Deadly Secrets (Detective Erika Foster #6)(92)

‘Take her away,’ said Erika. Peterson led Elsa from the living room and out to the waiting police car.





Epilogue





Erika, Moss, Peterson and McGorry watched as Elsa and Charles were loaded separately into waiting police cars. As the car containing Elsa pulled away, she sat upright, with her head held high, looking straight ahead. As the second car followed, Charles was slumped with his head down, and he was weeping.

Across the street, the neighbours had come to their gates and front doors, and others were peering through net curtains.

‘I wonder what they’d think if they knew they’d been living beside a murderer and a Nazi war criminal,’ said McGorry.

‘They’ll be shocked, I’m sure. She was always dressed head to toe in Marks and Spencer,’ said Moss. ‘Covers a multitude of sins.’

Erika smiled.

‘What’s going to happen to her now?’ added McGorry.

‘Even though she’s old, we’ll push to go to trial for Marissa’s murder,’ said Erika. ‘And Charles will be charged with conspiracy to murder. I’m just concerned about the other charges. The historical war crimes. I want her to live long enough to pay for what she did during the war.’

‘Let’s hope she lives for a long time, and gets to rot in prison,’ said Peterson.

A black van pulled up at the kerb, and a team of forensic officers got out and went to work on the house. Erika took out a cigarette and lit up. Peterson gave Moss a look.

‘Come on, John,’ she said. ‘Let’s go get some coffee.’

‘I’ve already had two coffees…’ he started, but Moss gave him a look and he followed her through the gateway.

Peterson shifted on his feet and looked at Erika.

‘You okay?’ she asked.

‘What?’

‘Elsa, and what she said.’

‘You never get used to racism. It’s always there. Every day, in some shape or form…’

Erika nodded, and didn’t know what to say.

‘I wanted to talk to you, about something different. Not work,’ he said.

‘What?’

‘I should have told you straight away about Kyle and Fran… I tried to tell you the night we went to the club, but… I wimped out.’

‘After all these revelations. The fact you’re a father doesn’t seem so shocking now.’

‘If you put it like that…’ he said.

‘I can’t say I’m over the moon for you, James, but I’ll get there,’ said Erika.

‘OK.’

‘You always wanted kids, and you’ve been able to miss out on all the nappy changing…’

He shook his head.

‘Sorry, that came out wrong,’ she added.

‘It’s okay. I know what you mean.’ He smiled at her. ‘Are we cool? Can we be cool?’

‘Yeah. We can,’ she said. She was glad when his phone rang, and he indicated he had to take it. ‘Shall I meet you in the coffee shop?’

She nodded and watched him go off and answer the phone, a big smile on his face.



* * *



She stayed at the gate, smoking. The feeling of relief and elation washing over her that she had nailed a case. She wasn’t sure how long she was there, until she looked down and saw four cigarette butts on the ground.

‘Screw it,’ she said to herself. ‘It’s not every day you catch a murderer and a Nazi war criminal before lunch.’ She took out her packet of cigarettes and lit another. One of the uniformed officers came out of the house towards her.

‘Sorry to interrupt, ma’am. We think we’ve discovered the coat the murderer wore, stuffed under some floorboards. And there’s a gas mask. Both look to be encrusted with blood.’

‘I’ll be there in a second,’ she said. The officer went back in the house, and Erika took a moment to savour her success. A bird was singing, high in one of the surrounding trees, and she looked up at the bright sky, savouring the soft sound. She took a drag on the freshly lit cigarette, before stubbing it out on the bottom of her shoe and slipping it back in the packet.

Then she made her way back into the house.