‘She’s moving away from the girl, she is moving towards the bedroom door. Mark, ease off, the danger is passing, she is moving away.’ Ian’s relief was palpable. He quickly re-assessed the situation. ‘Okay people get away from the front door, she will be coming out, let’s take her as soon as she gets onto the street. She may be armed so proceed with caution, repeat, proceed with caution.’
Jane moved quietly out of the bedroom. Closing the door behind her she stealthily moved to the stairs and inched down them. Each step was given the care and attention she had once experienced as a surgeon. The slightest sound seemed to echo across the whole of London. She was going to get out, go to Africa, work in an orphanage, work in a hospital, and make amends for the last two years. She could never forgive herself for what she had done, the memories, the nightmares, the hurt, the anguish would always be there, but if she could help others, save other peoples lives then maybe that would help ease the guilt. A second chance a new beginning a fresh start.
‘Okay get ready everyone she’s at the front door. Once the front door closes and she steps onto the street I want everyone on her.’ Ian instructed the team. Outside the house everybody was ready to pounce. Jacob and Joseph were crouched down with Mark’s other armed response unit member Tony. Tony had unsheathed his hand gun and released the safety. Tony gave Jacob & Joseph a nod, he was ready. In the car Doug and Robert were waiting near their car now, their hands poised on the door handles or resting on the boot of the car ready to sprint as soon as the shout came, to rush over, assess the situation and do the right thing.
Jane lifted the catch on the front door. The door eased open. The cold night air invaded the warmth of the house. It breathed freshness into Jane’s face, and rushed around her, invading the opening in her fleece jacket, and causing her to shiver ever so slightly. This wasn’t the end, but the beginning. In the distance the sky was a beautiful clear night, the stars were twinkling and the moon was a large orb illuminating the black canvas all around.
She closed the door behind her and stepped down onto the street, doing up the fleece on her coat and walking down the street.
‘GO GO GO GO GO’ bellowed Ian. Jacob, Joseph and Tony sprang into action. Jacob and Joseph aimed at Jane.
‘Hands up down on your knees, hands up down on your knees’ they shouted in unison. Jacob lunged towards Jane, making a grab for her outstretched left arm. At the same time the van doors across the street exploded open and Ian rushed out. He sprinted across the street to get to Jane. From both ends of the street officers came rushing over. Up above Mark had his sights trained on Jane. He realised in an instant there was no need as Jane was wrestled to the floor.
‘Guns to safety, guns to safety’ Ian shouted as he and Joseph handcuffed Jane. There were no weapons, no danger; Jane lay there, silently, incredulous. The last ten seconds had seemed like ten hours. For a fleeting moment she felt liberated, absolved of the past, fresh, renewed, reborn. Then within seconds she was back to her old self, withdrawn, fearful, hurt. This was it, the end had come. Strangers bellowed, the wind seemed to whip up around them as if it had also been caught by surprise and was rushing for cover.
Mark put the safety on his weapon. Tony pointed his handgun to the sky and put the safety on. Jane was dragged to her feet and quickly searched for any concealed weapons. Her small rucksack was being rifled through in an urgent and vigorous manner, causing her to bend over backwards as the stranger rifled through the bottom of the bag.
‘Nothing here chief, no issues’
Ian looked Jane in the face and repeated the words he had said a thousand times before ‘Jane Lawson, I am arresting you for the possible murders of James Benjamin Langan, Saul Barraghan, Mel Johnston, and David Holmes and the possible attempted murder of Sally Jensen. You have the right to remain silent and refuse to answer questions. Do you understand? Anything you do or say may be used against you in a court of law. Do you understand? You have the right to consult an attorney before speaking to the police and to have an attorney present during questioning now or in the future. Do you understand? If you cannot afford an attorney, one will be appointed for you before any questioning if you wish. ‘
Jane remained silent throughout. There was a slight nod of the head but nothing more. As Jane was led away to a waiting police car the commotion which had been caused had awoken the neighbours. Lights had come on intermittently up and down the street as residents were awakened from their slumber by screams and shouts. The police cars only added to the intrigue as the citizens of Maida Vale craned their necks and lent out of their windows to almost toppling angles in order to understand what was going on. Various Police officers were already knocking on doors, letting people know it was all under control and that they could go back inside now. The police quickly made sure the street was sealed off. Police cars were now moved into position, lights on, blocking both ends of the road, lights flashing. This would be the safest street in all of London tonight that was for sure.
It was 3 p.m. the following day at New Scotland Yard and DI Ian Carragher along with PC Lisa McGeorge were sitting in number 2 interview room awaiting the arrival of Jane Lawson and her lawyer. two cups of brown sludge loosely termed coffee were steaming away in front of them. The flimsy white plastic cups were too hot to pick up and Ian’s still had the thin white plastic stirrer in his, along with a few grains of white sugar which were still clinging to the edge of the cup. The three sachets of sugar Ian had poured in were thrown in with a casualness which had left the interview room desk covered in grains of sugar. He’d also managed to spill some of the coffee as he had stirred and the liquid had formed a ring around the bottom of the cup.
They both sat there in silence. Ian had gone home for a few hours after they had taken Jane to the station. She had been read her rights then allocated Cell 1. Her backpack and residual items found in various pockets about her person had been placed in clear plastic bags and itemised. The mood in the station was one of relief and pity rather than happiness at another success. As the details had emerged and spread around the station, Jane now commanded some sympathy from various people. After all she had spared the young girls life.
Ian had got home at 6 a.m. feeling exhausted. As he opened the door his wife, Louisa was standing there. She cradled a cup of coffee in both hands as she looked and listened to the BBC news bulletin on the kitchen television. They walked towards each other and just held each other. As Ian looked over her shoulder he saw himself on the television. He hadn’t really noticed but there had been camera crews outside as he had left the station to go home.
‘Are you okay love?’ Louisa asked compassionately. Ian nodded but didn’t say anything.
‘I’ve taken the day off work. Didn’t want you coming home to an empty house.’
‘Thanks’
‘Look you go and lie down and I will bring you a drink up. You look awful’
‘Oh thanks very much…that’s no way to talk to a television personality you know!’ Ian smiled ruefully and hugged his wife again before kissing her on the lips. ‘I need a shower and some sleep. I have to be back there for three for the interview.’
‘No problem, you go up and I’ll see you in a bit’
Louisa brought a cup of tea up to the bedroom. She hadn’t heard the shower going and wondered what had happened, but she had a good idea. Sure enough, as she opened the bedroom door, there was her husband lying facedown on the bed, fully clothed; he even still had his tie on. He was fast asleep. She put her tea down by the side of the bed, lay next to him and just held him. He let out a little sigh and edged closer, almost as an involuntary reflex.
When he awoke at 1 p.m. he awoke with a start….his dream had been vivid but had been forgotten as soon as he opened his eyes. He turned over to see Louisa sitting up in bed reading a book. Some female Catherine Cookson nonsense set in Edwardian times, where the gentlemen challenged their foes to a duel at dawn over some slight which had been proffered at Lady this or Sir something or others country ball and
where the ladies were as shy as the bosoms were plentiful, aided by the corsets and dresses of the day. They were full of sex as well (not the women the books). He’d read some of it once. Absolute filth. And it had gone on for pages and pages. After the third page of bodies entwined like vines on a country house and thrusting’s, moanings and all sorts of heights of pleasure Ian felt this was the sort of stuff that needed to be on the top shelf. never mind such classics as Asian Babes, Readers Wives and Playboy.
He rolled onto his back and let out a long sigh. Louisa put her book down and lay down next to him. He opened his left arm and she rested her head on his chest, her left arm draped over his stomach, her left leg bent at the knee covering his legs. Ian briefly thought if this was a Catherine Cookson novel they would romping all over the house for the next three hours in various stages of embrace. However as it wasn’t and this was real life Ian actually needed a cup of tea, a shower and an exceedingly large shit….but not necessarily in that order…..
‘Are you feeling better now love…..it’s been all over the news you know. London serial killer finally caught. What’s she like? Is she as crazed as they say she is?’
Ian thought for a moment. He remembered the look in her eyes as he had read her, her rights. ‘Far from it I’m afraid. She’s very mixed up and if anything needs help. I know she killed people but you should have seen her. It almost wasn’t her. It was horrible.’
Louisa had a million other questions but she could see the worry lines on Ian’s face.
‘Look Ian, I’ve been thinking. We’ve both been working so hard lately; we’ve hardly seen each other. I’m worried we have been drifting since…well you know…since the miscarriage, and I think we just need to get away somewhere. After the case of course. I’ve looked at the…err…savings account we have had going for these last few years’ Louisa just about stopped herself from calling it the baby account. ‘We’ve got nearly seven thousand pounds in there, let’s spend it. Let’s think of somewhere we’ve always wanted to go and do it.’
Ian thought for a second. He was amazed, shocked and surprised at this. He’d always thought the baby account was a no go area, but it was clear his wife was thinking the same thing he had been, its just they’d both been frightened to talk about it. ‘Sounds like a great idea. I’ve been meaning to mention something similar now for a while but just thought I shouldn’t bring it up.’
‘Well you know with everything that’s happened lately, this serial killer business has really taken it out of you and I think we have both been thinking a lot and talking too little.’
Ian looked Louisa in the eyes ‘I know I never say it but I do love you. Let’s do it, let’s go somewhere really cool, lets live a little.’
They both paused, looking at each other. They were saying a million things to each other without speaking. Finally Ian said ‘I hope it doesn’t take a serial killer to make us actually talk to each other…..in twenty years time there will be no one left in London but at least we’ll be together eh !’ Sarcastic as ever Ian rolled on top of Louisa, maybe he did have a spare thirty minutes after all…mind you who was he kidding, fifteen was probably enough. They enveloped each other in some Catherine Cookson-esque romping…….
Ten minutes later Ian was standing in the shower, a broad smile on his face. His wife wasn’t exactly lying dazed and shattered in the other room unable to move through sheer exhaustion but they had both enjoyed it. And anyway it wasn’t the act itself that had mattered, more the fact it had happened at all. A barrier had been broken, he felt refreshed again. There was a goal now. Get the case wrapped up, take a few weeks off and go and live a little. He thought about where to go. He had done all the usual stuff. Spain and France with his parents when he was a kid. Greece with the lads when he was eighteen. Wandering around Europe on the train after University on a diet of cheese and beer. He thought of far flung destinations like the Cayman Islands, Tahiti, Rio, Sydney but in the end fancied Egypt instead. He’d wanted to go and see the Valley of the Kings, and all that stuff. He also remembered Louisa wanting to sail down the Nile on a felucca. Originally Ian had thought felucca’s were what you got on your foot, however after being admonished by Louisa and called a retard he had been informed that they were verrucas, which to be honest he had known but he was never one to pass up the opportunity of a joke, no matter how weak.
Having showered, shaved and also had that dump he’d promised himself he walked back into the bedroom and stated ‘Lets go to Egypt. You can sail down the Nile on a verruca just like you’ve always wanted to’ Louisa gave him a knowing smile before countering with ‘Excellent, I like it. I will take a look over the weekend.’
Chapter 22 – ‘Shall I continue?’