by Helen Harper
‘That’s a matter of perspective,’ Theo said from the opposite side of the barrier.
I looked at him. ‘Do you want to try and stop me too?’ I asked. ‘Because I’m hunting down a killer so I have no qualms about wrapping you up like a Christmas present, just like them.’
He smiled. ‘I’m fine as I am, thank you.’ He glanced at the two fallen werewolves. ‘But you know what I will do?’ he said softly. ‘I’ll stand here and keep guard for the wolves while they’re incapacitated. After all, we all live in this community and there is a killer on the loose.’
I watched him. He might have been amused by the situation but there wasn’t a trace of guile in his expression. ‘You’re a good man,’ I said finally.
‘Remember to tell Monroe and Julian that when all this is over,’ he murmured.
‘Done,’ I promised.
I paid scant attention to the furious glares emanating from the magically trussed-up wolves. That’s what you got when you messed with the enchantress.
Anna and I scooted past the barricade. I avoided the temptation to stroll down the street as if I were starring in an old Western film and made the sensible decision to stick to the shadows along the edge of the buildings. It wasn’t worth garnering unwanted attention if we could help it. We trotted past the makeshift shops and the scattered bars, including the Blood and Bones, and headed across the square. I hoped that Maggie was still being kept there, or there might be problems.
Tripping up the steps and pushing open the door, I pulled back my shoulders and acted for all the world like I was supposed to be there. I had permission; I was allowed. There were a few people scattered around but none of them paid Anna or me any attention. In fact, we made it all the way to the room where Maggie was being kept before we were challenged.
‘I’ve got this,’ Anna said to me when a pair of green eyes narrowed in our direction and Felicity, the unyielding werewolf, started forward. ‘Besides,’ she added, ‘I can’t let you have all the fun.’
I grinned.
‘I’m Anna Jones,’ she said, striding forward with her hand outstretched. ‘I’m investigating the killings from the southern side and I have a few questions for Maggie.’
‘You’re not supposed to be here,’ Felicity snapped. ‘Do you think I’m stupid just because I’m a wolf? The order went out hours ago and it’s not been rescinded. Whoever you are and why ever you’re here, you’re in the wrong place.’ She pointed at me. ‘She is most definitely not supposed to be here.’
‘I’m a police officer,’ Anna began.
‘Not here you’re not.’ Felicity crossed her arms. ‘Not now. But if you want to talk to Maggie, go ahead. But don’t hurt her. She’s been through enough as it is.’
My mouth dropped open and Felicity gave a short, unfriendly laugh. ‘Do you know why humans aren’t allowed here any more?’ she asked. ‘It’s because there’s a chance that the rest of us supernatural beings won’t be able to control ourselves. That we’ll let the magic get the better of us and we’ll attack or even kill you without provocation.’
‘It’s just a theory,’ I managed, still unsure what was really going on inside Felicity’s head.
‘And a stupid one at that,’ she snorted. ‘Magic won’t overpower me. It won’t change who I am. Nothing will force me into shifting and attacking you. If I do that, it’s because I choose to do it. I don’t like vampires. I think they’re vicious, nasty creatures who don’t belong here, but that doesn’t mean I’ll hurt any of them. I’m not a monster and I can control my own urges. Besides,’ she added, ‘you’re the enchantress. If you want to protect yourself, I’m sure you’re more than capable.’
I frowned. ‘I thought wolves always followed orders and maintained the hierarchy, no matter what.’
‘Maybe more than one thing around here is changing,’ she said with a crooked smile. She turned on her heel and started walking away. ‘I’ve not seen you. I don’t know where you are.’
Well, well, well. I watched her go before exchanging a baffled glance with Anna then opening the door into Maggie’s cell. I could only pray that we were going to get some answers.
Maggie was still chained up but she appeared considerably healthier than before. There was a glow to her cheeks and her thick dark hair looked shiny, giving the impression that she’d taken a long shower with some expensive conditioner. When she clocked Anna and me, she seemed surprised but not overly dismayed. That was a good start.
‘Hey,’ I said softly. ‘Remember me?’
‘I’m not likely to forget.’ She glanced behind me, no doubt expecting Monroe or Julian to stride in after us. When it was clear we were alone, I could tell her interest – and her trepidation – was piqued. ‘What can I do for you?’
Softly, softly, Charley. ‘Have you been treated well?’
She shrugged, making her chains rattle. ‘I can’t complain.’
‘Are the restraints necessary?’ Anna enquired.
‘Don’t ask me,’ Maggie said. ‘I only work here.’ She curved her mouth into a smile as if she were merely telling a light-hearted, albeit not very funny, joke. When we didn’t chuckle, her smile disappeared and she sighed. ‘I can’t be trusted. I can’t even trust myself.’
I stepped close to her then sat down cross-legged and within her reach. Not only did it bring me down to her level, it also indicated a level of trust on my part. I didn’t think Maggie would attack me and I was willing to prove it.
‘I’m DI Jones,’ Anna said. I turned my head to look at her and she shrugged. ‘I’ve given myself a promotion. I think I’m entitled.’
I wasn’t about to argue. ‘Why stop at Detective Inspector? Why not go for Commissioner?’
‘Too much paperwork,’ she said, without a trace of irony. ‘Now, Maggie, we would like to ask you a few questions, if you’re willing.’
Maggie’s eyes shifted between the two of us. ‘Sure. I’ve gone over it several times, though. I’m not sure there’s anything new I can tell you.’
‘It’s not the incident itself that we’re interested in,’ Anna said. ‘It’s what was happening before.’ She paused. ‘With you and your state of mind.’
For the first time Maggie looked faintly nervous. ‘Oh yes?’
Anna pressed ahead. ‘How have you been finding the aftermath of the apocalypse?’
Maggie shifted uneasily. ‘It’s great,’ she said unconvincingly. ‘I have a lot more strength than I used to. My wolf responds to the magic in the air. She likes it.’
I found it interesting that she separated herself from her werewolf form. I’d not heard Monroe do that.
‘Mmm-hmm.’ Anna nodded. ‘So everything’s hunky-dory? Couldn’t be better?’
Maggie’s tongue darted out to wet her lips. ‘Yes.’
Anna didn’t say anything. Neither did I. The silence stretched out until I could almost see the prickles of discomfort across Maggie’s skin.
‘Well,’ she said eventually, ‘it’s not perfect. I mean, nothing ever is, right?’
I leaned back and rested my weight on my hands.
Maggie swallowed. ‘I’d never been to Manchester before the apocalypse. I’d never spent much time in a city. Our pack is from the countryside. We lived near a forest and hills and…’ She looked away. ‘Not buildings and roads. I know the city here is virtually empty but it’s still different.’ Her hand went to her throat. ‘Sometimes it can be quite constricting.’
‘Did you talk to anyone about how you were feeling? I understand that wolf packs can be quite close knit.’
‘They are. Of course they are. My pack is my family – they mean everything to me.’ Her voice was so fervent that I couldn’t help wondering who she was trying to convince. She seemed to realise that herself because her body sank slightly. ‘But it’s not always good to show weakness. We have to be strong. There are a lot of nasty creatures out there. If we don’t put on a strong front, they could take advantage.’
I suspected she was talking
about the vampires within the barricades of Monroe’s north rather than the magical beasties who lived outside its limits.
‘So,’ I probed, ‘you didn’t talk to anyone in your pack about feeling a bit … claustrophobic?’
‘It wasn’t claustrophobia.’ She glared, although it seemed to be directed at herself rather than at me. ‘The magic makes us strong but it’s also an unknown quantity. What if we come to rely on it too much and then it vanishes? What if there’s another magical surge and it overtakes us? We have a balance right now but things might not stay that way.’
‘There’s a lot to worry about,’ I said quietly.
‘Yeah.’ Her head dropped. ‘I wasn’t feeling right. I couldn’t sleep.’ She touched her temples. ‘I’ve been getting headaches. I’ve been…’ she struggled for the right words ‘…just not right.’
I wanted to hug her, and I probably would have if Anna hadn’t spoken up. There was a reason why she was the professional and I was the amateur. ‘It must be really hard. Is there anyone else you’ve been able to talk to? Maybe not in your pack. Maybe you found someone outside your pack. Someone who’s not a werewolf.’
Maggie’s expression changed almost imperceptibly. It wasn’t much, merely a faint tightening around the corners of her mouth, but it was enough. I knew we had her and I knew we were on the right track.
Anna knew it too. ‘Maggie?’ she asked gently. ‘Was there someone you found to talk to?’
Maggie balled up her fists and her knuckles whitened. ‘I’m not ashamed of it,’ she declared defiantly. ‘I’m not ashamed of going to therapy. It’s better to talk things through, to get help when you need it. It takes a strong person to ask for help. It’s not a weakness.’
I did my best to batten down my exultation at her admission. ‘No,’ I said. ‘Asking for help is not a weakness. Going to therapy is a good idea.’
Maggie blinked. Perhaps she’d expected us to laugh at her.
This was what we’d come to. By focusing on physical rather than emotional survival, we’d allowed this to happen. We’d allowed this bastard of a counsellor to sneak in and destroy our house of cards. We should have known better. All of us.
‘Maggie,’ Anna said, ‘who was the therapist you saw? Who did you talk to?’
‘A human guy,’ she muttered. ‘I didn’t want someone who lived here and I found a human guy who had a lot of experience. He was nice. Gentle. We met at an abandoned café in the city centre, not far from the Travotel.’
My bubble burst. We weren’t looking for a man. The bogles had been certain that Craig Featherstone’s companion was female. This couldn’t be another dead end, it just couldn’t be. Unfortunately it seemed that it was.
‘He knew what he was doing,’ Maggie said, registering my expression. ‘He was great at hypnotherapy!’
I stopped breathing. Anna knelt down beside me and fixed her eyes on Maggie. ‘This is important,’ she said. ‘Who is he? What’s his name?’
‘I don’t know his last name,’ she said. ‘I just called him Albert.’
‘White hair? Bushy eyebrows?’
Maggie nodded.
‘He’s quite old,’ Anna said, half to herself and half to me. ‘He won’t have a lot of physical strength. He’d need help if he wanted to actually hurt someone. Or kill them.’
‘What?’ Maggie squeaked.
I exchanged a look with Anna. ‘Sometimes,’ I said quietly, ‘he wears a kilt which, in the darkness, could be mistaken for a skirt. He could be mistaken for a woman.’ Then I thought of something else and I could have slapped myself. ‘He was there.’ I swore. ‘When I told Julie about Nimue the mermaid, Albert was there too.’ I slammed my hand onto the floor.
‘I think,’ Anna said, ‘we’ve found our guy.’
Chapter Twenty-Six
Albert was just one man – and a man in his seventies, at that. For all the power that he’d wielded over others, he wouldn’t be a physical match for Anna or me. All the same, we approached the café where he held his sessions stealthily. Although it was in a central location, it was tucked away down one of the side streets where there was less chance of any passers-by growing too curious.
It bothered me that the café’s door openly displayed a poster that included the outline of a man with a swirl for a brain. I might not have passed directly in front of it but I’d been in the vicinity of this place on more than one occasion in the last few days.
Anna produced a baton and a set of handcuffs. ‘You should let me handle this,’ she advised. ‘Unless he tries any freaky magic hypnotherapy stuff. Then you can let rip with your own powers.’
Somehow I doubted that Albert worked like that. I reckoned his clients were in a relaxed state and entirely willing to be hypnotised. He’d need a calm and therapeutic atmosphere in which to start; it wouldn’t be something he’d spring upon the unsuspecting. Then again, who knew what people were capable of these days?
I nodded agreement. With any luck, we’d bring Albert to his knees with a minimum of fuss. I knew that Monroe would be jealous I’d done this without him, but that was his fault for trying to shut me out.
Anna reached for the door handle. I drew in a deep breath. A moment later, she shoved open the door and started yelling, ‘Police! Nobody move!’
It wasn’t so long since Manchester had been turned on its head that we’d forgotten all our old habits. If Albert – and indeed anyone else – had been inside, they would have either frozen or made a run for it. When we burst in, however, nothing happened and nobody moved because nobody was there.
Anna sprang towards the back, checking both the kitchen and the small toilet. She came out shaking her head. I let out an inarticulate yell of frustration and kicked at a coffee table, sending the books on top of it onto the floor. Then I sat down on an overly-squishy sofa and was almost swallowed up by the cushions.
‘He’s probably at home,’ Anna said. ‘It’ll be easier to nab him in the south than it would be here. He’ll have nowhere to run to, and our own community will back us up.’
‘Yeah.’ I scratched my nose. Anna was right. ‘I just wanted to get him here and now, you know? To maybe even catch him in the act.’ I struggled to sit up again and gazed round the room. Inspirational posters covered the walls. There was the heady yet calming scent of lavender. This was a space designed to put someone at ease. It was the sort of space you’d want to go to if you opted for therapy. That made me all the more angry. ‘He’s supposed to be helping people,’ I ground out.
‘I know.’ Anna was considerably calmer than I was. ‘We’ll get him, Charley. Don’t worry. In less than two hours’ time, he’ll be in custody.’
I nodded and pushed myself to my feet, my toes kicking one of the fallen books as I did so. A scrap of paper underneath it caught my eye and I knelt down to pick it up.
My blood chilled when I read what was on there. It was a list of names. And vulnerabilities.
Valerie. Lonely. Desperate for male attention.
Philip. Scared. Desires blood.
Margaret. Feels trapped. Dislikes vampires.
Craig. Impotent. Wants to feel powerful.
Mermaid. Unknown.
There was another name at the bottom of the list. My eyes swam when I saw it and my insides clenched.
Monroe. Grieving. Guilty. Afraid of losing control.
Wordlessly, I passed the paper to Anna. She scanned it and her face whitened. ‘Monroe went out,’ she said.
I nodded, unable to speak.
‘They didn’t know where he was going.’
I nodded again.
‘Would he have come here?’ she asked. ‘Would he have sought out Albert?’
My chest was rising and falling with increasing speed. I’d only ever felt true fear like this once before. I thought about all that Monroe and I had discussed over the last few days, and nodded at Anna for a final time.
She exhaled. ‘Okay,’ she said. ‘Okay. Neither of them are here now. We need to assume that they�
��re together and that Albert is planning something. We have to work out where they might have gone.’
My mind flailed, panic fluttering across my bones. That wouldn’t help: it didn’t help me save Joshua, and it wouldn’t help me save Monroe. I squeezed my eyes shut and allowed myself three seconds of outright, blood-trembling terror. Then I opened my eyes and straightened my shoulders.
‘He started at the Travotel,’ I said, my voice clear. ‘But he was surprised when the alarm went off and had to make a run for it with Philip in tow. He wouldn’t try there again.’
‘Philip died at the casino.’ Anna pursed her lips. ‘That was neutral ground. It would be safer. Albert could have used Philip’s own home without worrying about any of the northern guards or other vampires, but he was probably nervous after the Travotel experience. He wanted somewhere he could control.’
‘Except,’ I said slowly, ‘he took Craig to Boggart Hole. Or at least he tried to.’
‘He didn’t bank on the bogles being there too,’ Anna mused. ‘Until Alora showed up screaming her head off, only you and Monroe knew the bogles were there. You’re right, though. Unless he’d visited Boggart Hole before, he couldn’t have controlled an open-air environment in the same way as the casino. That was proved when he messed up there, just like he did at the Travotel. He’ll be looking for somewhere else enclosed. Somewhere else he can control.’ She met my eyes. ‘The pair of them could be anywhere. I don’t know how we can find them in time to stop whatever is about to go down.’
I pinched the bridge of my nose. ‘What you’re saying should make sense but the casino was linked to Valerie. Maybe he chose that location as nothing more than a nod to her.’
‘Either way,’ Anna said, ‘he’s not going to be stupid enough to go there again.’
‘Perhaps not. But the Albert I know is gruff and cantankerous and likes to have things his own way. He doesn’t appreciate failure. He failed with Maggie to an extent because she’s still alive. He must have wanted her to die too. But she’s also out of his reach now – and she wasn’t his only screw-up. He also failed with location. He didn’t reach Nimue before the bogles got in his way. This time he has Monroe with him, who’s been there before and knows where to go. If Monroe is truly under Albert’s spell, he’ll be able to direct him towards Boggart Hole while avoiding the bogles’ neighbourhood. Albert will get a second shot at Nimue and bring Monroe down at the same time.’
