Night Watcher (31 page)

CHAPTER FIFTY-NINE

The day passed in a flurry of activity leaving Julie no time to think, and when a myriad of small sounds, indicating that the staff were finishing for the day, it came as something of a surprise. She looked at her watch, tempted to join them, but Patrick expected her to read the Development Plan before Monday’s meeting. ‘I’ll look forward to your comments,’ he had said, so she could not avoid reading it. There was also her office to sort out, although she supposed that could maybe wait. And there was the little matter of being in the store on her own, although it was not so long ago she had spent the night there, in a state of oblivion needless to say, and she had been safe enough.

She shrugged her shoulders. She could not go through life scared at every shadow. In any case she was probably safer inside the store than outside on the street. There was always the security system for added protection. Usually it was Harry who provided this. He stayed in the store until the last person left and, if anyone was working late, he checked their workplace at regular intervals. She reached her hand for the phone, but hesitated before she lifted the receiver. It would be better to go downstairs and let him know, it was more of a personal touch, and she did not want him to think she had become uppity now she was part of the executive staff.

Except for a few security lights the store was in darkness, so Julie took the lift to the basement rather than the first floor because she knew her way round the food hall and it held no terrors for her. She clattered up the half flight of stairs, banged through the access door and into the back corridor. Light streamed from the doorway of Harry’s small room, shafting across the corridor, brighter than the illumination from the fizzing ceiling bulbs. Music thumped, something modern and catchy which was a good indication Harry was there.

Harry was standing in front of the sink filling his kettle when Julie reached his door. He turned round to look at her, ‘Working late tonight, Julie?’

‘You must be a mind reader, Harry.’

‘It doesn’t take much mind reading when you’re standing there with no coat on.’ Harry grinned at her. ‘Want a cup of tea before you start?’

‘No, thanks anyway, I only came down to ask if you’d wait back for me? I shouldn’t be any later than about eight o’clock.’

‘That’s okay, Julie. I’m not doing anything later tonight anyway, so I’m just as well here. I’ll let your guardian angels know you’re working on.’

‘My guardian angels? What d’you mean, Harry?’

‘Oh, I thought you knew. You’ve got a police guard. Two nice officers sitting in a car at the top of the alley waiting to escort you home.’

Julie was thoughtful as she returned to her office. She had not known about the police guard and was not sure how she should react to this bit of protection, if that was what it was. Somehow or other she had a suspicion that Bill was behind it and that he was looking out for her. Her steps quickened into a jaunty stride. Maybe their relationship could be rescued. She slowed as it suddenly crossed her mind that maybe she was being followed rather than protected, which meant she was under suspicion. But no, she quickened her steps again. They would not have made their presence known to Harry if that was the case.

The executive floor had a deserted feel, but once Julie was in her office with the door closed she felt safe and secure. She opened the Development Plan file and started to study it, she had also found some of Nicole’s notes which she referred to from time to time, and she had tapped into Nicole’s laptop.

Harry checked on her once and she lifted her head, waved and smiled. The next time she looked at her watch it was almost seven o’clock. She stretched her arms above her head, did some neck exercises and then went to the executive loo, a luxurious facility with marble floors, tiles, gold-plated taps and fluffy towels. Ten more minutes, she thought, as she washed her hands, that should do it and then I’m off home.

A slight sound sent her nerves zinging into overdrive. She opened the door, but there was nothing to be seen. Probably Harry checking up, she thought, but the back of her neck was prickling.

***

‘Thanks for letting us know,’ Sue shouted to Harry as he hurried back down the alley. ‘That’s a bummer,’ she said to Sid. ‘She’s working late. Eight o’clock the security guy said.’

‘Maybe we should go and come back then, What d’you think?’

‘I suppose we could,’ Sue mused. ‘Bill wouldn’t like it though. He’s got a thing for this one.’

‘Bill doesn’t need to know.’ Sid grinned at her. ‘I won’t tell him if you don’t.’

‘I don’t know. What if she finishes earlier than that? We’d miss her. Then he’d know.’

‘Yeah, I suppose.’ Sid lapsed into a gloomy silence.

Ten minutes later Bill tapped on their window. ‘She not out yet?’

Sue rolled the window down. ‘She’s working late until eight o’clock. The security guy let us know.’

Bill stared up at the darkened store. ‘Not sure I’d like to be locked in there by myself.’

‘Security guy’s in there with her.’

‘Is that Harry? The one Mrs Ralston accused of being the stalker.’

‘Jeez,’ Sue said, ‘I never thought about that.’ She got out of the car and stood beside Bill as they looked at the store together. ‘Mind you, he’d be stupid to try anything with us being here.’

‘I suppose you’re right,’ Bill said. ‘But keep an eye on it. If she’s not out by eight o’clock let me know.’

‘Sure thing.’ Sue returned to the car, less confident than she had been.

***

The store had been quiet for a long time before he discarded his disguise and emerged from the toilet where he had been hiding since before closing time.

The food hall was deserted and dark and he moved silently between the aisles, feeling his way to the door that led onto the stairs. He did not want to risk using the lift, it would make too much noise.

Pausing on the stairs, he listened. Faint music drifted upwards. He followed the sound. Everything would be lost if he was seen and he wanted no witnesses.

***

The corridor was quiet enough and, although she felt foolish, Julie crept along as quietly as she could. Her office door was open, but maybe she had left it that way. The rustle of papers, however, was certainly not her imagination. All of a sudden she knew. It was Ken, poking and prying into what she was doing. It was like him. He was a nasty piece of work, and he was not going to get off with it.

‘What the hell d’you think you’re doing?’ Her voice tailed off as the man turned round. It was not Ken. He was tall, extremely attractive, and looked just like his passport photograph. ‘You’re Scott,’ she said. ‘But what are you doing here? And why are you going through my papers?’

‘I’m sorry, I thought this was Nicole’s office.’ He looked confused and apologetic. ‘I was just looking for something,’ he murmured, ‘something that belongs to me.’

Julie instinctively knew what he was looking for. ‘Try the top right hand drawer,’ she said.

He moved behind the desk and slid the drawer open, removing his passport. ‘Ah,’ he said. ‘Thank you.’ He held it in his hand while he gave her a puzzled look. ‘How did you know what I was looking for?’

Julie did not answer his question. ‘I thought you were supposed to be in Paris?’ She walked towards the desk, keeping it between them, although she had no sensation of danger.

‘No. I went to Manchester instead.’ His voice was slightly flustered, although his eyes were steady and focused on her. ‘Why did you think I was going to Paris?’ He sounded puzzled.

Something about his attitude unnerved Julie. She did not know what it was, but it left her feeling distinctly uneasy. ‘Nicole told me,’ she said. ‘Why would she say you were in Paris when you weren’t?’

‘Why indeed,’ he said. His voice was light and soothing, but the expression on his face had tightened. ‘What else did Nicole tell you?’

Something in the tone of his voice unnerved her. ‘You shouldn’t be here, you know,’ she said, reaching for the phone. ‘I’ll just contact security and get you shown out.’

‘I wouldn’t do that,’ he said pleasantly, laying his hand on top of hers to prevent her lifting the receiver. ‘I’d prefer to see my own way out. As you say. I shouldn’t be here.’

The feeling of unease niggling at Julie’s insides increased and the back of her neck was prickling again. ‘Have you spoken to the police?’ she said. ‘They were trying to contact you.’

‘Oh, yes,’ he said. ‘I’m seeing them on Monday. That will be soon enough.’

Julie wriggled her hand out from underneath his. ‘I really must call security,’ she said, keeping her voice steady as she tried to mask her nervousness. ‘How else are you going to get out of the store?’

‘Same way I got in,’ he said. ‘I’ll hide until the store opens again and leave like any other customer.’

‘I can’t let you do that.’ Julie focused her eyes on his, but did not like what she saw there. She reached for the phone, but his hand slammed down on hers and he ripped the wire out of the wall.

‘You have no choice,’ he said, his face bland and pleasant, but his voice menacing.

Julie’s nervousness had now turned into alarm and, pulling her hand free, she backed towards the door.

He remained where he was, watching her and smiling. ‘You wouldn’t even get the length of the corridor,’ he said, his voice soft and gentle. ‘So why don’t you come and sit down, like a good girl, and I’ll tell you all about Nicole.’

Julie leaned her back against the door, her fingers feeling for the doorknob. She grasped the knob ready to turn it and run, but she would need a head start, so she relaxed and smiled back at him as if she agreed. Slowly she turned the handle and as she did so her hand brushed the top of the key. With her other hand she worked it loose, blessing the day that Patrick had decided to keep the traditional features of the building.

‘And if I do stay here,’ she murmured, ‘what will happen to me?’

‘Ah,’ he said. ‘Now there’s the dilemma because you were Nicole’s friend, her confidante, and I’m sure you’ve guessed why I had to come here.’

Julie’s hand tightened on the doorknob. She pulled the door open, shot through it and rammed the key into the keyhole at the same time as she slammed the door shut. She turned the key until the lock clicked. The door vibrated as he slammed against it and she bounced backward almost falling. For the briefest moment she stood, staring at the door, paralysed, and then she ran. Ran for her life.

She reached the lift door and punched the button. ‘Hurry, hurry,’ she muttered, listening to the thudding of his fists on the door. Then the sound changed. He seemed to have found something heavy to batter the door with and she could hear the first sounds of splintering wood.

Her eyes watched the lift doors, willing them to open. If the lift did not hurry she might have to run for the stairs. That was when she realized she did not have a key for the connecting doors on the stairs, she still had the lift key in her pocket, although it was not needed on the way down, however, she was not sure if the same key would fit the doors. If it did not she would be trapped on the stairs. There were fire doors, but she did not know where they led. The splintering noise of the door breaking increased and she was on the point of running to the fire doors when the lift doors slid open.

Thankfully she got in. The doors seemed to take forever to close, and she watched in agony as they slid shut in slow motion. Feet thudded along the corridor as she pressed the button for the basement. If he caught her in the confined space of the lift she would have nowhere to go. ‘Start, start,’ she shouted, jumping up and down. The sound of fists thumping on the lift doors echoed down the lift shaft. Thinking they would slide open again, she grabbed the small fire extinguisher from the wall prepared to use it on him. But the lift was already sinking to the basement.

She thought the lift would never reach the bottom, and then it seemed to take an age before the doors slid open. She hurried out, but not before she propped the fire extinguisher between the doors to prevent them closing.

Julie did not even consider the phone in her old office. It was not an option for her because of the sudden aversion she had developed to small, enclosed spaces where she could be trapped. Her best option, she thought, was to get out of the store, and to do that she would need a key or her mobile phone, both of which were safely tucked away in her handbag on the executive floor. She would be mad to try and go back for them. Besides, Harry would be able to let her out, and even if he was not in his room she knew where he kept the spare keys.

She sped through the food hall, out onto the stairs and up to the back corridor. High above her she heard footsteps thudding downwards. The connecting door to the back corridor banged shut behind her and Julie ran to the stream of light and the welcome noise of music coming from Harry’s room.

‘Harry,’ she gasped, as she rounded the corner into the room, but that was as far as she got. Harry was slumped forward on the table, blood oozing from the gaping wound on the back of his head. She knelt down beside him and grasped his wrist thinking there might be a flicker of a pulse, but she was not sure. One thing was certain there was nothing she could do for Harry and nothing he could do for her.

She had to get out of here, right now. There was a fluttering sensation behind her breastbone and she knew she was hyperventilating. Her breathing rasped in her chest until it was expelled in short, sharp gasps. It was a sure sign her panic was building.