PEEL-BEHIND THEIR EYES. Book 1 (Complete)

Chapter 19. Past and present

Peel rushed out into the crisp morning air Detective Mason in tow. Trampling over the newly installed lawns of the police forecourt he took the direct route to his car, Mason to the more respecting pathway. Peel sat at the steering wheel of his car as Mason climbed in Shutting the door behind.

Without looking at the detective Peel hesitantly said "about what you said this morning, I don't want you to be right of course but neither can I ignore the possibility. I need you to go and find out more about the mothers of the original victims in the Barringer case, especially Julia's mother, her job, where she was from, was she having an affair behind her husband's back, or maybe she knew one of the suspects. See if anything or anyone from the past crops up in the present. There has to be a connection between these two killers, old and knew we just have to find it"

Mason gave Peel a sideways glance "so you don't believe that the Gouger is back then"

Peel sighed "no, he's not back, it's a copycat I'm sure. Anyway, where would he have been all these years, prison? Why would he suddenly return to old ways? I've one of my lads checking long term prisoner releases over the last 6 months, we'll see if any of them were sent down soon after the killings stopped in 78"

Mason bowed his head in thought then said "OK, I'll do it, can I take this" he held aloft the file "I'll bring it back soon as I have something"

Peel nodded "Yes, I don't need it at the moment"

Mason opened the car door, before climbing out he turned and asked "What are you going to now"

Peel turned the key in the ignition and started up the engine "I'm headed home; I've got an attic to search"

Mason climbed out of the car and headed back into the station. Peel with a worried creased brow drove out of the yard into the busy morning traffic of Victoria street and head for his family home.

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The sound of metal rollers scraping along a greaseless track as large wooden doors were forced apart roused Macy from her stupor. Light flooded in blinding her temporarily, but she could hear the return of the white van as it drove in. Macy was frightened, she shook Rebecca but Macy realized that the girl was still under the effects of whatever drugs they were forced to take each night. Sitting up Macy watched the doors rolled back in place and thought as the dark returned "I'm going to die here".

Tears sprang to her eyes as the van's door opened and the hooded figure emerged pointing a large flashlight at her and Rebecca. The chilling voice said,

"Eeny, meany, miny, mo, catch a monkey by the toe. You!"

Macy jumped at the sudden scream at her side, Rebecca was awake. Tears now streamed down Macy's face as she held onto Rebecca as hard as possible, but she had little or no strength now, she was weak from days of inactivity having sat chained to walls, with no real sleep and the onset of malnutrition. Her fingers slipped through the material of Rebecca's clothing until the two were parted. Macy lay with her face in her arms crying uncontrollably, her sobs wracked her body. She heard the doors open, the van drive out and the doors close again. Eventually looking up Macy saw that Rebecca the monster and van were gone and screamed until her throat was raw.

"PLEASE LET ME GO, I DON'T WANT TO DIE. SOMEONE HELP ME!"

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Reaching up with a short hooked pole Peel snagged the looped latch and yanked, a ceiling panel above his head hinged down and ladders unfolded and extended to the floor at his feet. Taking several steps up, he reached into the inky darkness of the attic and flicked a switch. A single clear light bulb dangling from an old frayed cable burned to life, it radiated just enough to light the center most of the attics cobwebbed space. Peel climbed further up the ladders and looked in through the hatch, memories of the creepy attic came back as if they had never been forgotten.