Their Lost Daughters (DI Jackman & DS Evans #2)(57)
He closed the door. The air conditioning hummed softly, and distant voices called out from different parts of the building. Compared to the day-time, the office was as peaceful as an empty chapel.
He sat at his desk, elbows on the polished wood surface, and placed his chin in his cupped hands. He closed his eyes, which stung with tiredness, as if he’d rubbed sand into them. Behind his sore, closed lids he saw the lockers with their little vases of flowers.
Why had a cold-blooded psycho-killer made time for a gesture so tender? So loving?
Jackman had a feeling that if he knew the answer to that, he would be right at the heart of what had happened at Windrush.
He wished they had a profiler. Jackman needed someone to talk to about the killer’s motives, his psyche. But after a bad experience in the past, the super was dead set against psychological profiling.
Jackman leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. He was getting nowhere. If all he could come up with was vases of flowers, it was time to pull the plug and go home.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
‘Sorry, sir. I’ve hit a problem.’ Gary entered Jackman’s office, his expression anxious. ‘You asked me to check the last of those CCTV pictures of Nick Barley with those guys from the drinking club.’
Jackman looked at him. ‘What did you find?’
‘I found nothing, because they’ve disappeared.’ Gary shifted uncomfortably. ‘Well, not exactly. They have been appropriated by Chief Superintendent Cade. When I asked why, I was told that his CID office “had cleared their backlog and were eager to help you out”. It was also made clear to me that as the original girl was probably abducted from the Harlan Marsh area, they’d be more likely than us to recognise any of the men seen talking to young Barley.’
Jackman’s teeth clamped. Cade had absolutely no right to do that. Not without his say-so. There was now a positive connection between the underage drinking club, the abduction of the girls, and a serial killer, so what the hell was Cade up to?
‘Curiouser and curiouser,’ breathed Marie softly, swinging the pool car keys on her finger.
‘The bastard!’ Jackman whispered. ‘Hang on here, Marie. I’m going to see the super.’
Jackman stormed into Ruth Crooke’s office and blurted out the news about Cade taking the CCTV footage.
‘I know,’ said the superintendent quietly. ‘And you should calm down, Rowan, because he’s quite right. They’ve been after this gang for months. They have a much better chance than you of identifying them.’ She indicated a chair, but Jackman ignored her and continued to pace the floor.
‘There are the correct channels and there is common decency, ma’am. And he’s used neither.’
‘Chief Superintendent Cade is only helping you out. He said that he’s very grateful for your assistance, so now you are so busy, he’s returning the favour.’ The super’s eyes narrowed. ‘Now I suggest you accept it as such. You have plenty on your plate right now with twelve young bodies to find identities for, not to mention a killer probably loose in the Fens.’
‘Don’t remind me.’ Jackman flopped into the chair and was about to say more when the superintendent’s phone rang. Ruth passed it across the desk to Jackman.
‘I’m sorry, Rowan. Aija Ozolini, known as Emily, died a few minutes ago. The officer at the hospital would like to talk to you.’
Jackman was devastated. After all that Emily had suffered, then to be rescued, only to die anyway. He gritted his teeth to hold back howls of frustration.
‘DI Jackman here.’
‘Sir, I wanted you to know that Emily did regain consciousness, just for a brief time, but the doctor said that the drugs had done irreparable damage. She had a massive heart attack, and there was no bringing her back.’
‘Did she say anything about her captor, Officer?’
‘She was speaking in her language, sir, but Janis the interpreter was with us. He said that she was mostly fretting about her family, but she did say something about someone singing to her. Then she got really panicked and started screaming something about eyes. I wrote down exactly what Janis said, sir. It was, “Dead eyes! Oh my God! Get away from me! Please! Don’t look at me!” She didn’t say anything else. Janis did his best to get some sort of description from her, but not long after that her heart gave in.’
Jackman thanked the constable and passed the phone back to Ruth Crooke. His sadness was already giving way to rage. ‘I have to go. I need to tell the troops, even if it’s not the news they wanted to hear.’
‘Well, remember, Rowan, you already have two suspects in custody, and one under supervision at the hospital. It’s a better start than we normally get.’
‘And my only eye witness has just died. And if our suspects turn out to be innocent, there is a psychopath out there somewhere.’
*
Jackman gave the team the news of Emily’s death. Their faces fell. They had pinned all their hopes on her.
‘What’s your gut feeling about the two suspects, boss?’ asked Charlie.
‘None as yet. We’ve only spoken to Broome so far. Micah will need very careful handling.’
‘I’m afraid we won’t be talking to him just yet,’ added Marie. ‘I’ve had a message from Harlan Marsh. The FMO has seen him and said that he’s not fit to interview, with or without a responsible adult. They are going to let us know when we can see him.’