The Death of the Elver Man (27 page)

‘You gets used to it,’ he said, dropping her on to one of the kitchen chairs, ‘and I’ve not had so many visitors to complain.’

He made a swift loop around her body and grabbed her hands, but her arms were too short to reach around the back of the chair.

‘Dammit,’ he muttered, and glared at her as if she were being deliberately uncooperative. He started to make smaller loops with the end of the rope, all the while glancing towards the door.

‘Expecting visitors after all?’ she asked.

Derek stopped fiddling with the rope and glared at her. ‘I said you shut up,’ he said. ‘You’s here to be all you is fit to be. Understand, little live-bait?’

Lauren went cold with fear, unable to offer any resistance as he pulled her hands into the loops in front of her body, but before he could tighten the slip knots there was the sound of a car in the distance, travelling at reckless speed down the track to the cottage. Derek spun round and stepped towards the window and Lauren seized her chance, flexing her arms and sliding out from under the rope binding her to the chair. In a second she reached the back door and grabbed at the handle. As he turned and saw her, she flung it open, slammed it shut behind her and grabbed a rusty hammer off the workbench in the porch. Lauren was small but she was deceptively strong, especially across her arms and shoulders, and with two blows the door handle and latch were in pieces. Derek tried to turn it from the inside but the spindle spun uselessly in the broken door and he kicked out in frustration.

‘Big mistake you little rat,’ he roared through the door. ‘You’ll ask me to kill you after I’ve caught up with yer.’

Lauren didn’t wait. She turned and fled as fast as she could, her feet pounding on the path leading to the canal, but she wasn’t built for running and she knew he’d catch her in
seconds
if she remained in sight. She stopped at the end of the garden and looked around, desperate for cover or some kind of hiding place. The old towpath ran off into the distance in both directions and between her and the long, safe grass of the deserted water meadows lay the ominous width of Kings Sedgemoor Drain. Her lungs already burning with the
unaccustomed
exercise, she set off, grimly forcing herself towards the footbridge and some chance of escape, but a shout behind her told her it was already too late. As her feet pounded away on the path she looked around frantically and spotted the reed basket Derek had been using to transport the meat for the pike lying in the mud on the bank. Gritting her teeth she swerved towards it and after a brief struggle pulled it free. There was no time to hesitate, as Derek Johns
thundered
down on her and gritting her teeth she dropped it into the canal, slid in after it and pushed off. The basket lurched, span round and almost delivered her back into his grasp as he flung himself flat on the bank and clawed at her, but then the current caught her and she began to slide away towards the middle of the water.

Derek plunged into the canal in pursuit. An indifferent swimmer, he was driven by adrenaline and blinded by hatred and it was only when he felt his feet sink with the weight of his boots he paused to reconsider. Swearing and
spluttering
he hauled himself back on to the canal side and unlaced his footwear, discarding his jacket and the concealing scarf in a heap on the tow path. It had only taken a few seconds but Lauren was already half way to the bridge, the basket twirling merrily in the current as it bobbed along. At the last moment Derek unclipped his precious knife and laid it on his clothes before plunging into the thick, grey water. No point in ruining a good blade, he thought, and he was going to need it again soon. Then he struck out after her as fast as he could.

Lauren’s car with its specially adapted hand controls and high seat had been the nearest vehicle when they got to the car park. Alex’s was back in town and Jonny had cadged a lift with his sister in anticipation of a pleasant evening in the beer tent. Sue was still back in the main field, and as Jonny gave a potted biography of the man who had kidnapped his sister they both realized they had no time to mess about
looking
for something better.

‘Guardian of the spare key,’ he said, fishing in his pocket. ‘You drive. I’ve had a beer or three and Lauren’ll kill me if anything happens to her car.’

Alex took control of the car as best she could and sped off in the direction of the cottage where she had met the man she knew as ‘Andrew Hinton’.

As they lurched across the Levels towards the cottage, she struggled to keep the car between the ruts in the track.

Woah! Watch where you’re going,’ shouted Jonny.’

‘I challenge you to drive this bloody thing any better,’ she said through gritted teeth.

Finally, they skidded to a halt and, as the dust settled, she grabbed Jonny’s arm. ‘Be careful,’ she said. ‘If it is him and he is here, then he’s very dangerous and I don’t think he’ll hesitate to kill us – or Lauren. Let’s go round the back and see if we can spot him.’

On reflection it was a bit late to try the stealthy approach, but anything was better than charging through the door into an ambush. They stepped out into the fading evening light and walked warily through the remains of the garden gate. It creaked loudly as they shoved their way through, and they froze, looking at one another, before the sound of splashing drew them to the canal behind the house.

‘Oh, no, no. Lauren’s terrified of water,’ said Jonny. He began to run in the direction of the splashing, and attempted to gallop across the overgrown bank to the towpath beyond. Alex followed, looking around in a desperate effort to spot her friend.

Lauren clung to the rim of the basket as it made its dash down the canal. She was sick with fear, dizzy from the constant
spinning
and she could hear Derek Johns gaining on her as he ploughed through the water behind her. The basket began to slow as it came to the footbridge and she realized it was letting in water, tilting over towards the far bank as it began to
wallow
. She was reaching out to try and grab one of the bridge footings when the basket gave a lurch and the shadowy outline of a fish passed by under her outstretched arm. Lauren froze in terror as a second pike crested the water, bumping at the basket before sinking into the reeds again. She shoved as hard as she could as her tiny, fragile craft lodged against the piers of the bridge and it spun away from the nightmare of the pike and off towards the sluice gate waiting just ahead.

The pike were hungry. They had been gathering in greater numbers, but their food supply had almost dried up and
so, in keeping with the laws of survival, they preyed on one another, the younger and smaller feeding the smarter, meaner and tougher fish. Now there were about a dozen left,
monsters
all of them, and they had scented the lingering odour of Derek’s special bait from the basket. First one and then another, they glided downstream after Lauren.

The basket hit the metal gate with a resounding bang and promptly fell apart. As her feet slid into the water Lauren felt the cold nudge of a fish and glanced down. The pike swirled around her, mouths opening as they seized the remains of the basket. She shrieked and clawed at the gate, hauling herself up by the bolts and clinging on to the lintel above the main sluice. There was the sound of ragged breathing behind her and she knew Derek was almost on her. She struggled upright,
searching
for a handhold on the hot metal surface and felt, almost out of reach, the big circular wheel that opened the gate. She jumped, grabbed at it and felt it stir an inch or so. Derek gave a growl of triumph and anticipation as he swam doggedly towards her, ignoring the pike that nudged him from all sides.

‘Got you now, you ugly little runt,’ he called as Lauren, with the last of her strength, flung her whole weight on to the wheel.

There was a screeching as the metal barrier lifted and a rush of water as the canal flooded out into the Huntspill River. Derek was sucked through, unable to save himself as his head hit the gate and he went under. Lauren clung on, her feet slipping off the narrow ledge so she swung over the foaming water. Her whole weight was now on the wheel and her hands began to cramp as she gripped the damp metal. Glancing down between her feet she saw the last of the pike roll helplessly into the main stream and a part of her felt relief that at least she’d drown and not be torn apart by merciless teeth. She felt her grip beginning to loosen and her hands were slick with sweat. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and prepared herself for the end. Just as Lauren’s strength finally failed, Alex grabbed her wrist from above, hanging on grimly over the top of the sluice until Jonny could shimmy up and lift them both off to safety. 

‘I really don’t think you should be here,’ said Alex, eyeing Lauren who was seated in the most comfortable chair in her office. Lauren shrugged.

‘I’m fine,’ she said. ‘Just a few bumps and stuff. Anyway, ’tis a big day for you today and I reckon you need a bit of support.’

Alex grunted, unconvinced, but secretly grateful for her friend’s loyalty.

‘Tell me,’ she said after a few minutes of futile rummaging through her desk, ‘did Hinton – sorry, Derek Johns – ever tell you why he took you?’

Lauren grinned. ‘Well now, he never did, but Dave – he explained it all whilst I was in the hospital.’

‘Dave? Who the hell is Dave?’ demanded Alex.

‘Oh you know, Constable Brown. He said to call ’um Dave. Nice bloke he is. Anyway, you was the only person as saw Derek Johns when he was in the cottage so he had to pretend to be this Andrew Hinton person. You was the only one as could identify him, link him to all the stuff there. So you had
to go and he was using me, figuring you’d come after.’ Her face went still for a moment as she remembered his mocking words. ‘I was the bait,’ she finished.

Alex considered this for a minute. ‘Does anyone know who Andrew Hinton really was?’ she asked.

‘Was Frank Mallory,’ said Lauren cheerfully. ‘Poor old bugger, right dumb too. He was dying and wanted to see Kevin, so he bubbled, but he chose the wrong people to bubble on.’

‘Bubbled?’

‘Grassed up Biff and Newt Johns. Then Biff went an’ killed hisself and Derek went on the rampage. They was all right sick when they opened that ol’ freezer in the kitchen. Dave says ‘twas probably Frank in there but most is gone or just rotted away. He was dead proud when they got Derek Johns’ knife though. Was a Normark, just like he said, with that little fish tail bit missing. If he could a’ got rid of you I reckon maybe ol’ Derek might have just gone away for a bit and slipped back quietly – ’cept for his face of course. Someone done a right number on that. He was right girt ugly, I’ll tell you.’

Alex was having trouble following a lot of this and it was with a sense of relief she answered the phone as it rang up from reception. She’d not had time to replace the receiver when the door opened to reveal Ada bearing down on her, Kevin trailing in her wake.

‘We need to talk,’ said Ada, plonking herself down in the nearest chair and folding her arms.

‘Well, I’ve got an important meeting to prepare for,’ Alex began. ‘Couldn’t it wait until …’

‘No it can’t,’ said Ada firmly. ‘’Tis urgent and needs your say-so.’ She nodded her head and caught sight of Lauren in the corner.

‘Nicely done girl,’ she said. ‘Good job too. ’Tis the only way with some of ’em – real crazies – you got to just do away with ’um.’

Lauren managed a tentative smile and slid further back in her chair.

‘Now, about Kevin and this probation thing,’ she
continued
, fixing Alex with her fiercest stare. ‘He’s got to leave.’

‘But Kevin’s done really well at the day centre,’ protested Alex. ‘He’s made friends, he’s got some real skills and we are confident we can help him into employment eventually.’

‘No need,’ said Ada. ‘He’s got a job. Got offered it last week, but is not here so he’m not able to come any more.’

Alex looked at Kevin, who raised his eyes and for the first time gave a real smile, a smile full of confidence and a little pride.

‘Tell me Kevin,’ she said, ignoring Ada and focussing on the young man, ‘what’s this job and where is it? Maybe we can transfer your order if you’re moving away.’

‘’Tis with the Fair,’ he said. ‘They wants I to be on the rifles ’cos I don’t never miss. To encourage ’um see. And they was girt impressed with my numbers. Called me a “human
calculator
”, they did. Said maybe I can do a stint in one of them show tents when I’m settled.’

Alex looked at Ada. ‘What about your Mum?’ she asked, but it was Ada answered, her jaw set.

‘Reckon most of what’s gone wrong is about round here, what with them Carnival gangs and all that silliness every year. Kevin’s grown now and he can’t be staying at home with his mother all his life. Them fair people, they’s like a big family and they’ll keep an eye on him, teach him stuff. Is a chance to see places I only had pictures of and I’ll not stand in his way.’ There was a tiny wobble in her voice but she held Alex’s eyes, pleading for the chance she believed her son needed.

It was against all the rules and would be devilishly difficult to organize, but suddenly Alex didn’t care. She’d get the route from the fair owners and set up meetings with other offices, she decided. He’d finished his day centre order and if he had a chance to go abroad she’d get his probation discharged early. It was too good a chance for a lad from the Levels to miss.

‘Give me a day to sort it out,’ she said, ushering the pair out.

She glanced at her watch and realized it was time. There was a knock and Sue stuck her head around the door.

‘Just wishing you luck,’ she said. ‘He’d be nuts to fail you after all this. You’re too good at the job. Honestly, it’ll be fine.’

Alex looked at her friends and picked up her final self-
evaluation
, her diary and all the notes from the weekly ‘support and supervision meetings’.

‘Right,’ she said, ‘well, whatever happens, I’m ready.’