The Elemental (Blair Dubh Trilogy #1) (17 page)

Craig returned home tired and washed out and sent Gary and Steve back to Freya’s cottage for some sleep. He was glad to see her on the couch with a book, it made him feel warm inside.

“
How did it go?” she said, putting the book aside.

He sank onto the couch beside her.
“Better than expected. At least they didn’t lynch us. I think I managed to reassure them a little bit.” He decided not to mention what Howard had said.

He took her hand and they shyly smiled at each other. Just as he leaned in to kiss her the kitchen door banged open and his mother walked in with a tea tray, causing them to jump apart.

“How was it?” she asked her son.

“
Not as bad as I thought but they’re all turning on each other.”

“
I said that would happen, didn’t I? And this time it will be doubly worse with the storm. Some people can’t handle the isolation, it sends them mad.”

“
Something connects Catriona and Claire, I don’t think they were chosen at random. It’s not a coincidence Claire was killed the day I went to talk to her and she was Logan’s mother.”

“
Both were women who lived alone, they were vulnerable, just like the four original victims,” countered Nora.

“
Catriona was killed in the afternoon. She was popular, there were always people in and out of her cottage but someone knew she would be alone at that time. She arranged to meet whoever killed her, cleared time in her busy schedule for them. If they wanted to kill her and be sure of not being seen it would have been much less risky to attack her in the middle of the night when she was asleep. The same applies to Claire, they only just missed Martin. Maybe they even saw him coming? The original four victims were selected for a reason, as were Catriona and Claire. I have to find out what links them. If I can do that then maybe I’ll find out who killed them.”

“
Air’s the next element, if he’s following Logan’s pattern. Then earth, buried alive,” said Freya quietly.

A loud knock at the door caused them all to jump, including Craig, to his embarrassment.

“What now?” he sighed. All he wanted to do was try and get Freya upstairs without his mum noticing and pick up where they left off.

He didn
’t need to open the door, it practically blew open with the force of the wind.

“
What is it Fred?” he said to the old man struggling to stay upright in the elements.

“
Come to the pub quick, there’s an almighty rammy.”

“
Oh bloody hell,” he said, pulling on his coat and boots and disappearing into the night.

“
Get my constables,“ he called to Fred as he overtook him. He flew into the pub to find Toby and Adam trying to pull Bill and Jimmy apart while Martin tended to Gordon slumped on the floor, blood trickling from his nose. “You two, shut it,” Craig ordered Lizzy and Brenda, who were screeching at each other. They went instantly quiet.

Putting himself between the two fighting men he grabbed Bill by the shoulders and pushed him back against the wall.
“Calm down or I’ll nick you. That applies to you too,” he bellowed over his shoulder at Jimmy, who was being held back by Toby. Although the two men stopped struggling they continued to glare at each other.

“
What’s this about?” demanded Craig.

“
He called my wife a slag,” yelled Jimmy.

“
Because she called my wife a tart,” countered Bill.

“
What do you know? You’re deaf as a post.”

“
Up yours ya prick.”

With that they tried to get at each other again but were held back.

“That’s enough,” said Craig. “Stop acting like kids, you’ve been friends for years. You go at each other once more and I’ll arrest you both.”

“
Oh yeah? Where are you going to put us?” sneered Jimmy. “Lock us up with Morticia Addams?”

“
You can use my cellar Sergeant,” said Gordon. “It’s got a big metal door and a sturdy padlock. Gets nice and cold down there this time of year.”

Craig rounded on Jimmy.
“If you don’t want to spend the night in Gordon’s cellar I suggest you calm down.”

“
Alright, I’m calm,” he sighed, holding up his hands.

“
Me too,” said Bill.

“
Right you two, shake hands and put it behind you,” ordered Craig.

They reluctantly shook hands, bottom lips stuck out.

Craig turned to their wives, who still had their claws out for each other. “You two can apologise as well.”

“
Sorry,” they muttered, sulking just as much as their husbands.

“
Who hit you?” Craig asked Gordon.

“
Jimmy. It was an accident. I went in to split them up and he hit me instead of Bill.”

“
Is his nose broken?” Craig asked Martin.

“
No, I don’t think so,” replied the doctor, gently probing Gordon’s face, hands encased in latex gloves.

“
Do you want to press charges?”

“
No.”

“
You’re entitled to. You’re going to have a couple of lovely black eyes.”

“
After what happened to Claire and Catriona it doesn’t seem important.”

“
Any damage to the premises?”

“
Nothing to write home about.”

Craig rounded on the room, furious.
“I can’t believe this has happened, especially after what we were just talking about. One more repeat of this disgraceful behaviour and the people involved will find themselves locked up in Gordon’s cellar until the storm’s passed.”

“
Probably the safest place to be,” said Howard.

“
Two women have died and you’re wasting my time with this shite when I could be out finding who killed them.” His voice bounced off the walls and they all listened in silence, deciding it would be best not to speak. None of them had ever seen him so angry before. “Just because we’re cut off from the rest of the world doesn’t mean you can start breaking the law. For the rest of the night just behave yourselves and remember, no one sleeps alone. Have you all made arrangements?”

There were a few sheepish nods.

“We meet here tomorrow morning at ten, just to make sure everyone’s okay.”

“
I think there’s something else you should know Craig,” said Martin solemnly. “Something that came out in Bill and Jimmy’s little row.”

Craig looked at them questioningly but they avoided his hard gaze.
“Well? I’m waiting.”

“
I was the one who dressed up in black robes to scare Freya,” Bill eventually admitted, staring at his shoes.

Incensed, Craig grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him hard, forcing him to look at him.

“Careful, what are you doing you mad bastard?” said Bill.

The lights flickered wildly around them, threatening to go out, the music on the stereo cutting off. Then the power came back on, lighting up Craig
’s furious face, the music bursting back into life.

“
You’re calling me mad? I’m not the one dressing up to upset a traumatised woman. Bill Miller, I’m arresting you for intimidation. You do not have to say anything but anything you do say…”

“
You can’t do this, I only wanted to shake her up a bit.”

“
Well congratulations because thanks to you she ended up screaming in a corner thinking the man who’d murdered her mum had come for her. Give me your hands.”

“
Craig, listen to reason. He wasn’t going to hurt her,” interjected Brenda.

“
You were in on it too?” he roared in her face.

She took a step back.
“Yes.”

“
Anyone else?” Craig demanded of the whole room but they all refused to look at him.

“…
will be taken down and given in evidence,” continued Craig. “Now give me your fucking hands.”

“
It went a bit further than I intended, I didn’t mean to freak her out like that,” protested Bill. The next thing he knew he’d been slammed face down on one of the tables and his hands were being cuffed behind him.

Craig hauled him to his feet.
“Open up your cellar Gordon. You’re going to have a guest.”

“
You can’t put him down there,” said Brenda. “If you do I’ll be left alone at home.”

“
He should have thought about that before he started playing dress-up and how do I know he’s not the killer?”

“
He’s not.”

“
He creeps around cottages where he knows there’s two women alone. If he’s not the killer then I’m going to throw in a peeping Tom charge.”

“
No,” cried Brenda, putting herself between Craig and her husband. “Please don’t do this. He’s not the killer and you know it.”

“
That’s just it Brenda, I don’t know. He doesn’t have an alibi for either murder.”

“
Don’t do this,” she begged him with tears in her eyes. “He’ll freeze in that cellar and you can’t leave me alone.”

He was touched by the fear in her eyes. He looked to Bill.
“Why did you do it?”

“
I thought she was something to do with Catriona’s death and I wanted her to know that.”

“
It was a warning?”

“
Yeah, a stupid one I admit but a warning all the same. I didn’t hurt anyone.”

“
Have you any idea of the damage you’ve done you moron?” Craig sighed and took a step back to think. He had no evidence that Bill was the killer. Dressing up in black robes meant nothing and the last thing he needed was him freezing to death in the cellar, neither could he spare Steve or Gary to guard him. “Alright,” he said, removing the cuffs, “you get a free pass this time, but one more stupid move like that and you’ll be in the cellar. You’re lucky you’ve got such a persuasive wife.”

Gary and Steve finally arrived followed by a breathless Fred and Craig nodded to his constables to join him in the corner.

“Stay here a bit longer, make sure everyone calms down then get some sleep,” he told them as everyone returned to their drinks and conversations. He watched Bill hug Brenda to him then clap Jimmy on the back and invite him to join him for a pint.

“
Is it okay if we have a pint or two?” said Gary.

“
Go on then, the tension is getting to us all but don’t go getting blootered, alright? I need you two clearheaded. Oh fucking marvellous,” he sighed when all the lights went out.

“
What’s happened?” whispered Steve.

“
What do you think? We’re going to sing happy birthday. It’s a sodding power cut you idiot,” said Craig.

“
Oh no.”

“
Not scared, are you?” grinned Gary.

“
We’re only stuck in the dark with a murderer. What’s to be scared about?”

CHAPTER 11

Craig made the dash back home across the road, instinct guiding him because he couldn’t see a bloody thing in the pitch blackness. Thoughts of Freya spurred him on as he fought against the elements, icy rain like sharp needles hitting him in the face. He banged on the door until it was opened by the vague outline of his mum and he hurried inside, slammed the door shut and locked it, dripping water everywhere as he removed his jacket and boots.

“
Oh dear. Whisky?” said Nora.

“
Where’s Freya?”

“
Upstairs. You’ve got time for a wee nip.”

“
Aye go on then, I could use one.”

He just managed to knock back his drink before there was the sound of Freya
’s footsteps on the stairs and Nora took his empty glass back into the kitchen.

“
What happened?” Freya asked him, entering the candle-lit sitting room carrying a torch.

“
Jimmy and Bill were fighting. Gordon accidentally got punched, end of story.”

“
Why were they fighting? They’re best friends.”

“
Apparently Lizzy accused Brenda of being a slut and vice versa.”

“
Oh, the soldier,” said Nora, returning to the room with three cups of hot chocolate that she set down on the coffee table.

“
What do you know about him?” said Craig.

“
It was years ago. Let me think,” she replied, settling onto the couch and taking a sip of her chocolate, causing Craig to sigh with impatience.

“
I remember now,” smiled Nora. “Brenda and Bill had only been married for a couple of years but he was working on the oil rigs and I understand it was putting a bit of a strain on the relationship. One day this handsome teuchter soldier came to visit, he was an old friend of Gordon’s. He bowled Bren over with his charming smile and wow was he a looker.” She grinned. “It was only natural he gravitated towards Bren. Although it’s hard to believe now, she was beautiful before her health deteriorated. They had an affair then he returned to his unit and she never saw him again. Bill came home and she confessed to him. There was a rumour she fell pregnant. Now I don’t know if that bit’s true or not, I never saw her with a baby belly or anything so it was probably a load of rubbish but there you have it.”

“
There’s something you should know,” said Craig. “I just found out that Bill was the man dressed in black who tried to kick the door in.”

“
Bill?” exclaimed Nora. “Why?”

“
Apparently he wanted to put the wind up Freya.”

“
I knew it, they think I’m something to do with the murders,” she said, panic in her voice.

“
Don’t worry, I put them straight. He won’t go near you again. He realised how stupid he’d been.”

“
He always was a hothead. He’s got into more than one fight in his time has that man,” said Nora. “Right, I’m off to bed. I’ve locked up but you’ll probably want to double check.”

“
Alright Mum. Night,” he said, watching Freya from the corner of his eye, who looked very unnerved.

“
Night both,” yawned Nora, carrying her mug of chocolate up the stairs.

“
Are you okay?” he asked Freya.

“
I can’t believe Bill did that to me. I was so scared.”

“
I know but it’s over and he won’t do it again.”

“
Is that what they all think, that I’m guilty?”

“
Course not. You heard Mum, he’s a hothead. He’s scared, frustrated and acted like an idiot.”

“
So no one else thinks I’m guilty?”

“
No. Trust me, it’s fine.”

She relaxed a little.
“I do.”

He took her hand.
“I’d really like to kiss you again.”

Freya
’s face lit up. “Okay.”

He kissed her gently and he was surprised when she moaned loudly and straddled him, thrusting her tongue into his mouth.

“Oh God Freya,” he breathed, sliding his hands under her jumper.

She sat bolt upright, looking horrified.

“What’s wrong?” he said.

“
I…” She buried her face in her hands.

“
Freya, what is it?”

When she looked at him her eyes were full of shame.
“I could taste the whisky on you. Twelve year old Glenfiddich,” she whispered, her hands starting to shake. “I’m sorry,” she croaked before jumping up and rushing out of the room.

Craig was left sitting on the couch bewildered and angry. After the crap night he
’d had this took the bloody biscuit. She’d only kissed him so passionately because he tasted of whisky.

After drowning his sorrows in another dram he decided to go to bed. As he hadn
’t got much sleep the previous night he was knackered.

He checked all the doors and windows then plodded upstairs, listening to the storm rage around the house. He loved these storms when he was a kid but now it was the enemy, shielding a murderer from him.

He washed his face, brushed his teeth and headed to bed, smiling when he heard his mother’s snoring vying with the noise of the storm for supremacy. He hesitated outside Freya’s room, knowing it would be sensible just to walk past but he couldn’t. Dammit, why did he have to care about her so much?

“
Freya?” he said, rapping on her door.

She opened it wearing just a long black t-shirt with a big ghostly face on the front. Her hair was loose and she
’d removed all her make-up. Those big soft green eyes gazed up at him and he couldn’t resist taking her face in his hands and kissing her. Freya’s arms went around his neck and they stumbled back into the bedroom together, Craig kicking the door shut behind him.

“
Toothpaste,” she smiled when he eventually let her come up for air.

He nodded.
“Think you can kiss me again like you did downstairs without the taste of whisky?”

“
Definitely.”

She gave him a kiss that set his body on fire and she smiled.
“Minty. Yummy.”

They fell back onto the bed together, Craig sliding her t-shirt up to reveal her long white legs. He wondered how far she was going to let him go and prayed that she let him spend the night with her. Freya was a nice soothing oasis in this nightmare. When she pulled his shirt off over his head he was hopeful. Her hands stroked his chest, tracing the outline of the tattoo and he inhaled sharply, she seemed to instinctively know where to touch him for maximum effect. Slowly he pushed her t-shirt higher, hoping she wouldn
’t object. She raised her arms to assist and he found himself gazing down at a slender creamy white body with full pale breasts, which he gently kissed.

“
Craig,” she whispered, her legs wrapping around his waist, fingers playing up and down his bare back.

“
Please don’t send me away tonight.”

“
I won’t.”

“
You mean I can stay with you all night?” he said, pressing his hand between her thighs and making her moan.

“
Yes.”

He kissed her hard and deep, his hand moving inside her panties. She unzipped his combat trousers and he tried to kick them off. One leg caught on his right foot and he desperately kicked his leg in the air in an attempt to shake it off.

“Smooth,” she laughed.

“
That’s never happened before,” he said, scowling at the trousers still dangling from his foot. “Do we need protection?”

“
Yes. I’m not on the Pill and I don’t have anything.”

“
I do. Don’t move, okay? Stay right there looking absolutely gorgeous.”

After pulling the trousers off his foot and throwing them to the floor he crept to the door and peered out to make sure his mum wasn
’t on the landing. Often she got up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom. Seeing it was all clear he tiptoed across the landing to his own bedroom and stumbled about in the dark, attempting to grope his way to the bedside cabinet. He stubbed his toe on the base of the bed then hopped about the room quietly swearing. When the pain in his big toe had abated he rummaged around in the drawer for the packet of condoms, praying he still had it.

“
Yes,” he said triumphantly, holding it aloft. “Stupid cellophane,” he added when it refused to open. Eventually he managed it, yanked too hard and dropped the box, sending the little multicoloured packages scattering, disappearing under furniture and into the shadowy depths of the room.

“
I don’t believe it,” he said before dropping to his knees and hunting round for them, the sound of the storm drowning out his swearing. “Oh come on just one, please.” He spied something colourful glinting under the bedside cabinet. Ducking beneath it he retrieved not one but two of the things and backed out, banging his head as he tried to stand up. After more swearing he clambered to his feet.

Freya sat up in bed when he entered the room limping and cradling the back of his head.

“What happened to you?” she said.

“
Don’t go looking for condoms in the dark,” he said, making her giggle. He frowned. “Why are you under the covers?”

“
I was getting cold. I was starting to think you weren’t coming back.”

“
There’s no chance of that,” he said, hobbling to the bed and perching on it with a grimace.

“
Are you sure you’re up to this?”

“
Oh yeah, so much so I brought two,” he said, tossing the condoms onto the bed beside her.

He soon had her warmed up again and they moved together quietly, conscious of Nora just down the hall. However Freya felt so good that he soon forgot all about the case and his mum two doors down and just lost himself in her, revelling in her breathy sighs and mewls of pleasure. They let go, frantically tumbling about the bed. He flipped her onto her knees and she gripped onto the bed frame for dear life as he drove into her. When he looked down at the flames on her back they seemed to become a living thing, matching the fire that raged within Freya. Their passion matched the ferocity of the storm, the roaring of the wind swallowing their cries as they climaxed together.

“I never thought all those years ago we’d end up like this,” he mumbled into her shoulder as they flopped down onto the bed, breathing hard.

“
Me neither but we weren’t thinking about sex back then.”

“
I suppose. I’m glad we did this.” They lay on their sides to face each other, limbs entwining. “How did you know it was twelve year old Glenfiddich?”

“
Because I’ve drunk a lot of it in the past,” she replied wryly. She hesitated before continuing, “I used to go into shops carrying a whisky bottle with the bottom cut out then nick one off the shelf and slide it into the fake one and just walk out of there. It worked really well until supermarkets started using those big security tags.”

“
You little minx. Were you ever caught?”

“
Almost, more than once, but I was a fast runner.” She closed her eyes and cringed. “And I’ve just confessed to a police officer. Sometimes it’s easy to forget what you do.”

“
You know, I’m glad about that,” he said, thinking of her fear of police.

“
So, are you going to arrest me?” she said mischievously.

“
It’s not like you do it anymore, is it?”

“
Course not.”

“
Then I won’t nick you, but I will still cuff you if you like?”

She rolled on top of him and kissed the tattoo on his chest.
“Kinky.”

“
We still have another condom.”

“
Actually, we don’t. What we have is a large plaster,” she said, holding up a band-aid still in the wrapper.

His smile fell.
“Bugger. It looked like one in the dark.”

“
There are other things we can do,” she grinned before dipping her head below his waist.

“
Oh Jeezo,” he gasped, his hand fisting in her hair.

Craig jumped awake, heart racing as the images of fire and water continued to play out behind his eyes. In the dream he’d been able to hear Freya calling for him, voice hysterical with fear but he couldn’t find her, groping about blindly in the graveyard in the dark. Intermittently it would light up with dancing flames, giving him a tantalising glimpse of her in the distance and he’d move towards her then the fire would die away and he’d be left alone in the dark, rain pouring down on him, her voice still calling for him. When he’d looked down at his feet and realised her voice was coming from under the ground he’d jumped awake, thank God. Freya was safe and sleeping beside him, sprawled on her front, one arm stretched across his stomach. He smiled with relief and kissed her bare shoulder. She didn’t even stir.