Текст книги "The Black Pathway"

Автор книги: Mark C. Sutton

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“Well, I just happen to think that she’s one of the most beautiful women that I’ve ever met. But I’ll tell you something else. If a fairy came along, and waved a magic wand, caused all of this woman’s imperfections to disappear overnight… then I don’t think I’d find her attractive anymore. Do you understand what I’m saying, Mary?” Howard wanted to know. Mary nodded; she could actually follow what Howard was getting at.

Mary played with the mug of tea in front of her, which sat on the kitchen table. She twirled it slowly around, full circle, and then ran her finger up and down its handle a couple of times.

“My last boyfriend. His name was Paul.” Mary said, smiling. “When we first started going out together, his eyesight was fine, but then it got bad, quite quickly, and he had to start wearing glasses. He chose this pair of spectacles… they were fucking horrible. Or at least I thought that they were. When he was picking them out, at the opticians… I remember thinking to myself, please don’t choose those specs, the frames are too large, too thick… but of course I didn’t tell him that. So Paul, he picks those glasses, and for the first few days, I could barely look at him whilst he was wearing them. But then, after a while, I started to think to myself that he actually looked better with those specs on… because he wasn’t my perfect little Paul anymore… now he was slightly flawed. And I liked it. Well, at first I didn’t, as I said… but soon after, I did.”

Howard delved back into his memory, of when he was a child.

“My mom bought me this toy action figure… it was some sort of soldier, and I used to call him ‘John’, God knows why, but that’s the name I gave him. Now, when I first had John, he just didn’t look like a soldier at all. The little miniature clothes that he was wearing, you know what I mean, his military garb… it was just too clean… and so was John. So one day, I’m playing outside in our old back garden, and I thought that it’d be a good idea to muddy John up a bit. I rolled the little plastic bastard around in the dirt, and when I’d finished, I cut a few holes and tears into his camouflage clothing. John looked so much better for it. Once I’d gotten him looking all battered and messy, he became one of my favourite toys.” Howard said, smiling as he recalled John the soldier. Mary smiled, with a similar memory.

“Yeah, I had a doll. After a few years, one of her eyes was missing, and somehow most of her hair had come loose and fallen out. She was scary looking, but bloody marvellous with it. Actually, I think I’ve still got that doll somewhere.” Mary told Howard. “It’s probably back at the flat. I still haven’t finished emptying it all out.”

At that point, Mary’s sister, Kay, entered the kitchen, clutching an empty wine bottle.

“Time for a refill.” She announced, before placing the empty bottle into one of the recycling sacks that sat in the corner of the kitchen, near to the back door. Kay walked over to the fridge, opened it, and took out a fresh bottle of white wine. “So, what are you guys talking about?” She was interested to know.

“Oh, we were just discussing this and that… Howard was telling me how he likes Coldsleet, because it’s a town that’s slowly falling apart.” Answered Mary.

“Tell me about it.” Responded Kay. “I was reading in the paper this evening that they’re even thinking of pulling the plug on the local bus service to Elman. That’ll affect you, won’t it Howard?” Howard shrugged his shoulders.

“I’d just have to use the car to get to college instead… but I like to catch the bus. I can just sit there and listen to my music, without any hassle. Are they really talking about getting rid of the number nine, Kay?” He asked.

“Yeah, it looks that way. It’s costing them too much to run… not enough passengers using it, that sort of thing.” Advised Kay.

“That’s crap. I don’t know where they’re coming from, saying that… it can get pretty busy in the morning. There’s quite a few residents here in Coldsleet that have to commute to Elman, so somebody in the council is talking shit.” Remarked Howard. He finished up his mug of tea, then looked up at the kitchen clock. It was getting on for ten. “I’d better go upstairs… I’ve got to finish an assignment for college, I’m supposed to be handing it in tomorrow.” Howard said. He stood up from the table. “So, we’ll leave here at eight thirty in the morning then, Mary?” He asked the young woman.

“Sure, Howard.” She replied. Howard tried to suppress a smile, but couldn’t. He felt his face suddenly burn bright red.

“Goodnight then, Mary. Kay.” He said, awkwardly, to the two women, before hurrying out of the kitchen.

Kay looked at Mary with a mischievous glint in her eyes.

“I think that you may have an admirer.” She commented.

“Who, Howard?” Mary asked.

“Yes, Howard.” Replied Kay. She gave Mary a wink.

“Aw… he’s actually really sweet… in a weird sort of way. I like him.” Kay’s younger sister advised.

“Oh, you do now, do you?” Teased Kay.

“Yeah, but not in that sort of way. I mean, he’s actually quite interesting to talk to, but you know me, Kay… Howard Trenton is definitely not my type.” Said Mary. Kay recalled a few of Mary’s previous boyfriends; they were all a bit ‘rough and ready’, which certainly didn’t apply to Howard.

“No,” agreed Kay, “I don’t suppose that he is. Still, you just never know, eh Mary? Love finds a way.” Kay’s sister stood up.

“Oh, trust me, I know,” Mary giggled, “and don’t you dare get any ideas about doing any match-making either, because me and Howard… well, it ain’t gonna happen.”

“Yes sir, whatever you say sir.” Said Kay, in a faux-military style tone, which she followed up with a salute. “Look, Lucas is going up to bed in a minute. Fancy coming back in the living room for a bit of wine and some sister time?” Asked Kay.

“Well, I was just about to go to bed but… sure, why not.” Replied Mary, and with that, the two sisters departed from the kitchen and went back into the lounge for a catch-up.

Extract from the journal of Howard Trenton

 

I’m totally captivated by Mary Broderick, even more so than I am with Kate, and all of this despite the fact that she is far less flawed in appearance than Miss Williams. But flawed, nevertheless, she most certainly is. You don’t notice it at first… all you see is her long, flowing hair and those beautiful, large brown eyes… yet when I was speaking to her earlier this evening, in the kitchen, I started to notice all of those other things, the sort of things that appeal to me. The imperfections. For instance, there’s a small patch of pock-marked skin on her left cheek… I’m guessing that, like me, Mary suffered from acne when she was younger. She has a tiny white scar, just under her lower lip. Mary has a mole close to her jawline… once you notice it, it can become quite distracting. And despite the fact that she’s not much older than me, Mary is already developing wrinkles across her forehead and around her eyes. She’s flawed alright, which makes her even more perfect, to me. I hope that she doesn’t find a new flat anytime soon. I want her to stay here, in this house, for as long as possible.

 

Chapter Five

 

With the arrival of my wife’s sister, Mary, into our home, my cousin Howard seemed to come out of himself a little bit. Well, for a short while anyway. I could see how much he liked Mary; it was just written all over his face. For a week or two, Howard wasn’t walking around like an empty shell; it turned out that there was more than just a spark of passion in him after all, and it was actually really good to see. Sadly, it didn’t last, and, as everybody now knows, things suddenly turned very ugly. That’s all because of the stuff with Alex Crennell that went on. Howard wasn’t happy about that at all. I can’t say that I was, either, to be honest, when I first found out about Alex and Mary. I knew Alex from around the town; he was a snide, arrogant, bombastic little shit at the best of times, and that’s me being polite about him. Around the time that Alex Crennell appeared on the scene, all of that stuff happened with our neighbour, Alfie Whitehouse, which climaxed with the terrible events that occurred up on the Black Pathway Trail, and nothing was ever the same after that. How could it be? It turned our world upside down. There was other stuff going on too, things that none of us knew anything about. All of that still shocks us, to this very day. It will never NOT stop shocking us. A favourite photograph of mine was one that Kay took of me and Howard, down at Hingley Beach. I can’t bring myself to even look at it now. All that I see is myself, standing next to a murderer. It sickens me.

 

Going back though, to those few weeks before Alex Crennell loomed over the horizon… yeah, Howard was like a different person, and that was all down to Mary. The problem there, of course, was that the admiration was all one-way; my wife, Kay, told me early on that Mary wasn’t interested in any sort of romantic relationship with Howard. By all accounts, he wasn’t her type. I often wonder how things would have turned out if he HAD been the sort of man that Mary was interested in. Would any of the bad stuff have happened? I’m not talking about the things that Howard had already done, but the events that came later on. Yeah, I think it was inevitable. It might not have involved Mary, but it would still have taken place, somewhere down the line, in some shape or form, and to someone else. And if, say, Mary and Howard had been an item at that time, then she would still have got dragged into everything, one way or the other. Howard was a time-bomb, just waiting to go off, and if Mary, or Alex Crennell, hadn’t been the trigger, then somebody else would have ended up causing the detonation, sooner or later.

***

Howard Trenton sat on the bus, next to Mary Broderick. The vehicle pulled away from Coldsleet terminus as it began it’s five mile trek to the town of Elman.

“It’s a beautiful morning out there.” Said Howard, looking out of the window.

“Bloody freezing cold though.” Remarked Mary, who was wearing a thick winter coat and a large wooly hat, which Howard found endearing.

“They don’t call this place Coldsleet for nothing.” Quipped Howard. “The winter’s are always pretty bad up here. Mind you, the summers are nice, what with the town being on the coast and all.”

“Yeah, I bet they are.” Mary said, in agreement with Howard.

“Oh they are. I love the summer months. The warmer weather gives you a lot more freedom… there’s so many places around Coldsleet that are great to visit, but a lot of them aren’t really much fun in the winter.” Advised Howard.

“Like where?” Asked Mary.

“Well, there’s Arrington beach, which is just to the north of here. It's a proper sandy beach, not like the pebbled crap that we have here in Coldsleet. Arrington is a great place for a lazy day out, just lounging around in the sun, taking it easy. Then there’s Ruthley valley… it’s a bit further out than Arrington, but a beautiful area for walks, picnics, that sort of thing.” Said Howard.

“Sounds nice.” Commented Mary.

“Yeah, it is. Really nice.” Replied Howard, and for a few moments, his mind drifted off, remembering some of the times that he’d visited Ruthley valley with his mother, when she’d been alive.

The bus headed up a hill, passing an old church.

“That’s Saint Bernadette’s. It’s where the Black Pathway Trail begins.” Said Howard.

“The what?” Asked Mary.

“The Black Pathway Trail. It’s a walk, thirty miles long… it takes you all the way to Salegate. Have you never heard of the Black Pathway, Mary?” Howard was curious to know. Mary shook her head.

“Nope. You say it’s thirty miles long?” She queried.

“Yep, thirty miles. The trail takes you over two mountains, Knighton and Hoffen. Knighton’s not to bad to walk up… it’s a bit dicey near the top though, because of ‘The Fool’s Gauntlet’…”

“Come again?” Said Mary.

“‘The Fool’s Gauntlet’. Basically, it’s a narrow ledge, hanging over a great big drop towards the valley below. If you fall off that ledge, you’re dead.” Smiled Howard. For a second or two, Mary’s head spun, almost as if she was going to pass out. At the same time, her whole body came out in goosebumps. Then, just as suddenly, the feelings of unease passed.

Howard Trenton continued to tell Mary Broderick all about the Black Pathway.

“So, apart from at the summit of Knighton Mountain, it’s not too bad to climb… but Hoffen Mountain, on the other hand… well, that can be a real bitch. You know the two mountains that I’m talking about, right?” Asked Howard, in an unintentionally condescending manner.

“Of course I know the two mountains.” Said Mary, slightly annoyed.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to suggest that…”

“Oh, it doesn’t matter, Howard.” Mary interrupted.

“Yeah, it does. I didn’t want to come across as patronising or anything.” He said. Mary smiled.

“Okay, okay. Apology accepted… so, have you walked the Black Pathway?” She wanted to know. Howard nodded enthusiastically.

“Yes. Dozens of times. I try and do the walk at least twice a year, during the spring or summer. It takes three days to do, but it’s worth it.” He advised.

“Three days? So, what do you do? Camp out overnight or something?” Mary asked.

“Nah, I bed down in Knighton and then Hoffen. There’s quite a few guest houses, bed and breakfasts, and hostels where you can stop at. A lot of people do camp out though when they’re out on the trail, but I’ve never done that. I ain’t got a tent.” Said Howard. “Plus I’m not too keen on insects.” He added, which made Mary laugh. “There’s a few people who can do the whole trail in a day, but they’re just fucking hardcore, really mental types. Highly experienced walkers, climbers… you know the sort.” Smiled Howard. Mary looked out of the bus window. In the distance, she could see Knighton Mountain. Once again, and only for a few seconds, her blood ran cold…

Howard Trenton continued to tell Mary about the Black Pathway Trail with enthusiasm.

“There’s one part of the track where a lot of people come unstuck. The trail cuts through Skerrington forest, and it gets a bit vague, because some other pathways, nature trails, zig-zag it. A lot of people go the wrong way, but they mostly just end up at the nature centre on the edge of the woods. Not everyone is that lucky though… they get completely lost, and that’s not good, because if you accidentally head south, then you can end up deep onto Coldsleet Moor. That place… well, it’s deadly, if you’re too far onto it. It’s littered with peat-bogs, some of them really deep. Then there’s the weather to contend with. You get a lot of mist coming down on those moors, even in the middle of summer. If you don’t know where you’re going, and actually manage to cross the moor without drowning in a bog… and you are still heading south, then that spells real trouble, because you’d end up in another forest, but that one is much bigger than Skerrington. It goes on for miles.” Howard informed Mary.

“The Black Pathway sounds pretty horrible.” She replied.

“Nah, you’re fine, as long as you follow the trail. It’s actually beautiful. Maybe…” Howard’s words suddenly trailed off.

“Maybe what?” Asked Mary, after a few moments.

“Maybe, in the summer… if you’re still around… we could have a weekend up on the trail?” Suggested Howard Trenton, awkwardly.

“Maybe we could.” Replied Mary, smiling, though privately, she was thinking, Jesus, let’s just hope that I find a new place to live, and soon, so that I can get out of Coldsleet… I really don’t want to walk any trail. It’s not my thing. Though Mary was far too polite to say that to Howard.

When Howard arrived at college on that Monday morning, the first thing that he did was seek out Kate Williams; he hadn't seen her for a while, and was eager for a catch-up. Kate was in her usual place, an older classroom that was no longer used for any study sessions as such. Howard peered through the glass pane on the door, checking that Kate was alone. She was sat at a desk, her head down, concentrating on some paperwork. Howard stared at Kate for a few moments, taking in the top that she was wearing. It was red, tight, and showed off the shape of her bosom. Howard felt his heart beat quicken.

"Calm yourself down, Howard." He whispered to himself, before knocking on the door. He saw Kate look up and smile at him. She beckoned for Howard to enter the classroom. Howard opened up the door, gently closing it behind him. He turned and looked at Kate.

"Hi, Miss Williams. How are you today?" Howard beamed. The careers advisor returned his smile.

"I'm very well, thank you, Howard. And yourself?" She asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. Really good thanks." Howard answered. He sat down on one of the classroom chairs.

"You look positively radiant today, Howard." Observed Kate, and Howard couldn't stop himself from blushing a little, before grinning madly.

Howard Trenton was unable to contain himself. He needed to tell someone about how he was feeling.

"I've met a girl, Miss Williams… the most wonderful girl." Howard informed Kate. He blushed again. Kate smiled.

"That's wonderful news, Howard, absolutely wonderful. May I ask…"

"Who she is?" Interrupted Howard. "Yes, of course. Her name is Mary. Mary Broderick. She's in her early twenties. Mary is actually the sister of my cousin's wife, Kay, so we're sort of related, except not blood-related, which makes it okay, I think." Howard advised Kate.

"Yes," chuckled Kate, "I think that's okay." She went on. "So, how did you meet this girl, Howard?" Kate was interested to know.

"Oh, she's actually staying at our house for a while, until she can find a new flat to rent. Things didn't work out at the last place that she was living at." Advised Howard. "I'm sort of secretly hoping that she ends up living with myself, Lucas, and Kay, on a permanent basis. It's great having her around the home." Kate closed a folder containing paperwork, and sat back a little in her chair. Howard must be smitten, she thought, he's never usually this happy.

 

Kate probed a little more into Howard's new relationship with the girl called Mary.

"So, are you two like… officially an item?" Kate asked. The smile that Howard had been wearing since he'd entered the classroom faltered just a little.

"Erm… well, not yet. I haven't asked her out on an actual date, if that's what you mean. But we're getting closer and closer… we had a really nice chat last night, about all sorts of stuff really… she understands me, Kate, she really understands me… and this morning, Mary caught the bus with me into Elman, which was fantastic. I know that it probably sounds a bit daft, but I felt really proud, sat there with Mary next to me. She's beautiful, Kate, really beautiful… not in the conventional sense, but in a way that means something to me… beauty on a personal level, if you understand what I'm saying." Said Howard. Kate nodded.

"I know exactly what you're saying, Howard." She assured him.

"I thought that you would, Miss Williams. I think that's why you and I have always gotten on so well… you understand me… and I like to think that I understand you, too. We're on the same wavelength, Miss Williams.” Said Howard. Kate reached out and touched Howard's hand. Instantly, he felt an almost electrical charge run through his entire body, which, despite being intense, was also strangely pleasurable.

"Yes, Howard. We are on the same wavelength, aren't we?" Kate Williams replied, before taking her hand from off Howard’s.

Howard shuffled awkwardly in his chair a little.

"So… it's been a while since I last saw you, and I've been meaning to ask… how did your reunion go with that guy you knew from the college that you used to attend?" He asked.

"Oh, you mean Jake? It went well, Howard, really well. It was good to catch up with him after all of these years." Smiled Kate, telling a lie. Yeah, it was really great, spending the whole night trying to fend off a human octopus who'd doubled in girth since I last clapped eyes on him...

"Will you be meeting up with him again?" Asked Howard, half-dreading the answer. Kate laughed nervously.

"No, Howard. It was just a one-off thing. I won't be seeing Jake again." She advised. Howard felt relief wash over him.

"Aw, that's a shame, Miss Williams… the last time we spoke, you seemed really keen on meeting up with him again." Said Howard. Kate straightened up in her chair.

"It's not that big a deal, Howard. Sometimes things in the past should… well, stay in the past." Replied Kate, with a sour edge to her voice. Howard thought about this for a few moments.

"It's not always that easy though, Miss Williams. Not when something that happened in the past continues to define and shape your present." He said.

"What do you mean, Howard?" Asked Kate, with curiosity.

"Oh, nothing. Just me being over-profound again… you know what I can be like at times, Miss." Answered Howard Trenton, standing up from the chair. "I'd better be off… lecture starts in five minutes. Advanced trigonometry. Yuk.” He added. "I'll see you soon. Take care, Miss Williams."

“Yes, you too, Howard." Replied the careers advisor, before Howard scuttled out of the classroom. Kate Williams stared after him for a few moments, feeling a pang of jealousy deep inside. Then she continued with her paperwork.

That evening, Howard travelled back from Elman to Coldsleet on the bus, alighting at the terminus. He was looking forward to getting home, and seeing Mary again. It was a cold night, not to mention very blustery, and Howard dug his hands deep into his coat pockets, shielding them against both the low temperature and the wind. As Howard Trenton walked along the main road that led from the bus stop, he looked to his right, towards the seafront; the ocean wasn't visible at all, as it was too dark, but he could hear the waves as they lapped in against the narrow, pebbled beach. For just a second, Howard entertained the notion of going for a quick walk along the seafront; it was something that he often did, and at all times of the day and night, too.

“No, bugger to that. Not tonight.” He said to himself. Howard just wanted to get home. He pulled some earphones from out of his coat pocket and put them in his ears. Howard reached inside his pocket and turned his mp3 player on, drowning out the nearby sound of the sea.

Howard continued to walk up the main road before turning left, where he crossed the old railway line, that hadn't been used in years. After this, he continued heading forward, passing a small row of shops before coming to another main road; this was Coldsleet's high street. There were a few people hanging about, here and there, but otherwise, it was practically dead. Howard crossed over the road, then followed a side-street that began to climb up a hill. The side-street was dotted with houses. After a minutes walk, Howard came to an alleyway that would lead onto the road where he lived with Lucas, Kay, and now Mary too. Knowing that home was close by, Howard picked up his pace as he walked into the alleyway, completely unaware that he was being followed.

Howard was half through the alleyway when he suddenly sensed a presence right behind him. Before he even had the chance to turn around, Howard felt a powerful fist hammer into the side of his head. He keeled sidewards, ending up against a concrete wall that ran along the length of the alleyway. A tall figure, largely hidden by the dark, reached out, yanking the earphones from Howard's ears. After this, the attacker's hand plunged into Howard's jacket pocket, greedily pulling out his mp3 player. The attacker pushed Howard hard against the concrete wall.

"Have you got anything else? Any money?" Asked the assailant. Howard could just about make out the mugger's face in the dark; it belonged to a young man, probably in his mid-twenties, with sharp, prominent features. It wasn't anyone that Howard recognised from around the town of Coldsleet.

"No." Replied Howard, his voice quivering a little. “That's all that I've got on me.” He said, referring to the mp3 player.

"Well, not any more it isn't… are you sure that you haven't got some money on you?" The mugger repeated, and at this point, he produced a knife from the pocket of his jeans, and held it close to Howard's throat.

"I'm sure." Answered Howard. The attacker stared at him for a while, grunted, and then let go of Howard, before running off down the alleyway, towards the direction of Coldsleet's high street. Howard pushed himself away from the concrete wall, and rubbed at his cheek, where he'd been punched. A warm, familiar feeling flushed through him. Rage. Then Howard grinned to himself. "I'll give you a little bit of a head-start.” Howard said, staring in the direction where the mugger had just fled. Howard sniffed at the night air, taking in the scent of the attacker, which lingered all around him, before slowly retreading his steps, back down the alleyway…

Howard's mystery mugger was actually a young career-criminal from the nearby town of Ruthskin, called Lee Carpenter. Lee's general, golden rule, was to never commit crimes in his home town at all; rather, he would drive out, to the neighbouring communities, and carry out his nasty little thefts, burglaries, and street robberies in those places instead. So far, he hadn't been caught. Or, rather, he hadn't been caught for the current spate of crimes that he'd been committing since arriving in Ruthskin just under a year ago. Sooner or later, Lee knew that he'd fall onto the radar of the local police, and when he did, they'd be taking a great deal of interest in the previous, well-documented criminal activity that he'd been involved in, in other locations outside of the north-west. Capture was inevitable, but it wasn't going to stop Lee Carpenter from either carrying out his crimes, or enjoying the proceeds from them; it was a way of life for the young man, plus it helped fund his various addictions. Lee Carpenter himself doubted that he'd ever be able to change his habits. In fact, he didn’t particularly want to.

After Lee had attacked Howard Trenton in the alleyway, and stolen the youth's music player, Lee fled from the scene of the crime, heading back towards a small car-park, close to Coldsleet seafront, where he'd left the vehicle that he had travelled down to the town in. It only took Lee around five minutes to arrive at his destination. He got into the car, and switched on the inside light, just above the driver's seat. Lee pulled out the mp3 player that he'd stolen from the young man in the alleyway. He examined it carefully. Hmm, it's a good make, says on the back here that there's one hundred and twenty gigs of storage …  I reckon that Rob will probably give me about thirty, forty quid for this, Lee thought to himself. He turned the mp3 player on. Touchscreen too… shit taste in music though… who the fuck is 'Godjite Puls'?

As Lee Carpenter sat in his car, messing around with the gadget that he had just stolen, his victim, Howard Trenton, entered the small car-park. It was empty, save for his attacker's vehicle. The car-park, located very close to the seafront, was barely used, even in the summer months, let alone during the middle of winter, and on a Monday evening. However, even if the car-park had been much larger, and full of cars, Howard would still have easily found his prey; the moment that the teenager detected the mugger's scent back at the scene of the robbery, the older man was doomed. Lee Carpenter could never have known it, be he had fallen prey to one of the most dangerous humans to have ever walked the Earth.

Howard moved towards the car, slowly, mechanically. He wasn't in any rush, and was feeling calm and confident now that the initial shock from the earlier attack had worn off. Howard reached the car; the occupant was sat inside, still toying with the mp3 player, totally unaware that there was a visitor just outside of his vehicle, and an unwelcome one at that. It wasn't until the car door, despite being locked, was suddenly wrenched open, that Lee Carpenter realised that his teenage victim had somehow managed to follow him all of the way back to the car-park. Lee didn't have much chance to react, before finding himself being yanked from the driver's seat by bony, yet incredibly powerful hands. Howard pulled the mugger right out of the car in one graceful movement, then onto the freezing cold concrete floor. In an instant, the much smaller teenager was astride Lee, who tried to lash out at Howard with one of his fists. This time though, Howard Trenton wasn't in a position to be caught unaware, and easily dodged the punch that was aimed at his face. After the failed punch, Howard shifted his entire body, pinning the older man to the ground.

"Get the fuck off me." Growled Lee Carpenter, his face close to Howard’s. He tried to reach into the pocket of his jeans, in order to retrieve the knife, but they younger lad's knees had Lee's arms completely pinioned against the concrete floor. Howard smiled.

"No. I think that I'll just stay here, with you, for a while." Replied Howard. He took a quick glance around the car-park and its surrounding area. The location was bordered by a small stone wall on three sides, and fenced-off sand-dunes on the fourth. "We'll be fine. No-one's going to disturb us. Let’s have some fun.” Assured Howard Trenton, before wreaking his revenge on Lee Carpenter.

 

Chapter Six

Instead of spending the night back at home with his family and, in particular, Mary Broderick, Howard Trenton found himself in Lee Carpenter's car, near a small piece of woodland just on the northern outskirts of Coldsleet. Howard had parked Lee's car on a fire-ride, far away from the nearest main road, and any potential prying eyes. He had deposited the mugger's corpse in the backseat of the car. Howard went around to the back door, and dragged the larger man’s body from out of the vehicle, before hoisting him, with apparent ease, over his shoulder. Howard walked into the thickening woodland.