The Eighth Witch (36 page)

Another pause, another sip of tea.

“No, it was the third time they called. It was obvious to me that something was very wrong, but I couldn’t put my finger on it at first. We were talking, about the old days really, as you do. I can’t remember who brought up the subject of witchcraft. Probably me, thinking about it. It’s always been one of my hobby-horses. Anyway, I was saying how witchcraft has always flourished in the valley, how the people who live here have always been tolerant of such unorthodox beliefs. Diana flew at me as if I’d told a massive lie and been caught out. She ranted on for a good half an hour about the persecution of witches, stretching back over centuries. It was then I knew she was a witch herself.”

The ringing of Harry Bailey’s mobile phone interrupted Florence Tibbs’ flow. He apologized as he pulled it from his pocket and checked the screen.

“Excuse me,” he said, getting to his feet. “I need to take this.” He walked to the door and stepped outside. “Simon, what can I do for you?”

“How are things going up there?” Simon Crozier said.

“Slowly,” Bailey said. “We don’t seem to be making much headway.”

“Then I need you to come back down to London, with immediate effect.”

“Why on earth?”

“Martin Impey’s gone missing.”

Harry Bailey took a few seconds to digest this new piece of information. “Missing? I thought he was comatose.”

“He was.”

“Carter told me he’d sent John McKinley to the hospital to guard him.”

“McKinley was guarding him against an attack from outside,” Crozier said. “He wasn’t expecting an attack from Martin himself.”

“Martin attacked McKinley?” Bailey said incredulously, picturing the imposing stature of John McKinley against the diminutive frame of Martin Impey. “Was he hurt?”

“Broken ribs, ruptured spleen and a fractured skull. Ironically he’s now occupying the same bed that Impey vacated. So you see, it’s fairly important that you stop what you’re doing and get back down here. We need to find Impey before more people are hurt.”

Bailey was rocking on his heels. This was the last thing he’d expected. “Emilie and the kids?”

“I’ve brought them into protective custody. I have them in a safe house guarded by three of my best people. He can’t get to them.”

“And you have no idea where he is now?”

Crozier sighed impatiently. “No, Harry. I haven’t got a clue. That’s why I want you here. As I just said, we need to find him. He’s one of ours, Harry. If he’s gone rogue it’s down to us to stop him.”

“By stop him you mean…”

“We do whatever it takes,” Crozier said heavily. “Now, when can I expect you?”

“I’ll borrow Jane’s car,” Bailey said. “Expect me in about five hours.”

The phone went dead. Bailey slipped it into his pocket and stepped back into the house.
 

As he walked back into the lounge Lacey and Jane were preparing to leave.
 

“Important call?” Jane asked.

“I’ll tell you when we get outside,” Bailey said, his voice hushed.

“Would you mind if we borrow this?” Lacey said to Florence. He plucked the photograph of Laura and Diana from the frame.

“No, of course.”

“Keep it in the frame,” Bailey said. “Diana has a habit of erasing images of herself. That one’s survived and I’m guessing it’s the silver frame that’s protecting it. Silver’s a magical metal as anyone who’s dealt with werewolves will tell you.”

“Take it all,” Florence Tibbs said. “And good luck if you go up against her. I think you’re going to need it.”

“I’ve missed something,” Bailey said.

“We’ll fill you in on the drive back,” Jane said. “Florence was very forthcoming.” She smiled at the old woman, who blushed slightly.

“I’m only too happy to help. I didn’t like Diana at all, and I’m really quite shocked that Laura Sallis showed such poor judgment in her choice of friends.”

They trooped back to the car and climbed inside. Lacey glanced back through the window and waved at Florence Tibbs who stood in the doorway of the small house, with Bruno next to her. The dog leaned against her leg protectively and barked once as they drove down the track and onto the road.

Once he’d settled into the back of the car Lacey pulled out his phone and dialed Robert Carter’s number.

Carter answered on the third ring.

“Rob, it’s Ian. Are you at Pett’s farm?”

“Just leaving. Why?”

“According to Florence Tibbs, that’s where Diana is living.”

There was a pause on the other end of the line.

“Are you still there?” Lacey said.

“Tell Florence Tibbs she’s wrong. I had an interesting encounter with the Yardley twins, but there’s no sign of anyone living here.”

“Is that Rob on the phone?” Bailey said, leaning over from the front seat.

Lacey nodded. Bailey held his hand out to take the phone. “Rob, it’s Harry. I’m driving back down to London. Simon just phoned. Martin Impey’s disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” Carter said, disbelief in his voice. “I thought McKinley was watching him.”

“McKinley’s in hospital, pretty beaten up. It seems Martin attacked him.”

“I doubt that. At least not the Martin I know.”

“Yeah,” Bailey said. “But then it’s like the girl at the library. Who would have thought a slip of a girl like that could have put Martin in an ICU.”

“We need to regroup,” Carter said. “We have to talk this through. I think I’ve been coming at it from the wrong angle, treating it like a parochial disturbance.”

“Underestimating Diana, you mean?” Bailey said.

“Greatly. But it’s more than that. I think it’s something to do with being in the valley. It affects your mindset. I’ve only been here a few days but already I’m losing sight of the fact that there’s a world beyond it. Meet me back at Annie’s before you head down to London, will you?”

“Will do.” Bailey snapped the phone shut and handed it back to Lacey, who took it without comment and slipped it back in his pocket.

“You heard all that?” Bailey said.

Jane and Lacey nodded.

“It’s starting to get messy,” Bailey said.

“It always was,” Ian Lacey said. “But then maybe something else is going on.”

“What do you mean?” Jane asked.

“It could be that we’re getting too close and Diana’s getting rattled.”

“It’s a possibility. But how does she know we’re getting too close?”

“That’s one of the things I want us to discuss when we get back to the house,” Lacey said.

Laura made a noise of frustration as they pulled off the road and took the lane leading to the farm. She could no longer move her arms and legs. All that was possible was to sit there and be driven towards her fate.

“Don’t worry. Holly will be waiting for you when we get there.”

Laura turned her head sharply. It was no longer Penny Chapman driving the car. Diana had reverted to her more familiar form. She studied Laura for a moment.
 

“You didn’t really think I’d let you both escape, did you? You are both far too valuable for that.”

She pulled up outside the barn and got out of the car, immediately noticing the padlock lying in the dirt. “It looks like your friends have been here,” she called back to Laura. “Never to worry,” she said with a smile. “They wouldn’t have found anything. And if they come back… Well, I have that covered too.” She walked across to the car and opened the door on the passenger side. “Get out.”

Laura started to move, slowly, like an automaton. First one foot and then the other. She cracked her head on the doorframe, but her body ignored the pain and kept moving forwards, taking haltering steps towards the house.

As she approached, the door opened.

“Go on in,” Diana said. “You should know where to go by now.”

Laura walked through the hallway. At the stairs she began to climb, slowly, stiff-legged. As she reached the bedroom the door swung open, revealing Holly lying on the bed, her ankles and wrists bound.

“As you can see, I’ve had to take extra precautions to make sure you stay here, but it can’t be helped.”

Holly stared at her from the bed. “You’re mad.”
 

Diana pushed Laura in the small of the back, steering her towards the other bed.

“I could well be,” Diana said. “But then I’ve been waiting so long for this. Centuries spent waiting for the chance for me to complete myself. I’m very grateful to you both.”
 

“You’re going to kill us,” Holly said.

Diana smiled. “Of course. But you can take comfort from the knowledge that in giving your lives you will be enriching mine. Now, Laura, be a good girl and lie down on the bed.”

As Laura lay down on the bed Diana went to a small chest in the corner of the room and took out a coil of white nylon cord. “Perfect,” she said and started to bind Laura’s wrists.
 

Chapter Thirty-Nine

They gathered around the table in Annie’s kitchen, Carter at the head. “So going to see Florence Tibbs was a complete waste of time,” he said.

“Not a complete waste. We now have a photograph of Diana,” Jane said.

“A photograph of a shape-shifter. Very helpful,” Carter said with heavy irony. “And the address she gave you was useless. Annie and I were there. The place is deserted. There’s no sign that anyone’s lived there for years.”

Jane glared at him. “Maybe you should have gone to see her. Maybe you would have got more.”

“You’re being unfair, Rob,” Annie said. “Let’s face it, we didn’t do much better ourselves.”

Carter let out a sigh. “You’re right,” he said after a moment. “It’s the news about Martin. It’s completely floored me. I thought he’d be safe with McKinley watching him. I just wasn’t expecting it.”

“None of us were, Rob,” Bailey said. “Once I get to London I’ll pull out all the stops to find him. You know that.”

“That’s the other thing,” Carter said. “Crozier asking you to go down there to help.”

“You mean he should have asked you,” Jane said.

“Yes, I do. No offense, Harry, but I know Martin better than you. He’s a good friend.”

“None taken,” Bailey said. “Did you consider that your friendship with Martin was the very reason why Simon didn’t ask you to go down?”

“What do you mean?”

“Would you be prepared to do whatever’s necessary to stop him, to bring him in?”

“Of course I would.”

“You’re kidding yourself, Rob,” Jane said. “You’d be compromised. We know it, you know it and Crozier knows it. By asking Harry to return to London, he’s done you a huge favor.”

“She’s right, you know,” Annie said, reaching across and laying her hand on Carter’s arm.

“Yes,” Carter said. “I know.”

Harry Bailey got to his feet. “I have to go,” he said. “Are you sure you don’t mind me taking your car, Jane?”

“It’s fine.” She tossed him the keys. “And good luck.”

“That goes for all of us,” Carter said.

Bailey climbed the stairs. This was an assignment he would happily leave for Robert Carter. Although he would not class Martin Impey as one of his close friends, he liked him and respected his talents. Losing Impey would be a great loss to the department. “It might not come to that,” he said to himself as he opened the front door.

There was a young man standing on the doorstep, his finger poised, ready to press the bell. He was tall, blond and smartly dressed. He took a step back as Bailey opened the door. “This is Annie Ryder’s house?” he said.

“Yes,” Bailey said.

“I’m Matthew Sparks. I’m looking for Detective Inspector Ian Lacey.”

“You’re his sergeant,” Bailey said. “I’ve heard about you.” He stood to one side to allow Sparks to enter. “Along the hallway and down the stairs at the end. You’ll find Ian in the kitchen with the others.”

Sparks waited until Bailey had shut the door behind him, then followed the directions.

Lacey got to his feet as Sparks came down the stairs to the kitchen. The two men shook hands. “Pull up a chair, Matt,” Lacey said. “Annie and Rob you know. Jane Talbot you don’t.” He turned to Jane. “Jane, this is Matt Sparks, my sergeant. Matt, Jane is one of Rob’s colleagues from Department 18. I take it you met Harry Bailey on the way in. Harry and Jane have been helping us.”

Sparks took a seat between Annie and Jane.

Lacey sat back down at the table. “Did you go through the files again?”

Sparks nodded. “I did and you were right.”

Lacey turned to the others. “When Matt rang me earlier today I asked him to do some digging for me. It’s been bothering me that Diana seems to know an awful lot about what we’re doing. As I said before, she knew about Ollie Tucker, she knew Henry Norton had regained consciousness, and in general she always seems to be one step ahead of us. I wondered how that could be, unless she had an inside track. What did you find, Matt?”