The Broken Ones

by Carla Kovach

  Jacob led the way out and Briggs placed his large warm hand on her shoulder. She shrugged it off.

  O’Connor stomped down the corridor and held a hand up at Gina. ‘We’ve found Mr Collins’s car.’

  Gina followed O’Connor to the incident room. ‘Just the break we needed. Tell me everything you know.’

  45

  I pick up the kitchen knife, then the loaf of bread and I cut a couple of slices. My hands feel jittery. I grab the cheese from the fridge and pop the bread under the grill, then turn it and put the cheese on it. Cheese on toast was always her favourite so this is what I’m making.

  I stare at the corner, that same corner that her memory often haunts me from. Things are different now I have someone else.

  I have a living, breathing version of you in my living room, a good copy. I am going to turn her into you. I feed her the food you liked, play her the music you enjoyed and dress her in your clothes. She will become you.

  The smoke alarm starts to sound. I grab the burnt toast from the grill and begin wafting the tea towel in the air and for a second I’m stunned. I’m back there on that day all those years ago, the smell of grilled cheese in the air. I’d burnt my food on that day, the day my life was ruined. I clench my fists. In the past I’ve been sad when allowing myself the luxury of thinking about that day but now, I’m livid. You are making me do this, you!

  Closing my eyes, I imagine I’m underwater, the same image that plagues me often and I see you attached to me by a rope but you’re drifting. I pull and pull, trying to haul you closer but the rope is more like stretchy elastic and you get further away. I try to swim but the water is weird. Still clear but it’s thick, like honey and I can’t swim, I can’t float. I’m drowning, you’re drowning. My lungs are choked and I feel the panic. The last thing I see is your vacant stare as the cord snaps and you drift into the darkness.

  Jolting back to reality I grab the knife and stab it so far into the chopping board it slices through and pierces the worktop. I snatch the charred grill pan and unlock the back door, walking through the wall of snowflakes along the patio to the bin, that’s when I give the shed a little glance. If my little police officer doesn’t work out, that’s where she’ll end up. No more lakes; I can’t have her found. Not this time.

  I look at my watch and the music comes on automatically as per my programming and all I imagine is my beautiful dreamer and I hate myself for getting angry just then as I thought about her. It’s complicated.

  The snow blankets the landscape. The houses beyond are capped in pure white and the sky almost matches that colour so I can barely see where horizon meets it. Shivering in my T-shirt, I hurry back into the kitchen and enjoy the melody as I decide that a cheese sandwich might be the best course of action given my failure in toasting the last one.

  As soon as I’ve made it, I hurry into the lounge and a shaft of light from the hallway catches the one side of her face, lighting her profile up beautifully. There’s something poetic about it all. The policewoman is Hailey. She looks like her. She acts like her and she will be her. I just need to teach her how.

  ‘The darkness won’t last forever, Hailey. I promise. When you’re better, we’ll have the loveliest life. I promise.’

  Her glare searches for the light behind me, scoping out the bungalow. The home she never knew. Soon, it will be hers as well as mine.

  ‘Are you hungry?’

  She nods so I remove the gag that I had to put back on her. I hate doing this but it’s the only way. I want this one to work.

  Her searching lips clasp around the bread as I hold it to her mouth, her dark eyes bore into me as she chews. I close my eyes for a second and I’m back in the water pulling the cord and she’s coming back to me. Her dark hair splayed out framing her gentle features, making her look like a willowy angel. My Hailey is coming back.

  As she takes another bite, I smile. She needs to build her strength up. ‘My Hailey.’

  46

  As Gina bit into the chocolate muffin that O’Connor had left on the table she continued to listen. Maybe some of her anxiety could be alleviated with a bit of food. It had been a long time since she’d last eaten. The rest of the team gathered around.

  O’Connor pulled a hat over his bald head and shivered. ‘The Collinses car is parked up at his parents’ house. They’ve only gone for a break in their caravan.’

  ‘In this weather?’ Gina said.

  ‘I know.’ O’Connor shrugged. ‘That’s what Mr Collins’s mother said. They also borrowed his parents’ Land Rover Discovery, claiming it made towing easier. At least we know which car we’re looking for now.’

  ‘Do we know where they’ve gone?’ Gina licked a crumb from her lips.

  ‘They didn’t say. They tended to go everywhere in their caravan but quite often went on local breaks for short periods, preferring Warwickshire or Worcestershire. His mother mentioned that they liked a particular site in Evesham. I contacted that site but it was closed for the season.’

  Briggs cleared his throat and sat at the table. ‘I think we need to put out a press release and I need to make a statement. We need the Collinses out there, state that we are looking for witnesses, not suspects. We need them to stop running.’

  ‘We can’t send Kapoor’s photo out there, not yet. Whoever is holding her can’t be alarmed. They’ve already killed once and they might kill her if they feel we’re closing in,’ Gina replied as she finished the muffin and stared at the board. The doughy texture began to clog in her throat. She took a swig of her drink.

  ‘Yes, agreed. We definitely won’t mention Kapoor yet but we need to work harder, longer and I’m afraid this is going to mean cancelling all personal plans for now. I know this is hard but we owe it to Jhanvi Kapoor to do everything we can.’ Briggs’s eyes creased at the corner.

  Gina stared at the photo of Amber’s body by the lakeside.

  ‘I miss her accent ringing through the station.’ PC Smith stood and left the room. They’d worked closely together for years and Gina could see the veil of worry that was smothering him.

  ‘Can one of you see if he’s alright?’ Gina felt a knot in her throat as she tried to swallow. Their colleague had been missing all day. Mr Kapoor had called several times, almost in tears, and everyone in the room had been stunned into silence.

  Wyre nodded and headed out after PC Smith.

  Gina turned to address the room. ‘Let’s work with what we can. Otis Norton, our witness at the lake. He’s due in, isn’t he?’

  O’Connor nodded. ‘In about half an hour. He said his wife had a medical appointment and he’d come as soon as it was over.’

  An appointment. To satisfy Gina, Otis Norton would have to back that up with some evidence. ‘Have we confirmed that?’

  ‘Yes. Mrs Norton was due to see her doctor at five this evening so I suppose he could be here anytime now.’

  Briggs’s phone rang and he headed to the corner of the room to take the call.

  ‘Vincent Jordan, Amber’s landlord. Where are we with him?’

  Jacob checked through a batch of notes. ‘No prior.’

  ‘But there’s something off about him. I don’t trust him.’

  O’Connor piped up. ‘With good reason, guv.’

  ‘What do you have?’

  ‘Just before the briefing, I finally got hold of EL Electrical. Mr Lehman recalled seeing a missed call from Vincent Jordan but is adamant that they haven’t actually spoken since the first week in January. There was a message on his phone asking him to pop by and change some bulbs in the apartment block and that it wasn’t urgent.’

  ‘That’s a far cry from the conversation he said he had. How about the timing?’

  ‘Mr Lehman claims it was at six twenty-five on the evening as stated on his message.’

  ‘A half-truth. Sounds suspicious to me and he couldn’t get us out of his bungalow quick enough. Actually, later this evening, I want to head back to Amber’s block. I can’t get over the fact tha
t Mr Slater had a camera in his daughter’s hallway. Maybe one of the men or women who came back to Amber’s is the person who killed her. Can we identify anyone in those videos? I know they’re grainy but it’s worth a shot. I recognised the girl in one. Lauren Sandiford. When we spoke to Lauren, she didn’t say anything about being in any type of relationship with Amber but the video tells us otherwise. They were kissing in the hallway.’ Gina looked down. ‘I hate this, it feels like we’re violating Amber using the videos in this way. What happened between her and Lauren should have been private.’ The thick snow falling outside caught her attention as it settled on the ledge.

  ‘But looking might lead us to her killer.’ Jacob grabbed a muffin. Wyre re-entered and leaned against the door frame.

  ‘It seems that everyone had been in Amber’s apartment, sometimes just to hang out and eat food. We saw clips of Curtis Gallagher with her eating a takeaway. Corrine Blake and Amber had been trying on clothes together at one point in the lounge. We don’t see Tyrone Heard at all but from what I’ve heard he doesn’t hang around with them much. So, tonight, we’ll head back to Amber’s block and talk to everyone again. The weather is diabolical so I’m hoping that they’ll all be in. After that, I’m going to perch up outside Vincent Jordan’s bungalow. We can’t take any risks of him being dangerous if he’s cornered or of us being wrong, which is why I want to observe him for a short while. Any sign of Kapoor or anything even remotely odd, I’ll be calling it in so be on standby. Anyone care to join me?’

  Wyre put her hand up. ‘I’ll sit it out with you, guv. I don’t have much to go home for and I’d rather be doing something practical tonight. I want to help find Kapoor.’

  ‘Great. We have a plan then. Wyre and I are on surveillance and interviews. O’Connor could you keep ringing around various campsites looking for the Collinses and let me know if the ANPR flags up the Discovery? The press release will also be going out soon so we’re expecting to be busy back here. I need everything followed up thoroughly. Kapoor is out there somewhere. She may be tied up. She may be cold and hungry or hurt. She is our absolute priority. Every crumb of information matters.’

  ‘I’m on it, guv.’

  ‘Jacob, could you liaise with forensics, find out if there are any updates and go through all the interviews and the case so far? Maybe we’ve missed something. Look at everything again. Photos, timelines, the lot. Right, what are we waiting for?’

  PC Smith headed in through the door, his face ashen and arms folded. ‘Otis Norton has arrived. I’ve put him in the last interview room.’

  Everyone began to work on their tasks and the hum of the room got louder.

  ‘I can’t express how scared I am that something bad has happened to Jhanvi. She wouldn’t hurt anyone.’ PC Smith took a deep breath. ‘Count me in for an all-nighter. I’m not leaving until she’s been found safe.’ His throat bobbed as he swallowed. ‘We have to find her.’

  47

  ‘Otis Norton, as we’ve already explained, the tape is rolling and this interview is being recorded.’ Gina waited for the man to acknowledge that statement. Jacob sat up straight in the chair next to her.

  ‘I’m not in any trouble, am I?’ His sovereign ring flashed light across the side of the plain wall as he fidgeted to get comfortable.

  Gina made a mental note that he was dressed far more casually than the day she spoke to him at the lake. Jeans, a worn-looking jumper and a navy blue puffy winter coat. ‘This is a voluntary interview. We just need to speak to you again about your discovery of Amber Slater’s body on the morning of Monday the twenty-fifth of January. Hopefully, we won’t have to keep you too long.’

  He exhaled and a slight smile spread across his face. ‘Of course. I absolutely understand.’

  Did he? Gina couldn’t help noticing how undisturbed he looked after finding her body. He seemed relaxed and as far away from upset as a person could look. ‘There’s something I need to speak further about. You told me you were walking but you looked dressed up, like you were going somewhere rather than the walk around the lake you say you were doing. You also drove for about fifteen minutes to get there. Why were you really there?’

  His smile cracked. ‘I told you.’

  ‘Yes, you were taking a walk. The problem is, it seems odd. Do you see where I’m coming from?’ There was no time to waste and drawing the interview out was wasting precious time when PC Kapoor was missing.

  The man began to bite the inside of his cheek. ‘Look, I found her. I had nothing to do with what happened to her and I called you. I should have just left her and got on with my day. If I’d known it would cause this much hassle, I would have.’

  ‘Hassle? A woman has been murdered. The least she deserves is that we investigate thoroughly. Can your wife confirm you were with her before you left for your walk and the evening before?’

  He shook his head. ‘My wife? Are you serious? She barely knows what day it is. Late stage Parkinson’s disease, that’s what she has, and the dementia is worsening. Besides, she was still in bed and we’ve had separate rooms since her illness took over completely. She has to use a hospital bed and I didn’t want to wake her. A carer normally comes in to do that as I can’t cope.’

  Gina remained silent for a few seconds, trying to read his body language but he wasn’t giving anything away. ‘See it from my point of view. No one can vouch for where you were from Sunday evening and you are clearly lying to us about where you were going? You need to be honest with us.’ She threw her pen to the table and leaned back in her chair.

  Jacob cleared his throat. ‘Mr Norton. It would be better for us all if you just told us the truth.’

  He shook his head and stared into space. ‘You’re trying to pin this on me.’

  Gina felt the urge to grab her pen and snap it. ‘Why were you at Cleevesford Park on Monday morning?’

  He started twisting his ring round and round and all Gina could think about was how Terry had scared her on so many occasions with his. She fought the urge to flinch as she replayed the punch to her chest. She focused back on Mr Norton, noticing that he wasn’t wearing a wedding ring. ‘I was meant to be meeting someone but that never happened because I called you.’

  ‘Okay, now we’re getting somewhere. Who were you meant to meet?’

  ‘HappyGoLucky1207. We messaged on a dating app.’ He pulled his phone out of his pocket and selected the app. ‘Happy now?’

  Gina picked up his phone and clicked on the message centre. Message after message filled his box. Some explicit, others arranging dates. There was even one from the evening before.

  ‘Go ahead and judge all you like but I get lonely and sometimes I meet people just to talk, sometimes we screw and sometimes we grab a drink. Do you know what it’s like seeing someone you love deteriorate? She is barely present any more and her weeks are numbered. I’m scared of the silence in our home and I have to get out or I’ll go insane. The nursing staff come several times a day, which gives me some sort of life. I don’t want to be alone when she’s gone. I can’t be alone, which is why I meet people. I don’t lie to these women about my situation. They get the whole truth, each and every one of them, and I won’t apologise for what I do. It’s me who is soon going to be left in this shitty world alone.’ He placed his head in his hands and leaned over the table. ‘HappyGoLucky gave me her phone number. Call her. Her real name is Ellen and she lives in Worcester. She’s also married to a man who forever sleeps around on her, which is why she probably agrees to meet people like me. What’s good for the goose, and all that. Nothing changes the fact that we’re both married so we decided to meet at the lake, out of the way from anyone we might know. A snatched hour, that’s all we had and now she’s not picking up her phone if I call. Maybe if you get through to her, you can tell her I’m sorry for standing her up on Monday.’

  Scanning down the whole message chain, Gina knew he was telling the truth. ‘I’ll be back in a moment. May I take your phone for a minute?’

  He s
hrugged then nodded.

  So Otis Norton had been cheating on his sick wife. That’s all they had on him and that wasn’t against the law. She walked up to O’Connor and popped the phone down. ‘I’m just going to grab a glass of water. Can you call this number for me and ask the woman, Ellen, if she was set to meet someone called Otis Norton on Monday morning at Cleevesford Park?’

  ‘Yes, no worries.’ He took the phone from her.

  She continued to the kitchen and ran the tap. The lights were giving her a thick head. The cold was making her bones ache and a night of watching Vincent Jordan’s bungalow sounded like a recipe for cramp. She filled her glass and headed back out. ‘Did you get through?’

  O’Connor read the notes he’d just taken. ‘She said she was meant to meet someone she knows as FunnyLoverMan who was in his fifties and from what she said he matches Otis’s description. She said that he’s tried calling her a few times but she decided that she wanted to work on her marriage so she ignored him. She asked that we don’t contact her husband as she’s ashamed.’

  ‘So he is telling the truth. That’s the end of that chain of investigation. I’d look into it further but I’ve seen the messages, they go back to last week and their little date was arranged before Amber was even taken. You can cross Otis Norton off the list.’ She held her hands in the air. ‘Kapoor is out there and going through something that none of us can comprehend and we’re getting nowhere. I’m going to spend the evening going over old ground with the other tenants and spending the night in a car hoping that Vincent Jordan is the killer and that he slips up somewhere so that we have an inroad. We have so little to go on. When you can, please make sure the system is fully updated with the other tenants’ details and interviews and those of Vincent Jordan. It’ll give me something to plough through over the course of the evening.’