Little Red (13 page)

‘What you got?’

‘Take a look’

Jack moved next to Nathan and both men starred at the photograph.

‘What am I looking for?’ Jack quizzed

‘Jenny
…..the first girl that the Wolf took’ his finger on the girl, ‘Now look behind her…..that is one of her teachers, check the teachers name and tell me if a bell rings in your head because the ringing in mine is giving me a headache!’

Jack looked up and down several times.

‘Holy shit……….do you think it’s the same guy from the other school…..from Abby’s school?’

‘Could be, I think we need to take this picture back to the school and do some questioning……….if it is the same person…… then my friend,
we could be starring right into the eyes of the Wolf!’ the tingling passed from Nathan to Jack, they both shuddered as it overwhelmed them.

They climbed into the car, the buzz still with them. The clock that was sunken into the dashboard had just gone eleven twenty p.m. Both men knew that the questions they had for the school would need to wait until the morning, but for now Jack had organised a vehicle to sit opposite the address they were given for Mr Breen, just in case anything should show up. The car sped away from the house and back towards the Met offices. No words were spoken and no ideas were fired from one and other. They sat in silence, the image of the teacher imprinted on their minds. Nathan pondered upon the question,
can it really be that simple?
The killer was precise, delicate with how he went about his hobby. The abductions were planned and carried out with a professional approach. This scenario they faced just seemed too easy, too quick. He had expected more of a fight, more trails leading to dead ends, the Wolf playing with their minds. He thought back to the perimeter of the house, the lack of viewing positions, the lack of lighting, all together meant the lack of an ideal observation. It just didn’t fit, it wasn’t like the killer to pick a location with unsatisfactory results, he liked to watch, to stalk them with his eyes. The pictures within his pocket had shown him that the Wolf sits and waits, the little girl had seen him watching her. The shudder snaked down his spine, the hairs upon his neck stood to attention. He couldn’t understand how another human being could do what this beast was doing. How could they watch an innocent girl, in the comfort of her safe place and then take them away from those who love them. Previous cases had hit him hard, the bodies he had recovered, the families torn apart. But for some reason, which he didn’t know why, this case ripped at his core. He felt more emotionally attached than before, he didn’t understand why. He planned the next day’s interviews and questioning. If they could finally identify the Wolf as Mr Breen then the case would have taken a giant leap forward to accomplishment, it was what they both desired…….a face to a name. Nathan peered up to the large light in the sky. The moon had shone down upon them for most of the night, its figure now slowly waning as more grey clouds pulled in. The white powder began to fall heavily, the wipers swished frantically to reveal the road.

Chapter Eleven

T
he elderly man shuffled through the recent snow fall. He followed the tiny prints scattered to his front, his Cavalier King Charles had shot off to scavenge the outskirts of the wood. The cold wind nipped at his fingers and he dug them deep into his pockets, searching for some warmth. His breath appeared as a mist, escaping the scarf which was wrapped tight around his neck and mouth. Chuntering a tune in his head he tracked the paw prints through the corner of the wood and brushed the dangling branches from his view. He gave a whistle, calling his small friend, which, in return, chose not to respond.

He decided that the dog had found something slightly more interested than its owner and was playing with whatever the thing was. He pushed on, the prominent cracking sound echoed around him as another branch was broken. Approaching the edge of the wood he spotted the brown and white
animal ahead in the field of snow. The dogs tail thrashing wildly as if attempting to elevate and take off.

‘Summer….
whistle whistle…..
Summer get over here’ he shouted from the wood. The dog refused to listen and burrowed frantically. Shaking his head the old man stormed towards his disobedient pet to point a cold finger in its face and issue a verbal telling off. He neared its location, stopping when he noticed the slight change of colour in the snow. Moving steadily he crept forward, his feet feeling the chilling ground where he stood.

‘What you got girl………what is it?’ he asked nervously

The dog began to tug at its find, pulling harder and digging deeper with its rear legs. He stopped dead as his pet retrieved the stained hand from under the white sheet. The skin was pale under the dried blood and he stood piecing the image together, slight shock entering his core. He shivered at the display before him, the dog still tugging.

‘Hey…….get…..Summer
, get!’ snapping at the bitch. She listened, running towards his feet. He turned hastily and shuffled quickly back the way he came, following his footprints. The dog ran closely behind, turning its head every now and then to check on its find.

***

The phone call came in as Jack was briefing the team. Nathan sat in the corne
r of the room, the teachers face racing through his mind. Jack issued the orders they had decided on, two teams were assigned to both victims schools. He and Nathan would visit Saint Paul’s school, the one that had recommended Mr Breen to the Head Teacher at Abby’s school. They were all equipped with the picture that Nathan found the night before, the image of Mr Breen blown up in size.

‘Mr Dawson…….there’s a call for you’ the PC stated as he entered the briefing room.

‘Tell them to hold, I’m not finished yet’ he answered without looking to the voice.

‘Sir…..I think you need to take it, a body has been found’.

Both Jack and Nathan darted to the door. Jack turned on his heels and issued a final order.

‘Three teams now, original two head to your assigned schools. PC’s Campb
ell and Gunter head to St. Paul’s Primary take the picture of Mr Breen and request a confirmation. I want a report from each team as soon as possible, by phone if necessary……clear?’

‘Yes Sir’ the room bellowed together.

He fled towards the control room, catching Nathan as he descended the stairs. The blood pumped and both men rushed along with the adrenalin that coursed in their veins.

The
y burst into the small room. The monitors were illuminated with all types of incoming calls. The small team all sat, black wireless headphones strapped to their heads, the microphone dangling by the mouth. The young woman ushered Jack over as she prepped the play back of the recent call.

‘Ok let’s hear it!’ the operator selected the data from her terminal, the box highlighted in red for an emergency call.

The small speakers under the monitor cackled as the connection was made, the static increasing as she raised the volume.

‘
Emergency services what service do you require?’ the operator welcomed.

‘Police….yes police, I need the police’

‘Ok sir what seems to be the problem?’

‘The hand……I saw the hand, my dog found
it…..by the woods….I think they’re dead!’

The operator requested the details of the location and Jack had jotted it all into his small black notebook.
The call had only lasted several minutes, the caller seemed in shock, his words were repeated or difficult to muster, all Jack wanted was the location.

‘Who’s
on route?’ he asked

‘We deployed a three vehicle unit to the location, Forensics are on standby i
n case it isn’t what we think. It should take twenty minutes to get to the given location…..if it’s correct. The teams departed ten minutes ago, we should have an update soon Sir’

‘Excellent…..good work’ Jack dragged Nathan through the door.

‘The car…now, we’re going’

The entrance to the wood had been secured prior to them arriving. The yellow tape fluttered under the wind, the PC guarding the entrance tied one end tighter around the tree, hoping it would hold. Jack pulled the car onto the verge behind one of the many police vehicles that lay stationary. They climbed out of the car and pulled their collars up around their necks, the wind held a nip which attacked the bare skin. They were met at the entrance by the Detective who had taken the task.

‘Morning Sir’ his hands remained in their pockets.

‘Morning Lewis, cold one today’ grunted Jack

‘Yes it is.
Well, I’m going to ruin the surprise,…..it’s him! The MO is a match, very obvious. Follow me, I’ll take you through what we have’ he turned and shuffled up the track to the entrance of the wood. Jack and Nathan followed close behind, Nathan was slightly annoyed as the Detective failed to introduce himself or offer a welcome. He chose to dismiss it. The branches hung from the large ageing trees, flakes of white lay upon the leaves. They were stopped by the tape as the guard requested a form of identification. Nathan heard Lewis grunt and spit towards the large male, something about being checked four times already, again he ignored the winging. They lowered themselves under the tape and came to a faint set of tracks, the mouth of the wood swallowing them.

‘This has to be the vehicle our guy used, it’s the only track we can find leading to the centre. Measurements and shit have been taken but I doubt it will come to anything, the snow has helped to cover most evidence up……again’.

Nathan lowered himself to one knee, he followed the tyre marks deep into the woods core. He stood when Jack began to move with their escort.

The tracks ended in the open space. Nathan performed a slow three sixty, scanning his surroundings. He noticed that the trees provided an excellent all-round cover from sight.

‘We believe he stopped the van here’

‘He did, he will have removed the body in this location…….it’s perfect, blocked from view and would hide the vehicles head lights’. Nathan offered.

‘The white suits have done their stuff around here already, they’re with the body now…….follow me’ waving them on with a flick of his head.

The mouth of the wood still held
darkness, even though it was morning and the sun was up to aid their sight. Lewis began pointing out several broken branches along the way, he was talking aloud but Nathan had blocked out the sounds around him, he was attempting to picture himself there when the Wolf was doing his thing. The ground crunched and cracked as the snow covered debris was crushed by their boots.

The tents extremities bowed as the wind struck it. The white canvas appeared to cave in slightly. The Detective began to walk with them and Jack ordered him to head back, ‘We can take it from here, thank you’, his stern words proved slightly insulting as Lewis about turned with a face like thunder.
The ground held a fresh glisten as the rising sun offered its rays of warmth. They walked on the recently made track, the white powder clung to their soles. There was another guard posted at the closed entrance, his arms crossed tightly across his torso. His illuminated puffer jacket reflected the light and Jack squinted as he approached him, Nathan was just behind.

‘Morning Sir’

‘Morning……..is Sally inside?’ he asked, nodding toward the tent.

‘
Wait one Sir, Ma’am, Chief Inspector Crawford is here!’ he called

‘Morning Jack’, the voice came from inside the canvas shell, ‘In you come, just watch where you stand
please gentlemen’.

The zip was tugged to the top by the static guard. He pulled a flap aside and allowed the guests to enter. Nathan was surprised at how warm the interior was, even though the floor still remained cold and damp. The wind had been denied by the flimsy walls, bending under the strain. They stood at the doorway, the grinding sound came from behind as the zip was pulled downwards, sealing them in. There were four in the Forensic team, led by Doctor Sally Brough. She was kneeling beside the mound that lay in the centre. The dark stained snow surrounded it.

‘Well it’s obviously our man’ she stated, ‘the MO is the same, well used area, left in plain sight, next to a wood and the heart has been removed’

‘So are we facing the same dilemma as last time?’ asked Jack

‘You mean are we going to have to wait until the body has defrosted again.........yes Jacky boy, I’m afraid so.’ She worked whilst talking.

‘Shit……..this fucking weather conceals everything’

‘Well, you never know……something might come up’ she tried to reassure.

The team had begun to chip away at the snow around the body, preparing it for removal and transportation. The blood soaked ground was dragged to one side as they dug under the victim, a small mound of crimson building up slowly. Jack decided to leave the tent, Nathan stood a while longer……….collecting the images before him and storing them in his mind’s eye.

‘Thanks Sal’ he smiled before leaving
.