She Wasn't You

Chapter 25

Whether I wanted to admit it or not, I was a suspect in Nicola's death.

How did you know we planned to meet? I didn't see any messages to you when I had her phone. Shit!

Time would tell whether I covered my tracks well enough but that remains to be seen. I had to play it cool being Bradley and try and get as much information that you know ahead of the inevitable police knock at the door.

'What? Do you know what they were meeting for? You're right though, it does seem a little odd as they were never close in school'

I had to throw you off of any scent that Bradley could possibly be me. I couldn't keep sticking up for Tommy otherwise you could potentially smell a rat. I had to go against myself. Was that bad judgement and did I run the risk of fuelling a fire against me?

Possibly.

                                  ~~~

You didn't reply back to the message I sent last night. The following morning I went into work slightly earlier than usual. I had to make sure I spoke to Steve to remind him to keep his story straight without raising suspicions. I had to play this right, otherwise when the police come knocking, he wouldn't second guess me.

As I reached the office that morning, my mind was running at 100mph, second guessing myself. It would look a little strange that I was rushing to collaborate my story with the police only one step behind me.

Did I trust Steve enough? At this point, I don't think I trusted anyone enough not to drop me in it.

Deciding against my original plan, I turned back around and headed home. I gave my boss a call to tell him that one of the kids wasn't feeling too great and that I would be working from home. If you had decided to take what you knew to the police, Katie. I couldn't have them showing up at my work place. I'd lose my job within seconds of them leaving. Or even worse, the whole office could see me being carted away in handcuffs and that wouldn't be great for me or for business.

"Morning Tommy! Did you work a night shift?"

Fuck! I rolled my eyes as I turned around at the entrance to the train station. This was the last person I needed to run into right now.

"Morning Glenn. No, just had a call from the Mrs. One of my children is unwell, so I'll be working from home. Tried getting in early for a change but that plan went out of the window." I shrugged my shoulders as I pretended to look to be in a rush.

"Oh. Well I hope they're okay? Hey, did you hear about that woman they found in the woods? I'm telling you, there's a serial killer among us. I'm not buying the story about the homeless man and that nurse, are you?"

Really? I just told this idiot that I needed to go home but I had to bump into him didn't I? Wearing his famous tin hat. I'm sure this guy had a conspiracy on the sky being blue!

"I don't know mate, I haven't really paid much interest. Look I really have to run." I slowly begin to walk away from him but he won't let it go.

"You know what I think? I think that guy only admitted to it to get himself off of the streets. Prison must be like a haven for him. A bed, warm food and a little bit more protection than he would get off the streets. I'm not buying the whole he did it story."

I smiled and nodded in all the right places. "Sounds like you're in the wrong job, Glenn. Good luck with your investigation!"

I had no more time for senseless chit chat, so I decided it was time just to walk away.

"Hope you're kiddy gets better soon, Tommy."

I raised a hand in acknowledgment without turning around. See ya Glenn.

Great! Just what I needed, a plastic policeman within my own circle who wanted to play detective. I'll give him credit though. He wasn't wrong about any of it. Fortunately for me, he had no way of gaining evidence. He could call the police but they would just shrug him off as a time waster. Good luck, Glenn but you have just made it a priority that I never slip up around you, my friend.

                                  ~~~

Lost in my thoughts and surrounded by the bubble once more on the train home, I couldn't help but think about one particular thing Glenn did mention. Serial Killer.

It's three murders, right? Three murders and they consider you a serial killer? If I was going to go down for any of this, it would be silly not to have my five minutes of fame to go with it before I was locked up. I wonder what cool nickname they would give me as they continued to search?

The Strangler?
The Lady Killer?
The Menace?

I liked The Strangler most but I'm sure some newspaper editor or news reader would come up with something far more eye catching but until then, it left me one murder away, possibly two if they really believed the homeless man was the culprit for Philippa. Although, one more murder while he was locked up could throw his case out or they'd just think there was a copycat murderer on the loose.

Did they suspect him for Nicola's murder too? Could they place him at the scene? Or had he already been arrested and locked up that night?

So many questions and nobody to ask without raising suspicions. I'd backed myself into a corner now and I could feel the walls were closing in.

I had to get to you now, Katie. I had to take the thoughts of me being a suspect out of your head but I had no idea how to go about it. Of all of the people, in all of the world, why did you have to be the one who threw my name into the hat? How did you know?

As my train rolled into my station, I was still at a loss as to my next move. The more I thought about it though, the more I wanted that nickname, the more I craved watching the life leaving someone's body. It was a rush, I could not explain, a feeling I never thought I had in me. What caused this switch in my brain?

One thing I knew for certain, the reason all of this started was because of you, Katie. You created this monster. You're as guilty as me. You too, have their blood on your hands.

The morning sun was warmer than it had been previously, I removed my heavy coat and folded into my arms, reaching into one of the pockets to remove my keys as I reached my front door. When I was stopped in my tracks by a very demanding voice behind me.

"Thomas Gardener? Do you have five minutes for a chat?"

***