When they got to the car, Jason said,
'Unlock the car then throw the keys on the pavement across the road.'
Boyd did as he was told then waited.
'Get in the boot.'
Boyd opened the boot and started to climb in.
'Wait! Throw your phone on the ground.'
Boyd looked at the distance between them and tensed. Jason tightened his grip on Grace and said,
'She'll be dead before you get to me.'
Gritting his teeth, Boyd reached into his pocket and took out his phone, tossing it on to the pavement at Grace's feet, saying,
'I've done it. Please, don't hurt her.'
'In the boot and close it on yourself. And in case you're thinking of trying anything clever, if we get pulled over, I'll shoot her.'
'I'm not going to do anything. I promise.'
Boyd climbed in and pulled the boot shut. Jason waited until he'd heard the latch shut, then said to Grace,
'Give me your phone.'
'It's in my handbag, I can't get to it.'
Grace kept her eyes lowered and her voice quiet, hoping that no one would call her. Jason looked at her handbag compressed against her side by his body and grunted indecisively before pulling her towards the road.
Jason held the gun to her head as they crossed the road, gripping her tightly. Grace made no attempt to escape, knowing that it would only lead to her death. There would be a better time. She obediently bent down and picked up Boyd's car keys and crossed back to the car. As they crossed back she slipped her hand into her pocket and opened her phone. Jason opened the driver's door and said,
'Get in.'
Grace got in and waited. As Jason scrambled hurriedly into the seat behind her, she quickly slid her phone out of her pocket and down the side of the seat, between the seat and the door.
'Give me your phone.'
Grace rummaged in her handbag for as long as she dared, hoping that someone would come past but the bitter weather meant that people were only going out for essential things and it was too early for school pick-up so the street stayed empty. Eventually, she said,
'It's not here, I wonder where I put it? Perhaps I put it in my pocket.'
She put a hand in each pocket, then said,
'I must have left it at the office.'
Jason stuck a hand in each of Grace's pockets then grabbed her bag, emptying it on the back seat, checking the contents. He scowled for a minute then said,
'Start driving.'
Grace put the key in the ignition then said,
'I'll have to adjust the seat, I can't even reach the pedals from here.'
'Do it quickly,' said Jason, jamming the gun painfully into her side.
Grace found the lever and pulled the seat forward then turned the engine on. The pressure of the gun eased slightly as Jason said,
'Go to the end of the road and turn right.'
Grace put the car into gear and pulled out, deliberately cutting up another car, ignoring the squeal of brakes, casually saying,
'You know, Boyd will never let me drive his car, he's such a chauvinist.'
As Grace followed Jason's orders, she drove as erratically as she dared. She didn't want to be pulled over but she did want people to remember her. She suppressed a smile as they turned on to the North Circular; it should be very easy to get her photo taken here. Doing her best to appear indifferent, she jumped the first three sets of traffic lights, delighted when she saw the camera flash at the third set. Jason jumped and said,
'What was that?'
'It's all right, they haven't got any film in.'
'How do you know?'
'I work for the police; Traffic let us know when they put film in.'
Jason looked dubious and Grace resisted the temptation to elaborate on the lie, knowing that it would just make him more suspicious.
'Don't jump any more lights.'
'All right.'
The road cleared and Grace pressed gently on the accelerator, taking the big car up to forty miles per hour and keeping it there, for once delighted that there were numerous speed cameras along their route. The more clues she could leave behind the better because she had a horrible feeling that they wouldn't be rescuing themselves. Almost certain that it was pointless, she said,
'You don't have to do this, Jason.'
'You don't understand,' said Jason coldly.
'Your parents abused you didn't they? Did they lock you in a cupboard? And beat you?'
'It was what I deserved.'
'No, it wasn't, Jason.'
'Yes it was... and then I gave them what they deserved.'
'They deserved to die of dehydration? Why? Because of what they had done to you?'
'No, because they were hypocrites.'
'Hypocrites? Why, Jason?'
'They told me that they were punishing me to teach me right from wrong but then my mother started locking me up for no reason. It only took me a few of weeks to realise that it was always Tuesday and Thursday evening so I tested her, I invented a club on those nights and asked if I could go to it. She was delighted and even gave me money for chips.'
'She was having an affair, wasn't she?'
'Yes, I saw her and Ted Jenkins rutting away like animals.'
'That must have been a terrible shock for you.'
'It was but you know what was worse?'
'No, what?'
'My father knew. He knew all along and did nothing.'
'He told you this?'
'Yes. I told him that she was cheating on him and he said that it didn't matter, that he was screwing some woman from work so that made it all right. Yet only a few days before he'd given me a lecture on sexual purity and faithfulness.'
'That was extremely hypocritical of him.'
'Yes so I decided to punish them.'
'By locking them in somewhere.'
'Yes. I was only going to leave them there overnight but when I went back in the morning to let them out my father said that he was going to cane me every day for the rest of my life so I left them there.'
'And called the police and reported them missing; that was very clever of you, Jason.'
'The police never suspected anything.'
'No, you completely deceived them. What about your aunt? Did she ever suspect?'
Jason dug the gun further into Grace's ribs and she winced, 'Aunt Sue is a wonderful person, don't talk about her!'
'All right, I won't. So what made you kill again?'
'Aunt Sue met this man. He seemed nice but then she discovered that he was married. She was heartbroken... so I killed him and his wife so she'd never have to see either of them again.'
'I understand. And the others? It is you that's killed all the others, isn't it, Jason?'
'They're all liars and cheaters... just like you?'
'Like me, Jason? I'm not in a relationship with anyone.'
'Don't lie to me. You're married, I can see your ring from here.'
'I'm not married, not any more. I'm divorced. I wear the ring at work to protect me from unwanted attention.'
Even as she said it, Grace thought how weak it sounded, which was ironic really as it was true. It stopped suspects from trying to use her marital status against her and provided a deterrent against random sexual advances in the workplace.
'You're lying. You're married and you're fucking Detective Superintendent Boyd.'
'I'm not. Boyd and I are just friends.'
'Don't treat me like I'm an idiot!' shouted Jason, 'I saw the way you looked at each other.'
Jason was digging the gun into her ribs and Grace let out a hiss of pain. Trying to stay calm she said quietly,
'Boyd and I have never had sex.'
'You're lying. You think you can lie to me because you think I'm stupid, don't you?'
'No, Jason, I think you're very intelligent actually.'
'Good. Then stop lying to me.'
'I'm not...'
Grace was cut off by her phone ringing. Jason jumped and said,
'Where's that coming from?'
'I don't know...wait...I think it's beneath the seat.'
Jason kept the gun jabbed against Grace's side as he fished about, eventually finding the phone. Swearing, he opened the window and threw it out. Scowling, he directed Grace to turn into one of the side streets and they began winding their way through the back roads.
After about half an hour, Jason got Grace to park the car outside a derelict office block. He made her get out first, keeping the gun pointed at her all the time, then he got out and stood behind her, pressing the gun against her head,
'Release the boot latch.'
Feeling completely helpless, Grace did as she was told. Boyd rocketed out of the boot holding a spanner in his right hand but Grace and Jason were at the other end of the car, out of reach. Smirking, Jason said,
'Put the spanner back in the boot and get out your handcuffs and cuff your wrists together in front of you.'
'Jason, don't do this,' said Boyd.
'Shut up or I'll shoot.'
Boyd met Grace's eyes for a moment, seeing the fear that she was trying to hide. With slow, careful movements, he put the spanner back in the boot, took out his handcuffs and fastened them around his wrists. Jason made him test them then said,
'Walk ahead of us.'
Boyd walked slowly into the old office building, hoping that Jason would let the gap between them decrease but whenever he glanced back, they were at least ten feet behind him.
'Turn right and go through the door on your left and go down the stairs.'
Boyd walked slowly down the stairs, hearing Jason and Grace start down a few steps later. When Boyd got to the bottom, Jason said,
'Go through the door straight ahead of you.'
Boyd did as he was told and found himself in some sort of storage room. He turned as the door opened. Jason pushed Grace as hard as he could towards Boyd. Boyd grunted as Grace hit his chest, then sagged as Jason hit him on the head with the butt of the gun. As his vision, blurred the last thing Boyd saw was Grace running desperately towards the closing door.
