hello,’ she said. ‘Ellie?’

  ‘Leo - thank goodness I’ve managed to get through. What’s going on with all your phones? I haven’t been able to phone Max for days, and he hasn’t phoned me either.’ It was Patrick.

  ‘Sorry, Pat, I know nothing about that, but now’s not a good time to talk to Max. I’m sorry. I can’t explain right now, but I’m sure somebody will talk to you tomorrow and let you know what’s going on.’

  ‘Actually, I only want a phone number and you might be able to help. Do you have that policeman’s number - you know, Max’s new neighbour Tom?’

  ‘I can do better than that, Pat. He’s here. But it’s all a bit tricky just now. Will tomorrow do?’

  ‘Sorry, Leo. It won’t. I think I’ve found something important. It’s about Abbie Campbell. But I’m not sure if I’m getting excited about nothing. Maybe I’m reading too much into stuff, which is why I thought I would speak to Tom first. I don’t know how long my money will last in this bloody thing. Probably been vandalised in some way.’

  There was a brief pause.

  ‘Are you ringing from a phone box, Pat?’

  ‘I can’t explain, Leo. I’ll tell Tom what I think, and see if he decides that I’m crazy. I need him to come to the house, though. Mimi’s house. Can you ask him, please? I can’t hang on now, but if he can come, it would be very helpful.’

  The line went dead.

  Leo tried speaking into the phone a couple of times, but got no response. She wasn’t sure she could deal with anything else tonight, but wearily she made her way to the kitchen.

  Tom looked up gratefully when Leo entered, and she felt terrible for leaving him alone to deal with Max’s distress.

  ‘That was Pat on the phone. I was hoping it was Ellie.’

  ‘What did you tell him?’ Max asked. ‘I can’t even think about calling him back now, and anyway every time I’ve tried to call him, the line’s cut off straight away.’

  ‘He was asking for Tom’s number actually. He wants some advice. But it was odd, because h
e was calling from a phone box. Weird, don’t you think?’

  Max looked indifferent.

  ‘Well, odd or not, he would like you to go round to Mimi’s, Tom.’

  Tom’s lip curled up in the corner in a ‘you must be joking’ kind of expression.

  ‘What, now?’ he said.

  ‘It seems so, yes.’ Leo repeated everything that Patrick had said, and Tom looked at Max.

  ‘I don’t want to leave you, Max. But if it really is about Abbie I think we need to work out who’s best placed to do what.’

  Max looked expectantly at Tom, and it was clear that his mind wasn’t able to compute the options, so Tom continued.

  ‘Somebody has to stay here with the twins, of course. I need to go to Pat’s now, unfortunately, and somebody needs to take clothes to Ellie. I think on balance that you’d be better waiting here, Max. Ellie might come back - the solicitor will bring her home as soon as he can get her out of there. You’ve had a drink, and you don’t want to roll up at the police station smelling of whisky, even if you are under the limit. Leo - can you take Ellie’s clothes?’

  Leo shook her head.

  ‘You’ll never find Mimi’s house. It’s a maze of streets and you’ve no sat nav in the Jeep. Why don’t I come with you, and after you’ve seen Pat we’ll take Ellie’s clothes. Hopefully he won’t need you for long - it sounded like he just needs your advice. What do you think?’

  They both looked at Max, who just gave them a confused nod. Leo could feel his pain and shock. His face was devoid of shape and colour, as if the skin were moulded to the bone, and his eyes were huge and lost. She picked up her bag from the table, and leant over Max, putting her arm around his shoulders in a tight squeeze.

  ‘It’s going to be okay, Max. I promise. We’ll get everything sorted out.’ It spoke volumes that Max didn’t betray any surprise at Leo’s gesture of affection.

  ‘We’ll be back as soon as we can, and we’ve got mobiles with us. I’ll get Leo to text my number to you while we’re driving. Okay?’

  Max was staring at them without seeing, but he bobbed his head in acknowledgement.