Nine Lives by Anita Waller (best english books to read .txt) 📗

‘Hasn’t it stopped raining at all?’ Beth said.

‘It has, but when you hear what I’ve to say, I’d like you to do a little rain dance as your contribution to today’s activities,’ Erica said with a smile, trying to raise an answering one on Beth’s face. It didn’t work.

‘You need it to rain?’

‘We do. When you’ve had a rest and something to eat, I’ll tell you all about it. I’m going to have to leave you, because I’m doing today’s briefing at two, then I’m out until probably the early hours of tomorrow, but Frannie won’t be in too late. She’s going for a meal with her colleagues because she knows I won’t be home, and I don’t really want to mess her about and ask her to come home instead. Is that okay?’

‘It’s fine. I’ll probably have an early night anyway. Have you told Frannie I’m here?’

‘I’ve not spoken to her, but I’ve sent a text and she’s responded. Don’t worry, she’s not going to be surprised to see you.’

Erica left shortly after one, leaving Beth curled up on the sofa, sleeping. She took with her a list of items Beth needed from her home, and called in there before heading into work.

The briefing room was packed, and Erica noticed everyone at some point glance towards the window, checking it was still raining. Erica was no longer worried about that – it seemed it was going to rain almost non-stop for two days, and she knew this woman wouldn’t pass up a blatant abduction offering like that night was proving to be.

Erica was aware she was nervous. Suppose they had it wrong. The evidence showed the small black car was right in the thick of this spree killing, and in her mind it almost felt like they were arresting a car. They had no idea of the identity of the driver, everything was a guess based on rainfall levels, and the damn river seemed to be complicit in everything that had happened or might happen that night if they didn’t get this right.

They had no evidence that what had been inside that suitcase was a body – it could have been somebody fly-tipping into the river to get rid of rubbish. It could be pure coincidence that a body had been found in the same spot.

Erica felt sick at all the what-ifs cascading through her brain. She knew she was going out on a limb, had no idea what the repercussions would be if she got it wrong and they ended up with a riverside corpse yet again, and as she watched the bustle of them meeting up with their partners for the operation, she shivered.

She had opted to go in the car rescue truck. They would be the first to know that the killer had left Adam – again supposition that the killer would follow her normal routine, then bring him a McDonald’s – and the truck would immediately pull across to block off the garage entrance and exit. Nobody would go in or out in a vehicle. Once that was in place the entire team would move and Erica would lead them in to arrest the woman.

The team of eight people were in place. Erica had refused the offer of armed backup, purely because at no point had firearms been in the equation. Every one of the nine deaths had been by manual strangulation with tights and she had no reason to believe the modus operandi would change at any point.

She hoped.

Erica and Flick climbed into the truck first, and eased uncomfortably behind the two front seats. The driver had placed a blanket on the floor, but it added nothing to their comfort.

Will Bramwell and Kev Ward were in the front. It would raise no strange glances in their direction if both front seats were filled by men. Erica had made it clear that as boss, she wanted to be first onto that garage site, this case had haunted her for far too long.

By four o’clock all cars were in position. Every one checked in at intermittent times and yet the occupants of the rescue truck couldn’t see anyone. The plan had worked so far.

By five o’clock Erica and Flick were stiff and sore. They were threatening Will and Kev with gagging them if they didn’t shut up arguing over whether Sheffield Wednesday or Sheffield United was the best team in the city, but that seemed to have no effect at all.

‘I need a wee,’ Flick announced. ‘I shouldn’t have had that last coffee.’

‘No you shouldn’t,’ Erica responded. ‘Rule number one for surveillance is don’t drink for a week beforehand. You’ll be hours before you can get to a toilet.’

Flick sighed and didn’t answer.

The rain battered on the windscreen and appeared to be getting heavier. Erica could only imagine what the Porter must be like; she knew it would once again be in full spate, and this woman wouldn’t let that go. Perfect conditions for murder, for continuing what she believed to be her anonymity with regard to this crime. And anonymous she was, for the moment. Her one flaw was she needed this little black car that they had under their own watchful eyes.

Sam and Mike checked in to say all was quiet, but while Sam was speaking he said, ‘Hang on a minute. Car pulling up about two hundred yards away.’

There was silence in the truck while they held their breaths, waiting and hoping this was what they had been praying for.

‘Boss? You there?’ Sam sounded tinny, but she could hear something in his voice. Excitement?

‘Go ahead, Sam.’

‘It’s stopped. Somebody’s getting out. We’ll hold back until we see where they’re going.’

‘Over.’

For a minute nobody spoke, then the radio crackled once more.

‘Boss, they’ve turned left and are heading up the road towards you. We’re not close enough to read the reg yet, will do that as soon as we get to it. We’re driving up to it and parking behind it in one minute. Think