Authors: Maynard Sims
“That’s not fair, Rob. I love my girls. I’d sacrifice everything for them.”
“And David?”
“Please, Rob. Let’s not open these wounds again.”
“Annie thinks we belong together. She says it’s obvious.”
Jane shook her head. “Annie can’t give an informed opinion. She doesn’t know the half of it.” She turned to look out of the window. “We’ll give Diana another thirty minutes and then we’ll pull Annie out. Agreed?”
“Agreed.”
“You look like you’ve been in the wars,” Penny said, slipping the mobile back into the pocket of her jeans. “What happened?”
“I think one of Diana’s demons possessed a friend of mine,” Bailey said.
“And he did that to your face?”
“Yes.”
“Ouch. I bet it’s painful.”
“It looks worse than it is,” he lied.
“Is there no stopping her?”
“Oh, we’ll find a way, I’m sure.”
Penny smiled. “I’m sure you will,” she said and turned her attention back to the road. “Pett’s farm is just up here on the left.”
Bailey flicked the turn signal and started to slow. “Then I’ll let you out here,” he said.
Penny shook her head. “I don’t think so, Harry. You’re going to take me to the farm.”
“But we agreed…” He turned to look at her.
She was staring back at him, wry amusement playing on a face that shifted and blurred.
“You,” he said as the realization hit him.
“I’m afraid so. It’s amazing when people can’t see what’s right under their nose. Now, carry on driving to the farm.”
Bailey pressed down on the brake.
“You know I could make you,” she said.
“Go on then.”
Penny sighed wearily and blinked her eyes.
Bailey gasped as pain spread across his already damaged face. It felt as if someone was holding a red-hot poker against his cheek. As his hand flew off the steering wheel to try to stem the pain, the car swerved across the road. Penny calmly reached out and took the wheel and steered them back onto the left-hand side.
The pain in Baileys face stopped as abruptly as it had started. He knocked her hand to one side and took control of the car.
“As I said, up here on the left.”
Bailey glared at her but followed her instructions.
“Pull over here,” Penny said, pointing to an area just to the side of the barn. Bailey pulled over and stopped the car.
Penny took a deep breath and, as Harry Bailey looked on, transformed herself.
The years fell away, the hair grew, becoming blonder, longer, curlier—even the eyes changed color. It was the most amazing thing Bailey had ever seen.
“Incredible,” he said softly, awed despite himself.
“I think that’s the last we’ll see of Penny Chapman,” Diana said. “I must say I’ll be glad to see the back of her. A really irritating woman. Get out of the car.”
Bailey did as he was told. He had no wish to repeat the agony he’d just suffered.
Diana walked to the barn and pulled open one of the doors.
“I take it you used a masking charm when Rob and Annie came here yesterday,” he said.
“Very good. You know your stuff, Harry. I see I shall have to keep an eye on you. Yes, it was a masking charm. Very easy, but very effective. They came, searched the house and failed to see a thing. All they saw was a deserted house complete with dirt, dust and rats.”
“I can’t help thinking about what you could achieve if you used your powers for good.”
“Oh, spare me the sanctimonious crap. Wiser, more pious men than you have tried to steer me onto the path of righteousness, and I’ll tell you what I told them. I have my own agenda. What I intend to do has nothing to do with morality, good, evil or any of those abstract notions. This is simply about right and wrong.”
“So you think what you’re doing is right?”
“A means to an end. I do know that what Jacob Barker did was wrong. He slaughtered my family, and I will not rest until every trace of his bloodline has been eradicated.”
“So it’s all about revenge.”
“Of course.”
Bailey shook his head. “I don’t believe you,” he said. “You may have started off with a clear motive, and I agree, from what I’ve read of him, Jacob Barker was a monster. But are you trying to tell me that avenging the death of your family is what’s really driving you? What about all of the innocent people you’ve killed along the way? Ollie Tucker, Sophie Gillespie, Susan Grant and the rest. Why did they have to die?”
“As I said. A means to an end. I either needed them or they were in my way. They had to die. Now, get in the barn.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then, with a simple blink of my eye, I’ll snap your neck like a twig.”
Bailey shrugged and entered the barn. He didn’t have any doubts. Diana was telling the truth.
Chapter Forty-Four
“Do you mind if I sit here?”
Annie looked up from her coffee. The speaker was a plump woman in her forties, hair set in a style that aged her well beyond her years. She was dressed in a nondescript tweed coat, a string of fake pearls at her throat, a handbag held casually.
“I’m sorry,” Annie said, “I’m expecting someone.”
“Oh, Penny won’t be coming,” the plump woman said, settling her ample behind into the seat.
Annie stared at her, confused. “You know Penny?” The realization hit her and she jolted in her seat. “Oh shit! Diana?” She reached for her phone.
The plump woman shook her head. “I wouldn’t. I really wouldn’t.”
“What do you want?”
“Well, apart from a skinny latte decaff and a piece of that delicious-looking lemon drizzle cake they have at the counter, not very much really. A little chat perhaps.”
“All right. A chat,” Annie said, willing Carter and Jane to look over and realize something was wrong and to come and get her out of here now.
“Don’t look so worried, Annie. I won’t hurt you. Not here anyway. I guessed the text was a ruse to lure me here. It was a ruse, wasn’t it? Robert Carter hasn’t really found a way to stop me, has he?”
“A ruse?” Annie said, looking about her frantically.
“They’re across the street if you’re looking for them. In the burger bar, but don’t worry, they haven’t noticed me yet. I’ll be long gone before they get over here.”
“You killed Penny, didn’t you?”
Diana smiled. The plump woman’s face transformed into a mask of dimples. “Ah, Mexico. It seems like a lifetime ago. Yes, I killed her.”
“So you could steal her identity?”
“Again, yes.”
“But why?”
“I needed to come back to England. To Ravensbridge. I had work to do. I couldn’t believe my luck when I bumped into Penny in that seedy bar in Puebla. It was too good an opportunity to pass up.” Diana smiled at the recollection. “So what next?” she said.
“What do you mean?”
“Well we can’t go on like this. You involved Carter and Department 18, turned the whole thing into a three-ringed circus. I’m a little bit annoyed about that. So much so that I’m going to have to bring the whole sorry affair to a somewhat abrupt conclusion.” She glanced out the window. “Ah, it looks like the penny’s finally dropped. Pardon the pun. I’m leaving now, but perhaps you’ll tell them, if they want to see their friend, Harry Bailey, alive again, they will drive back to London today and never return.”
“You’re bluffing,” Annie said.
Diana got to her feet. “Let them decide that.” She reached into her handbag and threw something down on the table.
Annie watched her bustle out of the coffee house and disappear down the street.
A few seconds later Carter and Jane burst in through the doors, drawing curious glances from the other patrons. Annie got to her feet.
“Quick, you can still catch her!”
“Catch who?” Jane said.
“Diana, of course. She was just here, sitting at this very table.”
Carter and Jane exchanged looks. “We never took our eyes off this place. There was no one sitting with you.”
Annie looked perplexed. “Then why come rushing over here?”
“We got your text,” Jane said, puzzlement showing in her eyes.
“What text?” Annie said. “I didn’t send you a text.”
Carter pulled out his phone and let her read the message.
Come quick. Danger.
Annie read it and shook her head. “It’s my number,” she said. “But I didn’t send it.”
Carter sat down at the table. Jane followed suit. “Sit down, Annie, and tell us what happened.”
Annie was staring off down the street. There was no sign of the plump woman. Shaking her head sadly, she sat down at the table and recounted the events of the last few minutes.
When she’d finished she said, “You don’t believe me, do you?”
“Annie, we were watching,” Jane said gently. “There was no one at the table with you.”
“And she said she had Harry, but Harry’s in London searching for Martin Impey.”
“Then explain this.”
She’d scooped it up and held it in her fist when Diana had thrown it onto the table. Now she opened her hand so they could both see it.
“But that’s…” Jane began.
“Harry’s Department 18 ID badge,” Carter finished for her. “Shit!”
“Do you believe me now?”
“Yes,” Jane said. “Yes, we believe you.”
“About bloody time,” Annie said.
“I need to find a pay phone,” Carter said as they walked back to the car. “If our mobiles can’t reach London maybe we can get through that way.”
“There’s one outside the bus garage,” Annie said.
Carter fed coins into the slot and dialed Crozier’s private number.
“Crozier.”
“It’s Carter.”
“We’ve been trying to get through to you. Martin Impey’s safe. We found him at a lap-dancing club last night. He put up quite a fight but I now have him in a secure unit. There’s no way Diana can get to him.”
“She doesn’t have to. She’s got Harry.”
“What? But he only left London a few hours ago. How the hell did that happen?” Crozier couldn’t keep the anger out of his voice. Why was it that nearly every case involving Robert Carter put operatives in danger?
“I don’t know how it happened. We never made contact with him.”
“This simply isn’t good enough, Carter. Get him back.”
“We’ll do our best.”
“No, you do better than that. If anything happens to Harry Bailey it will be your neck on the line. Do I make myself clear?”
“Crystal,” Carter said, but the line had already gone dead. He hung up the phone and swore.
“What did he say? Have they found Martin?” Jane asked.
“Martin’s safe,” Carter said. “It seems that Harry drove up here first thing this morning.”
“So how did Diana get her hands on him?” Annie said.
Carter shook his head. “I don’t know. Harry didn’t know about Penny Chapman. I never had the chance to tell him. Perhaps he ran into her. It’s academic now anyway. I think it’s safe to assume she has him.”
“What are we going to do?” Jane asked.
“Exactly as Diana said. I don’t see that we have a choice.”
Annie grabbed his sleeve. “But what about Laura?” she said. “And Holly?”
“I’m sorry, Annie,” Carter said. “Difficult choices mean difficult decisions.”
They walked back to the car in silence, Annie Ryder crying softly.
“She’s been here,” Annie said as she entered the house.
“How can you tell?” Jane said.
“The flowers.”
There was a bunch of freesias in a glass vase on the hall table.
“There’s a card attached,” Jane said.
Annie snatched the small envelope from the flowers and opened it. She recognized Penny’s handwriting immediately. Strange that, even after everything that had happened, she still thought of Diana as Penny.
The message on the card was brief.
DO EXACTLY AS YOU’RE TOLD.
“My guess is Harry came to the house, ran into Penny and she somehow persuaded him to go somewhere with her,” Carter said.
“The bitch!” Annie said.
“The clever bitch,” Jane said. “She must have realized the text was a con and played us.”
“Don’t beat yourself up about it. Remember she’s had four hundred years of playing these games. We’re novices in comparison,” Carter said. “Anyway, I’m going upstairs to pack. Jane, you should too.”
“Are you really going back to London?” Annie said.
Carter paused on the stairs. “We don’t really have a choice. I can’t have Harry’s death on my conscience.”