Simon Beckett - The Chemistry of Death

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'I've just got up,' he said, unnecessarily. His voice was still thick with sleep. 'Didn't get in till late last night.'

Scarsdale's expression said he would overlook it. Just this once. 'Dr Hunter wants to ask you something.'

Brenner didn't try to hide his hostility as he stared at me. 'Why should I give a f-' He caught himself. 'Why should I care what he wants?'

Scarsdale held up his hands, the patient peacemaker. 'I realize this is an intrusion, but he feels it might be important. I'd like you to hear him out.' He turned to me, signifying he'd done as much as he cared to. I was conscious of Scott and his mother watching as I spoke.

'You know Ben Anders has been arrested,' I said. Brenner took his time answering. He leaned against the table, folding his arms across his chest.

'So?'

'Do you know anything about it?'

'Why should I?'

'The police had a tip-off. Was it you?'

Belligerence was coming off him like heat. 'What's it got to do with you?'

'Because if it was I want to know if you really did see him or not.'

His eyes narrowed. 'You accusing me?'

'Look, I just don't want the police wasting their time.'

'What makes you think they are? It's about time people woke up to that bastard Anders.'

Scott stirred uneasily in his chair. 'I dunno, Carl, perhaps he's not-'

Brenner turned on him. 'Who fucking asked you? Shut it.'

'This isn't just about Ben Anders!' I said, as his younger brother flinched and ducked his head. 'For God's sake, can't you see that?'

Brenner pushed himself off the table, fists balled. 'Who the fuck do you think you are? You thought you were too good to talk to us when we stopped you last night, and now you come here telling me what I've got to do?'

'I just want you to tell the truth.'

'So now you're calling me a fucking liar?'

'This is someone's life you're playing with!'

He gave a savage grin. 'Good. They can hang the bastard for all I care.'

'I don't mean him!' I shouted. 'What about the girl? What happens to her?'

That took the grin off his face. He looked as though it had never occurred to him. He shrugged, but he was defensive now.

'She's probably dead already.'

Scarsdale put a restraining hand on my arm as I started towards Brenner. With an effort I made a last appeal.

'He keeps them alive for three days before he kills them,' I said, fighting to keep my voice steady. 'He keeps them alive so he can do God knows what. This is the second day, and the police are still trying to get Ben Anders to confess to it. Because someone said they saw him outside the house.'

I had to stop. 'Please,' I went on after a moment. 'Please, if it was you, tell them.'

The others were staring at me, stunned. No-one outside the investigation knew the victims had been kept alive. Mackenzie would be furious if he knew I'd told them. I didn't care. All my attention was focused on Brenner.

'I don't know what you're talking about,' he mumbled, but I could see the uncertainty in his face. He wouldn't meet anyone's eyes.

'Carl?' his mother said, hesitantly.

'I said I don't know, all right?' he snapped, suddenly angry again. He turned on me. 'You've asked your question, so now fuck off!'

I don't know what would have happened then if Scarsdale hadn't been there. He stepped quickly between us. 'That's enough!' He faced Brenner. 'Carl, I appreciate you're upset, but I'd thank you not to use language like that in my presence. Or in front of your mother.'

Brenner looked far from happy at the rebuke, but Scarsdale's conviction in his authority was absolute. The reverend turned to me.

'Dr Hunter, you have your answer. I don't think there's any reason for you to stay here any longer.'

I didn't move. I stared across at Brenner, more certain than ever that he'd incriminated Ben out of spite. Looking at his sullen features I wanted to batter the truth out of him.

'If anything happens to her,' I told him, my voice sounding like a stranger's, 'if she dies because you were lying, I swear I'll kill you myself.'

The threat seemed to soak up all the air in the room. I felt Scarsdale take hold of my arm and steer me towards the door. 'Come on, Dr Hunter.'

As I passed Scott Brenner I paused. His face was white and wide-eyed as he looked up at me. Then Scarsdale urged me into the hallway.

We went back to the Land Rover in silence. It wasn't until we were back on the road to the village that I felt able to speak again.

'He's lying.'

'If I'd known you would lose control of yourself I would never have agreed to come,' Scarsdale replied, heatedly. 'Your behaviour was disgraceful.'

I looked at him in astonishment. 'Disgraceful? He set up an innocent man without caring what might happen because of it!'

'You've no proof of that.'

'Oh, come on! You were there, you heard him!'

'I heard two men losing their tempers, that's all.'

'You're not serious? Are you telling me you don't think Brenner tipped off the police?'

'It's not for me to judge.'

'I'm not asking you to judge. Just come with me and tell them you think they should talk to him!'

He didn't reply straight away. When he did, it wasn't a direct answer. 'You said back there that the victims weren't killed straight away. How do you know that?'

Habit made me hesitate, but I didn't care who knew now. It didn't matter any more. 'Because I examined the bodies.'

His head snapped towards me in surprise. 'You?'

'I used to be an expert in that sort of thing. Before I came here.'

Scarsdale took a moment to digest the news. 'You mean you've been involved with the police investigation?'

'They asked me to help, yes.'

'I see.' It was clear from his tone that he didn't like it. 'And you chose to keep it a secret.'

'It's sensitive work. It's not the sort of thing you want talked about.'

'Of course. We're only locals, after all. I expect our ignorance must have amused you.'

Two points of colour had risen on his cheeks. He wasn't just displeased, I realized, he was furious. For a moment his reaction bewildered me, but then I understood. He'd enjoyed seeing himself in the ascendant role in the village, envisioned himself as Manham's leader. Now he'd found out someone else had been given a pivotal role all along, privy to information he was denied. It was a blow to his pride. And, even worse, his ego.

'It wasn't like that,' I told him.

'No? Strange that you should only tell me now, when you want something from me. Well, I can see now how naive I've been. I can assure you I won't be taken for the fool again.'

'No-one's been taking you for the fool. If I've offended you I'm sorry, but there's more at stake here than either of us.'

'Indeed there is. And from now on you can be sure I'll leave it in the hands of the "experts".' He said it with bitter mockery. 'I'm just a lowly minister after all.'

'Look, I need your help. I can't-'

'I don't believe we have any more to say to each other,' he said.

The rest of the journey passed in silence.

23

It was the noise that woke Jenny. At first the darkness disorientated her. She had no memory of where she was, why she still couldn't see. She always slept with the curtains open, so that some light fell into the bedroom on even the darkest night. Then she became aware of the hard floor, and the smell, and with that awareness came crashing in on her.

She tugged on the rope again. Her fingernails were already torn from working on it, and when she sucked them she tasted blood. But there was no more give in the knot for all her efforts. She slumped back. Now other discomforts were beginning to make themselves felt. Hunger, but more than that was thirst. Before she'd slept, at the extreme edge of her reach she'd found a tiny puddle of water that had seeped through the floor and walls of her cell. It was too shallow to drink from, but she'd taken off her vest top and used it to soak up what moisture there was. When she'd sucked it out it had been stale and brackish, but still tasted wonderful.

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