Beyond Evidence (22 page)

Forty Five

Game over

"I can hear her," Patrick said as he, Preston and Lang sat in the car outside Ross Turner's flat.

"You can?" Lang sounded surprised.

"Yeah, I can hear all of them," he concentrated.

Preston turned to Patrick and asked, "Who?"

"Jodie, Angela, Michelle, Rebecca, Anna. I can even hear him," he replied through gritted teeth at the last word.

Preston got out of the car and Lang followed. Before they knew it Patrick was already standing next to the buzzer.

"Don't go wading in there before we have discussed this Patrick," Lang said.

Patrick put a hand on Lang's shoulder, "You're police officers aren't you?"

"Yes, so let us handle this," Preston said.

"Trust me on this
one, you need to call for back up right now. Jodie is telling me what is in that flat. He has pictures of the girls on the wall that he murdered, news paper cuttings, dates... the lot!"

Preston ran his hand over his face, "Are you one hundred percent sure about this Patrick?"

"I am one million percent sure. If I am wrong, then shoot me!"

Lang fell back against the wall and looked at Preston, "I say we call
for back up and go in."

"You have a gun?" Patrick asked.

"What do you think this is, an American cop film?" Preston replied.

"No, we have batons and spray, which is more than enough considering that there are three of us," Lang added.

Patrick listened to Jodie as she spoke to Ross.

***

"You think that your precious psychic boy has found us?" Ross asked.

"I don't know. But if he hasn't it won't be long before he does," Jodie replied.

She knew that Patrick was outside with Preston and Lang but she had no idea what they were going to do.

"Yeah,
and by then it will be too late," he sniggered.

Jodie hadn't heard Ross' comment for the conversation going on in her head. Any sudden movement from outside and Ross could kill her right there in the very room he had kept her hostage in, which had now been fifteen hours.

My god, has it been that long?
She said to herself, noticing the small clock on the wall.

Yes it has. Not much longer to go. We are going to do everything to get you out of here Jodie
, Angela replied.

Angela was acting like a guardian angel to Jodie, although she knew that when the time came, she and the others were going to harm Ross to the point of no return.

An eye for an eye Jodie, that is what this is all about. He wants revenge for his mother’s death and we want revenge for ours
, Rebecca said as she and Anna continued to circle Ross.

They did not look like their past human form as they encircled Ross in a cloudy mist. At points where their energies fought against his anger Jodie struggled to see him as their mist became thicker and darker.

"Don't you ever worry about what will happen to your soul once you are dead?" Jodie asked. This was one of her questions, not one of the spirits. Ross regarded this for a moment.

"I would like to think that I will see my Mum when I die," he looked up as he spoke.

Jodie knew the next comment she was about to make was a dangerous one. "But your Mum won't be in hell surely. I mean, she sounded like a good woman, she would be in heaven for sure."

"What did you say?" he narrowed his eyes and moved towards her.

"You heard, I said that your Mum will be in heaven. You are going to hell Ross."

He hurtled towards her, fist clenched and teeth gritted. Jodie stood her
ground, she knew that he couldn't hurt her. He fell to the floor as the pain in his head pierced through his brain. He yelped like a dog.

Ross held his head as he clumsily climbed to his feet and when he looked at Jodie his eyes were glazed over like ice, colder than she had ever seen them.

"Time's up," he said as he left the room.

"Where's he going?" Jodie whispered into the room.

He has gone to the kitchen
, Angela said.

"Why? What is he doing?" Jodie was beginning to panic.

Something bad is going to happen. We need to get you out now,
Angela said.

"Where are Rebecca and
Anna, are they still circling him?"

Yes but their energies are running low. You
have to get Patrick up here now.

Jodie could hear Ross making a lot of noise from the kitchen and she was petrified at what he was going to do. Would he appear with a knife?

She sent her thoughts down to Patrick, who had already been listening to everything that had been happening.

What do I do now? Time is running out Patrick. Do something!

Don't worry. The girls are taking care of it
, he replied.

Just then, Ross appeared in the doorway of the room and in his
hand was nothing but a lighter. "Now all we do is wait."

"Wait for what?" Jodie asked.

"I was thinking it is a little cold in here. I have just turned on the gas, the fire will be along any minute now." He tossed the lighter in the air and caught it with his other hand.

Jodie thought of the dream, the burning of her skin, the fire around her and the smoke.

"You had this planned right from the start didn't you?"

"Entirely," he replied.

***

"We need to make a move right now or that flat is going to explode," Patrick said.

"What? How do you know that?" Lang asked bewildered.

"Jodie is sending me her thoughts and I heard him say that he has turned o
n the gas to get the fire going."

Patrick was just about to push the buzzer when an elderly lady opened th
e entrance door to the building. "Oh, looks like I was just in time," she smiled at them.

"Oh please, ladies first," Preston said, returning the smile.

The woman walked down the street away from the building. "Good thing she is leaving," Patrick said.

"Let me go first," Preston said. He walked slowly as he made his way up the stairs to Ross' front door.

"Jesus, the place is oozing gas," Lang said.

"Quiet," Patrick hissed.
"If he hears us now, he will flick that lighter and we will all go up."

They reached the front door and Patrick's mind was going wild with the amount of voices in the flat.

"One at a time please," he whispered.

"I didn't say anything." Lang said.

"Not you, you idiot," Preston replied. "He's talking to them."

Lang could
n’t help but feel like they were all on a wild goose chase and worried that there would be nothing and no one in the flat they were approaching. Even after everything that had happened, he felt the scepticism set in once more.

Patrick stood a step up from the front door and Preston and Lang a second and third so that if Ross did hear anything then looking through the spy hole, he wouldn't see anyone.

***

Distract him
, Angela said to Michelle.

Jodie felt Michelle's spirit leave the room as Ross paced the floor. There was a low hissing sound coming from the kitchen. It was the sound of gas being released from the hobs on the cooker.

"What are you going to do?" Jodie asked.

"I told you, we are
going to have a little barbecue," he smiled.

"But why?"
Jodie was beginning to lose her nerve and she could feel the tears beginning to take over.

"
Aww," he taunted. "Is this the part where you are going to beg for your life? Are you going to tell me I can have your money and you won't tell the police?" he laughed loudly but was interrupted by a bumping sound from the kitchen.

He slowly walked into the kitchen and looked around. Something wasn't right.

"The hobs are off!" he said aloud, puzzled by it.

Jodie had heard him from the bedroom but did not reply.

He turned to walk back into the room when the lighter was suddenly knocked from his hand and he was thrown to the other side of the hallway. Jodie could hear the growling sound from Michelle getting louder and as she stood up and walked to the bedroom door she also heard a loud bang. She peered around the door and saw that Ross was lying down on the kitchen floor holding his ribs.

Michelle had thrown her energy at Ross and he was knocked to the ground, banging his ribs on the worktop as he had gone down.

Jodie ran back to the wall of the bedroom where Ross' collection of pictures and other things were gathered together and she pulled them down carefully but quickly. She kept her eyes on the door as she folded them in one pile and held onto them tight.

There came another bang but this time it came from the front door.

Forty Six

Going out with a Bang

Preston kicked with all of the force that he could and with every kick he could feel the door becoming weak under the impact. It only took four attempts before the door gave way and the Yale lock released. Before he knew it he was inside the entrance hallway of Ross Turner's flat and he could see that Ross was stood in the doorway of the kitchen which faced the front door directly. Patrick was behind Lang and the last one inside the flat.

Both officers held their batons extended away from their bodies an
d Ross was standing facing them. "Police, drop your weapon!" Preston shouted.

Patrick ran into the room that was to the left of him and h
e saw Jodie standing inside, rooted to the spot. There was a stench of gas in the air.

"Come on, we need to get out of here and leave them to deal with th
e rest of this. You're not safe," Patrick said as he held her upper arm to guide her out.

"None of us are safe. We all have to get out now before they begin," Jodie said with tears in her eyes. "They had turned the hobs off to distract him, but they have turned them back on again and they plan to set this place off Patrick."

Patrick noticed the pile of paper under her other arm but did not comment on it, he just continued to pull her towards the door. They reached the hallway and could hear the sirens coming from the street.

"They called for backup," Patrick said.

Get out now!
Michelle shouted in Jodie's head, Patrick had heard it too.

"Preston
we have to leave right now," Jodie said.

Ross had not moved from the minute the door had been kicked in. He stood completely still in the kitchen, holding the lighter in
his hand (which he had retrieved from the floor before getting up) and was looking straight ahead.

"He hasn't moved an inch," Lang said.

"It's Michelle, her energy is holding him there. He is paralysed by her," Patrick said. "Jodie is right we need to leave now or we are all going to be burnt alive."

Preston and Lang hesitated, "We need to take this man into questioning
. We're not leaving without him," Lang said with confusion in his tone.

Even after all the weeks working with Patrick he still couldn't bring himself to believe that everything that had happened was true and Patrick had been right the whole time.

"If you have never trusted me before just trust me now, we
have
to leave," Patrick was now shouting.

Preston was still standing face to face with Ross, unsure of what was about to happen but knowing that Patrick and Jodie's words were not spoken lightly. "OK, let
’s go," he said, backing out of the kitchen slowly not turning his back on Ross. The smell of gas was getting stronger.

"Hey Jeffrey?"
Ross called out.

Patrick stopped dead in his tracks and let go of Jodie's arm. He turned to face Ross and walked towards him.

Leave now Patrick
, he heard Michelle say. Her voice was rough, angry and it rang in his ears.

"Is it really you?" Patrick almost whispered. He tried to push out the sight of Michelle holding Ross on the spot while the other girl
’s spirits surrounded him.

Jodie knew that she should have sent Patrick the message about Ross before hand but she had wanted to tell him in person.

"Absolutely, nice to meet you brother," Ross was still portraying his arrogant cockiness even though Michelle had disabled any physical movement. His evil smile spread across his face, from ear to ear and emanated cruelty.

"Why?" was all that Patrick could get
out. He had never been called Jeffrey before, that he could of remember anyway. It felt odd and coming from a cold blooded killer it sent shivers down his spine.

"Because Jeffrey. Our mother killed herself," he said, the sourness leaving his face.

"You are a sick bastard!"

"No, I am angry. You got out Jeffrey, and I had to endure a life of pain. It just so happens that my mother left a box of letters for me and you when she died. I wanted to find you, try to bu
ild a relationship. But you see, I can't let it go."

Patrick felt a great wave of sadness wash over him but he didn't know who he felt sad for. "Let what go?"

"Mum's death, someone had to pay. Dad's dead, so the only ones left to pay are the whores that walk this world, wrecking lives."

"That's no excuse!" Patrick shouted.

"You know nothing about it. You didn't have to go through it! Well, when I sent those papers away and I saw that you were Jeffrey my plan for us changed."

Patrick knew instantly that there were three men standing in front of him at this point, a murderer, Mark and his brother... Ross Turner.

"You can't hurt anyone anymore," Patrick turned his back to see Jodie standing at the open front door holding a box now.

"We need to leave right now!" Jodie exclaimed.

The space around Ross was turning black and there was a terrible, low growling sound coming from the kitchen. Preston ushered Patrick out the door quickly. He looked back at the man standing in the kitchen, who could not move. "Bye Ross, Mark... whoever you are."

"Just remember Jeffrey," Ross' voice now trembled and Patrick was becoming overwhelmed by the smell of gas, "we share the
same blood, the same parents. We are Turners and that is why you are scared!" Ross was shouting out and Patrick could hear fear now.

"I'm a McLaughlin. The only thing that we share right now is the knowledge that you are going to burn to your death here, the
n you will burn in hell forever."

Preston slammed the door and the last image in Patrick's mind was Ross, stood in his kitchen, alone and about to go up in flames.

***

Ross watched as the bolts on the door began locking themselves. He could feel the floor shake slightly and he could feel heaviness on his chest. As he looked around, he noticed that there was an eerie silence in the flat. A mist was descending from above him and it was making him feel sick.

"This isn't the way it was supposed to be!" he screamed out, clenching his fists. His eyes darted back and forth as Michelle appeared slowly in front of him. He watched her appear like a fade- in edit on a film. She looked almost exactly like she did after he had killed her but this time she was moving.

"You're damn right this wasn't the way
things were supposed to happen," she growled in his ear.

Ross had turned grey and there was sweat dripping from his brows. He tried to move, even just a finger. But it was no use. "You're ours now," Anna said from behind him.

Angela and Rebecca were with him now and he watched unwillingly as they swirled around him and taunted him.

"So, looks like he was right, my brother. Ghosts
are
real." Ross gave his last twisted smile. "Rot in hell!" he hissed at them.

Michelle smiled with redness in her eyes
that told him this was the end. "No Ross, you will."

The bang was so loud and the heat was so hot
that Ross knew nothing about it. His death came in an instant.

Forty Seven

Three months later

Jodie gazed at herself in the mirror and felt the overwhelming happiness make the butterflies flutter once more in her stomach. She patted down her dress and touched up her make-up before leaving the bedroom. "Are your eyes closed?" she called out.

"Shut tight," Patrick called back.

Jodie took a deep breath and walked into the living room. The autumn sun shone through the glass doors as it had began to set and it gave an orange glow to the room. She placed herself in the doorway and took another breath. "OK, open them."

Patrick opened his eyes and when he saw her he instantly fell in love again. The sun made her face shine and the dress was simple, showing of her slender shape and the be
auty that Patrick loved so much. "You look like a lady that I would marry," he said with a grin.

"Well then it is a good thing that I had this lying around. I am free now if you're up for it?"

"I would be honoured."

Patrick took Jodie's hand gently in his and they walked down the stairs of their building for the last time as Patrick McLaughlin and Jodie Jenkins.

***

As they danced their first dance as a married couple, Jodie held on tight as Patrick took the lead. The restaurant was dimly lit with the piano playing softly in the background and their small selections of guests were gathered round them.

"So, Mrs McLaughlin, how does it feel to be my wife?" Patrick smiled gently as they swayed to the soft notes.

"It feels pretty good if I am honest. Who would have known after everything that happened that we would be here today," she said with glazed eyes.

Patrick pulled her closer. "I told you I would never let anything bad happen to you and I will live my life to that vow until the day I die." He kissed her gently and they continued to dance.

"Are you going to open it?" she asked, referring to the box Jodie had taken from Ross' flat.

"I have been thinking about it. Everything happened so fast, finding out about Ross, how my birth parents lives were such a mess. I had a whole other family out there that was a complete mess and I find out about it because the murderer, who turned out to be first of all my friend Mark who wasn't real, followed us to the cottage, kidnapped you, I turn up to rescue you and find that he is, in actual fact my biological brother."

"I understand if you are not ready and I understand why you didn't tell me you were in contact with the adoption people. I just want you to know that in future, we tell each other everything. After all, we are Mr and Mrs McLaughlin now." she smiled.

Patrick kissed Jodie again. "I will not argue with that."

***

Jodie lay in bed fast asleep. Their wedding day had been an amazing day but an exhausting one. As she lay there, Patrick watched her sleep. She still looked beautiful as he watched her chest rise and fall with every breath she took.

Patrick got up from the bed and went in to the living room. The box had been sitting on the floor in the corner of the room for months and he just couldn't bring himself to open it.

He wasn't even sure if he wanted to open it. What he would find wouldn't change the fact that his life had been turned upside down by a monster who he now knew was his biological brother.

He understood now what his Grandpa had meant when he said all those years ago that he would understand that he had a purpose. Patrick was
meant
to stop Ross.

He continued to stare at the box and he felt it stare back at him.

Open it.

Patrick looked up to see a woman standing at the opposite side of the room. It was Maria Turner.

Go on. Open it, you'll never know if you don't.

Patrick pulled the box towards him and he sat on the floor. He gently lifted the lid.

There was a photo of him as a baby, with his birth name and date on the back, letters, birthday cards and more.

Patrick searched through them all, reading the letters from Maria to him and from Maria to Ross. He was mesmerised but sad at the same time.

"Now I understand why he was so angry," he whispered to himself.

It does not excuse what he did
, Maria replied.

"You know, I had a life before this and I almost lost it because of him. Nothing inside this box is going to change that. I am still Patrick and I will never be Jeffrey. I am sorry if that is hard for you to hear but if none of this had happened I would not know anything about you."

Maria nodded,
I understand. I came to say sorry for what has happened.

Patrick did not say anymore. There was nothing to
o say.

She was gone.