The Atlas Murders
Authors: John Molloy
Tags: #Fiction, #Mystery, #Retail, #Suspense, #Thriller
US English Edition first published in 2013.
Published by
The Electronic Book Company
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is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or
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work of this author. This ebook contains detailed research material, combined
with the author's own subjective opinions, which are open to debate. Any
offence caused to persons either living or dead is purely unintentional.
Factual references may include or present the author's own interpretation,
based on research and study.
Copyright 2012 - 2013 by John Molloy
All Rights Reserved.
CONTENTS:
Part One: London Calling
Part Two
:
Ships in the Night
Part Three: No Pleasure Cruise
Detective Inspector Henry
Carter’s life changes forever when his beloved niece is brutally murdered in a
small town in England.
The police investigation stalls
until an inspired hunch makes him realize he’s looking in the wrong place
entirely.
Helped by Scotland Yard and his
liberated lover, Vera, he prepares for one of the most audacious and unusual assignments
ever undertaken by a serving officer.
The
manhunt spans four continents
as the psychopath continues to murder at will. Despite a major failing of
justice, Henry is determined to make the killer pay for his crimes.
In his continuing quest he
meets the beautiful Kerstin. Their relationship blossoms, opening up lost chapters
in both their lives. Henry is stunned by a surprising revelation from a long
past encounter.
Please note: The Atlas Murders
contains strong language and sexual content.
.
Part One
London Calling
June 1958:
Runcorn, Northern England.
Katherine Marlow switched on
the bedside lamp. It must have been the fifth time in the past half hour. She
turned to her husband Denis, giving him a little nudge, “its two o’clock and
Shirley hasn’t come home yet, the dance was over at one o’clock. We should have
gone and collected her.”
“You know how disappointed
she was last time I collected her, and tonight she said that young Trevor
Rossitor was going to be walking her home. Maybe they've just delayed a bit.”
“Denis, would you please remember,
your daughter has only just turned sixteen!”
She jumped out of bed, eased
her feet into her slippers and put on her dressing gown.
“I’m going to go and see if
she’s outside.”
Katherine went downstairs and
called in a low voice, "Shirley.” She thought she may have brought her boy
into the front parlor, so she didn’t want to be a spoilsport and walk in on
them unannounced. She opened the door to the room and just peeped inside
knowing full well there was no one there. She unlocked the front door and
stepped out into the warm summer night, a three-quarter moon and street
lighting gave her a good view to the end of the street. There wasn't a sound to
be heard - it was so mutedly quiet. She stood looking up and down pulling her
dressing gown closer round her anxiety that made her shiver even though the
night was warm. She heard footsteps along the lower end of the road, and above
the very still night sounds she was able to discern two pairs of footsteps. She
heard voices and a girl's laughter. Oh please God, that’s her with young
Trevor. Her heart sank as the noises faded and the young couple walked on past
the lower end of the street. She stood and listened, hearing little sounds
coming over the rooftops, a dog howled some distance away; it was a lonely
eerie cry. She walked to the gate of her little front garden. What would the neighbors
think if they saw her outside in her dressing gown at this hour? Standing at
the low gate she felt a strangeness envelop her whole body. She didn't realize
she was gripping the top of the gate so tight her knuckles were showing white.
Her mind went blank and she seemed to leave her body and travel to a dark and
lonely place devoid of all joy and laughter, where weeping sorrow swept over
her like a dark wave.
"Katherine come inside
you'll get cold."
Denis took her by the hand and
walked her back into the house. "Katherine what's wrong with you. You look
like you've seen a ghost. Sit down and I'll make you a cup of tea."
Her hands began to tremble.
"I feel so terrible."
"Why were you standing
outside so long, it’s not that warm you know?"
Looking at the clock it was
ten minutes to three.
"My goodness, was I
outside that long?"
Denis handed her a cup of
tea. "Now drink that and it'll warm you up." Clutching his own cup he
walked out to the hallway. "I'm going to phone Henry, he'll know what to
do."
"Oh Denis, it’s so late,
he must be tucked up in bed fast asleep."
"He won’t mind
especially, when it’s Shirley, she's as much a daughter to him as she is to
us."
The phone rang for nearly a
minute before a sleepy voice said, "Henry Carter speaking."
"Henry, I apologize for
ringing you at this hour. It’s Denis. We’re so worried. Shirley hasn't come
home from the dance, you know that's not like her, here, speak to
Katherine."
"I'm so sorry to wake
you at this ungodly hour, but Henry, what shall we do? We were going to call
the police."
Henry spoke with apprehension.
"Go back to bed and try and get some rest. I'll go to the station. I'm on
duty in a few hours anyway; just wait until I come round. It'll be daylight
soon and we'll start to search immediately." He hung up and Katherine held
the phone against her breast as if it gave her the only hope of finding her
daughter.
"Denis, I'm going to
ring Trevor's parents’. Maybe she stayed there for some unknown reason."
"I cannot see her staying
there without phoning to tell us."
He opened the little phone
book and written in Shirley's hand was Trevor's number.
"I'll speak to
them."
Taking the phone he nervously
dialed. It rang and rang.
"They're sound sleepers,
they're not answering."
Just as he was about to hang
up, he heard a faint voice. "Hello."
He almost shouted into the
phone. "Hello Mrs. Rossitor. I'm terribly sorry to wake you at this hour;
this is Shirley Marlow's dad."
"Yes, I know
Shirley."
"We're terribly worried.
She hasn't come home after the dance and we were just wondering if Trevor might
have been in her company."
"Trevor has been in bed
for the last two days, he's got bronchitis. He has a weak chest. I'm sorry I
can’t be of more help mister, er."
"Denis Marlow."
"Sorry, Denis I'd
forgotten your Christian name."
In the background he could hear
a voice. "Who is it darling?"
"Thank you Mrs. Rossitor.
I’m sorry for disturbing your sleep."
"And I’m sorry I
couldn't be of more help."
He put the phone onto its
cradle and turned to Katherine. Pulling her to him, he held her tightly. He
buried his face in her silky blonde hair and felt her shiver like a frightened
kitten. He never knew what fear was until now.
Denis made more tea and they
sat and stared into their cups.
Several minutes’ later Katherine
stood up. "I'll go dress and tidy myself up."
Denis moved around the
kitchen, his hands automatically going through the motions of shifting cups and
crockery from the table. Henry, a frequent visitor to his sister's house,
arrived through the back door into the kitchen. Denis was pottering around with
some dishes at the sink when he turned to face Henry. Goodness me, Denis
thought to himself, he looks ghastly. Then he instinctively knew the worst.
Henry's voice wavered as he
spoke.
"Denis, where is she?"
At that moment Katherine
appeared at the door, as pale as the white robe she wore.
"Did you find her?"
Henry caught her in his arms
and seated her as she fainted. He motioned to Denis to sit beside her. He then
knelt down holding her hands in his. He stared into her unbelieving green eyes.
"We've found Shirley. I’m so sorry, she's dead." Katherine slumped
into Henry's arms.
"Call a doctor
Denis."