Dead Perfect
Dead Perfect
NOELLE HOLTEN
One More Chapter
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First published in Great Britain by HarperCollinsPublishers 2020
Copyright © Noelle Holten 2020
Cover design by HarperCollinsPublishers Ltd 2020
Cover images © Shutterstock.com
Noelle Holten asserts the moral right to be identified as the author of this work.
A catalogue copy of this book is available from the British Library.
This is a work of fiction. Every reasonable attempt to verify the facts against available documentation has been made.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins.
Source ISBN: 9780008383664
Ebook Edition © 2020 ISBN: 9780008383657
Version: 2020-07-20
Table of Contents
Cover
Title Page
Copyright
Dedication
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Chapter 102
Chapter 103
Chapter 104
Acknowledgements
A Note from Noelle
About the Author
Also by Noelle Holten
About the Publisher
For my pops – Thomas Holten (July 1943 – Oct 2019)
Missing you every day.
Prologue
Tap.
Tap, tap.
Tap.
He watched, eyes glued to the screen.
It was over so quickly. Everything had to be so precise.
He held the small hammer and orbitoclast in his hand. It hadn’t been easy to get these. He carefully mirrored the images that appeared on the laptop. Something had gone wrong the first time and he couldn’t let that happen again. He restarted the video, tightened the vice and began once more.
Tap.
Tap, tap.
Tap.
Practice makes perfect.
Chapter 1
The Major and Organised Crime Department office at Stafford Police Station had never felt so claustrophobic. DC Maggie Jamieson tried to catch her breath. She prided herself on being able to remain objective but when something personal happened, her judgements were clouded, and she couldn’t let that happen now.
During a past case – the Raven case – Maggie’s friend and colleague, Dr Kate Moloney, had received sinister gifts and notes. Markston Police Station had taken the items and logged a complaint but with no trace evidence and no direct threats, the matter hadn’t been pursued. Maggie thought Kate should take more care in protecting herself, but Kate wouldn’t listen. So when her boss, DS Nathan Wright, relayed the message, ‘Just had a call come in. Police are already on the scene. Body of a female has been found. Initial description sounds just like your friend, Dr Moloney. I’m so sorry, Maggie …’ his words hit her like a brick to the face.
This can’t be real. He could be wrong. But Maggie knew that Nathan wouldn’t have said it if he didn’t believe the victim could be Kate. Something more must have been said in the conversation. He knew about the stalking and had expressed his own concerns at the time. Nathan also knew that although Dr Moloney had been with the Domestic Abuse and Homicide team for only a little over a year, Maggie had fond feelings for her that went beyond the realm of friendship. He was the only person she’d shared this with.
Time stood still as Maggie processed the words in her head. She stared at her colleague, willing the words to be something different. But she knew they wouldn’t change.
Keep it together, Maggie. She pulled herself into action.
‘Well why are we standing around here? Let’s go! I’ll call Markston on the way.’ Maggie’s head was spinning as she signalled to Nathan to follow. She grabbed her coat from the back of her chair and checked she had her mobile in her pocket. They ran to the pool car and she didn’t bother to argue with him as to who would be driving. Her main concern right now was locating Kate.
As she fumbled with the seatbelt, Maggie took slow, deep breaths. It wouldn’t do anyone any good if she was panicking. She reached into her pocket and, with shaking hands, scrolled through her contacts until she found Markston Police Station Domestic Abuse and Homicide Unit – the DAHU. She pressed connect.
It felt like forever before someone answered.
‘Domestic Abuse and Homicide Unit. PC Kat Everett speaking. How can I help?’
‘Kat, it’s Maggie. Is Kate there?’
There was a pause before Kat returned to the line.
‘Hey. No. She’s not in her office. Do you want me to take a message?’
‘Is she due in today?’
‘Hang on …’
Maggie heard a muffled voice call out,
‘Does anyone know if Kate is due in today? Maggie’s looking for her.’
Seconds passed but it seemed like hours.
‘Sorry, can’t help. No one knows where she is. Has something happened? Your voice sounds strange …’
Although she herself had automatically made the connection, Maggie wasn’t sure how much Kate had told her colleagues about the stalking situation. She didn’t want to upset anyone unnecessarily, so she decided she’d hold back on what had been discovered. It would help her keep her own feelings in check.
‘No. I’m just looking for her. Has she mentioned anything out of the ordinary lately? Actually, don’t worry about that; if she does happen to come in, can you ask her to call me right away?’ Maggie noticed Nathan giving her sideways glances, but he didn’t interrupt.
‘She’s not said anything to me, but I’ll pass on the message. Are you sure there’s—’
Maggie didn’t let Kat finish her sentence and pressed the end call button. She knew Kat could tell something was happening, but there was no time to mess about with causal conversation. Kate was her priority now.
‘Well?’ Nathan remained focused on the road and Maggie was grateful he was so calm as she wasn’t sure she could handle her blood pressure rising any further.
‘She’s not at work and no one there knows where she is. I’m going to try her mobile again.’
Maggie found Kate’s number and waited as the phone rang once.
Twice.
Then three more times before voicemail kicked in. Shit! ‘Hi Kate. It’s Maggie here. Could you do me a favour and call me back as soon as you get this?’
‘We’re nearly there. Let’s not get ahead of ourselves until we see the body, OK? I know how you feel about Kate … beyond your working relationship. Are you sure you’re OK?’ Nathan’s voice was soft and she appreciated his concern, but he seemed to have forgotten that he was the one who’d contributed to her anxiety.
‘I’m fine. You’re the one who has me so riled up. Why did you have to say it looks like Kate?’ Maggie rubbed her temples, and seeing the strain on Nathan’s face she instantly realized he regretted his words.
‘I know. I’m sorry. It’s just that with the stalking incidents, and then the description of the victim, it was out of my mouth before I could stop myself.’
Nathan may not have intended to upset her, but her heart was racing, and her chest felt like it was being held in a vice.
Why didn’t I push the stalking incident with Markston? If something has happened to Kate, I will never forgive myself. Maggie didn’t have a lot of friends and she was fiercely loyal to those she did have.
Nathan veered left sharply as they headed down Queensway Lane towards the village of Hartley. They had been told only the bare minimum: the body had been found in a park, face down, by the playground where the local kids played. Two teenagers had stumbled across it when they’d cut through the park to reach the bus stop. As they approached the area, Maggie could see that the forensic pathologist, Dr Fiona Blake, had also just arrived with her assistant, Charlie. She was putting on protective clothing, and Nathan parked behind her vehicle.
He had barely stopped the car before Maggie jumped out and rushed towards Dr Blake. ‘Hey, Fiona. Have you heard any details on the identification of the body?’
‘Hi Maggie.’ She looked past Maggie and waved to Nathan. ‘No. All I know is that it looks to be a young female, long black hair. Black boots and a long black skirt with a black and white striped top. No personal items were found near the body.’
Maggie tensed. The description could easily be Kate. The clothing had a familiar ring to it.
Dr Blake must have sensed her fear. ‘What’s up, Maggie? Is there something I need to know?’ She handed Maggie and Nathan a suit each and nodded. ‘Get those on you while we chat.’
Maggie took a deep breath as she put on the required forensic suit and waited for Charlie to leave before speaking. ‘Did you know that Dr Moloney is being stalked? The description you’ve just given sounds exactly like an outfit I remember Kate wearing. No one knows where she is at the moment.’
‘Oh. I’m sorry, I know you’ve worked closely with Dr Moloney but you know my motto: no assumptions. Let’s see what we have first. Are you going to be OK?’ She squeezed Maggie’s arm.
‘Yeah, I’ll be fine.’ Maggie hoped her colleagues believed her. The truth was, she felt anything but fine. Her stomach tensed, and she felt like she could throw up at any moment.
‘Shall we get to it then?’ Dr Blake gestured towards the crime-scene cordon that had been set up around the perimeter.
With each step she took, Maggie fought to contain her feelings. As they signed in, Maggie looked over her colleagues’ shoulders and caught a glimpse of the body.
Black combat boots. Exactly like those Kate wore every day. The victim lay face down. The grass was soggy under their feet and a mist hovered over the grass, shrouding the body like a secret waiting to be uncovered. The crime-scene tent was being erected and Maggie couldn’t tear her eyes away.
A scream caught in her throat as she grabbed Nathan’s shoulder to stop herself from falling.
Chapter 2
The air felt thick as they headed towards the crime-scene tent, her feet like cement blocks, each step a struggle to take. Maggie looked down and stared at the back of the corpse. The clothes had an air of familiarity. The body shape matched and the hair …
Maggie could hear voices, but they sounded as if they were muffled. She felt a hand on her arm. ‘Maggie. Maggie. Are you sure you’re OK?’ She pulled herself together and Dr Blake released her arm. She didn’t want to risk being taken off the case because she let her emotions get the best of her.
‘Yes. Sorry. I just needed a minute. I’m fine. Totally fine.’ Maggie took a deep breath.
Dr Blake went over to join Charlie at the body while Nathan and Maggie stood back and watched. The few CSIs on site were busy collecting any evidence in the vicinity. Maggie knew she should be looking around, taking in the scene and talking to the witnesses, but her eyes couldn’t leave the body.
A brief look from Dr Blake and Maggie knew that the victim was about to be turned over.
‘On three, please.’ Dr Blake reached across and grasped the female’s shoulder. ‘One. Two. Three …’
A lone tear escaped Maggie’s eye as she stared at the porcelain face.
She felt a hand touch her shoulder and give a gentle squeeze. ‘It’s not Kate, Maggie. It’s not her.’ Nathan held her for another moment, making sure the reality had sunk in. She had registered the fact that although it was not her friend before them, it was a female who bore a strong resemblance to her.
‘Dr Blake. Is there anything you can tell us?’ Maggie shook her hands out.
‘There are no lacerations or stab wounds. No blood around the body.’ Lifting the victim’s arm, Dr Blake pulled back the sleeves. ‘She was restrained at some point.’
Maggie bent down and looked at the bruising and redness around the wrists.
‘Her hair looks unnatural. I think it may have been dyed black. But I won’t be able to confirm that until we get back to the lab. There don’t appear to be any head wounds either, but look at the bruising around the eyes. I’m curious as to why the eyes and mouth have been sewn shut.’ She leaned back and looked at the woman. ‘There’s a doll-like quality to all this, don’t you think? At the moment, I can’t tell you anything more. I’ll have the cause of death and more details, once the post-mortem is completed.’ Dr Blake stood. ‘Right then. This isn’t a natural death by any means, so I’d best get back to the mortuary and prepare. I’ll be in touch soon.’ Dr Blake left. Maggie’s attention was drawn to Charlie who gently moved the woman’s hair away from her face.
‘She looks familiar.’ Charlie looked up at Maggie.
‘She does …’ Maggie’s brow creased. ‘I’d best let you get on with things.’
Maggie left Charlie to finish up and took in the crime scene. The body had been placed face down near a tree and only a few feet away from the footpath. Although it didn’t appear staged, the positioning was neat, almost careful. Maggie wondered if the killer had hidden her face because he felt remorse or guilt at what he’d done. This wasn’t a large park, however; it wasn’t fenced off either. Instead, it sat in the middle of the village like a grassy island. Trees and shrubberies were scattered throughout and, intermingled with flower beds, added some privacy. The killer could have entered from any point. This wasn’t going to be easy.
‘Can you go and talk to the witnesses?’ Nathan pointed at the two teenagers sitting on a bench. ‘I’m going to speak with the Duty SIO and see if they can tell me anything more.’
Maggie nodded and headed towards the two boys.
‘Hi. I’m DC Maggie Jamieson and I wondered if I could have a brief chat with you both.’ The boys’ eyes were glazed, but they nodded their heads in unison.
‘I know this must have been a shock. I promise it won’t be long and you can get going. OK?’
More nods.
‘Can you talk me through what you were doing before, at the time of, and just after you discovered the body?’
The boy in the striped shirt spoke first. ‘We were delivering the morning papers. We always cut through here to get over to the other side of the village. I do one side of the street and he does the other.’ He pointed at the other boy, although he continued to stare straight ahead. ‘We just saw … I mean … we thought she was drunk or something.’
‘Take a breath. I know this must be difficult. Why did you call the police if you thought she was drunk?’ Maggie bit the top of her pen.
The boys looked at each other. This time, the one in the black shirt answered. He was blushing. ‘We shouted out to her … and when she didn’t look up or answer … we went over and … and …’
‘Look, you’re not going to get in trouble. So why don’t you just tell me.’ Maggie reached out and touched his shoulder.
‘I lifted her arm. When it just dropped to the ground, I touched her hand … It was cold. I didn’t know she was dead – but I thought she was in some sort of trouble …’ The black-shirted boy sank down.
‘OK, thanks. Did you see anyone else in the park? Any strange vehicles in the area you didn’t recognize?’
‘No. Just us and … her.’
‘OK. My colleagues over there are going to want you to go down to the station and make a formal statement. How old are you boys?’
‘Sixteen.’ They answered simultaneously.
‘Well, it will be up to you whether you want to contact your parents, or we can arrange for an appropriate adult if you’d feel more comfortable having someone with you, though given your age it’s not necessary. Thanks for your time. Don’t go anywhere before speaking to the officer over there, OK?’ The boys nodded and Maggie walked over to Nathan.
‘What did they have to say?’ Nathan was looking around.
‘Not a thing. They touched her though. I’ll let forensics know. They are shaken up. Pretty sure they never expected to stumble across this on their paper route.’
‘There’s not much coverage around here, so whoever did this was pretty sure they wouldn’t be seen or they’re very cocky.’ Nathan squinted as he looked at the various points of entry.
Maggie followed his eyeline. ‘Do you think the killer wanted her to be found?’
‘She doesn’t appear to have been posed. Looks more like a dump and run.’ Nathan started walking towards the car. ‘You coming back with me or sticking around?’
‘I’ll go with you. I still haven’t heard from Kate and I’ll feel a lot better when I know where she is. I’d also like to go over the evidence from her stalker; I think it’s still at Markston. It may be just a coincidence, but the victim looked a lot like Kate, so there may be something in those letters or gifts that were sent to her.’
‘Better safe than sorry, right?’
Before she could answer Nathan, she felt the vibration of her mobile ringing against her leg. Her hands trembled as she pulled the phone out of her pocket and looked at the screen.
It wasn’t Kate …
Chapter 3
He saw her. He wanted her. He’d have her. She didn’t even look his way when he brushed past her as she walked briskly towards her flat, swinging a white plastic bag in her hand. Milk, he guessed, for her morning coffee. The streetlamps flickered, they’d soon be off when the sun rose in the sky.
He doubled back.
She was stunning with that long hair. Silky. He could almost feel it dancing between his fingertips. Imagine the shimmer of each strand in the light as he brushed it.
He crossed the road. Over to the alleyway. Watching her.
Soon, sweetheart. Soon we’ll be together …
He’d been watching her for a while now. She was perfect. Or she would be.
Looking at his watch his excitement grew. She’d be ready now. He counted the seconds down. Four. Three. Two. One …
The door opened.
Right on time.
Her routines never seemed to falter. He’d have to talk to her about that. It wasn’t safe. She should know better.
She stood at the top of the steps straightening her jacket before she bounced down each one, onto the pathway and headed towards the top of the street, where she would turn left at the end of the road.
He stepped out from the alleyway and followed, keeping his distance, while also keeping her in his sights.
He caught a glimpse of her jacket as she headed through the gates and into the park. She always cut through the park on her way to the bus stop. It was a quiet morning. No one about – but he still would have to keep his wits about him. The police would be busy with the last one.
His pace quickened, and his heart raced. It was nearly time. He glanced in the direction of his car – still there. No traffic wardens out and about at this time either.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the knife. Holding it in his left hand, he came up behind her and placed his right arm around her neck. He held the tip of the knife at her back.
She gasped and before she could scream, he whispered in her ear, ‘Do not make a sound. If you scream, I will push this knife straight through you. I don’t want to hurt you. I just want you to come with me. You will do as you’re told, or you will suffer the consequences. Do you understand?’
He felt her head attempt to move up and down. He took it that she understood.
‘Good. Now come with me.’ He marched her towards his car. ‘Put your hands behind your back.’ His arm remained tight across her throat. She did as he asked.
He removed the semi-prepared tie cable from his pocket and pulled it tightly, securing it around her small, fragile wrists. He turned her around so he could look into her eyes.
‘Now, without making a sound, we’re going to go to the boot of my car.’ He grabbed her arms and pulled her towards him.
She was shaking her head now. Eyes wide. Cheeks tear-stained. ‘Please. Not the boot. I’ve done as you asked. I promise, I won’t scream.’
He pondered her request for a moment. She seemed genuine, but he had been fooled before and couldn’t risk it.