Lisa Stone - Stalker

‘Are you surprised?’ Matt asked.

‘It’s not a good idea to go to the hospital again,’ his solicitor said. Then to Beth and Matt, ‘I will advise my client accordingly.’

‘Thank you,’ Beth said, then looking at Derek, ‘How many of your clients do you think you have “helped”, as you put it, since you set up your business ten years ago. Approximately?’

‘I know exactly. It’s all on the spreadsheet. I’m a conscientious record keeper. Ninety-eight. It was ninety-nine but I crossed off Mr Hanks after what happened.’

‘Where is this spreadsheet?’ Beth asked.

‘On my computer.’

‘Did you cross off McKenzie, Brown, Murray, Khumalo and Mary Grey too? Or do you consider you helped them?’

There was a moment’s silence when Derek’s jaw tightened in anger before he suddenly exploded. ‘You’re not fucking listening to me!’ His fist crashed onto the table. ‘I keep fucking telling you I didn’t have anything to do with them! Kevin Brown was a nasty bit of work and needed to be taught a lesson, but I didn’t do it. I was at home watching him on CCTV, so how could I be there?’ His solicitor touched his arm to silence him.

‘Your mother told us that you often go out on your motorbike late at night without saying where you’re going,’ Beth continued.

‘I don’t have to tell her! I’m not a fucking child!’

‘We’ll have that break now,’ his solicitor said, and Derek nodded.

At home Elsie Flint had recovered from the shock of Derek’s arrest and was now giving her third interview of the day. What had started off as a local news story had developed into national news, and a camera crew was in her front garden. She was standing outside her front door, wearing her best dress and bright red lipstick. Neighbours, many of whom she’d never seen before had gathered on the pavement to watch. She’d never been so popular and had risen to the occasion.

‘So what sort of child was Derek?’ the reporter asked, holding the microphone just out of sight of the camera.

‘Quiet, shy, a bit of a loner,’ she replied, looking directly into the lens. ‘A nervy child. He didn’t make friends easily. I think his dad leaving left its mark. He never really got over it.’

‘And that isolation continued through to his teenage years and into adulthood?’

‘It got worse,’ she said. ‘He never really had mates to go out with. He sits in his bedroom all evening with his computers.’

‘Which the police think were used for spying on people and committing crimes. Ordinary people who’d done nothing wrong and were unaware your son was watching them – sometimes in quite intimate situations.’

‘I never knew what he was doing up in his bedroom until the police came. They’ve taken away all his computer stuff. I don’t know what he’ll find to do in the evenings now. He doesn’t like watching television.’

The reporter suppressed a smile.

‘But it wasn’t just watching people, was it, Mrs Flint? Bad enough he broke their trust by stalking them, but Derek is now being questioned in connection with a number of unsolved crimes in the area, including the stabbing of the doorman at U-Beat nightclub.’

‘I suppose they think he can help them with their enquiries.’

‘Or possibly the police suspect he was involved?’

‘Do you think so?’ she asked naïvely.

‘Mrs Flint, as Derek’s mother do you feel responsible for what he’s done?’

‘Good gracious no! The reporter from the Sun asked me that this morning. I told her I brought him up as best I could without a father. She wanted some old photographs of him so I found some. It seemed only right as she was paying.’

‘How much have you been paid for your story?’

‘Ten thousand pounds.’

A murmur rippled through the crowd of neighbours watching.

‘So although you brought up Derek alone you don’t feel any responsibility for his crimes?’

‘I’ve already said no.’ There were more mutterings from the crowd and some were now pointing at her accusingly.

‘Do you feel sorry for the victims?’ the reporter asked.

‘I suppose so, although I didn’t know them.’

‘But your main sympathy lies with your son, despite what he is accused of?’

‘Yes.’ A roar went up from the crowd.

‘Is there anything you would like to say to the victims of your son’s alleged crimes or to their families?’

‘No, thank you.’

The crowd booed and Mrs Flint looked surprised. ‘You’re as much to blame as he is!’ someone shouted.

‘I’m going in now,’ she said and immediately turned.

The camera panned so she could be seen running indoors as the reporter wound up with the crowd jeering in the background.

‘As you can see, although Derek’s mother doesn’t believe her son has done anything wrong, her friends and neighbours here clearly think differently. Sandy Smith reporting for Channel News.’

‘We’ve had to bail Flint pending further enquiries, ma’am,’ Beth said to DCI Aileen Peters.

‘And he’s admitted to what so far?’ she asked rhetorically, looking at the report. ‘Filming people inside their homes without permission. So a breach of privacy at least.’

‘Yes, ma’am. And once forensics have finished taking apart his computer and running the DNA checks on his van, bike and office we’ll have him for most – if not all – of the other crimes on the list.’

‘But you won’t be able to use anything his mother has said now she’s sold her story to the press.’

‘I know, ma’am.’

‘Well done. You put a lot of work into this and it has reaped rewards.’

‘Thank you.’

‘OK. Go home now; it’s gone seven. Get some sleep over the weekend and on Monday I want you to join the team investigating the Kingsberry rapist. They desperately need another pair of hands. Matt will keep you informed on any developments with Flint. You’re aware of the basics of the Kingsberry rapist case?’

‘Yes, ma’am. Two rapes and five indecent assaults in the last nine months, all on young women in their twenties while they slept in their beds.’

‘And the residents of Kingsberry are asking why he hasn’t been caught yet. Familiarize yourself with the details over the weekend so you’re ready for off on Monday.’

‘Yes, ma’am. Will do, thank you.’

‘Have a good weekend.’

‘And you.’

Beth left the DCI’s office with a frisson of excitement. It was always nice to be congratulated on a job well done in addition to the personal satisfaction gained. She collected her bag from the now near-empty office and went down the stairs to the car park.

It was a sign of the confidence being placed in her that she would be working on the Kingsberry rapist case and it would be a welcome change after all the weeks of tracking down Flint, although she’d still be involved until he was convicted.

His solicitor was already making noises about a psychiatric assessment. Mad or bad? It was the old argument and often it turned out to be a bit of both. Derek appeared deluded, possibly psychotic, and a certainly a misogynist who’d had an unhappy childhood and resented his mother. But, like many criminals with personality disorders, he’d also had the presence of mind to plan and execute his crimes. That they’d had to let him out on bail for the time being was worrying, although without any of his computer equipment he was hopefully now impotent to harm anyone else.

Outside the evening was still pleasantly warm and banishing further thoughts of work, Beth started her car, switched on the air con and headed for home. The weekend beckoned and she was looking forward to it: relaxing with a glass of wine tonight and a day trip to the coast with three friends tomorrow. Then a lie-in on Sunday morning while she read the files on the Kingsberry rapist so she was prepared for Monday. It would be a feather in her cap if she could add something to this inquiry; a fresh pair of eyes sometimes did the trick. After all, if she hadn’t revisited the cases of Ron McKenzie, Tom Murray and Mary Grey and spotted the links with Derek Flint he would still be out there working his evil. But here she was thinking about work again! Reining in her thoughts, she concentrated on driving and the weekend ahead.