by Carla Kovach
I half-heartedly try one more time and it flicks the phone. I do it again and it lands on the side of my face. As I get my phone into position, I go to turn it on but it stays blank. It’s out of charge. The lounge window smashes and I hear a whooshing sound. Fire crackling. I’m stuck. My life flashes before my eyes. Both me and the evidence I have secreted in my pocket are about to go up in flames. I’ve never sobbed so hard. What else can I do but let out a loud hopeless cry? Will the neighbours save me if they hear or will they sit out there and watch with smug grins on their faces? I imagine Lara laughing as the house burns to soot. It’s over. He will get away with his crimes and I’m going to… I can’t think about my end right now. I close my eyes and just lie here hoping that it will be over quickly. I hear flames licking the living room furniture and I wonder how long I have before it spreads to me.
Forty
With Frank due for his interview at the station at any minute, Gina knew it was safe to visit the Meegans’ cottage to speak to Sandra, alone. The wipers scraped another torrent of rain from the car window as she pulled up. Gutters were gurgling and there was no one crowding around the house anymore. No reporters and no protesters. The street was deserted due to bad weather. Drains filled as a stream of water gathered against the pavement, flowing downwards where it had started to settle on the waterlogged green.
Leaving the car, Gina made a run down the garden path and hurried to the canopy over the front door then she knocked. The acrid smell caught her nostrils. Smoke. She lifted the letter box up and peered through and saw a burst of orange. The cottage was on fire. She snatched her phone from her pocket. ‘This is DI Gina Harte. Ambulance, fire service and police backup at thirteen Oak Tree Walk.’ As she filled the operator in, she lifted the letter box again; the smell of accelerant thick in the air. ‘Hello. Mrs Meegan?’
A murmur came from the kitchen. She was in there. Gina slammed her body against the door but it wouldn’t budge. She stepped onto the grass and peered through the smoky kitchen window and banged. Rain trickled down her face and almost immediately drenched her hair. She saw the tip of a tea towel flick up. Mrs Meegan was on the floor. That was a signal if ever there was one. Gina grabbed a plant pot and smashed it through the kitchen window, knocking out all the excess glass from around the edges. Removing her raincoat, she used it to brush away the glass and line the bottom of the ledge with it before hoisting her body up. Slithering head first onto the kitchen sink, she grabbed the tap and managed to drag her body in further until she could get a knee through the window. She almost choked on the thickness of the smoke. There wasn’t much time. She rolled and fell onto the stone tiled floor, knocking the wind out of her lungs. Gasping, she reached around in the smoke until she could feel an arm. Now was not the time to slow down.
Eyes stinging, she grappled around, grabbing the cooker handle to help her up but instead the cooker opened, sending her stumbling back to the floor. Getting onto all fours first, she managed to stand. Pain flashed through her side where she’d landed and she felt a trickle of wetness coming from her cheek. That’s when she saw Mrs Meegan’s outline. Although coughing, she managed to shout the woman’s name but there was no response. ‘Mrs Meegan? Sandra?’ Still no answer.
Gina grabbed the woman under the arms and tried to pull her along the floor towards the hall. The easiest way would be to get out the front door but flames were licking the walls, devouring everything along the way. Gina filled the jug on the draining board with cold water and poured it over Mrs Meegan. Anything to deter the flames from catching her clothes. The cracking and crunching of fire reached for the bannister as Gina dragged the woman further, narrowly missing the fire’s smouldering fingers that reached for them. A sickness passed through her as she inhaled another lungful of smoke. Dry heaving and retching, she finally reached the front door and flung it open, falling out. That’s when she took the hand that was held out. ‘I’m fine, help Mrs Meegan.’
Jim Berry stared at the woman as if he hated her but he got a little closer and grabbed one of her arms before trying to drag her over the threshold. Gina leaned into the hall on her knees to help him while Jim grabbed the woman’s other arm. As they got her to safety on the garden path, a crackling bang filled the kitchen and a lick of a flame almost reached the front door. Dragging Mrs Meegan along the rain-drenched path, Gina knew they were safely far enough away. She lay the woman down and felt for a pulse.
‘Here, take this.’ Jim passed his anorak to Gina, which she placed over the woman. That’s when she heard sirens in the background. Help was on its way.
‘Could you look out for the fire engine and ambulance and wave them down?’ Jim nodded and walked to the edge of the path, looking out.
‘I have it…’ Mrs Meegan’s face contorted in pain. Her voice barely coming out as she spoke.
‘What do you have?’ Gina placed her ear close to Sandra’s mouth.
The woman was trying to wriggle but Gina could see her hand reaching for her pocket. ‘Take it.’
Gina reached in and pulled out the photos and a memory stick that were safely nestled in the woman’s pocket as she wiped the blood from her face. Sitting in the rain, she coughed and coughed until she could cough no more. ‘Mrs Meegan,’ she spluttered. The woman didn’t answer and her head flopped to the side. As the ambulance and fire truck pulled up, she beckoned them over and lay back in the rain, exhausted but relieved that they finally had something to arrest Frank Meegan on. A sadness washed over her. Mrs Meegan had suffered enough with her accident and being married to Frank, now this. She shook her head and stood, feeling slightly wobbly. A paramedic ran over and began holding something to her cut. ‘It’s just a scratch. I’m fine.’ And she was. There was no way she was going to hospital or anywhere for a check-up. She had photographic evidence in her hand and yet another crime scene to deal with. She stared up at the cottage as a firefighter began to spray water at the flames.
PC Smith got out of his car and ran over. ‘What happened here?’
‘Arson. That’s what happened. When I arrived, I could smell accelerant. The fire started at the back of the house. It was coming from the lounge when I arrived. The garden and the route to it will need sealing off and Bernard will need to be called.’ A coughing fit took over and she dry heaved.
‘You okay? Shall I get a paramedic?’
She waved her arm. ‘No, I’m good. I need to get back to the station right now while they have Frank Meegan there.’ She grabbed her phone and called in the evidence she had, taking photos on her phone and sending them through straight away. Frank Meegan was not leaving tonight. ‘Have you got an evidence bag?’
PC Smith ran to the police car and opened the boot before returning with a bag. ‘Here you go.’
She placed the memory stick inside and sealed it. ‘I need to see what’s on this now. Wait here for Bernard and keep me updated. There might just be enough evidence on this to send Meegan down for a long time.’
Forty-One
Gina removed her shirt and grabbed an old blouse that hung on the back of her office door. The smell of smoke was making her icky. There was a knock at her door. ‘Gina.’ Briggs burst in. She didn’t even try to cover up her bra. He’d seen it all before. Instead, she reached for her deodorant and rolled the stick under her arms.
‘Sir.’ She smiled. ‘Any news on Sandra Meegan?’
‘She’s suffering from smoke inhalation and has had a sedative but she’s alive because of you.’
‘Sedative, typical. I wanted to speak to her. I guess it will have to wait until tomorrow but she’s okay. That’s good news.’ She coughed into a tissue then pulled her clean blouse on. ‘That’s better. I know I stink but I’m not leaving until I’ve seen what’s on that memory stick. Has Frank been arrested?’
‘Jacob read him his rights as soon as you got that message over to us. He’s not going anywhere tonight. One of the photos you sent us was of all of the teens dancing around and it just happens that they were wearing the same
clothes in that photo as when they came in and had their interviews the next morning. That photo was of the Saturday night or early Sunday morning. Meegan didn’t even try to deny it. It’s just a shame that his house has gone up in flames. We might never know the true extent of what he’s been up to.’
‘We can thank Mrs Meegan for what we do have. She’d dragged herself into the kitchen and found the photos and memory stick and she passed them to me outside the house, knowing that they would help us. Right, now that we have Meegan in custody, let’s see what’s on that stick. The photos are great but I want more before we present the case to the CPS.’
There was no way she was going to risk the Crown Prosecution Service not pressing ahead with a charge if they got all the evidence in order. The only thing that would add the cherry on top would be a full confession.
‘Did you get checked over?’
‘I’m fine. It was just a bit of smoke. I feel much better now I’ve had some fresh air. I really wasn’t in the house that long.’
‘I’m not on about the smoke, I’m on about that cut on your cheek and the other one on your arm.’
She shrugged. ‘They’re not that deep. I must have scratched myself when I smashed the window and climbed in.’ She glanced at the mirror again. Blood had seeped out of the plaster she had put on. ‘I’ll grab a new plaster from first aid. It’ll be fine.’
‘Okay.’
New plaster on wounds and drink in hand, Gina hurried to the incident room where Briggs was sitting in front of a computer. ‘Let’s do this, then I want you to go home, have a shower and rest up until tomorrow.’
She grabbed a biscuit from an open pack and crunched away hoping it would take the burning taste away from her throat.
‘I mean it. You’re under a lot of stress with the case and the messages. We both are and I need you fresh on it again in the morning. Do you want me to bring some food over later? I know you, you’ll eat a chunk of cheese and a few crisps and call that dinner.’
She stared at him for a minute as she crunched away. ‘Yes. Come over, bring a takeaway and we’ll work. Another set of eyes might just be what’s needed.’ She stared into the corner of the room.
‘What?’
‘I can’t stop thinking about what Hannah has to say and those messages… I don’t want to be alone tonight. If I’m going down—’
‘Shh.’ He placed his finger on her lips. ‘No one is going down,’ he said in a whisper as he looked around to make sure they were alone.
She continued her sentence. ‘Let me finish. If I’m going down, I want to spend my last few days with you.’ A tear began to spring down her cheek as reality sunk in. Warmth radiated between them. She wanted to grip him hard and sob, and she knew he wanted to hold her too, but that wasn’t going to happen right now.
‘Later.’ He placed what would have looked like a friendly hand on her arm to anyone entering.
She smiled and wiped her eye as they glanced at the screen. He opened the first file on the memory stick, not one of them was named. ‘Bingo.’
‘This is sick.’ After letting the video run for a few seconds, Gina looked away. She did not want to see Jordan and Naomi having sex. ‘Next one.’
‘That’s Leah.’
They watched as Leah stared into the bushes almost like she was staring into the camera. ‘Who’s there?’ the girl slurred as she stumbled while struggling to pull her knickers up. ‘Oscar, stop being a dick and come out. If you’re spying on me, I’ll kill you.’
‘She looks docile, like she’s struggling to walk. She was on something. Either that or she’s absolutely hammered. Look, she’s losing her balance.’ Leah stumbled to the ground.
The camera moved in closer until it was almost upon her. ‘Who are you?’ Then it flicks off and that is the end of the clip.
Gina looked away. ‘Looks like he’s our new number one suspect. I just wish that his wife hadn’t covered for him in the first place, we might have saved Jordan.’ She felt a rage building up inside her. Clenching her fist, she banged it down on the desk. ‘He should still be alive and we let this man slip through on the word of his wife.’
‘You didn’t have enough evidence to bring him in.’
‘We should have done something. Set up surveillance, I don’t know. Anything. I’ve stuffed up. The press are going to be all over us.’
‘There’s one way to make things a bit better.’
‘Really.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘I don’t see how.’
‘Let’s get the case in order. Collate all the evidence and go through everything again to be certain. Speak to Mrs Meegan again in the morning and get a watertight case together to present to the CPS, all before tomorrow evening. We can do this.’
She smiled. ‘We will do this.’ If this was her last case, she was going out on a high. ‘Bring a Chinese takeaway tonight, okay?’
‘Yes. Consider it done.’ Her gaze remained on his until Jacob and O’Connor entered.
O’Connor pushed the end of a pasty into his mouth and placed a tray of them on the table. ‘Something from Mrs O. She thought we’d need some sustenance.’
‘Not for me, Harry,’ Gina said as she patted her stomach. The last thing she wanted to do was ruin her evening with Briggs by filling up on a pasty. ‘Watching my figure.’
He shrugged. ‘More for the rest of us. Great result.’
‘It’s not in the bag yet. Wait. Do you see what I see?’
‘What is it?’ Briggs leaned in a little closer and O’Connor stood behind her.
‘In this video, Leah’s top is slouching over her shoulder. See the side of her breast? The faint bite mark is there. Whoever killed her didn’t bite her and we know she had sex, but with who? We need Meegan’s DNA tested against the sample. Maybe something happened earlier in the evening too?’ Gina carefully removed the memory stick from the computer and held it up. ‘It may look like it’s in the bag but I know there’s more to this case and I’m going to unearth what those kids are hiding.’
Forty-Two
Hair dripping wet, Gina went into her room and sat on the edge of her bed. Having a shower had made her feel a little more human again but the smell still lingered up her nose, like it was ingrained in her. The cut on her cheek was raw and burned. She wondered if an infection was building up. The angry red outline stood out on her pale skin, pale from the shock of what the day had brought. She tilted the mirror away, not wanting to look any closer. She dabbed at her sores again with a tissue.
Her phone began to ring and Hannah’s name flashed up. ‘Hannah.’
‘Mum, I get home from work and I have like twenty missed calls. What the hell?’
‘I need to speak to you.’
‘I said we’d speak on Sunday when I come and see you. I can’t talk to you on the phone and Greg’s just pulled up.’
‘Why, Hannah? Why on earth can’t you just tell me what’s going on? I’m beside myself with worry.’
Hannah paused.
‘Hannah?’
An uncomfortable silence passed between them.
‘I’m worried.’
‘So am I, Mum. Really frigging worried.’
‘Please talk to me. Do you know anything about messages that have been sent to one of my colleagues?’
Hannah paused far too long to be convincing if she said no. ‘What?’
Gina’s brow furrowed and she heard Gracie yelling in the background as Greg walked in and mumbled something to his daughter.
‘Have to go,’ came Hannah’s chirpy answer before the call ended. Whatever Hannah had to say, Greg wasn’t privy to it and it was so serious Hannah couldn’t speak about it on the phone. Someone knows what Gina did and they have told Hannah, now Hannah wants to have it out with her. Gina’s mind whirled. It had to be Terry’s misogynist brother, Stephen, or maybe his deluded mother, Hetty, who had no idea how violent and abusive her precious Terry was. But… how on earth would either of them get hold of Briggs’s number? She threw her phone onto the pi
llow and grabbed her hair, pulling a few strands out as she roared in frustration. Her days as a free woman were seriously numbered. Lying to everyone around her was one thing, but her daughter. If Hannah were to come out and ask what happened on the night her father died, could Gina stick with the same story she’d shared over the years? Everything would come out and Gina didn’t know if she had the strength to deny it any longer. Keeping secrets is mentally exhausting and it eats away at you, bit by bit, until you no longer recognise who you are. Gina turned the mirror to face her again and stared long and hard. Who was she?
She pressed the Twitter app and looked at the chain of tweets that contained the last menacing tweet. An account made up of random numbers had just made a post. Three broken hearts. She refreshed and then it vanished.
A car pulled up on her drive. She ran down the stairs knowing what little time she may have left needed to be used wisely and there was something she needed right now, more than anything. Opening the door, Briggs greeted her with a takeaway bag. She dropped it on the floor and dragged him in by his collar, pressing her lips hard onto his in the hallway as she pushed the door closed.
He went to speak but she held her hand over his mouth. She didn’t want to hear a single thing that would take this moment away. ‘Don’t say a word,’ she whispered in his ear.
They made their way into the lounge, leaving a trail of clothes behind them, desperately grabbing each other, stopping at nothing.
When you can’t see a future, you take what you have right now. That is exactly what she was doing and she was going to enjoy every moment before her world came crashing down.
Forty-Three
Wednesday, 4 August
