Mark Pearson - Hard Evidence

'There are sites. Schoolroom contacts. Networking. It's not hard to track down someone if they are using their real name. And Jenny was.'

'But you didn't tell her who you were?'

'Not at first, no. I wanted to build her trust.'

Delaney loosened his collar. 'And what makes you think there was abuse?'

'She told me what was happening. I recognised the signs.'

'What signs?'

Candy looked away. 'I could see the way things were going. That's why I had to do something. Before it was too late.'

'What do you mean by too late, Candy?'

'I told you. He's a sick man.'

'You burned him?'

Candy snapped her head back up and met his gaze. 'That's right.'

'With a steam hose.'

'And I'd do it again in a heartbeat.'

'He must have really hurt you.'

Candy leaned forward. 'I tell you this much. If he's hurt that little girl, I'll finish the job. I don't care if you get to him first. He's not safe in prison. Not from me.'

Delaney looked at the feral anger in her eyes and didn't doubt it. 'Like I said earlier. Nobody's making any judgements here.'

Candy slammed her hand down on the table. 'I made a judgement!'

'Candy.'

'My father abused him and Jake. And because of that I guess Howard felt it was all right to abuse me. An old family tradition.' She looked at Sally. 'My mother died in a car accident; the brakes failed, they told me. I was twelve and Howard was twenty-four and it started the night of her funeral.'

'The abuse?'

'Kissing and cuddling and little games…' She broke off, swallowing the disgust that was rising in her throat.

Sally spoke soothingly. 'It's all right Candy. You don't have to say any more. Not right now.'

'Yes I do.'

They waited.

'Kissing and cuddling, just like Jenny told me he had started doing with her. And eventually…' She looked up at Delaney and smiled icily. 'And eventually he started fucking me. He got me pregnant.'

'What did you do?'

'What could I do?'

Delaney shrugged; again he had no answers for her.

'Howard had friends. An older woman. A prostitute.' She shook her head at the memory. 'She used a coat hanger. Howard reckoned it was just like cleaning a carburettor.'

'Do you think he would physically harm Jenny?'

Candy looked at him, her eyes wide. 'Haven't you been listening to a fucking word I've been saying?'

'We need to know what he might be capable of.'

Candy looked at him for a beat. 'I told you his father was physically abusing him.'

Delaney nodded for her to continue. 'But it wasn't just Howard; it was our mother too, and Jake. Not just sexual abuse. Real physical abuse; I mean, he really hurt them. All of them. Not me. I was too young, I guess, but I saw and I remember. And it didn't stop until I was five years old.'

'What happened to make it stop?'

'Howard happened.'

'Go on?'

'I guess he was seventeen, been out of school for three years, not that anyone cared, and was working with Dad in the garage.'

'And?'

'The police thought it was an accident. The jack slipped and the car came down on his chest, cracked his ribs, slowly crushed him to death.'

'But it wasn't an accident?'

'He brought me in and made me watch what he did.'

'Howard?'

Candy nodded. 'He made me stay in the corner, then called out to Dad. As he slid out from underneath the car, Howard kicked away the jack so that the car slammed down and trapped him like a half-squashed beetle. He screamed and called for help and Howard just laughed at him.'

Sally looked at her. 'I'm sorry, Candy.'

'It took him over two hours to die, and Howard just sat there and watched him the whole time.'

'And you didn't tell anyone?'

'I knew what would happen if I did.'

'Nobody said anything?'

'Who was there to listen? And then Mum died and it was my turn. He saw nothing wrong in it and he still doesn't. You see why I had to take Jenny?'

'You should have come to us.'

'And you would have helped, would you?'

'Yes.'

'Stella told me that Jackie Malone's been murdered. You didn't help her, did you?'

Delaney leaned forward angrily. 'What do you know about that?'

'Working girls in London. It's a bit like the Masons, isn't it? We both get to wear leather and we all get to know each other's business.'

Sally looked at Delaney. 'What's she talking about?'

Delaney shook his head dismissively. 'They break the law, do nothing to protect themselves, but when one of them gets hurt it's down to the system, it's never their fault.'

'It was Jackie Malone's fault she was tied up and murdered, was it? She did that to herself, I suppose.'

Delaney looked away angrily. 'Let's just concentrate on finding your niece right now, shall we?'

Sally looked at Candy sympathetically. 'You showed Howard in the end. You stood up to him; that took a lot of courage.'

'I wasn't brave. I was a coward for years. A victim because I didn't know any different. But when I was old enough to fight back, I did. That one time, and I wish to God I'd been brave enough to finish the job. I wish I'd been brave enough to kill him.'

'Maybe it's better for you that you didn't.'

'No, it's not. He's a cancer and you don't fuck about with cancer. You cut it out. You fucking kill it. Because Jenny isn't like me. She's sweet, she's gentle, she's entirely vulnerable. And he's going to put his cancer in her and destroy her just like he destroyed me.'

Delaney looked across at her, her arms folded tight against her chest, her nails digging into her biceps.

'Where do you think he would have taken her, Candy?'

'I haven't seen the bastard in fourteen years.'

Sally nodded. 'I don't blame you but anything you can think of. It's important we find her quickly. Your brother is clearly out of control.'

'Speak to his pet monkey.'

'I'm sorry.'

'Speak to Jake.'

Delaney stood up. 'Come on, Detective Constable.'

They headed for the door. Candy Morgan called after them, 'What happens to me?'

Delaney looked back at her for a moment, deciding. 'You come with us.'

Sally stood in front of him, registering her concern. 'Boss?'

'She comes with us.'

Sally recognised the tone in his voice. 'Sir.'

Candy stood and smiled gratefully at Delaney. 'Thanks.'

'You can thank me when your niece is safe.'

Fifteen minutes later, Delaney was pacing angrily across the floor of Morgan's workshop. He stopped and glared at Jake, who sat holding his head in his massive hands, his forehead knotted with concentration.

'Come on, Jake, where is he?'

'I don't know.'

Sally walked into the room. 'Her clothes are gone.'

Delaney frowned. 'He was already prepared, then.' He turned back to Jake and put both hands on his shoulders. 'When did he leave, Jake? Did he have Jenny with him?'

Jake stood up. 'I haven't seen Jenny.'

Delaney stepped forward and grabbed his shoulders again. 'Where is he?'

Jake jerked backwards, knocking Delaney's hands away. He was shaking like a frightened child, the fear throbbing in his voice. 'I don't know.'

'He doesn't know, boss.'

Delaney moved back and Jake's eyes widened suddenly. He stepped back against the table, clearly terrified.

'It's all right.' But then Delaney saw where Jake Morgan was looking, and cursed. 'I told you to stay in the car, Candy.'

Candy Morgan ignored him, fixing Jake with a look of pure venom. 'If you know anything, you tell him now, Jake.'

Jake backed further against the table. 'I don't know anything, Candy. Don't hurt me.'

'Nobody's going to hurt you, Jake, I already told you that.'

Candy stepped forward. 'I wouldn't bank on it.'

Delaney sighed. 'You can wait in the car, or I can get the DC to take you back to the nick and from there back to Holloway. Your call, Candy.'