Killer Plan (20 page)

53

Winning at draughts restored
Ed’s good humour. He was soon laughing at a cartoon on the television while Brian sat quietly, working on a plan. The dead man couldn’t stay in the garden for long. Insects must already have discovered the carcass. They would be busy burrowing into the flesh, depositing eggs. Soon larger urban scavengers would find him, rats and foxes, gnawing and biting him to the bone. Needing the boy’s help meant moving the corpse before it became too unsightly to stomach. He had a vision of decomposing flesh falling apart in their hands as they tried to shift it. The body had to be moved as soon as it was dark. Apart from all the problems decomposition would bring, the longer it stayed where it was, the greater the risk of discovery.

Ed grumbled about going outside again. He wanted to stay and watch television, but Brian couldn’t manage the task without his help.

‘I’m tired,’ Ed protested.

‘You can go to bed as soon as we’re done.’

‘Not that sort of tired.’

He had to promise to buy ice cream on the way home before the boy would budge from his chair.

‘Chocolate ice cream?’

‘Any flavour you like, but we’ll have to hurry or the shops will be shut.’

‘Oh, all right.’

It was chilly outside. He was glad he had given Ed one of his jumpers to wear under his anorak, and a warm pair of gloves. Even so, Ed shivered when he saw the dead body.

‘He looks yucky. Does my dad look like that?’

To Brian’s relief, Ed seemed curious rather than upset.

‘No, he’s nothing like this. Your dad has been taken care of by an undertaker.’

‘What’s an undertaker?’

‘He’s a man who takes care of dead people, and sees them put to rest. Your father’s at rest now. The undertaker made him comfortable so it’s like he’s sleeping peacefully now.’

‘Is an undertaker going to make
him
comfortable?’

He pointed the toe of a dirty trainer at the body.

‘No.’

‘Why not?’

‘Because he’s a bad man.’

‘Did an undertaker take my dad to heaven?’

‘Sort of.’

‘You’re a liar. Heaven doesn’t exist.’

A few flies were crawling across the dead man’s face. Other than that the body looked untouched. There was a faint stench on the still night air as they drew close. It wouldn’t be long before other scavengers arrived.

‘Come on,’ Brian said, stooping down and grabbing the dead man’s arm. ‘We’ve got to move him.’

The body was incredibly heavy. After strenuous tugging they managed to pull it back onto the patio. Under cover of darkness they dragged it across the paving stones. It seemed to take ages. Although it wasn’t very far, Brian was terrified someone might be watching them. There were spies everywhere. The window cleaner was only the first. There would be more. Brian had to be on his guard all the time. They might be in the house next door, watching and waiting to trap him.

Once they had lugged the body into the garage, he breathed more easily. No one could see them now. Fishing in the dead man’s pockets, he found a wallet and keys. After a moment’s hesitation, he replaced the wallet.

Ed flatly refused to be left alone in the garage with the body.

‘What if he wakes up?’

‘He’s dead. He can’t wake up.’

‘He can if he turns into a zombie.’

Brian was too wired to stop and argue about zombies. ‘Come on then, come with me.’

Slamming the garage door behind them, Brian led the way to a dirty blue van that the window cleaner had parked outside the house. Ed jumped in and sat quietly in the front passenger seat as Brian backed the van right up to the garage. Without a word, they climbed out. Opening the back doors of the van, they returned to the body and began dragging it over to the van. Ed understood what was needed without a word being exchanged. Together they tried to lift the body into the back of the van. If anything it felt heavier than before. To make matters worse, the long limbs were beginning to stiffen, making it almost impossible to bend them.

Ed was convinced the dead man was turning into a zombie.

‘He’s not a zombie,’ Brian insisted, trying to be patient.

‘Why does he feel so hard then? My arms aren’t hard. He’s a zombie.’

Brian hesitated to explain that that was what happened to dead bodies. He was afraid Ed would ask him about his father’s body.

‘Let’s try again.’

By dint of much heaving and shoving they managed to hoist it up and slide it along the floor of the van. Brian’s back strained with the effort. Ed was trying, but he wasn’t really much help. He kept losing his grip just when Brian needed him to give an extra push. He pressed his lips together, determined not to lose his temper. The boy was doing his best. In any case, he had no idea how important it was to dispose of the body without delay. His childish ignorance was becoming irritating. At last they had the body safely in the van. Brian slammed the doors.

‘No one can see him in there,’ Ed said.

‘I know.’

‘Is it a secret?’

‘Yes.’

‘He was bad, wasn’t he?’

‘Yes.’

‘That’s why he’s turning into a zombie. I’m glad we didn’t bury him in our garden. It wouldn’t be safe.’

Ed objected loudly when Brian wanted him to stay behind. Brian wasn’t happy about it either. He was afraid they would come for the boy while he was away disposing of the body. One man had already turned up to spy on them. If someone else came for Ed while he was at home by himself, he might be snatched away, just as he was beginning to settle down. His father had been murdered. The poor boy couldn’t cope with any more disruption in his life. Only by promising a daily supply of Jaffa Cakes and ice cream was he able to persuade Ed to go back inside.

‘Don’t turn the lights on, and don’t open the door to anyone. Just watch telly and wait for me to come back. I won’t be long.’

Using duct tape, he carefully changed the I on the van’s number plates to T, and the F to E, checking to make sure the plates matched, front and back.

He drove slowly, without any lights, hoping no one would spot the dark vehicle. His thoughts whirled at the prospect of a police officer peering into the van.

‘And what have you got in the back, sir?’

But there was no sign of the police as he drove down the road. He didn’t go far. Apart from the risk of being seen, or stopped, he was going to have to walk back home again. At the end of Hervey Close he stole round the bend into Strathmore Gardens. From there he made a sharp right turn into a narrow lane that led down to an overgrown track separating a row of back gardens from a fenced off abandoned lake. The lane was well concealed between high wooden fences and a tall hedge that had spread across a wire fence that formed a barrier to the lake.

The night air was chilly and damp. As he strode quickly home along the deserted pavement, he thought about the hump lying motionless in the back of the van he had abandoned in the lane. It was insane to think he could get away with it. He should have called the police straight away, and told them the window cleaner had fallen from his ladder. It was true. There was no reason why anyone would suspect it had been anything but an accident. Only now he couldn’t do that. He couldn’t turn the clock back and make a different decision. From the moment he had concealed the body, the choice had been made.

As his legs carried him further away, he calmed down enough to realise he had made the right choice. He couldn’t have invited the police to come crawling all over his garden. They might have caught sight of Ed at a window. Far better to keep a low profile and not attract any attention from anyone. In any case, the police might recognise the window cleaner as a spy who had gone missing. Brian couldn’t be associated with him, not if he wanted to keep the police away from Ed.

He was relieved to find his boy sitting quietly in the living room watching television. It was worth all the stress and effort to keep him safe. Hearing Brian come in, Ed looked up at him.

‘When are we going to get the ice cream? And the Jaffa Cakes? You promised.’

Brian had been preoccupied with more important matters.

‘The shop was shut.’

‘But you promised,’ Ed whined.

He didn’t seem grateful for all that Brian had done for him, nor did he appreciate that Brian’s patience might soon run out. For the first time it struck him that Ed might not be on his side after all. It would be a pity if he had to get rid of the boy.

54

It was a lovely
sunny day. A hint of summer hovered in the warm breeze, a faint reminder of childhood holidays on the beach. There was barely space for two chairs on the balcony of Sam’s flat. Smiling lazily, she popped a chocolate in her mouth.

‘Mmm,’ she grunted with satisfaction. ‘These are gorgeous. Go on, have another one.’

Geraldine shook her head. ‘I bought them for you.’ She studied her colleague who had been off work for a month with a leg injury. ‘When do you think you’ll be coming back?’

Fluffing up her short spiky blonde hair with her fingers, Sam leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes against the glare of the sunlight. Geraldine waited. After a moment Sam raised her head, shielding her eyes with her flattened hand.

‘My ankle’s fine now,’ she admitted, lifting her right leg and wriggling her foot in its bright green slipper.

‘So?’ Geraldine prompted her.

‘Well, I’m not altogether sure I want to come back.’

‘What?’

‘You have to admit, this isn’t a bad way to spend a Monday.’

Max was efficient, but Geraldine would be gutted to lose her regular sergeant for good. Sam was not only a reliable colleague, she was fun, and very kindhearted. When Geraldine had first transferred to London from the Kent Constabulary, she had found the capital a lonely place for someone on their own. Sam had become a friend, as well as a capable partner at work. But it wasn’t Geraldine’s place to put any pressure on Sam to return to work before she felt ready. Injuries sustained while on duty could cause psychological as well as physical damage.

‘You mustn’t come back before you’re ready,’ she announced, doing her best to hide her disappointment.

Sam gave a mischievous grin. ‘For God’s sake, Geraldine, I’d have been back weeks ago if they’d let me. The bloody doctor kept saying it would risk permanently injuring my ankle if I came back before it was fully recovered. To be honest, I think I probably should have come back anyway. At least that way I wouldn’t have risked losing my sanity. I’ve been going crazy stuck here at home for so long, with my mother coming round here all the time, fussing.’

Geraldine smiled with relief. ‘So when are you coming back?’

As she spoke, she heard a faint bustle behind her. Turning, she saw Sam’s mother in the room behind them.

‘Oh God,’ Sam muttered under her breath. ‘What now?’

Mrs Haley smiled brightly. ‘Hello, Geraldine. How are you?’

‘I’m fine, thank you. I was just saying to Sam she mustn’t come back to work before she’s ready.’

‘If she wants to come back at all,’ Mrs Haley replied sharply.

‘OK, mum, we’ve been through this. Geraldine doesn’t want to hear it.’

Geraldine felt a flicker of doubt about her friend’s intentions. Sam had been clear about wanting to return to work. Geraldine couldn’t imagine she would allow her mother to bully her into leaving the force, but it was possible.

Geraldine pushed back her chair and stood up. ‘Why don’t you come out here and sit with Sam?’ she suggested. ‘I’ve got to get going…’

‘You’ve only just arrived,’ Sam protested.

‘A detective’s work is never done,’ her mother said, with a hint of bitterness in her voice. ‘You sit down, Geraldine. I’ll go and put the kettle on. And then we’ll squeeze in somehow.’

‘Yes. I’ve had four people sitting out here before now. It’s a bit of a squash, but it can be done.’

‘You must have been sitting on top of each other,’ Geraldine laughed.

‘Anyway, the point is you must stay for a bit, at least for a cup of tea. You can’t go yet. I’ve hardly seen you.’

When her mother had disappeared into the flat, Sam asked Geraldine how she was getting on with her investigation. Geraldine sighed and shook her head. It was hard talking about Nick, especially as he and Sam had never seen eye to eye.

‘Still no leads?’

She shook her head again.

‘What about the wife?’

‘Her alibi stacks up.’

‘What was she doing?’

‘Do you really want to know?’

‘Of course I do.’

‘She was visiting an old aunt in a nursing home for the evening.’

‘So her aunt is giving her an alibi? Is she reliable?’

‘Well, no, not exactly. She’s a bit confused, you know how it can be with old people. She knew her niece had been to visit her but didn’t know when. Still, the nursing home confirmed she was there all evening.’

‘OK, that’s her out of the frame. Although it’s a bit convenient, isn’t it? I mean, do we know how often she went to visit this aunt?’

It was a sharp question. Before Geraldine could answer, Sam’s mother returned with a tray of tea. They shifted along the narrow balcony so she could join them. It was awkward, but they managed. With Sam’s mother there, the conversation moved on to Sam and her injured ankle. As soon as she had finished her tea, Geraldine stood up to leave. She would have liked to talk about the investigation for longer with her colleague. It was so helpful to discuss the details with someone sympathetic who understood exactly what she was talking about.

‘I can’t wait for you to come back,’ she told Sam.

‘You and me both,’ her friend replied.

Sam’s mother gave Geraldine a cold smile.

‘
If
she comes back,’ she repeated plaintively.

This time, Geraldine didn’t feel the slightest doubt about it. Sam’s interest in the investigation was all the proof she needed about her colleague’s intentions. Although she wasn’t superstitious, Geraldine couldn’t help hoping the good news about Sam’s planned return would rub off on her investigation, and work like a lucky charm to bring in a result. They were certainly in desperate need of a lucky break.

‘I’ll show you out,’ Sam’s mother said, getting to her feet.

‘I’ll see her out. I’m not an invalid.’

‘You’re supposed to be resting.’

‘Mum, my ankle’s better. Stop fussing!’

Geraldine smiled to see her competent colleague revert to a sullen teenager, irked by her mother’s attention. Despite the cross words, their mutual affection was evident.

‘I’ll show myself out,’ she said. ‘You two both stay here and enjoy the nice weather, while it lasts.’