Sam pulled the front door closed behind her and spoke quietly, “I’m worried about him. He woke me up during the night, crying out.”
“What exactly is bothering him? Do you know?”
Sam breathed in deeply before she answered, “I think it’s the kids. He needs the children to be here with him.”
“I’ve already told him that I’m trying my best, Sam. These things take time to sort out, and if he isn’t on the foster carers list, honestly, I don’t think there’s much chance of the kids being allowed to stay here.”
“I understand that, Lorne. Nonetheless, he’s cared for those kids for months now. Taking them away from him is destroying him.”
“I have to ask one question, Sam. Do you believe the children have been abused by Denis’s parents?”
Sam gasped and shook her head, her expression full of uncertainty. “I have no idea. The family are very secretive. Even Denis doesn’t talk much about his parents. Goodness, is that what you really believe?”
“It’s pure speculation for now, Sam. Have the kids ever mentioned anything when they’ve stayed here?”
“No. Denis goes out of his way to make them happy when they stay with us. He loves them to pieces, Lorne.”
“You must have visited the kids at the Platts’ home. Have you ever noticed a difference in their behaviour?” Lorne asked.
“Not really, not that I’ve visited them much there. Denis’s parents don’t take kindly to visitors. At least that’s what I’ve gathered. Of course, it might just be me they object to visiting their home.”
“Why? Have you done anything to upset them in the past?”
“Not that I know of. Denis has always reassured me that they can be funny buggers with strangers. That’s when I started to limit my visits to see them, not that Denis goes there much, either. He only really visits when he’s either picking up or dropping off the children.”
Lorne nodded. “When the kids are here, do they ever say what it’s like living at home?”
“Not really. To be honest, sometimes when they come, they can be very reserved, quiet, not wanting to laugh, as though they have the horrendous weight of the world on their shoulders. I leave Denis to chat to them for a while, and then they seem fine.”
“What about when it’s time for them to return home? What’s their reaction like then, Sam?”
“Hit and miss. I tend to leave their care to Denis most of the times. He has a special way with kids, any kids. He seems to be like a magnet to most of them. Even strangers’ kids are drawn to him in the street.”
“That’s unusual, and you’ve never thought how strange that is?”
Sam frowned. “No, the thought has never crossed my mind. Why should it? What are you getting at, Lorne?”
“Nothing really. Nothing derogatory anyway. Sorry if it came across that way. Can we see him now? Just one thing before we go up—has Denis told you what happened last night?”
“No! What?”
“His father has escaped. The van he was being transported to the remand centre in crashed, and he got away. We think he had help. Any idea who would want to risk their necks doing such a thing, Sam?”
She shook her head. “No, should I? Hang on. Are you saying that Denis helped his dad? There’s no way on earth he would ever contemplate doing that.”
“Where was Denis last night?”
“Here with me,
all
night, Inspector. He never left the flat, not for a second.”
“Good, and you’d be willing to give us a statement to that effect should we need one?”
“Of course.”
Denis’s forearms were resting on his thighs, and his hands were clenched together, trembling, when Lorne and Sam walked into the lounge.
“Hello, Denis. No, stay there,” Lorne said as Denis attempted to stand. She crossed the room and sat on the sofa next to him. “Are you all right?”
He shook his head. His gaze remained fixed on the rug in front of the gas fire. “Would you be? Knowing that your father, a man on remand for several murders, is on the loose, and likely to show up at your door any minute?”
“I’m sorry. It was a dumb question, Denis. Forgive me.” Lorne continued, “Is that all that is bothering you? Not meaning to sound flippant, or is there something else you’re not telling us about?”
Denis’s gaze located Sam.
She nodded and smiled at him. “Trust her, Denis. Lorne is on your side, sweetheart.”
Denis turned to look at Lorne, his eyes glassy with threatening tears. “It’s difficult to talk about this after I’ve buried it so deep for many years.”
“Try. We’re not going to judge you. I promise.” Lorne looked at Sean and Sam, who both nodded at her. Lorne placed a comforting hand lightly on Denis’s clenched hands, trying to calm the trembling, which appeared to have increased.
“Images keep jumping into my head. Vile, disturbing images that I need to figure out, put into some kind of order.”
“From your childhood, Denis? Is that what you’re referring to?”
He nodded slowly. “Yes.” Then Denis looked up at Sam. “I’m sorry, darling.”
Sam rushed across the room and knelt in front of him. “For what? Denis, you’re the most compassionate human being I’ve ever come across. You have
nothing
to be sorry about. If you can tell us what you know, I’ll support you from this day forward without any recriminations. I love you for the person you are now, not for what you have been in the past. Do you hear me, Denis?” Sam kissed the tip of his nose.
Even Lorne had to swipe her hand across her eyes at the outpouring of love she was witnessing between the couple. She remained silent, as they all did, until Denis was ready to open up to them.
Denis sniffed and shook his head. His gaze glued to the rug once more, he seemed to contemplate what to say next. They waited and waited until finally, he broke the silence, not even trying to stem the flow of tears that accompanied his speech. “They abused me. They abused all of us at one time or another.”
Lorne’s hand tightened around his, and a large lump lodged itself in her neck. “Both of them, Denis? Your mother and your father, they both abused you?”
His head bounced up and down constantly. His breath came in short, sharp gasps at the same time. “Yes, and others.”
“Other children, is that what you mean? Or other adults, Denis?” Lorne probed gently.
“All the children.” He paused, sucked in a shuddering breath, then continued, “And every adult that entered the home abused us, too.”
Lorne’s heart rate increased. She glanced at Sean and Sam. Each of them had either tears rolling down their face or moist eyes. Only a person without compassion wouldn’t have been affected by his words. “Did you ever seek help, Denis?”
He shook his head. “Some of the teachers and social workers were in on it.”
“What? Are you telling me that the very people entrusted to care for you, abused you also?”
“Yes.”
“I’m so sorry. No child should ever be subjected to what you’ve had to deal with, no child.” The image of Charlie being raped by the Unicorn flashed through Lorne’s mind. She shook her head to dislodge the vile image and concentrated all her energy on learning the truth about what had taken place in this man’s parents’ house of horrors.
“In the cellar, we found a skeleton. Any idea who that could belong to, Denis?”
He turned to look at Lorne. “No. Was it a child’s skeleton?”
“I have no idea right now. The forensic team are at the house, conducting their examination of the scene. Do you have any indication what your parents intended doing in the cellar? Why they’ve been renovating the area?”
“No, no idea. Growing up, we were forbidden to go down there. One of the boys went down there once, and he was whipped daily for a whole week, spent the week in his room without food. Only one glass of water passed his lips a day.” He gripped either side of his head and began rocking back and forth on the edge of the sofa. “I can still hear his screams. Why? Why did they do that to an innocent boy? Why were they allowed to treat us the way they did, are doing?”
“Are you saying this type of abuse has been going on with the kids in their care today, Denis?”
“Yes. They come here for a respite from the abuse. I know what they’re going through and wanted to show them that true love really exists, what
love
is really like. Both Sam and I are guilty of spoiling them when they are here.”
“Why? Sorry, I mean, why do your parents allow the kids to visit here? Were you allowed to leave the house when you were being abused?”
“No. I can’t tell you the reason why. Maybe it’s because my parents are older now. I’m grasping at straws with that, not knowing what else to say. They have never given me a reason, just told me to take them for a few days.”
“Have they only asked you to look after the children recently, Denis, while the work has been going on at the house or what?”
“The past few months, I suppose. Since they’ve had Emily, Colette, and Dwain. I’m not sure how long the work has been in progress, though.”
“It does seem strange, doesn’t it?” Lorne glanced up at Sean.
He nodded and prodded his head.
“What is it, boss?”
“Maybe it coincides with the times when they killed the tradesmen. Perhaps they didn’t want the kids around to see the murders.”
“That seems plausible.” She turned her attention back to Denis again. “I need to know if your parents could have an accomplice? Someone helped your father to break free last night. We need to find out who that person is, Denis.”
“My father had a half-brother who used to… visit the house years ago. I haven’t seen or heard from him since I left home. I refused to have any contact with the bastard. He was one of the worst…”
“I’m sorry to push you on this, but any idea where he lives? Could your father be hiding out at his house?”
Denis shrugged. “I have no idea. He moves around a lot, from what I can recall. She’ll know. You need to ask the woman who raised me.”
“Your mum?” Lorne could totally understand him not wanting to call her such a privileged name, after all the mistreatment she had bestowed upon him over the years. The images he had been forced to return to had obviously pulled the hatred out from its hiding place.
“Yes. Don’t let her get away with this, I beg of you. She was as much party to what she dished out in the form of punishment as he was. They were a team, a dangerous and perverse team.”
“You have my assurance that they’ll both get what is coming to them. Can you tell me this man’s name, Denis?”
“He used to go under the name of Jim Porter. Once I heard my father call him by another surname. I think it was Collins.”
“That’s great, very helpful. And he lived in the London area? It would help us to track him down if we knew that.”
“I think so. I repeat, he used to move around a lot.”
“Don’t worry. If he’s out there, my team will find him. Look, you have my number. If you ever need to chat, just call me, no matter what time of day that might be. Promise me that? Sam is here for you, too. She loves you. Don’t push her away. I’ve heard heinous crimes like this often have a better outcome, if the person dealing with the pain opens up to others. If you like, I can arrange some form of counselling to help you through this. I take it fear prevented you from contacting the police?”
“Yes. That and the kids said that my parents had threatened to kill them if they ever opened their mouths.” He squeezed the bridge of his nose then continued, “Thank you. I appreciate your offer. Let’s get my father picked up first, and then I’ll decide what to do about this.” He prodded his temple. “At the moment, the thought of that man being on the loose is far more disturbing than what has taken place in my past.”
Lorne patted his hand. “We’ll get him. On that, you have my word.”
Sean stepped forward and rested a hand on Denis’s shoulder. “And mine. We’ll try to ease your pain, Denis. It won’t be easy, but we’ll do our best for you.”
“Thank you. From me and on behalf of the other children they’ve hurt, too.”
Sam saw them to the door because when Denis tried to stand up, his legs gave way beneath him, and he broke down and cried.
“Thanks, Sam. He’s going to need you more now than ever before. Are you sure you’re up to the challenge?”
“I’m sure. I love him, even more now. Promise me you’ll string those bastards up?”
Lorne nodded. “I wish it were that simple to hang them, but the maximum they will get is life in a six-by-six cell. Go, we’ll see ourselves out. Go and take care of Denis. Ring me if he remembers anything significant, like where his father might hide, or anything else for that matter. I’m here for both of you, okay?”
“Thank you.”
Lorne shut the door to the flat behind them, then she and Sean walked to the car. Inside the car, she asked Sean to excuse her for a second or two as she broke down in tears herself. Sean put the car into gear and headed back to the station. Now and again, he rested a concerned hand on Lorne’s thigh.
She blew her nose and smiled at him. “All better now, sorry. I had to get it out of my system. I’m going to make sure we capture that bastard soon. All I ask is that you allow me to spend five minutes alone with him.”
“What good will that do, Lorne? If you attack him, it’ll only go against you in court, jeopardise the case.”
“It’ll make me feel better at least. Okay, have it your way. But if the shit tries to resist arrest, I’ll handle him, yes?”
“You have my word on that, Inspector.”
Chapter Sixteen
The instant they pulled into the station car park, Lorne’s mobile rang. “Hello?”
“Lorne, it’s Patti. I think you need to get over here pronto.”
“Where? At the Platts’ house?”
“Yes, we’re still here, and by the looks of things, we’re going to be here for a long time to come yet.”
“That sounds ominous. We’re on our way. See you in fifteen minutes.”
Lorne hung up and smiled tautly at Sean. “No rest for the wicked, eh?”
“Sounded serious. What’s up?” Sean asked, turning the key in the ignition and setting off again.
“She didn’t say. I suspect you’re right, though.”
Several forensic technicians were in the kitchen when Lorne and Sean arrived at the house. Each of them was holding a cup of coffee bought from a nearby Costa coffee shop.
Patti sighed wearily. “We’re just taking five minutes before we start again.”
“You don’t have to justify your actions to us, Patti. You know that. Dare I ask what you’ve found?” Lorne replied, leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen.
“Bodies. Lots of them.”
“What? How many are we talking about?”
Patti shrugged. “It’s too early to tell. At the last count, we had five. Who’s to say how many more are down there? For all we know, they could be buried on top of each other. Our equipment would only pick up the first body.”
Patti led the way down into the cellar, with Lorne and Sean close behind her. She pointed to an area near the back of the cellar, where the forensic team’s equipment was set up and several numbered markers dotted the floor. “Don’t go any closer, not without a suit on.”
“Holy shit. Have you only detected the bodies, or have you actually dug any up yet? Sorry, I’m trying to ascertain what condition the corpses are in and how long they’ve been down there.”
“I think it’s safe to assume the bodies will be all skeletal remains, judging by what we found in the cupboard.”
“Why? Why place that one body in the cupboard yet bury all the others?” Sean asked over Lorne’s shoulder.
“Good question, and one that will need hours of examinations to obtain the answers, Chief,” Patti replied, shaking her head at the daunting prospect that lay ahead of her.
“Christ, it’s even more imperative to track the bastard down now.”
“Wait! What do you mean, Lorne?” Patti asked.
Lorne shrugged. “The fucker has escaped.”
“Shit! When?” Patti asked, shaking her head.
“Don’t concern yourself with that. We have loads of teams on the lookout for the bastard. We should get back to the station. Is there anything else you can tell us, Patti, before we shoot off?”
“Nope, I just wanted you to know what we’d found. I suspect we’ll find a lot more once we rip this place apart. There’s no way we can leave this with just digging up the cellar. Who knows what we’ll find behind all the walls? I worked a case a few years back, where a man and his wife set up a brothel in their home and killed all the customers. You should have seen how many bodies were squeezed under the floorboards and in the walls of that place! And that was a one-bedroomed flat.”
Lorne sighed heavily. “This is going to take an eternity to go over. Can you call in more teams?”
“Like you, we’re under restrictions, but I’m sure they’ll make an exception here. I’ll make the call anyway and see. You two go. There’s little you can do here. Good luck in your hunt for him. I’ll check in with you in a day or two, let you know how things are progressing.”
“Thanks, Patti.”
Lorne and Sean left the house and jumped back in the car.
“That’s going to be so time-consuming, more like an archaeological dig than a crime scene,” Sean suggested, fisting the steering wheel.
“I’d say you were spot on with that assumption. Jesus, Sean, how the fuck are we going to track this bastard down? We have to pull out all the stops on this one, don’t we?”
“It certainly looks that way.”
Their second attempt to park up and enter the station was a successful one. At the top of the stairs, Lorne and Sean temporarily parted ways. “Listen up, people,” she called out as she pushed through the swing doors to the incident room. “We’ve just come back from the Platts’ house. The forensic team have discovered multiple bodies buried in the cellar. We’re not sure how many as yet. Suffice it to say, we need to put everything into finding this monster Platt.”
The team murmured their distaste at what Lorne had shared.
“The chief has gone to have a word with the superintendent to see if he can get us more men on this case. After all, we’ve got a serial killer with a high body count on the loose. Stephen, did you manage to see the driver at the hospital?”
“Yes, ma’am. They roughed him up pretty good. Saying that, it sounds like he was lucky compared to the others who have crossed Platt’s path.”
“Indeed. Could he tell you anything about what happened?”
“In between bouts of coughing up blood, he told me the make of the car—a dark old-type Merc. Unfortunately, he didn’t get a chance to make out the registration number.”
“Okay. Well, we have a couple of names to run through the system. Maybe we can match something up. Is the driver going to recover from the attack?”
“In time. Might take a few months of bed rest, the doc said.”
Lorne’s eyes narrowed as she thought about what she wanted to do in retaliation to Platt and his associate. “AJ, get me all you can on Jim Porter or Jim Collins. According to Denis Platt, this man used to frequent the house often and is the most likely candidate to be the one Courtney Platt would turn to in times of trouble.”
“On it right away.” AJ’s fingers danced across his keyboard.
Lorne walked up to the whiteboard and noted down the man’s name, his alias, and the make of the car that had caused the driver to end up in a ditch. Then she debated whether she should ring Denis and Sam, to update them on what the team had discovered at the house, but she quickly reconsidered. Instead, she rang Ms. Murray at social services to give the woman a piece of her mind.
“Yes, Ms. Murray? It’s Acting Detective Inspector Lorne Warner here.”
“Detective, I’m extremely…”
“Busy? Yes, aren’t we all? Let’s get one thing straight from the get-go shall we, Ms. Murray? You
will
from now on take my calls seriously, or I will do my damnedest to get you fired. Am I making myself perfectly clear?”
The woman gasped. “Really, Inspector! What gives you the right to talk to me in such an aggressive tone?”
“For a start, the checks you’ve been making on the children in the Platts’ care are nothing short of laughable. You should be shot for even placing those vulnerable babies with such bloody monsters.”
“Now wait just a minute. Why on earth are you calling them monsters? What proof do you have that they’re not upstanding citizens in the community?”
“If you let me
finish,
I’ll tell you!” The rest of the team stared at Lorne. She motioned for them to get on with their work. “Actually, I’m going to send a member of my team over to interview you under caution.”
“What? Why?”
“Because, to be honest, from what I’ve heard today, I have every reason to believe you’re probably in on the scam.” Lorne bit her lip. She realised she’d gone too far, but her buttons had been pushed too many times over the last few days for her to care what the consequences to her actions might be. She had no intention of backing off.
“What the bloody hell are you talking about? I demand to speak to your superior officer. You’re mad woman.”
“Are you telling me you had no idea that the Platts are serial killers?”
“What a bloody absurd question. You’re really expecting me to answer such nonsense? I suggest you speak to my supervisor before you start flinging accusations in my direction, Detective. I’ve never heard such tripe in all my years in the service.”
“Maybe I’ve said too much already. Yes, you better put me on to your supervisor, and I’m warning you, Ms. Murray, don’t even consider leaving town until this case has been solved. I will be sending over a member of my team this afternoon to take down your statement.”
“Do what you wish, Detective. What you have told me is complete news to me. Why the devil you should think I’m involved in this ‘scam,’ as you put it, is far beyond my comprehension. At the moment, I feel sick to my stomach for you thinking such a heinous thing of me.”
Lorne cringed. Maybe her judgement of the woman had been clouded by what Denis had said about her predecessors. “Okay, you better pass me over to your supervisor then.” Lorne was not in the mood to issue an apology to the obnoxious woman just yet.
She heard the phone hit the desk, and she waited. Then someone picked up the phone, and the call was patched through to another extension.
“Hello, Inspector Warner. This is Karen Harborn. I’m the supervisor in charge today. Why are you going around accusing my staff of not fulfilling their duties properly?”
“Hello, Karen. Right, let me say this to begin with, I don’t want to start off on the wrong foot with you here, but I need to get Ms. Murray taken off duty until this case is solved.”
“I’m afraid you don’t have the authority to make such a request. Please give me your reasons?”
Lorne ran through what had happened between her and Murray over the last few days first and then hit the supervisor with the biggie. “It has come to our attention today that the Platts are serial killers. Unless you make a habit of placing foster children in these types of homes, I’m suggesting that you look further into Ms. Murray’s background before letting her continue in her role, as we have a witness who is willing to give us a statement, saying that social services knew and even assisted in the crimes.”
“That’s appalling. How on earth was Ms. Murray to know that the couple were or are serial killers? As for the second point you’ve raised, that will have to be taken up with my superiors.”
“Don’t worry, I will. I have no intention of letting this matter drop, I assure you. Regarding Ms. Murray, one visit from me, and I was able to smell a rat with the couple. How many foster homes in your region are spotless when there are three children in residence?”
“That’s a very illogical question, Inspector. I’m not entirely sure I understand what you’re getting at.”
“Maybe it’s my detective skills coming in to play in this instance then, but I was more than a little confused when I visited the Platts recently and found that there wasn’t a single toy anywhere to be seen in that house, neither downstairs in the lounge nor in the kiddies’ bedrooms. Wouldn’t that strike you as strange, Karen?”
“I suppose if you put it like that, yes. How is that Ms. Murray’s fault, though, Inspector?”
“Well, if anything comes across as being odd on her visits, shouldn’t that be noted down on the couple’s file? To me, it sounds suspiciously like a cover-up.”
“Yes, ordinarily, it is. I’ll look into it. Is there anything else?”
“Yes. I’m requesting that I have access to the Platts’ fostering records.”
“I think you’ll need some form of paperwork before I hand that kind of information over, Inspector, if we’re going to do things by the book.”
Lorne exhaled loudly. “Even though I’ve laid it on the table that we’re looking at a couple of serial killers here? I can get a warrant, but that is going to take time, Karen.”
“That’s the way it has to be, Inspector. From our point of view, there are no longer children at risk staying with the couple. Our job is done. What are you hoping to find in the files, if you don’t mind me asking?”
“Probably nothing, given what the son of the couple told us today about a cover-up, but it is imperative that I know how many children stayed at the residence over the years. I really can’t go into further detail about that side of things right now. I’d hate for something to be leaked to the press while there is an escaped convict on the run. That’ll be Mr. Platt, whom your department has apparently thought very highly of over the years.”
“Sarcasm doesn’t become you, Inspector. I’m willing to let that remark slip by, allowing for the stress you are under at the present. Get me your warrant, and I’ll send the files over for your perusal immediately. Good day, Inspector.”
The woman hung up, leaving a seething Lorne taking out her frustration on the chair beside her. “Ugh… some people get right on my tits at times.”
“Lorne, is something wrong?” Superintendent Anne White asked when she walked into the room with an embarrassed Sean standing alongside her.
“Sorry, ma’am. Damn paper-pushers standing in our way, as usual.”
Anne tilted her head. “Who? I’ll have a word. You shouldn’t be caught up in menial tasks like this. You and the chief should be out there, searching for this killer.”
“It’s all right, ma’am. I’ll get AJ to chase up the warrant I need for gaining access to the Platts’ foster files.”
The super nodded. “You think some of the bodies the pathologist has discovered could belong to some of the children in their care?”
“Yes, ma’am. It’s a total mess. I’ve heard about so many of these bloody cases lately. Children of all ages being abused by people in authority—the very people who should have their care uppermost in their minds. I never thought in a million years that I’d end up with such a case on my patch. It sickens and saddens me, bloody paedophile rings.”
Anne approached Lorne’s desk and gripped her shoulder. Lowering her voice she said, “Lorne, I completely understand what this is doing to you as a mother. What I need you to do is cast those feelings aside for a while and start thinking as a DI. Turn the disgust into anger and get out there and bring this bastard to justice. You can do it. I have every faith in you.”
“Yes, ma’am. I’m trying. I assure you. But where little kids are concerned and I hear that people have abused the system in order to terrorise innocent children… aggghhh! Okay, I’m all better now.”
Anne winked at her. “That’s my girl. Now, I’ve been on the phone to the commissioner and have arranged for the surrounding police forces to pitch in and lend us a hand. It’s imperative that we capture this man ASAP, agreed?”
“Yes, ma’am.” She craned her neck around the super and called out, “AJ? Any news on that vehicle or address yet?”