by Jack Probyn
CHAPTER 52
DISPOSAL
The Dark Web was a wonderful place. It was the source of so much information and knowledge that he’d struggled to absorb it all.
After he’d slaughtered and defiled Carl and Jessica, Lester had realised the need to dispose of them in an efficient and effective manner. For that, he needed access to a computer. But neither Jessica’s nor Carl’s had worked; both had been locked by their passwords. And his was on the other side of the city.
So, as a last resort, he’d stolen Carl’s Mini, raced back home where everything was as he’d left it, picked up his laptop and hurried back to the house. He was certain nobody had seen him. He’d been quick, discreet and none of the neighbours paid any attention to him anyway, so why would they notice him arriving in a blue Mini that wasn’t his?
They wouldn’t.
Since retrieving his laptop, he’d managed to source suppliers for large quantities of the hydrofluoric acid that he would need to dissolve Carl and Jessica’s remains – and the plastic containers he’d need to put them in.
But it wasn’t over yet.
According to his research, it would take days for the bodies to disintegrate, and, in that time, he would need to make absolutely certain that nobody came knocking for them both. Sure, Carl and Jessica had told him that they were meant to be travelling halfway across the world, but what if they were meant to see a friend beforehand? Or pop round to their parents to say goodbye? He couldn’t risk it.
He needed a contingency plan to get his name as far removed from the both of them as possible.
Fortunately, he knew just the people.
Lester had managed to stumble upon the Dark Web in an Internet cafe when he was eighteen. It was the first place he’d met S, and it was the first place he’d begun to make some very dear friends. He wasn’t very well liked in person, but online, masked by the cloak of anonymity, he was able to become anyone he wanted to be.
And there was one person whom he had bonded with quickly.
Lester knew him only as The Mandate, an alias he’d adopted on the Dark Web. The Mandate was capable of hacking into government websites. He could change names, forge documents, assign new identities, make people disappear – all with the click of a button.
And that was exactly what Lester needed.
As he relaxed on the sofa, staring at the ceiling, he received the message from his companion, confirming everything had been taken care of.
Carl and Jessica had made their flight from Heathrow at 8 p.m. and had already landed in Brazil. Their debit cards were stopped and all history of Carl being a tenant at the property had been rewritten.
It was almost as if neither Jessica nor Carl had ever existed.
And, as Lester eased himself lower into the sofa, he realised that was exactly the same thing he would need to do with S.
CHAPTER 53
CHECKMATE
The darkness enveloped him. Stars dotted the sky, flickering like light bulbs on the blink. The air around him was cold, and he felt the hairs on his arms prick up in protest. He wasn’t sure if that was because of the chill hugging his body, or the adrenaline that surged through his veins. Sampson Decker – S, his mentor, his good friend – had betrayed him. Sure, Sampson had taught him everything he knew, but there was no doubt in Lester’s mind that Sampson had told the police everything: where he was, what he’d done, what he was going to do. To Sampson, Lester was dispensable, another cog in The Community’s machine, a means to an end. Lester could be replaced by whoever was in second position, just like that. Nobody would know a thing.
That was unacceptable. Something needed to be done about it.
Lester was standing opposite Sampson’s block of flats. The street was poorly lit, and he used the shadows to cloak him. He was beside a bin, just behind a car. In the distance, to the right, was a group of teenagers wearing hoods. Some of them were on bikes, circling one another, pretending they were going to collide and then veering away at the very last moment. Small orange dots glowed against their faces like fireflies, with clouds of smoke lingering in the air above them.
Lester paid them little attention. There were other, more important things for him to worry about.
He waited there for five minutes, keeping his gaze fixated on Sampson’s window. The light was on, and shadows wrapped in a blue glow flashed against the curtain as images played across Sampson’s television screen. With every passing second, Lester was aware he was giving himself a bigger obstacle to overcome. He didn’t know whether the police were nearby, on their way, or whether they had deserted Sampson entirely. He tried to think about it logically. But there was no rush of logic flooding his brain. There was no hint of calm or precision in his thinking. Instead, it was filled with rage and the desire to maim and dismember. Maybe he would treat Sampson like Jessica Number 5.
Lester crossed the road and dived into the block of flats. He climbed the building’s steps and slowed as he reached the sixth floor. The wind picked up and whistled quietly as it whipped around the avenues and stairwells. The cold worsened his goosebumps.
Lester paused at the top of the flight of stairs and waited. Listened.
There was silence.
He rounded the corner and wandered along the outside of the building. A concrete wall came up to his hips on his left. London’s lights sparkled in the distance, and from up here he was able to see any cars passing by. For now, there were none. But he made a mental note of the cars and motorbikes that were visible: three of the former, one of the latter.
His breathing was steady, and as he came to Sampson’s flat at number forty-two, he held his breath and knocked on the door. The noise of his knuckles on wood echoed around the estate, amplifying exponentially as they reverberated on the different buildings and walls. He stopped again and listened for any unwanted and undue attention he may have just caused. He was going to have to be silent if he wanted to remain unnoticed.
The door opened.
‘Lester?’ Sampson said, rubbing his eyes. ‘What are you—? It’s nearly midnight.’
Lester barged in, ignoring the man standing in his way, and rushed to the living room.
‘Lester!’ Sampson cried as he slammed the front door shut. He hobbled into the living room after him, stopping in the door frame. ‘What are you doing here?’
‘I’ve come here to talk,’ Lester said, his voice calm. ‘I just want to know what you told the police. That’s all.’
‘Nothing,’ Sampson said, shaking his head. The tubes that hung from his nose swung from side to side.
‘You’re lying.’
‘I’m not. I promise. Lester, come on. Why would I tell them anything?’
‘Then what did you say? You didn’t just sit there in silence.’
Sampson’s breathing was almost non-existent as he gasped for breath every second. ‘I told them nothing of what they wanted to hear. I told them about The Community. What it was. How it came about. How good you are. How they’ll never find you.’
‘And it’ll stay that way, won’t it, Sampson? You’ll make sure of that, won’t you?’ Lester took a step closer to Sampson and moved his hand behind his back. ‘You’ll make sure they don’t know where I’m going and what I’m doing next.’
‘What will you do next?’ Sampson asked, pleading for information. There was still a note of fear in his voice.
‘Wouldn’t you like to know.’
Sampson shook his head again. This time he moved the oxygen tank from one arm to the other. ‘Don’t do anything stupid. You need to get away. They’re close, Lester.’
‘How can they be? I thought you didn’t tell them anything.’ Lester waited for a response, but when one didn’t come, he continued. ‘What did they say about me? Did you ask? Did you ask them how much they knew?’
Sampson shrugged. ‘They came here asking that very thing. They don’t know where you live. They don’t know who you are in the leader board. They don’t even know your name. But you ne
ed to lay low for a while. Especially on The Community. They’ll have access to it no doubt.’
Lester smirked. ‘I’m branching out of The Community now. Bigger. Better.’
‘Where? What are you going to do?’
Lester opened his mouth but hesitated. His suspicions were rising. Sampson was asking too many questions. He took another step closer towards S. As he approached, his mentor coughed and wiped away the mucus and saliva from his face. It was laced with a darker, crimson colour.
‘Why the sudden interest?’ Lester asked. ‘Why do you want to know?’
‘You’re being paranoid.’
‘Did they put you up to this? Are you wearing a wire?’
‘You need to lay low, Lester.’
‘Don’t say my fucking name.’
‘I’m not… I didn’t mean to… I…’
Lester took another step closer. They were separated by a few feet. Sampson’s sweat and bad breath assaulted his senses, then a smile grew on Lester’s face. At first he chuckled, and then it developed into a sinister laugh. He could see the fear in his mentor’s eyes. But it wasn’t enough to make him sympathetic. Nothing was.
‘Why would I betray you like that?’ Sampson begged, spluttering more phlegm and blood onto his hands. ‘I’ve made those mistakes before, and I suffered as a result. I’m not about to make them again.’
Lester looked down at the floor and shook his head in disgust.
‘You’re a good liar,’ he said, ‘but I’ve had enough of your bullshit. I can’t believe a word you say. You’ve betrayed me. I know you have.’
Here they came. The Nasties. In full swing. Lester removed the blade he’d used on Carl from his pocket and screamed in anger and frustration. His body was layered with sweat.
‘I can’t listen to your shit anymore. You’ve ruined’ – his heart pounded, and his chest heaved – ‘you’ve ruined everything!’
At the sight of the weapon, Sampson began to clutch his chest. His breathing switched to short, shallow breaths and the colour left his cheeks. Then his legs buckled and he collapsed to the ground, still holding on to his chest. Sampson opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out.
Lester approached slowly, carefully. He didn’t want to disturb the beauty and serenity of what was happening right in front of him. He wanted to savour the moment. It was precious. He’d always thought of Sampson as a father figure. Sampson had guided him from the beginning of his time with The Community to where he was now, and the man had done a good job. But there was always something lacking, always something that felt not quite right. Perhaps it was the fact that Lester felt like he was a pawn in Sampson’s own game of sexual conquest across the city.
And now Lester had made his final move. He stroked Sampson’s face and stared into his eyes as he left the man to die on the floor in the chill; it was a longer, more prolonged suffering for him that way. The Nasties could wait.
Check… mate.
CHAPTER 54
HABITS
Jake yawned as he entered the office. In his hand he held a cup of coffee. It was already his second of the day and it wasn’t even 8 a.m.
Jake sat at his desk and waved good morning to Lindsay. She was already typing away on her computer and paid him little attention. Last night had been another late one. They’d stayed in the office till 11 p.m., listening to Sampson move about the flat and watch reruns of Only Fools and Horses on the TV Channel ‘Gold’. Between the three of them, they’d decided – after a game of rock, paper, scissors – to leave Drew in charge of monitoring the recordings while Jake and Garrison went home for the evening.
There was no sign of either of them.
The double doors to the office opened and Jake’s eyes flickered to the person who had just entered. As soon as he realised who it was, he leapt out of his seat.
‘Guv!’ Jake asked, rushing towards Liam’s office, trying to get there before Liam did. ‘Can I speak to you?’
‘Not right now, Tanner. I’ve got things to do,’ Liam said as he shouldered past Jake. He threw his keys into the office door, unlocked it and entered.
As he closed the door, Jake placed his foot and hand in the way.
‘Please, guv. It’s important.’
‘If it’s about your performance review, you know I can’t discuss it with you. You’ll have to wait until our meeting.’
‘I just want to know why now? After it feels like you’ve finally let me into the team, you go and throw this at me. I feel like I’m pulling my weight. I’m doing my job. Yeah, I’ve made a few mistakes, but who hasn’t in their time? I’m still learning, and I’m still absorbing everything I can from you guys. You’re all excellent and I envy how close you are. I envy how successful you all are too.’
Liam said nothing. He set his plastic coffee cup on the table and approached the door. He pulled it open slightly, away from Jake’s foot, and leant against it.
‘Do you want to know what I think, Jake?’ Liam asked, his voice stern.
For a split second, Jake contemplated saying no. There was an inflection in Liam’s voice that forced Jake to second-guess whether he wanted to hear it or not.
‘I don’t think you’re right for the team,’ Liam continued. ‘I mean, it seems to be all about you, doesn’t it? Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake, Jake. I assume Drew told you where I was yesterday? He has a habit of sharing things that aren’t his or anyone else’s business. Did he tell you?’
‘He kept the details to a minimum, but I guessed the rest.’
‘Yeah, well. And what’s the first thing you say to me after I get back? You want to talk about your issues, something that affects you. Nothing about me. Not even a “morning, boss, how are you feeling today?”’ Liam hesitated. His chest rose and fell heavily. ‘Nothing. You only seem to care about yourself, mate. And I don’t think you’d be a good part of the team. This performance review is completely separate, but they both work in tandem with one another.’
Jake stood there for a while, silent. Words escaped him.
‘How are you feeling?’ Jake asked hesitantly. His mind took over and ran on autopilot.
Liam scoffed. ‘Few minutes too late for that, don’t you think? Get yourself in the debrief room in a couple of minutes. Everyone else will be here soon. You might be able to redeem yourself in there.’
Liam shut the door on Jake’s face.
At that moment, Garrison arrived. He passed Jake and slammed his bag on his desk, crushing a half-opened packet of biscuits. Then he moved into the debrief room.
Jake followed.
CHAPTER 55
MISTAKE
‘Right then,’ Liam said, closing the door behind him. He moved across the room and stood beside the whiteboard. ‘Where’s Drew?’
Before either Jake or Garrison were able to respond, the door was flung open and Drew stumbled in with a beaming smile on his face – as though he’d just returned triumphantly from losing his virginity. ‘Sorry I’m late, guv. Been sleeping in the Incident Room all night.’
‘You fell asleep?’ Jake asked, sitting upright in his chair.
Drew shrugged. ‘I can’t help being tired, mate.’
‘We’re gonna have to assume your middle name is Incompetent from now on,’ Garrison retorted.
‘Enough!’ Liam held a hand in the air, placating both men. ‘I can’t be arsed with listening to any of your shit today. There’s still so much we have to do, and I don’t want to have to put up with your bollocks.’
Shuffling in his seat, Drew cleared his throat. He asked, ‘How you feeling, guv? Treatment go OK?’
‘Yeah it was all right, thanks. Doctor’s said I’ve started responding well to it. Cheers for asking.’
Liam shot Jake a sideways glance and then moved to the nearest desk. He perched himself on the end of it and wrapped his arms across his chest. ‘What’s been going on then?’
‘Lots, guv,’ Drew said, resting one leg atop his other knee. ‘The man we’re looking for is a Lester Bain.
Property owner. Some call him a tycoon. I call him a tycunt. We’ve searched all the houses that he’s the registered landlord for, and nothing. Nobody knows where he is. Not even his tenants – they all say they haven’t seen him in a while either. Apparently that sits all right with them – the last thing they need is a pissy little landlord breathing down their neck every two seconds.’ Drew paused. ‘Jake and a group of uniform raided his house but there was nothing there. Except for his trophies… tongues… fingers.’
‘What about Lester? Was he there?’ Liam asked.
‘No, sir,’ Jake responded.
‘What are uniform doing now? They need to be outside those properties waiting for him.’
‘Already done, guv.’
‘Good. Why do I get the feeling there’s something else I need to know?
‘Another two dead,’ Drew said, taking it upon himself to be the suck-up with all the information. ‘We don’t know who and we don’t where, nor do we know when. But we do know how. This time it was another couple.’
‘Steven and Jessica Arnholt volume two?
‘We—’ Drew began.
‘No,’ Jake interrupted. Now was a chance to redeem himself and he wasn’t going to let it slip. ‘I’ve been doing some thinking. The girl was called Jessica, but from the sounds of it, the boyfriend had nothing to do with any of it – he was just in the way. Regardless, he’s still trying to satisfy his obsession with women named Jessica. But I feel like this one was random. There was nothing pre-emptive about it. On the phone to Sampson Decker he sounded almost surprised that he’d managed to do it. But I don’t think it was random insofar as he stumbled upon them on the street. Rather, these were people he might have known, or people that he’d met in the past.’
‘How so?’
Jake shrugged. ‘It’s entirely possible he’s got a list of properties that we don’t know about. Either not under his name or registered in an offshore account somewhere. Maybe they were tenants.’
