Hunted (26 page)

CHAPTER 27

Mikey found himself staring down the barrel of a gun as he entered the hide and he jumped back. “Jesus Jules, what are you doing?”

“Sorry,” she said, lowering the weapon. “I thought there might have been more of them.”

Mikey took in the two men on the floor, one bound and wriggling, face purple, screaming abuse and flinging his big body from side to side, the other inert on the floor, blood trickling from a stomach wound. He stood over Actaeon, peering down at him, trying to assess whether he was alive or not. The slight rise and fall of his chest assured him he was.

“I see you’ve been using your knives again,” he said, indicating the stomach wound. “What have you done with his eye?”

“Nothing. That was Ryan.”

“They don’t look like much, do they?”

“Don’t judge by appearances. I saw fat boy in action here. Shut the fuck up,” she yelled, kicking him in the ribs, causing his folds of flesh to wobble. This gave her a stark reminder of her treatment of Leighton and she glanced at Mikey, but he was too busy taking in Ryan’s prison.

“I’ll kill you bitch, cut your throat then pull out your insides and make you eat them,” snarled Orion, drool falling from his lips and pooling on the wooden floor.

“How can I eat if my throat’s been cut, dickhead?” she called back.

Orion went quiet as he pondered this.

“What is that smell?” said Mikey, clamping a hand over his nose and mouth.

Jules shrugged. The smell didn’t bother her, she’d grown used to it after keeping Leighton captive. “Despair, pain, sweat and food. They’ve been cooking down here,” she said, indicating the small hob.

“I hate to think what they’ve been cooking.”

“God only knows what these rednecks like to eat. Someone’s thrown up too,” she said, indicating the puddle of sick in the corner. She looked from it to the gruesome trophies on the wall then to the frying pan with a frown, her brain ticking over. She decided she was better off keeping her theory to herself.

Mikey nodded for her to join him in the corner of the room, away from the hissing Orion. “Are you okay? This isn’t bringing back any bad memories, is it?”

She folded her arms across her chest and wiped all emotion from her face, shutting herself down. “No.”

Orion started shouting again, squealing like a stuck pig, but they ignored him.

“Have you forgiven me yet?” said Mikey.

“Leave it,” she said, grey eyes turning stormy.

“It had to be done, it was the only option.”

“I said leave it.”

“Not until you start talking about it.”

“You sound like Cassandra.”

“She’s a good influence and I want you to say you forgive me.”

“Why do you need or even care if you have forgiveness? You’re the fucking big man.”

“I care what you think about me.”

“Why?”

“Buggered if I know but I do. Forgive me.”

“Give it a fucking rest,” she yelled.

She looked almost feral, fingers twitching, wanting to hurt him. Mikey just found her exciting. The two serial killers lying on the floor were forgotten as he watched her getting madder and madder. At him.

“Forgive me.”

He saw the blow coming from a mile off. She was good but he was better and he caught her wrist in a death grip. Rage filled her eyes and he saw her look him up and down, assessing where to attack next. Instead he pulled her closer, not giving her room to lash out. “Forgive me.”

“Why do you care?” she said in a quieter tone.

“Like I said, buggered if I know.”

She relaxed in his arms, those grey eyes staring into his. He could sense her puzzlement and he was just as confused as she was. Why
did
he care?

Neither he nor Jules understood how it happened or who initiated it but the next thing they knew they were tilting their heads, lips about to touch…

A disgusting torrent of filth and abuse streamed from Orion’s lips. The moment broken, Jules and Mikey leaned away from each other. She took a step back, well out of his reach.

“I forgive you,” she said.

“Thank you,” he replied.

The corner of his mouth lifted into a smile and she treated him to a rare smile back. Mikey, annoyed by the interruption, grabbed the back of Orion’s t-shirt with both gloved hands and pulled him up until his back was bowed, making it difficult for him to breathe, cutting off his cries.

“If you don’t shut it I’ll keep pulling until your spine snaps.”

Orion went abruptly silent. Mikey let him drop and he hit the floor with a thud. He turned back to Jules and when he started to make his way back to her she held up her hands. “Stay where you are.”

“But…”

“Just keep your distance. I think it’s best for us both.”

“Is it?”

“Yes,” she said, swelling with resolution.

Mikey sighed and retreated back up the stairs, sulking. She didn’t need his help, she had that pair well under control. He emerged outside just in time too, the lights and sirens approaching told him the cavalry was coming.

“We’d better make ourselves scarce,” said Jez, jogging up to him. “The last thing we need is to get caught up in this.”

“Agreed,” said Mikey. “We’ll see you all back at the hotel.”

The others watched them both disappear into the night a minute before the police finally arrived.

“I think we’re in trouble,” said Rachel as they watched Ashley striding his way towards them through the woods, slipping and sliding on the damp, mossy ground in his unsuitable shoes.

“What did I tell you all? What did I tell you? I said leave it to the professionals,” yelled Ashley, coming to a halt before them and planting his hands on his hips.

“While you professionals were in the wrong place we were here rescuing Ryan,” said Battler.

“Just in time too Ashley. Orion and Actaeon were just about to take me out into the woods to hunt me,” added Ryan.

“Who?” frowned Ashley.

“Brian Crossly and Gerard Kerrell,” explained Rachel. “And the mayor here,” she said, pointing at Eddie, who was still on the ground with his head bowed, probably frantically trying to figure out a plausible cover story.

“Bloody hell, Eddie Cope,” said Ashley. “So your friend was right, there was more than one.”

“Which friend?” said Ryan.

“Jules,” replied Rachel. “She figured out what was going on. It’s thanks to her we got here in time.”

Ryan nodded, secretly glad he hadn’t killed her when she’d first come into their lives.

“They’re both downstairs,” added Ryan, nodding at the door to the killers’ lair. “Actaeon’s in a bad way, I don’t know if he’s still alive. I had to hurt him a lot.”

“Which one’s Actaeon?” said Ashley.

“Brian Crossly,” replied Rachel.

“We’ll check it out. All of you stay here, I don’t want anyone sloping off. I need statements from you all.” He clapped a hand on Ryan’s shoulder. “You okay?”

“I’ll live.” He leaned in to whisper in Ashley’s ear. “Look in the fridge. Apparently John Owen is in there in tiny pieces.”

Ashley sighed heavily. “This is going to be a long night. Get yourself to hospital Ryan. I want you checked out then go home, I’ll take your statement from there. Rachel, do me a favour and go with him, make sure he does as he’s told. I know what he’s like. Left to his own devices he’ll just go straight home and take a couple of Paracetamol.”

“I will Ashley, don’t you worry about that,” she said.

“You don’t look too good yourself. Did they hurt you?”

“I’ve had worse.”

His eyes slipped to her scar. “True,” he said softly before heading down the steps, followed by a team of uniforms ready to take charge of their prisoners. People in white SOC suits hovered nearby, waiting for the serial killers to be taken away so they could start work on the scene.

“We’ll meet up with you tomorrow. Go get some sleep,” Rachel told the others. “And thank you all so much.”

Rachel took Ryan’s hand and together they wandered over to one of the waiting ambulances. The paramedics insisted Ryan lie on a stretcher but when it became clear he was never going to acquiesce to their demands they were content for him to sit in the back with Rachel. She called home as they were driven to the hospital, knowing her parents and Leah would be on tenterhooks.

“Yeah it’s me Dad. We’ve got him back safe and sound. He is, yes I am too. We’re all fine. The only ones who got hurt were the killers. We’re just on our way to the hospital so he can be checked over then we’ll come home.” She smiled and swallowed down the lump in her throat. “Love you too Dad. Yes, I will.”

She hung up and smiled at Ryan. “Dad asked me to tell you they all love you and can’t wait to see you.”

Ryan was filled with warmth and, despite the horror he’d just endured, he smiled. He wrapped his arm around Rachel and hugged her tight, wondering if he should tell her about what Actaeon and Orion had made him eat. He didn’t know if he could. What if she never wanted him near her again? What if she couldn’t kiss him? But he had to tell someone. If he didn’t this would eat him from the inside out. Ryan chuckled inwardly at his own play on words. Yes, he’d bought the meat back up again but he still felt sick every time he thought about it. His stomach churned at the memory and he grimaced.

“What’s wrong? Are you feeling okay?” said Rachel, pressing a cool hand to his forehead.

“Just tired,” he said, trying to raise a reassuring smile for her. How could he tell this divine creature he’d eaten human flesh? But how could he keep it in? His dark, filthy secret wanted to burst from him and he was torn between the desperate desire to confess all and have someone share the burden of his horror and keep it all in so it didn’t destroy his life. An appalling thought occurred to him. What if Orion told the police they’d fed him the meat? It would come out in court. What would Rachel think if she found out in the middle of the court case and he hadn’t told her? There was no option. All he could do was tell her and pray she wasn’t repulsed by him. He held onto her tighter, making the most of her before she left him in disgust.

They completed the journey to the hospital in silence, which Ryan was grateful for. He couldn’t bear making small talk but as always she understood his needs. She remained by his side in silence as he was poked and prodded by the doctors, the cuts on his wrists and hands from the manacles cleaned and bandaged, told he was a bit dehydrated and bruised but otherwise fine and that he could go home.

As he dressed after the examination Rachel said, “there’s something you’re not telling me.”

He ignored the question, hoping she’d let it go. Now the time had come he didn’t think he could deal with it.

“Don’t do this,” she said gently, as though she was talking to one of their children when they were upset.

“Do what?”

“Shut me out again. You remember what happened after we lost Thomas?”

He nodded and let his hands fall to his sides. He’d bottled up his grief and it had almost split them up. After they’d reconciled he’d made himself a promise that he would never jeopardise his marriage again, but would telling her break that promise? He didn’t often feel confused but he did now.

“Not here,” he mumbled, taking her hand and leading her out of the cubicle. There was no way he was confessing this with just a curtain dividing them from complete strangers.

He led her into a vacant relative’s room, released her hand and started to pace. Rachel patiently waited for him to build up to whatever it was he had to say. All the possible scenarios of what those psychos had done to him rushed through her mind and her breath was snatched from her.

“They made me eat something,” he eventually said.

“Eat what?” she said, puzzled by this unexpected reply.

“Meat.”

“What sort of meat?”

He looked at her standing there and took a moment to drink her in, desperately hoping this wouldn’t be the last he saw of her. The pressure of what he had to say built to such a degree that he thought he might explode then suddenly everything in him relaxed, as though he was in the eye of the storm and he found his voice. “John Owen.”

“John Owen the last victim? I don’t understand…”

She went completely still, staring at him in total shock. The silence drew out, making him shift with discomfiture. When he realised he was mimicking Orion’s agitated movements he forced himself to stop and calm down. He thought if she ran out on him he’d catch her, he wouldn’t let her leave until he’d made her understand that he’d had no choice, they would have hurt her and the kids if he hadn’t, it was all for them.

“That’s why you wouldn’t kiss me?” Only her lips moved, her eyes stared at him, unblinking.

“How could I after what I’d…consumed?” he said helplessly. “I threw it back up again, I didn’t digest it, thank God. I’m not tainted by it…” He took a deep breath when the words dried up and he looked at her pleadingly, begging her not to leave him.

She started moving towards the door and he readied himself to intervene. What they had was too good, he wouldn’t let her give up on them. But instead of moving round him she rushed up to him, clamped his face between her hands and kissed him. Her tongue fought its way into his mouth, demanding admission and he gave it willingly. He could enjoy the kiss now she knew everything. Her fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck, teasing, stroking, just like always. His Rachel was still here, pressed against him, hot and demanding. She was still his.