Page 74 of Gone in the Night
‘Is the garage open?’ she asked Marie, who nodded at her.
Snapping on a pair of blue gloves, Morgan headed towards the large outbuilding. Marie didn’t even argue with her or mention that she lived above it. The woman was standing to one side as the team filed past her, seven officers including Ben. Finally realising that things were getting serious, she pulled a phone out of her pocket and rang someone, Morgan assumed either Stefan or Beth, to tell them what was happening.
The garage was surprisingly empty. In one corner was a stack of gardening equipment, a ride-on mower, assorted tools, everything you could possibly need to look after a garden this size. Morgan remembered that Beth took care of everything. Stefan said she wouldn’t take any help because she liked to keep fit that way. She paused, gardening was hard work, it took a lot of strength to be able to bend and weed. There were some trug buckets under the workbench, and she tugged them out one at a time. There was brown jute twine, green twine, plastic twine, every kind of twine you could dream of but there was no blue rope. At the far end of the garage was a locked door next to two industrial-sized washing machines and a dryer. There was also a huge clothes maid with bedding drying on it.
Morgan tried the door handle. It was locked. She spied a toolbox at the far end, tucked right back under the workbench, but as she bent to drag it out someone threw themselves at her.
Morgan was knocked to the ground, all of the wind gushing out of her as she hit the concrete with a loud thwack. Whoever had pushed her was strong. Morgan lay on her side, disorientated on the floor as her arms were tugged behind her. She tried to fight the person off, but they were kneeling close to her neck, a thigh either side stopping her from turning her head, and sitting on her shoulder blades.
A voice whispered, ‘Shhh.’
As she opened her mouth to scream, a dirty rag was stuffed inside, making her gag so much she was almost sick. A wave of sickness rolled over her as she felt herself being dragged towards a trapdoor in the floor that she’d never noticed seconds ago, near to the ride-on lawn mower.
She’d never seen it. She had no idea who was dragging her, their face was covered by a black mask, and she wondered if she was hallucinating…
Had she knocked herself on the head?
Then she was bundled down into a hole that wasn’t very big. She fell about three feet into the bottom of the pit, which was thankfully cushioned by something, so her landing was soft, but she hit her head against the wall on her way down and blacked out – not hearing the door above her slam shut, the old piece of matting being thrown over the floor and the mower being moved across it.
FORTY-NINE
Ben was searching Stefan’s office when his phone buzzed. He read the text and frowned.
Nothing in garage. Got to go to the hospital Amy is in a bad way. Xxx
He straightened up and read the message again. Dialling Morgan’s number, it went straight to voicemail, and he realised the service wasn’t great as his signal went from one to zero bars of service. He texted her back.
Okay, let me know what’s happening when you get there. I can’t spare two of you at this moment, Morgan. One of you will have to come back as soon as you know how she is. Xx
He went to the door to see the plain car had gone. Worried now about Amy, he wondered if he should ring the hospital, but they wouldn’t tell him anything – he wasn’t family. He carried on, even though he was more than a little bit perturbed that Morgan had taken off without even coming to speak to him first. Clearly she was still annoyed with the way he’d been with herearlier but what was he supposed to do? Ignore the fact that she’d met Fin Palmer behind his back? He trusted Morgan but he didn’t trust Palmer. He was a weasel.
‘Anything?’ Marc was leaning against the doorway.
‘Nothing, for a house this size it has very little stuff in it. I was hoping we’d find some rope that matched the one at Jack’s crime scene.’
‘I guess they follow the Marie Kondo way of living.’
Ben turned to look at him. ‘What does that even mean?’
‘She’s big on getting rid of clutter and streamlining your life, had a bestselling book about it.’
‘Oh, right. Never heard of her. By the way, Amy’s not good. Morgan had to go. She got a call from the hospital.’
‘Really, that’s bad news. What’s Morgan going to do that Cain can’t?’
Ben shrugged. He didn’t actually know, that was a valid question.
‘Did she find anything?’
‘Said the garage was clear.’
‘Damn it.’
Loud footsteps and shouting from the hallway outside filled the air.
‘Who said you could come in here and what are you doing in my house?’
Stefan was back and sounded furious. Marc side-eyed Ben and they both headed towards his voice. He was red-faced and shaking, shouting at Amber.
