Chapter 38
THIRTY-EIGHT
Everyone filed back into the office, and Morgan glanced at the ancient clock on the wall above Cain’s desk; it was almost nine p.m. The dark circles under Ben’s eyes made him look as if he was ten years older than he was, and she felt as weary as he looked.
‘As much as I want to get out there and search, we really have no idea where to start and that terrain, as you all know by now, is very dangerous. I’ve just checked the weather reports and there is ground fog creeping in, which puts us in a difficult position.’
‘Then he’s going to be out there again, looking for more victims, if he only comes out when it’s misty.’ Morgan was staring at Ben.
‘What we are going to do is station officers at the entrance to the two roads that lead up to the fell, and they will close the roads, take details of any vehicles that try to gain access to it, or leave. Technically, the only people needing to go up there are the local farmer if there’s an emergency, Amos and the neighbour; what’s her name again? ’
‘Mrs Black,’ Morgan replied.
‘Right, she’s elderly. Does she have carers or anyone checking in on her that we need to be aware of?’
‘Just her grandson, but Joyce said he doesn’t visit very often, Christmas and birthdays.’
‘So, he has access to her house and the area. Have we searched her house; and did we look into him?’
A sense of dread overwhelmed Morgan, and she shook her head. ‘No, well I did have a quick look around, and didn’t see anything. Joyce said he doesn’t live locally.’
‘I don’t care where he lives, can we get his details and do a thorough search on the system to see if he’s got previous for anything?’
‘Yes, I’ll do that, and I’ll go and search her house.’
‘You’re not going up there on your own in this weather, Morgan. Cain, can you go with her?’
‘Yes, boss. I thought you just said we weren’t doing this tonight though. Not that I mind babysitting Brookes, but it might be dangerous.’
Claire shook her head. ‘We’re kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Where are those uniformed officers that were here earlier helping?
Can’t all four of you go up there? Didn’t one of them have a taser?
Get the details for the grandson, have a look around and then get the hell out of there.
If you find anything then get urgent assistance and we’ll be on standby. ’
Ben was nodding. ‘Did she seem like a threat to you, Morgan?’
‘No, she was lovely, she made me a sandwich. No threat at all, I don’t need an armed escort. I’m happy to go there on my own.’
‘Sorry, you’re not going alone,’ Marc said it before Ben could. ‘You get up there and back down as quickly as possible and take a marked car so it’s obvious the pair of you are cops. Is that okay? Then we’re going to call it a night and get back here for the crack of dawn.’
‘Fine, that’s okay.’ Morgan stood up, Cain followed her out and whispered, ‘Do we really need those two to come with us?’
Morgan shook her head. ‘Not if we get out of here now.’
They hurried to the back stairs, where they could get down to the locker room and out of the fire exit before anyone noticed.
As Cain drove out of the gates, Morgan clapped her hands.
‘We were like a couple of Ninjas then, high five to us.’
He laughed. ‘Yeah, I’m going to be honest with you though, I’m not too keen on the thought of going up on that fellside in the dark when there’s a killer out on the loose, Morgan. Maybe we were a little hasty and should have waited for those two.’
Morgan thought about it for a second. ‘You’re right, we were a bit hasty, but there are cops at the bottom of the fell, blocking the roads that lead up to it, so technically we’re not on our own.’
‘No, but that video was terrifying. The crunch of her skull as it shattered. Urghh, that’s going to give me even more nightmares than I’m already having every night about how Angela died, so violently and God it must have hurt.
She was there on her own, bleeding to death in front of her son, who stood and watched without an ounce of compassion towards her.
’ His voice cracked so that those last words came out barely above a whisper.
‘Maybe it’s too soon, Cain, it was so awful.
The only blessing is it would have been quick, and I know that’s no comfort for you.
I wish I could say something that was helpful and not just empty words.
And this is a lot for me. I can’t imagine how hard it is for you.
Did you speak to Amy about staying there for a little while? ’
He shook his head, wiped at his eyes with his hand and sniffed. ‘It’s too imposing. Too much to ask of her.’
Morgan shrugged. ‘Okay, whatever you think, but for what it’s worth I think she would love to have you there helping out with Ava Rose.
She is so stubborn, she wouldn’t ask for help if she needed it.
It would do the both of you good, I mean you’re both grieving in your own way, why not do it together? Do you need a hug?’
She had taken Cain’s favourite line, and he smiled at her.
Leaning across towards him, she wrapped her arms around his huge shoulders the best that she could and squeezed hard.
He squeezed back then let her go. Morgan realised it was time to change the subject; she couldn’t bear to see Cain crying like this.
‘I don’t see Mrs Black harbouring a killer or two kidnapped girls. She was far too lovely.’
‘Oh my God, you and Ben have like completely lost it. Do you realise that? I mean what’s got into him being all protective over that Amos guy like he has been, and now you’re doing the same thing with some old lady who made you a sandwich.
Are you in competition with each other to see who can win the soppiest sod award? ’
She snorted. ‘No, I don’t know what’s going on with Ben. He’s been acting weird all day.’
Cain didn’t say anything, and she turned to look at him. ‘You know something, don’t you? What’s going on?’
‘I don’t know anything, don’t ask me.’
‘Yes, you do. I can tell by the look on your face.’
He shook his head. ‘There’s nothing to tell, I just don’t think he’s comfortable with Amber being in the office again.’
‘Nobody is.’
‘True.’
They drove the rest of the way in silence.