Why is this old-age pensioner here? thinks Ruth. Has he got confused and wandered in to do some late-night shopping? But it抯 lockdown. Surely, he should be shielding at home. He looks extremely feeble. And he seems to be wearing his slippers. Maybe she should go and help him. But something ?maybe the ghost of Erik hidden within the ersatz Seahenge ?makes her stay hidden.
The man goes to the safe Janet used earlier and extracts a key. As Ruth watches he walks towards a door at the back of the shop, almost hidden by packing cases. Edging around the fake timber posts, Ruth follows.
慛elson!?Tanya kneels beside him. 態oss!?
Nelson mutters something. It sounds a bit like 慍athbad? At least he isn抰 dead, thinks Tanya. She picks up her phone to call for an ambulance. 慣ombland Alley,?she says, thinking how ridiculous the address is. Nelson is showing signs of life now. Tanya touches his shoulder.
態oss. It抯 me. Tanya. I抳e called for help.?
慍athbad,?says Nelson again. 慦here is he??
And Tanya remembers what Judy said on the phone. 慍athbad抯 dying.?
The old man descends some stairs. He doesn抰 put on a light. Maybe he can see in the dark, like a cat. He抯 certainly as silent as a cat. Ruth follows, trying to tread quietly in her trainers. The man stops and so does Ruth. 慏on抰 look round,?she prays. He doesn抰。 Maybe he抯 deaf, even though he seems to have X-ray vision. She hears another key turn in a lock and the man says, in a pleasant, slightly quavery voice.
慦ell, Zoe? Have you decided??Is it time to kill yourself??
Chapter 41
Ruth thinks it抯 time to act. Surely, she will be a match for this ancient jailer?
Ruth turns on her phone torch. 慫oe??
慠uth!?comes the reply. The man turns, holding up his hand against the light.
慫oe,?Ruth steps forward into the doorway, 慳re you OK??
Zoe is in a windowless room. Ruth can just make out a camp bed and a bucket. It reminds her so much of another underground room, discovered fourteen years ago, that her head swims and she thinks she抯 going to faint. The man takes full advantage of this. With a surprisingly swift movement he grabs Ruth抯 phone from her hand and backs out of the room, slamming the steel door behind him.
Ruth is left alone with her sister.
Nelson struggles to sit up. 慍athbad,?he says again.
慣ake it easy, boss,?says Tanya. 慖抳e called an ambulance.?
慖 don抰 need an ambulance,?says Nelson. He supports himself on his elbow, breathing hard. 慦hat抯 happening??he says.
Tanya is not quite sure where to start. 慠uth got a message,?she says. 慡he thought it was from Janet Meadows, who lives here. We came to investigate, and we discovered two students living in one of the empty houses. Then we heard someone sobbing. It seems like there抯 someone stuck in an underground room. I抳e called for back-up. Ruth抯 waiting for them now.?
慠uth . . .?Nelson rubs his eyes. 慦here is she??
慡he went back to Steward抯 house.?This is Janet, appearing out of the shadows with the student ?Eileen ?at her side. 慦hat happened to you, DCI Nelson??
慖 think I was hit on the head,?says Nelson. He manages to get to his feet although he looks very pale and sways slightly.
慪ou should stay here,?says Tanya. She doesn抰 want him collapsing on her.
慖 saw Cathbad,?says Nelson. 慔e was on a beach.?
慪ou抮e delirious,?says Tanya. Just her luck to be stuck in the middle of Tombland with a bunch of crazies.
慛o,?says Nelson. 慖t was a dream. It was his dream.?
慪ou抮e not making much sense, boss.?But thinking of Cathbad makes Tanya remember why Judy called in the first place. I think I know who killed Avril Flowers. She was sending a photograph. Tanya clicks on the link, squinting to see in the dim light. She can hear Janet telling Nelson to rest and Eileen babbling about the Grey Lady. What wouldn抰 she give to have someone sane with her? Judy or Clough. Even Tony.