“I didn't tell her anything.” She repeated, she was terrified now. “She was with Molly, they were asking if I knew where Jane was, I said I didn't. Then they asked if Jane had a new boyfriend. It just clicked I remembered Jane telling me how you had been pestering her for a date for ages. But I swear I didn't say anything.”
“Molly, Molly, is she okay? Is my baby okay?” Jane asked clutching at Sylvia. She was curled into a ball rocking back and forth.
Sylvia ignored her, she knew she was in trouble here and didn't know how far Richard was going to go. She had never seen him so obviously insane before. His face was purple with rage. “Let us go, Richard, please. You can't keep us here, people will be looking for me now too. They will find out where I went. They will know I headed out here. My friends know we used to date, they will put two and two together. Let us go, we won't say anything, will we Jane? My car is outside I can take Jane with me”
Jane nodded. “I won't tell anyone” She was trying to sound sincere, indeed she was sincere, all she wanted was to get the hell out of there and back to Molly.
“Your car, yes you're right, the police will be on the lookout for it. And you too. Yes you had better go.” He said thoughtfully
Sylvia's heart jumped with joy, he had said she could go. She couldn't believe her luck. “Can you get the keys for the cuffs” She asked him timidly as she got up from the bed. “I'll take Jane back with me.”
“Oh Jane's not going where you're going.” He said menacingly grabbing her again. “No just you.”
He put one hand behind her head and with the other grasping her chin, he made a lightning fast movement and snapped her neck. The sound of her neck cracking echoed loudly around the room, there was silence for a moment then Jane screamed and screamed. The sound was more heart wrenching than the cries of a banshee.
“It's okay my love.” Richard said as he went over to comfort Jane. Sylvia’s body made a soft thud as it fell to the floor.
It took him twenty minutes to calm Jane down. She burrowed under the duvet and wept inconsolably. He kept saying over and over “She had to die, she would have tried to come between us. She wanted to take you away from me. You do see don't you. I couldn't let her do that.”
Jane didn't answer, she couldn't. She had thought that she was going home when she had seen Sylvia come through the door. Had thought she was free. Then ten minutes later, her friend, her best friend was lying dead at the bottom of her bed in this prison of a room. All hope of a rescue gone, vanished. She stopped screaming but inwardly her screams were deafening. He got up and went to the bottom of the bed, he pulled Sylvia’s body into a sitting position, caught her under her arms and dragged her lifeless body out of the room. He glanced back at Jane, all he saw was her hand still in the cuffs and the duvet rising up and down with her convulsions. He dropped Sylvia on the other side of the door and sighed as he locked Jane in. He pocketed the keys, he wasn't going to chance letting them out of his sight again.
He waited until it got dark before he drove Sylvia's car back to the city. He had changed into dark clothes, he was wearing a dark hoodie, with the hood pulled up and dark glasses. Sylvia’s body was in the trunk. He knew it was a risk taking her back like that but he had no choice, besides if he stayed below the speed limit and avoided taking any risks, he was sure he would make it to her home without being stopped by the police. He made it to her apartment and drove into the underground car-park, checking that no one was around, before he dragged her body out of the trunk and took the lift up to her apartment. Once inside he laid her body on the bed and decided what to do next... He went through her purse and found the card that Anna had given to her. He then took out Sylvia's phone and sent a text message asking her to come to the apartment the following day, but not to bring anyone with her, that she had vital information regarding Jane. Next he had to erase all CCTV footage of himself entering the building, he waited until the fat slob of a guard was gone on his break and he entered his little office and erased the day’s recordings. He then unplugged some cables from the back of the receiver box. He left it plugged in to the power supply. No one would notice that it had been disconnected unless they deliberately thought to check. The CCTV monitors still showed their areas on the screen but none of the footage was now being recorded. He had just enough time to make his escape without being seen before the guard returned.
He returned to Sylvia's apartment and sat there in the dark waiting for Anna.
Chapter fourteen
After leaving Sylvia's apartment, Anna and Molly decided to go for something to eat. They had plenty of time before they caught the train back to Canterbury. Anna had wanted to spend more time in London making enquiries, but she decided it would be best to return to Kent and make sure Molly was looked after. Molly phoned her sister and her father and filled them in on the latest developments. Sam insisted on returning to look for her mother and agreed to get the next train down from Edinburgh. She told Molly that she would meet her at their aunt Eva's and that they would decide what to do from there. Molly's father was abroad, he was very alarmed when Molly explained about Sassy being abducted. He assured her that he was going straight to the airport and that he would be on the first flight home. He sounded relieved when Molly told him that she was going to stay with Eva for a few days. He wasn't happy for her to stay in London on her own.
The train arrived at Canterbury and they decided to take a taxi from the station, they were astonished when they got to the Westhall's home, to see the huge number of journalists and TV crews with vans parked outside, milling around the gates. Anna told Molly to stay in the taxi and the moment she stepped out she was immediately swamped by reporters and camera crews wanting to know who she was and what her connection was to the Westhall's. She had to fight her way to the intercom. It wasn't easy she was being bombarded with questions. She purposely did not answer any of the dozens of questions fired at her. She had just managed to reach the gates and press the intercom, when a car screeched to a halt and Inspector Morley jumped out. The crowd of reporters abandoned her, and swarmed over to him instead. He shouted for the policeman who was supposed to be on duty at the gate. A uniformed policeman appeared from somewhere and quickly ran up, apologised sheepishly to his superior and pressed the button to open the gates.
“Miss Cotter, if you would like to get into your taxi I'll meet you at the house.” I need you to clear up a few things from your statement for me.” Inspector Morley whispered quietly so the reporters wouldn't hear.
“Yes of course.” Anna replied. She had been dreading this conversation, but she knew she couldn't avoid it, she also needed him to hear what Molly had to say about the change of phone numbers. She hoped the police would be able to track down the crank caller. She hopped back into the taxi and they drove up to the house. The policeman on duty closed the gates once the Inspector was safely inside.
At the house Molly was hugged and kissed profusely by her aunt and uncle. Eva thanked Anna for having the fore-thought to bring Molly down so she wasn't alone in London. Sassy was laying on the couch, still shook up from her experience. Molly hugged her warmly and sat down beside her.
“How's my favourite little cousin? I hear you've been causing all sorts of trouble.” Molly scolded her.
“I'm all right, it was scary though.” Sassy admitted. “Have you seen all the reporters down by the front gate, there's hundreds of them.”
“Seen them, we could hardly get through. You're going to be famous Sassy.”
“No thanks, if that's what you have to do to be famous you can keep it.” Sassy said sounding very serious. Eva drew Anna aside, leaving her niece and daughter to talk. “You said on the phone that you had more information about Jane. What did you find out?”
“Molly told me that her mother had changed her number because she was getting a lot of crank calls, did you know that?” Anna asked her.
“I knew she had changed her number, but she never mentioned anything about crank calls. Who were they f
rom?”
“I'm not sure, but Molly also said that her mother had gone to a party, and that she had been brought home by a man. Molly thought at first that it was her dad, but then she heard someone shouting at her mother and when whoever it was realised that Molly was in the house, he stormed out slamming the door. It wasn't her father. Her mother wouldn't talk about it. It happened a good while before she went missing so she didn't think any more about it. But Molly is convinced that it was after that incident that the crank calls began. Her mother changed her number and insisted that no one gave out her new number, without her prior approval.”
“What did Sylvia have to say, does she know who he was?” Eva whispered
“I got the impression that Sylvia knew more than she was telling.” Anna replied. “But I didn't want to press her too much in front of Molly.” Anna explained to Eva about Molly's asthma attack.
“Thank goodness you were there.” Eva said paling a little.
“That's why I brought her here, she was on her own in London; she rang her dad and her sister. I'm afraid you'll have a full house soon.” Anna said.
“The two girls are welcome to stay as long as they want. Ian though, I haven't forgiven him for what he put my sister through all these years. It wasn't his first affair you know.” She lowered her voice more. “But he is the father of my two nieces and I know he loves them to bits so for their sakes I'll put up with him. You've discovered a lot more in two days than the police did in two weeks. At last it looks as if they are beginning to take me seriously.”
“I might not have been so quick to come if you had told me about the email when you first came to see me either.” Anna admonished her.
“Ah you heard about that, I just know Jane didn't send it, so what was the point of mentioning it?” Eva replied.
“Is there anything else you haven't told me, cause if there is I'd like to know it. It would make my job easier” The doorbell rang before they could say anything further.
“Who's that?” Eva wondered.
“It must be that Inspector, he was on his way up at the same time we were. He must have been held up by the reporters or else he was tearing the head off the policeman for not being at his post when we got here.” Anna answered.
Olana showed the inspector in. He enquired after Sassy and asked Eva if there was a room he could use to speak to Anna privately in. Eva showed them into her husband’s office and offered then both some refreshments.
Inspector Morley accepted and Olana returned with a tray of sandwiches and a pot of coffee with two cups, milk and sugar.
When she had gone, Morley poured himself a coffee and offered one to Anna. She refused.
“You'll have to excuse me, I haven't had any lunch or dinner. This seems to be the only place I get to eat lately. Never look a gift horse in the mouth that's what my mother used to always say.” And he munched his way through the entire plate of sandwiches.
“I'm glad you're here” Anna said, she was still a little apprehensive but felt it was better to take the bull by the horns than run away. Molly Turner has some information I think you might be interested in.”
“Oh, what information?” Morley asked finally swallowing the last piece of the sandwich.
“I'd better let her tell you herself. What was it you wanted to ask me about? I gave my statement last night.”
Yes, so you did.” Morley said looking through his notes. “Here it is, you said in your statement to PC Barnes that you were in your room getting ready for bed when you saw Sassy being abducted. Can you explain that?”
“That's correct. I was in my room.”
“How could you have seen Sassy being abducted if you were in your room? It was dark and the place she was attacked isn't visible from this house.” He looked at her expectantly.
“I might as well tell you.” Anna sighed, she knew she had to come clean “Eva hired me because I'm known by the few people I've helped to be a... how shall I put it... “A Seer”
“What do you mean “A Seer”, what the hell is a seer?” Morley asked impatiently.
“I’m what some people might call a psychic. I’m not psychic and I certainly don't advertise myself as one, but word gets around and most of the people who hire me are looking for missing relatives, and I'm good at finding missing people....like last night. Anna looked at the inspector. She could tell by his expression that he hadn't been expecting that.
“Are you taking the piss?” He said raising his voice. “You mean to tell me that you're some sort of crack-pot psychic. What... did you dream that Sassy was going to be kidnapped?” he asked incredulously.
“Sort of. Yes.”
He stared at her silently for a moment. “You're bloody serious aren't you? Then why the hell didn't you tell her not to go. Warn her or her mother about it. Maybe then I wouldn't have another body to deal with as well.” He was just short of shouting at her now.
“What do you mean... a body? Whose body?”
“That bastard that abducted Sassy last night. It looks like when he couldn’t have her that he killed an old man instead and stole his car....that's what I'm talking about. So go on, explain why you didn't tell anyone?” He stood up and was glaring at her.
“I’m sorry I didn’t know.” She was shocked by this latest news. “My ability doesn't work like that I didn't know until it was actually happening, by then it was too late to warn anybody.”
“Very convenient I'm sure. I don't want you poking your nose into anything. This is a police matter. Do you understand me?”
“Inspector Morley, I have been hired to look into the disappearance of Jane Turner and that's exactly what I'm going to do.” Anna replied angry that the inspector wasn't inclined to believe her. “Send in Molly Turner. I hope she has something useful to add. I could do with a break on this case.” Morley said dismissing Anna. He wondered if he should include in his report that the private detective the Westhall’s had hired was claiming to be a physic. He decided against making any written note about her supposed abilities. His superiors would have a field day with it if he did. He didn't need the agro.
Anna left the room and went to fetch Molly. She was relieved that her interview was over. She saw how his opinion of her had changed. He hadn't been friendly before, but now he made no attempt to hide his contempt of her. She was glad she hadn't tried to explain more fully that she was what was commonly known as a “Spirit-walker.” That would have got his blood boiling even more. He was the kind of person who didn't believe in anything except cold hard evidence.
Molly came out of the office after meeting with the inspector. Her face was red and she looked like thunder.
“Eva went to her and hugged her. “Are you all right darling?” she asked.
Molly nodded. “That inspector told me off for not telling him before about the crank calls and about the night of the party. How was I supposed to know it was important? They're the ones that convinced me she had just gone on holidays. You're the only one that didn't believe it.” She said with tears in her eyes. “You do think she's okay, Don't you?”
“Of course she is darling, don’t worry we'll find her. I promise.” Eva hugged her niece tightly and kissed her.
It wasn't long after that Anna's phone beeped, she took it out and examined the text she had received. “I just got a text from Sylvia.” She told Eva, who was sitting beside her. “She says she wants to meet me tomorrow, she has some information on who she thinks Jane is with.”
“But that's great news, ring her and ask straight away who it is.” Eva said excitedly.
Anna rang Sylvia's number but it rang out, she tried a few more times. After a few attempts without any answer, she just sent a text to say that she would meet her the following day.
“Probably out partying.” Eva concluded. “I suppose it can wait till tomorrow, I'm exhausted”.
Morley who had been passing the door at that moment heard the conversation and decided that he too would pay a visit to Ms Cavendish and find out for
himself what this new information was.
Chapter fifteen
Early the following morning Inspector Morley was up, sitting in his kitchen drinking coffee. He intended to drive to London to interview Sylvia Cavendish. He hadn't slept well the previous night, the Chief Super was threatening to put someone more senior in charge of the case unless he came up something soon. He had also spent the early hours of the morning mulling over Anna's revelation to him that she was a psychic. He had been stunned when she had told him. He still couldn't make sense of it. He had wondered why people like the Westhall's had to go all the way to Ireland to hire a private detective. Kent, not to mention London was teeming with them. When he had gone back to the office he had Googled her but the only thing he found was her website advertising her as a private investigator for hire. He remembered Eva Westhall telling him that she had been highly recommended by a friend. “I hope you're not wasting your money” He muttered aloud to himself.
“Hope who's not wasting their money?” His sister asked. His sister Cara had just come in from her early morning jog. He had been so engrossed in his own thoughts that he hadn't heard her return.
Cara was ten years younger and they both shared the house that they had grown up in. Their parents were both dead. Their father from a heart attack at the early age of fifty five, their mother had only survived him by three years, she had contracted cancer of the pancreas and by the time doctors had discovered it, it had been too late to save her. She had made her son promise to look after his younger sister. Cara was just six months into her undergraduate course at the University of Kent when they got the terrible news that their mother had only months to live. She had gone off the rails for a while after her mother's death but with her brother's help had gradually come to terms with it and gotten her live back on track. She now worked as a teacher in the school they had once attended.
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