Darque Wants (83 page)

“I’d like that,” Thena smiled.

“And then, if you do get the job, we can move there. Live in mine. You don’t even worry about having to move out of this place, if you don’t want. I’ll pay the rent and then you can keep it on, so that you can move back anytime you like if you change your mind about the job or it’s not working out.”

“No,” she shook her head, embarrassed. “I couldn’t let you do that.”

“Course you could.”

“Just because you’ve got money, doesn’t mean I – “

“Hey,” he placed a finger over her lips, then removed it so he could kiss them. “I know you’re not after my money or anything,” he smiled. “You’re not that kind of girl. But this is no big deal. I already have a place there, it’s fully paid up, I own it, it’s not costing me anything, except for the bills. We might as well use it.”

“But the rent here,” she protested.

“Is hardly anything. It’s a one bed flat in Dorchester. I don’t know how much you pay but I can’t imagine it’ll break the bank, and your bills will be right down if you’re not staying here. You could always ask your landlord if you could sub-let, if you’re so worried about it. But really, I insist. It’s not a problem.”

Thena still felt super awkward about letting him do something so nice for her, but thankfully at that moment, the pizza arrived, and they sat in front of the telly and ate, half watching some action adventure film that was on.

The conversation soon picked up again, and they discussed the little mystery they were unravelling, and what they should do next.

“So…we know that Harvey Jenson is the killer,” Thena began, trying to break it down for them bit by bit. “Of both your grandmother and the man previously uh….”

“Edward Simms,” Dorian provided.

“Yes him. Because of the necklace. They were both killed because of the necklace.”

Dorian instinctively raised his hand to his neck, but he wasn’t wearing the mystical ancient artifact  that night. He had made a point of taking it off, knowing he was going to see Thena, as its supernatural capabilities gave them both visions so strong and powerful that it was difficult to concentrate on anything else, to concentrate on each other.

“But he was ordered to carry out the murders by someone else,” Thena continued. “But we don’t know who.”

“Right, and he thinks his father might have been involved in someway, because this mysterious other person and his dad went back a long way, and he helped Harvey to get his job at the University because of the connection with his father. But that’s all we know, no names.”

“Well, we need names if we’re going to pursue this any further,” said Thena determinedly. “He must know the name of the guy who asked him to carry out the killings. He just doesn’t want to tell you.”

“I didn’t actually ask him,” Dorian admitted. “I was just so…in shock, still…about my grandmother. I didn’t really think.”

“It’s understandable,” she said gently, taking his hand. “But I think…maybe we should go back there and ask him. I mean…if you think you could handle seeing him again?”

“I could,” he nodded. “I have to.”

*****

The retirement home was situated on a small cul de sac on the outskirts of the town. It was a pleasant, low crime area; mostly residential and, incidentally, mostly occupied by elderly citizens, as if it was only a few small steps for them to move from their own property into the retirement home. The idyllic surroundings, with a park and woods just behind the property, gave the impression of the countryside and the warm sun of the day only further added to that.

The woman running the home recognised Dorian from his previous trip, where he had lied in order to get an audience with Harvey, telling her she was his nephew. Now, she smiled at him and admitted them both without question, the two of them just having to sign the visitors book before walking right on through.

Dorian led them through the corridors towards Harvey's private room, where he knocked on and then opened the door immediately without waiting for a response. 

The old man, Harvey Jenson, was sat in front of the television on his sofa, watching an auction programme, his eyes glazed over as if he wasn't really paying much attention. He turned to look in the direction of the door as they walked in, and shrank backwards, recognising Dorian instantly. 

"What do you want?" He asked. "I've already told you everything...I admitted it."

Dorian picked up the remote control and muted the television, then sat down on the sofa next to Harvey.

Thena pulled up a chair and sat opposite.

"We just have a couple more questions," said Dorian quietly. "This is my partner, Thena."

"Nice to meet you," Thena smiled. It felt strange, being so polite to a murderer, but in that context, in that environment, he didn't look like one. He looked like a normal, frail old man, and it was hard to believe he had ever killed anyone. 

"Who was it that sent you to do the killings?" Dorian began. "I know you said you were only a pawn but....you must know something more. You met with a man in an office, a dark office..."

"H-how do you know that?" Harvey looked slightly suspiciously at the two of them. 

"I told you," said Dorian gently. "The visions. We can see things...we both can. And we saw the face of the man who asked you to carry out those murders."

That part was more of a blag than anything. They weren't a hundred per cent certain that the man from the visions in the office had ordered the deaths, but he certainly seemed the most likely candidate.

"You didn't seem happy," Dorian continued. "You knew what you were doing was wrong."

"Of course I did," Harvey blustered. "I just didn't have a choice." 

"Because they got you the job at the University?"

"Yes," Harvey answered after some hesitation.

"So you're admitting that you know him then?" Thena pushed. "The guy you met in the office? You're not denying it?"

"Well, you seem to know so much already, there's hardly any point."

"What was his name?" asked Dorian.

"Oh no no," Harvey shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't tell you that. It's more than my life's worth to give you his name. I've seen what him and his ilk do to people who cross them."

"Look," said Dorian kindly, but with a slight impatience in his voice nonetheless. "You're an old man now. You're in a retirement home. You haven't got that much left to lose."

"Would you say the same for your grandma? I could have a few good years left in me yet."

"Fine," sighed Dorian. He glanced at Thena questioningly. "Maybe we could try..."

They had brought the necklace with them; just in case. Perhaps they would get some kind of vision if they could persuade Harvey to touch it with them. He was intrinsically connected to it, after all, and had shared much of its history. 

Thena nodded. "Worth a try."

Harvey stared in blank confusion between the two of them, obviously wondering what on earth they were talking about. When Dorian slipped his hand inside his pocket and brought out the necklace, his expression changed from confusion to horror. He visibly shrank backwards in a panic away from the necklace. 

"Where in God's name did you get that?" He gasped, his eyes wide. "I threw that thing away!"

"I know you did," said Dorian. "But a homeless guy found it washed up on the shoreline and sold it to a second hand store for cash. Then my grandmother bought it." 

"Your grandmother had it?" Harvey seemed just as surprised by that news as he did the fact that they had it in the first place. 

"You already knew that," said Dorian flatly. "You killed her for it." 

"I didn't know that, I swear. If I'd have known she had the necklace that would have changed everything. I was told to kill her not kill her and retrieve it, and he would have definitely told me to bring it to him if he'd have known." 

"Him? He was after the necklace?"

Harvey nodded. "That's why he told me to kill the first guy. Kill him and take the necklace, but I was so...angry and...bitter, at being forced into doing something I didn't want to...that I did a half job. I killed him, and then pretended I couldn't find the necklace on him, when in fact I'd cast it out into the water, hoping no one would ever come upon the damn thing again."

"Well then why were you ordered to kill my grandmother?"

"All I was told was that she knew too much."

"Because of her powers," suggested Thena. "Because of her sight. He knew that she had it, but he didn't know she had the necklace. Maybe she never mentioned she had it...in the e-mails she sent."

"He definitely didn't," said Harvey. "And if I were you, I'd get rid of that thing as quickly as possible...if you value your lives that is. If he finds out you've got it, you'll be dead, for certain." 

"Then tell us who he is," said Dorian desperately. "Please! If you want to help us, there's a very simple way you can do that...by giving us his name."

There was a long pause, during which Harvey appeared to be considering his options. Then he let out a heavy sigh and nodded slowly. "Montgomery Shackleton," he answered. "Monty to his friends and colleagues. Monty Shackleton."

Thena and Dorian exchanged glances. This was excellent progress. They had a name.

"And who is he?" Thena asked.

"He works in the British Government. You won't have heard of him, because he's not a Member of Parliament or a Lord or anything like that. He's part of MI5. Very high up. He controls things from behind the scenes, pulls the strings, has fingers in a lot of different pies. He's extremely powerful, and extremely dangerous. Whatever he wants, he gets, and nobody ever questions his authority." 

Thena and Dorian listened in awed silence. He certainly did sound like a formidable character this Montgomery Shackleton, and not somebody they wanted to cross. Still, it was too late for that now. 

"Thanks for everything, Harvey," said Dorian politely as he got to his feet. 

"I hope, in some small way, I'm able to make amends for what I've done," the old man whispered. 

"You've gone some way towards it by giving us that information," Dorian nodded. "Do you feel guilt over your actions?"

"Frequently."

"Would...would it help if I said I forgave you?"

Harvey's dull eyes brightened up. "You...do?"

"Yeah," said Dorian with a sigh. "I can't carry that kind of anger and hatred with me all my life. In the end, it just eats you up." 

Harvey nodded, and the couple turned to go, leaving the retirement home and walking out into the bright sunshine of the afternoon, with a dark shadow hanging over them.

They remained silent, all the way back to Thena’s flat, where finally, they talked about what they had just discovered, whilst Dorian made them both some late lunch. They had slept in that morning, Thena taking the chance to enjoy her day off work having called in sick.

“It looks like all roads are leading to London,” said Dorian cheerfully. “At least that’s one thing. You should accept that interview offer. It’s as if fate put the chance in our way.”

“Do you believe in fate?” she looked at him curiously.

“I don’t know, do you?”

“I don’t know.”

She slid her arms tentatively around his waist, worried for a moment about having a vision when she touched him. She hadn’t had one for a couple of days and, to be honest, she was relieved. They were exhausting, and they filled her head with thoughts and concerns that she’d rather not have there. She knew that Dorian was keeping some kind of secret from her. There was something in his past; something she had caught glimpses of when she’d touched him, just mere hints that didn’t make sense, nothing more. One of them, he had seen it too, a shared vision, but he had dismissed it and told her to think nothing of it. She’d been trying her best, but it still occasionally danced in front of her mind, replaying the visions exactly as she had first experienced them, trying to work out what it meant.

Sun, sand, sea. Three pairs of sandals, different sized feet, similar but not matching in style, walking together in unison through parched, sandy earth, the sun beating down hard and hot above them. Sweaty, close air that you can almost taste on the tip of your tongue as you breathe.

Three people sat on brightly coloured beach towels. The sand soft and fluffy, the sea lapping gently. Peaceful and beautiful. A warm, pleasant day somewhere abroad and sunny.

Three people. On a beach. A man and a woman. A couple. Holding hands. And a young boy. It looked like Dorian.

That same young boy, staring down at his hands. They were covered in blood.

“Everything alright, love?” Dorian’s voice brought her out of her daydreams. She had been standing there staring into space.

“What? Er, yes. Fine. What were we saying?”

“About the interview at the museum. You should reply to them today. Let them know you’re interested.”

“Right, yes I will do.” She smiled. “Good idea.”

She grabbed her laptop and sat down, typing out a reply to the museum.

“When shall we go to London then?” she glanced up at him, wanting to give them a date or time. “This weekend?”

“I think that would be good, yeah. The sooner the better,” he nodded.

The remainder of the week passed incredibly slowly, and was mostly made up of Thena trying her best to avoid John when she was at work. She knew she couldn’t take anymore time off without running the risk of losing her job, and until she’d definitely been offered another one, she didn’t want to take that chance just yet. She kept her head down and stayed in the office, occasionally even locking the door so that she wouldn’t get unexpected visits from him. At lunch break, she would always go out and get food elsewhere.

When Friday came around, she left early.

Dorian was already waiting for her on the steps of the museum and she rushed down to greet him, a large, happy smile on her face. She was really looking forward to their weekend away together.

“All set?” she asked, noticing he had a bag. She’d asked him to pack a few things for her so that they could go straight from work to catch the train.

“All set,” he confirmed. “I even got the tickets.”

“You’re a star. I can’t wait to see your apartment.”

And so, fifteen minutes later, the two of them were sat side by side on the train, holding hands and staring out the window with eager, excited eyes as it trundled through the countryside on its way to the capital.