THE FULL MOONS PART 2. SHOES, BEETHOVEN AND A SUSPECT. DAY EIGHT.
Knock knock.
"Mother, are you a little less agitated today? May I come in?"
"Yes dear"
Said through gritted teeth.
"I have your breakfast Mother. Now, promise not to throw it at me this time"
"I promise".
For now.
Cora sat composed on the edge of the bed, her hands folded in her lap. She must keep calm.
"You can unchain me today, I am very calm. Perhaps we can have breakfast together. I didn't mean to hurt you"
He put the tray on the cabinet. Then stood there looking at her, thinking, rubbing his chin.
"No. No mother sorry. I cannot trust you. We have been here many times before. You might suddenly attempt to harm me again or worse still..."
"Why do you hate me so much?"
"How can you ask?"
He looked surprised and a little angry. He stamped his foot. Cora thought he might have a tantrum.
"How can you ask that now? Omg. Have you forgotten? Your memory gets worse every month. You have never really loved me. I have sweated blood and tears to keep you comfortable like father did and yet you still disrespect me. Your mind is damaged mother.
You are getting worse. It's better this way. Kinder".
He went to leave.
"Wait! What do you mean, 'better this way'?"
He gave a long exasperated sigh
"You are not a happy woman. You told me this on numerous occasions. You hate your life and everything in it. Including me. It causes you pain and heart ache. I will ease that pain mother. You begged me years ago to put an end to your suffering, you tormented me and I did nothing. You said I didn't have the guts. I am not the man father was. Now I will be the man you wanted me to be. This should please you. As soon as I finish your shoes"
"Shoes?"
"Oh mother, you will love the shoes".
Cora needed time. This didn't sound good at all.
"Can I at least see the shoes in advance, dear"
This for him was exciting, mother never normally took an interest in his skills. He couldn't wait to show off his masterpiece.
"I shall show you when shop is closed. They are beautiful. I must open on time mother, you know this."
As he went to leave;
"Oh by the way I will play your favourite music on the gramophone to stop you getting bored. Beethoven always did soothe you didn't it mother"
Cora stared at the door. So where in the hell is his mother?
—-
Knock knock.
"Hi. I have bought all the case files for us to go through Ms Lucas".
Eugenia preferred this type of policeman. For all her complaints they have actually been very kind.
"Call me Eugenia. Thank you DI Harrison. This is my granddaughter, Ruby and her partner, Mulan".
The girls nodded at the DI
"Call me Fiona please. Erm, Should we involve the girls? These cases can be a little graphic".
Mulan the warrior smiled. Oh how little the DI knew. If the DI had seen what she had, well, it would give her nightmares.
"The girls have...erm a special talent, an instinct which we could find very useful. They are not strangers to danger. I can't tell you more than that Fiona".
Fiona took Eugenia at her word. She looked at the beautiful colour the girls eyes shared. Perhaps it was wise not to ask more.
"Is Cora likely to panic in a kidnap situation?"
The three women looked at each other and laughed gently. Eugenia explained.
"Cora has a temper and erm, no shortage of words. There is not much that scares her. I pity the person who tries to restrain her. She has had a colourful life. Is this good?"
"Yes and no. Usually these people feed off fear. It gives them a sense of power."
Eugenia's stomach dropped.
"And the 'no'?"
The DI shifted uncomfortably.
"If she demeans his ego, well, the situation could turn, he could either take it as a challenge or... I am sorry."
Eugina nodded. Or it's possible Cora might kill him. The DI doesn't know my Cora.
They spent hours and many coffees going through the cases. The photographs were upsetting for the three women, especially Ruby. Although she had seen more than her fair share of violence, it still got to her. Ruby's sensitivity was quite rare amongst werewolves. Grandmother and Mulan on the surface seemed a little hardier. What she didn't know was that they envied her.
It always came back to the shoes.
Hand made, no labels and not matching the women's outfits.
"Ok. I have googled all the shoe repair and shoe makers in that part of London. I will go and ask questions plus I have a description of the man who spoke to Cora."
Granny looked at the girls. She knew what they were thinking.
"I think you ought to take the girls with you"
"It's not really protocol Eugenia "
"This isn't really protocol though is it Fiona?"
DI Harrison stood and put her coat on. Eugenia had a point. She had no reason not to trust them anyhow.
"Okay guys, lets go."
—-
Cora tried to hold off using the commode but needs must.
Her ankle was sore. She needed a shower. It took all her concentration not to lose it.
She must remain cool headed, although that was difficult with Beethoven on full volume, plus every time it stopped he obviously came downstairs and put it on again. Not that she didn't like Beethoven but this could turn into music torture. She remembered reading about how the CIA used music torture on prisoners who were chained in the dark with certain songs on a loop for days on end. You lose the ability to think.
Right now she needed to think. Am I a sitting duck? More than likely. Should I scream for help? Someone in the shop might hear. He will hear. Ahh that explains Beethoven. Shall I attempt another attack, yet if I fail that I fear for my immediate safety.
She yanked on the chain. The wall around the ring was definitely was weakening.
Cora knew that it was day because he mentioned the shop. Otherwise in this windowless prison, she would have no idea after being drugged. It looks as if he didn't drug her today. Was this a small mercy she couldn't tell.
Cora decided to scream for help.
—-
The shop bell chimed.
"Good morning sir, I am DI Harrison from the missing persons bureau"
He examined her badge very carefully, but said nothing.
"You fit the description of a man talking to this woman..."
Photo shown.
"Two days ago at the local tube station. Was this you?"
He hardly looked at the photo.
"No inspector. I don't travel much. I have my ill mother to look after."
Fiona looked around the shop.
"Supplies?"
"Not as often. Quarterly maybe"
There was no solid reason at this point to get get a search warrant.
"Business bad then?"
"Extremely".
She could feel that he wanted her gone.
"Your Mother likes Beethoven, which one is that now, Erm-"
"- symphony number 5"
God it's loud. She must be very deaf.
"If you think of anything contact me on this number"
She put a card on the counter, and left. He looked at the card and threw it in the bin.
—-
The shop bell chimed.
"Hello, I would like these boots reheeled please"
He felt almost annoyed. Another interruption. Two girls staring at him with very strange colour eyes. He examined the boots.
"In all honesty young lady you would be better off buying a better quality of boot. I could reheel these but on doing so the heel would more than likely be too strong for the synthetic leather and could possibly damaged it during reheeling".
The girls must have colds as they kept sniffing. This appalled him. He considered closing earlier today. She put the boots back in her bag.
"Okay".
Unusual, very. Most people put forward an argument or whine about their favourite shoes.
He closed shop.
—
The girls got into the back of Fiona's car.
"Well anything?"
Ruby spoke first
"It was difficult to get a scent. He has a large store of leathers. He, himself just soap and sweat. I detected a faint unwashed human odour, a female."
Fiona noted the use of 'human' but said nothing.
Mulan was deep in thought.
"Mulan? ...Mulan? What?"
"The Music was very loud, did you notice."
The DI nodded.
"I heard another heartbeat"
"Yes, he looks after his ill mother"
Mulan chewed this over.
"But I am sure I heard someone shouting. Maybe his mother calling. I can't be sure".
Fiona was frustrated. She felt sure this was the man at the station and he had deliberately lied to her. That in itself was suspicious.
"If his mother is ill, why put on loud music. He wouldn't hear her if she needed him or needed some sort of help"
Ruby added with concern.
Mulan was more pessimistic about it.
"Maybe he needed a break or had enough. Either which way someone there was shouting and is not cared for physically. Can't you get Social Services to go in?"
Fiona knew that would take time. Too much so.
She would investigate further after shop hours. There must be a way in the back.
Meanwhile she would do some homework about his mother.
Her mobile rung, it was the phone company plus an address.
"Cora rung from here. Let Eugenia know will you Ruby. Are you both willing to come back with me later"
Mulan smiled. Ruby didn't want to wait that long, and she knew granny would be chewing at the bit.
Of course they would.