1848453051 (37 page)

‘Your ex would have used a throwaway phone,’ he told her gently. ‘And the SIM card will have been destroyed by now.’ He gave her a sympathetic smile. ‘I’m sorry we can’t be more helpful, but these situations usually settle down over time. By your own admission, he isn’t hassling you quite as much as in the past, so it sounds like he might be getting tired of bothering you.’

‘So that’s it?’ Laura asked in frustration. ‘He just gets away with it? He can try to run me down, hassle me any time he likes, yet nothing happens to him?’ She glared at the officer. ‘And what about the man following me? The same guy has followed me several times – and maybe at other times, too, for all I know – and I’m positive it’s not a coincidence!’

The officer looked contrite. ‘I’m sorry, Ms Thornton, I’ll make a note of it in the logbook, and if anything else happens, don’t hesitate to let us know –’

‘A note in a logbook won’t help me if I’m dead!’ Laura told him, flouncing out of the door of the station.

When her mobile rang later that evening, Laura checked the number. It was one she didn’t recognise, and at first she
didn’t bother answering it, as she didn’t think she could cope with any more hassle. But when the same number rang again later, she felt so angry that she grabbed the phone, took a deep breath and risked pressing the answer button.

‘Hello?’

‘Ms Thornton, this is Detective Sergeant Andy Sheeran, from Islington Police station in London.’

Laura’s heart began to thump uncomfortably. Was he really a police officer, or was this just another trick that Jeff had thought up?

‘The police in Dorrington have been in touch with us about some incidents you reported –’

‘Yes?’

The man’s voice was curt. ‘We’d like you to come here, Ms Thornton, as soon as possible. I have some information that may be of concern to you.’

Laura sighed. Why couldn’t he just say what was on his mind, rather than dragging her to London, to be told something he could probably have said over the phone? ‘Look, if it’s that important, why can’t I just go to the local police station? I’m rather busy at the moment –’

‘Ms Thornton, what I have to tell you is best said in person. I’d rather you came here, and please – make it as soon as possible.’

Noting the gravity in his voice, Laura made a snap decision. Better to get it over with, whatever it was. ‘Okay, okay – I’ll get to London for tomorrow afternoon.’

‘Thank you, Ms Thornton. See you then.’

Ringing off, Laura arranged cover for her lectures and left a voice message on Bill’s phone explaining that urgent business required her to take the first train to London in the morning.

Before she left Dorrington, Laura checked with the local police station, and they confirmed that Detective Sergeant Andy
Sheeran really did exist, and that it was genuinely urgent she visit the Islington police station as soon as possible.

As she sat on the train, Laura gazed pensively out of the window. Something else was definitely wrong. She’d expected to stay at Kerry’s apartment while in London, but when she’d rung her friend, she’d been decidedly evasive, fobbing her off with excuses. This offhand treatment was making Laura feel decidedly uneasy – why was her best friend giving her the brush-off? She was also still reeling from having seen Darren in Dorrington, yet he’d deliberately turned away when she spotted him. It made her feel sad and worried that the people she cared about most were now avoiding her. What on earth was going on?

At Islington Police Station, Laura was ushered into Detective Sergeant Andy Sheeran’s office as soon as she arrived.

‘Ms Thornton, please sit down.’

Laura dropped into the chair facing the detective’s desk, still annoyed at being dragged away from Dorrington, especially since her earlier experiences at the police station hadn’t been particularly helpful.

‘Would you like a cup of tea?’

‘No, thanks.’

The officer shuffled some papers on his desk before eventually looking straight at her. ‘I’m sorry to have to tell you this – but your ex-husband is dead. He died two months ago.’

Laura’s jaw dropped open. What? No, it wasn’t possible! Then her eyes began to fill with tears. ‘Oh my God! W-what happened?’

The police officer cleared his throat. ‘Obviously, you knew about your ex-husband’s allergy – well, unfortunately, while he was on remand in prison, he was inadvertently served a trace of peanuts in one of his meals, and the wardens couldn’t locate his adrenaline pen in time.’

Laura looked stunned. ‘In prison? What was he doing there?’

Momentarily, the officer’s expression softened. ‘On your previous visit here, I was particularly interested in what you’d said about your husband’s parents, and his claims of being in MI5.’ He twirled his pen between his fingers. ‘After you’d left the station, I looked up the files and discovered that there were a lot of question marks over his parents’ deaths. I talked to the officers who’d worked on the case, and they all felt that Mr Jones definitely had something to do with his father’s death, although they hadn’t been able to prove it.’ The police officer looked grim. ‘Thanks to you, we got the case reopened – and, this time, the advances in DNA enabled us to get the evidence we needed to prosecute him. He was in jail awaiting trial for the murder of his father when he was killed.’ He looked at her closely. ‘Did you know that he strangled his father with his bare hands, then used a rope to make it look like suicide?’

Laura shivered, suddenly recalling Jeff’s remark about threatening to kill her ‘too’. ‘No, I didn’t. And I’m glad I didn’t know that while I was married to him.’

‘Although we only got him for that one murder, we’re fairly certain he was responsible for a string of other murders as well,’ the detective added. ‘Several witnesses who were due to testify at drug-dealers’ trials conveniently disappeared, and we believe he was the one who killed them.’ He looked at her tentatively. ‘The Drug Squad were also running surveillance on your ex-husband, but the people at the top of the supply chain are always the most difficult to put away. Of course, we now know that you weren’t aware that he was also one of the country’s major drug dealers.’

The colour drained from Laura’s face as she shook her head. So his MI5 claims had just been a cover to fool his gullible wife. Kerry had been right all along.

‘But you said he died two months ago – why on earth wasn’t I told before now?’

DS Sheeran grimaced. ‘I’m sorry, Ms Thornton – we had our reasons. When you first disappeared from London, we wondered if your ex-husband had bumped you off. The chap at your university wasn’t willing to reveal your whereabouts, but we checked your credit-card usage, and discovered that you’d been using it in Dorrington.’

Laura gasped. ‘So that was
you
who was following me?’

DS Sheeran nodded.

‘You scared the hell out of me!’

The officer gave an apologetic smile. ‘After Mr Jones died, we wondered if your original complaints to the police had been part of an elaborate plan to distance yourself from your husband’s drug empire, with a view to taking it over after his death.’ Laura’s eyes were like saucers. ‘What? You mean you thought
I
might have planned his murder?’

DS Sheeran shrugged his shoulders. ‘Stranger things have happened. That’s why I followed you to Dorrington – we had to find out whether or not you were involved. Obviously, we know now that you had nothing to do with your husband’s death or with running his business.’

Still in shock, Laura said nothing.

‘But when you levelled further accusations against your ex-husband while you were in Dorrington – after he was dead – alarm bells started ringing, and we began to wonder what on earth was going on.’

Laura slumped in her chair.

He closed the file on his desk and looked at her closely. ‘Do you realise what that means?’

Laura shook her head, looking blankly at him.

‘It means your husband couldn’t have been the person you claim was targeting you.’

Laura’s mouth dropped open. ‘W-what?’

‘Someone else must have been trying to harm you. Do you have any idea who it might be? If you’re prepared to register a complaint, we’ll investigate this person or persons immediately.’

The colour drained from Laura’s face. If not Jeff, who else could it be? Her mind was rapidly racing through all the recent events that had happened, and the people she’d trusted to keep her whereabouts secret. She still didn’t understand why Darren had been in Dorrington, but he wouldn’t have any reason to harm her …

Then her eyes filled with tears. No, no – it couldn’t possibly have been. No, definitely not. How could she even think such a thought? No, no, no – on the other hand, who else would have known all the personal details of her life …? Laura shook her head angrily. How could she think such a thing, even for a second?

The police officer looked at her astutely. ‘I can see that you’ve someone in mind,’ he said gently.

Laura shook her head. No, she couldn’t bring herself to mention this person’s name. Because if she said it, she’d be admitting that she’d actually given consideration, however briefly, to the ridiculous notion …

Jumping up, Laura grabbed her coat and rushed out of the police station, with the detective in hot pursuit.

‘Ms Thornton, please come back –!’

Tears now blinding her, Laura hurried along the road. Her mobile rang, but she didn’t answer it, guessing that it was probably the police officer begging her to return to the station. She heard a man calling her name, but she ignored him. She had to find out the truth, and there was only one way to do it.

Just as she reached the corner of the street where Kerry’s apartment was, Avril, the estate agent, was coming out of a
building on the other side. As usual, she was clutching her portfolio of leaflets and teetering on six-inch heels. Waving goodbye to the clients who’d been viewing the property, she crossed the road to where Laura was now approaching.

‘Well, hello! How nice to see you, Laura! I thought you’d moved abroad somewhere? What brings you to this part of the world?’

‘I’m just on my way to Kerry’s place,’ Laura explained.

Avril looked confused. ‘But she doesn’t live here any more. Have you forgotten?’

Laura’s jaw dropped. ‘What do you mean?’

‘Well, she’s taken over your old apartment in Green Street –’

‘When did
that
happen?’ Laura asked tersely.

Avril suddenly looked worried, sensing a potential problem. ‘Oh, dear! After the fire, when you gave notice that you were leaving, your friend contacted me and said she’d like to rent it when it had been repaired and refurbished. And that she’d be interested in buying it when the vendor was ready to sell …’ Her voice faltered. ‘I assumed you knew … you’re saying she didn’t tell you?’

‘No, she didn’t,’ Laura said. ‘Sorry, Avril, I’ve got to go.’ Laura smiled apologetically as she turned to leave, hoping that Avril wouldn’t think she was in any way responsible for her ill-humour.

As Laura hurried down the street, once again she heard a man calling her name, but she ignored him and kept on running towards the nearest Underground station.

C
HAPTER
75

I
n the lobby of the Green Street apartments, Laura rushed past Albert the concierge before he had time to react, waving to him and banking on the fact that since she’d once lived there, he’d remember her and would let her through without a fuss.

When Laura knocked at the door of the apartment, Kerry looked shocked as she opened her door.

‘Laura! How did you –?’

‘How did I find out you’d moved in here? It doesn’t matter – aren’t you going to invite me in?’

Kerry gave a weak smile, but it was obvious that she’d been caught out.

As she stepped inside, Laura could see that the apartment was already looking very different from when she’d lived there. The fire damage had been completely repaired, and Kerry’s style was already evident in the different range of furnishings. It looked as though she’d been working on one of her projects at a big desk in the corner of the living room, which was piled high with books and papers.

‘You didn’t waste any time before putting your own stamp on it, did you?’

Kerry rallied. ‘Well, you were right – it’s a fabulous flat,’ she said. ‘The amount of light it gets is wonderful, and I envied you so much when you moved in here. Why shouldn’t I take it over when you left?’

‘It would have been a courtesy to let me know – I’d have been pleased for you. But it never crossed my mind that you could afford the rent and the service charge, much less buy it.’

Kerry smiled malevolently. ‘Well, I wanted to stake my claim, because I expect to have the money
very
soon.’

As the two women stared at each other, Laura licked her lips. Her mouth was dry as she tried to find the words she wanted to say, but no sound would come out. As she stood there, Kerry went into the kitchen, returning with two glasses of juice. It was just the kind of thing that Kerry usually did, and it lent an air of normality to a very bizarre situation.

At first, Laura ignored the drink, but her throat and mouth still seemed unbelievably dry, and she wanted to be able to articulate her case clearly, so she took the glass and gulped the juice down rapidly. The whole situation still seemed unreal, but her mouth felt fresher and her tongue now seemed able to form the words she wanted.

‘Jeff is dead – he died two months ago,’ she said. ‘He was on remand in prison – they finally nailed him for killing his father and making it look like a suicide. And you were right, he was also involved in drug-dealing.’ She took a deep breath. ‘So you know what that means, don’t you?’

One look at Kerry’s face told Laura all she needed to know.

Kerry shrugged her shoulders. ‘It looks like the game is over,’ she said, giving a rueful smile. ‘I’d hoped to have fun with you for a little while longer, but it looks like you’ve worked out what I’ve been up to …’

Laura’s heart sank. She’d been desperately hoping that Kerry wouldn’t be the one who’d been targeting her. She’d been positive her friend could offer some logical explanation for what had been happening to her.