Broken (64 page)

‘Excuse me, mate. You’ve made a wrong turn,’ she said.

The driver was grinning at her and she felt the first stirrings of apprehension.

‘Stop the fucking car - now!’ Her voice was high with fear and suspicion.

‘When I’m ready.’

He turned up the radio and Michael Bolton’s voice drowned her out. He was driving at speed and she knew it would be foolish to do anything now. She tried the door, so as to be ready. Baby locks were in place.

Five minutes later they stopped outside Grantley Police Station and she saw a grinning Kate Burrows waiting for her.

The car door was opened.

‘We intercepted your calls and decided you might be better off coming here as opposed to Barnes.’ Kate’s voice was quietly confident. ‘I take it you know about Lucas and his statement?’

‘You fucking bitch!’

Kate was smiling again.

‘Between him and Bateman, I think we have you bang to rights.’

Suzy lay back in her seat, her face white and drawn.

‘I’ve been looking forward to seeing you again, Ms Harrington. I love it when I can complete a job and know that it was well done. A bit like yourself there, eh?’

Suzy didn’t answer her. She was frantically trying to think who the fuck she could call to get her out of the gigantic mess she found herself in.

Kate walked into the station a new woman.

‘I have so many videos for you to watch and lots of people for you to tell me about. I think it’s going to be a long day, don’t you, Suzy?’

In a small holding cell twenty minutes later Suzy was on the verge of tears as Kate came in alone. The two women looked at one another for long moments before Kate gave Suzy a stinging slap across her face.

‘That, miss, is just for starters. I’ll make sure that for every child you corrupted, you get a life sentence. For every crime you committed, I’ll see you squirm, and for every flash statement out of your mouth I am going to make sure you do hard time. Do you finally understand where I’m coming from now?’

Suzy didn’t answer. She was fucked and she knew it.

Kate felt lighter than she had in years and it showed. Her life was suddenly 100 per cent better. Patrick was safe and now all he had to do was recover. Boris was dead and taking all the flak meant for Patrick. Kate herself was back on track and waiting to charge this woman and take credit for the biggest paedophile ring broken in the South East, ever. Plus the added kudos of catching another serial killer into the bargain.

She was already being offered whatever she wanted, and already taking congratulatory calls from all and sundry.

It was a good day, and finally taking Suzy Harrington had made it a great one. Kate wanted to see Suzy and all the others pay for the tiny lives they had broken without a second’s thought.

It was rough justice.

It was what Kate Burrows was best at.

‘You look nice, ma’am.’

Golding’s voice was full of admiration and Kate was gratified that the spending of nearly two thousand pounds on an outfit was justified. She looked fabulous and she knew it.

‘I thought you was off today for a few weeks?’

She smiled. ‘I am. I’m going to a wedding. But first I have to see someone.’

Golding grinned. ‘Looking at you, can I ask you something, ma’am?’

‘Of course.’

‘Is it your own wedding, by any chance?’

Kate shook her head. ‘No. Not mine.’

Her phone rang and she picked it up.

‘My guest has arrived,’ she told Golding. ‘Will you bring her through, please, and organise some coffee?’

He nodded and said in a voice filled with feeling, ‘You look great, ma’am. Really great.’

She knew he was impressed and it gave her a good feeling.

‘I scrub up OK,’ she said.

He laughed. ‘I’ll bring your guest through, ma’am. And if I don’t see you again, have a good holiday.’

Kate checked herself in the small hand mirror from her bag. She felt good and looked better.

Five minutes later Julie Carmichael came into the office. She was obviously bowled over by the star treatment and, seeing Miss Burrows, thought she looked like something from a magazine.

‘You look wonderful!’

Kate grinned. ‘Sit down. I’ve organised some coffee - or would you prefer tea?’

‘No, thank you, coffee would be fine.’

They made small talk until Golding brought in the coffee. Kate saw that he had even organised a milk jug and sugar bowl. She was impressed.

When he left the room, Julie Carmichael stood up and walked to the window. She stood looking out over the car park and Kate let her be as she knew the other woman was getting ready to talk to her.

‘I just want to thank you for finally getting justice for my daughter,’ she said at last. ‘I know it won’t bring her back but at least I can rest easy now, knowing that it is finally over. I haven’t slept a full night since she died. I would just lie there wondering if Barker was still up to his tricks, and whether I could have stopped her going out that day. I’ll never forgive him for what he did to our girl, but at least I can finally lay Lesley to rest.’

She turned and Kate saw that her face was less lined; her whole demeanour seemed changed, and she was grateful for being able to help in some small way.

‘When I read about Robert Bateman, how he had murdered Barker, I couldn’t feel anything. As bad as Bateman is with his murders and everything else, in killing Barker he finally put my mind at rest. I know that bastard can’t harm anyone else now. None of them can. But most of all I want to thank you for caring, when I thought no one in the world but me was bothered about what had happened to my daughter.’

Kate stood up and hugged her gently. ‘It’s all over, Julie. Finally it’s all over.’

They drank the coffee and talked about nothing very much. Everything that needed to be said between them had been said.

 

As Kate left to go to Maureen’s house and then make her way to the small church in Essex, she passed her new Chief’s office. The woman came out and said with genuine pleasure, ‘Christ, you look fantastic.’

Kate blushed. ‘Thank you, ma’am.’

‘You have a good holiday, love, and when you come back I want us to have a long lunch and catch up properly, OK?’

Kate nodded.

‘There’s a bit of news,’ the Chief went on. ‘We’ve had five requests this week alone - offers to take you on different teams around the country. I hope I can refuse them for you in your absence?’

Kate nodded. ‘I want the promotion, ma’am,’ she said. ‘I reckon I’ve earned it.

‘I think we can safely say that is in the bag,’ Lynda Chisley beamed. ‘I am glad - I thought we were going to lose you.’

‘It had crossed my mind. Life hasn’t been exactly easy here, you know.’

‘I know,’ Lynda grinned. ‘But I’m here now.’

Kate liked her and after Ratchette that alone was a good feeling.

‘Anyway, get yourself off and relax,’ the woman went on. ‘I have a feeling you need a break. By the way, this came for you.’

She gave Kate a letter. It was in a prison envelope, unsealed. She recognised Robert Bateman’s writing.

‘He took quite a fancy to you, didn’t he?’

Kate nodded but didn’t answer. She just slipped the envelope into her bag.

‘By the way, did you hear that Ratchette is running as the local Conservative candidate?’ Lynda asked her.

‘I heard.’

They burst out laughing together and then Kate made her excuses and went on her way. Ratchette had actually had the cheek to ask Patrick to put up some money for his election costs! But that was Ratchette: always after the main chance and always at pains to establish that he didn’t bear grudges.

Kate knew that if ever she’d genuinely disliked someone, it was her old boss. Now she was back in charge of Patrick’s house she would make sure he didn’t get the opportunity to cross the threshold for any reason whatsoever.

 

Evelyn was at the house putting the finishing touches to the wedding feast. It looked wonderful. As she fiddled one last time with the cake she turned at the sound of her granddaughter’s voice.

‘Do you think this might be a bit too much of a shock for me mum, like?’

‘Jasus, Lizzy, haven’t you been giving that poor woman shocks for years? What’s one more!’

Her granddaughter’s face was a picture of sadness and Evelyn was sorry she had spoken so frankly.

‘Oh, sure, Lizzy, I don’t mean the half of it, child! She’ll be OK. You know what she’s like - and a new life can only be a cause for celebration.’

Lizzy smiled in relief and lowered her huge bulk into a kitchen chair. The pregnancy had changed her beyond recognition. The boy was standing by her, though, so that at least was something. She had flown in from Australia the night before and stayed at a friend’s house in Grantley. It was her granny’s decision to surprise her mother like this. Evelyn hoped it would make things easier for Kate, this being Willy Gabney’s wedding day.

‘Go away into the drawing room and settle yourself, child. They’ll be here soon enough.’

As she saw Lizzy walk away Evelyn sighed. A new life inside her and she with the brain capacity of a peanut! Jesus help and save them all! Still, Evelyn had no doubt that Kate was best surprised with it among a houseful of guests. This way, she would have to keep quiet until she’d had time to get used to the fact she was going to be a grandmother.

Evelyn hoped that Patrick left the Glamorous Granny jokes until the news had sunk in a bit. But she didn’t hold out much hope.

She was smiling as she fiddled with the food once more. She was back home and she was going to be a great-granny! Her life was full again and she was loving every minute of it. Every last bloody second.

No more talk of fecking Russians, paedophiles or murderers. Just weddings, houses and children. At last they were sounding like a normal family.

 

Maureen looked fabulous. Kate had gone shopping with her to pick an outfit and she looked and felt stunning. It was six months since their world had gone mad and now they were all finally getting back to normal.

Maureen had dropped two stone and the transformation was complete. She was glamorous in a cream satin suit worn with a wide-brimmed hat. Her accessories were in pale blue, which emphasised her enormous eyes. Her make-up was subtle, her hair professionally cut and tinted. She looked and felt like a different person.

As she arrived at the church with Kate, who was dressed in a pale green designer suit with matching hat, shoes and bag, they were eye-popping. Neither Willy nor Patrick had seen the finished ensembles and the women were looking forward to making an impression. Especially Maureen, who wanted Willy to be proud of her.

Kate had no doubt he would be.

In the church the small band of invited guests were quiet and patient. Benny Boarder was there with his wife and brood of children, as was Pascal. All Maureen’s children were there, well turned out, amazed and pleased that their mother had so obviously landed on her dainty little feet.

Patrick looked fit and well in his tails and Willy . . . Willy looked like Willy in a dress suit. He knew his looks did him no favours in any way but he was confident that his Maureen would love him whatever.

As the two men stood in front of the altar Patrick was smirking.

‘I can’t believe I’m here, Willy, and it’s your first wedding!’

The big man shrugged. ‘Tell me about it. I hope to fuck it will be me last!’

‘Stop swearing.’ Patrick’s voice was full of laughter.

‘I can’t help it, me nerves are shot.’

‘It will all be over soon.’

He was interrupted by the Wedding March. They turned to see Maureen and Kate, both carrying small bouquets, coming down the aisle.

‘They look handsome, Pat, don’t you think? Old Maureen looks the dog’s . . .’

‘Willy! Not here, not now.’

Maureen did look good but Patrick had eyes only for Kate. As she walked down the aisle he was looking forward to the day she would be walking towards him for their wedding instead of Willy’s.

But Kate being Kate wouldn’t settle on a date. She wanted him 100 per cent fit first, and her daughter over from Australia into the bargain. But it would happen, he was sure of that. After all they had been through together, it was only right and fitting that they should finally have a happy ending.

She was also waiting until he had sold everything he owned that was even remotely dodgy - and that included businesses where he was a sleeping partner. He was glad about it, though he pretended he wasn’t. Inside he had had enough of ducking and diving. At least, that’s what he told himself, anyway.

The service was short and over quickly. Outside they had the photos taken in record time and were all on their way back to Patrick’s and the reception that had been planned for weeks.