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“Why is there a body here? Who is she?”
“I don’t know, but I’ve called the police. You need to leave, or they’ll arrest you.” His face is frantic, pleading with her. “Please?”
She nods, tearing her eyes away from the woman on the concrete. She can hear sirens in the distance and runs back to the basement.
She closes the door behind her and gulps in deep breaths.
The serial killer. The Echo Man.
He was right outside the door.
He was here.
CHAPTER
56
BY THE TIME Cara arrives from the station, Deakin is already there and glaring at Griffin. Police cars surround the area, blue lights dancing on dark brickwork. Uniforms work to set up the cordon, a few passers-by show a quick interest.
She was working late. She hasn’t been home. She knows Roo is there and hasn’t got the energy to face him. Not yet.
“What have we got?” she asks. The two men stay silent. “Please? Someone?”
Shenton steps forward out of the darkness. Cara hadn’t even noticed him. “Latest victim, female, showing clear signs of being beaten. Possibly held against her will.”
While Shenton is talking, Cara crouches down and looks at the body. She can see angry marks around the woman’s wrists and ankles, raw wounds across her torso and head. Her dress is dirty and torn, and she’s not wearing any shoes. Or underwear, Cara realizes.
“Pathologist and crime scene are on their way.”
“And do we know who this is?”
Shenton shakes his head.
“Or which serial killer it’s copying?”
“Not until I know more,” Shenton mutters. “Unfortunately, there are too many who have this as their MO.”
Cara sighs. She’s suddenly so tired. So fucking tired of this whole thing. “And we think this is a body dump? Outside where you’re living, Griffin?” she adds.
“Kind of making a point, isn’t he?” Griffin says. “Leaving the latest victim outside my front door.”
“Unless it was you that put it there,” Noah adds.
Griffin scowls at him. “Seriously? You think I’d kill someone then leave them right outside my house? How dumb do you think I am?”
Deakin pulls a face and before Cara can react, Griffin springs forward, all his weight behind his outstretched fist. She hears a wet crunch as he makes contact, Cara diving between them, shoving her brother away as Noah falls backward onto the concrete. She looks at Griffin in shock.
“Nate! Back away!” When Griffin doesn’t move, she shouts again. “DS Griffin! Back. The fuck. Away!”
Deakin’s being pulled to his feet by Shenton, tentatively touching his face, wincing. “Where were you tonight, Nate?” he shouts. He puts his hand over his left eye, trying to stem the bleeding. “Home? Alone? With no one to provide an alibi?”
Cara notices Griffin hesitate.
“How do we know? Seriously?” Noah turns to Cara. Blood is starting to seep through his fingers, running down his wrist. “Griffin has been here, oh so conveniently pointing stuff out every step of the way. And now this?”
“Shut up, both of you,” Cara snaps. “This poor woman deserves better than this. She deserves for us to find her killer, and no,” she says as Deakin goes to interrupt, “I don’t think it’s Griffin. Even he’s not stupid enough to leave a dead body outside his own apartment.
“Noah, go and get yourself cleaned up. Griffin—this garage must have CCTV?” He nods, quieter now. “Track it down. I’ll speak to you about this later.”
