‘What was in the bag?’
Joel did not hear the question. He could see it staining his hands once more, could smell the metallic blood. He started muttering under his breath and crawled across the room towards his few worldly possessions. He ripped another page from his decimated Bible and scrawled across it in crayon.
Wolf realised that, this time, he was not reciting a prayer but a number. He cautiously took the page from Joel’s outstretched arm.
‘It’s a phone number,’ said Wolf.
‘He’s coming for me, Detective.’
‘Whose number is this?’
‘“This is the second death, the lake of fire,”’ quoted Joel, reading the relevant verse off the back wall.
‘Joel, whose number—’
‘Eternal damnation. Who wouldn’t be afraid?’ A tear rolled down his cheek. He took a moment to compose himself and then met Wolf’s eye. ‘But you know what?’ He looked up at the creased page that Wolf held in his hands and smiled sadly:
‘It was worth it.’
CHAPTER 28
Friday 11 July 2014
7.20 a.m.
Baxter thought she might have damaged her Audi, which was frustrating because she was always so careful with it and knew she was an excellent driver. She had had no choice but to park just off the high street in an open space that had been miraculously transformed from a rubble-strewn building site into a functional car park simply by installing a ticket machine in the far corner.
She was on her way to prep Ashley for the move later that day. On Vanita’s orders they were to keep their involvement simple. She and Edmunds would collect her from her flat in an unmarked car and rendezvous with Simmons on the outskirts of the city. Ashley would then change vehicle and be driven to the south coast, where Protected Persons would be waiting with a boat. As before, the final destination had not been shared with them.
Baxter stepped into the third-floor corridor. The two sleep-deprived officers sitting outside Ashley’s door got to their feet when they heard her coming. Baxter took out her identification and introduced herself.
‘You might want to give it a few more minutes,’ smirked the female officer.
The male officer looked annoyed. Baxter ignored the advice and banged loudly against the blue door.
‘I’m on a tight schedule,’ she said.
She could see the two officers exchanging irritated looks out of the corner of her eye.
‘I told you, I don’t think they’re up yet.’
‘They?’ asked Baxter.
At that moment, the lock clicked loudly and the door swung open. Wolf was halfway through buttoning up his shirt and froze when he saw Baxter standing in the doorway.
‘Hey,’ he said dumbly.
Baxter’s expression shifted from confused to hurt to angry. Without a word, she clenched her fist, turned her shoulder and swung at Wolf with all her weight behind it. He had taught her well. The satisfying blow made contact with his left eye, and he stumbled backwards. The two police officers watched in surprise, but neither made any attempt to intervene.
Baxter suspected that she had broken a finger and tried to shake off the pain. Then she turned on her heel and stormed off back down the corridor.
‘Baxter! Will you please just stop for a second?’ Wolf had followed her out of the building, down the street, and into the potholed car park. ‘I hate to use the dead man walking card, but I could be dead in three days’ time. Please.’
Reluctantly, Baxter stopped. She turned to face him and folded her arms impatiently.
‘We are not a couple,’ said Wolf, ‘and never have been.’
Baxter rolled her eyes and turned back towards the car.
‘We are something else,’ he said sincerely, ‘something confusing, infuriating, special and messy. But we are not a couple. You can’t be angry with me about this.’
‘You just carry on waltzing about doing whatever you want like usual.’
‘I will, and that’s my point. I’m not couple material. Andrea will tell you that.’
Baxter made to walk away again and Wolf gently took her arm.
‘Don’t touch me!’ she shouted, and he let her go.
‘Look, I just need you to know that …’ Wolf was struggling to find the words, ‘that nothing I’ve done … that I never intended to hurt you.’
Baxter unfolded her arms and looked at him for a long moment.
‘Go screw yourself, Wolf,’ she said before marching back in the direction of Ashley’s building.
Wolf looked hurt but did not try to pursue her.
‘Baxter!’ he yelled after her. ‘Protect the little girl!’
She continued walking away.
‘If he can’t get to Ashley, I think he’ll come for her!’
Baxter turned onto the high street and disappeared out of sight without acknowledging him.
After the non-meeting the day before, Vanita had rescheduled the case review for 9.30 a.m. Baxter came rushing into the office with just two minutes to spare. Thanks to Wolf, her frosty encounter with Ashley had overrun considerably and then she had hit heavy traffic trying to get back into the city.
Edmunds came bounding over before she had even put her bag down in the greasy stain on her desk, a souvenir from the night shift’s nocturnal supper. He looked tired and unusually untidy.
‘Christ’s sake,’ huffed Baxter, moving her bag to the floor. ‘This place is going to shit.’
‘I need to speak to you,’ Edmunds said urgently.
‘Not now. It’s been a shitty morning already.’
‘I think I’ve found something, but I don’t fully understand it.’
Baxter could see Vanita watching them from inside the meeting room.
‘Then share it with everyone. Come on.’
She tried to step around him.
‘That’s the thing. I really do need to discuss it with you first.’
‘Jesus, Edmunds! Afterwards,’ she snapped.
She jogged into the meeting room and apologised for being late. Anxiously, Edmunds followed her inside, where the flipchart of information now looked impressively complete.
(HEAD) Naguib Khalid ‘The Cremation Killer’
(TORSO) – ? – Madeline Ayers – (Khalid’s defence lawyer)
(LEFT ARM) platinum ring, law firm? – Michael Gable-Collins – why? spoke to AL
(RIGHT ARM) nail varnish? – Michelle Gailey – (Khalid’s probation officer)
(LEFT LEG) – ? – Ronald Everett – juror – leaking information to JG
(RIGHT LEG) Detective Benjamin Chambers – why?
A – Raymond Turnble (Mayor)
B – Vijay Rana/Khalid (Brother/accountant) not at trial, paid off AL
C – Jarred Garland (Journalist) bought information off RE
D – Andrew Ford (Security guard/alcoholic/pain in arse) – Dock security officer
E – Ashley Lochlan (Waitress) or (nine-year-old girl) faked witness statement