She lifted her head and stared defiantly at me. Why, Mr McRae, I do believe youre jealous.
Why should I be? When I could have bought you? The words came out without thinking. She looked lashed. Tears formed in her eyes again.
Good hit, McRae. Good hit. She took a handkerchief out of her bag and dried her eyes. She sipped at some tea, ignoring Mary sitting beside her. Mary was giving me daggers.
Well, if you must know, were not. Tony has never slept with me. She said it with so little emotion that I knew it was true. Bizarrely in the circumstances I felt a surge of pity for the young Tony Caldwell. Faced with this glorious, tantalising young woman, teasing him, leading him on all those years. And always being rejected. Always on a piece of string, always trying to impress, just in case she relented. And when he found out she was his half-sister, had that finally turned his mind?
I weighed up the next question. What shed just told me made it easier. But did I need to ask it? Was I just twisting the blade? Or was it time that she knew?
Did you know he was your half-brother?
She gave me the look she reserved for shit on her shoe. Dont be stupid, McRae!
What a perfectly stupid, stupid, cruel thing to say.
Mary, could we make a phone call?
Sure, Danny. She got up, walked into the hall and picked up the handset.
Where you wanna call?
Hampstead 4032.
Thats Lizas number! What are you playing at, you bastard?
When you get through, Mary, hand the phone to the lady here. And then she can ask the question herself.
Wait, wait! Kate looked befuddled, as though she couldnt take any more in.
She pushed her hair back and tried to think. Mary stood waiting for my word. I got up and pulled Kate to her feet and into the hall. I took the phone from Mary. The operator connected us. Liza answered.
Liza, dont hang up. I have Kate here. She wants to talk to you.
I gave her no chance to think. I stuck the phone in Kates hand.
Kate said carefully, Liza? Hello, dear. Yes, Im all right. No Im not being harmed. No! Dont call the police. Not yet. Liza, I have a question for you.
Its too silly for words.
McRae here tells me that Tony is
well, related to me. I know its perfectly silly and
She went quiet. If it was possible for her to become paler she did.
No, no
But how
When
Then her voice went cool. How long have you known, Liza?
And now frosty. Why didnt you tell me?
I couldnt make out Lizas words. All I could hear was the steadily rising sound of a woman losing control. Liza sounded angry. As though it was all pouring out of her. Both ends of the conversation went quiet. Then Liza asked something.
No, Im all right. Ill call you later. Bye, Liza. She handed me the phone and looked at me with despair and grief.
What a mess weve made of it all, McRae. What a goddamn bloody mess. All those years
I said nothing. I let her blow her nose and gather herself.
Cigarette?
She nodded. I gave her one and lit it. She sat up and inspected my face as though guessing how I was taking all this.
You asked me when Tony and I became lovers. We didnt. She took a long pull and blew the smoke out at me. But did you ask Liza the same question?
The idea hung in the air like dirty linen. Yet suddenly it made sense. Sort of.
In this nightmare of twisted relationships, it made sense. It explained why Liza was willing to go out on a limb for Tony, why she would lie, why she would pretend to be his wife. Maybe thats what shed have liked. It explained the harem-like bedroom in Lizas house, god help her. And there was Tony in the middle, manipulative Tony, spurned by Kate, taking cold comfort with Liza. Both women lying to each other for his sake.
I asked softly, How did Wilson get involved?
She shook her head.
Tell me.
She rubbed her streaked face. How had I found it beautiful?
It was all supposed to be controlled by Jonny. He was supposed to
vet your clients?
She nodded.
I pressed on. But Wilson got past the vetting. It wasnt kind. I heard him, Kate. I heard him blame Tony.
Her face crumpled. She burst into tears as though her body would explode. I let her sob and weep until there was nothing left in her.
I thought it was Jonny. That Jonny was using me to buy him off. It was horrible, just horrible. Wilson
Her chest was heaving, she couldnt get the words out. He
hit me. He knew who I was. He enjoyed it. He hit me
I couldnt resist the shot. I thought you liked it rough?
She started to wail. Noooo. Oh no. It was all a game
The game again. I kept on at her, wanting to hurt her. Wilson didnt play by the rules, did he?
He was filthy, a pig. He forced me. He used his handcuffs! She was outraged, close to hysteria, gripping her wrists and shaking. Then he hit me with his belt. He kept hitting me! Is this what you want? Are you enjoying this, McRae?
Like hearing dirty stories? Because it gets dirtier! He gagged me. And he stuck things in me. Because he couldnt! He stuck
he stuck
oh Christ!
I felt pity, then shame for forcing this out of her. I thought of Wilson lying impaled on the shaft of wood. I wondered which of them had been more violated.
I said softly, Enough, Kate. Enough. Im nearly done. Tell me about the gun.
The gun I left with Millie.
She peered at me through glassy eyes. Tony took it. He went out. I assume he gave it to Wilson. Wilson did the rest.
Thats not what Wilson said. He said Tony had tipped him off. That Id phoned Tony to boast about another killing.
She looked hunted. I dont know anything. Nothing. Tony didnt mention it.
You dont know me too well, Kate, but does it strike you that I would have called Tony up with that news?
She just stared at me sullenly.
Well, let me tell you that I didnt, and I didnt kill the girl. And if I didnt, who did? Who killed her, Kate? And all the others?
She shook her head. She wouldnt look at me. I dont know!
I think you do. When did they start? Why did he do it?
She shook her head again. I cant say any more. I just cant!
You might as well get used to it, Kate. Because the police and the judge will be asking you the same questions. They hang accessories to murder.
Her eyes widened, but she sat back with her arms folded as though hell would freeze over before shed say another word. Mary, whod sat uncharacteristically quietly all this while scowling at me took the cold tea cups and empty glass away. She came back and touched Kate on her shoulder. Kate raised her stricken face to Marys.
You come with me, lady. Fix your face.
Kate looked uncertain. I shrugged. I knew when an interrogation was going nowhere. Besides, I was sure of my man now. All Id have to do was prove it. Or get him to admit it.
Come, lady.
Kate rose to her feet, towering above Marys tiny frame. Mary took her hand and led Kate, unresisting, out the door and down the corridor to the bathroom.
I sat back and sipped my own drink. I felt empty. All a game, she said. Five dead women was a high forfeit. I wondered if Wilson was alive. I didnt much care. I thought about Tony Caldwell, somewhere out there, hunting me. I had to act first. Was it time to set Jonnys hounds on him? Perhaps. But I needed to see him first. Needed to have him tell me his side. If there was a side.
Doc Thompson used to say that you could be affected for life by what happens to you when youre young. Freud and Jung and others all seemed to hand out excuse notes for any evil act. It cut no ice with me. Youre not telling me that every single guard in every one of the hundreds of concentration camps across Europe had their toys taken from them as kids? Or if they did, it was any sort of half-arsed excuse for the pain they inflicted?
We have choices. Some of us more than others. Colette told me she chose her profession; it was easy money and she didnt find it so hard. The men were usually pretty grateful. I know I was. But she also recognised she didnt have much choice; she had no skills, could barely read, and needed money to pay the rent.
Kate had every choice. She was rich, beautiful and smart. Maybe too smart. An intelligence that was looking for something to engage it, stave off the boredom of the cocktail circuit. Dont tell me she had an unhappy childhood. Not by the standards of ninety-nine percent of the world. The old Scottish phrase came back to me: Yeve made your bed, now lie in it. No excuses, no blaming somebody else; you caused this, take responsibility for what you did and get on with it. It was a tough creed and seemed uncaring, but it worked, mostly.
Mary came back into the room leading Kate. Kate looked better. The streaks were gone, she had on fresh make-up and her hair was brushed and gleaming. But there was no hiding the puffiness round the eyes. Or the haunted look in them.
Kate sat down. Thank you, Mary. Youve been very kind. She turned to me. Mr McRae, I want to go home now. I think youve got what you wanted, dont you?
Her tone wasnt humble, but neither was it haughty.
Danny will do. I think were past the formal stage.
She weighed me up and shrugged. Very well, Danny what next? What about the police and Jonny Crane and
Tony? First off, I dont know if Wilson is alive or dead. And if hes alive, how long hell take to come after me. He may not remember much of what happened back there. I smiled. I think youre off the hook though. I dont think hell bother you, not with what I can say about him and what hes been up to. As for Jonny Crane, he doesnt know anything about today or your part in it, remember?
I arranged for you to come to the flat this afternoon. Crane thinks of you only in the past tense. I couldnt help adding, Im sorry for what I put you through.
She studied me as if she were seeing me for the first time. She nodded. Thank you, Danny. What are you going to do about Tony? You know hes looking for you?
Hes got a gun. Another one. Our house is full of guns.
Im going to help him find me. With your help, Kate. One phone call is all it will take.
TWENTY FIVE
The fog was clearing as I walked down through Soho. Clumps still shredded themselves on St Martins spire and menaced the alleyway between the Strand and the river. As I crossed the Hungerford footbridge, a train gasped past me into Charing Cross leaving chunks of smoke clinging to the girders. Mist lay along the river like a dirty yellow blanket.
Kate had made the call, telling Caldwell what had happened this afternoon and that Wilson might be dead. Her voice was strained and clipped when she told him that Liza had revealed their three-sided relationship. Her anger fuelled two patches of red in her cheeks. I could hear Caldwells voice rising and accelerating as he begged for understanding. Kate cut off his bluster as though reprimanding a careless servant. She told him I wanted to meet him, just the two of us, and settle this thing. She didnt tell him because she didnt know
that if I didnt come back from the meeting, Mary had instructions to give his name to Jonny Crane. Tony seemed to have responded with alacrity. And now we were converging on the meeting ground. Id chosen somewhere open but quiet, and with a queer resonance for this whole damned business.
I picked up a bus outside Waterloo station. We chugged through the patchy smog to Camberwell Green, past my office. I didnt want to meet there; too cramped, too many police watching. I got off and made my way up Denmark Hill past the hospital. I seemed to be climbing out of the murk. The sign for Ruskin Park beckoned.
I climbed over the fence and started down towards the pond. From there Id be able to see people entering the park but it was far enough away to be private.
Fog billowed through the trees, making it hard to follow the path. But the smell of decay led me easily to the stagnant water. I stood gazing into the mist, wondering if I could pull this off without getting shot. I went over my questions again and again, which is why I didnt hear her coming.
Hello, Danny.
I spun round. My heart lifted. Valerie was walking towards me. She was wearing a long coat against the night, just like the first time.
Hey, its great to see you, Val! Ive missed you! Where have you been?
Where have I been? Youve got half the police in the country looking for you and you ask me where Ive been? she laughed.
Its a long story, but its coming to an end. Tony Caldwell is the killer. He killed the girl in France and he killed the prostitutes here.
She seemed a long way from being surprised. See. I knew it wasnt you, Danny.
But, Val, what are you doing here? How did you find me?
Im here when you need me.
But you cant stay here, Val. Its too dangerous. Caldwell is coming to meet me. You mustnt hang around. I dont want you hurt.
Silly. Ill be OK. Ill give you moral support.
Through the sound-dampening fog I heard the noise of a car wheezing up the hill and slowing. Then I saw the twin beams of light cutting through the heavy air, as the big Riley rolled to a stop by the park gates.
Its him, Val! Youve got to go! Ill be fine. Ive got a gun, you see? I dug into my pocket and pulled out the small calibre weapon Mary had given me. It was barely more than a starting pistol, but it would do the job. I hoped I wasnt going to need it.
Val searched my face as though it was the last shed see of it. She smiled sweetly then backed away into the mist.
I could see the car clearly. There were two people in it. Kate was at the wheel.
She was staring straight ahead, her eyes unseeing. Caldwell was alongside her.
She killed the engine and silence fell. She cut the beams of light and the car was left silhouetted by the masked glow from a streetlamp. High above me, the clouds cleared and the stars began to stutter into being. But down here wraiths still swirled and danced through the trees and across the pool.