Unquiet Souls: a DI Gus McGuire case

by Mistry, Liz

  Gus placed his hand on her arm and squeezed slightly. Immediately, Beth jerked away and jumped to her feet. Dragging her fingers through her dank hair, she glared at him. ‘Why are you here? You need to get out and find those bastards. Go on, get out. You need to find them before they hurt Molly.’

  Alex jumped to his feet and tried to embrace his wife but she pulled away, continuing to glare at Gus. Janine, the Family Liaison Officer, bustled over a mug of tea in one hand. ‘Here, Beth sweetheart, take this.’

  Beth, a look of sheer desperation on her face, glared first at Janine and then at the proffered mug. Without warning she snatched the mug from Janine and in one smooth swivel, she spun round and threw the mug at the far wall. It smashed sending porcelain shards flying through the air. A brown splodge of tea circled the wall like a piece of abstract art, before beginning its meandering trickle to the skirting board below.

  No one spoke. Alex looked helplessly at the wall and Janine, never breaking stride walked over to get a cloth from the sink. Sadia, Gus noted, followed her and the pair began to clean up whilst Beth stood statue-still, staring expressionlessly at the mess she’d made.

  Gus remained seated, but gestured to a chair. ‘Sit down, Beth. We’re doing everything we can, but we do need to talk to you.’

  She hesitated and then slowly, robotically, pulled out her chair and sat back down.

  Meeting her eyes, Gus said, ‘Did you get the chance to make up with Jessie before this morning?’

  Beth’s eyes narrowed. She scraped her chair back from the table slightly and extended her arms in front of her, crossed at the wrists as if she expected to be handcuffed. ‘What! So you think I did it, do you? You really think I’d take a gun and shoot Jessie, the one person that’s stayed by my side all this time?’

  Gus shook his head. ‘That’s not what I meant Beth. I know you didn’t kill Jessie. I just hoped you’d had a chance to make up before her death. Did you?’

  Beth’s arms sank back to the table and her head fell forward as if its weight was too heavy for her fragile neck. ‘Yes. Yes we did. We spoke last night, or rather early this morning. She would never deliberately have put Molly in danger and I know it. I’ll never forgive myself for hitting her.’

  ‘Your daughter is in danger, just as her son was when she went to him. You both acted like the protective mothers you are. Jessie knew that. She knew she’d put Molly in danger and she understood your anger.’

  ‘Doesn’t excuse my actions though, does it?’

  ‘No, but at least you got the chance to make up and that’s important. Now, Beth there’s something I have to show you.’ He took out the plastic bag containing the note found at the scene. ‘Is this Molly’s writing?’

  Beth read the note and blanched. She nodded. ‘Yes that looks like Molly’s writing. Have you looked at this email yet?’

  Gus shook his head and gestured towards the laptop that sat on the table. ‘My experts have. As you know all activity on your laptops and phones is being monitored. They’re enhancing it as we speak, but I’ve not seen it. I want you to be aware that it does show Jessie being shot, but I need you to watch it to see if you can add anything. Do you think you can do that, Beth?’

  She picked up a glass of water, took a sip and then reached out and squeezed her husband’s hand. She nodded. ‘Let’s just get on with it.’

  Gus nodded to Sadia, who left the room returning seconds later with the on-duty tech officer. He drew the laptop towards him and quickly pulled up Beth’s emails. There it was, under the subject heading. ‘You’ve got new mail.’

  He clicked on the attached video. Jessie, wrapped up in a red winter coat with the hood up, strolled through the woods behind the house. From the looks of it she was heading back home. The person videoing seemed to have come through the woods from behind her and was stepping in her footprints. The footage was blurry because of the blizzard, but it was clear Jessie had no idea she was being followed at first.

  Then, something flew through the air and hit her squarely between the shoulder blades. It was a snowball. Jessie spun round and peered through the blizzard, back towards the trees she’d just passed. Then, as if she couldn’t see anyone, she turned back to continue her walk, but another snowball flew through the air, catching her this time on the side of her face. She turned round and started to speak ‘What do you…?’

  Her voice tailed off and she raised a gloved hand to her mouth and began to back off towards the house. ‘Go away, go away, there are police just over the fence, you know?’

  A guttural laugh that Gus recognised from the previous tape drifted through the speakers and then there he was, moving ahead of the camera, in a black coat. He turned his head back to the camera showing the Scream mask that covered his face then turned back towards Jessie. Slowly he advanced, forcing her backwards until she stumbled against a tree. Then from the pocket of his coat he pulled out a gun. With one gloved hand he grabbed Jessie’s neck and spun her away from the tree. She tripped, but he yanked her back up and turned her so her back was to the camera. ‘Zoom!’ he said.

  And then he placed the barrel on the side of her head. Jessie looked up at him for terrified seconds, her hands scratching uselessly against his. Then a sudden bang and a shower of red joined the white blizzard. He let her fall to the snowy ground and stood directly in front of the camera. ‘Second blood! Be warned! My unquiet soul is still not satiated. Who’ll be next, bitch?’

  For stunned seconds everyone just looked at the blank screen, then Gus spoke. ‘We’ll get this enhanced, Beth, but do you have any idea who the man in the Scream mask is?’

  Wrapping her arms round her shivering body as if for warmth, Beth turned stunned eyes on Gus and shook her head.

  Gus persisted. ‘Look at his height, his build, the way he moves. Does any of it look familiar?’

  He gestured to the tech to replay the recording, instructing him to stop before the actual gunshot. ‘You too, Alex. Study this carefully. Does it ring any bells?’

  They watched the recording twice more but neither Alex nor Beth could add anything.

  Concealing his frustration, Gus, taking Sadia with him, left the Graves’ home, promising to keep them updated of any new developments.

  Chapter 80

  Friday 12:30pm

  Gus had bitten his tongue to avoid a string of profanities leaving his mouth when their car had been mobbed by journos on leaving the Grave’s place. He now felt distinctly disgruntled. Ever-conscious of the fact that time was running on and, although they were making progress on the case as a whole, they were actually no closer to finding Molly. He dreaded to think what The Matchmaker had in store for her next, but he was under no illusion that both Molly and Beth Graves would have to endure a whole lot more trauma before this was finished.

  There had been a thaw between him and Sadia since their run-in the other day and he appreciated the effort she was making to fit in with the team. She had the makings of an excellent detective. Her tenacity would stand her in good stead and if she could just quell her propensity to judge and condemn she’d be an asset to his team.

  They had nearly reached The Fort when Gus’s phone rang. ‘Yeah, Compo, what’s up?’

  Gus listened, ignoring Sadia’s questioning glances as she drove. Then, he flipped his phone shut, exhaled and leaning his head on the rest, he closed his eyes and said, ‘Find a place so we can turn round. We’re heading back to Ilkley.’

  ‘Bad news, sir?’

  Immediately, his eyes sprung open and he turned towards her. ‘Well, you could say that. Compo’s found some encrypted images on Alex Graves’s computer hard drive.’

  She flicked a glance at him. ‘And? Are you going to tell me what they are?’

  He nodded slowly. ‘Child pornographic video files and photos.’

  ‘Fuck!’

  ‘My sentiments exactly. Fuck!’

  Chapter 81

  Friday 12:30pm

  The Matchmaker’s Decompression Room, or what m
ost people would call ‘Man cave’ was similar to the original one he’d had built in his Cambridge home years previously. It was a necessity. He loved his wife but, as he knew only too well, unless he had his own space to decompress when the tension got too much, he’d take it out on her and that just wasn’t on. This space was his and his alone. No-one else had access and he invited no one else in.

  Here, he had his heavily protected equipment with enough encrypted files to upset a huge number of Britain’s richest and most influential figures. Then, of course there was the gym area in the corner and his en suite. Up here, he could be self-sufficient until his darkest moments dissipated, leaving him free to return to family life.

  His wife didn’t question his withdrawal, relieved that he’d found a way to deal with the darkness that took him over body and soul. Now, he stood naked at the window looking out over the moors from his three storey Haworth home, enjoying the warmth of the central heating drying the sweat on his body after his workout. The contrast between the warm room and the blizzard that had darkened the sky and covered the moors with a heavy fall of snow made him smile. Up here looking out over the wilderness he felt very Heathcliff. There were no other houses around and he was so high up that, apart from the odd pigeon, no one could see him.

  They’d had a busy morning, him and The Distributor. It had left him pumped, so he’d come straight home rather than heading into his work in Bradford. Now he felt more composed. They’d done what he set out to do. He laughed aloud, remembering the shocked look on The Distributor’s face when he’d pulled out the gun. When he’d pulled the trigger he’d nearly ejaculated there and then. God, but it had felt good. He pursed his lips, remembering the other man’s frightened expression as they’d retraced their steps. The stupid fucker had been trembling like a baby by the time they’d hiked back down to the main road. If he wasn’t careful, The Distributor would find himself dispensable. Rubbing his hands together the Matchmaker wondered how Beth Graves felt right now. The net was pulling in behind her. There was no escape for her now, and she knew it.

  Humming under his breath, he watched his semi-erection become flaccid in his reflection, before padding over to the shower and flicking the temperature dial to cold. Thirty seconds of freezing water, followed by twenty of very hot before he soaped himself all over, rinsed and stepped out to towel himself dry. Barefoot, he shrugged on a hoodie and pulled on a pair of trackie bottoms.

  Sitting at his desk he rested his legs, crossed at the ankle on his desk and phoned into work. ‘I’m working from home today’ he told his long-suffering PA. ‘Direct any calls here.’ He flicked the sound system to quiet and leaned back steepling his hands across his chest as he listened to the waves of gentle music that filled the room.

  Finally, relaxed, he turned his attention to work and pulled open the drawer where he kept his supply of untraceable phones. He selected the correct phone and dialled. Within three rings he was connected.

  ‘How are things with our accounts?’ he said without preamble.

  The Facilitator hesitated and The Matchmaker could hear him moving and then the gentle click of a door. ‘Right, I’m in my office now. Things are fine, as you’d expect. The Provider has managed to locate the necessary produce in Poland and is at present en route to the UK. He should be here before the weekend, in time to meet our orders. The respective clients have initiated their deposits and we’re all systems go.’

  The Matchmaker rocked back in his chair, smiling widely. ‘Fantastic! Things are certainly moving along nicely.’

  The Facilitator cleared his throat. ‘Em, I wanted to talk to you about that. Don’t you think that we should cool things down until after the current orders have been fulfilled?’

  The Matchmaker frowned and his voice became icy. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Well, we’re creating a bit of a stink right now. First with the kids in Heaton and The Provider having to acquire more stock at short notice, then with Molly and now Jessie. Just thought it’d be sensible to back off until the current order is fulfilled.

  ‘Back off?’

  ‘Well, obviously we fulfil our existing orders and work towards fulfilling future ones – keep the money rolling in. But I just thought maybe we should just forget about our revenge for now. ‘

  He allowed a frigid silence to drift down the phone. He knew The Facilitator was weaker than him. He knew he’d be sweating like a pig right now and he used his silence to threaten him even more, to back him into a corner and make him work.

  When The Facilitator broke the silence his voice was rushed and pleading. ‘What I mean is, why don’t we just get rid of the kid? Maybe even use her first, Client 51 likes that type after all, and then just get rid. That’ll teach the bitch and it’ll be payback for us.’

  The Matchmaker’s leg began to bounce up and down, his face taut and pinched. ‘I hope you’re not suggesting we let the bitch off with just losing her brat?’

  ‘No, no. Of course not. But maybe, just for now, we could back off for a bit. Let things cool down, let her stew in her grief and then move on to the next stage.’

  The Matchmaker laughed. ‘No fucking way! We’ve waited too long and we’re going to end it, just like we agreed. We’re going to leave the bitch with nothing. Not a fucking thing, just like she left us.’ His voice quietened to a chilling whisper. ‘We’re going to systematically destroy every part of her family, bit by bit and she’s going to know that she’s responsible for it.’

  He heard The Facilitator swallow, then he said, ‘I’m not sure I can do the next bit.’

  The Matchmaker issued a snorting laugh, ‘Course you can. I’ve got the utmost faith in you. You concentrate on your side of things and leave me to take care of everything else.’

  Ending the call, The Matchmaker threw the phone on his desk and with an abrupt toss of the head he stood up and began pacing. ‘Bloody weaklings. I’m surrounded by bloody weaklings. Not one of them prepared to take a risk to defend our honour.’ He stripped off his clothes, strode over to the chin pull and began to do pull-ups, his face strained, veins standing out on his neck as his biceps bulged.

  Chapter 82

  Friday 1:30pm

  When Gus and Sadia arrived back at the Graves’ home, Alex was in his office. The FLO, Janine, let them in and after greeting them with a worried frown, Beth called her husband to come through. ‘He doesn’t like to be interrupted when he’s working but under the circumstances I’m not sure he’s managing to do very much work anyway.’

  Sadia exchanged a glance with Gus who looked stern and uncompromising, his customary easy smile banished for now. The sickly sweet smell of baby puke combined with dirty nappy pervaded the kitchen as Gus explained why they had returned so quickly.

  Beth jostled the baby on her hip, her face ashen, her lips thinned to a hard line across her face. Alex, by contrast was flushed and waved his arms about in agitation. ‘You can’t be fucking serious, what the fuck. Why are you wasting time on me when you should be looking for Molly?’ He turned to Beth ‘You don’t believe them do you?’

  Beth dipped her head and began to walk from the room, ignoring her husband. ‘I’ve got to change Sam’s nappy.’ As she walked from the room, avoiding her husband’s gaze, Janine followed her.

  Gus called her name and Beth turned round. Expecting tears or rage, Gus was shocked to see instead, Beth’s neutral expression. He glanced at Janine who shrugged slightly and then stepped closer to Beth, saying, ‘Look Beth, let me phone someone for you. You shouldn’t be on your own. Not with all this going on.’

  Beth flinched. ‘What? I take it that ‘by all this’ you mean the fact that, somehow I’ve managed to marry a paedophile for the second time or the fact that he’s probably responsible for taking my daughter from me, as well as murdering my Jessie?’ Beth pointedly held Gus’s gaze until he looked away.

  Sadia nodded to Janine, who stood uncertainly by the open door. ‘Get her friend, the deputy head teacher over here pronto, ok? Her name’s
Horan I think.’

  Talking gently to her baby, Beth walked upstairs without looking back. Alex, still proclaiming his innocence, followed her to the bottom of the stairs and then hesitated before shouting up to Beth. ‘I’ve never looked at any of that filth, Beth. I never would. I swear I haven’t and I’d never ever harm Molly or Jessie.’ He waited for a reply but when there was none forthcoming he continued. ‘Beth, you should move in with Wendy Horan till all this is over. DI McGuire will offer you protection at their house.’ He waited for a reply, but when none was forthcoming, he shrugged and nodded briefly at Gus before continuing to the door. ‘Might as well get this over with.’

  Chapter 83

  Friday 12:30pm

  Molly, wrapped like an Indian squaw in the grubby duvet, stood on tiptoe atop the thick metal radiator pipe and hefted herself onto the wide window sill. She leaned forward on her knees till her mouth was close to the frozen window. Then she pursed her lips into an O-shape and breathed on the heavily frosted glass. The ice crackled and fractured into small, wet jigsaw pieces which she impatiently wiped away with her sleeve. She pressed her forehead to the pane and peered through the small hole she’d made. It wasn’t big enough to see much so she jumped down and looked around the room. When she saw the empty Pepsi bottle, she grinned. That would do the trick. She picked it up, took aim and tossed it onto the sill before clambering up after it. Lifting the bottle, she unscrewed the lid and used the rim to scrape a wider hole in the ice. A few minutes later, she’d cleared most of the ice and despite her frozen fingers, she was happy.

  The activity was a welcome distraction to the monotony of her day. She’d not seen anyone since the previous night, when he’d turned up with a soggy sausage roll, a little lamp that he placed next to her bed and a heater. He’d plugged both items in and told her she should be ‘grateful’ to him. Molly didn’t like the way he’d said ‘grateful’, nor did she like the look on his face. And he’d made her write another one of those notes to her mother. She hated him.