‘We need to trap him,’ said Dave.
‘Exactly,’ said Shirley. ‘How though?’
Dave looked out of the car window. He had to turn his face away from Shirley.
‘Shirley is next,’ said the voice of Richie.
‘I’ll stop you,’ said Dave in his head.
‘Like you stopped me killing your neighbour? You can’t stop me. I’m Richie Henders. I rule London and I rule your head.’
‘I will defeat you,’ said Dave.
‘It’s your fault,’ said Stephen. ‘Why did you go to the station? Why didn’t you stay at home like I said? It’ll be Mum next.’
Dave felt like it was his fault. He tried to brush the voices away but they continued.
‘I’m to blame,’ he said aloud.
Shirley looked over at him.
‘We’ve been through this,’ she said. ‘Why is it troubling you so much?’
Richie was shouting in his ear. It was hard to hear Shirley. He couldn’t hear the radio. He needed to get rid of these voices. He knew they couldn’t be real.
‘Not real?’ said Richie. ‘I’m real. I can read your thoughts.’
Dave hoped it wasn’t true. It couldn’t be. Stephen was dead and Richie was, well, he didn’t know where Richie was.
He thought about what Stephen said. His mother.
‘Shirley, I think I could be the bait,’ he said.
‘It’s too dangerous,’ she said.
‘Firearms Team,’ he whispered.
‘What? Have the Firearms Team at your hotel? There will be other guests.’
‘We could clear the place,’ he said.
It felt strange to talk out loud. He had a feeling Richie could hear him. He dismissed it. He was mad that was all. Richie couldn’t hear him.
‘And anyway, Richie doesn’t want to kill you. All he’ll do is bring you another body. We don’t want that,’ said Shirley.
Dave had his mother’s face in his mind.
‘Sorry Stephen,’ he said. ‘If Mum dies, please look after her for me.’
Aloud he said to Shirley, ‘I think I can use my mother as bait.’
‘Your mother?’ she said.
‘Yes. We could stay together at the hotel. He’ll come after her and I’ll shoot his head off.’
‘Are you mad?’ she said.
‘Yes,’ he said. ‘But that’s not the point. With the SWAT team there, we could easily lure him in and kill him.’
‘You’re very sure to kill him. What about arresting him?’ said Shirley.
‘Are you doing your procedure thing again? I need to kill this man,’ said Dave.
‘Well be careful. Don’t lose your job over it,’ said Shirley.
Shirley called the Chief and told him what they wanted to do.
‘He agreed straight away,’ she said.
‘Really? Even with the general public at the hotel?’ said Dave.
‘He seems to have a plan for that,’ said Shirley. ‘He said he’d get a car to drive your mum to the hotel.’
‘I’d better ring her,’ said Dave.
‘It’s too dangerous,’ said Stephen’s voice.
‘I’ll kill her,’ said Richie’s voice.
Dave rang his mother’s mobile.
‘Hi, Mum? It’s Dave,’ he said. ‘Are you up for a challenge?’
‘What challenge? The policeman here said I’m going to be moved.’
‘I wanted to tell you first. This is really difficult but we think we can use you to bring Richie to us,’ said Dave.
‘Who is Richie?’
‘The killer.’
‘Oh no, I’m not going. You can’t put my life on the line. What about your sister? I’ve got grandkids you know.’
‘Mum, all the victims have grandkids and there will be more victims if we don’t stop him. You’ll be very safe with me. I’m armed. We’ll stay at a hotel together and there will be armed police all around us.’
‘I’m not sure,’ said Mrs McDonald.
‘It’s our only chance,’ said Dave.
‘Well alright then. If I die though, I want you to make up with your sister.’
‘It won’t come to that,’ said Dave. ‘You’ll be very safe.’
Shirley drove into the hotel car park.
‘I’ve got something to tell you,’ she said.
‘What?’ said Dave.
I reported him. The Chief. I reported him to the Police Commission,’ said Shirley.
‘No way. Did you do it anonymously?’
‘No. I said I’d give evidence in court. They said they’d look into it.’
They got out of the car. Dave looked around him. There were tall pot plants and the wallpaper looked expensive, especially with the high ceilings.
‘Bit plush,’ he said.
‘Only the best, the Chief said,’ said Shirley. ‘Should be fun staying in here with your mother. She’ll be very impressed.’
Dave went to the foyer. The receptionist looked him up and down.
‘Can I help you?’ she said.
‘Police. We have a room booked,’ said Dave.
Shirley showed her badge.
The receptionist’s expression changed to a smile.
‘Under the name of Mr McDonald?’
‘That’s me,’ said Dave.
‘You have a suite booked on the top floor. There will be someone joining you, is that right?’
‘My mother,’ said Dave.
She handed over the key and pointed to the lift. Dave and Shirley walked over and pressed the button. Shirley giggled.
‘A suite is booked under the name of McDonald,’ she said in a plummy voice.
‘Indeed it is,’ said Dave.
‘I will be joined by my mother therefore madam I will not be requiring your prostitute service. I’m sure your service is very professional, however on this occasion I will not partake.’
‘How long did they say until my mother arrives?’ said Dave, winking.
The lift arrived and a man in uniform came out. Dave kept his key in his hand, worried the hotel staff would think he was a tramp. They got in the lift and went up.
When they opened the door to the suite, Dave was amazed. He walked through the place, sitting room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms.
‘How are they affording this?’ said Dave.
‘Taxpayers’ money,’ said Shirley. ‘I guess this is where the Chief hangs out every weekend.’
‘Well, I think I could stay here a while. Let’s forget the trap and stay here for the rest of our lives.’
Shirley lay down on a chaise longue and he wished she was staying. Dave made a cup of tea from the kettle and put the telly on. Dave sat on the sofa and closed his eyes. He wanted to sleep but the voices were talking to him. He tried to ignore them but they were strong. His eyes flickered and Shirley looked concerned. He had to keep up the pretence that everything was fine. It was taking a lot of energy.
The phone rang to say his mother had arrived and they were sending her up. Shirley said she’d better get back to the station.
‘You have had no rest,’ said Dave.
‘I know. I hope we catch him soon. I’ll need a long holiday after this one,’ she said.
‘Me too,’ said Dave.
He thought it might be a long holiday in a mental hospital if he wasn’t careful. He was glad Shirley was going in the end. He needed to talk about his voices and he couldn’t do it in front of her.
His mother was shown into the room.
‘Wow,’ she said.
‘I know,’ said Dave. ‘Only the best.’
He made her a tea and they were left alone.
‘Is Stephen still with you?’ she asked.
‘Why do you ask that?’ he said.
‘I just thought you seemed distracted.’
‘Mum, I’ve not only got Stephen in my head, but the killer, Richie Henders, he’s in my head too. It’s getting worse.’
‘What does the killer say?’
‘He tells me where he is and what his plans are. I knew he was in my house. I knew it.’
‘It could be a coincidence,’ said his mother.
Dave took a deep breath.
‘I’ve done mental health training,’ he said. ‘I know I’m mad. But the voices just won’t stop. I didn’t mind when it was just Stephen. It was nice to talk to him.’
‘Oh love,’ said his mother. ‘That blow to your head, it must have affected you. You need to get it seen to. Maybe there’s something they can do.’
‘I can’t. If I let the police force know they won’t keep me on. They will say I’m mentally unstable. They’ll say I’m not able to do the job.’
‘Try not to worry. Your brain has always been good. It will sort itself out.’
‘They can’t be real. I can’t be communicating with Stephen and Richie. But it seems so real. I keep telling myself it isn’t real but when they speak, it is so much like their real voices, I don’t know if I could imagine it.’
‘It could be that it’ll go when the killer is caught. It could be stress related. You have had quite a hard time.’
‘I hope so,’ he said.
‘Is there anything I can do?’ said his mother.
Dave’s head still hurt. He rested his hand over it. He didn’t want to slow himself down with painkillers. He needed to be on the ball. He needed all his senses. Now he had this new sense. The voices.
Dave’s phone rang and he saw it was Shirley.
‘We need to advertise that your mother is there,’ she said. ‘Chief says can you take her shopping or something? Just a short walk and back. Just so he knows she’s there. We’ll tail you.’
‘OK,’ he said.
‘Can I take you shopping?’ he said.
‘Now I do know you’ve gone mad,’ said his mother.
‘Do you need anything?’
‘Will you leave me here?’
‘No, we’ll go together. We can walk to the shops. I’ll buy you anything you want. Then we’ll walk back.’
‘If we don’t get murdered on the way.’
‘We won’t – the police are tailing us. We’ll be the safest we’ve ever been.’
She smiled and agreed. Dave laughed to himself. Time to make up for forgetting her birthday for the last forty years.
They set off. Dave recognised police officers in plain clothes. He pretended he didn’t see them. They were in the hallway, in the lift, in the foyer, and then on the street. His mother’s face was pale. He whispered to her.
‘I’ve seen eight police officers so far. We’re safe.’
His mother looked around her. He wondered if she could pick them out. Most likely as they weren’t as well dressed as everyone else round here.
Richie in his head kept talking to him and Dave tried to ignore him.
‘You think I’d walk into a trap like that? I’m going for Shirley. I’m going to kill the love of your life.’
‘She’s not the love of my life,’ he murmured back.
He heard laughter. Richie’s laughter. He sighed in annoyance. He kept walking into Richie’s traps. He needed to concentrate. He looked around him at the police tailing him. He eyed the men walking down the street. He couldn’t see Richie.
‘This shop?’ said his mother looking in the window.
‘Sure,’ he said.
His mother looked longingly at a handbag.
‘It’s a bit expensive,’ she said.
He looked around him. There was Shirley outside the shop. She was coming in.
‘Maybe I’ll go for something over here,’ said his mother. ‘The cheaper range.’
Dave watched Shirley come up. He raised his eyebrows. She gave him a nod.
‘Should I go for one of these?’ said his mother. She held out a handbag and looked over at the one in the window.
Shirley nudged him.
‘That one,’ she said quietly.
He looked around him.
‘The one in the window,’ said Shirley.
‘Mum I’ll get you the one in the window,’ he said.
‘No!’ said his mother. ‘It’s very expensive.’
‘We’ll get it on expenses. You need a good handbag to go with the hotel suite,’ he said.
He went to the till and realised he had no cards on him. Shirley passed him a card.
‘Yours?’ he said.
‘Chief gave it to me,’ she said shrugging.
He looked at the name on the card.
‘How much money does Chief earn anyway?’ he said.
‘Enough to get us all a handbag I’d imagine,’ she said.
‘Which one do you want?’
‘Can you really see me with a handbag?’
Dave had never thought about what Shirley wore when she was off duty. She had such a great figure. She’d look great in a dress instead of those trouser suits.
They walked together back to the hotel. Dave thought his mother had never looked so happy. He must buy her presents more often.
‘Beware,’ said Stephen.
Dave ignored it.
‘I’m coming,’ said the voice of Richie.
I’ve been on foot all day. I’m seriously shitting unimpressed. I let myself get too close to the policeman. I was nearly caught. I need to lie low for a bit. It’s hard because I know the old people know I know. That means they are tailing me. That means I could very soon be pulled up by the government and made to commit suicide, like Mum. I want to kill them all. I want to kill every pissing one of them and I’m walking down streets and streets and I’m seeing loads of them. All these shitting old biddies who killed Mum are everywhere. They need to go. They need to die. And I’m holding myself back. I’ve got to. If I get done by the police now, what have I achieved? I need to kill more but I need to make sure I am safe to do it. It’s really fucking hard. I can feel my blood wants to kill and kill. I want to do it for Mum. I’ve got to hold back. If I can get rid of the policeman on my back I’ll be free to kill more. First I need a hideout.
I walk round looking for empty buildings. It’s hard because most are security protected. I can’t be setting off alarms. I need a storm where I can hide the noise but it’s just lightly raining. I also need office space or somewhere no one is around at night. I walk to the Elephant. I can find a hidey hole here.
I find an empty building. It’s big. I check all round the outside. Metal shutters are fixed on the windows and doors but there’s no sign of security. The neighbours are office blocks. The workers will all be home for the night. I take my crowbar out of my bag. I heave at the window shutter. They’ve done a good job but I’ve done this before. I keep going. Then I break it. I pull off the metal and smash the window. I throw my bag in. I climb through the window, careful of glass. There’s a funny feeling in here. I sit and listen. There are sounds like wind whistling. I don’t think there’s anybody here but there’s a presence like its haunted. I take out my torch and set off round the building. I can hear my heart. I’ve never felt scared in an empty place before. This is spooky.
The place has tables and chairs scattered around. It looks like it used to be offices. There’s little kitchens here and there. I think something happened here. I think my Mum knew this place. It might be where they took her, where they made her mad.
I find a stone. It’s as big as a head. I can feel my mother’s presence. I think she’s in the stone. I pick it up. I cradle her in my arms. This is my Mum. This is the woman I remember so well who was so kind. They made her die. I will get them for that. I will kill every old person who was involved. I want to go out, to do it now. I must make it OK.
I sit down at one of the tables to make a plan. First I need to kill my policeman. I should have done it straight away. I’m an idiot to think that he wasn’t involved. Of course the police know about the government plan. They probably sit down with the old people and plan who to suicide next. I reckon the best place to find the policeman is at the station. That’s a dangerous thing to do. I’ll have to disguise myself. My beard is starting to grow but I need more. I need new clothes. I’ll sleep if I can and go to the police station in the morning.
This place is spooky. I know it’s good my Mum is here and I keep her stone close to me. There’s another presence here. There’s something not right. I can’t stay here. I arrange the tables ready for the policeman to die on. I climb out of the window and put the shutter back on so it looks like no one is staying. I head into the night to wander about and think.
It’s starting to get light. I’d better get to the police station. I think I’ll need a car. I go down a residential street and wait for people to go to work.
A man in a suit comes out and walks up to his car. I hit him with the stone. He falls down. I take his keys and drive off pretty sharpish. I go round the streets to the station. It’s nice to be back in a car. I feel more like me.
At the station I park a bit away and go on foot. I find a good vantage point and watch. This is taking ages. He must arrive at the station soon. He must come in. Police don’t take days off. I’m waiting and waiting. This is shit.
I see the woman. That’s the woman who was with him that night. I’ve seen her at the hospital too. Yeah, that’s his big mate. She’ll lead me to him. She’ll lead me to my policeman. And while I’m at it I’ll kill her too. Yes! This is more like it. By the end of the day I’ll have two down and I can get back to the important work.
It’s ages later when she comes out. She sets off in a car. I run back to mine so I can follow.
And I’m catching her up. The traffic is so slow it is easy to see her. I let her get ahead. I zoom to catch her up. I let her get ahead. I zoom and catch her. We drive for ages.
She seems to be turning. She’s going in the hotel. Shit. The policeman’s at the hotel. Either that or she’s got a fancy man there. There’s something not quite right. She’s talking to everyone. She’s nodding at all the people in the foyer. I think they know I’m targeting the policeman. This is a trap. If I go in there, twenty thousand police will turn up. No. I need to backtrack. I need to ensure that I’m safe to continue my mission. This is getting harder. That woman has got to go.