‘Sorry, you’re not going alone,’ Marc said it before Ben could. ‘You get up there and back down as quickly as possible and take a marked car so it’s obvious the pair of you are cops. Is that okay? Then we’re going to call it a night and get back here for the crack of dawn.’
‘Fine, that’s okay.’ Morgan stood up, Cain followed her out and whispered, ‘Do we really need those two to come with us?’
Morgan shook her head. ‘Not if we get out of here now.’
They hurried to the back stairs, where they could get down to the locker room and out of the fire exit before anyone noticed.
As Cain drove out of the gates, Morgan clapped her hands.
‘We were like a couple of Ninjas then, high five to us.’
He laughed. ‘Yeah, I’m going to be honest with you though, I’m not too keen on the thought of going up on that fellside in the dark when there’s a killer out on the loose, Morgan. Maybe we were a little hasty and should have waited for those two.’
Morgan thought about it for a second. ‘You’re right, we were a bit hasty, but there are cops at the bottom of the fell, blocking the roads that lead up to it, so technically we’re not on our own.’
‘No, but that video was terrifying. The crunch of her skull as it shattered. Urghh, that’s going to give me even more nightmares than I’m already having every night about how Angela died, so violently and God it must have hurt. She was there on her own, bleeding to death in front of her son, who stood and watched without an ounce of compassion towards her.’ His voice cracked so that those last words came out barely above a whisper.
‘Maybe it’s too soon, Cain, it was so awful. The only blessing is it would have been quick, and I know that’s no comfort for you. I wish I could say something that was helpful and not just empty words. And this is a lot for me. I can’t imagine how hard it is for you. Did you speak to Amy about staying there for a little while?’
He shook his head, wiped at his eyes with his hand and sniffed. ‘It’s too imposing. Too much to ask of her.’
Morgan shrugged. ‘Okay, whatever you think, but for what it’s worth I think she would love to have you there helping out with Ava Rose. She is so stubborn, she wouldn’t ask for help ifshe needed it. It would do the both of you good, I mean you’re both grieving in your own way, why not do it together? Do you need a hug?’
She had taken Cain’s favourite line, and he smiled at her. Leaning across towards him, she wrapped her arms around his huge shoulders the best that she could and squeezed hard. He squeezed back then let her go. Morgan realised it was time to change the subject; she couldn’t bear to see Cain crying like this.
‘I don’t see Mrs Black harbouring a killer or two kidnapped girls. She was far too lovely.’
‘Oh my God, you and Ben have like completely lost it. Do you realise that? I mean what’s got into him being all protective over that Amos guy like he has been, and now you’re doing the same thing with some old lady who made you a sandwich. Are you in competition with each other to see who can win the soppiest sod award?’
She snorted. ‘No, I don’t know what’s going on with Ben. He’s been acting weird all day.’
Cain didn’t say anything, and she turned to look at him. ‘You know something, don’t you? What’s going on?’
‘I don’t know anything, don’t ask me.’
‘Yes, you do. I can tell by the look on your face.’
He shook his head. ‘There’s nothing to tell, I just don’t think he’s comfortable with Amber being in the office again.’
‘Nobody is.’
‘True.’
They drove the rest of the way in silence.
THIRTY-NINE
True to Marc’s word, there was a van stationed across the narrow road that led up the side of the fell. The two officers inside of it waved when they realised it was Cain driving and reversed enough so he could get the panda car around them. Morgan directed him to the almost hidden entrance up the fell that led to Joyce’s house.
The mist hadn’t arrived, and Morgan had never been so relieved. She knew that this watcher legend wasn’t true, it couldn’t be. They were looking for a very real person, not some ghost. But she did think that someone was out there pretending to be the watcher, and it was so creepy, not to mention downright terrifying.
There were lights on inside the cottage, and Morgan was glad that Joyce was home. She didn’t want to think of her out there in the dark.
Morgan gave the door three quick raps in succession with her knuckles, the same knock she’d used earlier, and stepped back so if Joyce looked out of the upstairs window, she would see her and Cain. When the door opened, she was kind of disappointed that Joyce wasn’t still wearing her Demogorgon onesie; instead she had a pair of Hocus Pocus pyjamas on, and Morgan thoughtthat she might be in love with this older woman’s nightwear wardrobe.
‘Morgan?’ Joyce’s voice was questioning. ‘Is everything okay?’
‘Can we come in, Joyce? This is my colleague, Cain. We are looking for two missing women, and our boss has asked that we check your house and outbuildings just in case they turn up or are in some kind of trouble.’
