Justine let out a breath. This went deeper than she’d ever have been able to guess. She had to wonder why he was so angry at her and Danny. From watching the video, Danny had hurt Kain but Craig, she knew why Simeon would hate Craig, he’d been having an affair with Pia. ‘Simeon, please don’t be angry at me and Danny. Craig cheated on me. I was cheated on, like you were and Danny, he hurt Kain. I saw a video on his laptop.’
‘I’ve seen everything. Craig was so stupid leaving his iPad unlocked when he worked on our accounting system, and keeping all his passwords in a file marked passwords – rookie error. Your husband is stupid and your son is even thicker. I’ve been watching, waiting and learning. Everyone is so stupid.’
‘Why me? Why am I here?’
‘You just had to interfere, offer to help Kain. Where was the help when my brother was dying in a cell? Where was the help for me too, when I had to live with what happened? I missed him, I still miss him and it hurts knowing he died alone like that. I kept hearing it from Pia, how kind you were, how you were trying to help Kain get his life back and get help. You’re just like all the other do-gooders, trying to help the people who do the most damage and I hate you for it. I needed help from the justice system and I got nothing. This diagnosis and Lindy turning up… I knew what I needed to do.’
‘So, I’m here because I tried to help someone?’
‘You helped the man who let my brother die. Rage bubbled inside me for ages but I kept a lid on it. You know, there’s only so long a person can keep a lid on rage. It’s like an explosion that goes off.’ He stared wide-eyed. ‘You have to unleash the beast. You have to be the one to get justice because the system stinks at it. You have to collect those debts in full, that’s what I’m always telling Pia when she shirks her credit control duties.’ He shrugged and continued. ‘Kain was police at the time. Zavier, the other man who paid in full was police at the time. Another pig called Briggs, the custody sergeant, had booked him in. No one checked on Baz. No one cared. All three officers pleaded their innocence at the inquest and no one cared that my brother had died. He was labelled a troublemaker who ended up piling onto a fight outside a pub.’ He swallowed. ‘His best friend died because those other men were beating him up. My brother would have been trying to save his friend because that was what Baz waslike. He was a good, kind person, nothing like they made him out to be just because he accidentally hit a cop in the nose.’
Justine struggled to control the trembling coming from deep inside. ‘You killed Kain and you set Craig up because of what Kain did to your brother?’ She didn’t know Zavier or Briggs but from what he’d said, she knew they were the other police officers involved back then.
He let out a laugh. ‘It seemed fitting and a part of me hoped it would work because I wanted Craig to pay, too. I knew about the affair he was having with Pia and I’d listened to Pia rattling on about you all. She prattled on about Kain, his ex-wife and every little intimate thing you and Lindy shared with her. I knew about the arguments that Lindy had with Kain over how he treated their mum. I knew that Kain had made a fool of himself with Fabien. When I found out about the fight where Fabien had attacked him, I knew he’d make a worthy person to also set up, besides, Craig and Fabien were acquaintances. You only have to look at Instagram to see that. Pia told me everything and I found out the rest myself by logging in to Craig’s social media and keeping an eye out.’
Justine kept glancing at the crowbar as he went on, going into detail about how he’d constructed his elaborate plan, how he’d fit Craig up by using the key that Pia had to Craig’s flat and how he’d easily got into Fabien’s warehouse. ‘Do you know why I’m telling you all this?’
She tried to hold her tears back.
‘Because you are going to die tonight but you know that already. See that tank over there? That’s what you get for helping someone as despicable as Kain and bringing Lindy into our lives.’
No, no, no, no, no.He wasn’t going to put her in there. She tried to sit up but her head was swimming. Slowly, she nudgedherself a little closer to the crowbar while Simeon continued unburdening himself.
‘It was so easy to set Craig up. When I dropped that kombucha over that Pia told me to take to yours, I popped to the loo and put a few things to implicate Craig under your bed.’ He laughed. ‘As for the key I mentioned, I used it to enter his flat and I put photos of my kill scenes all over his wall. The teddies, pink and blue. Blue for the injustice against Baz and pink for the rest of you. I left one at yours the other night while you were in the garden but you didn’t get the warning. You just gave it to your dog.’
She shivered as she thought of Simeon stalking her. ‘It was you, loitering around by my mum’s the other night with the vape. I thought it was Danny.’ Her voice was wobbly now. All she wanted to do was cry.
‘Don’t be stupid. I have better things to do than to hang around throwing stones but I did take one of his vapes when I was in your house. He seems to have a stash of them but I guess Danny doesn’t care that they’re illegal. He has quite the record, hasn’t he? I used to smoke and I miss it. It doesn’t matter if I smoke or vape now. What’s it going to do, kill me? Anyway, that wasn’t me. If I came across you in the night, you would have been here sooner, believe me.’
She furrowed her brows. It had to have been her son. If only he’d come out and spoken to her, she might not be here now because she certainly wouldn’t have risked herself like this for Craig. ‘Where’s Danny? Please tell me that he’s okay? I am so sorry for what I did. You’re right. I shouldn’t have helped Kain and I should check who I make friends with. I am sorry for bringing Lindy into your life, really I am. Please let Danny go. He’s made some stupid decisions but that’s my fault and Craig’s fault. We could have done better. You can do what you want with me.’
He laughed. ‘You seem to be mistaken. I can do what I want with both of you. I don’t have a life of my own anymore. I can’t fight what’s coming my way, all I can do is fight injustice. Make the evil of this world pay. That is my curtain call.’
‘Have you killed Craig?’
Simeon let out a laugh. ‘Craig has taken off and even I can’t find him. He only cares about himself but at least you can see that now. You and your son are nothing to that man. I’m also sure that Pia wasn’t his first foray outside of your marital bed. He seems to be a seasoned pro. Pia – well, let’s say she was an absolute amateur, that’s why I found out what she was up to. At least your son was trying to make things right when he turned up at our house. Stupid kid was angry, a little bit drunk and he wanted to have a go at Pia for ruining his family. I wasn’t going to let him blow everything up so I stopped him. Your boy really does have a nasty mouth on him and a temper. It was lovely seeing him so powerless once I’d hit his skull with a metal bar. Do you want to see what it’s like seeing your child looking so powerless?’
She shook her head.
‘Tough. You get to see anyway.’ He turned to face the door at the end of the room and clutched his upper stomach.
Now was her moment. She shot up and stumbled towards the crowbar. He reached out and yanked her back as he yelled in pain. They both landed in a heap, him on top of her, her face pressed to the floor. She reached for the tool then he yelled again. Her fingers brushed against metal then she gripped the crowbar tight. While wriggling underneath him to get free, he kept grabbing her clothes. Her coat ripped. She stood. He got up and ran at her as she swiped the crowbar at him. He ducked. She swiped another time but missed and then they were both on the floor again. He had her pinned down. For a sick man, he was still strong. He grabbed the crowbar and kicked her hard inthe knee. She screamed as he dragged her across the polished concrete floor into the other room. ‘Stand.’ He pulled her by the hair until she was up on her feet, her knee throbbing. A hose had been linked to a tap in the corner of the room. The other end was in the industrial tank close by. ‘Danny,’ she shouted.
Justine heard a little murmur then her son was silent. The sound of water trickling into the tank sent chills through her. ‘Turn it off!’
Simeon smiled. ‘It’s so peaceful in there. The sleeping tablet has taken care of him and he won’t feel a thing, not like Baz did when he was left to choke on his own vomit in a cell because Lindy’s brother and the other two didn’t do their jobs. You all get to feel Baz’s pain now. In several minutes that tank will be full and your son will be at peace.’
He was crazy, blaming her son for what happened to his brother. He’d lost it and she didn’t know what to do. She tried to hit Simeon then he punched her cheek, sending her with a thud to the floor. He popped the crowbar into his waistband and awkwardly started dragging her again. He almost tripped while groaning in pain. She grabbed his feet but he was as sturdy as a tree trunk. Simeon locked the door on Danny, held the key up and threw it behind the racking.
‘Now it’s your turn, Justine. Open your mouth. We’ll get you in the hoist then you can be with your friend, Lindy. It has to be this way. The world needs less sympathy for the bad people.’ He dropped to the ground. He lay her head on his knees and she looked up into the eyes of pure evil. He pressed one arm against her neck. She couldn’t breathe. As she tried to gasp, he dropped the pill down her throat and clasped his other hand over her mouth until she swallowed. Danny had a meagre few minutes and she was never going to wake up again. She’d never be able to save her son or tell anyone everything she now knew. She andDanny were about to die in this hellhole and there was nothing she could do about it.
FIFTY-SEVEN
Gina stood back as PC Ahmed bashed the door open with the battering ram. O’Connor and Wyre stood back and Jacob kept close. Several uniformed police officers proceeded. As they stormed in Gina shouted, ‘Police,’ several times. PC Ahmed found the light switch. The vinegary aroma hit her straight away.
She gazed around the small unit, and saw several kombucha tanks.
‘Check them all. He likes to drown his victims,’ Jacob yelled as O’Connor and Wyre began to climb up the ladders attached to the framework.
