Lisa Stone: Stalker

Beth smiled. But in contrast to the shambles of an unkempt room, an expensive and new high-tech Smart TV with a sophisticated gamepad controller stood against one wall.

‘Nice,’ Matt said, going over for a closer look. ‘Wish my salary could stretch to one of these. Birthday present?’

‘No, his new job is paying well,’ Mrs Mellows said.

Matt threw Beth a doubtful look.

An older laptop, closed, lay on the bed beside a pile of unwashed clothes, which spilled onto the floor. ‘I do his laundry,’ Mrs Mellows said, following Beth’s gaze, ‘but I’m not his servant. He seems to think his dirty clothes will find their own way to the laundry basket.’ She gave a small humph.

Beth went to a pile of T-shirts. One in particular had caught her eye and she picked it up. ‘You’re brave touching his dirty washing,’ Mrs Mellows said.

‘Where did this come from?’ Beth asked, holding it up so Matt could see the design on the front.

‘Internet, I suppose, or The Mall,’ Mrs Mellows replied. ‘There’s a stall there that prints T-shirts with whatever you like.’

‘Do you know what Watching You is?’ Beth asked.

‘I assume some sort of boy band? Why?’

‘It came up recently in another context. Must be a coincidence.’

Mrs Mellows nodded. ‘Look, I’m sorry to rush you but I really do need to leave for work. Could you come back this evening when Paul’s here?’

‘Yes, of course. We won’t keep you; thank you for your time,’ Beth said.

They went out of the bedroom and downstairs.

‘Try his mobile, you may have more luck,’ she suggested as she saw them out. ‘Although it’s likely to be switched off if he’s working.’

‘We will. Thank you.’

‘I’ve never heard of a band called Watching You,’ Matt said as they returned to the car.

‘Neither have I, and it would be too much of a co-incidence if they both used exactly the same logos – the eye with a camera for the lens. It was identical to the one on the email on Flint’s laptop. Which rather confirms Paul was behind that email. But why go to the trouble of having a T-shirt printed?’

‘No idea. Let’s try his phone as his mother suggested,’ Matt said, settling into the driver’s seat.

Beth made the call. It went straight through to voicemail and she didn’t leave a message. ‘I think we should try the estate where he’s working and see if we can pick him up there. There can’t be that many trade vans in Cranberry Gardens. Flint is still missing and it now appears Paul could be too. Anyone can send a text message. It might not have been Paul, and Flint wouldn’t be the first person to murder his blackmailer.’

‘The worm turned,’ Matt said. He started the engine and pulled away. ‘And if he’s not there then we come back here later with a warrant so we can take Paul’s laptop and search the house.’

‘Agreed.’

The morning rush-hour traffic had built so it was 8.50am by the time they pulled into the estate.

‘The area hasn’t improved since the last time I was here,’ Beth said, glancing out of her side window. Matt turned into Bushmead Close. ‘This part is due for regeneration; I think most of the houses and flats are empty now.’

Matt nodded and cruised slowly down the close with both of them looking out. It was deserted. ‘No sign of any trade vans or workmen,’ Matt said. He did a three-point turn at the end and then drove slowly back.

‘I think Paul has been giving his mother a load of bull about working here,’ Beth said. ‘There’s no building work going on at all. In fact it looks like most of it is ready to be demolished.’

‘Back to the station then?’

‘Yes.’

Matt pulled to the end of the close and turned left. As he did the car phone rang and Beth pressed the speaker button.

‘Good morning, Beth, Matt.’

‘Good morning, sir,’ she said, automatically straightening in her seat. It was the DCS.

‘What’s happening with you two right now?’ he asked.

‘We’re just leaving the Cranberry estate, sir, on our way back. Paul Mellows wasn’t at home and there’s no sign of him where he’s supposed to be working so we’ll pick him up later with a search warrant.’

‘Fine, but don’t come back here. I need you to go to Flat 28, Fell Court. A community police officer has just called in with a suspected child abuse case. Matt can go with you.’

‘Very good, sir. We’re on our way.’

‘Thank you.’ The line went dead.

Beth pulled a face. ‘Just what we needed to start the week off.’

Matt sighed and turned the car around, as disconcerted as Beth at the prospect of investigating a child abuse case. No police officer relished investigating child abuse; it got to you in a way that other investigations didn’t. The details lingered and tormented you in the early hours. The look on the child’s face, lost and frightened, as they used childish language to describe what had been done to them. It definitely wasn’t a good start to the week. Flint was still missing, Paul had vanished, and now this.

Derek peered into the darkness. His legs and feet were numb and he was lapsing more and more into unconsciousness, with no idea of what day it was. He knew their evil plan was reaching fruition; there’d been a lot of activity recently. They’d hired a van which he’d heard them say was to be used to rape their victim, Nicole, in. And they’d bought extra condoms to do the job. They’d laughed over Ghoul’s choice of colour and taste – black cola.

Zombie and Ghoul had raped before but this was to be Paul’s first time. Derek sensed some uncertainty when they’d talked him through what would happen, describing it in graphic detail then repeating it for Derek’s sake. Two would hold her down while the third raped her. They’d all have a turn but as it was Paul’s first time he would be going first to prove himself. Derek gagged when he’d heard what they would do to her and had to stop himself from throwing up. With the tape stuck over his mouth he would have drowned in his own vomit.

He’d also learnt that once they’d finished raping Nicole and had dumped her in Coleshaw Woods they were going to come back and dispose of him. Bound and gagged, Paul was to put him in a sack weighted with bricks and throw him in the deepest part of the canal.

‘Just like I did with your predecessor,’ Ghoul laughed.

Derek thought that if there was a God and he could only save one of them then he wanted it to be Nicole. She was young, fourteen, with her whole life ahead of her – a good, kind girl who wanted to be a doctor.

‘Take me but leave her,’ he tried to cry out, ‘and please look after my mother.’

‘Did it speak?’ Zombie growled, advancing towards him. But Derek was already safe again in the depths of unconsciousness so didn’t feel the blows.

It was after 1pm by the time Beth and Matt left Fell Court where they’d been investigating the suspected child abuse, and they were emotionally drained. Thankfully it wasn’t the worse case they’d come across, not by a long way, but even so it was worrying. A neighbour had reported hearing a child screaming and crying for help on a number of occasions. They’d interviewed the neighbour and the child’s parents who claimed the neighbour was racist and that their daughter had been having nightmares – even in the day. Aged six, and with English as her second language, the child had nodded agreement with her parents, although to Beth her eyes told a different story.

They’d taken statements and waited for the social worker to arrive. It was the first time the family had come to the attention of the social services so it was likely they’d be given the benefit of the doubt and be monitored for now. But Beth was sure there would be a next time. The haunted look in the girl’s eyes had said it all.