Chapter 65
THE GRAVEDIGGER
There are no needles left so he crushes pills to dissolve in Penny’s drink and keep her obedient.
He used to take a lot of pills with Dina before all this happened.
She was always his dirty little secret. The girl you take drugs and have sex with in exciting places.
The girl you stalk people and share your darkest fantasies with.
Not the kind of girl you introduce to colleagues or take home to meet Jack Blackburn. Not the kind of girl you marry.
They drove as far north as they could, until there was barely any island left, picking up food and essential items from a petrol station on the way.
They found an isolated farm, run by a man in need of cash with an old bothy to offer.
With an extra grand the farmer didn’t care who Magnus or Dina were or why they were there and he certainly didn’t inspect the boot of the car when he handed over the key for the small stone building perched on the side of the loch about half a mile down a track.
The bothy is made up of two rooms, one with a couple of bunk beds and the other with a log-burning stove, a cooking area and some chairs around a table.
It’s basic but it will do nicely for his needs.
“Come on now, drink your milk like a good girl.” He holds a glass in front of Penny’s lips. She seems more alert than before and he needs her nice and placid.
The drugs should keep her malleable. That and fear.
“Fuck you,” she mutters.
“That’s no way to speak to your fiancé,” he says.
He sits in a chair and pulls Penny onto his lap, then he takes his thumb and brushes away crusty balls of sleep in the corners of her eyes. She jerks her head away from him but he’s persistent. In the struggle, he notices the stench of body odour emanating from her, like a scared animal.
Dina saunters over from the cupboards, a hand on her hip. “How long are we staying? We don’t have enough food and we’re in the middle of nowhere.”
Her voice grates on him. “Drive to a shop,” he says slowly.
“What about cameras? We already took a risk stopping at that petrol station.”
He grabs hold of Penny’s nose, squeezing it hard until she gasps, and he can pour the drink down her open mouth. She coughs and splutters but he continues until at least half is gone.
He sighs. “Find some rinky-dink local shop. Wear a hat. Figure it out,” he says.
“Or buy bacon and eggs from the farmer.” He pushes Penny from his lap onto the sofa.
She’s still in the silky nightdress she was wearing when he snatched her from Malton.
He remembers the expression on her face.
At first he’d made it seem as though he’d struggled to be away from her while she was on her girls’ trip.
That he had to see her the same night she got back, despite the late hour. Then he’d drugged her.
He smiles to himself, barely listening as Dina complains about them being low on money already.
“Then steal,” he mutters, taking the phone from his pocket.
He’d grabbed it from Penny’s flat. Penny’s phone. He shouldn’t have it really. If Faye does tell the police then they’ll be able to track it. But he couldn’t resist the temptation and he’s sure that Faye is too scared to tell the police about Penny.
“Smile for the camera, darling,” he says, shoving the phone in her face and taking a snap.
Penny was never particularly guarded about her passcodes. Especially after he proposed.
“What are you doing?” Dina snaps.
“Sending Mummy a picture of her little Penny. I’m sure she’ll want to know how we’re settling in.”
Dina makes a grab at the phone but he yanks his arm away.
“You’re going to get us caught!” she yells. “Is there anything identifying in the photo?”
“Shut up!” he screams.
She steps back, her eyes wide, her skin pale. But he just ignores her. He sends Faye a message along with the photo. Settling in just fine. Can’t wait for the wedding!
He grins at the photo of Penny. Her tiny frame bent over, her eyes bloodshot and pleading, her nightdress slipping down, almost exposing her breasts. He follows up with one more message. Say anything and she’s dead.
Suddenly an explosion of glass erupts above his head, crystals showering down. He turns to see Dina red-faced, arm in the air. She has thrown a glass against the wall behind him.
“Have you lost your fucking mind?” His dark eyes flash a warning.
“Why did you bring her?” she’s shouting. “Why are you doing this? You’re fucking everything up!”
He stands. “Clean that up.”
Dina removes her penknife and flips it open. “No. Not until you get rid of that phone. It’s a fucking liability.”
He isn’t intimidated by her or that knife. But to show some compliance, he turns the phone off and shows Dina. “It’s off. Okay? Get a grip.”
“You want to replace me, don’t you?” Dina says, her voice quiet.
“Ah, insecurity and desperation, the two traits that really turn me on.” Then he rolls his eyes. “Why would I replace you, Dina? And how? There’s nowhere to go. What would I even do with you?”
He redirects his gaze out of the window to the shadowy highland moors.
The weather turned cold this morning and a dark fog descended around sunset.
Aside from Penny’s quiet sobbing, the place is silent and calm.
It’s dead. He’s thinking about digging a grave again.
Dina was helpful at first, but now her use has expired.
There’s only one way he can end their partnership.
When he turns back, he sees the woman he just murdered in his mind staring out of the window and then looking at him.
Back and forth. He needs to soothe her anxiety. She can’t know what he has planned.
Dina stands stiffly, staring at her knife. He moves towards her to pull her into an embrace. She holds the blade aloft, pushing it close to his throat. He’s about to grab her wrist, but there’s a blur of motion to his right.
He spins on his heel to find Penny making a run for it. Her bare feet catch the broken glass in her panic. She cries out in anguish as Magnus hurries forward.
He didn’t think she had this kind of fight left in her but she’s moving quickly. Her fingers grope the windowpane, looking for a latch. In a panic, her fists beat the single-glazed glass. He catches her wrist in time, just before she’s able to break it.
He pulls her back, holding her tightly around the waist as she cries and screams, growing weak in his arms as the drugs kick in. He grabs the tape to muffle her shouts, then he drags her over to the beds.
These two women are weighing him down and he needs to lighten his load.
One of them has to go tonight.
But which one?