Lisa Stone - Stalker

‘What are they doing that you don’t like?’ he asked.

‘None of your bloody business,’ Paul snapped.

Derek waited a moment before trying again. ‘You know, Paul, you were one of my brightest apprentices. I always considered you one of the best. Why did you get in with this lot?’

‘Because you pissed me off!’ he retorted. ‘I wanted to get my own back after you sacked me.’

‘I didn’t sack you. I let you go,’ Derek said pathetically.

‘Whatever. I knew you were up to something dodgy, and when I joined Watching You they made it easy to find out the rest. They can hack into anything, as you found out. It’s been fun watching you.’ Paul gave a low, humourless laugh.

‘Why send me all those advertisements and emails? You must have known I’d trace you eventually. If you hadn’t sent them I might never have known my computer had been hacked. Why bring me here and make yourself known?’

Paul laughed again while concentrating on the screen. ‘We couldn’t believe how long it took you to rumble you’d been hacked.’

‘But why tell me and lead me here?’ he asked again. ‘It doesn’t make sense.’

‘My initiation,’ Paul said. ‘To become a full member of the Watching You online community, you have to complete a task decided by the other members. Something fitting and appropriate. As you were responsible for my joining the group, it seemed appropriate that bringing you here was my initiation. The kidnapping of Mary Grey and the stabbing of that bouncer at U-Beat nightclub were some of the other group members’ initiations.’

Derek stared at him, horrified, and pushed his half-eaten sandwich away.

‘So this group of yours has been hacking into my computer for their victims?’

Paul nodded.

‘How many crimes are they responsible for?’

‘Not sure, but quite a few of the ones the police want you for. We had a right laugh about that. Online stalking is so easy now, as you know. You watch and track them through their computer, tablet, phone and CCTV, then spot the perfect time to strike. I’m just a newbie, you wouldn’t believe how much this lot are responsible for.’

‘But I just watched,’ Derek said plaintively. ‘I tried to help them. I didn’t commit any crimes.’ He felt sweat trickle down his back, although it wasn’t hot in the room. ‘So what is going to happen to me?’

‘That’s for the other members to decide. But they’re obviously not going to let you go, you know too much.’

‘I only know who you are,’ he blurted, panic stricken. ‘What if I promise not to tell anyone? If you let me go I could say you wore a mask too and I’d no idea who any of you were.’

‘As if you are going to do that!’ Paul sneered. ‘You’re too fucking self-righteous. The reason you watch and monitor people is to make sure they’re behaving themselves. You’ve created a fantasy world – just as we have. You’ll go straight to the police and tell them who is really responsible for those crimes.’

‘What if you left the group and stopped playing their horrific games?’ Derek tried. ‘Then I could report them without you.’

‘No one leaves this group once they’ve joined. The guy I replaced wanted out and was found floating in the canal.’

‘You were responsible for that?’ Derek asked, appalled.

‘Not me personally. I hadn’t joined then, but the other two were. Sorry, Derek – you’re in as deep as me.’

‘You’re going to let them kill me because I sacked you? You’re sick in the head.’

‘No, I don’t let them kill you. I have to do it, it’s one of the rules of the game. Whoever brings in the victim finishes them off.’

The door opened to the length of the security chain and Mrs Flint peered through the gap.

‘DC Beth Mayes and Matt Davis,’ Beth said, flashing her identify card. ‘We visited you before.’

‘I remember,’ she said, but didn’t open the door further.

‘You’ve reported Derek missing. Can we come in?’ Beth asked.

‘I got into trouble the last time I let you in.’

Matt sighed. ‘Mrs Flint, Derek has jumped bail. We can talk inside or at the police station.’

‘We want to help him,’ Beth added, trying to be more conciliatory.

‘I don’t know where he can be,’ she said her voice breaking. Unhooking the chain, she let them in.

‘We’ll take some details and start looking for him straightaway,’ Beth said. They followed her into the living room, gloomy and chilly even on a fine day. ‘Can we sit down?’

She nodded to the sofa, and, having taken a tissue from her sleeve, dabbed her nose and sat in her armchair.

‘When did you last see Derek?’ Beth asked, as Matt took out a notepad and pen.

‘On the morning I went to stay at my sister’s.’

‘And when was that?’

‘Five days ago, I think; yes. When I got back I thought he must be out for the day. Then I thought he could be with his girlfriend.’

‘Does he have one?’ Matt asked, pausing from writing and unable to hide his surprise.

‘I don’t know. It was just one of the reasons I thought for him not being here.’

‘Has he ever said he had a girlfriend?’ Beth asked. The girlfriend’s or boyfriend’s home was always the first place they looked for a missing person.

‘No.’

‘He’s never brought her home?’ Beth asked.

‘Good gracious no.’

‘What about talking to her on the phone? Have you heard him speak to her?’

She shook her head.

‘So a girlfriend is just something you surmised?’ Matt asked. Mrs Flint looked confused.

‘You wondered if Derek might have a girlfriend because he wasn’t here, but he’s never talked about her so you don’t know for sure?’ Beth clarified.

‘That’s right.’

Matt didn’t comment but continued to write.

‘Are any of Derek’s clothes missing?’ Beth asked, going through a mental check list of questions to ask in a missing person enquiry.

‘Only what he was wearing.’

‘Which was?’ she prompted.

‘Grey trousers and a navy shirt and jumper. Same as usual.’

‘Was he wearing a jacket?’

‘I don’t know, I wasn’t here when he left.’

‘Is there one missing from his wardrobe, do you know?’ Beth asked.

‘No, but his navy zip-up jacket isn’t on the hall stand where he keeps it so he must have it with him. His suitcase is still here though.’

‘What about his passport?’ Beth asked. ‘Do you know if that’s still here?’

‘He doesn’t have a passport. We don’t go abroad, and he’d tell me if he was going away.’ Her face clouded. ‘But there’s none of his washing in the laundry basket; that’s why I know he hasn’t been here.’

‘I see,’ Beth said. ‘Try not to worry, I’m sure he’s fine.’ Given that Derek was on bail it was most likely he’d done a runner rather than coming to any harm.

‘I’ve been phoning his mobile but it’s always turned off,’ she said, wiping her nose again.

‘It would be,’ Beth said. ‘We still have it at the police station, together with all the other things we took from here. When Derek returns he can collect his van, motorbike and office keys from us. We’ve finished with them.’

‘So you think he’ll come back?’ Mrs Flint asked, brightening a little.

Beth nodded positively. ‘Once his details are circulated I’m sure someone will spot him.’ She omitted to say that when Derek was found, having jumped bail, he’d be taken straight into custody.

‘I do hope so. I’m worried, I miss him.’

Beth smiled reassuringly. ‘Is there anything else that makes you think he hasn’t been back here while you’ve been at your sister’s?’ she asked, aware that absconders often returned home for food and clothing as they had nowhere else to go.