Requiem of Shadows

By Drue Fairlie

Kate Wright is a young police officer is set to investigate the disappearance of three young men on a night out. Her investigation leads her to police corruption and, what she first believes to be human trafficking. But things are not always what they first appear to be. And soon Kate is involved in matters darker than she could ever have imagined.

180,000 people go missing in the united kingdom each year.
Where do they go?
To Old Town they do go.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Drue Fairlie
• Release date: Jun 15, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223577157

Drue Fairlie

Drue Fairlie is a writer, and author of many books such as "The Catspaw Incident and Old Town” He has spent most of his years researching and writing fiction novels about extraordinary characters and the intoxicating adventures they ensue. Drue has been a collaborative writer in the works of other authors and enjoys travelling where he finds the inspiration for his stories and characters. Drue lives currently in Madisonville Kentucky USA. He was married in December 2019 to Candace Michelle Fairlie. He enjoys watching wrestling, vintage Hammer films, and Isle of Jura whiskey. He has a knack for historical facts and trivia. His family is his world.

Book preview

Requiem of Shadows

Chapter One

Mary's alarm went off, as it did every day, at five-thirty. She rose slowly and quietly so as not to disturb her sleeping husband. The early morning pre-dawn light meant that there was no need for her to put on a light. She crept from her bedroom as quiet as a ghost, gathering the clothes she had laid out the night before. The harsh light of the bathroom burned her sleep-filled eyes. She showered in the just woken stupor of all people who have to start their day before the sun begins hers. As she dried, she checked herself out in the full-length bathroom mirror.

Not bad, she said to the naked woman looking back at her, not bad at all, for forty-five and two kids.

The naked woman smiled back as if in agreement but gave no other comment. She wrapped herself in her neon blue dressing gown, a joke present from her sons last Christmas. But a joke that had backfired, it had been love at first sight for her and the dressing gown, and she wore it at every opportunity. Now, with its softness wrapped around her like the arms of the world's largest, softest teddy bear. She headed downstairs to the kitchen, But Mary's day changed the moment the kitchen lights bloomed into life.

Her scream pierced her husband's dreams like an ice-cold blade. He was up and heading for the bedroom door, even before he was truly awake. He raced down the stairs and into the kitchen to find Mary bending over a huddled figure.

Mary, he said as he raced to her side, what’s wrong?

John, for God's sake, phone an ambulance.

As he snatched the phone from its cradle by the kitchen door, John suddenly saw the blood-covered face of his youngest son over Mary's shoulder.

Two hours later, the police interviewed Mary and her husband while their son lay in A and E in a serious but stable condition. The blood that Mary had seen her son covered in had turned out to belong to someone else. But still, Neil had numerous injuries, the most serious being a fractured skull.

All we want to do, Mrs Owens, said the young policewoman sitting across from Neil's parents, is try and establish what's happened to Neil and find out who else was involved.

Isn't it obvious what happened? said John angrily, someone mugged our son, some coward jumped him, and they bit off more than they could chew. I hope they are lying in a ditch somewhere.

Kate Wright had been a police officer for just under two years but had learned early on in her career when to speak and when to keep quiet. So, avoiding John Owens’s statement, she said, I'm not here to judge anything, Mr Owens, or to give my opinion. All I want to know is, what you can tell me about where Neil went last night, and who he might have been with.

Neil was going on his friend's birthday tonight, said Mary quietly, as she cradled the cold cup of coffee in front of her, they were all going on some ghost hunt or something like that.

Could you give me their names, Mrs Owens? asked Kate taking out her notepad.

I'm not sure about all of them, Mary said, looking up from her coffee, but, I'm sure Mike and Danny would have been there, and properly Billy too. The four of them grew up together; you see, they are always together.

Do you know their surnames, Mrs Owens, and perhaps where they live?

Mary thought for a moment and then said, Markus and Danny Sunderland, they are twins. They still live with their parents on Golding Street. And Billy Kane, I think he has a flat somewhere in the town centre, but I'm not sure.

That's alright, Mrs Owens, said Kate with a bit of smile as she put away her notebook, I'm sure we can find out the rest.

As Kate got up to leave, she said, as soon as we know anything, we will let you know.

John and Mary only nodded as the young police officer left. Their whole world had shrunk to just this tiny table in the closed café of a hospital where their son now lay unconscious and very ill.

Once Kate was sitting in her patrol car, she radioed in her report.

197 to control, she said, her head twisted towards the mike that sat on her left shoulder.

Go ahead, 197, came the disembodied reply.

I’ve just completed my interview with the Owens boy's parents. Still no chance of talking to him though, the doctor's says it will be at least twenty-four to forty-eight hours till he will even think about trying to wake him. So now, I'm going to try and talk to the people he was out with last night and try and retraces his steps.

Very well, 197, control out.

Kate thought for a moment about who it would be best to go and see first. The twins were further away, living, as they did, at the other end of town, but the Kane boy lived only a few streets from the police station.

Alright then, Kate, she said aloud, as she started her car, the twins it is.

As she drove, Kate thought about the crime she had started to investigate. Violent crime like this was not unknown in this small port town, but it was uncommon. And more to the point, if someone had decided to take on four fit young men in their prime and put one of them in hospital with such severe injuries. Then this might be more than just a mugging. It could be drugs or loan sharking or anything.

Easy girl, Kate said to her reflection in the rearview mirror, getting ahead of yourself again, just like sarge said.

Kate wanted promotion, and she wanted it badly. She wanted out of the uniform and the Saturday nights, breaking up fights and taking insults from people too drunk to know better. Kate wanted C.I.D, plains clothes, adventure and drama. But each time the promotion board met, she was either too young, or it meant a move to somewhere even more remote than she was now. It was after her last rejection from the promotions board that her sergeant had taken her aside.

You’ve got to ease up, the older man had said calmly, you’re going for everything that comes up. Spend a year or two in uniform here, build up a reputation, then the suits will snap you up, and who knows, in five years or so. I'll be calling you, mam.

Thanks, Bob, she had said with a smile as she gathered her things from her locker, I'll think about it.

And think about it she had done. She’d tried it her way and had gotten nowhere. So maybe now, it was time to try someone else’s way. So on her next shift, it had been her turn to take her sergeant aside.

Ok, Bob, I'll do it your way. I hope you know how much of a pain I will be in the next few years. I'm going to bug you for every strange and unusual case there is. So I can get that rep you mentioned.

That had been six months ago, and in that time, she'd worked every shift she could and taken every job that no one else had wanted, and just as Bob had said, her reputation was building. 

Kate was brought back to the present as she pulled up outside the home of her first visit. The twins home was a rather non-descript terrace house on a relatively nondescript road. Not unlike a million other homes around the country. This was a part of her job that she didn't like. Because she knew that once she stepped out of her car, curtains would twitch, and people would whisper. She could almost hear them now, saying, look, there's the police, what do they want? What's happened?

And suddenly, the non-descript family, in their non-descript house, would have a suspicious finger pointed at them. But these things could not be helped, information was needed, and an investigation needed to be conducted. So with a slight sigh, Kate got out of her patrol car and walked up the path to the twin's house.

The door opened even before she had gotten halfway up the small, well-kept front garden.

Mrs Sunderland? Kate asked as she walked the last few meters to the front door.

What’s wrong? asked Carroll Sunderland, a slight build woman in her late forty's, is it, my boys? Oh my god, what's happened?

This was not the first time that Kate had encountered this response. Nor did she doubt that it would be the last. The sad fact was that if you were a law-abiding person, then the police turning up at your door usually only meant one thing. And that was that someone you knew or loved was hurt or missing or dead.

Please, Mrs Sunderland, said Kate quietly, could we go inside.

Kate didn't wait for a reply; instead, she gently manoeuvred Mrs Sunderland back into her home and closed the door behind them both.

This isn't actually about your sons, Mrs Sunderland. All I need to do is speak to them about an incident that happened last night. The wave of relief that crossed the other woman’s face was almost painful to watch.

Are your sons at home, Mrs Sunderland? I need to talk to them.

Carroll Sunderland couldn't think for a moment. The echo of the images that the police officer's appearance had caused still cluttered the shadowy places of her mind.

Err, no, they're not, she eventually managed to say, Mostly, if they go out at the weekend, they stay at their friend's flat in town so that they don't disturb me when they come in late.

This friend, Mrs Sunderland, would that be a Billy Kane?

Yes, that's right, Billy. How did you know?

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, Mrs Sunderland. But if you have Mr Kane's address, that would be a great help. And if I could have your sons' mobile numbers, that would be very helpful.

Mrs Sutherland reached for her phone and read out her son’s numbers and Billy Kane’s address. Kate wrote down the information that Mrs Sutherland read out, then said, please, when you see your sons, could you ask them to call me on this number.

Kate handed Mrs Sunderland a small card with her name and number and then said her goodbyes and left.

Once back in her car, Kate phoned the twin's mobile numbers; both went straight to voice mail. She tried them several times but got the same result. Kate then sat back and went over what little she had to go on. One boy in the hospital, two un-contactable, and yet another still to interview. As Kate started her car, she thought to herself, I've got a strange feeling that Mr Kane is not going to be at home either. 

Kate parked her patrol car at the edge of the town's only shopping precinct and walked the few hundred meters to the small green door next to a less than desirable kebab shop that led to Billy Kane’s flat. She rang the doorbell three times when she didn't get any response; she went into the just-opened Kebab shop and asked the manager if he knew who the landlord of the flat next door was.

It's me, said the short, chubby shop owner.

I need you to let me into Mr Kane's flat, Kate said, her tone leaving no room for argument.

I can give you a key, said Andres, the shop owner, as he busied himself getting his small shop ready for the evening rush.

Thank you, Kate said as she took the offered key.

Before she let herself into Billy's flat, she tried the bell again, and even before it stopped ringing, she knew there would be no response. As she let herself in and climbed the narrow flight of stairs, she knew that the place would be empty.

Hello, police, She called out as she opened Billy's front door, Is anyone here?

Kate searched the small flat, but there was no sign of Billy or his friends, and what's more, it looked like no one had been in the apartment since the day before.

As she stood there in the middle of a young man's deserted flat, she said to herself, one boy in the hospital, and now three missing. What the hell happened last night?

Chapter Two

After she reported the situation at Billy Kane’s flat to control, Kate sat in her car, trying to make sense of all the information she now had. But nothing would float to the surface for her. All four boys had no criminal records. Three of them had jobs, and one was in college, and none of them had girlfriends at the moment. None were big drinkers or known drug users. They seemed to all intent and purpose, just four ordinary, non-descript young men. But that was also something, who would want to, or be able to kidnap three fit, able-bodied, young men, and put a fourth in hospital in such a small town.

Nothing makes sense, she said as she started her car and made her trip across town to talk to Billy's parents. Her visit to them was just a reflection of her visit to the twin’s mother. Fear, anger, uncertainty, and fear again. Billy's parents knew even less than Mrs Sunderland. They had not seen their son for just under a week but had spoken on the phone to him a few days ago. He had seemed happy and his usual self and had been looking forward to Neil's birthday drink. Nothing about this seemed to make any sense, with no other leads to pursue until Neil woke up from his drug-induced coma. Kate went back to the police station to fill out her report, and copy the photos she had of the three missing young men, so she could start trawling the local pubs and nightclubs for anyone who might have seen them and then possibly build up a timeline. The tedium of paperwork and reporting took over the rest of her shift. It wasn’t until one of her collages walked past and said, Overtime tonight, is it, Kate?

As if they'd pay it, Stan, she said with a laugh.

Well, don't do too much for free, or you'll make the rest of us look bad, Stan said over his shoulder.

You don't need me to make you look bad, Stan, Kate said to the older man's back.

A hearty laugh was his only response.

Twenty minutes later, Kate had finished her report and was just about to leave the station when, on a whim, she decided to ring the hospital and find out how the Owen's boy was fairing. The phone rang three times before a pretty young voice said, Hello, A and E.

Yes, hello, said Kate, my name’s P.C. Kate Wright, a young man was brought in this morning, and I just wanted to check on his progress. So I could know when I could question him about what happened.

One moment, please, said the pretty voice.

A few moments later, an older female voice said, Hello, can I help you?

Yes, said Kate, rolling her eyes at the thought of having to repeat herself, my name is P.C. Kate Wright, and as I've just told your college, I'm phoning for an update on the young man who was brought in this morning.

There was a moment's silence before the older voice said, could you tell me his name, please.

Yes, of course, said Kate realising that she had not mentioned the young man's name, it's Neil Owens; he arrived at A and E at 06:35 this morning.

Mr Owens has been moved to a ward now that he's stable. The doctors are planning to wake him in the next twenty-four to forty-eight hours.

That’s great, said Kate relived that Owens was now out of danger, I'll arrange to interview him then; thanks for your time.

With nothing else to do, Kate turned off her P.C. and headed home.

The next few days passed quickly for her, filled as they were, with her usual rota of duties, plus visiting many of the bars and pubs in the town centre with pictures of the three missing young men. She had more misses than hits, but unfortunately, each hit that led to a lead led then to a dead end. Pub led to a pub, then to a club, and then nothing.

Her frustration was only lessened when she received a call from the hospital, saying that Owens was now awake and could be interviewed. So, with all her leads leading to dead ends, Kate headed to the hospital. She didn't hold out much hope of any new information coming to light. The boy had been beaten almost to death and then spent nearly a week in a drug-induced coma. If he remembered his name at this point, it would be a bonus.

So Kate was more than surprised when she walked into Owen’s ward and saw the young man, who only a few days ago had been at death's door, sitting up in bed drinking a cup of tea. True, he looked frail, and his skin had a slight greyish quality about it. But his eyes seemed bright and alert, even though below them hung huge bags of fatigue and pain.

Hello, Mr Owens, said Kate as she walked up to the young man's bed, my name's P.C. Wright, and if you don't mind, I'd like to ask you some questions about what happened the other night?

Owens looked at Kate for a moment before he answered, then said, You can ask, but I’m not sure how much I can help. A lot of that night is very much a blank.

Well, said Kate, as she pulled up a chair and took her phone from her pocket, why not start at the beginning of the evening and go on from there. Do you mind if I record this? It’s so much easier than writing everything down?

No, that's fine, Owens said as he laid his head back on his pillows, well, I guess the start would be when we all met at the Rose and Dagger, you know that pub in the High Street?

Yes, I know it, Kate said, eager for Owens to continue but afraid to rush him.

Well, I got there about eight, the twins were already there, and Billy turned up about fifteen minutes later. We had a few drinks in the Dagger and then moved into the town-centre.

Owens went on to tell Kate about a typical pub crawl, a drink here, a drink there. But nothing to shed light on why the group of young men should have been attacked.

Ok, said Kate once Owens paused, so tell me about the last thing you remember.

The last thing, said Owens, frowning with the effort of trying to remember, "Well, the last thing I remember would be.

Yes, said Kate as Owens pause became longer and longer.

No, that can’t be right, said Owens, sweat starting to appear on his brow.

Please, Mr Owens; just tell me what you remember.

The last thing I remember is a man with jet black eyes running at me with some kind of long knife. Then I remember tripping over backwards and falling. It felt like I was falling forever.

Kate was just about to ask Owens more questions, but one look at him told her just how much the act of remembering had taken out of him.

Alright, she said, standing up and putting her chair back, I think that's enough for now. Would you mind if I came back later this afternoon, and then we could talk some more then?

That's fine, said Owens as his eyelids fluttered closed with sleep.

Kate watched Owens for a few moments more and then walked off to think about his statement. As she sat in her car, she played and replayed Owens statement. The first part made sense, the start of just a regular night out, but the ending, a man with black eyes and a huge knife. This sounded more like a nightmare than anything else.

Perhaps that’s just what it was, she said to the empty car.

She was well aware of the hallucinations that powerful pain killers could give someone. Kate remembered how when she was a teenager, her uncle had been in a horrible motorcycle accident. Although he had made a full recovery. She could never forget the stories he had told her about the things he had seen while he had been under the influence of the many drugs that had been keeping him alive.

Well, said Kate as she started her car, at least I now have somewhere to start.

Her first stop was The Rose and Dagger; it had just gone eleven A.M when she arrived at the old pub. At this time of day, its only patrons were a few lonely old men with nowhere else to go and a group of young men who were starting a mammoth pub crawl.

As always, when a uniformed Kate walked into a pub, all conversation stopped, and all eyes turned to watch her. She knew what all those minds behind the eyes were thinking. The young men, their blood full of alcohol and pheromones. Did not see past their pornographic fantasies of an attractive woman in uniform, and the older men, criminal or not, were suspicious of the police and just wanted her gone so that their drab, sad day could continue.

Hello again, said the barman with a gapped tooth smile as Kate reached him.

I’m glad you remember me, she said, with her best professional smile, because now I know the young men I’m looking for were in here early on the twelfth. I’m betting your memory is getting better and better.

David Stains, the rough and ready landlord of the Rose and Dagger, loved to mess with the police as much as he could, no matter how trivial the circumstances. But he also knew when enough was enough. He knew which police he could push, and even though this woman in front of him was slightly built and pretty. He could see steel behind her eyes, steel that could not be pushed or bent. This was the type of copper that he did not want to anger.

Let me see that picture you showed me last time, Stains said in his best fawning voice.

Recognise anyone? Kate asked, already knowing the answer

Wait a minute, said Stains trying his best to sound convincing, I think I just might.  The twelfth, you say, wasn't it one of their birthdays or something like that?

Yes, something like that, said Kate taking back her picture, now, what else do you remember?

The big one ordered a bottle of champagne for his mate's birthday; they sank that and left.

And that’s it?

Well, yes, said Stains shrugging his shoulders, we started getting busy then, so after they paid for the champagne, I didn't pay them much attention. But most young lads like that lot head into town to that new wine bar. That's where all the girls are nowadays.

Well, thanks for your help, Kate said, turning to leave, and I imagine the next time I have to come in here and ask you some questions, your memory will be in full working order.

Oh, you can count on it, said Stains, eager to get the police out of his pub.

Once Kate was back in her car, she took the small bottle of hand sanitiser from one of her many pockets and poured a generous amount into her hands and cleaned them thoroughly. Because, even though she had not shaken Stains' hand, the man had made her skin crawl. Once the sanitiser had done its job, Kate started her car and headed further into the centre of town towards the wine bar that Stains had mentioned. Even though the wine bar was in the middle of a pedestrian precinct, Kate still drove up to its front door. As she got out of her car, she could not help but think that having a police car had its advantages because, without it, she would have had to have parked fifteen minutes away.

As she walked into the bar, the glaring neon sign hung on the far wall saying to everyone loud and clear the establishment’s name.

Wine sixty-nine, said Kate, unable to keep from smiling, as she softly mouthed the bar’s name, now that’s a name.

Chapter Three

I’m glad you like it, said a voice from behind her.

Kate turned round to see one of the most beautiful women she had ever met.

Hello, my name's Ruby Reddington, and this is my bar. Can I help you?

And as at the Rose and dagger, Kate went through her questions about Owens and his friends. But, unlike the landlord of the other pub, Ruby was more than forthcoming with information.

I think the best person for you to speak to would be Andria. She was on that night, and from what I can remember, she was hitting it off with one of those boys.

Ruby shouted across the bar, and moments later, a tall, slim blonde wearing one of the shortest skirts and tightest t-shirts that Kate had ever seen walked over. Ruby saw the police woman's expression and said unashamedly, long legs and short skirts, bring all the boys here.

And before Kate could say anything, Ruby added, but don't worry, I have a strict look, but don't touch policy here. Which my doormen actively enforce, and they are very good at it.

Kate followed Ruby’s nod to the other side of the bar and saw four of the biggest men she had ever seen, sitting quietly, drinking coffee and playing cards.

Yes, I bet they are, said Kate smiling, Is there anywhere we can talk?

Well, we're pretty empty now, said Ruby, so would a quiet corner be OK? Then I can keep an eye on the bar as well.

Kate nodded and let the two women lead her to a secluded section of the bar. As she walked behind them, Kate let herself enjoy the sight of the two well-formed behinds as they moved fluidly in front of her. As she turned to sit down, Ruby caught Kate staring; all she did when Kate went a slight shade of red was smile, sit down, and say, OK officer, what do you want to know?

Well, said Kate as she sat down at the table with the two other women, I need to know anything you can tell me about a group of young men who were in here on the twelfth?

We get a lot of young men in here at the weekends, said Ruby crossing her legs slowly.

Kate could not help but notice how smooth and toned those legs were, and again Ruby saw her looking and smiled.

It's these men, in particular, I'm interested in, said Kate as she handed over the picture of Owens and his friends.

Ruby took the offered picture, and as she did, she let her finger’s rest on Kate’s a moment longer than was needed.

Do you recognise anyone, Andria? asked Ruby as she handed the other woman