Vanishing Point

‘Gates is furious with you,’ she pointedly stated.

‘Tell me something new,’ replied Brady laconically.

‘This isn’t funny, Jack,’ Amelia snapped, clearly frustrated by his response. ‘Adamson went straight to him and lodged a complaint about you – to add to the one from Frank Henderson.’

‘I take it Frank Henderson has been talking to Adamson then?’

‘You could say that,’ answered Amelia.

Brady didn’t say anything.

‘Jack, why didn’t you just stay away? Why go looking for trouble?’

‘What if I was to say that I think the murder investigation I’m working on is connected with Simone Henderson’s attack?’

‘How?’ questioned Amelia, intrigued.

‘That’s what I’m trying to figure out. And that’s why I needed to talk to you.’

‘I’m listening …’ she said as she sat back, folded her arms and waited.

Brady bent forward and lowered his voice, not wanting anyone around to overhear.

‘I haven’t got time now because I’ve got to be somewhere. But I promise I’ll fill you in later. In the meantime, I need you to do something for me. If I had any other choice, believe me I wouldn’t ask …’

‘Go on,’ she instructed with an edge of cynicism.

‘What I need is the surveillance footage for this morning’s shift covering the main reception area at Rake Lane,’ Brady explained. ‘And … I need your help to get it.’

‘Why me?’ she asked, frowning.

‘Because I can’t and you can. You’re part of the investigation into Simone Henderson’s attack which ultimately gives you the authority I don’t have to request it.’

Amelia reached for her cappuccino and slowly took a sip as she thought it over.

She placed the cup back in the saucer and looked him in the eye. ‘Tell me why I should do that for you?’

‘We’ve got one headless girl in the morgue who was gang-raped and sodomised before being murdered. Then we have one of our own coppers in ICU. What connects them is the fact they’ve both been branded.’

Amelia gaped at him. ‘Run that by me again?’ she asked quietly, trying to hide her surprise.

Brady edged forward in his seat towards her.

‘Both victims have been branded. Simone has the letter “N” burnt onto her breast and the girl in the morgue has the letters “MD” with a scorpion above branded at the base of her spine.’

‘If you think there’s a connection—’ began Amelia, starting to shake her head.

‘I know there’s a connection. Don’t ask me how I know, I just know.’

‘What? A hunch? Is that it?’ questioned Amelia with an edge of scepticism.

‘It’s enough to worry me,’ Brady replied, sighing heavily.

She didn’t reply. From the troubled look on her face Brady could see that she was weighing up the enormity of what he was asking her to do.

He nervously dragged his hand back through his hair as he waited for her to respond.

Eventually she looked him in the eye.

‘You’ve got to take this to Adamson. If you don’t then you’ll be seen as withholding evidence. If Gates finds out he’ll crucify you.’

‘Like you said, it’s just a hunch. For the time being I want to keep this between you and me. Get me that surveillance footage and I’ll have a clearer idea as to whether or not I actually have something concrete.’

She remained unmoved.

‘Please, Amelia. Believe me, if I had any other choice …’ Brady’s voice trailed off. He didn’t know what else to say to convince her. She didn’t owe him anything. And he was acutely aware of that fact. Until today they hadn’t seen each other in over six months and then only in a professional capacity. She had hinted that she wanted more, but he had backed away, unable to move on after Claudia.

‘You know what you’re asking me to do, don’t you?’ asked Amelia, raising her head.

‘I’m desperate …’

She lightly sighed. ‘Alright, I’ll do it. Only because I’d hate to see you do something that will mean you end up losing your job once and for all.’

‘Thanks.’

‘Don’t thank me, thank Conrad. He rang me earlier. He’s the one who convinced me to help you. He’s a good man, Jack. You’re lucky to have him on your side.’

‘Yeah, I know. What did he say?’

‘Enough,’ answered Amelia.

Brady didn’t say anything.

‘Do not screw up and involve me,’

‘Thank you, Amelia. I owe you one,’ Brady replied, relieved.

‘This is against my better judgement, Jack. And I’m not doing this as your colleague, I’m doing this because I care about what happens to you. Even if you don’t.’

Amelia held his eye as she waited for a response.

But typically, Brady didn’t say a word. Instead he uncomfortably broke away from her gaze.

She knew why. She’d read the files from his childhood and knew better than anyone why he couldn’t deal with emotion. Why, when offered the chance of something good, he would inevitably end up running from it for fear of destroying it. But there was something about him, a vulnerability that meant she couldn’t resist wanting to help him. Despite her better judgement.

‘Amelia, I … I …’ began Brady.

But Amelia was already gathering up her bag and phone.