He Knows Your Secrets

by Charlie Gallagher

  ‘No, goodness no! That was quite some time ago. This seemed to me like a much more modern car. Oh! There was a plate on the back!’

  ‘I was going to ask you about the regis—’

  ‘Not a number plate! One of those plates they have to have when they’re a taxi!’

  Maddie looked up from where she was writing her description. ‘It was a taxi?’

  ‘I thought it was. My eyes are not what they used to be but they have those square plates on the back — the white ones. I get one once a fortnight for the food shop. It had a plate like that.’

  ‘Okay, that helps a lot. Did you see the actual registration at all?’

  ‘I’m sure it had one but I would have had no chance at making out any letters or numbers from that far away. If I’d been reading the newspaper I would have had my glasses, but I wasn’t today. Sorry.’

  ‘Don’t be. You’ve been a great help. Do you remember what this man looked like?’

  ‘Tanned. Very dark hair. Foreign, maybe — that was the feeling I got. I couldn’t really see details. He was wearing a white shirt with a collar. I remember that; it stood out against his skin.’

  ‘What age would you say?’

  ‘I have no idea. I am sorry. I couldn’t see him well.’

  ‘And he was the only occupant? Just to be sure.’

  ‘I couldn’t see anyone else. The back windows were darker.’ She lifted her hand suddenly to her mouth. ‘Oh, goodness! Could there have been someone else in that car, do you think? Someone in the back? I didn’t see anyone. I just thought he was on the phone.’

  ‘Was he turning around? Like maybe he was talking to someone in the back?’

  ‘No! I mean I’m pretty sure he wasn’t . . . No, he didn’t look in the back. I would have remembered that.’ Her hand fell away from her mouth, she looked a little relieved.

  ‘Okay then. Before I go, may I check I’ve got your account right?’

  ‘Sure.’

  ‘You were sitting out at the front of your house this morning. You saw a white, saloon car pull up with a single occupant who looked animated and may have been arguing on the phone.’

  ‘That’s right.’

  ‘Did you see a phone? I mean, was he holding one?’

  ‘No. I would have been able to see if he had his arm raised from that distance but they don’t hold them anymore, do they? Driver’s, I mean. I assumed he was on one of those hands-free things.’

  ‘Okay. And the car was moving left to right as you watched from your house?’

  Margaret fidgeted with her arms. ‘Yes.’

  ‘So he was on the side of the car closest to you?’

  ‘He was.’

  ‘And the car was jerky to start with — like he was braking. Then it turned up onto the grass and moved across it to the cliff edge. And you didn’t see any more braking?’

  ‘It turned onto the grass and stopped. I saw the lights. But that was the only time — it just rolled from there.’

  ‘And it moved slowly until it tipped over?’

  ‘Yes. Just like that.’

  Maddie closed her book. She stood up and lifted her card. ‘Take this. If you think of anything you think might be relevant, please give me a call. Anything at all.’

  Margaret stood too. She looked a little uneasy, unsteady even. The eyes that fell to the card were a little glazed.

  ‘And if you want to talk to someone, about what you saw or have seen up here, you can call me, too. Anytime. Even if I’m not the right person to help you with it, Margaret, I can put you in touch with someone.’

  ‘Talk about it?’

  ‘It helps. I’ve seen things in this job that have upset me and I made sure I talked about it with the right person. None of us is immune. What you saw wasn’t pleasant. Don’t feel like you need to keep that in.’

  ‘I’ve seen a lot worse I can assure you, DS Ives!’ The harsh front seemed to return, her eyes snapped back to focus.

  ‘Life isn’t a test of your resolve, though, Margaret. It can all add up. Talking can help.’

  Margaret looked back down at the card. ‘Thanks. Like I said, I just need to learn to keep my nose out. Maybe I’ll sit in the back garden from now on.’

  ‘Be a shame to deny yourself that view . . .’ Maddie lingered. Margaret responded by moving them back to the front door. Maddie took the hint. ‘Right then, I need to get back to work and I think you have a little friend who is rather desperate to get back in here!’ Maddie nodded towards the dog who was still smearing her paws against the glass.

  ‘She’s my little protector now. A good listener, too.’ Maddie noted the first hint of warmth in her expression.

  ‘I bet. As long as you have someone who will listen. We all need that.’

  Chapter 6

  ‘What’ve you got then, Harry?’

  ‘A busy Saturday is what I’ve got.’ Harry growled back. Maddie knew what he meant. A weekend was a busy time for the inspector left covering. The area had four towns in total. It wasn’t even the relatively good bits of dealing with incidents that would take up time either; the Senior Management Team would be back at work on Monday morning and would expect a full report of all activity, meaning that the weekend inspector could end up spending all their time writing up what everyone else was doing. This was not something that played to Harry’s strengths.

  ‘I can imagine. I’ll write up the cliff job best I can so you can just copy it over. I’ve made a start but I can’t do the big finale yet.’

  ‘Big finale?’

  ‘The victim. We can’t get anywhere near the car. I’ve just seen the pictures from the helicopter and it looks like it’s been sucked in by the undergrowth! The rescue and recovery team are hoping to get to it today but no one’s sure when they might be able to pull it out. I do have a lead on a missing taxi however.’

  ‘Missing taxi?’

  ‘The witness who saw it go over, she could only give the description of a white taxi. I called around the firms. Langthorne Taxis can’t get hold of . . .’ She looked down at her notes, Taruc Mardin, a Turkish national. He’s only been working with them for a few weeks.’

  ‘And he drives a white taxi?’

  ‘He does. A white Skoda Octavia. Which would fit with what she saw. They couldn’t track his GPS either, seems his phone is switched off.’

  ‘Switched off?’

  ‘Well, it’s off, anyway. More likely smashed to pieces. Taxi drivers run everything from their phone, you can’t work with it off.’

  ‘Sounds like our man, then.’

  ‘It does. I’m just going out to the next of kin. Who knows, maybe Taruc will open the door?’

  ‘That would give us a problem,’ Harry said. He sat back in his chair now with a subtle grunt. Maddie thought he looked tired. He ran his hands over his closely cropped head and grimaced enough to make the scarring on his face twitch and lift. She decided against pointing it out.

  ‘I guess it would. I’ll try not to act disappointed if he is there.’

  ‘Are you going on your own?’

  ‘I’m meeting uniform outside. That way I can leave them there if there are any welfare issues. I need to be able to pull away. I’ll need the place searched, too, assuming his family allow it.’

  ‘Want company?’

  Maddie shrugged. ‘Sure. This is a job that requires a sensitive and sympathetic approach. I can’t think of anyone better!’

  ‘Thanks, Maddie. I could do with a break from typing.’

  ‘Do you not have anything from your suicide this morning?’

  Harry sighed. He slid a clear plastic evidence bag across the table towards her. The description label on the front, filled out in Harry’s scrawl, read Handwritten Note. She flipped the bag over, to see through to the letter inside. The large, flamboyant handwriting immediately struck her as that of someone older.

  When it comes to writing a note of this type, of this grandeur, of this importance, and one realises that there is no loved one le
ft to address it to, then perhaps one can understand the reason for the writing in the first place.

  There is only one element of my personal affairs I could not resolve. Please, please look after my dog. He is a wonderful companion. My reason for making it this far.

  But for now, I need to be with her again. It aches every day.

  And to the person(s) who find me. I am truly sorry. I hope it has no impact and that you can take comfort from the fact that I am where I wish to be.

  I made this decision of sound mind.

  The dog answers to the name Jock. He enjoys long walks, and titbits sneaked to him under the table.

  All the very best,

  Ronald

  ‘Ronald?’ Maddie said.

  ‘Yeah. He could have helped me out a little more and included his surname, maybe even a date of birth, home address and next of kin, too.’

  ‘Reading this, I’m not sure he has a next of kin.’

  ‘He doesn’t. He did, but she was already there.’

  ‘Already there?’

  ‘He was found on a bench opposite his wife’s grave. We found a wedding ring on top of it. It didn’t take much detecting to put two and two together.’

  ‘I see.’ Maddie hesitated. ‘Are you okay?’ She curled her toes in her shoes, suddenly very aware of what she had said, unsure how he might react.

  Harry lifted his head. ‘Fine.’ He said, his tone suggesting that he had understood the sentiment. Maddie felt like she had got away with that one. Harry had lost his own wife not that long ago and it had taken him more than a year to even mention it to her. Recently, however, he had disclosed that he wasn’t coping very well and mentioned seeking out a professional. She considered now as the time to ask how that was going. She disregarded it quickly. Harry was not the sort to discuss something like that when prompted; he would bring it up when he was ready.

  ‘Okay then. So yours is open and shut?’

  ‘Pretty much. Just one outstanding issue.’

  ‘Go on?’

  ‘Any chance you would like a King Charles spaniel called Jock?’

  ‘No!’ Maddie chuckled, ‘Although I do like his attitude towards titbits under the table!’

  ‘That’s what I thought.’

  ‘Poor Jock.’

  ‘Indeed. His name seems to be all he has left. He responds to it too.’

  ‘He responds to it? Have you been playing with your new furry friend, Harry?’

  ‘I merely transported him to the kennels downstairs. I had to empty a lot of the tactical team’s equipment from it first, I should add. I was quite tempted to let the little fella mark his territory all over it — teach them a lesson.’

  ‘Enough time to get attached?’ Maddie laughed.

  ‘There isn’t enough time in the world.’ Harry replied, but it wasn’t instant. ‘Are we going out to deliver this message or not?’

  ‘Yes, definitely. It’s just an enquiry for now, though. We need to ask a few questions first. I want to be sure it’s Mr Mardin at the bottom of that cliff before I go in there and break the news.’

  Chapter 7

  From the outside, Truro House was nondescript, a grey-fronted block of flats with squared edges and equidistant windows. There was a flash of faded orange under the larger of the two windows of each flat, to stop one property running visually into the next. But to Kelly Dale this building stood out. It prompted dread in her like none other could. Specifically Flat No. 12, where she was due to work for the next hour or so.

  She checked her watch: it was just before midday. The fact that she dreaded this place so much and yet she was right on time showed the pull this square of bricks had on her — or at least the pull of the people who would pace along its corridors while she completed her shift.

  At least they were not insisting on hotel rooms anymore. For a time they had moved around the same three hotels, their destination for each day based on availability as well as who was taking cash payments for the room while also asking the fewest questions. Kelly had hated it. Entering hotels meant interacting with people; it meant picking up on the looks, the knowing looks, she received — when they actually knew nothing at all. It had made her angry at first and it was always Holly who had talked her down. She had told her that it didn’t matter what people thought they knew; all that mattered was the truth. And then she wasn’t angry anymore — just like that. Holly had that way about her. Kelly wasn’t angry now, either — her anger had waned since she had realised Holly was gone, but only to be replaced with something far stronger: fear.

  Somehow, she moved forward, her steps laboured as she looked up to Flat 12’s window. The communal door was insecure. She was supposed to buzz to let them know of her approach. She didn’t. It didn’t matter, because the second she stepped through into the echo of the bare corridor beyond, a figure stepped from the shadows: Benny.

  Benny was tall and thin and managed to look both young and worn out at the same time. Skulking in the shadows suited him. Now he was in the light, she could see his familiar leering look, the furtive movement of his eyes, which seemed to flicker all over her, never settling.

  ‘You’re late. I was just gonna call the boss. He told me to call him straight away if you didn’t come.’

  ‘And of course you do exactly what he tells you.’

  Benny sniffed. ‘I do my job. You will too if you have any sense.’

  Kelly was focused on sounding strong. ‘Anyway, I’m right on time.’ The last thing she wanted to do was show her fear to this man.

  ‘You might be. Where’s Holly? You two are a package. One late, both late.’

  ‘I don’t know. I told Freddie I didn’t know where she was.’

  ‘Like fuck you don’t! You know what this means for her, right?’

  Kelly shrugged, ‘Maybe she doesn’t care anymore.’

  Benny leered back, his expression now carrying genuine glee. ‘You know what this means for you then, right?’

  ‘Solo. A big market apparently. So, yeah. Freddie said.’ Kelly did her best to sound flippant, like it was all arranged with his boss and he shouldn’t worry.

  ‘Solo? Oh no. I spoke to Freddie today, too. He said he wanted to shake it up with you two. Said it was getting a bit stale. Seems like now you’ll need to do the shaking all by yourself!’

  ‘What are you talking about, Benny? I’ve had a rough night. I’m not in the mood for games.’

  ‘You’ll see what I mean. He’s waiting!’ Benny laughed by forcing air through his nose.

  ‘Who’s waiting?’ She bit down on her lip, that feeling of fear suddenly peaking.

  ‘We got you a new playmate! It was gonna be for the both of you but now you’re gonna have to manage him all by yourself!’

  ‘Solo . . .’ Kelly was suddenly fighting for breath. ‘He said solo . . .’ She was fighting off a full-on panic attack. Her eyes flicked back to the door she had just stepped through. Benny must have read her thoughts.

  ‘Don’t you go thinking about that, now. You know how this ends if you don’t go up there and do your job. He told you to bring her along. Maybe he knew you weren’t going to and got a Plan B sorted.’ Benny leaned in and lingered on her horrified expression, obviously enjoying himself. ‘You might even like it.’ The leer was back. He licked his lips then stepped back to allow his eyes to run down her body. They lingered on her chest. ‘There’s been a lot of call for you to move back over. You don’t want to be upsetting Freddie either — no more than you have already. He’s not a happy man.’

  ‘But he said, earlier . . .’ Kelly was having to squeeze the words out. Her throat felt like it was closing up. ‘I’ve lost my mum, I’ve lost . . . Holly . . . I can’t . . .’

  Benny stepped in closer, his eyes still flickering over her chest. Then he leant in to force her to look at him. ‘I really suggest you do,’ he hissed. ‘You’re already late. Don’t go making it worse. You know he’ll be watching!’

  He stepped out of her way. She had her head
dipped, her gaze now to the floor. She heard a scuff behind her. Benny had moved to where he would be blocking the door.

  The stairway was directly in front of her. She knew there was another door to the outside on this level but making a run for it was not really an option. Running out of this building would be just the start, she would have to keep running and there was no way she could do that. Not on her own. She didn’t think she had the energy.

  The moment she felt the bottom step under her sole she heard Benny call out from behind her. ‘I’ll be watching, too!’ His voice filled the space as it echoed off the concrete steps and walls.

  She didn’t answer. She didn’t even look back.

  She dragged her feet along the corridor of the first floor. Her legs still felt heavy. The numbers were counting up as she went with the evens on her right. She passed the door marked 10 and slowed further; No. 12 was just a few more paces. The number was missing from the door but it didn’t matter; she knew it well enough. She could see the door was ajar. Artificial light leaked from behind it to reveal dust motes in the corridor. She rested her palm flatly against its surface, absorbing some of the cold from the wood. She already knew the scene behind. The curtains would be closed — the lighting was too important to leave to nature. A large, directed lamp would be on a rig, angled over the centre of a bed with a yellow filter stuck over it to soften its harsh edges. It would be hot under its glare. The bed was usually the only furniture. There was sometimes a chair with a coarse towel thrown over its back and bottles of water lying together in the middle where the seat dipped inwards.

  She closed her eyes. She always paused here with Holly. They’d stand on the threshold with their hands tightly linked. For just a moment, Kelly could almost pretend that Holly was with her, that they could still embrace like they always did. She could almost smell Holly’s scent and hear her whisper that it was okay, that they would do something nice later and how she should focus on that. And that repeated promise: that she was going to set her free.

  Kelly choked back the tears and pushed the door open. The light was bright and she could instantly feel the heat from the lamp. A man jerked upright from where he had been leaning forward. He was early thirties with a strong build, in tight jeans. He was already shirtless and he put his hands on his hips. The bed sheets were as she remembered: an off-white with a faded floral pattern. The webcam was set up on a stand and pointing directly at the bed. It was what the man had been bending over. Beyond it a laptop glowed white, propped up on the second chair. She could already see text filling the screen, each line appearing with a ping. Each ping was another typed demand from the ‘members’, filthy men who would be controlling her next hour with their typed requests.