Leave Her Hanging: A Noir Thriller

Chapter Forty-Seven

I fell to my hands and knees on the carpet, my stomach heaving. Hot vomit burned my throat and splashed across the floor. My eyes stung like someone was forcing them out from the inside. The stench of my vomit wafted through me and my stomach rebelled again. I heaved and heaved until there was nothing left inside me. Cold sweat plastered my hair to my forehead.

My muscles quivered as I forced myself to my feet. I couldn’t look at Megan. So I turned away and went back into the other room, leaving her there.

It was over. I had no hope of catching Dennis, not now. But I’d found the person who’d caused Ella’s death. And I’d had my justice. I could still feel the acid taste of it in my throat.

I washed my mouth out at the kitchen sink, cleaned my hands, and got everything ready. In the centre of the living room floor I laid out what I had. The red and yellow ring. The USB drive with the audio and video files, and the encryption key I’d pulled off Malcolm’s ID card. Next to that I put Malcolm’s wallet, minus the few dollars remaining which were in my pocket. Then the diary and the stack of cash I’d found in Megan’s room. And lastly the note I’d written while I waited for Megan, detailing everything I knew. About Ella, about me, about Malcolm and Dennis and Cassandra and their whole operation. About Stephanie. Even about Jo Kim. Maybe the cops could squeeze him better than I did. Maybe they’d track down Dennis and the others. But me, I was done.

I was halfway to the door before I realised I’d forgotten something. I steeled myself, turned back, and went into the dining room. The rope creaked slightly under the weight of Megan’s body. I tried not to look at her too closely as I reached into the jeans pocket and pulled out her keys. I figured I should feel guilty for what her parents would go through when they came home. But I didn’t feel anything. I pocketed her keys and went out of the house, not bothering to wipe my fingerprints from the doorknob.

The night was quiet. I stood on the stepping stones in the garden and breathed deep a few times. It didn’t help. I got my phone out, turned it on, and dialled the number on the crumpled business card that’d been sitting in my pocket.

A deep, sleepy voice answered the phone. “Reihana.”

“Detective,” I said. “It’s Spade. You talked to me the other day about Ella Lewis’ death. You remember?”

“I remember.” He sounded more awake now. “Where are you?”

“That doesn’t matter right now.”

“You need to turn yourself—”

“I said it doesn’t matter.” I pulled my sleeve across my forehead, wiping away the sweat. “I can’t talk long. I didn’t kill Ella and I didn’t kill Stephanie. But you’re going to get another call soon, about a girl dead by hanging. That one I did do.”

I could hear him turning the words over in his mind. “Where are you? I can send a car to pick you up. Whatever this is, we can work it out.”

“I’m telling you this so you know it’s me. So you don’t arrest some other poor sap.” I twirled Megan’s keys around the index finger of my injured hand. “You’ll find a note. You can believe it or not. But there are kids out there you might be able to help. I’m trusting you to do a better job than I did.”

“Jack,” he said. “Spade.”

I hung up, took the battery out, and snapped the SIM card in half. Then I tossed the whole lot into the garden and walked to the driveway.

I figured out which key fitted Megan’s car on the second try. I got in, adjusted the seat and mirrors, and started it up. My broken fingers were thankful it was an automatic. I’d have to ditch the car soon. It wouldn’t take long for the cops to work out her car was missing. But I’d have an hour or two. Enough to get started.

I reversed onto the road and pointed my headlights south. That was as far as I’d planned. Run south. After that, who knows?

No time to say goodbye to Dad and Leanne. No time to explain. But that was okay. I wouldn’t be disappointing anyone else. No other friends to leave behind. I’d made sure of that.

I put my foot to the accelerator and pulled away from Megan’s house. I imagined I could see her silhouette hanging in the window. I shivered, pulled up my hood, and turned on the car heater.

Auckland rolled along beside me. I looked out at all the lights and said, “I did it, Ella.”

No one answered.

~~~

Thank you very much for reading Leave Her Hanging.

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