Silent Scream

Kim made no movement but continued to stare into the soulless eyes. He was no longer the affable pastor speaking softly to a congregation of mourners, eager for comfort. The smug triumph had disappeared, leaving in its place the blackened heart of a killer.

Wilks pulled the gag from her mouth. It fell and rested around her neck.

‘You’re go

She swallowed three times to add moisture to her dry mouth.

He knelt beside the body of William, the blade resting above his carotid artery.

‘Oh, I think not, my dear. There is only you that would get close to suspecting me. I saw it in your face the other day. Even if you didn’t know it yourself. I knew it wouldn’t be long until you put it together.’

‘You murdered three i

‘I’d hardly call them i

Kim knew she would have to delay him for as long as possible. No one knew where she was. He was right that no one was coming to help her. Her one chance for escape lay unconscious, six feet away.

But she had to keep him talking. While he was talking, she was breathing.

Kim cursed herself for not putting it together quicker. Something Nicola had said had not rung true. Tracy Morgan would not have said she was going to get money from the father of the child. She would have used the term ‘baby’s dad’ or the man’s name. She had meant she was going to get money from The Father.

‘Tracy’s child was yours?’

‘Of course it was mine. The stupid little bitch thought she could blackmail me. She even wanted to keep the child and make a new life for herself.’

‘Did you rape her?’

‘Let’s just say she played hard to get.’

Every cell of her being ached to take that knife and drive it deep between his eyes.

‘You evil bastard. How the hell could you do that?’

‘Because she was a nothing, Detective. Like many of the others, she had no one. There was no purpose to her life.’

‘Why didn’t she report you?’

Kim already knew the reason before the sentence was out of her mouth.

‘Because it’s what she felt she deserved. Deep down inside herself she also knew she was a nothing. Her life ‒ or lack of it ‒ affected no one. Her presence affected nothing. No one cried, no one grieved. She was worthless.’

Kim’s own rage began to build. She understood that feeling. Knowing that the only people in your life were being paid to be there ate away at you. The feeling of worthlessness, once absorbed, never went away. Daily, events would occur to reinforce that belief.

‘So, Tracy was first?’ Kim asked. She had to keep him on track while she worked out how to get herself free.

‘Yes, Tracy was first. Her little cronies would have been fine if they hadn’t been so persistent. They would keep insisting that Tracy had not run away.’

‘But you buried her alive,’ Kim said, incredulously.

Wilks shrugged, but Kim saw something pass through his eyes.

‘You couldn't kill her yourself?’ she asked, with surprise. ‘It wasn't intentional to bury her alive. You were going to kill her but you couldn't do it. Oh my God, you actually felt something for that girl.’

‘Don't be ridiculous,’ he barked. ‘I felt nothing for her. I simply gave her vodka so she’d be easier to handle. I had already decided on my course of action.’

Kim felt the bile rise in her throat. A vision swam before her eyes of Tracy Morgan; intoxicated, pliable. It would have proven too tempting for the evil bastard to resist.

‘You raped her again, didn’t you?’

She saw his smile. ‘See, Detective. I knew I was right about you. You certainly know how to use that head of yours.’

‘But you’re a man of God?’

‘And He knows me better than anyone and yet He has afforded me these opportunities. If He felt I was wrong in any way He would have stopped me.

‘The other two didn’t believe she’d run away. Everyone else did. The rumour was out there that she was pregnant so everyone just felt she’d either run away with the father of the child or gone somewhere to get it taken care of.’

‘But not her friends?’

‘No, they were persistent little sluts who just wouldn’t leave it alone.’

‘Did you deliberately frame William Payne?’

‘Not with Tracy. I just wanted her gone. But I eventually realised that the same three girls that were a problem for me had done something despicable to his daughter so I decided to take out a little insurance.’

Kim understood. From that point on he had cleverly decided to visit on William’s night shifts and offer the caretaker some extra time with his daughter. If the permanent staff knew about it, they turned a blind eye because of Lucy’s illness. Victor knew that by doing so the first finger of blame would be pointed at William Payne.

‘Who found the denture?’ Kim asked.

‘Teresa Wyatt. She knew that Louise would not have gone anywhere voluntarily without that denture. She only ever took it out to sleep. So, she put two and two together and got the exact number I’d intended. She checked the night rosters and found that all three girls had gone missing on William’s watch. Of course, they all knew about the incident with Lucy. It wasn’t much of a leap to believe that he had committed the crimes.’

‘So, they covered it up?’

Victor chuckled. ‘Oh yes, Detective, they certainly did that.’

‘To protect William?’

‘Not even for a minute. Oh, on the face of it they all felt for him. His life was unenviable. He watched his child decay more every day and there’s nothing he could do about it. Without him, Lucy will have no one. But they did it for themselves.’

Kim didn’t like how he was now referring to William in the past tense. She wondered if the grave had been dug wide enough for two.

‘I'm sure you already know their secrets. Any kind of official enquiry would have destroyed them all. Richard's embezzling would have been uncovered. Teresa would have faced charges of assault and sexual assault from Melanie. Tom would have been exposed for sleeping with Louise and who would have believed that it was consensual? And Arthur hated all three of them with a passion. They made his life a misery. And the girls were already dead, so there was nothing to gain.’

Kim heard a siren in the distance but knew it could not be for her. Her mind wondered if she could find a way to use it to keep herself alive. She forced herself back on track.

‘Who was the ring leader?’

‘They jointly made the decision that there was nothing to be gained by going to the police. The remaining girls had to be separated as quickly as possible and incriminating records destroyed.’

‘The fire?’

‘Yes, the chaos and disbursement of girls would create an administrative nightmare.’

‘Did no one speak to William?’

‘They didn’t need to. A few words from me about his state of mind and rage towards the girls sealed the deal.’

‘So, the fire was set?’

‘Yes, but the girls were never in danger. The fire was started at the furthest point from the rooms. The alarms kicked in immediately and Arthur Co

‘So, three girls lost their lives. William lost his job and some of the staff members pretty much lost their minds. And you walked away with nothing?’

‘Like I said, I have Him on my side.’

‘And was He on your side in Manchester, Bristol and wherever the hell else you've been?’

‘He is with me always,’ Victor said with a smile.

‘Are you sure about that?’ Kim asked.

She saw doubt cross Victor’s face as the siren grew louder. She knew she would not get another opportunity to live. Very shortly he was going to turn that knife on her and bury her in the old grave of one of his victims.