The Beth Papadakis Thriller Box Set

by Cara Alexander

  As soon as I’m inside, I pull off the wig.

  Then my phone rings.

  ‘Yes?’

  ‘It's me, Beth.’

  ‘Jane, I'm so glad you called, I forgot to ask you something very important. Did you have tests taken at the station and what happened to the clothes you were wearing, the day it happened?’

  There's a long silence. ‘Jane, are you still there?’

  ‘I didn’t want them,’ she whispers.

  ‘What, the tests?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘What about your clothes?’

  She doesn’t reply. ‘Jane, what about the clothes you had on that day? Where are they?’

  ’I kept them.’

  I can’t believe it, she kept them!

  ‘I waited for mum and dad to go to work at the bakery then I buried them in the garden.’

  I start pacing around the kitchen, pressing the phone tightly to my ear to block out the sound of someone knocking at the door. ‘Can you get them by tomorrow? We need them for forensics.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘Jane, if you have the clothes then we have evidence and we need all the evidence we can get, don’t we?’ I know I’m clutching at straws, I have no idea how it works but we must do something.

  She doesn't reply for a while, probably wondering when she can dig them up without anyone seeing her.

  ‘When my parents go to work, I can do it then,’ she mutters. ‘Do you want to come here, or shall I come to your place?’

  The knocking on the door gets louder. I run and open it. Nick rushes in. ‘You took your time!’ he growls. Then he motions to the phone. ‘Who's that?’

  I put my finger to my lip, he stops talking.

  ‘Jane, can you hold on for a minute.’ I mute the call and turn to Nick. ‘She has the clothes. Shall we collect them from her place, or arrange to meet her somewhere?’

  ‘I don’t know why you’re bothering, if they did the tests.’

  ‘She said she didn’t want the tests, but you can check with forensics, can’t you?’

  He shrugs. ‘Do you still want to collect her clothes?’

  ‘Yes.’

  I sit watching him flick through his phone, then he stops.

  ‘What about 11ish tomorrow, in the pub near the train station in Oxford? I’ll collect you at 11.30, that way she'll get home safely and so will you, and I won't miss my meeting.

  ‘Yes, sounds good.’

  ‘Sorry about that, Jane, I was just talking to DI Stephens, can you meet me tomorrow in the pub next to the train station in Oxford, say around 11.00 in the morning?’

  She says yes, I close my phone and turn to Nick.

  ‘Can you take her clothes to forensics?’

  He nods. ‘But don't get your hopes up, it's been a long time, they might not find anything.’

  I shrug, I’m not the detective, he is. ‘I’ll send you a copy of the recording to use as evidence.’

  He grunts and continues flicking through his phone.

  For the first time in days I feel we're really getting somewhere.

  Then I think of Jane, she withdrew her statement. Would forensics have checked the shed? They must have, it was a crime scene.

  I turn to ask Nick, but he's on his way out of the door.

  ‘Have to get back to work, talk to you later.’

  He closes the door. I go into the kitchen, pour myself a large glass of wine, bung a pizza in the microwave and call Mum.

  19

  BETH & JANE

  The Station Pub

  Oxford

  Nick should have been here ages ago, where is he? Surely he hasn't forgotten us?

  Jane's looking terrified, she just dug up vital evidence from her back garden and thinks someone was watching her.

  ‘Don't worry Jane,’ I mutter, standing up to stretch my legs. ‘Nick must have an emergency, it happens all the time. I'll try one more time, if he doesn't answer, we'll get a cab. Okay?’

  She nods and looks nervously around the pub. It’s lunch time and quite busy now. We’re sitting in a corner away from the bar, but I can tell she’s worried.

  My call goes to voicemail. Maybe he switched his phone off, but why not text me, he could at least let me know if he's coming or not. I try one more time, then I call a cab.

  Twenty minutes later we're pulling up outside her house, she gets out and peers back at me.

  ‘Call me, yes?’

  ‘Of course, and please don't worry Jane.’

  She waves and runs to her house. I watch until she's safely inside, then get the cab driver to take me home. I'm hoping Nick will be there, but the house is empty.

  I run upstairs to his bedroom, he's not there. His room faces the back, mine faces the front. From the window I can see the young officer at the end of the garden. Now I know why Nick was chatting to him on the first day he came here, he knows him from the station.

  Where the hell are you Nick?

  The officer in the front of the house smiles and watches as I get into Mum's car. I sit pretending to be on my phone while watching him through the car mirror. Just as I thought, he's on his phone. Let's hope he's calling Nick. I sit waiting for a call from Nick, but nothing happens. Then I have an idea. The police still haven’t fitted CCTV along our street, I'll give them a call, find out what's happening, then ask if I can speak to Nick.

  A bored-sounding woman answers the phone.

  ‘Hi, this is Beth Papadakis, I was told you would be fitting CCTV in our street but I’m still waiting, can you tell me what's happening, this is very urgent, peoples lives depend on it?’

  ‘Sorry, I can't help. I'll leave a message for someone to get back to you.’

  ‘But this is urgent, there must be someone there I can speak to.’ I can feel myself getting angry and grit my teeth. ‘I want to speak to someone, now!’

  The woman sounds frustrated and tells me to hold on.

  A few minutes later she comes back on the line. ‘Sorry, I've asked around and nobody knows anything about it.’

  ‘But this is ridiculous, someone must know.’

  ‘I'll check with my colleagues, and call you back, what's your number?’

  I feel like screaming but I give her my number, then ask if DI Stephens is there. She says she hasn't seen him. I turn on the ignition and start driving to Evesly. Then I remember the shed. I forgot to ask her if they’d checked for CCTV in the shed.

  I call her back, she sounds annoyed and says she’ll let someone know I called. Before she can hang up, I try one more time. ‘Look this is urgent, I need to know if CCTV is in that shed.’

  I'm driving slowly waiting for her to find out, I don't want to get done for being on the phone while driving. Forensics were all over the place after what happened to me. Nick said this was normal procedure, but did anyone check for CCTV in the shed? All the terrible things that have happened there could be on camera. The shed is on Major Hudson's farm in one of his fields, he was in the army before he became an MP, so wouldn’t he be hot on security?

  The woman’s voice cuts into my thoughts.

  ‘Sorry, I can't access the case file, and even if I could, I'm not allowed to divulge this information over the phone, I suggest you come into the station and speak to someone.’

  ‘But this is urgent!’

  ‘As I said, I’ll leave them a message about the CCTV in your street, and regarding your other question, you’ll have to come into the station.’

  I’m shaking with anger and slow right down. No call from Nick, no text, nobody knows where his is, not even the police. I try his number one more time, no reply.

  Where the hell is he?

  Major Hudson's farm is just a short distance from where I am so I might as well go and see for myself if CCTV is in the shed.

  I drive for a few more minutes till I get to the field where the shed is, I turn off the engine and sit listening. Apart from the sound of birds, there's no sound at all, just an eerie stillness about the place.
/>
  I climb out of the car and walk towards the shed. Suddenly I hear it, a rustling noise, I freeze.

  Nothing happens, it must have been a breeze in the trees. Clenching my teeth, I duck under the police tape and open the door. With the light from my phone I scan the walls and ceiling. Then I hear the sound of a tractor. This is what Jane must have heard. I shiver and quickly leave the shed.

  It’s a lovely warm sunny September day, what the hell am I doing here! I turn to walk back to my car when a flash of light from up in the trees catches my eye. It's probably just the reflection of the sun on something… I turn to leave then it flashes again, it seems to be coming from the tree facing the shed.

  Grabbing hold of a branch, I haul myself up. Mum's black dress is caught on something. I tug it loose, there's a ripping sound, I groan and grip onto another branch.

  The flash comes again, it's above me. I reach up to push the branch away, then stop. Fitted to the tree is a camera.

  The tractor's coming closer, I climb down the tree, slide into Mum's car and quickly drive home.

  A tap on the front door makes me jump, maybe it's Nick. From the hall window I can see the young police officer from the front garden looking at me.

  ‘Sorry to bother you,’ he says when I open the door. ‘I was told to let you know...’

  ‘Nick!’ Oh my God, he’s had an accident, that’s why he didn’t show up.

  ‘Are you alright?’ he asks, frowning.

  ‘Has he… has he had an accident?’

  He looks surprised. ‘No, it's nothing like that. They came and fitted CCTV along the street. It was just after you left, they said to let you know and to say sorry it's late but they’ve been very busy.’

  ‘Does Nick know?’

  ‘I haven't seen him, but he probably knows.’ He gives me a smile then turns and walks down the path.

  Strange, but it makes me feel just a little bit safer knowing CCTV is on our street, maybe what happened to the young officer galvanised them into action, shame they didn’t do it before, it would have saved a lot of grief.

  I feel like a drink but want to keep my wits about me. Then I spot Jane's bag of clothes, they’re still on the kitchen table where I left them. Mum's wardrobe is probably the safest place to hide them, which reminds me, I must call Mum.

  Back in the kitchen I sit flicking through my phone. I call Mum, it goes to voicemail. Where is everyone today? Still no news from Nick and now Mum's not answering.

  There's a tap on the door, I smile and walk to the door expecting to see Nick, but it's not Nick, it's a delivery man with a large white box on wheels. I haven't ordered anything so it must be for Mum.

  ‘Shall I bring it inside?’

  The box is addressed to Mum, she must have forgotten to tell me about it, I wonder what's inside? Maybe a new lamp for the living room, Mum knows her vintage lamp was smashed.

  ‘Yes, can you bring it inside please?’

  He nods and follows me into the hall. The front door slams shut, I turn and something's pressed over my mouth, I stumble and fall, I feel dizzy then everything goes black.

  20

  BETH

  I feel groggy, it's dark. I hear doors slamming.

  Where am I?

  I stretch out my hand but it feels so heavy. I feel myself rolling from side to side. Then I remember the delivery man, the box for Mum. But it wasn’t for her, it was a trap to get me and it worked. My head hurts, I can’t breathe, I must get out of here. My hand travels to the sides of the box, there’s nothing to pull. I wriggle my toes, I can feel my ankle boots, my skirt, my top, where is my phone?

  There’s a tearing sound above me, a shaft of light, then I’m being hauled out of the box. A terrible smelly thing is quickly placed over my eyes. I try to resist but it’s no use. My arms are too heavy. Focus, I must focus, I must get out of here, fast. I try to kick. Someone slaps me hard across the face, I stumble and fall.

  ‘Move.’

  The voice sounds distorted like a Micky Mouse voice.

  I’m pushed, then dragged along, my hand touches something soft, it feels like carpet. Next minute I’m thrown onto something soft, I bounce.

  Someone laughs. ‘What shall I do with her, boss?’

  Their voices sound weird. They must be disguising them.

  ‘You know the procedure, strip her, tie her to the bed face down to begin with.’

  I feel sick, I try to pull away, but it's useless, my legs have no strength, I’ve been drugged but what with?

  I must do something. My head hurts, I start shaking, I can’t stop.

  My clothes.

  I try to shout ‘No’ but a sound like a croak comes out of me.

  Someone laughs and pulls my top off.

  My bra, he’s undoing my bra. I push his hand away. He laughs, slaps me, then my bra is off.

  I try one of my Krav Maga moves but it's no use. I’m slapped again, harder this time.

  I’m forced to lay face down. My wrists are tied with something.

  It's so quiet.

  My skirt is pulled off.

  I can feel someone next to me.

  Suddenly I hear a door crash open.

  ‘Stop, take your hands off her!’

  ‘What are you doing here?’

  ‘Just shut up and get off her.’

  Nick? It's Nick. I'm shaking so hard I can hardly hear what they're saying, there's a lot of mumbling then someone unties me and picks me up.

  A door closes then it’s locked. I’m sat in a chair and that awful smelly thing is taken off my eyes. I cover my breasts with my hands and open my eyes. It’s Nick, but he’s looking at me strangely. His eyes are cold, his face looks like a mask.

  ‘I kept telling you to go,’ he keeps mumbling to himself.

  What’s wrong with him?

  ‘Why didn’t you listen to me?’ he suddenly shouts. ‘You could have gone to Athens, but no, you had to stay here. Now what can I do?’

  ‘Get me out of here of course.’ What on earth is wrong with him? The police must be here but I can’t hear them. He's staring at me, he looks different. My legs feel weak, my mouth's dry. ‘I need a drink Nick.’ He doesn’t move. I look around the room. ‘Where are the rest of the police?’

  ‘Oh Beth, you think you're so clever, but you've got it all wrong.’ He laughs, a nasty sarcastic laugh, his brown eyes are cold and empty, devoid of any feeling. ‘You still don't get it, do you? You always thought I was the nerd.’

  ‘What are you talking about?’ What’s wrong with him? I feel so confused and start shouting. ‘Do something. Get the police.’

  He's staring at me. ‘What am I going to do with you?’ He moves closer, his eyes move down to my body. I’m naked except for my pants and boots.

  ‘Get me out of here,’ I gasp. My hands are clasped tightly over my breasts. Suddenly he grabs me and pushes me onto a large sofa.

  I feel stunned. ‘What the hell are you doing?’

  He’s on top of me, grabbing my breasts. His face is distorted, his eyes are wild like an animal. In desperation I raise my knee and kick him in the shin. He falls off me, then he grabs me. I kick him again, this time in the face. Blood spurts all over me. He stares at me. He looks crazy.

  Someone shouts.

  He freezes for a second, then gets off me, runs to the door, opens it and is gone.

  There’s the sound of a car; it must be him. I go to the door, turn the handle, it’s locked. He locked it. In desperation I search for a door or a window, anything to escape from.

  Then there's a loud bang, like an explosion, followed by screams and shouting.

  I need something to cover me.

  I look around the room, there’s a long red runner on a nearby table, I tug it off and wrap it around me.

  Behind one of the curtains is a small door, I peak out, nobody's there. Gathering the red runner tightly around me I make a dash for it.

  Someone shouts. I try to run faster. I’m nearly out of the house when a side door
opens. It's the police, guns at the ready.

  Someone runs over and wraps a jacket around me. ‘Come on, my car’s outside, let’s get you out of here.’

  The young police officer takes me outside and into her car. As her car pulls away, I can see police running all over the place.

  Then I freeze. I know where I am.

  She suddenly breaks to let a police van through. The doors of the van open and a few seconds later a man is hauled over to the van. He looks up and sees me watching him, his eyes narrow, then he’s pushed inside.

  21

  BETH

  Evesly Police Station

  DCI Thomas comes into the room, sits down and peers at me over his glasses.

  ‘I've had all the tests so can I please go home?’

  ‘It's best not to be alone at a time like this, Beth. Is there someone you can call, someone who can stay with you?’

  I try to speak but nothing comes out, all I can think of is Nick.

  PC Jameson, the young officer sitting next to me, gives me a worried look. ‘Are you okay?’

  I look at her and nod, if she knew what I was thinking she'd be even more worried. ‘I'm okay I just want to go home.’

  DCI Thomas looks at me for a few seconds then turns to PC Jameson.

  ‘Take Beth home, and make sure you go inside with her, there's a constable outside the house and one at the back, she should be safe for tonight.’ Then turning to me he says, ‘I’ll talk to you later, Beth.’

  Fifteen minutes later, we’re pulling up outside Mum’s house.

  ‘Are you sure there isn't someone I can call for you?’ PC Jameson asks, following me inside the house.

  ‘No,’ I mutter, ‘I’m fine.’

  Then I realize I don’t have my mobile. ‘Do you know where my phone is?’ I ask walking over to the kitchen table. ‘I’m sure I had it on me when...’

  I stop and start thinking of the past few hours. An icy cold rush of rage washes over me - I want to kill the bastards.

  The PC gives me a startled look.

  Was I talking aloud?