PEEL-BEHIND THEIR EYES. Book 1 (Complete)

Chapter 22. Unsettled

Peels office was quiet and dark tucked away at the far end of the first-floor corridor, just how Peel liked it, and it was just how Detective Mason expected it, stuffy and old from a bygone age. The scars of past years covered its teak veneered surfaces. A discernible path had been worn down into the dark green carpet and the walls had gradually turned from beige to a sickly brown ochre. All the same, there was something homely that made Mason extremely comfortable.

Having finished the research Peel had asked him to do Mason left the desk scattered with papers and was now stretched out on the leather couch, he was taking what he like call 'me time' before Peel came back.

What Mason had found out would do nothing to put a smile on Roberts face, that much he knew, rather it would make his friends course manner all the more caustic.

"Oh well, what can you do," he thought as he closed his eyes and waited.

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Richard Barringer slammed the garage door shut and shuffled over to the van in the alley. He opened the driver's side door, he was eager to get on with his latest project, but as he was about to climb in something began to prickle at the back of his mind, he could feel somebody watching him. Looking around and then up at the rear of the funeral home he could see standing at the living room window the bastard who was screwing his sister. The very idea of the bastard touching his sisters perfect naked body sent ripples of rage through him, only he should be allowed to caress Samantha that way, only he. He gripped the door handle until his knuckles turned white and his wrist ached.

With a grimace, Richard acknowledged the bastard and climb in and closed the door. Over his shoulder, he calmly spoke through the blanketed divide into the vans interior.

"Don't worry sweetie I know you've been waiting for me a while, I'm here now" and with a satisfied thought he said "It won't be long now"

Brushing the blanket to the side Richard stuck his head through and smiled at the young girl laying motionlessly against the rear wheel arch. Her burgundy eye socket's crying tears of blood.

"Let's go yeah, OK"

Ducking back into the front he picked up the dog-eared road atlas from the passenger's seat and began to thumb to the correct page. Finding the page, he ran a finger along the streets of Grimsby until he found the address he was looking for.

Firing a smirk up in the cop's direction Richard pressed play on the stereo and listened to the ever creepy Vincent Price intro on Thriller. Turning up the volume he drove the van with purpose out of the alley with a smile on his face. He was happy to have more important work given to him.

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Malloy placed the three DNA samples into a zip lock bag and stood up. Nodding at Julia Barringer,

"Thank you all for your help, don't worry about your son's DNA sample yours and your daughters will be almost identical and will suffice. I and Detective Havers must get off now"

Turning to her partner who stood by the window with his back to her, she called,

"Detective Havers it's time to go"

Getting no response Malloy stepped past the feet of Julia's father and with the old man's wondering eyes following her she tapped Havers on the shoulder "Time to go"

Havers stared out of the window and watched the white van as it disappeared around the corner and thought,

"Nah! It can't be him I'm sure" but he wasn't.

He jumped as Malloy tapped his shoulder,

"Wakey wakey Havers"

Startled Havers whipped around saw his partner standing behind him and said "Oh, er yes"

Avoiding eye contact with Samantha and bypassing her subtle advances to her utter annoyance Havers headed for the stairs as fast as he could. Without another word, he headed quickly down the stairs and out into the street with Malone in tow.

"So! What's with pretty Miss Pink then" Malloy asked as Havers pulled away from the front of the Funeral Home and headed back towards the station.

"Nothing, what you on about"

Malloy studied him as he drove up and over the flyover and past the docks, she could sense his irritation.

"When we arrived there you were cheerful even playful with her, you even blushed at her attention, but then all of a sudden you blanked her completely. What was it you saw out of that window that changed your mood, hmm?"

Havers threw the car onto Victoria street and accelerated as he avoided her questioning but finally relented.

"Nothing, I saw nothing, just got a headache that's all" he drove on in silence.

Malloy new that Havers was in a bad mood and that once he clammed up he would talk no further.

"Have it your way then, but you're walking a fine line with that one if you go playing"

Malloy knew something was up but left it alone. Looking out the window at the people walking on the pavement oblivious to their desperate search for a murderer and two innocent girls she padded her hand on the pocket containing the Collected DNA samples.

"Soon as we're back at the station I'll get these samples to the lab, and you go and bring Peel up to date OK"

Havers said nothing but nodded as he slowed for the red traffic light. Finally, just as he pulled into the police car park he said,

"I was kind of liking Samantha, er Julia Barringer daughter that is until, I, I" but he was unwilling to admit Malloy that he had an unsettling suspicion that Samantha's brother could possibly be a chief suspect in the case at that he shut up. He had already decided that he needed to do a little research on Richard Barringer before he made any accusation, he especially needed to phone Samantha and ask her if she could verify her brother's whereabouts on key dates. He released a pent up breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding and thought "What have I got myself into this time"

Coming to rest in a parking space at the rear of the station Havers switched off the engine and watched as Malloy climbed out saying over her shoulder "you go in and file an update with Muck, I'm off to evidence and get these DNA samples sent to the lab, OK"

As Malloy hurried off Havers pulled out his mobile and searched for Samantha's number and tapped the green handset icon, holding it to his ear he listened to the dial tone and then the click as it was answered.

"Oh if it isn't Mr. Glum, are you talking to me now" Samantha's childlike voice scolded him. Havers didn't quite know what to say "We need to talk about your brother, Sam"

(Thank you for reading, I hope you enjoyed it. All comments are truly welcome and are very helpful. If you could walk your finger over to the star and vote, that would be marvelous. Thank you!)