Urge to Kill (1) (16 page)

She leant across and planted a kiss on his cheek, before snatching her coat and heading for the loo.

Clive moved into the main office and stood besides Anne’s desk looking for inspiration and aware that a plan was beginning to form in his mind. Hearing the ladies toilet door open, he moved away.

‘Thanks, Clive.’

With a cheery wave of her hand, she was gone, and it was then he noticed Anne’s shoulder bag was still in its usual position, slung across the back of her chair. Clive felt a flush of excitement race through him. If she had left her credit cards behind, then he had found the perfect way to get rid of her. He would give her what she wanted, a date with him. But the date would be deadly and she would never return.

Seating himself at the desk, he opened her bag. With trembling fingers and an ear attuned for sound of anyone returning, he searched through it. There were two credit cards in a small zipped side pocket. He selected one and laid it in front of the computer.

The RSC website was easy to find. The Royal Shakespeare Company was busy rebuilding the main theatre, so their temporary Courtyard theatre would have to do. It was just past the Dirty Duck pub on Waterside.

He crossed his fingers and hoped there would be tickets to see
Twelfth Night
tomorrow. It was not one of his favourites, but it didn’t matter. At last the site confirmed that there were some tickets available, the most expensive of course, and he booked two without hesitation, giving all of Anne’s details and using her credit card. Just as he was finishing, the soft whine of the lift told him the workers were returning. He slid the cards into in Anne’s bag and moved back to his office.

Clive just had time to seat himself at his desk when several cheerful staff poured out of the lift. A free lunch was a rare treat and worthwhile, even if they had had to put up with Artie to get it. Anne wasn’t amongst them, and he hoped her computer would go back to screen saver before she arrived. If not, he would have to distract her.

She was one of the last to return and, by then, her computer was back to normal. Clive congratulated himself that the gods were truly on his side. Anne paused to give him a little wave before she sat down, so he indicated that he wanted to talk to her. She was at the office door even before he could rise to open it for her.

‘Did you have a good lunch?’

‘It would have been more fun if you had been there.’

‘Sorry. Holding the fort so Gloria could get off.’

‘How like you, Clive.’

She sat down and rearranged her skirt while Clive sat on the side of the desk and leaned towards her. ‘Anne, I’ve had a word with Mrs Sinclair and she can stay late with Mother tomorrow. I was really hoping, if you are free, that we could meet up for a drink, have that chat.’

Her face lit up so that, for a moment, she almost looked pretty. He wondered what she would look like when he had finished with her.

‘Oh, Clive, that would be so lovely.’

‘Let’s keep it quiet at this point, shall we? It will be our own little secret.’

‘Of course.’

Then it was a simple matter to arrange a place and time and she left the office blissfully happy. It wouldn’t last of course, and he wanted to laugh aloud at the thought of tomorrow, but stifled the rising merriment, turning it instead into a big smile. Anne looked back and returned his smile.

Thoroughly pleased with himself, he settled down to work for the rest of the afternoon, while contemplating what a wonderful day it was turning out to be. Everything was going his way.

Finding it was difficult to concentrate, Clive decided to take advantage of the gods being on his side to take care of a couple of other tasks.

For one, he wanted to prepare his little message to the Inspector. And two, if that cocky little Constable had thought she had got away with trying to trip him up, she would soon find out otherwise.

CHAPTER 22

M
aking her way home, Eppie began thinking about her and Matt. She had never experienced such cold anger before and wasn’t sure how to deal with it. Would it be gone by the time he came home? Dad seldom got angry, and when he did, it was over in a hot flash. Anger she could deal with, but if Matt withdrew from her…Eppie pushed the thought to the back of her mind and started to prepare the vegetables for dinner.

With everything prepared, Eppie had just picked up her book when Matt came in. Letting it drop, she stood trying to assess his mood, holding herself back from rushing forward and throwing her arms around his neck. He looked tired, but as he walked towards her, she was glad to see the coldness was gone from his eyes.

Matt seemed to hesitate so she moved towards him. They could talk later; right now she needed to feel his arms around her. She had the sense that that was what he wanted too, for he was quick to enfold her and she snuggled into his embrace.

Eppie buried her face in his chest, enjoying his masculine smell that was mingled with sweat and pizza. It felt as if there was nowhere safer in the world. She thought about saying ‘sorry.’ It would be so easy, but she couldn’t bring herself to spoil the moment.

Matt showered and changed as Eppie finished preparing dinner. Despite the surface harmony, she had the sense of a blockage between them. She was reluctant to bring up the issue, although she knew they would have to talk about her working at the spa.

Matt came into the kitchen to get the cutlery to lay the small table. ‘Eppie.’ He broke the silence as he turned to face her.

Eppie almost jumped but tried for casualness, ‘Yes?’ She knew what was coming and tried to stave it off by opening the fridge and examining its contents. ‘Is there anything you would like for dinner tomorrow? I could do…’

Matt stopped her by turning her towards him and closing the fridge door. ‘We have to talk about this. You must understand the position you are putting me in, Eppie. I can’t have you on the scene of an enquiry, especially a murder enquiry.’

‘But, Matt—’

‘No buts, none at all. My main aim is to catch this murderer, protect the public, and you, my wife. I can’t be juggling everything and worrying about you, Eppie, I just can’t. Surely you can see that?’

Eppie was slow to reply as she tried to choose her words. ‘I love you for wanting to protect me, Matt, I really do, but I’m in no more danger than anyone else. You aren’t stopping any of the other women working at the health club, are you?’

‘I’m not married to any of them, am I?’ There was now an edge creeping into Matt’s voice.

Finding it difficult to stay calm, Eppie replied, ‘So because I’m
your
wife, I’m the only one who can’t go out in the big bad world?’

‘Now you are being completely ridiculous.’

The anger in Matt’s voice was sparking Eppie’s hot temper, and although she tried to control it, she knew she was becoming determined to make her point and at any cost. ‘Ridiculous am I? You forget I have been in countless dangerous situations and dealt with hundreds of awkward officials.’

‘But no one wanted to harm you. None of them were murderers I take it?’

‘Now, you are being ridiculous.’ Eppie turned back to the sink in disgust.

Matt moved swiftly to grasp her arm and spin her around. Eppie could see that coldness coming over his face again. ‘I don’t want you there.’

‘Tough, because I work there.’ Eppie pushed her way past him aware that her face was flushed in stark contrast to his. Making her way to the bathroom she slammed the door shut and sat on the edge of the bath trying, without much success, to stop the angry tears.

And Matt was wrong. She had faced those who intended her harm and in the worst possible way.

Seven months after Mum had walked out on them, Eppie, unable to put up with cousin Natalie and Aunt Sarah’s constant criticism of her Mother, had decided to run away to join Dad.

On the railway station, she had queued for hot chocolate and a doughnut. She wasn’t a seasoned traveller like the rest of the crowd and, as she struggled to find the right change, she could hear their sighs and impatient mutterings behind her. With the coins in her hand, she had glanced up to see the woman in the kiosk glaring at her, and in her hurry most of the money dropped from her hand to scatter across the marble floor.

The youth had stopped one of the coins from rolling away by putting his foot on it, and while she stooped to retrieve them all, he had stepped past her, placing a ten-pound note on the counter.

‘A coffee please and take it all out of that.’ He nodded towards Eppie.

The woman had favoured him with a smile of relief.

Eppie had managed to retrieve most of the coins and had stood to find the youth waiting, holding the drinks and her doughnut. She was embarrassed as he motioned to one of the brightly coloured steel seats, and as soon as they sat down, she tried to tip all her change into his hand. A couple of the coins rolled away under the seat.

‘You’re very good at this, aren’t you? I bet you come from some little village where coin rolling is the main sport.’

‘No,’ she laughed. Besides, he had a nice smile and was not much older than her brother Mike. Everyone else on the station was dressed in suits with briefcases, even the women, and all seemed in a dreadful hurry, as if they were going to be late for some important meeting.

‘On your way to somewhere nice?’ he asked.

Eppie hesitated, aware that she had to be careful and so chose a variation of the truth. ‘Meeting my dad.’

‘Good. Not a place to be hanging about.’ He finished his coffee and stood. ‘Must go and check on my Mum’s train. Take care.’

When he had gone, Eppie had felt lonely. She had a little time to wait for her train to Gatwick so she wandered into the bookshop, idly glancing through the magazines before going back to sit on the bench. There were few people about now. She couldn’t see the youth anywhere so guessed his mother must have arrived.

Putting her rucksack on the bench beside her, she tried to relax, thinking of what her dad would say when she turned up. Had Aunt Sarah missed her yet? She was supposed to be in school, so Natalie would know she was missing and take delight in telling everyone if only to get her into trouble. Well, she had made up her mind she wasn’t going back there.

A sudden wrench and her rucksack was whisked away. She hadn’t even realised that anyone had approached. She turned towards the pounding footsteps ready to give chase, but the hooded figure was already yards away. Then she heard someone shout, ‘Let me.’

The youth who had helped her in the coffee queue was racing after the thief. Eppie followed on after him until she caught up with him at the station entrance. He was bent over getting his breath back.

‘Sorry. He jumped on a bus over there.’

‘Oh, no. Should I tell the police?’

‘Probably a good idea. They won’t catch him now, though. It might be best to wait until your dad gets here.’

Eppie felt very alone at that moment. Everything she needed to get her to Hawaii and Dad was in that rucksack. With no passport or money she was lost, would have to ring Aunt Sarah and have the shame of going back to Natalie’s smirking. She was trying to hold back the tears.

The youth put a brotherly arm around her shoulders. ‘Hey. Cheer up. It can’t be that bad. What’s a few old clothes?’

Eppie felt the tears burst through.

The youth let her cry, even looked a little embarrassed.

‘I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be. Look my Mum’s train is delayed. What don’t you come home to mine, have some lunch? Mum won’t mind. Sean by the way.’

‘Eppie.’

It sounded so normal and domestic and she needed a haven. Eppie nodded.

The house was different than she expected and in a run down terrace not far from the station. Some of the houses in the street were boarded up and one had tattered curtains that looked like they had been in place for fifty years. Eppie hesitated but the youth encouraged her forward.

‘Know it’s not much but better inside.’ He led the way to a house with a solid door and drawn curtains.

He opened the door for her to go in first. Inside, it was gloomy and Eppie hesitated only to feel a swift push on her back that caused her to stumble forward and fall to her knees. She heard him lock the door before pulling her roughly to her feet. His face now looked older and was set with a scowl as he manhandled her into the first room off the corridor.

The first thing she saw was her rucksack. The youth, she guessed the one who had stolen it, was tipping her belongings onto a rickety coffee table.

‘Very worthwhile,’ he grinned, holding up her passport and money.

Eppie moved forward to retrieve them from his grasp but felt herself pushed into a tattered chair, forced to watch as both the youths picked through her clothes. The first one lingered over her underpants, while looking at her and licking his lips.

‘Daddy’s little girl, ah?’

‘That’s what Mel pays us for, so you ain’t having any,’ Sean snapped.

‘How’s the sod gonna know then?’

‘Don’t be bloody stupid. The fresh ones, untouched by grubby hands like yours, fetch the best price and that’s what he is getting.’

Sean walked across to her and touched her hair. She wanted to scream, to wake up from this nightmare, but all she could do was cower farther back in the chair. There would be no way she could fight these two; they were both too strong. She used to play wrestle with Mike when she was much younger, and he sometimes let her win, but this wasn’t like that. Later, big brother like, he had told her what to do if a boy was too insistent. She must think back and remember everything he said.

The sulky youth was stuffing everything back into her rucksack. Sean moved towards the door.

‘I’ll fetch Mel. Don’t soil the goods.’

Eppie heard the front door bang behind him. She was being sold on like a cow at market. This might be her only opportunity to get away. Sizing up the remaining youth, she thought he looked lighter than Sean. He came towards her, kneeling in front of her, reaching forward to slide his hands up her thighs.

‘So. Are you really Miss Innocent? Never ever had it?’

She was too afraid to answer him.