The Slowest Cut (30 page)

Liam was the first to speak. “Cheer up, Jack. It was a good shout.”

Jack swung on him angrily. “Could you not have taken the scum somewhere else? Now I have to serve them tea.”

Craig nodded. Jack found child-molesters hard to deal with. They all did, but they could interview them and walk away. Jack had to tend to their needs 24/7.

“Hopefully we’ll get Carragher interviewed and arraigned by tomorrow, Jack, then ship him off on remand.”

Jack wasn’t mollified. “That’s twenty-four hours too long for me.” He took the coffee Craig offered and shoved Liam’s feet off a stool, sitting down. After a sip of coffee he spoke again.

“He wants a phone-call.”

Craig’s face lit up. This might be their chance. “Did he say who to?”

Jack sniffed and scratched his balding head. “No, and I didn’t ask. He can whistle for it.”

Craig perched on the arm of Liam’s chair and smiled. “Look, I know how you feel, Jack. This case is making all our skins crawl. But there’s just a chance Carragher will phone his brother and we’ll get our murders solved.”

Jack sniffed again. “Aye well. That’s grand for you to say, but I’ll have to hand him the phone. I’ll want to crown him with it.”

Liam guffawed. “Good man. Glad to see you’re not always placid ‘Uncle Jack’.”

“Don’t you Uncle Jack me, Cullen. I remember you when you could barely shave.” He turned to Craig. “Remind me to tell you about your boy here when he was at training college. There was this young W.P.C…”

Liam leaned in quickly. “Here, now. No need for that. All that’s in the past.”

Craig laughed and returned to the case. “Let Carragher make his call, Jack. I think he’s going to call his brother Jonathan and I want a trace.”

Jack considered for a moment then nodded grudgingly, rising to his feet. “I’ll do it now.” He stared pointedly at Liam. “And when I come back to my staff-room I want a proper seat.” He made for the door and then turned back to Craig. “Set up your trace properly, sir, because I’m not repeating this.”

Five minutes later Craig was proved right when a young man’s voice came on the line. There was only one person it could be.

“I’m in trouble. I need your help.”

“What’s happened, Ryan?”

“It’s a long story but I’m in High Street Police Station. You’ve got to get me out.”

Craig listened to the brothers’ voices. They were almost identical, but something about Jonathan Carragher’s was gentler and his voice held a note of anguish. He sounded like a victim and, unlikely as that sounded for a multiple murderer, Craig knew that it was true.

“But how can I come to a police station? They’ll never let me go again. We have to get out of here. It’s Mai’s only chance.”

Mai. So that was the girl’s name. Mai Carragher? No. Mai Liu. Craig was certain that she didn’t know the Carragher part.

Ryan’s tone became aggressive. “You selfish bastard. You wouldn’t be going anywhere if it wasn’t for me. Get down here now.”

The force in Jonathan’s voice surprised Craig. “NO! Mai will die if we stay here. South America’s her only chance. She needs help and when we get there I’m going to find it for her. I’m sorry, Ryan, but you’ll be OK. Whatever the charges are they’ll be bogus. You’ll be out tomorrow, you’ll see.”

Ryan Carragher’s voice cooled and his fury made him careless. “You snivelling little bastard. To think I asked Eileen to go easy on you all those years. You and your little whore.”

There was silence for a moment while Craig held his breath, praying that Jonathan didn’t hang up. After a long pause Jonathan Carragher spoke again, in a voice so cold that Craig’s pulse slowed. “What did you say?”

“You heard me. I knew exactly what Step-Mommy Dearest was doing to you. All those years when you thought I knew nothing, coming home from college to the loving home. I knew everything! It would still be going on in Newcastle and making me rich now, it you hadn’t decided to kill everyone and lead the filth straight to our door.” Ryan’s voice dropped to a hiss so low that Craig strained to hear. He caught one word, “sister”, before he heard Jonathan Carragher scream.

“NO! It’s not true, it can’t be. She isn’t, she isn’t.”

Ryan’s voice came through loud and clear. “Oh yes she is, little brother. You’ve been banging your own sister all this time. You can’t judge any of us.”

A voice in Craig’s ear said. “We’ve got a trace” then gave him a location. Craig dropped his headphones, signalled to continue the call as long as possible then he raced for the door. Ryan Carragher had just hung himself on tape; his venom stronger than his common sense. Craig didn’t give a shit about him, but for some strange reason he did about the boy on the other end of the line.

Ryan had deliberately destroyed his young brother and it was anyone’s guess how Jonathan would react to what he’d just heard. The call had been traced to a house high up in the Craigantlet Hills, near the Ballymiscaw Road. It would take the locals thirty minutes to get there on the narrow rural roads. Craig gunned his Audi out of High Street’s car-park and sped towards the M3 motorway. He’d no idea what he’d do when he got there but he knew that he had to try.

***

Mai heard Jonathan’s screams all the way from the bedroom, where she was packing for their trip. She raced to the landing just as he was running upstairs. He stopped at the top and gazed at her like he’d never seen her before.

“Jonathan, what’s happened? What was that noise?”

Jonathan scanned her face mutely and his eyes filled with tears. Mai reached for his hand and he jerked it away. “Baby, what’s the matter? Is it the trip? Are you worried about the trip?”

Jonathan shook his head, not trusting himself to speak, as his eyes caressed each feature on her pretty face. He loved her so much, but it had all been wrong. He shuddered, remembering every time they’d made love, each heartfelt movement seeming sordid now. Incest. It was such an ugly word. Neither of them had known, but now he did and everything had changed.

Memories that had faded with age flooded back to him and started to make sense. The whispered conversations between his father and Tian, when he was only four. Her leaving suddenly and a few months later a baby coming to stay. Then Eileen Burns and the pain that had lasted for years.

Jonathan gazed at his lover then stretched out his hand to encircle her slim neck. His fingers began to close then Mai smiled up at him and his anguish suddenly disappeared. They were both innocent and their love had been innocent as well. Jonathan lifted his hand to her face and stroked it gently; tracing her delicate features one by one and remembering the day when he’d first been told to hurt her. He’d fought it with every sinew until she’d given him permission to acquiesce. He’d wanted to protect her forever, and he’d missed her desperately when she’d fled the school. When they’d met again as adults it seemed natural that they’d fall in love.

And they had. A playful, passionate love, full of all the happiness that they’d both been denied. A love that had bound them together, even as they’d taken their revenge. He stroked Mai’s face slowly, knowing that if she found out she was his sister everything they’d built together would be destroyed, and her already fragile mind would crack. He’d tried to protect her for years and he was going to protect her now. Jonathan stepped onto the landing and held her close. Then he took his lover by the hand and led her to bed.

***

Craig reached the house before the local Uniform’s, the back roads with their single tracks no match for the motorway route. He stared at the small brick cottage set back from the road, the only house for miles around, then he slipped his Glock from its holster and walked slowly up the path, glancing quickly at the garage alongside. This was where they’d killed them all, in this quiet country place. It felt so wrong that the rural peace had been disturbed in that way.

Craig clicked off his gun’s safety lock, praying that he didn’t have to fire. Yes, they were killers, but only ever from revenge; he doubted that they would try to fight their way out. His heart sank. He already knew that the situation wouldn’t arise.

The house was silent and nothing but instinct told Craig that someone was still inside. He had to look. He should wait for the patrols to arrive but then it would be too late, if it wasn’t already. He pushed gently at the low front door and it swung inwards, revealing a small, neat hall, touching in its normality. Craig stepped inside, listening intently for any sound, but there was nothing. Only the hum of the fridge said the house was lived in. Had been lived in.

He moved swiftly from room to room clearing them, until finally he reached the stairs. He climbed them slowly, eyes fixed above his head, but still nothing moved. He checked the bedrooms and bathrooms, until only one door was left. Craig moved to it quickly and said the official words.

“Armed police. Come out with your hands up.”

No sound or movement answered him but Craig repeated the warning twice, already knowing that there was no-one left to comply. He entered the bedroom slowly and the sight that greeted him was the one that he’d known he would find the moment Jonathan Carragher had screamed down the phone. On the double bed lay a young couple, naked in each other’s arms and half-covered by a white sheet stained with blood. The blood would be Jonathan Carragher’s and the girl would have marks around her neck. Craig knew it as surely as his own name. Carragher had killed the girl he loved to save her from any more hurt and then he’d shot himself. It was what he would have done in his place.

Craig stared at the sad tableau for minutes; while the cars pulled up outside and armed officers cleared the rooms. Finally he smiled down at the star-crossed lovers and wished them peace, then he holstered his gun, raised his arms and walked downstairs.

***

Natalie and John’s Engagement Party. Saturday 15th February. 10 p.m.

“Not exactly a happy ending, boss.”

Craig shook his head and sipped at his beer. “I disagree, Liam. Ryan Carragher’s giving us the names of paedophiles in Northern Ireland, scrambling for a deal like the spineless scum he is. Now he’s someone I’d like to spend five minutes alone in a cell with.”

Liam arched an eyebrow, wondering how many beers Craig had had. Craig was still disagreeing.

“We’ve got Tate for drugs and prostitution and I think he’s been stopped in his tracks before he became a paedophile. And between Davy and Interpol, the kids we found are back with their parents and we’re well on the way to cracking the whole trafficking ring. I think that’s a good week’s work. So does the C.C.”

Liam caught the barman’s eye and ordered another drink. “Aye, but what about the murders? Four dead and no-one to prosecute.”

“We know who did it and they’re dead. That’s a stronger penalty than any of the courts here would have handed out.”

Liam nodded and raised his glass. “Here’s to them, then. Jonathan and Mai, the only two members of their scummy family with any honour at all.”

Craig took another drink then glanced at Annette and crossed his eyes. She laughed and wandered over. Craig opened his arms in greeting.

“Annette, Annette, have a drink.”

Annette smiled at her boss, avoiding Liam’s eye in case she laughed. “Thanks, sir. I’ll have a glass of white wine, any sort as long as it’s sweet. I’ll save the champagne for the main event.”

She stared up at the ceiling. It was covered with glitter balls. There were silver streamers everywhere and the walls were decked with banners saying ‘Congratulations Natalie and John’.

“Any idea why Natalie chose a seventies theme? She wouldn’t even have been born then.”

Craig nodded sagely. “Born in ‘78. Apparently she likes the style.”

Liam guffawed. “God. Flares and flowery shirts. They were bad enough first time round. Mind you, the music wasn’t bad. I used to boogie with the best of them.”

“Boogie! That really dates you. Well here’s your chance, Liam. The lights are going down.”

The lights dimmed gradually, throwing the glitter balls into bright relief. When the DJ called out ‘Saturday Night Fever’ they were almost deafened by the squeals of delight, as every woman in the room dashed onto the floor. Annette was no exception and she dragged Liam with her.

Craig laughed solidly for five minutes watching them throw shapes, then he turned to the bar to order another drink. John appeared by his side.

“Well? How does it feel to be almost married?”

John smiled shyly and Craig ordered him a drink. John needed to be much drunker before he made his speech.

“Surprisingly good, actually. Now, we just have to sort you out.”

Craig shook his head and laughed. “Oh no, you don’t! I’ve heard about married people. They want everyone else to get married too, for company. I’m fine as I am, thanks.”

John lifted his drink. “Oh well, then. I won’t bother introducing you…”

Craig was staring at the dance-floor, watching Liam compete with Davy for the best moves. Davy was winning hands down. John repeated himself, standing in front of Craig to get his attention.

“Introducing me? Who to? Or should that be, to whom?” Craig puzzled drunkenly over the grammar for a moment then continued. “If this is one of Natalie’s friends you’re trying…”

“Katy.”

“Katy who?”

Craig stepped to one side to reinstate his view of the floor show, just in time to catch Liam doing it Gangnam style. Wrong decade, but who cared. He just hoped someone was getting it all on tape.

John wasn’t giving up. “Stevens. Katy Stevens. You remember. Blonde, cute, likes you for some strange reason. Well?”

Craig drained his beer and ordered another, intent on getting canned. He squinted at John. “Nope.”

“What do you mean, nope? I thought you liked her.”

“I do. I’ve had her number in my phone for months but the answer’s still no. It’s too soon and Julia would be devastated if she found out.”

John’s face dropped and he pointed an accusing finger. “You’re still in love with Julia!”

Craig shook his head calmly then winced as the beer caught up. “God, John, you sound like you’re sixteen. No, actually, I’m not still in love with Julia. I’m fond of her for sure, but we weren’t right together. But she would still be upset if I started seeing someone this quickly. She’d think that I’d had them waiting in the wings. I want to give it another few months.”