Chapter 67

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

T om was getting frustrated. There had been nothing at all that would lead them to The Vigilante and now the chief had called a meeting.

‘I'm under real pressure here. Have we got nothing at all?' he asked the team.

‘We're presuming he's local,' said Matt. ‘Perhaps we should be looking further afield.'

‘Where exactly?' asked Tom, and Beth recognised the irritation in his voice. They were feeling the pressure, especially after what had happened with Luke. The villagers had lost faith in the officers of Stonesend and Beth couldn't blame them. It was worse for Tom. It seemed to them that trouble had been running amok in their village since he returned.

Laine's parents were talking to the newspapers, expressing their disappointment at the police's lack of progress, and Chief Lewis was constantly on their backs. The vigilante had been on the run for too long in everyone's opinion. He needed to be caught.

‘The news of a bent copper has not helped,' he growled at Beth and Tom. ‘How the hell did that happen? It took a constable to figure it out, Jesus! What the hell were the rest of you doing?'

Beth had lowered her head, knowing she'd been so focused on Ben and his baby and Tom returning to the division that she'd overlooked things that had been clearly under her nose.

‘I don't think the person who killed Laine was The Vigilante,' said Ana.

The room turned silent, and all eyes turned on her.

‘What makes you think that?' asked Tom, surprised. ‘I thought the girl, Frankie, told you it was him.'

Ana shook her head. ‘She said it was a man wearing a balaclava. That doesn't have to mean it was The Vigilante. Anyone can wear a balaclava. If it was The Vigilante, why didn't he kill Laine with his machete? Secondly, all The Vigilante cards have been signed The Vigilante. This one was signed Vigilante . Why suddenly change his signature sign-off?'

Matt leaned across to her. ‘Good thinking, Sherlock.'

‘He could have panicked,' said Tom.

‘I don't think he's the type to panic,' disagreed Ana.

‘So you're saying we're looking for two people. The Vigilante and the person who killed Laine Lees?'

‘Yes,' said Ana with certainty.

‘But it began as an accident,' said Beth. ‘Maybe his original intention wasn't to kill her, but when she fell–'

‘He gave her a large dose of Rohypnol,' said Ana.

‘We don't know how that got into her body,' argued Tom. ‘Anyone at the fair could have spiked her drinks several times.'

‘No one else has complained of their drinks being spiked,' said Matt. ‘So, it would be odd if she were the only one.'

Ana smiled at him gratefully. ‘It was an exceptionally high dose,' she said.

Tom sighed and looked at the board with Laine's photo and all the information they had gathered.

‘Right, question the social worker again and her friend Jassy. Laine was blackmailing someone. The question is who? That's our main focus, and remember that The Vigilante and the murderer may not be the same person. Have you had any luck with the DNA?'

‘There were loads. She would have had contact with lots of people. One match that came up on the data was her brother. He was done for nicking a car once. But he was in a fight and being watched by us, so it wasn't him,' said Beth.

As chairs began to scrape back, Tom quickly added, ‘There will be a lot of speculation in the village about Luke Carpenter. Everyone knew him. The correct answer is "No comment". It's bad enough that the local rag is making the most of the case coming to court next month.'

Everyone nodded.

‘He was a good copper,' someone said, looking directly at Ana.

Ana met his eyes and said, ‘No one is above the law,' before leaving the station with Matt.

That night, Ana sat on her couch, the bottle of wine she'd bought earlier staring at her from the coffee table like the devil himself, tempting her to commit what to her would be the worst sin.

Tomorrow was the dinner at Sandy's, or was it Sarah's? She could never remember her name. Except now it would be a barbeque, and a few other people had been invited. She couldn't imagine getting through it without a few drinks first.

‘DI Miller is coming,' Beth had said. ‘And my brother-in-law has invited his colleague. It should be an interesting and fun evening. Sandy suggested you should bring your bloke Jonny.'

Jonny had agreed, but she'd made him vow not to tell anyone her secret. The problem was, could she trust him?

The prospect of tomorrow evening was the first time she had felt the need for a drink. She'd even considered packing a bag and going home. Right this minute, she could do it. God, how desperate she was to go home, to see all those familiar faces and smell those familiar smells that represented where she truly belonged. She scooped up the wine bottle and emptied its contents down the sink. She'd waited too long for this to blow it all now by falling off the wagon. She was that close, and best of all, he had no idea.

The dress was perfect. It was light, ideal for the humid evening. Ana had chosen it carefully. It took her ages to pin her hair into a French knot because her hands trembled so much. She tipped out the contents of her make-up bag, decided against mascara and applied a small amount of blusher and a touch of lip gloss. Then, finally happy with her appearance, she walked into the living room and re-read the letter confirming the early end of her tenancy. At that moment, the buzzer went.

‘Your carriage awaits,' Jonny said into the intercom.

‘Coming,' she said. She slipped on her shoes, picked up her handbag from the sofa, took a deep breath and opened the door.

‘I can't remember if her name is Sandy or Sarah,' said Ana.

‘It'll work itself out,' Jonny reassured her.

The house was huge. However, Ana considered it probably not that large for Oxford. Back home in Kirby, a place like this would belong to someone very influential or well-known. The driveway was wide enough for four cars. A black Mercedes and a Land Rover sat alongside another vehicle, which Ana recognised as Beth's.

‘I'll park outside,' said Jonny. ‘Leave space for the important people.'

‘What do you mean?' She smiled. ‘I am the important person.' She hoped it would relieve her nerves, but it didn't. To Ana's relief, Beth opened the front door.

‘Love the dress,' said Beth, hugging her warmly.

The desire to flee was so overwhelming that she wasn't aware of Jonny pulling her forward.

‘Thanks for the invitation,' Jonny was saying.

The smell of the barbeque reached Ana's nostrils, and the sound of laughter and clinking of glasses was all too much. God, she was fucking hyperventilating.

‘Hi,' said a bright voice. ‘I'm Sandy. How's your jaw feeling?'

A woman now stood beside Beth. Ana thought she looked like a celebrity with perfectly coiffured hair and bright red fingernails. Her perfume wafted over Ana, and she could tell it was expensive. She was as unlike Beth as anyone could be.

Ana was struggling to breathe. ‘It's better, thank you.'

‘Great. Come through and meet everyone.'

‘Can I use your loo first,' she asked breathlessly.

Sandy directed her to the downstairs toilet, which was as fragrant as her. Ana rummaged shakily through her bag for the Valium she'd brought with her and swallowed two. God, what she wouldn't do for a drink. After taking several deep breaths, she left the loo. The hallway was empty. Boisterous laughter could be heard from the garden. Ana looked at the doors that led off the hallway. Then her eyes locked on the front door. She could run now. Grab her stuff from the flat and be on her way home.

‘Are you lost?' said a voice behind her. Ana felt a tingling in her chest as she turned around. He appeared to be one who had learned how to look confident as a survival skill. One couldn't deny his handsomeness.

Her lips trembled when she smiled. ‘Looking for the garden,' she said.

‘Follow me,' he said in an almost playful tone. ‘I'm Michael, by the way, Michael Rust. Ray's partner at the practice.'

‘Ana,' she said.

He nodded knowingly. ‘Ah, yes, we met briefly. How are you? You looked rather unwell when I last saw you.'

‘Something I'd eaten,' she lied.

‘Well, nothing here should make you ill. No rabbit stew or pigeon pie.' He laughed.

Sandy appeared then. ‘Did I overhear you talking about my cooking?'

‘Only that awful rabbit stew. One of Sandy's clients spends much of her time shooting rabbits, pigeons, and pheasants, of which we get the pleasure of eating.'

Just the thought of a rabbit stew made Ana nauseous.

‘Is she licensed to have a shotgun?' she asked.

Sandy pulled Ana to one side. ‘Honestly, he should know better than to discuss my clients. I visit her at home. I'm a counsellor, by the way. She has a lot of land and needs to keep it under control. So I'm always getting dead rabbits and pigeons. She's quite safe. I have been seeing her for years,' Sandy assured her. ‘She's eccentric but not unstable.'

The noise was getting closer. Where was Jonny? They walked through the living area, which seemed cluttered with toys, out through some French windows and onto a patio where tables and chairs had been laid out.

‘You're from up north,' Michael said. It wasn't a question.

‘Kirby, Liverpool. Do you know it?'

He shook his head. ‘Never had the pleasure.'

Ana shivered, even though it was extremely humid.

At the barbeque were Tom and Raymond Grace. The smell of frying burgers and sausages permeated the air. The garden beyond was immaculate with bursts of colour, from red roses to marigolds and bright orange sunflowers. Ana could hear the hiss of a running sprinkler. To her, it was a dream home.

‘There you are,' said Jonny, taking her by the arm. ‘I thought you'd left me.'

The Valium was kicking in, and at last, she felt she could do this.