'OK then, if you leave here where will you go?'
'Back to the station to get busy.'
'Yes well, I'm sure an hour or so won't make any difference.'
'Try telling that to Beth Robbins,' her husband fired back.
Suzanne gave him a cold stare before heading for the door.
'Listen, Sue, I didn't mean to snap, I…'
'Twenty minutes and the egg and chips will be ready, if you decide to sneak out then I won't be happy,' she fired over her shoulder as she left the room.
Lasser looked at Bannister as his cheeks inflated.
'Have you got any red sauce and vinegar?' Lasser asked.
'Knob head,' Bannister griped as he spun away and stormed from the room.
114
David Stone stood on the patio and watched as the woman came to a halt at the bottom of the garden, the light fading fast, her back to him, shoulders slumped, her head bowed, then she turned slowly and looked towards the large sandstone house.
'I could ring the police and let you explain to them what you meant!' she shouted over.
Stone remained where he was, his face impassive. 'I won't stop you from leaving and if you want to ring the police then go ahead.'
Beth Robbins nervously licked her lips and then she started to slowly walk towards him, her body coiled ready to run if the need arose, when she was ten feet away, she stopped.
'I know you think I'm mad – and I don't blame you – but what I said was the truth, there is a man out there who wants you dead.'
Beth chewed her bottom lip in agitation. 'I have no idea what you're talking about, but if it's the truth then why would they send you to kill me?'
Stone tilted his head slightly. 'I don't know the man's name, but if you'll just give me half an hour then I can prove it.'
'And how are you going to do that?'
'Follow me,' he replied before turning and walking back through the French doors.
Beth hesitated in indecision, her mind in disorder then her eyes moved to the path that led down the side of the house. There was nothing stopping her from walking away right now, but the small inner voice of reason whispered into her brain, what if the man was somehow telling the truth?
As she stood in the garden her mind was transported back to the small kitchen of the council house, the maniac woman standing in the centre of the room squirting the petrol at her before casually striking the match.
Beth gasped at the memory, the terror she had felt, the brief flare of pain, and then the copper had been there miraculously smothering the flames before they had the chance to really make their presence felt.
Inside, Beth felt the fear subside only to be replaced by a blistering sense of fury, then she was stalking towards the open doors, suddenly determined to get some answers, determined to get to the truth.
115
Lasser tucked into the food, his stomach rumbling as he ate the egg and chips. They were sat on the patio, Bannister opposite pushing the food around on the plate, his face still sour.
Lasser glanced as him as he cleared the plate and then sat back with a sigh.
'How come you never lose your appetite?' Bannister asked.
'I've told you before I'm a growing lad,' Lasser offered with the flicker of a sardonic grin.
The DCI continued to shift the food around on his plate, like a man trying to solve a complex puzzle, mumbling incoherently to himself.
'Look, if Beth Robbins knows what happened to Hinton then she'll either lay low or she might even come to us. If she's clueless about what happened, then she'll return to the house and we can make sure she's kept safe until all this is over.'
Bannister shook his head. 'I just don't like any of this, I don't like the fact that we can't touch Robbins and…'
'Hang on, you've spent the last couple of days warning me about keeping an open mind and now you think Robbins is responsible,' Lasser said as he pulled out his cigarettes and offered the pack to Bannister who shook his head.
'I know what I said but I'd still like the slimy shit to be taken out of the picture.'
Lasser lit the cigarette and blew the smoke skyward, the sun sliding low in the sky the shadows lengthening and he closed his eyes for a moment, trying to think what they should be doing next.
He pictured Hinton sprawled in the hallway of the large house, his face battered, his breathing ragged, it seemed likely that the damage had been done by a male although he admitted that perhaps Beth Robbins could have been responsible and used some sort of blunt object to attack Hinton with.
Lasser frowned, his eyes still closed, there had been no sign of a weapon and if Hinton had been fighting with his girlfriend and she had somehow managed to arm herself then after the attack surely, she would have dropped the makeshift weapon as she ran from the house.
He pictured Beth Robbins dashing down the drive, leaving her boyfriend in a bloody heap on the floor but found that the image seemed flawed.
'What are you thinking? Bannister asked.
Opening his eyes, Lasser took another pull on the cigarette. 'There were two cars on the drive of Hinton's house.'
'Yes, the Jag belonged to him and Beth Robbins arrived at the house in the BMW.'
'Which means she either left on foot or was taken from the house and driven away in another car.'
'We know that, Lasser, but the question is which one was it?'
Lasser pictured the property, it was part of a small cul-de-sac, six large houses with the nearest housing estate being over two miles away, it was something of an exclusive area, the detached houses all encircled with huge gardens making sure that nosey neighbours were not an issue.
Then he pictured the faceless man that Bannister had told him about arriving just in time to save Faith Hinton from having to deal with her idiot father.
'Come on, Lasser, spit it out?' Bannister demanded.
'The guy who rescued Faith from her father, he…'
'His name was Stone, but what about him?'
'When you pulled up at the front of the house did you see any other cars parked up on the street?'
Bannister's forehead creased as he thought back to his arrival at the house just in time to see John Hinton hit the deck, David Stone steadying Faith as she staggered back.
'There was a black Nissan parked about thirty yards from the front of the property,' he eventually replied.
'Do we know if Stone lives in one of the other houses?' Lasser asked before taking a sip from the glass of fresh orange.
'Not a clue,' Bannister paused, his eyes narrowing suspiciously, 'what are you getting at?'
'Well, the other five houses are all huge with long wide drives, plenty of room for at least four cars on each, so if the car belonged to Stone and he lived there then why park on the road, and if he doesn't live there then what was he doing hanging around in the first place?'
'Look, he saved Faith from a beating, he gave me his name and then asked if we would be OK, now I know how your mind works but if he was dodgy then why would he have intervened in the first place, why would he have identified himself?'
'I'm not saying he's guilty, but I still think he needs checking out.'
'Jesus, listen to yourself, I could understand if the guy had just walked on by while Faith was in trouble but he didn't, he got stuck in like any decent citizen would and now you want to check up on him,' Bannister said with a hint of disgust in his voice.
Lasser ignored him as he thought things through, his mind starting to motor as he grabbed another quick pull on the cigarette. 'I still think he needs looking into.'
'Why?' the DCI snapped as Suzanne came out of the house and wandered over.
'What's with the shouting?' she asked as she came to a halt and folded her arms.
'I wasn't shouting,' Bannister replied, suddenly looking perplexed.
'Well, you sounded like the town crier throwing a strop to me,' she replied with a stern look on her face.
'It's this bugger coming out with hi
s usual conspiracy rubbish.'
'Forgive me, Alan, but when will you ever learn that when Lasser has an idea then it's best to listen to what he has to say?'
The DCI fumed and then he jabbed a finger across the picnic table at Lasser. 'Come on then, clever clogs, amaze me with your insight.'
'Stop it, Alan, you sound churlish and infantile,' Suzanne suddenly snapped.
Bannister glowered at the insult, Lasser kept his mouth firmly closed as he watched his boss's face twitch and writhe.
'Just get on with it, man!' he barked.
Taking a deep breath Lasser started to talk. 'We're looking at this from the wrong angle, we…'
'Wrong bloody angle?' Bannister spluttered in shock.
When Suzanne sighed heavily, he glanced at her before quickly looking away, his face flooding with colour.
Lasser waited a couple of seconds before continuing. 'We have to remember that whoever the manipulator is then those he controls presumably follow his orders to the letter.'
'Agreed,' Suzanne said, ignoring the sharp look from her husband.
'Look at Julie Chantry, Foster was sitting on the grass at Ince park, to all intents and purposes minding his own business, looking like Bambi while she railroaded him and called him a weirdo and a paedophile. He sat there and took the abuse but as soon as he answered his phone, he went ballistic and attacked her with the bottle.'
'Meaning?' Bannister demanded.
'Meaning that he was unable to act until the manipulator told him what to do.'
'I still don't see why you want to harass a man who did the right thing and helped Faith from being attacked by her own bloody father?' Bannister insisted.
'Look, I agree that Stone did the right thing, and you're probably right, he's just a normal guy who was there at the right time and helped out, but I dare say under normal circumstances Benny Foster would have helped an elderly person across the street but if he had been told to push them under a bus then he would have followed out his orders without question.'
'I can see where Lasser's coming from,' Suzanne said without hesitation.
Bannister mumbled under his breath as he snatched the phone from his pocket and reluctantly made the call, his face beetroot red as he waited for Roger to answer.
116
Stone sat at the kitchen table, tapping at the keys of the laptop as Beth Robbins, looking nervous, appeared in the doorway, her hands clasped in front of her.
'You decided not to run then?' he commented as she walked slowly into the room.
'You said you have evidence that someone is trying to kill me?' she asked, coming to a halt on the opposite side of the large kitchen table.
'Sounds bizarre I know, but it's the truth,' he replied as he pulled the phone from his pocket and placed it on the table before dipping back into his pocket.
'What's that?' she asked as he placed the small device by the side of the phone.
'A simple voice recorder,' he answered before gesturing at the chair opposite.
Beth hesitated for a moment before pulling it out and sitting down.
'Have you been watching the local news lately?' he asked.
'I never watch the news, it's too depressing,' she replied as she folded her hands on the tabletop.
Stone nodded in understanding before tapping at the keys and spinning the laptop around, Beth held his gaze for a moment before looking at the screen.
'The victim's name was Malcolm Marshall he was attacked under the bridge at Wallgate,' Stone said before falling silent as Beth read the report on the acid attack.
He watched her face closely, seeing a look of disgust flash through her eyes, though there was no sign of any empathy for the victim.
'What has this got to do with me?' she eventually asked as she raised her gaze from the screen.
Stone turned the laptop back around and tapped at more keys before sliding it to face her again.
'Read it,' he said, sitting back and folding his arms, his face impassive.
Beth glared at him for a moment before doing as he asked, her eyes scanning right to left as she read all about Mitchell Banks knifed to death in the woods attached to the park.
'Again, I have no idea why you're showing me this,' she replied.
'You don't seem shocked?' he asked.
'I might not watch the news, but I know that dreadful things happen every day to innocent people.'
'True enough,' he agreed with a sigh.
'But I still don't understand why you think I am in danger?'
'The man responsible for the two attacks is called Benny Foster.'
'Is the name supposed to mean something to me?' her hands came together, the fingers entwining.
'Probably not, but he attacked Marshall and killed Banks because someone else had told him to do it.'
Beth felt the tension in her mind increase as she suddenly thought about her ex-husband and the woman named Pamela Fitzsimmons who had attacked her in the kitchen of the small council house, the woman responsible for Jake's death. She could feel the images pushing at her mind, her son crying as she left him with social services, the walls already being erected in her mind as she left the building convincing herself that she was doing the right thing and determined to build a new life for herself at any cost.
'Foster was on a suicide site and it was from there a man brainwashed him into doing everything that he demanded.'
'''Suicide site'',' she snapped, her face smeared with sudden disgust.
'They're sites that…'
'I know what they are,' she interrupted, her voice suddenly harsh. 'I just think that the people who use them are pathetic and you should never give up on life no matter how hard it gets.'
'And would you consider that you've had a hard life?' Stone asked, the look of anger flickering on his face.
Beth tried to keep cauldron of emotions in check, but the anger wouldn't be denied. 'You have no idea what I've been through, but I know I would never consider taking the coward's way out. People who end their lives sicken me and discussing it all on some godforsaken site is pathetic.'
David Stone could hear the snarl in her voice, see the disgust shining in her eyes.
Ten months ago he had never even heard of suicide sites and yet now he considered himself something of an expert, he had spent time immersed in the desperation, feeling his own sense of self slowly starting to fade as the horror at what he was forced to read seeped into his soul like a dark poison.
'Like I said, someone persuaded Foster to kill and that same someone thinks they have brainwashed me to do exactly the same thing.'
'Why would they think that?' she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
'Because it's what I want him to believe.'
Beth eased forward slightly; her hands still locked together. 'You still haven't explained what all this has to do with me.'
'To be honest I have no idea, but all I can tell you is what I know.'
'Well, so far all you've done is show me two clips on the laptop that have nothing to do with me.'
Stone tilted his head slightly. 'I understand, you need more proof?'
'You asked me to give you half an hour to explain things and the clock is ticking and so far, I have heard nothing but nonsense.'
'Fair enough,' Stone replied. 'Then perhaps this might help,' he said as he picked up the small voice recorder and tapped the play icon before placing it back on the table.
'I have instructions, and I warn you now they must be followed to the letter.'
As soon as Beth heard the voice, she felt her heart stutter, her fingers tightened as she listened.
'I want you at number one…'
'Blackthorn Lane,' Stone interjected.
'What have I told you about interrupting me?' the voice hissed.
'Sorry, Master.'
Beth glanced across the table, Stone looked unconcerned, his big arms folded, his face expressionless.
'I will tell you the same thing I told that fool Foster. It is y
our job to obey me without question, you don't need to think, you don't need to try and fathom my demands or my reasoning, all you need concern yourself with is doing exactly what I say when I say it.'
'Understood,' Stone's recorded reply was crystal clear as it floated from the small speaker.
'If you fail to do that then I will simply vanish and that is the last you will ever hear from me, you can go back to your pitiful life and wallow in regret before cutting your wrists – and just to make sure you die quickly then here is a little tip, when you make the final cut it's quicker to go down the road rather than across the street.'
Beth could feel the anger inside start to squirm as Bradley continued to rant.
'Believe me, there are plenty more where you came from. If you succeed, then wonderful things await you but fail me and you are damned.'
'Damned,' Stone replied.
'It's almost dark so head over to the house, park close and then gain entry to the property, the woman who lives there is the target but if you see anyone else in the house then I want them dead as well.'
'Are you listening to me?' the voice demanded.
'How do you want her to die?'
'Badly.'
Reaching out, Stone ended the clip, his eyes fixed on the woman opposite as her blue eyes swam with hatred.
'You recognise the voice, don't you?' he asked.
Beth Robbins nodded slowly, and David Stone felt the tidal wave of relief flood through his body.
117
Sally logged off the computer her eyes widening when she saw the clock on the wall. She had been catching up on paperwork and as always, she had lost track of time as she filled in the crime sheet.
'I'm going to be late,' she mumbled as she grabbed her jacket from the back of the chair.
Roger was at his desk talking on the phone, the loudspeaker on, as he tapped at the keyboard.
'Do you know if the guy has a middle name?' Roger asked.
'Not a clue, but how many David Stones can there be in town?' Bannister's voice rang out loud and clear and Sally felt the gasp catch in her throat.
'OK, boss, I'll get straight onto it,' Roger replied.
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