Blood Harvest Part 32

'Three dead children were found in the garden of this house,' said Harry. 'And now another one is missing. This cannot be a normal abduct-'

'Those children were girls, quite a bit younger than Joe,' shot back Rushton. He glared at Harry for a second, then seemed to relax. 'I'll bring a team up in the morning,' he said. 'We'll get the dogs out, I'll see if the chopper's available, we can look for this little girl of Tom's. But tonight, I have to concentrate my resources on where the chances of finding the lad are greatest. He's somewhere in Blackburn, I'm sure of it.'

70.

'FEELING BETTER?'

Evi wiped her nose and drew the handkerchief under her make-up wouldn't smudge too badly. 'Yes,' she said, although she wasn't. 'I'm sorry.'

After the incident in church, Evi had driven straight to Gillian's flat. There had been no response to her continued knocking. In the end, the woman from the shop beneath the flat had told her that Gillian had caught a bus not ten minutes earlier. Evi had had no choice but to return to work. Not long after she'd arrived, she'd taken a phone call from the police, telling her about Joe's disappearance. She had cancelled her appointments for the rest of the day and then driven for nearly an hour to reach her supervisor Steve Channing's house. His wife was a partner in a large firm of accountants and they lived in an old manor house in the heart of the Forest of Bowland.

'No need,' he said. 'Now, ready to talk?'

She nodded.

'The police aren't connecting Joe's disappearance with what's been happening in the town?' said Steve. 'With what nearly happened to his sister twice?'

Evi shook her head. 'No. They're saying because he went missing in Blackburn and because he doesn't fit the victim profile, it's unlikely to be directly connected. The officer in charge of the case thinks the media coverage in the town recently has provoked Joe's abduction. He thinks someone caught a glimpse of him on TV and took a fancy to him. It's feasible, I suppose.'

Steve stood up and walked to the window. Across the street, porch lights lit up a row of stone cottages. Christmas trees stood in several of the windows. At the end of the street, a stone bridge led over a narrow river. Earlier, Evi's arrival had coincided with that of a flock of geese. They'd landed noisily on the riverbank. Evi thought she could still hear them as they settled down for the night. Then she could hear something else. A faint beeping noise coming from her handbag. Someone was trying to phone her again.

'What do you think?' Steve asked her.

She couldn't answer the phone, she could not talk to Harry right now. 'It seems too much of a coincidence to me,' she said, forcing herself to concentrate. 'And it would be just stupid to ignore the possibility that whoever killed the girls has got Joe. I wonder if DCS Rushton is afraid to admit the connection because it means he's responsible, at least partly. If he hadn't screwed up on the earlier cases, the killer wouldn't still be at large.'

Steve stepped away from the window and sat down again. 'That's a bit harsh, but you could be right,' he said. 'So what do you think is going on?'

'I can't imagine, Steve,' she said. 'It's not just three murders and an abduction. We've also had blood in the Communion chalice, an effigy hurled from the church gallery, homes broken into, disembodied voices, and a seriously handicapped woman sneaking around and terrifying people. None of it makes any sense.'

Steve just looked at her.

'Millie Fletcher fits the victim profile,' said Evi. 'I think she was targeted from the beginning, from when her family first moved into town. But why on earth would someone who had killed twice, who planned to kill again, play so many stupid tricks? It's almost as though they were trying to ...' she stopped.

'Go on,' encouraged Steve.

'Warn people,' she finished, because Steve was looking at her in that particular way of his and she knew he wasn't going to let her get away without answering. 'But that makes no sense. Why would the killer try and warn the people who were in a position to ...'

'Go on.'

Oh, why couldn't she think clearly? Joe's disappearance had sent her straight into panic mode. 'The killer wouldn't warn them,' she said at last. 'The killer isn't responsible for the tricks.' She ran a hand through her hair. 'Christ, it's obvious,' she went on. 'All this time we've thought we've been looking for one person. We're not, we're looking for two.'

'Now you're getting somewhere,' said Steve, an annoying smile on his face. 'The killer of the little girls, who may have Joe, and the person who's been trying to warn those in a position to protect them. Or, in Gillian's case, not warn her, because it's too late for that, but tell her what really happened. What did the voice keep saying to Gillian? "Mummy, Mummy, find me"? Maybe she was supposed to take that literally find the grave.'

'How does Harry fit into it?' Evi asked. 'He's not a parent.'

'Harry is responsible for the church,' replied Steve.

'The killing ground,' whispered Evi, as a sudden vision of Joe's pretty, pale face and long, skinny limbs swam in front of her. She blinked hard to get rid of it.

'Exactly,' said Steve. 'Now, it seems to me the killer cannot be this woman you've been calling Ebba. Someone with a severe case of congenital hypothyroidism just wouldn't have the mental and physical capacity to plan and carry out three abductions and murders. Let alone catch a bus to Blackburn and take a young boy from King George's Hall. Agreed?'

'Yes,' said Evi. 'Yes, of course. You're right. But she could be the one who's been trying to warn people.'

Steve was leaning towards her. 'Think about what these voices have been saying. What did she say to Tom? "Millie fall"? He took it as a threat, but turn it around and it could just as easily be a heads-up. Now then, when did you last take your medication?'

Evi had to smile. 'I missed my six o'clock fix,' she admitted. 'In too much of a hurry to get here.'

'Can I get you something?'

'No, really, it's not too bad. I'm trying to lower the dose anyway. Steve, if Ebba had nothing to do with the abductions, if she's been trying to warn people, she probably knows who the killer is.'

Steve nodded. 'Seems to me that if you find Ebba, you find your abductor. If you find her before the killer can get Joe to the church, you might be in time to save him.'

71.

HARRY OPENED THE DOOR TO THE DOOR TO THE CHURCH CRYPT. THE CHURCH CRYPT. THE THE stale smell of things long since forgotten came stealing up towards him. He picked up the flashlight and the box of tools he'd brought from his car. stale smell of things long since forgotten came stealing up towards him. He picked up the flashlight and the box of tools he'd brought from his car.

The darkness below seemed to have grown denser. Rushton and his team would be up here as soon as it was light. They'd be able to turn the church and the crypt upside-down. It would be stupid for him to do anything that might jeopardize that search. On the other hand, dawn was eleven hours away. Joe could be down there now.

But it had been so much easier to walk down those steps when it was daylight outside, when he hadn't been alone and before the corpses of murdered children started turning up. Last time he'd stood here, evil hadn't come close enough to stroke him on the back of the neck. He shone the torch down. It was a powerful beam, but even so he couldn't see more than a dozen steps. He was still on the first.

The door key was in the lock. If he went down and left it there, someone could close the door softly, turn the key and ... the key went into his pocket. He took a deep breath, pulled his shoulders back. This was ridiculous. He was a grown man. It was just a cellar. Was this to be the night he learned he was a coward?

In the beam of the torch the darkness seemed to be moving, as though gathering its forces, waiting for him to dare, knowing he probably wouldn't. He was a man of G.o.d. In a church. Was this also to be the night he learned his faith was a sham?

'Though I walk though the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil,' whispered Harry, and immediately felt worse. Anyone listening would know he was lying. He was very afraid. 'I will fear no evil,' he tried again, 'for you are with me.'

He was still on the top step and Joe, tiny six-year-old Joe, could be below, cold and terrified, trapped in one of those stone chests.

'For you are with me,' repeated Harry. He hadn't moved. 'Oh, f.u.c.k it,' he said, and went down.

72.

'TAKE IT EASY,' SAID STEVE, SAID STEVE, LEANING DOWN AND LEANING DOWN AND speaking to Evi through the window of her car. 'It's a long way and there's a hard frost forecast.' speaking to Evi through the window of her car. 'It's a long way and there's a hard frost forecast.'

She didn't need telling that. She could see Steve's breath spiralling away into the darkness. The frost was already starting to gleam on the dry stone walls that lined the narrow road. 'I'll be careful,' said Evi. 'And thank you.'

Seeming reluctant to let her go, Steve crouched lower and leaned both forearms on the window ledge. 'A couple more things occur to me,' he said. 'These girls were taken for a reason. When children are abducted, the obvious motive is to fulfil a s.e.xual need.'

Evi had to bite her lip. Joe was there again, hovering like a little ghost in the driveway. 'I know this child, Steve,' she said. 'He has dark-red hair and freckles and-'

'Stop it.'

Evi blinked hard.

'His mother can weep about his red hair and freckles. You have to stick to the facts if you're going to be any use to him. Now, Megan and Hayley were both found wearing the clothes they were last seen alive in. Does that suggest s.e.xual abuse to you?'

'Makes it less likely,' agreed Evi. 'So if the killer's motive isn't s.e.xual, we're looking for something else?'

'Second, the place they're killed is important. There is a reason why they're dropped from the church balcony.'

'I agree,' she said. 'So does Harry. He thinks it's all about the church.'

'Third, there is a link between these victims, including Joe,' said Steve. 'Whoever took them had a connection with all of them. Otherwise, he or she would have gone much further afield to find their victims and in doing so would have reduced the chances of being caught. He or she stuck to home ground, suggesting to me it couldn't be just any girls, it had to be those particular ones. Find the link and you'll find the killer.'

'Or find Ebba.'

'Exactly. Will the GP talk to you, do you think?'

Evi shrugged. 'I have no idea,' she said. 'He might think I'm ambus.h.i.+ng him when I turn up at Sat.u.r.day-morning surgery.'

'Well, you have to give it a try.'

'I know. Are your knees up to prolonged crouching?'

'No part of my body is up to anything much these days. Call me when you've spoken to him.'

'Will do.'

'And stop beating yourself up about Harry. Up until this morning you did everything by the book. People don't get struck off for a moment of poor judgement.'

'I'm so grateful, Steve.'

'Now are you sure I can't get you anything for the pain?'

Evi shook her head. 'It's not that bad, really. I'll have something as soon as I get home.'

'OK.' Steve stood up, then seemed to think of something and bent down to the window again. 'There's something about Joe that's bothering me, Evi. He doesn't fit. The detective's right about that at least. He's needed for something else.'

73.

TOM WAS s.h.i.+VERING. THE GLa.s.s WAS THE GLa.s.s WAS COLD AND THE WALL COLD AND THE WALL was cold and everything was cold but he couldn't move. Not until he'd seen the thin beam of light travel up the churchyard path. He started counting. Ten, eleven, twelve. By thirty, his dad would be home. was cold and everything was cold but he couldn't move. Not until he'd seen the thin beam of light travel up the churchyard path. He started counting. Ten, eleven, twelve. By thirty, his dad would be home.

He heard the sound of a key turning downstairs and the front door opening. His dad was coming back from his look around the graveyard and he would have Joe in his arms, cold, tired, annoying as h.e.l.l, but Joe all the same. His dad had found him, he just knew it. Tom was running across the carpet, opening his bedroom door, reaching the top of the stairs. Gareth stood in the hall below, still wearing his heavy outdoor coat. He glanced up. He was alone.

Tom watched as his dad took off his coat and slung it over a chair in the hallway before climbing the stairs. He reached the top, put both hands on his eldest son's shoulders and turned him round. The two of them walked back into Tom's bedroom. Tom climbed into Joe's bed; his dad didn't comment. He knelt on the carpet and stroked his son's head.

'Dad, I'm sorry.' Tom had been waiting all evening for the chance to say it, but this was the first time he and his father had been alone.

His dad looked puzzled. 'What for, matey?'

'For not watching him. I know I'm supposed to look after him.'

His father took a deep breath and seemed to shudder. Suddenly his eyes were wet. Tom had never seen his father cry before. 'Tom, it wasn't your fault,' he said, his cold hand taking hold of Tom's. 'It wasn't your job to watch him. There were teachers there. Never, ever think it was your fault.'

Tom had never heard his father lie before.

'We'll find him, won't we, Dad? Promise me we'll find him.'

Gareth's mouth twisted and he pulled it straight again with an effort. 'I'll spend the rest of my life looking, Tom,' he said. 'I promise you that.'

Gareth wrapped one arm round his son and leaned his head against the pillow. Tom, determined to stay awake until Joe came back, found his eyes starting to feel heavy. His dad hadn't promised that Joe would be found, only that he wouldn't stop looking for him. Just the one lie, then. That's all he was going to get.

74.

THE BLUE AND SILVER CAR WASN'T AND SILVER CAR WASN'T IN THE STREET OUTSIDE IN THE STREET OUTSIDE Harry's house. It was almost eleven. Evi pulled out her mobile and checked the screen. He'd left six messages, all before eight o'clock, but she simply hadn't wanted to speak to anyone until she'd had a chance to think, to talk to someone who wasn't emotionally involved. Harry's house. It was almost eleven. Evi pulled out her mobile and checked the screen. He'd left six messages, all before eight o'clock, but she simply hadn't wanted to speak to anyone until she'd had a chance to think, to talk to someone who wasn't emotionally involved.

She dialled his number and was invited to leave a message.

Her leg was screaming at her and her spine felt as if she'd been stretched backwards over a rock for hours. She needed medication, she needed to eat and she had to rest. She started the car engine.

When she parked, she tried his number again. No response. She was on her own.

75.