Their Lost Daughters (DI Jackman & DS Evans #2)(89)

‘Like hell you are!’ Cade swung around like a man possessed, and flung Rosie backwards into the wall. The air rushed from her lungs and she doubled over in pain.

‘Max! Don’t let him get away,’ she breathed, clasping her ribs. Max hesitated, staring at her with a horrified look on his face. ‘Leave me, you idiot! I’m just winded. Nail that bastard!’

*

It was a scene of utter chaos. Blue lights flashed. Men and kids were running in all directions, and the squeal of tyres and engines joined in with the techno music that still throbbed in the old silo. Cade ran out and across the concrete back yard towards his hidden car. Max raced after him. He was fitter and faster, but he didn’t have Cade’s desperation.

Suddenly Cade stopped, picked up a length of wooden fence post from a pile of rubbish, and swung it straight into Max’s midriff.

Max went down like a wounded animal, and Cade ran on, straight into the path of Sergeant Marie Evans.

Marie charged at him, taking him clear off his feet in a perfect rugby tackle.

Cade hit the deck. He scrabbled desperately to get free of Marie’s weight. Marie moved back slightly, just enough to allow him to make another attempt to run. Then she hit him.

She felt the impact all the way from her knuckles to her shoulder, and she was glad of it. She rubbed her clenched fist and stared down at the unconscious figure. ‘It’s not much, Val,’ she muttered, as she took her cuffs from her pocket. ‘But I hope it makes you feel better. It certainly makes me feel good.’

As she leant over Cade and snapped the cuffs into place, she felt the dark cloud finally lift. Until now she had believed that Cade would never pay for the terrible things he’d done while wearing a police officer’s badge. Marie stared coldly down at him. ‘Let’s see you try to wriggle out of this one, Chief Superintendent.’

Gary was at her side. ‘I hope you’re right, Sarge, but I’ll only believe it when I see a new name on his office door.’

Still out of breath, Rosie approached, supporting the winded Max. ‘Where the hell did you learn to hit like that?’

‘Anger Management Classes, would you believe. Works a treat!’ Marie looked at her colleagues. ‘And well done to you two! Great job.’

Max grimaced. ‘Our pleasure! I reckon it was worth a couple of cracked ribs just to see that haymaker, Sarge.’ He grinned admiringly at Marie. ‘Just remind me never to upset you!’

‘I’ll second that!’ Jackman stood looking at her in amazement. ‘They don’t call you Super Mario for nothing, do they?’

‘I had something of an incentive.’

‘Let’s clear up this mess and go home, shall we? And maybe you can tell me what that particular incentive was?’

Marie smiled at him. ‘I can now.’

*

Marie sat opposite Jackman in his office, a half-bottle of Scotch and two glasses between them.

‘I never drink on duty, but in Cade’s case I am making an exception.’ Jackman poured the whisky.

He sat back and savoured the first sip, then let out a long sigh of relief. ‘Talk to me, Marie. You told me that Cade blighted your friend’s career, but what did he actually do?’

Marie held onto her glass and stared into it. ‘He pestered her, harassed her, belittled her, ruined every chance that came her way and finally broke her spirit. All because she rejected his vile advances.’ She took a long swallow and winced as the alcohol touched her split lip. ‘Valerie was one of the brightest recruits, full of optimism and hope that she could make a difference. She was intelligent and good-looking, but Cade wore her down. Like a lot of coppers, she would go home and have a drink after a shift, sometimes two or three. And it gradually took hold of her. Everything started to go wrong, and she knew she couldn’t hack the job anymore. In the end she threw in the towel and moved away.’

‘Marie, I’m so sorry. I had no idea it was that bad.’

‘She was my dearest friend. She was to have been my bridesmaid. She got on like a house on fire with Bill, and she was so happy for me when Bill and I got engaged. I missed her then, and I still miss her.’

‘Couldn’t you get in touch with her? Go visit her, maybe?’

She shook her head slowly. ‘It’s too late, Jackman. She got drunk one night. Several witnesses saw her stagger out into the road. Ironically, she was hit by a police traffic car on its way to an RTC. She died before she got to hospital.’ A tear formed in Marie’s eye. ‘And although Cade didn’t physically kill her, he caused her death as surely as if he had wrapped his fingers around her throat and squeezed.’

‘Oh Lord! That’s terrible! No wonder you hit the bastard so hard.’

Marie stared at her bruised knuckles. ‘Most satisfying thing I’ve ever done.’

‘I’m sure the memory of it will live with him for years to come.’

‘Oh, I do hope so.’

Clive put his head around the door. ‘DI Jackman, I’m sorry to interrupt, but the super wanted you to know that she needs to hold a press conference. She wondered if you would go and prepare Grace Black before this hits the media.’

Jackman stretched and groaned. ‘Oh dear! Yes, of course, I will.’

‘I’ll go with you,’ said Marie. ‘I just wish we had something to tell the poor woman, but the bodies have all been named now, and there was no Kenya amongst them.’