The Doll's House - [31]

She was now down to the last few files and there were currently six individuals who gave Sanderson cause for concern. Cheryl Heath and Teri Stevens had the look, but were frequent runaways who usually resurfaced when the money ran out. So despite some residual concerns, Sanderson had made the decision to put them on the backburner for now. Which left Anna Styles, Roisin Murphy, Debby Meeks and Isobel Lansley.

There was no question that these girls bore a strong resemblance to Pippa Briers. Long, straight, raven-black hair, piercing blue eyes and something enigmatic in their expression. They were all somehow beguiling, hinting at deeper layers if you could only get to know them better. Their appearance was different for sure – some were punkish and low-rent, some straitlaced and professional – but they all inhabited their look with the same spirit. If Helen was right – if Pippa’s abductor was a serial offender following a pattern – then Sanderson was in no doubt he would be drawn to these vulnerable women, most of whom came from difficult backgrounds.

Even as Sanderson thought this, she found herself self-editing, bridling at her own euphemisms. Serial offender was a loose term that covered a multitude of sins and was generally used to reduce alarm by softening the reality of the situation. But there was no point dressing things up. If Helen’s hunch was right – and increasingly Sanderson felt that it was – then they weren’t pursuing a serial offender. They were hunting a serial killer.

52

Ruby smashed the brick down with all her force. Then she lifted it and brought it down again. She was in a frenzy, beating out the rhythm of her terror on the door that kept her locked inside.

The letters lay scattered where she’d dropped them. She had been unable to move for the best part of an hour after reading them – her head spinning with the darkest thoughts. The earrings that her captor had made her wear – they weren’t new. They were tarnished and damaged in places. What was so special about them? Had they… had they belonged to one of the other girls? Or to this Summer?

With each passing minute, Ruby’s anxiety had spiked still higher. She’d pulled hard on her inhaler, but it had little effect, so abandoning caution, she’d thrown herself into a full-on assault on the steel door.

Her blows rained down on the lock, producing small dents but failing to make any significant impression. Ruby wound her arm back and redoubled her efforts, bringing her weapon down with sudden, savage force. She heard a crack and for a brief, thrilling moment thought she’d been successful – until she looked down and saw the half-brick in her hand. The other half lay broken and useless on the floor nearby.

Dropping the remnants, Ruby slid down the cold door to the floor, resting her head against the metal. There was no way out. She was beaten, locked for good or ill into this absurd pantomime with a man who abducted women, imprisoned them and then what? What had he done to those girls? If he’d let them go, surely she would have heard about it on the news or whatever, so what…?

Should she ask him? Ask him what happened? Would she gain anything by confronting him? Probably not, but even as Ruby dismissed this thought, another idea rose in its place. She pushed it away immediately, too scared to test it unless it proved fruitless, but it forced its way back into her mind again, demanding to be heard. It made her feel sick to even contemplate it, but what choice did she have? She had to find a way of getting her captor onside, if she was to have any chance of escaping certain death.

Climbing to her feet, she gathered up the letters and stuffed them back into their secret cavity. Ramming both halves of the brick into the hole to conceal them again, Ruby pushed the bed up against the wall, returning the room to its normal state.

Sweeping the brick dust from the floor, she spat on the dented lock and rubbed it with her sleeve. It was only slightly dented and if she could remove the livid red-brick dust, perhaps he wouldn’t notice on his return.

Soon the room was back in some kind of order – even the clock was back in pride of place above the bed. There was only one thing left to do now and Ruby hurried over to the chair where her clothes lay. She changed quickly, pausing only at the end when she picked up the battered earrings. She hated these things more than life itself now, but there was no room for weakness, so swallowing her repugnance, Ruby closed her eyes and slipped the dirty hoops through her ears. Sitting down heavily on the bed, she exhaled long and hard. The worst was done.

Now all she had to do was wait.

53

‘Are you completely insane?’

It was a valid question and one Charlie had been expecting. It had taken her two hours of chit-chat and reminiscing to build up the courage to ask her old friend to do something that would cost her her job if it came to light. Predictably, DS Sally Mason’s response was one of shock and anger.

‘I’ve only been here six months and it’s a bloody good job. I can’t believe you would even ask me that.’