The Ghost House (23 page)

This had been a very long time in coming. She had been his downfall once but not this time. He would finally give her what was coming. She wouldn’t leave his room alive this time.

He was no longer the quiet, reserved man who hadn’t even got into a playground fight. He was a mighty killer who had been kept buried inside for so many years and it was good to be free at last. He would keep on killing because that was what he did. Images of his first victims flashed through his mind as if it was yesterday. He could see and hear them now, feel their blood and pain.

Grace reached the van as a car pulled up in front of her and a huge man jumped out. She screamed and Jake threw his hands in the air shocked at her reaction.

‘Sorry, sorry I’m Jake. Where’s Will?’

She explained what she was doing rooting around in a police van and passed him the radio. ‘I don’t have a clue how to use it.’

Jake took it from her. ‘5129 to control. I’m off duty but been called out by the DS. We need patrols to the Abbey Wood. An officer has been taken by the suspect in the Emma Harvey murder.’

The radio crackled into life breaking the silence surrounding them. ‘Say again 5129?’

Jake growled, the last thing he needed was someone on control who didn’t have a clue. ‘I need urgent assistance to the Abbey Woods. We need an armed response vehicle and is there a dog handler available?’ He knew the chance of getting a dog was as good as getting six numbers on the lottery.

‘Control to 5129 there is an ARV travelling as we speak. Jake, what’s going on?’

‘Can we get every available patrol here as soon as possible before there is another murder?’ He put the radio in his pocket; he didn’t want to waste any more time talking on it. He began to shake the gates as if the lock would magically fall off. Frustrated, he waved Alex to move the car out of the way and then he climbed into the van and reversed at speed. He revved the engine and floored the accelerator. Grace hid her face in her hands and Alex jumped out of the car screaming at him to stop. Jake didn’t care, his two best friends were in those woods and he didn’t want to think about what could be happening to them, the last thing on his mind was a bit of whiplash and a bollocking from the powers that be.

He sped forward and there was a terrific bang as the van hit the gates, which splintered easily. Bits of old and rotten wood flew everywhere. His head flew forward hitting the steering wheel and he slammed on the brakes. The front of the van had half a gate embedded into it but at least they had access and the other police cars would be able to get in.

A patrol car sped up behind him, lights flashing. Jake shook his head trying to clear the silver stars from of his vision as he watched Kav get out of the patrol car. Alex was stood by the side of the road having a panic attack and Grace was trying to comfort him.

Kav marched over to the van and threw the door open. ‘For fuck’s sake, Jake, you’re such a bloody drama queen, did you have to make such an entrance.’

Jake winced. ‘Yes, I did and I’m not letting anything happen to her this time, not if I can help it.’

Kav’s face was grim. ‘Good, I wouldn’t expect anything less of you son. I should have known Annie would be involved in this somehow, even when she’s on the sick she’s a bloody pain.’ He winked at Jake. ‘Right plan of action, what’s happening?’

Jake lifted his arm and used his sleeve to brush away the trickle of blood running down his forehead. ‘Will said the killer had pictures of Annie all over his room. Now we can’t get hold of her. Will is up there looking for her in that massive old mansion.’

Kav tried to think clearly: it was so much harder when it was one of your own whose life was at stake. ‘We need Task Force here with Tasers and guns. It’s no good us steaming in without the right equipment. What have you got on you?’

‘Nothing. Alex drove me here straight from home. I don’t care, Kav, I’m not sitting here twiddling my thumbs waiting for the cavalry to arrive from bloody Ulverston or Kendal while my friends are being butchered in that house.’

‘Ah bollocks, you’re right. I can’t wait here either. I’ve got my gas, cuffs and harsh language.’

‘And I’ve got my fists and a tyre iron in the boot. Alex, you wait here with Grace to send the patrols up to the house.’

Kav turned to Alex. ‘Lock yourselves in the car. Task Force are travelling from Kendal so it may take them some time even though they are blue lighting it. Tell them from me there is no room for cock ups and to get to that house pronto.’

Alex nodded his head.

Jake took him firmly by the shoulders and pushed him towards the car. ‘It’s OK, I’ll be back soon. Stay here and do exactly what Kav just said. If you see anyone acting weird run them over. At least then we might get put in a cell next to each other when all this is over.’

Alex nodded again and got into the car. ‘Jake, please be careful.’

Jake winked at him. ‘You know me, I always am.’

Kav pulled the remains of the gate from the van and they got inside.

Jake coughed. ‘Is now the time to tell you I’ve had a bottle of wine.’

‘You know, Jake, you never cease to amaze me. I never heard that. Just get driving.’

Will didn’t see the body until it was too late and he almost fell over it. Terrified it was Annie he held his breath and shone the torch down onto it. The relief when he saw it was male was overwhelming. He instantly recognised the man he had seen briefly on CCTV who had come to the station looking for her. He bent down to feel for a pulse: there was a faint but steady one.

The man groaned and tried to open his eyes. Will took off his suit jacket and knelt down. Rolling it up he put it under the guy’s head to try and stem the bleeding.

‘It’s OK, I’m a policeman. Help will be here soon. Don’t try to move and we’ll soon have you up at the hospital.’

As Will stood up a hand reached out for his wrist. ‘Annie, she needs your help.’

Will choked finding it hard to speak. ‘I know, I’ll find her.’ He hoped that Grace had made it to the van and found the radio. But would she even know what to do with it? He walked towards the cellar door. His entire body felt as if it was dragging a lead weight and it was getting harder to breathe. He pulled the door with too much force and it opened, slamming against the wall.

Henry stopped; someone was here. That door was too heavy to blow open in a draught. He cocked his head to one side to listen. How many were there? The bottom step creaked once echoing throughout the cellar. Henry moved to the back of the room. On a box next to the door to his trophy room he lit a candle then backed into the shadows. The flame gave off a warm glow, he knew it would be the man and sure enough like a moth to a flame the candle drew him in. Henry looked down at the hammer in his hand. The wooden shaft was slick with blood. He wiped it onto his trouser leg so he could grip it tightly. He couldn’t mess this one up. He was bound to be a fighter and wouldn’t go down after just one smack.

Annie stirred. She opened her eyes. It was too dark to see anything but the smell told her where she was. She hadn’t wanted to visit Edward’s trophy room but here she was and this was where he had hidden Jenna White because the smell of decomposing flesh was overpowering. Annie was lying on a damp earthen floor which she knew had at least one other body buried underneath it. At least she wasn’t dead; there was still a fighting chance.

Panic began to fill her chest; she didn’t want to be down here with a dead girl for company. Crawling to find the door her hands touched Jenna, her body was so cold and Annie felt bad, the poor kid must have been terrified to die down here all alone in this awful room.

She whispered, ‘I’m taking you home Jenna, I promise.’ She moved the other way, feeling in front of her until her fingers brushed against the rough, wooden door. Pressing her ear against it she listened. She could hear muffled footsteps on the other side. The flickering orange glow from a candle outside cast a tiny light underneath the gap in the door. She held her breath as the footsteps approached and then she heard Will’s voice as he called her name.

‘Will, I’m in here, I can’t get out and Jenna’s in here too, well I think it’s her body it’s so dark.’

‘Hang on, Annie, I’ll try to open the door, are you hurt?’

Overwhelmed to hear his voice she fought back the tears. ‘No, I’m fine, please just get me out.’

Will twisted the handle but it was locked. He turned to see if there was something he could use to break the door open with. A shadow stepped out of the darkness. He looked at the ordinary man standing in front of him he didn’t know what he had been expecting but not this. In Will’s mind he was the epitome of evil. The man took another step forward and Will saw the blood-soaked hammer he was holding in his hand. Then Will ran for him. He swung his fist, which caught the man off guard as it connected with his chin. He was taller than Will but roughly the same build. The man swung the hammer at Will but he ducked and it whooshed through the air. Will lunged for him again this time trying punch him in the balls. He just needed to get him off his feet and then Will knew he would take the hammer off him and use it to pound his sick head in: there was no time to tell him to stop he was under arrest and would he please come nicely, the look in his eyes said it all. This man had nothing to lose and would not blink at killing another person.

Will swung again but missed and got him in the stomach. The man shouted and lifted the hammer. Will ducked, expecting him to aim for his head but instead it went much lower and he smashed it into his left kneecap. The pain was blinding – hot and white – and Will couldn’t stop himself from falling to the floor. The man came at him again and Will pulled the small black canister of gas from his pocket and aimed it at his eyes. He heard a loud yell and hoped he’d managed to blind him but then the hammer swung down. He tried to roll but the pain in his leg was immense. The hammer connected with his temple and the world went black.

Henry smiled. This had been his biggest challenge and still he had managed to conquer it and take him out. The man’s face was a grey mask covered with beads of perspiration, Henry leaned forward.

‘She’s all mine, you know. She always has been. You could never compare with me and Alice knows that. She knew the day I set eyes on her that I would eventually own her. It was my choice to decide whether she lived or died.’

He unlocked the door and dragged the semi-conscious, blood covered Will into the room.

‘What have you done to him?’

Henry dropped Will and turned to her. ‘Well, Alice, here we are again: same place different time.’

The chair in the corner began to rock.

‘I’m not your Alice, you stupid prick. I know who you are though. I’ve seen your little trophies. It’s been a while. What took you so long?’

He was taken aback by her courage and found himself getting excited. He always had liked it when she put up a fight. For a moment he imagined what it would be like to take her right here in his little room with her boyfriend watching.

Annie whispered to Will, ‘Stay with me. I love you and I promise we’ll get out of here.’ Annie’s eyes filled with tears and she turned to face Henry who was watching them with his arms crossed.

‘Aww, that’s so sweet. Are you two finished because I’m getting rather bored of this?’

Annie felt the rage and fury which had been building up inside her explode and she lunged for Henry. Hitting him with all her weight she took him down in a rugby tackle. They landed on the hard ground; it knocked the wind from them both. She didn’t let it stop her and she lunged for his eyes. He caught her wrist and twisted it sharply behind her back. She tried not to yelp but he twisted it again so hard that Will heard the crack as the bone snapped. This time she screamed.

Will watched as Henry threw her to the side like a rag doll and then kicked her in the head for good measure. Annie felt herself losing consciousness; the darkness a welcome relief from the pulsating pain in her arm.

Henry looked at Will. ‘It’s such a shame you’re going to die down here watching the woman you love being beaten and murdered by the greatest killer in the world.’

Will’s eyelids fluttered. How pathetic. What he wanted to do was kill the bastard with his bare hands but the room was swimming and he couldn’t put any weight on his leg.

Henry walked out of the room leaving them alone. Will tried to shuffle over to where Annie lay but the pain was so bad he slumped against the wall and tears of frustration and anger rolled down his cheeks. After a while he sensed movement and opened one eye to see her crawling towards the chair. She started to dig in the soil with her good arm, her fingers frantically scraping away looking for something.

Annie didn’t know why she was doing this but Alice’s voice had whispered for her to keep going and so she did. What else was there to do? Her fingers brushed against something cold and hard. She had no idea what it was but she struggled to work it free. Finally it gave and she rolled onto her back exhausted. She looked at Will. His leg was bent at a funny angle and there was a steady stream of blood running down his head. He looked like a corpse. She lifted her hand to see what it was she was holding. It looked like a piece of dirty white bone the size of a small bread knife and she gasped, horrified and elated at the same time.

Shuffling back over to Will she leant back against the wall next to him and whispered, ‘Hang on in there. I love you and I won’t let either of us die down here.’

Will murmured his reply and he shoved his canister of CS gas into her hand. She smiled, then wiped the soil and sweat from her other hand and lifted the bone to look at it. She didn’t like holding the thing and knew it was one of Edward’s. She shivered. There was nothing else in the room she could use with one arm and she prayed she would be able to use the bloody thing to put an end to it all. Her arm throbbed and she shut her eyes letting it all wash over her. An image of Alice with a dirty, tear-stained face holding a spade made her whisper, ‘Same place, different time.’ She tucked the bone under her leg and waited for Edward to come back. She knew exactly what she had to do.