PEEL-BEHIND THEIR EYES. Book 1 (Complete)

Chapter 41. Jarring

Mason followed the sour faced nurse into the quiet room and shuddered as the door slowly shut behind. He couldn't help but feel as if a coffin lid had just sealed him in. Ignoring the morbid chill, he focused his attention on a solitary figure sitting beside the only bed in the room. A man was bent low whispering something softly into the patient's ear. Mason couldn't make out what he was saying but it sounded reassuring. The nurse spoke abruptly and matter of fact to the man.

"Mr. Dillad, this is Detective Mason. Detective Mason this is Mr. Dillad, Rebecca's father"

Mason looked back at her and thought, she was the type that had long learned to leave her emotions at home so as not to drown in misery as she watched people suffer around her. He had once heard a doctor tell a student nurse who was crying after a rather difficult death "Empathy is insanity dear girl"

Mason watched Mr. Dillad caress his daughter's cheek before standing. Sticking out his hand towards mason

"Detective!"

Mason taking his hand said "Mr. Dillard, I'm sorry to disturb you, but I need to ask your daughter a couple of questions. Will that be acceptable; I won't take up too much of you time"

Mr. Dillad nodded "Just a couple, she's still in shock. Please only speak in whispers"

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An overwhelming sense of urgency pressed down on Peel, far heavier than he had previously felt. He wasn't sure why but he knew he was heading towards a world of hurt and although he could brake, turn around and let others deal with what was ahead, he knew he had to speed faster towards it.

"I don't give a damn what happens to me, I'm not having some little shit going around killing and mutilating just because he's misunderstood, or whatever his sick excuse is" Peel growled and pushed harder on the accelerator.

Freeman street was busier than normal due to the market being open, he guessed. Stall traders jammed the roadside with vans as they unloaded their produce, making him snake his way through. Peel could see that the line of traffic up front was slowing to a stop. The traffic lights ahead had turned too red, but he had no intentions of stopping. With the siren roaring and lights flashing he drove onto the opposite side of the road and ran the lights.

The most direct route onto the docks Peel knew, was now blocked by a newly built paved walkway and rather than taking the longer way around Peel mounted the pavement, confident his 4 by 4 could take the hit. With barely a jerk Peel gunned the engine and swerved over the rail crossing and aimed the Rover towards the nearest built up area.

Just then his pocket vibrated and his phone beeped with a notification from Polmis. Flying to a screeching halt Peel withdrew his phone and read the message. And there was the address the Barringer security pass was associated with. Quickly Peel tapped the attached map link and found to his relief that he was only one street away.

Peel thrust his foot down as hard as he could and screeched off down Maclure Street praying to a God he didn't believe in that he wasn't too late.

A group of men dressed in white smocks white wellington boots and hairnets standing around smoking outside one of the many fish factory's had to jump out of the way as Peel, siren wailing, flew past. No time to listen to their shouts of anger Peel took the next corner so fast he was thrown up against the driver side window, he held the car all the way around and hurtled on into the more derelict quarter of the century's old dockland.

Up ahead in the deserted street Peel could see a solitary car, as he closed in on it, he recognized the light blue Mondeo as that belonging to Detective Havers.