Page 101 of The Taskmaster
“Does she have the closure she needs?”
“I dropped his black heart at her feet. What do you think?”
He stood up, walked to the corner of the room, and turned his back on me. “Did she tell you what happened to her?”
I swallowed. “Yes.”
Slowly he turned to face me. “What happened?”
“I can’t tell you that. It isn’t my story to tell. And her secrets will die with me. I’d never tell another living soul.” I lifted my chin defiantly. “She trusts me, and I would never break her trust.”
He nodded, a grave sadness haunting him as his head fell forward.
“At least she’s been able to tell someone. That’s something, I suppose.”
There was a strange connection between us in that moment, an unspoken agreement that the things we’d discussed wouldstay in this room. The words and memories shared would be ours, and ours alone.
“I know you’re not like the rest of them,” I told him. “You do things by the book. So, whatever you have to do, do it. Charge me, lock me up, leave me to rot in a jail cell for what I’ve done, I really don’t care. But I care about her. All I ask is that you look after her. You explain everything, and make sure she knows that none of this is her fault. She deserves to be loved. To live her life, and find joy and happiness. I want that for her. I want her to meet someone, get married, have children and live like none of this ever happened.”
“I know how to look after my own daughter,” he snapped, then gritted his teeth before his steely composure returned. “She’ll be fine. She has her family around her. I won’t let this affect her.”
“Good.” I stood up and moved to the side of the table, holding my arms out ready for him to cuff me. “Let’s get this over with then, shall we?”
Chapter Fifty-Two
ABIGAIL
Isat in the waiting room of the police station for hours. I kept asking the desk sergeant if he could tell me what was going on, give me an update on the case, or fetch my dad to come and speak to me, but all I got was, “When he’s free to talk to you, he will. I can’t tell you anymore at this stage, Miss.”
I wasn’t going to leave without an answer. I would stay here all night, and then the next, and the next, until someone gave me something. I’d just been through hell, had Isaiah ripped away from me, and been bundled into the back of a police car, and driven back to my parents’ house against my will. I tried to get them to bring me straight to the station, but they wouldn’t listen. My dad had given orders, and they were following them to the letter.
So, I got out of the police car. Told them I didn’t need an escort to the front door; I was capable of walking myself. Then I waited for them to drive away and came straight to the station, where I knew they’d be holding him.
“Can you tell me if they’ve charged him with anything?” I asked the desk sergeant, hoping that in making a nuisance of myself, I might finally get some answers.
He tapped away on his screen, and then in a bored tone told me, “No. Nothing’s been put on the system.”
“Well, maybe go and ask. Then we might get somewhere,” I snapped, and then I huffed when he showed no indication of moving and just shrugged at me.
“For God’s sake, this is a joke.” I stormed across the room and sat back on the waiting room chair.
There was a television on the wall. The local news was on, but the sound was muted. When the screen cut to a police press conference, and I saw my father walk into the room and sit down at the head of the table, I sat up and shouted, “Turn it up!”
The guy on the desk frowned at me, and I snapped, “Turn up the sound on the TV! Quick!” I waved my hand at the television frantically, and he picked up a remote from the desk and pointed it at the TV, turning up the volume.
My heart was pounding, my whole body shaking as I sat forward to listen. I had a bad feeling about this.
“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for attending this press conference at such short notice. We would like to make a short statement in regard to the following case.
“Earlier today, we were called to a property on the outskirts of Brinton Manor. During routine enquiries, we made a discovery.
“The remains of Frederick Wilson, Harold Fraser, Mario Cane, Paul Masters, Joel Spencer, and Gabriel Tolley were found within the property. We also have reason to believe that articles belonging to Peter Hipkiss, and Nial Fagin, were also at the property. Forensic tests are being conducted, but I can’t go into any more detail about that part of the investigation at this current time. As soon as we know anything, we will inform the press, and other relevant authorities.
“At present, the circumstances of each murder, as well as the motive, are still uncertain, and I ask you to bear with us while we conclude our enquiries.
“What we can tell you is a local man was arrested shortly afterwards.”
There was a buzz through the crowd of people attending the conference. Voices calling out and general excitement. I felt nothing but sickness and dread.
