Tuesday's Child (12 page)

After a moment she looked up, her vision blurred with the tears, which fell unrestrained. She caught Nate’s gaze and held it. “The Herbalist. Again,” she managed.

“Where?”

“I don’t know. There was a hallway, green carpet, but I couldn’t breathe. He put a knife to my throat. The stench of the garlic…”

The MI5 agent tapped her arm. “Let me get this straight, Miss Monroe. You just zoned out. Are you telling me you ‘see’ these murders?”

Adeline nodded mutely. His disdain and disbelief was evident in his eyes and facial expression, without her needing to hear it.

She caught the look Dane gave him. “She knows things we haven’t released to the press. And we’ve seen her visions before. Each time she’s been right. The only thing we’re unsure of is the timing. Do they happen at the same time as she sees them, or before? Either way we take her seriously and suggest you do the same.”

DI Welsh stood and headed from the room. Adeline watched her go and then turned to Nate, her whole body still shaking. “You need to get someone out there.”

“The Guv’s getting uniform officers out into the herb roads and surrounding streets. Hopefully flooding the area will catch him.”

****

As Nate drove though the now deserted streets, Adeline sat in the front seat of his car, with Ben curled up in the back. She angled herself so she could see his lips. “Thank you for driving me home.”

“It’s not a problem.”

“I still don’t believe it.”

“Nor me.”

“It’s like something out of a nightmare.” The car pulled to the curb outside her house. She reached down for her bag. “Thank you for the lift.”

“You’re welcome, Adeline. Do you want me to come in for a while?”

“No. I’ll be fine. Thanks for the offer, but you should get home to Vianne. Jas said she’d come back later on.” She exited the car and opened the door for Ben. “Thanks again.”

“Welcome.”

She walked up the path, Ben running at her heels. The front door blew open. “That’s strange. Jas would have shut and locked the door behind her. Go on ahead, Ben. Go see what’s wrong.” She let go of the lead.

As she reached the doorstep, a hand touched her arm and she jumped. She turned to see Nate. “I thought you’d gone.”

“No, I was waiting to make sure you got in safely. Stay here.”

“Nate…”

“Just stay here.” Nate followed Ben up the step and pushed open the front door fully.

Ben backed away, his ears down and his tail between his legs.

Nate staggered backwards, his hand over his mouth.

Adeline’s stomach twisted. She stood on her tiptoes trying to see over Nate’s shoulder.

Jasmine lay in the hallway, blood draining from the knife wound in her throat. A gaping chasm appeared under Adeline’s feet, and she dropped to her knees, retching, losing the tea she’d drunk at the police station.

The vision she’d had. It was her hallway. It had been Jasmine’s death she’d seen.

Noooo…not Jas. Why?

She closed her eyes, shutting herself off in the tsunami of anguish and devastation rushing through her. Strong arms enfolded her, but she didn’t move or open her eyes as she knew it was Nate from the spearmint and musk. A huge lump in her throat made breathing difficult.

After a minute or two, Nate gently lifted her face to his. “Adeline, I need you to stay here a minute. I’ll be right back. And I mean stay right here.”

There was no way she could move any way at that precise moment.

He left her momentarily as he checked pointlessly for Jasmine’s pulse and then shook his head. “I’m sorry.” He returned and pulled her upright. “Let’s get you away from here.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and moved her away from the house. She walked remotely, turning her head back to look at the house. She could see Jasmine lying in the hallway. Tears stung her eyes as she finally pulled her gaze away.

Leading her to the car Nate unlocked the door and sat her on the front seat.

Adeline sat sideways in the seat, her feet on the pavement, as Nate pulled out his phone and dialed rapidly. “Guv, it’s Nate. I need a full forensic team and an ambulance...” He turned away, his face ashen.

Tears streaming down her face, Adeline buried her face in her hands.
God, why Jasmine? Haven’t enough people died today without any more?

Blue lights filled the dark night. Leather clad feet rushed past her. Crime scene lights flashed on as a white tent was set up over the front of the house.

A hand closed over her arm, the touch firm and she looked up, her vision blurred with her tears. “Nate… what about Dane?”

“The Guv is going to tell him. I need to take you someplace else. Where can you go tonight that’s safe?”

“Forget me. Dane needs to know before the news breaks. Jas is his wife.”

“DI Welsh is on her way to tell him. In cases like this, the highest ranking officer—”

She shook her head, putting her finger over his lips. “He’s your partner. She was your friend, my best friend. It should come from you.”

Several emotions flashed across Nate’s face before he finally nodded. His eyes, filled with pain and anguish, glistened in the street light. “All right. I’ll get a uniformed officer to drive you. Just tell me where.”

“My brother Mark’s house,” she whispered.

“Where does he live?”

“Fifteen Highgrove Crescent. It’s on the other side of town. My parents are staying there for a couple of days before they go on holiday tomorrow. I can’t go too far away. I need to be here for work.”

It was strange how her mind functioned. Even with all that had happened today, first the Prime Minister being assassinated and now Jasmine dying, part of her worried about the doll’s hospital. She couldn’t let the children down.

“All right.” He helped her to her feet.

“I’ll need some things first...”

He shook his head. “I can’t let you back in there. It’s a crime scene.” He led her to a different patrol car and settled her inside it. “I’ll swing by and see you on my way home if it’s not too late.” He shut the door.

Adeline looked towards her house. Blue lights reflected off the windows. Police officers moved in and out and two white suited figures lingered by the white tent covering her porch. It was like a TV program. CSI Headley Cross on her doorstep.

****

PC Burnett escorted her to the doorway of Mark’s three-story town house. He pushed the doorbell. Adeline just hoped and prayed Mark or someone was in. She had nowhere else to go if there wasn’t. Lights blazed from upstairs, but that didn’t mean anything. Being in the army and working shifts, Mark was very security conscious and kept all the lights and even the TV on a timer switch.

A shadow appeared at the glass panel and the door opened. “Addie. Talk about timing. We’ve been trying to call you for hours. Dad was just about to drive over to your place and check on you.” Mark’s face creased in concern as he took in the police officer standing next to her. “Addie—is everything all right?”

She shook her head, her hands jerking as she signed. “Jasmine’s dead. She was killed in my house. I have nowhere to go. Can I…?”

“Oh, no, hon. I’m so sorry. Of course you can stay.” Grief crossed Mark’s face as he pulled her into his arms. She buried her face in his sweater, assuming the police officer was explaining about Jasmine. Was he mentioning the Prime Minister as well, or did Mark and her parents already know about her involvement? Why else would her dad be about to drive over to her place?

Lord, be with Dane and the girls right now. As bad as I feel, they’re going to feel so much worse.

Mark’s chest vibrated as he spoke, and Adeline glanced up at his face. “… can stay here as long as she needs. I’ve been really worried about her since the news about the Prime Minister. Her picture was right alongside Adeline’s.”

PC Burnett angled his face so Adeline could read his lips. “Just keep her safe tonight. DS Holmes and Agent Debone from MI5 will need to talk to her again in the morning.”

Adeline drew in a deep shuddering breath. “Thank you for bringing me here, Officer.”

He nodded. “You’re welcome. Goodnight.”

Mark held her tightly as he shut the front door. “Adeline, I’m so sorry about Jasmine. And with the Prime Minister being killed like that today. When I saw you on the news standing right next to her, I just…I was scared something had happened to you. Perhaps you’d got shot, too. No one would tell us anything and you weren’t answering your phone…”

Safe in her brother’s arms, Adeline started to shake as the full impact of the day’s events hit her.

Mark led her into the lounge and her parents stood. His chest rumbled as he spoke, presumably explaining quickly.

“Mum…Dad…” Tears fell as they surrounded her, the four of them standing together. After a moment she pulled away so she could follow the conversation.

“Are you hurt?” Her mother asked.

“My arm’s a little sore, but I’m OK, Mum.”

“We were really worried,” her father added. “Especially when you didn’t answer your phone.”

“The police have it as evidence, Dad.”

“Are you sure you’re OK?”

“No, no, I’m not. My best friend is dead, I need…” her voice broke, but she continued. “The Prime Minister…we needed her...”

“That’s an understatement. You’re all over the news, sis.” Mark signed as he spoke. “Would you feel up to talking about it?”

“Jasmine or the Prime Minister?”

“Either, both…”

“OK.” She wasn’t sure she wanted to talk, but knowing Mark he’d want details, as would her dad. However her mother would only worry if she knew everything. And if she started talking about visions, they’d think she was insane.

Lord, help me here. Let me get the balance right between what they need to know and what they don’t. Like Nate keeps saying, it’s an active case. Albeit one that’s now hit way too close to home.

Dad looked at her. “But first we pray,” he said. “Then we talk.”

“Pray for Dane,” she signed. “Nate’s gone to tell him and the girls about Jas.”

****

Nate’s body, cold and numb, moved on autopilot as he drove to Dane’s house. Too much had happened today, and he still had the worst part to come. Some days he loved his job, and other times he hated it. Today fell into the latter category. Bad news was never easy, but this—

He parked the car and buried his face in his hands.
Lord, give me the words. I’m about to shatter Dane’s life—to shred his future into thousands of tiny pieces and toss them into the air for the wind to blow away like chaff.

A car door shut behind him as he got out of his car. His boss headed down to meet him. She looked like she’d been crying, but being a gentleman, Nate didn’t say anything. “I’m not looking forward to this, Guv.”

“Nor me. How are you doing?”

Nate shrugged. “Not great, but coping so far. I’ll go home and have a bath and early night. There’s a lot of work to do tomorrow.”

“Where did you send Miss Monroe?”

“She’s with her brother and parents.” Nate rubbed a hand over his face. “She’s devastated. Not only did the Prime Minister die in her arms, she goes home to find Jas....” He turned the crack in his voice into a cough. The last person he wanted to lose it in front of was his boss. “I’ll talk to her again in the morning.”

“No, you won’t. I want you to take tomorrow off.”

“With all due respect, stuff that, ma’am. I don’t need to sit at home, moping. I want,
need
, to be out on the streets trying to find Jas’s killer. Plus, the Herbalist is still out there. Even if he did kill the Prime Minister, which we still don’t know for sure one way or the other, it’s my case.”

“MI5 have jurisdiction on the assassination.” DI Welsh fixed her piercing blue eyes on him. “And you are taking tomorrow off. That’s an order.”

“Guv, please. Yes, there’s a chance it’s the same guy, but it’s possible it isn’t. I owe it to Jas and Dane to look into this. She’s one of our own.”

“Nate. You know the rules. You are personally involved now. And I don’t just mean Jasmine. There’s a certain witness you’re getting friendly with. Overly friendly.”

Nate’s heart stopped. “Guv, there is nothing going on with Ade—”

“Thank you.” She looked at him. “I wish you’d told me sooner, rather than leaving it to me to work it out.”

Had he protested too much and too fast? He pushed his fingers through his hair. “Adeline and I are friends. Nothing more than that. At least not right now.”

“I don’t want anything to jeopardize this case, Nate. If it goes to court and it comes out that you’ve been fraternizing with one of the witnesses, it’s not going to look good.”

“
When
it comes to court, not if, because I
will
catch him.”

DI Welsh frowned. “Very well,
when
it goes to court, I don’t want the defense playing on any relationship going on between the star witness and the investigating copper. Because that will dead stick any case we have faster than superglue.”

“There won’t be. We know each other from church. She’s fixed Vianne’s dolls a couple of times. She’s a witness. And a friend. That’s all.”

“Are you sure?”

He paused for a moment, remembering the blistering kiss he and Adeline had shared. He’d bolted afterwards, acutely aware of the line he’d crossed. It couldn’t happen again. Somehow he had to keep her at arm’s length, at least for now. But with each passing minute, it was getting harder and harder to do. “I’m sure. But this isn’t about me. My partner’s wife has just been murdered. He needs my support and I need to help find the guy who did this.” He paused, rubbing his hands over his arms in the chill night air. “And you know as well as I do that Adeline saw this one. It’s too much of a coincidence for it not to have been the Herbalist. Therefore Dane also witnessed it, the same as I did. Don’t tell me I can’t get out there tomorrow and hunt down this creep. Because one way or the other I will do it anyway. I’d rather do it with your blessing.”