Sins of the Father

by Melissa Barker-Simpson

  JJ’s head snapped up in response. The intensity in Brad’s eyes defied him to break the contact.

  “Do you remember the day we met?” Brad asked, seeing it clearly in his own mind.

  “Of course, we were in Basra.”

  “And do you remember what you said to me?”

  JJ shook his head but didn’t turn away. “I said, ‘I’ve got your back, sir’ or something along those lines, and you said, ‘same goes.’”

  “Exactly, and, JJ, that will never change. I’m only going to say this once and then we’re going to move past it. It wasn’t your fault. We weren’t prepared for a betrayal of that magnitude because we’d never expect it of one of our own.”

  “They’re not our own, and we shouldn’t lose sight of that.” The guilt that had been there a moment ago was replaced with anger. “But it doesn’t matter. I knew something was off. I didn’t do anything about it.”

  “We think he called and used some sort of leverage to buy her silence,” Kelvin said, feeling the blow all over again. “We were monitoring activity on her phone, we just didn’t account for people on the inside.”

  Brad was staring hard at JJ. “I felt it too, so I’m just as guilty for ignoring my own instincts. You can’t shoulder the blame for what happened.”

  “I know that in principle, I’m just so damn mad, and sick, for allowing myself to be fooled that way.”

  “We were all fooled.” He waited a beat to let that sink in. “Are we good here?”

  “When we get her back, then we’ll be good.”

  Brad couldn’t help smiling. They were alike in so many ways. “Agreed. So tell us what you’ve got.”

  “Okay, we already know that Duncan Sims and Joe Wood go back a long way. They had the kind of loyalty that comes from childhood. I started from there, and take a guess who else they were friends with?”

  “John Meeks?” Brad guessed.

  “Exactly right. They both had the skills to go really far in this business, so money as a motivation just didn’t cut it. I knew it had to be more than that.”

  “It was loyalty, or a warped sense of it. Paul played on that. How much contact did they have with him?” Kelvin asked.

  “That’s where it gets interesting. After I found the link, it was easy to piece together the rest. I managed to get the visitors list for the facility that housed John Meeks. His mother appears like clockwork every month, and she was always alone. Paul Meeks, as we know, practically lived there. But John also received regular visits from two school friends.

  Kelvin perched on the end of JJ’s desk and looked at the information displayed on his computer screen. “So they were subject to a lot of Paul’s delusions.”

  “Yes, I imagine he brainwashed them pretty well. Enough that they felt justified in helping him. What isn’t clear is Paul’s reasons for punishing Alicia. All we really know is that he’s a very determined and methodical man.” JJ paused to throw a look at Brad. He had to be wondering exactly what Meeks had in store for her. “He financed their training and used one of his old contacts to get them a foot in the door. All they had to do was gain the trust of their team, and wait for Paul to make his move.”

  “Okay, but all that doesn’t help us find Alicia.” Brad could feel the anger rearing its ugly head again – he just couldn’t tame the beast. He didn’t want to.

  “It helps us to understand their motivations when we get a minute alone with them.”

  Kelvin was thinking about what he’d like to do with his minute. “We have to find them first.”

  “Detective Potts arrested them twenty minutes ago.”

  Brad was at the door before JJ had a chance to catch his breath. He didn’t need to say where he was going.

  “Stay in contact,” Kelvin shouted after him. He turned to JJ. “Boy, are they lucky he managed to work off some steam. I still wouldn’t like to be in the same room with him, but at least they have a chance now.”

  “Let’s hope Potts has more sense and keeps him behind the curtain.”

  Kelvin laughed at the notion. He doubted anyone could stop him. Brad was involved and there was nothing Potts or anyone could do about that.

  ***

  Paul stared at Alicia’s body on the cold stone floor and felt a trickle of fear roll down his back. He was beginning to suspect he’d miscalculated the dosage. The sedative had been necessary, but in hindsight, he should have been better prepared.

  He started his incessant pacing again, trying to figure out where he’d gone wrong. It didn’t help and he’d wasted almost two hours hypothesising. It was time to take action.

  He retrieved a piece of rope from the workbench and slung it around his neck so that his hands were free. For the next ten minutes, he exerted himself by transferring Alicia to a wooden chair. It wasn’t easy; she was as floppy as a rag doll.

  When he was satisfied she was secure, he tied her to the chair, kneeling a moment to catch his breath. For several heart-stopping minutes, when he saw the vulnerability on Alicia’s sleeping face, he wondered if he’d made a mistake. Until his mind cleared again and he realised the devil himself would show some kind of vulnerability whilst he slept.

  He bit down on a surge of hysteria at the thought. She certainly wasn’t the devil, but she was as wicked as her mother. He’d known it the moment he’d read about Gray Jackson’s accident and the poor boy who was caught in the cross fire.

  So he’d watched her rise to fame, taking what she wanted, and plotted a way to make her pay. He would avenge his son’s death, not by killing Helen, but by killing the carbon copy of her – the one with power to do the most damage.

  The hatred he felt for Helen Fairfax had faded a long time ago. The doctor had helped him to see she was a damaged and confused woman who had made a mistake and paid for it. He knew Helen had married a respectable man and was living a quiet life, out of the spotlight. It helped him to imagine that she faced her sins every time she looked in the mirror. The doctor had paid heavily for her vanity, but she would never be free of the scars.

  More than once, he’d wondered about her decision to start afresh, abandoning her own children. Now he could see that she’d been afraid of her own daughter, recognising the evil within. She was a weak woman who had been unable to stand up and take care of her son, but he knew from experience not all women were made for the role. John’s own mother had washed her hands of them after the accident. Her visits were a token of keeping with the image of her family’s name.

  Paul stood, feeling his head spin with all the thoughts racing through it. He was becoming confused again and he didn’t like it. It was what brought on the darkness.

  He stumbled to the steps, desperate now for a little air. All he needed was a little time to refocus and then he’d know exactly what to do.

  Chapter 24

  Duncan Sims was slouched in his chair, looking like the kind of man accustomed to being in a police station. He had a bored expression on his face and the righteous attitude of someone with no doubt of their innocence.

  From the other side of the glass, Brad balked at the fact he’d once fallen for the crap Sims was selling. Under all his bravado, he was just a scared boy who thought it cool to play the hero for a cause he didn’t even understand. Brad wanted to go in there and slap the superiority out of him. It was for that reason alone he’d agree to Potts’ terms. Blaming Duncan wouldn’t help Alicia, and she was all that mattered.

  When he thought about what Paul Meeks was doing to her it made him crazy. Every time he pictured her alone and defenceless he found it difficult to breathe. He was doing what he could to get through because she had to be alive. There was no alternative worth thinking about.

  So, after some discussion, he agreed to be ears only in the interview. Potts was wearing an earpiece so he could at least contribute. So far, they had nothing, or little that made sense.

  He turned when he heard the door, and Charlie Macavoy stepped into the room. “I don’t have to ask how it’s going. You
look like shit, my friend.”

  Brad ran a hand through his hair, trying to clamp down on his frustration. “It’s a waste of time. He thinks he’s being honourable, even clever, but he’s just idiot.”

  “He’s just a pawn.” Charlie looked at the man behind the glass. “A child really.”

  “I’d feel sorry for him, if I wasn’t so pissed off. Think about it, Charlie. Your best friend is laying in bed, a vegetable for the rest of his life, and all you have as an explanation for how that happened is his guilt-ridden father hell bent on revenge.”

  Charlie shook his head. “I don’t buy it. From what I know about the case, Paul Meeks has been ill for a long time. I mean, call this obsession with Alicia simple transference, call it a sick mind, hell, call it whatever you want. But those men are responsible too. They knew about his illness, they had to.”

  “I agree. I do. I just can’t help thinking that in a certain environment people can lose touch with reality. There are those who’ve blamed an entire nation for a lot less. I’m not saying its right – it isn’t.” His hand went back to the now familiar groove in his hair. “They actually believe they did nothing wrong. That’s how Potts managed to find them so quickly.”

  Charlie reached out to lay a hand on his shoulder. “I think your energies are better served elsewhere.”

  He smiled absently, the subtle vibration in his pocket setting his heart beating – it had to be news. The phone was in his hand a moment later. He stared hopefully at Susannah’s image on the screen. “What have you got for me?” He noticed Jones step into the room behind the glass, and whisper something into his partner’s ear.

  “It looks like you won’t need the tweedle brothers after all,” Charlie said, moving so he could see Susannah more clearly.

  Potts and Jones stepped forward to the sound of her laughter. “We just got a hit on a storage warehouse that Paul Meeks inherited last year. It’s still in the partner’s name.” Susannah gave a satisfied smile. “Guess where it is?”

  “Near the old theatre?” Brad’s heart rate picked up again.

  “You got it, sugar. It’s situated on Grimethorpe Lane, directly opposite the site where Sommersville once stood.”

  “Suez, you rock.” He would have kissed her if he could. Charlie looked like he was thinking the same thing – though his thoughts weren’t quite so pure.

  “Go get her,” she said in response, disappearing from the screen a second later.

  Brad looked at Potts. There wasn’t an ounce of compromise in his expression. “Let’s go.”

  “Okay, but we need to be clear. You can travel with us, only if you promise to let us do our job. You can’t go rushing in without engaging your brain.”

  Brad’s lips twitched. “I can promise to try. That’s all I’ve got.”

  Charlie stepped between them to save time. “I can tag along.”

  Potts considered that a moment. “Sure, why don’t we take the whole squad?”

  Charlie rolled his eyes to the ceiling. “Don’t worry; I’ll keep him in line.”

  “That should be interesting,” Brad mumbled.

  “Be quiet and concentrate on getting your girl.”

  Brad knew Charlie was being facetious, but it more or less summed up how he felt. She was his, and he would get her back no matter what it took. If he saw an opportunity, he would take it – rules or no rules.

  When they pulled into an abandoned car lot approximately two hundred yards from the warehouses, his mind was already weighing the options.

  They were an odd structure; more like terraced houses than storage units. From what he gleaned from Bobby on the way in, the buildings boasted three floors and were allocated in a variety of ways – some owned one level; others, like Paul Meeks, owned the block of three. It was a highly pedestrianised area, not the ideal place for things to go down.

  The old theatre was long gone. In its place stood a modern apartment building. It loomed ahead of them, casting a shadow on the shops below. Brad already knew that a garage sat to the right of the warehouses and several takeaways to the left. He also knew Meeks hadn’t brought Alicia in from the front – there was too much activity.

  Scanning the street, he spotted a narrow alleyway, just big enough for a car to pass through. If he was right, it led to the rear of the properties. He was damn well going to find out.

  ***

  Alicia listened intently for any sound that indicated Paul Meeks was still in the room. He hadn’t moved for at least fifteen minutes, so he’d either fallen asleep or left again. She opened her eyes, letting them adjust to the shadows of her environment. They were in some kind of basement; that was the only thing she could make out. A methodical banging sound was coming from somewhere above them. The only other noise came from a projector that he’d put on a repetitive loop, presumably to confuse her. It was working.

  Still, the voice on the screen she couldn’t quite see, had kept her company as she laid waiting for what came next.

  She’d been awake for almost an hour, but had managed to cover the fact by regulating her breathing. At some point Paul had transferred her to a table. It felt unstable beneath her, though that could have been the strange weightless feel of her body. Because the suspense was adding to her anxiety, she decided to test the water by turning her head.

  She knew he was there before he stepped out of the shadows.

  “Welcome to my prop house,” he said with a humourless smile.

  Alicia felt a wave of repulsion wash over her. She was looking at his true face for the first time and it was worse than any mask.

  He came to stand beside her, with eyes as lifeless as the mannequins she’d noticed earlier. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time.”

  She turned away from him, only to come face to face with a younger version of the same man. Finally, she could put a face to the voice on the projector. It was his son.

  Without the hatred to mar his handsome face, John Meeks looked every bit the screen Idol he’d once been.

  “I’m sorry about your son,” she said, feeling the first prickle of tears.

  “Sorry?” he exploded. “You ruined his life.”

  Alicia had to force herself to look back at him. “I didn’t even know him.”

  He didn’t seem to hear her. He was staring at the screen now with such sadness it ripped at her heart.

  “Paul, listen to me, I didn’t do anything. You have to believe me, please, I’m not her. I wouldn’t hurt anyone.”

  “He had his whole life ahead of him, and now he has nothing.” Paul looked down at her again. His eyes were cold and full of accusation. “I’m going to show you exactly what that feels like.” With one last glance at the screen, he pulled a needle out of his pocket and held it towards the light. He didn’t hear her cry of protest. The darkness was closing in on him thick and fast. He wanted it to be over.

  “Perhaps it’s better this way,” he mumbled, flicking the syringe, thoughtfully. “I had such big plans for you.”

  Alicia wasn’t sure if he was talking to her or the image of his son, only one thing was clear – he was dangerously close to the edge. “Please don’t do this. I didn’t do anything wrong.”

  “It’s okay, it won’t hurt.” For a split second, his eyes were lucid again. “It’s basically a paralytic…a clever little cocktail-”

  “Stop this, you sick son of a bitch.” She put all her effort into the command. It was a vain attempt to reach him, to buy herself some time. “You were the one to cause the accident. You’re the only one to blame here.” It was a risk to bait him but she couldn’t stop now. Not when she saw she had his attention. “Look at him, look at all that potential. You destroyed everything. It’s your fault.”

  “NO,” he screamed, putting a hand around her throat as he leaned close. “It was you. You made me weak. You seduced me. I couldn’t say no.”

  Alicia struggled under his grip, trying to get her breath. Her lungs burned from the little gasps of air she mana
ged to get in. Just as his face was starting to fade, as she felt the fight draining out of her, he let go. She sucked in a grateful breath.

  “I would never hurt my son. He died because you poisoned him. You made us both crazy wanting you.”

  He pulled a tourniquet from one of his pockets and began to tie it round her right arm.

  What little fight she had reared to the surface when she felt the pressure building in her arm.

  “Wait a minute, just wait, please, I-”

  The distinct sound of breaking glass had them both jerking in surprise. She couldn’t see where it came from, but she was glad of the distraction, especially when the next sound she heard was the needle tumbling to the ground.

  Her eyes travelled to Paul, who was following the path of the needle. He didn’t get far, because his legs were knocked out from under him. At first, Alicia thought she was hallucinating. She had prayed so hard for Brad to find her, and now he was right there. One look at his face told her he was real, and he was pissed.

  Her tears flowed freely now. “You came,” she choked out, ignoring the pain in her throat.

  “Of course I came.” He felt his heart rate settle now he knew she was safe. When he’d seen Paul looming over her from the basement window, for just a moment he’d thought he was too late.

  “Oh God, I thought he was going to kill me.” She strained against the straps that bound her to the table. “Get me out of here.”

  He was about to oblige when he caught movement at his feet. Paul lunged towards him with a shriek of frustration, the knife in his hand coming perilously close to hitting the mark. It wasn’t close enough.

  Alicia’s heart jumped when Brad dropped to the floor and disappeared from her line of sight. “Brad?”

  No answer.

  “Brad?” She couldn’t keep the panic out of her voice. It rose in a flood when he still didn’t answer, and then dropped away when the overhead lights came on and she saw Brad kneeling on Paul Meeks’ back.