‘I like the beard,’ she managed.
‘I figured it might stop people staring.’ He shrugged.
Maddie did stare. She felt like now she had permission. The raised, white smudge of scar tissue was still prominent under the beard. It looked like someone had rolled a patch of dough as thin as it would go, then stuck it onto his right cheek. It had a light pink outline and his facial hair was patchy over the scar tissue.
Detective Inspector Harry Blaker had taken the fragment of a bullet to the face. He’d been shot at from the side with a stolen police-issue, high-velocity rifle. The bullet had smashed into a car door frame and fragmented. A piece had ripped through the fleshy mound of his bottom lip and come out through his cheek. It had caused some damage to his jaw and knocked a few teeth out. His bottom lip was thinner on one side too, making his mouth in general a little lopsided. But he had been lucky. Very lucky. Maddie had, too: she had been hiding in the footwell when he had taken the hit, the sounds of bullets all around her and his terrified eyes and bloody face as he had slumped over was still something that regularly invaded her sleep. That had been nine months before. There were rumours that Harry was never coming back, that he might take the option of early retirement that was on offer, but Maddie had never believed it for a second. But she’d had no idea what he was thinking, given that he had virtually gone into hiding since the incident.
‘What are you doing here?’
‘I work here, if I remember right.’
‘You’re back then? To work, I mean?’
‘Yeah. I’m only allowed a few hours a day apparently. Occupational Health are still treating me like a child, but at least they’ve let me in the building.’
‘A few hours a day. Still in Major Crime?’
‘Yeah. But I don’t know what that looks like yet. I’ve been here twenty minutes and I’m bored already, despite there being a lot going on. This bomb incident is being led by CT and they don’t seem to be in the mood for sharing.’
‘You got that right. Two dead and scores injured I heard, but that’s from Sky News — we’ve had nothing official. Suits me. I’ve got enough of my own stuff to be getting on with.’
‘That’s the problem for me right now, I don’t have a workload yet.’
‘It’s got to be better than being bored at home, though?’
‘I suppose.’
‘You should be used to being bored by now. We could have helped with that too, but I got your message.’
‘Message?’
‘You weren’t up for guests. That was what we were told. It made sense for the first month or so. I understood that you might need some time. But nine months later and still nothing? What’s the matter with you?’
‘Are you angry at me?’ Harry seemed genuinely shocked. Maddie took a moment. She was angrier than she realised, she had felt her voice quiver with emotion when she spoke.
‘Yes, I’m angry with you. I was worried at first. Then I was angry. After what we went through, what sort of bloke just locks himself up and doesn’t talk about it?’
‘I guess I didn’t need it. I appreciated it, when I saw you at the hospital.’
‘It’s not just about you, Harry. I can’t talk to people about that day, not like I can talk to you. That’s what we do here, right? When you go through something, when you see someone you care about hurt in front of you, you spend time with them while they recover. You see them heal and you heal with them. That makes sense to you, doesn’t it?’
‘I guess I didn’t think—’
‘You didn’t. Not about me. Not once.’ Maddie felt her chest flush. She took a moment. Harry didn’t reply. ‘I’m glad you’re back. You look well, too, I’m glad about that.’
‘I’m better, Maddie.’
‘Well, good for you. So what are you doing here, down with the peasants in CID?’
‘I’m a spare part. Major Crime seems to have it all covered. No one knew I was coming back and now they’re too busy to care. I figured you might know a thing or two about wiling away your days here. Seems like I might be doing that for a little while at least.’
‘I see. Well, there’s no wiling these days. CID is a busy place. I even managed to get a few of them smiling down here.’ Maddie herself was back to smiling. Her overriding emotion now was happiness. Harry did look well. She had promised herself she would tear a strip off him when she did see him again, but she couldn’t manage any more. Her anger was gone. Harry looked around. The office was buzzing with busy detectives and the desks were mainly occupied.
‘You told me this was the last place you wanted to work.’
‘It was. I didn’t exactly get a list of options after . . . after what happened. Same old story . . . they still didn’t know what to do with me. I’m enjoying it here, actually. It’s been fun.’
‘Fun?’ Harry was still looking around.
‘Well, yeah. Why not. More fun and games today actually. I’m against the clock . . . I need to get a kid to court in time for his case to be heard. He’s down in custody. I think that’s sorted though. Then I’m out to one of our DV victims. Not that she will admit it. Grace Hughes . . . I’m worried about her.’
‘Not someone I know.’
‘Let’s hope that doesn’t change.’
Harry looked confused.
Maddie clarified. ‘I figure she has a good chance of becoming part of the murder statistics. Then you’ll know all about her.’
‘I see. CID pop in on victims they’re worried about these days? I assume she’s not supporting as part of an active investigation then?’
‘She’s not. It’s something I’ve ended up championing somehow. We see these women who are clearly having a bad time at home but they’re too terrified to tell us what’s going on. I started actively visiting them. It’s all off the books. Mainly I give advice on how to stay safe. If nothing else, these women need reminding that their lives aren’t normal, that they don’t have to put up with it.’
‘It’s not off the books, though. If they disclose an assault, you would be duty bound to act on that, surely?’
‘Technically you’re right. I’ve told the bosses that we talk theoretically and I get the women to talk about experiences a friend might be having. There’s a little bit of discomfort around the whole thing, but it’s the same as what victim charities do. The only difference is that I can be a bit more proactive and go and knock on their door. These women wouldn’t talk to anyone if they could help it. But they need to understand that their partner might be escalating, that they might be in more danger than they could possibly realise. They can’t just bury their heads and hope it will go away.’
‘I see. You want company?’
‘When?’
‘On your visit? Maybe I should make the effort to get to know her while she’s still alive.’
‘I tend to go alone. It’s part of making them feel at ease.’
Harry shrugged, but he didn’t move away and he lingered on her.
Maddie cocked her head. ‘You are at a loose end, Detective Inspector Blaker!’
‘Maybe.’
‘And asking to tag along with me? Only I’m . . . how did you put it back when I first came to you . . . ? Busy!’
‘I guess I asked for that.’
‘You did.’
‘So, you can take me out. Show me just how much fun CID is. I promise I won’t get in the way.’
‘Are you even allowed out? Are Occupational Health cool with you leaving the nick?’
‘No. It’s been made very clear that I am grounded.’
‘Well, okay then. You can tag along. But you’ll need a nickname . . . Just so you understand your place in this arrangement, I think I’ll call you Kid!’
Harry flickered a smile of his own. ‘Don’t push it.’
* * *
The knocking on the door made Grace jump and she felt the pain through her side and lower back. She was in the kitchen peeling potatoes. It was still morning but she was already pushed
for time. Doing even the simplest of tasks was taking longer and longer as her arm got worse. Today she was struggling to stand straight. Her side was sore from the blows earlier, her ribs and back, too. She hoped that was all it was — a bit of soreness and some tender bones, something that would heal in a day or two.
The door thumped again. She was ready for it this time. She turned her head to the kitchen doorway but she was quickly back to peeling her potatoes. She wasn’t expecting anyone; she never did anymore. At first, her dad used to visit her most days, but even he had given up. It got to the point where every time he came round they would argue. They couldn’t just have a conversation. He would try at first, then he would start asking about Craig. He would ask if they were still fighting, despite Grace telling him a million times that they didn’t fight. He would tell her that she needed to stand up to him, that he shouldn’t treat her like that. He made her feel worthless. Like she was stupid, like she didn’t know that already and she wasn’t capable of looking after herself. He didn’t understand. He couldn’t.
The door thumped harder still and she huffed. She considered walking to the window to try and see who was being so insistent. She couldn’t think who it might be. She shook her head. She looked back down at her potatoes. It went quiet. Movement through her kitchen window dragged her eye. She peered out to see a strange man stood in the rear garden. She felt her heart flutter in panic. She snatched up the knife from the sideboard and moved towards the door. She tried to control her breathing, tried to look like she was in control despite the shake in her hand. The man saw her. He held his hands out as if he was surrendering, as if telling her that he meant her no harm. He kept his right arm out as he leant with his left to pull the gate open. His movement was deliberate and slow. A woman she recognised as Maddie Ives stepped through the gate. She smiled warmly. Grace exhaled her relief but her body quickly tensed back up as she considered her situation: She could barely walk! They would ask her about it! Maddie would. Nothing seemed to get past her. She would know.
Grace threw the knife in the sink and made it to the patio doors. She unfurled the blinds on one side. They fell the full length, covering the left door panel. She stepped in behind it. She could see someone was stood against the glass.
‘What do you want?’ she called out. She hoped it was loud enough for them to hear. She heard Maddie reply.
‘I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.’ Her voice was muffled through the glass. ‘He’s not here, is he?’
‘No. But he might come back!’ Grace called out, hoping they would take the hint.
‘I’ve got people sat up the road. They’ll call me if he does and we’ll be long gone. I’m not here to make anything worse, Grace. I just want to talk to you. I would rather not do it through a patio door!’
Grace stood back. Her anxiety was getting worse. What if the neighbours heard? Maddie was having to raise her voice. They might be picking up the whole conversation. They might tell Craig everything that was said! She pushed her left hand into the pocket of her tracksuit bottoms, trying to ignore the pain and make it hang as naturally as it could. She spun the key in the handle and pushed it open. She backed away. There was a high stool under the breakfast bar. She perched on the edge, trying to ignore the searing pain in her lower back. It had subsided by the time Maddie’s face poked through.
‘Is it okay to come in?’ she said.
‘A few minutes. In case he comes back.’
‘I understand. This is DI Harry Blaker, by the way. He’s out keeping me company.’
‘Why have you brought someone else? We spoke alone last time.’
‘We did. Harry here is very experienced. He might be able to help.’
‘I don’t need any help.’
Maddie was still smiling. It looked warm and genuine but it dropped away a little. She started to look around the kitchen. ‘You’ve started dinner a little early. Is Craig still working full time?’
‘Yes. I like to get the chores done.’
‘I get that. Is he still delivering?’
‘Yes.’
‘And you’re okay?’
She had to shuffle her position. She could feel a pain in her side now. It was getting worse. ‘I’m fine.’ She timed shifting her position for when she spoke. She hoped it would mask her twitch at the pain. She reckoned she had got away with it.
‘My colleagues came here. They said there was a disturbance at this address.’
‘And I said there wasn’t. We both said there wasn’t.’
‘I know that. They told me that too. Sometimes people aren’t always honest about what has happened. They might want to protect people, maybe they want to play it down and just get on with their lives. Sometimes police involvement can make that difficult.’
Grace waited for a question or a point. It didn’t come. ‘Why are you telling me that?’
‘I think that’s what was happening here. You didn’t want to tell us about what was going on, like last time. You said something similar to the police then but, when we spoke, you suggested that Craig had been violent to you in the past.’
‘I shouldn’t have said anything. He cares about me. He gets frustrated is all — it’s only because he cares.’
‘He still does, then?’
‘No, that’s not what I meant. After that time he was so sorry. He didn’t recognise himself. He’s been totally different since.’
Maddie wasn’t looking at her anymore. She appeared to be looking around her kitchen. The man stood next to her was staring right at her. She felt uncomfortable. He looked older, fifty maybe. His head was shaved close and he had a beard that started at the ears. His mouth looked a little odd and she tried not to stare at the obvious scarring on one side of his face. He was frowning. His whole demeanour seemed stern. He spoke next.
‘You’re lying,’ he said. ‘About Craig. He still beats on you, doesn’t he?’ The man’s voice was a low growl. Instantly it unsettled her. She met his eyes. His face seemed to soften a little. ‘You don’t have to put up with that, Grace. You don’t deserve it either, no matter what he says.’
‘He’s fine. We’re fine. I don’t know what this is all about.’
‘Sure you don’t. You know why we’re here. Sometimes we can’t prove things and it feels like we’re not doing enough. It’s one of the worst parts of the job, a big reason why I stopped working the domestic violence side of the business. You should talk to Maddie. And I mean talk to her properly, with honesty. I put my life in her hands once and it ended up just fine. I’d do it again. Think about it.’
He fell silent. Maddie didn’t speak either. She was looking out into the garden. Grace thought about earlier, about how angry Craig had been, how he had built himself up into a frenzy. What if he didn’t stop next time? What if he went too far? She couldn’t let that happen. Not before she had done what she needed to do.
‘So what are the options?’ she spluttered. She almost hadn’t meant to. She regretted it the second it came out of her mouth. Maddie’s eyes shot back to her and she looked energised. ‘And I’m not saying anything to get him arrested.’
‘Okay . . . I can give you an alarm. It’s a button really. It looks like . . . hang on . . .’ Maddie scrabbled around in the small bag slung over her shoulder. She pulled out what looked like a make-up mirror, folded shut and with a curved back. Maddie flipped it open. ‘This links to the control centre. If you push it in, it will send help. It’s totally silent. No one will know you pressed it and it just looks like a pocket mirror. It even has a little GPS thing in there. You get a few hours where we can track it, in case you’re not at home.’
Maddie held it out. Grace took it. She ran it over in her hands. She felt the button and caught her reflection in the mirrored side.
‘Craig doesn’t like me wearing make-up. I don’t really have much anymore. I don’t think he would like me having this. He might even know that it’s new.’
‘Keep it in the bottom of a bag. He won’t look twice
. It just needs to be somewhere accessible. Our control room will send a response on blues and two’s if you push it and I’ll make sure they let me know too. Craig won’t know it was you that called. It’s just in case things get out of hand. And I think you know that could happen.’
‘I don’t know what you mean.’ But Grace was considering it. If it got to the point where he wasn’t stopping, where she thought’ he might not stop at all, at least she could call for help. ‘I’ll hold onto it.’
‘Great! That’s all I ask.’
‘Now, you two have to go. I can’t have him coming back. I don’t like that you’ve got people out looking for him. What if he sees them?’
‘Don’t worry. They know what they’re doing. We’ll go.’ But she didn’t leave immediately. She lingered on her still.
‘Grace, did you get burgled recently?’
‘What?’
‘Burgled. Did someone break in here?’
‘No! Why?’ Grace felt a panic rising in her. She sucked in a breath to quell it.
‘It doesn’t matter. It was just a thought. We had a burglar up here do a few places. We only know about one of them.’
‘We’ve never had any trouble up here.’
Maddie half turned towards the back door but she still didn’t leave. She looked her up and down.
‘You still have my number from before?’
‘Yes.’ Grace nodded.
‘I assume you still don’t have a phone. We talked about the phone box during the day or a neighbour. You can get hold of me.’
‘Okay.’
‘But if it’s an emergency, if you think it’s all getting out of hand, you press that button, okay? And someone will be straight out. He won’t even know how — we’ll tell him a neighbour must have called it in.’
‘Okay.’ Grace nodded. She managed a weak smile. ‘Thanks,’ she said.
* * *
Maddie spoke first but waited until they were some way down the drive.
‘So there you are . . . the classic victim. I just hope she sees sense before he seriously hurts her. Did you see her face when she shifted on that chair?’ Maddie stopped at the pavement.
HE WILL KILL YOU an absolutely gripping crime thriller with a massive twist Page 7
