Savage Justice: A Justice novella- featuring THE UNICORN Read online

  “Hi, Pete You got here quick. What news have you got for me?”

  He tutted and shook his head. “A friend dropped me off, it was a heavy night last night, didn’t trust myself to drive. Anyway, I never thought I’d say the words, not in this country. Looks like we’re dealing with a suicide bomber.”

  Her hands covered her face and pushed back her brunette fringe. “Jesus, are you sure?” His other comment about not being fit to drive forgotten about.

  “Yep, no doubt about it. It was a kid, we’ve got a couple of witnesses. He walked into a crowd, begging for money, then he laughed and hit the button, and kaboom! Him and two others are history.”

  “Holy crap! Do we know why?”

  Pete hitched his shoulder and chewed his lip. “You tell me what makes a kid want to end his life like that, because I’m at a frigging loss as to know why.”

  “Did he shout anything before he hit the trigger?” She perused the immediate area. It had been cordoned off. The crowd was increasing, everyone staring at the blood-stained pavements as if in shock.

  “Nope, nothing.”

  “What ethnicity was he, do we know?”

  Pete crossed his arms and rested them on his bulging stomach. “By all accounts he was white. Therefore, I’m presuming he was English.”

  Lorne shook her head. “You know I don’t deal in presumption, Pete. We need cold hard facts to back up that claim.”

  “Yeah, I thought you’d say that. So, how are we going to get those facts when he was blown to smithereens?”

  She heaved out a sigh. “Good question. One name comes to mind.”

  He stared at her, and his head shaking gained momentum. “No way. That’s your answer to everything we can’t put a finger on right away—the frigging Unicorn.”

  She held out her hands. “Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t suspect the fucker from the outset, after the carnage he’s created over the years.”

  “Without proof, we can’t go down that route, not yet, boss, not unless you want egg on your face.”

  “I feel it in my gut, Pete, that’s all I’m saying.”

  “Fine by me. You know you’re treading a fine line with that one. Gut instinct amounts to nothing in our game. The CPS will throw any case out where there’s actually no evidence to hand.”

  “Jesus, man, don’t start quoting the procedures to me. I’m not a bloody rookie.” She stormed away from him, towards the pathologist in charge who was standing in until the position was filled full time. “Can you give me anything yet?”

  Granger Watson, a man well into his sixties, stared up at her. “Nothing as yet, Inspector. My guess is, I won’t be able to share any details for at least a few weeks. There are millions of parts to recover, as you can imagine.”

  “Okay, that’s fair enough. Can you mark it as a priority for me?”

  “Of course, I will.”

  Lorne drifted away, her gaze darting in every direction as she assessed her surroundings. She fished out her mobile and rang the station. DS Fox answered the call. “It’s Simpkins. I need you to look at the CCTV footage around the site where the explosion took place. We need to know what, and who, we’re dealing with here. Both you and Crane can get involved in this. The sooner we get the information we need the better. So crack on with it, set everything else aside, okay?”

  “Yes, boss. I understand where you’re coming from. We’ll gather the CDs now and get to work.”

  “There’s no telling how long we’ll be out here. I take it no calls have come in? You know, along the lines of someone admitting to what took place?”

  “That’s a negative, boss. We’re watching the scene on the TV now.”

  “Yeah, well, I’m guessing the pictures will be edited a little. I’m hoping that’s the case anyway. There are body parts and blood everywhere. Suicide bomber, a kid at that. Unthinkable, right?”

  “Shit! You don’t think it’s…”

  “I do. Pete, however, has shot that notion down in flames. I’m convinced it’s him. I suppose the arsehole will contact me once he’s stopped splitting his sides. He’ll probably be watching for me to appear on TV and start ringing me direct then, the bastard. He’s truly the bane of my life, one that I’m desperate to get rid of. Ugh…sorry for ranting, you know how much I detest the son of a bitch.”

  “Rant away, boss. I’m with you all the way. Okay, I’ll get the CDs sourced. Is there anything else you need?”

  “Not at the moment. If you find anything, can you send it via text? I have a feeling we’ll be snowed under speaking to witnesses for a few hours yet. Although, that’s open to speculation if we keep drawing blanks. Thinking about it, can you get a few extra bodies down here to help with the task of taking down the witness statements?”

  “I’ll get on to that right away, boss, have a word with Bert on reception.”

  “Do that. Thanks.” Lorne ended the call.

  Pete came to a standstill beside her.

  “For your information,” she said, “DS Fox is thinking along the same lines as me.”

  Pete shrugged. “Whatever. All I’m trying to do is add a word of caution. You start thinking this is all about that Unicorn cretin and you could end up missing vital clues along the way.”

  “Noted. But you’re wrong.”

  He pulled a face and shrugged his huge shoulders. Once Pete was set on an idea there was no steering him in another direction. Oops! That could be said about me, too! Oh well, we’ll agree to differ on yet another case. That’ll make a change. She sniggered.

  “I can’t believe you’re laughing. I think you’re wired all wrong, excuse the pun.”

  Her cheeks coloured up, and her gaze scanned the members of the crowd close by who were scrutinising her. “Sorry. My bad, I wasn’t laughing per se—”

  He held up a hand, cutting her off. “I don’t want to hear what your warped mind is putting you through right now. Can we get back to the case?”

  “Of course. Right, there are obviously too many witnesses for us to speak to. I suggest we identify those who saw what happened and take them to one side.”

  “You think the others are just here to gawp, rubberneckers?”

  “Don’t you? You know as well as I do how these things go. People have a morbid sense of urgency to get to a scene to find out what went on.”

  “Yeah, I hear you.”

  “You start speaking to the crowd, I’ll get the uniformed officers organised. Ensure they know what questions we require answers to.”

  “Okay, I’m on it.” Pete headed towards the first group of people close to the cordon while Lorne walked off in the other direction.

  It wasn’t long before she’d spoken to at least ten uniformed officers at the scene. She left four of them guarding the cordon to make sure no one dipped under the tape to get a closer look. That wasn’t beyond the realms of possibility—she’d experienced that type of thing a number of times over the years.

  Once the prime witnesses had been segregated, she and Pete began questioning the individuals about how things went down. Most of them revealed what they’d already gathered about the events, but there was one young woman who sparked Lorne’s interest with her knowledge.

  “Miss Carter, you were standing where exactly?”

  “I’d just come out of the card shop over on the right there. I saw a man show the boy a picture and then send him on his way. The man turned, smiled broadly and slipped into a black car.”

  “I don’t suppose you got the registration number of that vehicle, did you?”

  “Yes and no. I think I caught the first few numbers and letters, 98BN, and that’s it. The car took off at great speed. Not surprising, considering what he’d instructed the boy to do.” Tears welled up and dripped onto her rosy cheeks. She dabbed at them with a tissue. “I’m sorry. I keep bursting into tears. I’ve never seen anything so horrid in my life before. How could a small boy like that even contemplate taking his own life? Walk into a crowd of people like that and…well, wipe them out? Heartbreaking, that’s what it is.”

  Lorne rubbed the top of the young woman’s arm. “It takes all sorts to make up this dreadful world. Who knows what goes on in people’s heads half the time?”

  “But the boy couldn’t have been older than about ten. His whole life ahead of him. What would he have known about his existence that could have driven him to take such drastic action?”

  Lorne sighed heavily. “That’s what we’re going to have to find out. Do you have anyone with you?”

  “No, I’m alone. It’s my day off. I have a few birthdays coming up, thought I’d nip down here to pick up a few cards and presents. Wish I’d stayed at home now. Those images will likely stay with me for the rest of my life. I’ve never seen a dead body before, let alone witnessed someone actually killing another person. Oh God, I feel sick.” She turned sideways and released the contents of her stomach on the pavement beside her.

  Lorne gently patted her on the back until Miss Carter stood upright again. She offered her a tissue from the packet she always carried.

  “Thank you. I’m so sorry about that.”

  “Don’t be daft, these things happen. You’ve had a shock. It’s your body’s way of dealing with that. If there’s nothing else you can tell me, why don’t you take yourself off and grab a cup of coffee to steady your nerves?”

  “I don’t think there’s anything else. I hope the partial plate helps your investigation.”

  “It’s bound to. Would it be okay if I sent an officer around to take down a statement?”

  “Of course.” The woman gave her an address which Lorne jotted in her notebook.

  “I know this is going to sound a little blasé, but please, try not to dwell on what you’ve witnessed here today. It won’t do you any good in the long run.”

  “I’ll try and take your suggestion on board. Thank you, Inspector. I hope you catch the person responsible for doing this soon. I’d like to believe that a ten-year-old boy couldn’t possibly be responsible for such a heinous crime.”

  “I’m inclined to think the same. Thank you for your help.”

  She watched the woman walk away from her.

  Pete came and stood beside her and looked down at the puddle of vomit sitting on the pavement. He retched. “Nice. Can we move away from here? Otherwise I’m likely to add to the damn mess.”

  Lorne took a few steps backwards. “You’re such a wuss. What do you have, anything?”

  “Not really. Two people. A couple who witnessed the scene together said that the boy just walked up and immersed himself in the crowd.”

  “I take it no one saw him wearing a vest then?”

  “Nope. The guy said he thought the kid had on one of those padded jackets.”

  “Okay, I think we should leave uniform to take down the rest of the statements and head back to base.”

  “That’s unusual for you. May I ask why the urgency to get back?”

  Lorne shrugged. “I need to organise a press conference, if only to force the Unicorn’s hand.”

  Pete tutted. “I’ve warned you about that. If you’re not prepared to listen to me then shame on you.” He stomped away and headed back to the car.

  No matter what he said, Lorne was the type of copper who relied on gut instinct most of the time and, right now, her gut was screaming that her nemesis was toying with her again, as he had done so many times over the blasted years.

  She caught up with him and zapped her key fob to open the doors. Once inside, the air was significantly frosty between them. She started the engine and pulled away. “Look, Pete, the last thing I want to do is fall out with you about this. When are you going to learn to trust my instincts?”

  “When the thirty-second of December comes around. They didn’t teach me to follow my gut when I was at Hendon. How many more times do I have to explain that?” he snapped.

  “Whoa! Now wait just a minute, buster, you’re forgetting one thing. I’m your superior officer…”

  “No, I think you’re the one intent on forgetting that. Stop dealing in fantasies and start talking sense. We should be sticking to the facts—cold hard facts at that. A kid wearing a bloody vest walked into a crowd of people, fact.”

  “Another fact you seem to have pushed aside is that just before the kid walked up to those people, he was seen talking to a man who then drove off.”

  “Coincidence. Why is it that every major incident that happens at a bloody scene has to have been played out by you know who?”

  Lorne drew the car to a halt and threw her arms up in the air. “There’s no speaking to you when you’re in this type of mood.”

  A car blasted its horn behind her. She gave the driver the finger and pulled off. Her cheeks were on fire, and there was a raging current of molten liquid shooting through her veins.

  “You need to calm down. Let’s face it, you’re not the safest of drivers on the road.”

  The tyres squealed as she slammed on the brakes. She reached across him and threw open the passenger door. “Get out. You can walk back to the station.”

  Pete glared at her and then hitched up a shoulder. “I’m probably better off. At least I’ll reach there in one piece.”

  After he’d extracted his heavy frame from the car, he slammed the door shut with enough force to ensure the whole vehicle shook.

  Lorne selected first gear and put her foot down, not even tempted to look back in her rear-view mirror at her partner. He’d wound her up today, that much was clear.

  The ten-minute drive to the station zoomed by, her head full of conflicting scenarios. At one point she even had doubts whether her first instinct was right. She stormed through the reception area and raised a hand to Bert, the desk sergeant, instead of offering one of her broad smiles, the way she always did when she entered the station, no matter what mood she was usually in.

  The team stared at her as she barged through the incident room door, alone.

  She glanced around to see their puzzled expressions. “Don’t ask. We’ve fallen out. I told him to walk back. I’ve got work to do in my office. Crane, Fox, anything on that CCTV footage yet?”

  “It’s a bit too soon for that, ma’am, we’ve only just located the files,” Crane replied in her usual stiff tone.

  Lorne wasn’t in the mood for any more crap today. Instead, she went via the vending machine and took up residence behind her desk. She let out an exasperated breath. Why does life have to be so hard? I have to deal with shit at home from Tom, and now from Pete, too. She couldn’t help wondering if Tom hadn’t confided in Pete about their domestic difficulties. They were fellow Gooners and best mates, after all. The more she thought about it, the more she thought she’d uncovered the problem. Well, screw them! Screw the pair of them. I have bigger fish to fry at present.

  2

  A full two hours later, Lorne received the shout from DS Fox to join him and Crane. She left her office, and her gaze was immediately drawn to Pete, sitting at his desk, purposefully avoiding any form of eye contact with her.

  “What have you got?” She perched on the edge of the table next to DS Fox’s.

  “We’ve looked at this from several different angles. You can see the boy coming out of the shadows here. I’ve studied the pavement behind him, and yes, there, you can see the silhouette of what appears to be a man. That’s the best I can do for you, boss.”

  She slammed a fist into her thigh. It wasn’t enough to satisfy her doubters, not by a long shot. She had one more throw of the dice to cling on to. “Okay, what about the plate, anything on that?”

  Crane shrugged. “We’re still running that. It could take a while.”

  “Keep trying. Nice to see you back, Pete.”

  He grunted and sipped his coffee.

  “If you’d care to join me in my office.”

  He grunted again but did as requested and followed her back into her room.

  “Are you still in a mood with me?” she asked, dropping into her seat and motioning for him to sit opposite her.

  “Nope. Are you?”

  “Yes,” she replied, truthfully.

  He halted, hovering over the chair. “There’s no point in me hanging around then, is there? Give me a shout when you think you’ll be able to talk to me without tearing me off a strip, because, no matter how you look at things, I ain’t done nothing wrong.”

  “Anything, not nothing,” she corrected with a grin.

  He flung a hand up in the air. “Is this what it’s come to, you correcting my diction now?”

  “No, what I’m trying to do is make amends. I hate us falling out, you know that, Pete. Can we call a truce?”

  He lowered himself into his chair. She opened her desk drawer and removed a Chunky KitKat which she launched across the desk at him.

  “You think you can bribe your way out of this?” His gaze dropped to his favourite snack and back up at her.

  “If I have to.”

  He tore open the wrapper and bit off at least a third of the chocolate bar. “Well, you can’t,” he mumbled through chocolate-covered teeth.

  “Okay. Right, I wanted to let you know that I’ve called a press conference for this afternoon. I’ve heard from the Anti-Terrorist Squad. I’ve asked if we can work alongside them on this case.”

  “They think this is a terrorist attack because of the suicide vest involved, right?”

  “Yep, we’re all scrabbling around, unsure how to proceed as we’ve never come across anything like this before. You know that as well as I do.”

  “Yeah, it’s sickening. Why use a frigging kid?”

  Lorne inhaled a large breath, picked up her pen and placed it against her cheek. “Who knows? There’s no comeback on the boy’s ethnicity yet, which might give us some form of clue in the end. As it stands, we’re no further forward, hence me calling the press conference. You know how much I detest holding them. I’d rather sit on an electric fence to get my kicks.”

  “Needs must and all that,” he said, placing the last bite in his mouth.