sat on his desk beside Gina.
She shrugged and sniffed. ‘I can’t see it. Maybe we’re looking for a link between Stephen and our victim. Stephen is ultimately a coward. Terry was the more aggressive brother. I could see Terry burying someone alive and enjoying it, but Stephen, however much I hate him, I’m sure it’s not him.’
‘Could he have got someone else to do it for him?’
‘Murder an innocent man just to get to me?’
‘No. It looks like our victim was taking drugs, maybe he got them from Stephen. He has got a past when it comes to drugs.’
The office fell silent. Gina knew that rattling Stephen’s cage would further fuel the anger that Hetty and he harboured against her. ‘It has to be someone else, someone Terry knew? It’s not Stephen or Hetty; besides Stephen has been working up in Scotland for the past few months. Before you ask, yes I check out his whereabouts on Facebook. He’s shacked up with some poor woman.’
‘Then we’re back to square one when it comes to finding the link. I’m sure this letter won’t be the last, not now the press have made so much of it.’ He pursed his lips together before speaking again. ‘You shouldn’t be alone at home.’
‘I’m fine with the drive-bys. I have my CCTV, my alarm system, my deadlocks, double locks, gate locks.’ She exhaled slowly as her cheeks cooled down. ‘I’ll be okay. The shock got to me but I’m not going to let this beat me. As far as this murderous freak is concerned, we’re game on.’
‘That’s what I like to hear. If you sense any danger, you just have to call and I’ll be there.’
She forced a smile. ‘Is there anything else that will help with the investigation?’
‘There is a postmark on the envelope. It was posted in Cleevesford.’
‘As local as that. They didn’t even try to hide how close they are – or did they come here just to post the letter? They know the woods, they know the area and I suspect they live locally. Why now? Any thoughts?’
He shook his head. ‘Maybe talking to our victim’s mother might give us something to work with.’
‘There’s something else. I received a letter yesterday. It was marked private and confidential. It’s from the killer. I didn’t link the two until I saw this one today.’ She stood and pulled down at her shirt over her black trousers.
‘What? You should have said something anyway. What does it say?’
‘It’s like they’re trying to get me to remember my past and it mentions that they know everything.’ She almost choked as she continued to speak. ‘Whoever wrote it says we are the same. They want me to see that. I’m scared, Chris.’ She gasped a sob and held her arm out as he moved a little close. ‘I’m okay. I’ll get you the letter. This is as personal as it gets.’
‘Anything else, call me straight away. Don’t sit on it. I won’t mention this outside of us two at the moment. As the press don’t know the content of this letter, it may help us catch the killer. I don’t want any chance of it leaking in any way or form.’
She wiped a tear away. ‘I might have confronted Lyndsey Saunders about it. I thought it was her and I was so angry. She has no idea what was written in it.’
‘Damn it! Just keep a lid on the detail. Say nothing to anyone else. We don’t know who’s pulling the strings and, more often than not, it can be someone closer than we think. Also, we are assuming that this person might be a threat to you until something tells us otherwise. They are a threat to you. I need you to stay safe.’
Her gaze lingered on his for a few seconds longer. ‘I’ll call you later.’
As his door closed after her, her shoulders slumped. In her mind, she was screaming. She shook that thought away. What she needed right now was for everyone to see her as a capable leader of the investigation, not someone who was about to fall apart. Why had the killer chosen her?
Chapter Twenty-Five
‘Did you get the oregano?’ Christian came into the hallway from the kitchen. The smell of fried onions filled her nostrils as she slammed the door closed.
Sweat poured from her forehead and her underarms reeked from the panic she’d endured. Her heart rate wasn’t returning back to normal as quickly as she’d hoped – or was it anxiety?