Wrong Place: A gripping serial killer crime thriller. (18 page)

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Sally parked at the back of the car park, then she and Jack ran through the entrance to the accident and emergency department.

Sally showed the receptionist her ID. “I’m looking for a Mrs. Liddell. I think she came in a few moments ago.”

The receptionist nodded. “She did. You’ll find her in the family room just along the corridor.”

“Thank you.”

They found a woman pacing the hallway outside the family room.

Sally smiled at her as she and Jack approached. “Mrs. Liddell?”

The woman’s gaze shifted uncertainly between the two detectives. “Yes. You are?”

“We’re DI Sally Parker and DS Jack Blackman from the Norfolk Constabulary.”

“I don’t understand. How do you know who I am, and why are you pestering me here?”

“Sorry, it’s not our intention to
pester
you. I rang you about half an hour ago, and you told me you were on your way to the hospital. Can I ask why you’re here?”

Tears glistened in her eyes. “That was you? I thought it was Jed, my husband. It’s my son. He has kidney failure.”

Sally’s heart sank at the news. Aware that she should proceed cautiously to avoid causing the woman further upset, she asked, “I take it you haven’t heard from your husband?”

“No, he works away all week. Only comes home on a Friday and Saturday.”

“I see. What job does he do?” Sally asked, intrigued to see if Jed had actually told his wife the truth about his career.

“He’s an area manager with a supermarket in Devon.”

“Devon? Is that right? That must be tough, dealing with a sick child on your own. Can I ask why you don’t move to Devon to be with him?”

“My child comes first. He’s used to the doctors here. It wouldn’t be right to disrupt his life any more than was necessary.”

“I see. Is your husband aware of how ill your son is?”

“I don’t understand what you’re getting at? Of course he’s aware. Michael has been ill from the day he was born, near enough anyway. He’s on the donor list. The doctors tell us that he’s close to the top now, but when we have episodes such as this, we have to pray that he pulls through.”

“I’m so sorry.”

“Again, I don’t understand why you’re here, Inspector, asking me about my husband and my son. Why?”

Sally inhaled a large breath. “We’re trying to track down your husband to help us with our enquiries.”

“Enquiries? Into what?”

“Into a few incidents that have occurred in the area over the past few weeks,” Sally replied.

“What kind of incidents?” The woman started to pace anxiously again.

“I don’t want to concern you with that at this time, Mrs. Liddell.”

“Now you’re starting to worry me. What has this got to do with my husband?”

The door at the end of the corridor opened, and a tall, slim man with brown hair rushed in. Despite his striking resemblance to the sketch Kathy had drawn, Sally hadn’t expected a monster to be so handsome. Jack nudged Sally’s elbow. Jed Liddell stared at everyone, his feet shifting from side to side as if he were debating whether to take flight or not.

Mrs. Liddell called out to him. “Jed, these people want a word with you.”

Liddell remained where he was for a second longer then finally took flight. Jack bolted after him.

“We need to get him. I’m sorry, Mrs. Liddell. Your husband has committed some pretty heinous crimes. I have to go after him.” Sally chased after her partner and the suspect.

“Such as what?” She sounded alarmed as she tried to keep up with Sally.

“Murder and the attempted murder of several women in the area.”

“What? You’re mistaken. I know my husband wouldn’t—
couldn’t
do such a thing.”

Sally and Mrs. Liddell chased after Jack and Liddell and caught up with them in the adjoining corridor. A heavily pregnant woman was swiping Jack over the head with her handbag and shouting, “Leave my husband alone, you big oaf.” Jack was trying hard to protect himself while he sat astride the squirming, cuffed Liddell on the floor.

Mrs. Liddell froze on the spot. Sally stopped and retraced her steps to where the woman was standing. “What did she just say?” the stunned Mrs. Liddell asked.

“He’s her husband,” Sally said, feeling as confused as the woman standing in front of her looked.

Sally got out her mobile and called for backup, sensing the situation was about to escalate out of control. Mrs. Liddell walked up to the woman and pulled on her arm. “He’s
my
husband.”

The younger woman eyed Mrs. Liddell with distaste and rubbed her belly. “He’s my husband, and we’re expecting our first child.”

Sally wormed herself between the warring women. It didn’t take her long to figure out what was taking place. “Ladies, it would appear that Jed has lied to you both over the years. Isn’t that the case, Mr. Liddell?”

Jack jerked the man to his feet, prompting him for a response. “Answer the inspector.”

Jed Liddell’s shoulders slumped in defeat. He looked at Jack and said, “You can take me to the station now.”

Sally tutted. “Nice of you to want to stick around and face the music. You make me sick. Ladies, count yourselves lucky. Over the past few weeks, your
husband
here has killed four women and attempted to kill a fifth. Those are the victims we know about. Of course, there could be more murders we’re unaware of right now. Not only that, he tried to make sure an innocent man ended up convicted for the crimes, by placing the man’s DNA at each of the crime scenes.”

“
What
? Jed, tell me she’s lying,” the first Mrs. Liddell said.

“I don’t believe you!” the pregnant Mrs. Liddell shouted.

Jed couldn’t deny it. They had him by the short and curlies, and he knew it. His two wives glared at each other with pure hatred in their eyes. Sally whispered in Liddell’s ear, “Thought you had the best of both worlds, didn’t you? And it still wasn’t enough for you, was it?”

He turned to her and grinned, causing a shudder to rattle down her spine, one notch at a time. Two uniformed officers joined the affray, and Sally instructed them to take Liddell into custody.

They watched Liddell walk away nonchalantly with the officers. Sally addressed the two women, “Mrs. Liddell and Mrs. Liddell, we’ll need you to come down to the station to make a statement sometime in the next few days.”

“Of course. I never knew. Shit! What about Michael? How on earth am I going to break this news to him?”

Sally rubbed the woman’s arm. “I wouldn’t, not just yet.” Then she asked the other woman, “Can I ask why you were at the hospital today?”

Tears sprang from the woman’s eyes, and she brushed them away with the back of her hand. “I was having a scan on this one. There’s every chance that he has a severe illness. They’re not sure what it is yet.”

“I see. I’m sorry to hear that. And you live locally?” Sally asked.

“Yes, ten minutes away.”

The other Mrs. Liddell asked, “So when does he stay with you?”

“Only on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. What about you?”

“Fridays and Saturdays. When did he carry out the crimes you say he committed, Inspector?”

“We think on Sundays and Mondays. We’ll get the full picture when we question him back at the station. I’m sorry he’s involved you in this, ladies. Please, don’t take it out on each other, not if there are children involved. They’ll be half-siblings, after all.”

Both women nodded at Sally in unison.

“We’ll be in touch with you both soon,” Sally added.

Sally and Jack left the two women, who were heading back to the family room to await news about Michael, and drove to the station.

“Back there you told the two women not to take it out on the kids as they were related. The thing is, I bet you fifty quid it’s not to
Liddell
.”

Sally glanced sideways at her partner and raised an eyebrow. “If he used Dorling’s sperm to create the kids… wow, what a bloody mess. I wonder if that’s the outcome he intended when he dreamt up this bizarre plan. Somehow I doubt it.”

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Sally had to wait over two hours before the duty solicitor showed up to attend the interview with Liddell. Sally stared at the suspect while Jack started the tape and announced who was present in the room as well as the date and time.

Liddell had his hands clasped tightly in front of him, his elbows on the table and his head bowed low.

“Right, where shall we begin? I know, why don’t you tell us about your friendship with Mr. Les Dorling?”

He looked up momentarily, a glare wrinkling the skin around his eyes, then he dropped his head again. “Don’t know him.”

“Well, that’s not what he’s told us.”

“Who is he?” Liddell asked.

“Currently, he’s on remand for something we now believe you are guilty of carrying out.”

“I don’t know what you mean,” Liddell replied adamantly.

“Okay, then let’s leave that topic for a moment and move on to the fact that it has come to light today that you’re a bigamist. I suppose you’re going to deny that, too, are you?” Sally asked.

Liddell’s solicitor raised an eyebrow but continued to write in his notebook.

Liddell shrugged and refused to respond.

Sally continued, “You are aware that bigamy comes with a prison term, yes?”

Another shrug. “So?”

“So, judging by your blatant disregard for the law in that respect, why should I believe you when you decline to acknowledge your friendship with Dorling?”

Liddell glanced up at her and, and through clenched teeth, responded, “Friends, phooey!”

“Ah, so you do know Dorling, just as he suggested. Why the denial?”

“Because I’d rather be associated with Jack the Ripper than that piece of shit.”

“That seems a strange analogy. Care to enlighten us?”

“Not really.” Liddell reclined and folded his arms.

“Jack the Ripper was notorious for brutalising and killing women. Are you aware of that fact, Mr. Liddell?”

“What? Of course I’m bloody aware.”

“Is that where your inspiration comes from?” Sally’s heart raced.

“For what?”

“The murders you’ve committed over the past few weeks.”

“You’re barking up the wrong tree, Inspector. You said yourself that you have someone banged up for the offences.”

“I also said that Dorling was innocent—and in light of new evidence that has come our way, he’ll be released from prison in the next day or so.”

“Let’s hope the death rate on your patch doesn’t rise as soon as he’s released, for your sake.”

“I doubt that will happen as long as we have you in custody, Mr. Liddell.”

He laughed. “Is that right?”

“Yes. Once forensics has reported their findings after examining your car, I don’t think we’ll be left in any doubt. Do you?”

His eyes blazed with anger, and his lip curled up at the side. “You won’t find anything in my car, Inspector. Apart from the odd sweet wrapper my child has left there.”

“Talking of which, have you even bothered to ask how Michael is since we brought you in?”

“No. I haven’t had the chance to yet.”

“Mind you, would that really be of concern to you? I mean, if Michael isn’t really your flesh and blood?”

“Who says that? He’s
my
child! I’ve been there for him since the day he was born. I’m his father.”

“Well, I hope the DNA can vouch for your blind assumption, because I have a feeling that Mr. Dorling, the friend you earlier denied knowing, will show up as being the father of your child. Oh, what tangled webs, Mr. Liddell. Did you not envisage the truth coming out one day?”

“You’re wrong, Inspector. Wrong!” His voice notched up a few decibels.

“We’ll see who’s right or wrong once the results are confirmed. Keep denying things, Mr. Liddell, and you’re only going to make matters a whole lot worse when your court date finally comes around.” Sally grinned broadly at the seething man. “I’m intrigued to know as to why you’ve only just started killing these women. What was the motivation behind that?”

Liddell’s lips remained buttoned.

“Maybe it’s due to your child’s illness. Is that what has triggered your revenge on the man who supplied you with his sperm when you found yourself in a fix?”

“Bollocks.”

“That’s correct,” Sally nodded with a wink and a smirk.

“He deserved it,” Liddell sneered.

Sally noticed the change in Liddell. He chewed the inside of his mouth and glanced up first at Jack then at her.
What are you planning, buster?
“Did he? Why?”

Liddell picked at his nails for a few seconds then sighed. “You would’ve done the same if he’d stolen the love of your life, and don’t tell me otherwise.”

“It might have started out as payback for losing your girlfriend, but it soon escalated into something far more sinister, didn’t it?”

“Whatever.”

“Let me try and fill in the gaps for you. You’ve always blamed Dorling for Michael’s illness, and it’s taken you years to try and think of a way to get back at him, right?”

“No comment.”

“Ah, a sure sign that I’m close is when a suspect starts tossing around the ‘no comments’. Two things puzzle me in all this.”

He looked up at her through narrow slits.

“How did you get your wife pregnant with another man’s sperm?”

He offered no response.

“No? All right. The first time, I think I’ve got that sussed because you used the fertility clinic. They did it for you, right?”

He grinned at her.

She continued, her heart beating hard against her ribs. “Did the same thing happen with your second wife? You had the sperm frozen. Is that right?”

“No comment.”

“Did your second wife know about your infertility?”

“No comment.”

“Okay, I know I’m right there. The thing that’s bugging me is how you got the sperm out of the clinic? As far as I know, they don’t do take-outs.”

“You’d be surprised.”

“Ah, so you paid someone on the inside to give you a sample with the intention of setting Dorling up, right?”

“No comment,” he said angrily.

“I’m betting that you heard about Dorling’s conviction as a rapist and a plan started to form. How’s that for a stab in the dark?”

He shrugged and grinned.

She shook her head in disgust. “Only someone with a warped mind would hatch such a devious plan like yours, Liddell. Thank God someone disturbed you from carrying out yet another murder.”

“So, that’s how you caught me, because I screwed up with that last bitch.”

“That’s right. Didn’t you realise that you hadn’t succeeded in your attempt to end Amanda’s life?”

“No. I thought I had done enough. That old codger returning to the comfort of his cardboard box spoilt it for me.”

“Why? Why Amanda? Did you take a fancy to her during a visit to the store?”

“You could say that. That’s usually how things like this come about,” he agreed sarcastically.

Sally frowned; his moods swung the more she challenged him. One minute, she thought he was being helpful and compliant; the next, she felt he was toying with her, dangling a carrot just within her grasp. He might have been exhibiting a severe bout of psychotic behaviour. She pushed on regardless, determined to force him to admit her accusations were correct. “Go on, admit I’m right.”

He winked at her. “And save you the job of figuring out if you’ve hit the nail on the head? Nah, not going to happen, Inspector.”

Sally leaned back and crossed her arms and reiterated what she’d surmised so far. “Let’s see. Dorling wronged you when you were friends. He also told us that you asked him for a supply of sperm because of your
impotency
.” His eyes narrowed. “Oops, sorry, wrong word. Your
infertility
. Let me know if I get anything wrong, won’t you?”

“I will.”

“So, you’ve had his sperm on standby for years just so you could eventually pluck up the courage to put your vindictive plan into action. Is that right? Or was it genuinely so you could father more kids. Although why still confuses the hell out of me. But then serial killers aren’t known to think things through thoroughly. They have a tendency to attack first and ask questions later. That’s how most of them slip up.”

He remained silent, staring at her.

Then something changed. The more she repeated the accusations, the more he squirmed in his seat.

“But your new wife was desperate to have a child, wasn’t she? Did she know you had a stash on standby at the fertility clinic?”

“No!”

“So, the trigger has to be Michael’s ill-health.” She drummed her fingers on the table. “You blamed him for your son’s deteriorating health, didn’t you?”

Liddell’s jaw moved from side to side.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” She smiled and winked as his cheeks flared in rage.

“You think you’re so damned clever, but I’m the one who achieved the satisfaction of seeing that fucker go to prison.”

“Is that all that matters to you? You have no intention of showing any kind of remorse for your victims in the slightest? Dorling isn’t even going to prison.”

“And I would have got away with it, too, if it hadn’t been for the last one.”

Sally nodded and agreed with him. “You’re probably right. Shit happens, eh?”

“There’ll be others,” he mumbled under his breath.

She slammed her fisted hand onto the table to gain his attention and glared. “No, there won’t.” Her voice had risen, and he flinched. “Even if you hired the best defence you could afford, I’m going to ensure you spend the rest of your worthless life behind bars. No one deserves to have their life terminated because of another sick person’s pointless vendetta. No one.”

“The women all enjoyed it. They revelled in the interest I showed them that others failed to do. Not to mention the mind-blowing sex I bestowed upon them.”

“
Bestowed
upon them? Are you for real?”

“You had to be there, Inspector. It was definitely consensual. No woman can resist my charms.”

She refused to feed his over-inflated ego, so she ended the interview with a deflating shot. “Delusional until the last minute. Now, why am I not surprised by that? Expert research shows that serial killers are mostly delusional and lacking in virility.” She had no idea if that was true or not, but she enjoyed the put-down, nevertheless.

He laughed, a moronic laugh that reverberated around the room. Sally thanked the solicitor for attending then instructed the PC to return Liddell to his cell.

Back in the incident room, Sally instructed the team to continue to dig into Liddell’s background, scraping together every last morsel of evidence they could pin on him, determined not to let him get away with his crimes. Then she turned to Jack. “I have one last visit I need to make today, and I’d like you to join me. But first, I have to go tell the DCI we’ve cracked the case.”

The DCI congratulated Sally and asked her to pass on his appreciation to the team, which she did while instructing the team to go home for the evening. All except Jack.

He seemed bemused as he followed her out of the station. They drove the short distance in silence.

He uttered a single word when they pulled up outside her old house. “Ah!”

She winked at him, regretting the action due to the pain still emanating from her bruised socket. “I hope you’ve got your cuffs handy?”

Darryl was surprised to see them standing on the doorstep when he opened the door. He looked dishevelled, as if they’d interrupted his nap. Sally hoped it wasn’t anything else, like having another woman in the house. Then she chastised herself for thinking such a thing. Who he shagged shouldn’t have mattered to her. “What are you doing here?”

Sally watched him survey his handiwork with a twinkle in his eye. “One hit too many, Darryl. Jack, arrest this man for assault please.”

Darryl tried to slam the door in Jack’s face, but Jack pushed the door with such force that Darryl ended up flat on his back on the hallway floor. “Don’t fight the inevitable, shithead. Cowards never prosper.”

Sally let out a relieved sigh after Jack placed her cuffed ex-hubby in the back of the car. “Is it really over, Jack? Can I truly begin to live once more?”

“You can, boss. Hey, if he resists arrest once we get to the station, I’ll take pleasure in knocking seven bells out of him.”

“I doubt that’s going to happen, do you? He seemed to accept his fate.”

“I’d say he had little choice in the matter, considering the incriminating evidence. You’re well rid of him.”

“Yeah, I know. It was Liddell’s arrogance that prompted me to finally concede Darryl needed to be punished for his actions. In Darryl I could see the same arrogance running through him that runs through Liddell. Oh, I’m not saying that he would go on to mimic him in other ways, like setting out to kill. The thing is, I wasn’t prepared to take the risk.”

Jack nodded. “I wish more women had the courage to do what you’ve just done.”

“So do I. Let’s get him back to the station and charge him. I know two people who will support me in my actions today.”

“Yep, I know that you’ve just made your mother and father very proud.”

Sally grinned and nodded.
Yes, I sure did.