Two for Joy - Louise Collins Page 0,28
Gareth Smith. He glanced at Romeo, then turned to Chad before slapping a plastic bag to his chest with more force than Romeo thought was necessary.
“See.” He said, glaring at Chad.
Chad took the bag from him. Romeo knew they were the printed magpie feathers. Chad’s brow crumpled, and he squeezed his eyes shut.
“We’ll get them analyzed at the lab.” Gareth said.
“Analyzed? For what?”
“Fingerprints. DNA.”
Romeo frowned. “DNA?”
“There’s been three murders.” The DI said. “Each victim strangled in their bedroom. Each victim branded with a number, counting down from five.”
A smile started to grow on Romeo’s face. The killer hadn’t been caught, he’d found a way around the CCTV at James’s house, and then had gone on to get his number three. He was cleverer than Romeo had given him credit for.
“You sick fuck.” Gareth hissed. Then he looked at Chad while pointing at Romeo. “He smiled. Don’t pretend you didn’t see it.”
“I saw.” Chad muttered.
“Then why—why are you so adamant he’s not involved.”
“He’s not,” Chad said, shaking his head. “He can’t be.”
“This countdown killer leaves an identical image of a magpie feather beside the body, and it seems like he sends you one too after each kill.” The DI said.
“The feathers are from the copycat?”
Gareth huffed. “Seems that way doesn’t it.”
Romeo looked up, trying to connect with Chad. “I thought they were…”
“What?” the DI asked.
“I don’t know. Just feathers.”
“That you just happen to keep and pin to your wall.”
Romeo didn’t reply.
“Who have you been talking to other than Chad?”
“Will, the guy in the next cell. Holly Stevenson, the journalist—
“No phone calls, no letters?”
“No.”
Gareth snorted. “Who’ve you been talking to? Who have you convinced into taking over from you?”
“No one.”
“What’s with the magpie feathers?”
“Nothing.”
Chad came forward and stood level with the DI. “Romeo?”
“I swear to you I don’t know who’s sending them.”
“He’s a serial killer,” Gareth said. “Don’t listen to him—this is him. This is him again, but through someone else.”
“Chad, I haven’t spoken to anyone but you, not a word.”
Chad stared at him for a long moment, and Romeo willed him to see the hidden meaning in his words. He hadn’t told anyone about the magpie, that was between them, only them.
“I believe him.”
“Of course you do,” Gareth laughed, “He’s got you so wrapped around his finger you’d believe anything that came out of his god-damn mouth. He’s poisoned your mind.”
“Enough.” The DI said.
“This copycat killer,” Romeo said carefully, “Am I right to assume he’s got his number three…”
“Yes…”
Romeo turned his head, frowning. “You didn’t catch him on James’s CCTV.”
“How did you know—” The DI stopped abruptly and looked accusingly at Chad. “You’ve been giving him details. Jesus Christ, Cha—
“Of course I haven’t.”
“Then how else would he know James was a victim.”
Romeo forcefully cleared his throat, then snorted. “News crew. Chad in the background. He wouldn’t have been there unless it was murder. I made a point of avoiding CCTV, and I’m wondering why these cameras in prime positions didn’t catch your killer.”
“The cameras weren’t working.” Chad said. “James … was practically living rough inside his mansion after his drug shame. Barely had enough money to buy his dogs food.”
“Why the hell are you telling him?” Gareth asked. “He’s not gonna help us.”
Romeo smiled at Gareth. “Chad knows that. We’re on opposing teams, always have been. The detectives vs the serial killers.”
“It’s not a game.”
“It is. Life is just a game.”
“Where people get hurt.”
“If you’re on the wrong team, you’ll get burned.”
“Back to the station, you two.” The DI announced. “We’re not gonna get anywhere here.”
Chad looked at him. “But—”
“No buts, get out.”
Chad shot a helpless look at Romeo.
“It’s okay, we’ll catch up next week.”
Chad nodded, then followed Gareth out of the door.
“I’ve tried to make him see sense, but still he visits you.”
“He likes me.”
The DI flared his nostrils. Romeo leaned closer, till his head was almost resting on the barrier. “And I like him.”
“You like having control over someone.”
“Who doesn’t?”
“Do you have control over this copycat?”
“Not deliberately, but the very fact they’re a copycat suggests I do.”
“Who have you been speaking to?”
“Mainly myself.”
“Do you know who sent you the feather?”
Romeo thought he did, but he’d been wrong. The copycat had been sending them, but no one knew about the magpie except Chad.
“I don’t know. But I wish them all the luck in the world.”
The DI drew back in his chair. “What?”
“Even though I care for Chad—”
“You don’t care for him, if you did, you’d let him go.”
Romeo snorted. “I still root for my team over his. I’m on the