‘You know me too well. Can you stick it on my desk? I’ve got a call to make.’
Ruby was reluctant to begin stirring things up with Sharon again but she was the only connection with Mandy she had left. The phone rang three times. Ruby prayed Sharon had saved her number to her mobile, otherwise she wouldn’t be picking up.
‘Yes?’ the response was cold, cautious.
‘It’s Ruby. . . Sergeant Preston from Shoreditch serious crime. Are you alright to talk?’
‘Sure. Is everything OK?’ Sharon’s voice thawed.
‘Nothing to worry about. I’ve got a couple of questions to ask about Mandy Prentice. Are you on your own?’
‘Yeah. Billy came in to visit me but I binned him off.’
Ruby wanted to say ‘good’ but she held back the words. ‘Are you OK?’ she said, hesitant.
‘I’m going to a women’s refuge when I’m discharged from here,’ Sharon said, keeping her voice low. ‘Sold them a story about Billy forcing me to work. They’ve got a room for me. I’ve sorted myself out with methadone and everything.’
Ruby smiled. It was good that Sharon trusted her enough to tell her the truth. The refuge was very select about who they took on – given the lack of funding, they had to be. But the fact Sharon had almost become a murder victim would have put her ahead in the queue. They would provide a support network for what was to come, and Sharon knew the system well enough to turn it to her advantage.
‘Good,’ she said. ‘Sounds like you’ll be in the right place to get the support you need.’
‘Plus there ain’t no crazy coppers trying to keep me in their flat.’ But her voice contained a smile, and Ruby knew she harboured no ill feelings towards her actions that day.
‘God,’ Ruby said, feeling like their experience was a world away, ‘the less said about that, the better. Listen, Sharon, I don’t mean to go raking things up, but I’m desperately trying to find Mandy. Is there anything you can remember about her that you haven’t mentioned already? Any clue about where she might be?’
Silence fell, and just when Ruby thought she was not going to respond, Sharon drew an intake of breath. ‘She was strong, stubborn. If she said she was gonna do something, she’d do it. Out of all of us, she was the one most likely to get off the gear and start again.’
‘No mention of family, friends?’
‘She ain’t got none. Her foster parents emigrated, poor cow.’
Ruby nodded. The information was nothing new. They had already been traced and spoken to; they shared the same apathy that Sharon had hinted at with no knowledge of Mandy’s whereabouts. She decided to try a different tact. ‘You must have chatted for her to tell you all that. Had she any aspirations? Tell you what she wanted to be?’
‘I wanted to be Victoria Beckham – didn’t mean it was ever gonna happen.’
Ruby snorted a laugh. ‘True, but you’d be surprised where clues sometimes hide. Did she ever talk about any clients in particular? Anyone she might develop a relationship with?’ she said, knowing such questions had been asked before.
But Sharon was stuck on the previous question, an answer forming on her lips. ‘She did say she loved kids. She couldn’t have none, thanks to the Doctor.’
Ruby stiffened. This was news to her. ‘The doctor, as in Doctor Tanner?’
‘Yeah, a botched abortion left her infertile. She was in bits. I ain’t told no one that before – I figured it was her business. If she were working anywhere, it would be with kids. She loved them too much to let them go.’
‘In what capacity?’ Ruby said. Sharon’s silence relayed that she didn’t understand the question. ‘Sorry, I mean, there’s lots of jobs with kids. In schools, hospitals, girl scouts… I don’t know where to start.’
‘I dunno. She liked toddlers, she hated hospitals, though – couldn’t stand the smell. That’s all I can tell you. Sorry.’
‘It’s something. If you think of anything else, will you send me a text? I’ll ring you straight back, save your credit.’
‘Sure. And Ruby?’
‘Yes?’
‘I hope you find her.’
Ruby was already online, printing up lists of local pre-schools, and anywhere toddlers visited during the day. She paused, her words thick with emotion: ‘I’ll find her. I just hope it’s in time.’
Chapter Sixty-Three
‘I’ve got an address for you.’
Resting her hand on her suitcase, it took Ruby a moment to discern the voice on the other end of the line. ‘Nathan?’ she said, having answered the phone without getting a proper look at the screen. Impatient to see the back of her flat, she had packed quickly.
‘It’s Lenny. Do you want Mandy’s address or will I go round there myself?’
‘Call it out,’ she said, shoving her hand down the side of the sofa for a pen. It didn’t matter where she kept them they always seemed to end up there. The pen rose between her fingers, along with a ball of dust. Clicking it on, she wrote on the back of her hand as Lenny recited a street name and number. ‘Are you sure this is Mandy’s address?’ she said, clenching her fist for the ink to flow smoothly. It was in Dalston, not far from her new flat. All this time they had been looking for her, and Mandy was only half an hour away. How on earth could she afford to live there?
‘I’ll give you tonight to sort this out,’ Lenny said, ignoring her question. ‘After that, we do it my way.’
‘I need more time,’ Ruby said, knowing how slowly the cogs of police investigation turned.
‘Just get your evidence and get him nicked. This is the last night my brother’s a wanted man.’
The phone went dead in her hand. Ruby hadn’t told him that Nathan was already in the clear. Finding Doctor Tanner was her priority now. She stared unblinkingly into space, working out a plan. She had two choices: she could go through the proper channels and wait for procedures to be put in place, or she could go it alone. Police attendance could frighten off the doctor from attending Mandy’s address, leaving him free to kill again. As soon as she called it in, a police unit would visit and put safeguarding in place. If they took it seriously enough, they might set up a sting. But such operations took time to approve. Lenny had given Ruby one night before he took the law into his own hands. And the alternative? She could go round there, speak to Mandy and lie in wait. Given what had happened to Ash it was risky but this time she would be prepared.
Within five minutes she had washed her face and removed the mascara shadows from underneath her eyes. She dragged a brush through her hair, quickly winding her long dark locks into a bun: she had to look professional if she had any hope of winning Mandy over. She shrugged on her suit jacket. It felt empty without the reassurance of her police harness beneath it, but it did not mean she was vulnerable. She reached for the tin box she had excavated from beneath the floorboards of her home. Popping off the lid, she wrapped her fingers around the handgun Nathan had gifted her some years before. Nestling it in the waistband of her trousers, she covered it with her jacket before walking out the door.
Chapter Sixty-Four
‘Mandy, can I speak to you?’ Ruby jogged up the steps to the flat as she followed the girl to her front door. Mandy turned around, a glint of distrust in her dark brown eyes as she took in Ruby’s warrant card.
‘The name’s Amanda,’ she said, her keys jangling as she pulled them from her handbag. ‘You’d better come in.’ Her dark wavy hair was thicker than Ruby’s, trailing halfway down her back. Dressed modestly in a tracksuit and padded jacket, she looked nothing like the young woman Ruby expected to meet but the presence of the small love heart tattoo on her forefinger told her she had the right person.
Ruby peered down the lamp-lit streets, a gust of icy wind playing with loose strands of her hair. Was Tanner out there, watching them? As Mandy opened the door wide, she wasted no time in getting them both inside.
‘It’s about the murders, isn’t it?’ Mandy said, pushing a living-room door open. ‘Have a seat, I’ll be with you in a
second.’ Her shopping bags rustling, she set them down in the kitchen.
Her calmness seemed odd given the situation, but, for once, Ruby did as she was told. A police officer or not, the only power that allowed her to be there was the goodwill of her host. The sitting room carried a Laura Ashley theme; neatly decorated with floral wallpaper, soft furnishings, and a beautiful ivory antique fireplace that took centre stage. For the second time, she wondered how Mandy could afford to live in such a nice area. Her pistol dug into the waistband of her trousers as she reclined on the sofa. It made her heart skip a beat, reminding her of the urgency of the situation; she could not afford to make any more mistakes.
‘Lovely place you’ve got here,’ she said, keeping her tone light as Mandy joined her.
‘It was my mum’s,’ Mandy replied. ‘She left it to me in her will.’
‘Oh, I thought your parents had emigrated?’ Ruby said.
Mandy raised an eyebrow. ‘My biological mum. I knew nothing about it until her solicitors tracked me down.’ She pushed back a floral cushion before taking a seat. ‘Am I in some sort of trouble?’
Ruby shook her head. ‘I take it you’ve heard about the murders in the news?’
‘Yes, but I’ve been trying not to watch TV,’ Mandy said. ‘It’s very depressing. And we all have our lives to lead. If I paid any attention to that, I’d never go out at all.’
But Ruby knew there was more to it than that. ‘You knew some of those girls, didn’t you? It’s all right. I know you’ve worked hard to leave that part of your life behind.’
‘And that’s where I want it to stay,’ Mandy said. ‘I’m not being rude, but why are you here? I’m sorry to hear about those girls dying and all, but I know nothing about it.’
‘I’m not here to question you, I’m here to warn you. We’ve good reason to believe that you’re next on his list.’ Ruby hesitated. Despite her reservations, she had to offer safeguarding but limited funding meant the best she could do was to take her to stay elsewhere while officers put a safety plan in place. An alarm and some practical advice would be provided, but there was no way a police officer could stand guard at her door. Even if she stayed elsewhere, she would have to return at some point.
Mandy’s face fell as Ruby brought her up to speed. ‘I’m not moving out,’ she said. ‘That bastard has taken everything from me. It stops here.’
‘I appreciate the sentiment,’ Ruby said, ‘but I warned Sharon, and she’s come to regret not listening. Is there anyone staying with you this weekend?’
‘My boyfriend’s at a music festival. I was meant to go but I’ve just got a job, and it’s too early to be asking for time off.’
‘Where are you working?’ Ruby asked, wondering how close she’d come to finding her.
‘Little Ducks Nursery, just up the road from here,’ Mandy said. ‘So you see, I’m not moving out, and I’m not going to any safe house.’
A local children’s nursery, of course; it was one of the places on Ruby’s list to check. But Lenny had found her first, most likely by offering a reward. Ruby took a breath to speak, but as Mandy stood up, she cut her off.
‘No police – I mean it, I don’t want my new friends knowing about my old life.’
Ruby rose with her. ‘Surely if they’re that fond of you they’ll accept you for who you are?’
Rolling her eyes, Mandy looked at her as if she was mad. ‘It doesn’t work like that. Every time they looked at me I’d see judgement in their eyes – whether it was there or not. I can’t take that risk. It’s taken me a while to get here but I like who I am now.’
‘Come on, Mandy, surely it’s not worth risking your life for? This man is dangerous. He’s capable of anything.’
‘You don’t know me, so where do you get off, telling me what to do? I would never have fucking let you in if I’d known what you wanted. Bloody coppers, I hate the police!’
Ruby raised an eyebrow. ‘Steady on, girl, I came around here to help, not to be verbally abused.’
Mandy muttered under her breath. ‘You’ve been here five minutes and I can feel the old Mandy seeping back in. The new me would never act like this,’ she said. Her face reddened as her voice grew louder. ‘Do you see what you’re bringing me back to? I never want to go there again.’
Ruby couldn’t believe her ears. ‘I’m not here to wreck your life, I just want to catch this killer before he strikes again.’
But Mandy was not listening as she shooed her towards the door. ‘I want you to leave now. Your work is not my concern. As long as he stays away from my door then he can do what he wants.’
‘That’s where you’re wrong. It’s your door he’ll be knocking on next.’ Ruby stood her ground. She had to find a way of making her listen.
Mandy frowned. ‘He’ll never find me here.’
‘I did.’
‘You’re the police.’
‘And he’s ingenious. Please, at least promise me you’ll call the police if you see or hear anything suspicious.’
Mandy shook her head. ‘I told you, no cops.’
‘Then what about me?’ Ruby said. ‘There may be something else I can do.’
Chapter Sixty-Five
Some children had imaginary friends growing up, but not the doctor. His friends came in all shapes and sizes and were very, very quiet. He did not have to wait until the weekend for a sleepover either. In a bed lined with satin, they stayed in the small Chapel of Rest attached to his home. As a child, he was too young to understand the concept of death. He would talk to their sleeping visitors, fascinated by the coldness of their skin as Mummy layered their face with make-up and carefully blow-dried their hair. Not until he witnessed his father piece back a car crash casualty did he fully comprehend his parents’ work.
Doctor Tanner peered from the undergrowth outside Mandy’s home. A warm pulse beat inside him at the thought of claiming her flesh. But it was much more than having the joy of toying with the human form. It was about revenge for every misfortune that had plagued his life, and the teasing promise of fame that would follow his name for years to come. He watched in the distance as a dark-haired woman trotted down the steps of the dull grey building that was Mandy Prentice’s home. Her head dipped, she had briefly turned, saying something about seeing Mandy tomorrow, before walking to her car. His heart skipped a beat as he recalled where he had seen her before: she was the police detective who was present as paramedics took his Sleeping Beauty away.
He looped his scarf around his face until it was almost touching the woollen hat. The gloves were awkward when it came to his work, but he would not give the police the satisfaction of leaving his fingerprints at the scene. He was stretching his luck coming here so soon; he could almost feel the police snapping at his heels. The death of one of their colleagues had been a glorious moment. Propelling him into the limelight, it had no doubt brought the police renewed conviction. He would not go unpunished, it was said. If only they knew he had received his punishment tenfold.
With a soft breath, he dragged his feet through the undergrowth, approaching the back entrance of Mandy’s home. The garden was long and thin, easily accessed by climbing the wall at the rear. He landed on the other side with a thud, jarring his knees on the frostbitten ground below. Narrowing his eyes, he peered through the half-open window blind. Pop music was playing in the kitchen, and he watched as the back door was opened to allow a tabby cat inside.
Switching off the kitchen light, Mandy retreated from the room, allowing the doctor to advance under the cover of darkness. He would have to make his entrance quickly, before she returned to lock the door.
Dipping his hand into his coat pocket, he felt the comforting rustle of the plastic bag containing the chloroformed cloth. It wouldn’t do to contaminate himself before he’d even begun. The element of surprise always won him a few precious seconds. He would be quick in his reprisal – dressing her in the red hood and placing her on the bed. It was a slip of material, but enough to send the message hom
e. How he missed his surgeon’s chair and the symphony of music that raised colours in the air.
Slowly, he placed his hand on the kitchen door, scalpel in his right pocket, cloth in the left. Dew had gathered on the bridge of his scarf, and he lowered it from his face, licking his lips as his excitement grew. In the living room, a news channel blared, and the doctor held his breath as he snuck into the downstairs hall, his feet slowly pressing on each stair as he made his ascent.
He stepped inside the open bedroom door on the right. It carried the scent of jasmine, and his eyes fell on the remnants of a candle now melted into a puddle on her dressing table. In the dim light he squinted at the photographs Blu-Tacked to the wall; snapshots of people he did not recognise. She did not acquaint herself with the street girls any longer, having moved on and made a valiant effort to start her life again.
He opened her wardrobe, a huge thing, packed with coats and unattractive baggy clothes. Nothing like the skimpy outfits she had worn in the past. He pushed the clothes aside, the metal hangers jangling as he assessed the space: he could easily fit inside if he made room. Touching the cotton material of a blue flowery dress, he brought the cloth to his face, inhaling the scent of fabric conditioner. A ghost of the past loaded into his memory – the old Mandy smelt of sex and cheap perfume.
His knees ached as he shuffled into position behind the wardrobe door. Today, he was feeling his age. A fleeting thought entered his mind: he was getting too old for all of this. Perhaps it was time to give it up while the going was good. After all, he had inflicted his revenge on Nathan Crosby, sending him scampering into the shadows like the rats he had left behind. But there was a lot more to it than that. Like him, the reasoning behind his behaviour was multi-layered and complicated. The satisfaction he received working on the street girls far excelled enjoyment gained from his revenge. And now there was just one more left. All he could think about was reacquainting himself with Mandy, the one woman who turned him down. He had repaid her for her belligerence by botching the abortion, which left her infertile. But it had never been enough. The thought of her carrying on with a normal life had always played on his mind. A smile graced his lips: he had just the fairy tale in store for her. Not many people knew the true message behind ‘Little Red Riding Hood’. It was a message to young women about giving up their virginity to the Big Bad Wolf. He bared his teeth in a sharp grin. Mandy may have refused him once; she would not refuse him again.
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