Page 73 of The Tapes
‘Did you kill him?’ I ask.
‘I heard he killed himself.’
It takes a second but: ‘I never specified the him…’
And we both know now, as if there was any doubt. Kieron might have been the person who killed Owen as he went looking for the tape – butI’mthe reason Owen is dead.
‘Where’s the tape?’ Kieron asks.
My phone is at my feet – but my bag is in the back of my car. The tape is there. I feel Kieron’s eyes on me, weighing up whether I have it now.
‘He didn’t have the tape, so you must have it,’ Kieron says. ‘Where is it?’
I don’t answer because I don’t trust myself. I’ll accidentally mention Vivian and the second tape.
Kieron doesn’t wait long. He scratches his head and sighs. ‘I do actually like you,’ he says. ‘Faith is a good friend for my granddaughter and I’m a family man before anything else.’
‘All those women had families too.’
There’s a twinkle in his eye. ‘I saidIliked you. But nobody’s going to miss you, Eve. Faith’s dad is a better parent than you’ll ever be. Both your parents are gone. Nobody even knows you’re here. Nobody cares.’
He pulls up his top and slips a knife from his belt. The light glimmers from the blade that’s as razor-sharp as his words. Both feel too real.
‘I wonder if I’m out of practice…’ he says.
THIRTY-SIX
Kieron moves slowly towards me, a pace at a time, knife in his hand. His eyes never leave me and I can see the moment of realisation that all those other victims must have had. He would have shown them his police identification, got their trust, and then they would have had this same understanding that I now do.
Almost.
I already knew who Kieron Parris was – because my mother had prepared me.
A sense of calm washes across as I reach into the back of my trousers, and pull out the taser gun. It felt wrong in my hand the first time I held it – but it’s right now. Kieron sees what’s happening but he’s too slow. When the trigger is pulled, wires zip from the barrel, embedding themselves in his neck. I was aiming for his chest but this is better. There’s a pop, a fizz – and then Kieron is shaking. He first collapses to his knees as his jaw chatters and then he’s on his side, convulsing.
My instinct is to help, to make sure he’s breathing – but now’s not the time for instinct. I clasp the jewellery box and run for the door. Kieron was able to wrench it down in one movement but it takes me three to lift it enough so I can crouchmy way out. I close the grate behind me – and then run. It should be a simple dart through the corridors but, as soon as I reach the first crossroads, my mind is blank. I stand in the middle of the T, looking both ways, trying to remember how to get back to the landscaping yard. I turn back to unit forty-one, expecting the roller door to be up, and Kieron to be on his feet – but there’s nothing.
Breathe.
I count to three – and then I know what I’m doing. No point in making my way back through the warren of corridors to the landscaping yard – because I’m parked on the road anyway. I turn in the opposite direction, heading out through the front of the storage centre and following the path to the road.
I see my car and I’m so close. I’ll call 999 while I’m driving. Even if they don’t believe me, I have the tape and I have the jewellery box. There’s no way Kieron can clear that storage unit in time.
My chest is tight and it’s more of a jog than a run. I’m balancing my phone in one hand, the jewellery box in the other. When I reach the car, I place those on the back, then fish into my back pocket for the key.
The lights flash orange and the car locks blip open. I’m finally safe.
‘Eve…?’
It’s not Kieron’s voice and there’s no way he could’ve caught me. I turn at the sound of my name – but it’s just in time to see something swinging towards me.
Then there’s black.
ELEANOR
Extract fromThe Earring Killerby Vivian Mallory, © 2015.
It was nine months later that the Earring Killer struck again. The previous eight victims were women who’d been isolated in various places – but there was something different about Eleanor Beale.
