Chapter 23

Sat in the small briefing room for what felt like hours.
The lights on the ceiling had started to give Mike a sore head.
His eyes were sore from how tired he was. He hadn’t slept for over 24 hours. For the last 6 hours, everyone had been trying to figure out who the other mole was. But whoever it was. They were good at covering their tracks. They knew what they were doing, and there weren't any new developments. No news of the whereabouts of Johnson and Soula in six whole hours. They had disappeared, and no one knew where they were. Surveillance had been placed on Soula's place and Mike’s place just in case.
“ Nothing, not one sighting of either of them,” Mike exclaimed
“ Look I think everyone needs to go home and get some rest and recharge your batteries for tomorrow with fresh eyes,” Superintendent Goodman said.
As everyone nodded in agreement, they all got up for their uncomfortable chairs and made their way to the old fire door that needed replacing since the building opened in 1967.
Everyone made their way down the horrible hallway again and down three flights of stairs, past the custody department to the exit door. One after another swiped their ID cards to clock out. Mike and Terry shared a car like they had always done since Mike got his driving licence first. His first car was a silver mini-metro, and Mike would drive both of them around all the time.
“ What are you going to do about Leila and the baby? Terry asked
“ Am not sure yet, I need time to breathe, hug my girls. Explain everything to Leila’s brothers. I mean this is so fucked up, that I am lost for words and I need help,” Mike said looking more vulnerable than he has ever looked.
“I am here whenever you need. Just ask, and it's done. We will all get through this together as a family. The girls are strong; they are resilient and will bounce back. Maybe put them in therapy
“Thanks, Mate,” Mike said
The rest of the journey was quiet as they made their way down the quiet roads in Morecambe. Mike made his way to the girl's friend's house and thanked the parents and went home with the girls and Terry. Both girls were asking where Leila, Uncle Frank and Uncle Dave were.
“ I will explain everything later on, I promise. I just want to get us home and settle down. Okay
“Okey, Dad,” said Chloe
Shannon was very quiet while looking out of the back car window across the bay. Chloe just sat there, not knowing what to do or say. Both Mike and Terry were just silent. As they arrived home, everyone climbed out and went indoors where Leilas brothers Frank and Dave were waiting for news.
“ Hey, so what has happened. We have been watching the news. Is it all true? Asked Dave
“Yes. It Is all true. Leila confirmed it all today and confessed to all the murders and the reason she did it was because she couldn’t have children herself.
“But it says Leila is pregnant, right?” Asked Shannon
“You saw the news?” Mike asked
“Yes, we watch TV dad. All the time and we were going to find out anyway. Did you forget that social media exist? We have a right to know what is happening. It is going to affect both me and Chloe as well. I mean what are you going to do about our sibling, is she keeping it, is she going to abort the baby,” Shannon asked throwing a million questions out there
“I don’t know.
“Where has she been sent to?” asked Frank
“ HMP Wardsworth, till her trial starts,” Explained Terry
Phone rings
“Detective Terry speaking
“Think we found our second mole,”
“Who?”
“Gary, my CSI lab assistant
“How?”
“He just did his last day today, never told anyone but head of HR. Carole just came to me and asked me if I wanted her to put out an ad for a new lab assistant.
So, I did some digging and found out that Gary is the son of Peter Soula but was named after his mother's Maiden name. He had access to everything. He even knew we were checking ID log-ins. I've sent Detective Mason and Frankland over to speak to him and do a search. Judge Andrews already signed the warrant.
“So you think Gary joined the police force to become a lab tech, but on the pretence that he spied from the inside to help his dad and his dad’s old mate to commit murder. I don’t get what he gets out of it,” Terry explained.
“Gary isn’t Soula's Son. He is Johnson’s son. Leila’s half-brother. Peter doesn’t know that Gary isn’t his. Gary’s mother told me when I called her before and asked about Gary, Soula, and Johnson. Dina Paul had an affair with Johnson for around two years, and Soula never found out. Dina explained that Johnson and Soula have a weird connection that started in High school.
“Do you know where they became so close,” Asked Terry
“I did, and Dina said that Soula had told her back in High School that there had been an accident where Soula had crashed the car and hit a young woman. Johnson helped Soula cover it up and make it look like an accident. I was in 1972 when Mavis Haley was knocked down on Sugam lane in Heysham at 03.04am. The victim was found around 7 am that morning. The coroner's reports says she was intoxicated and was walking home after being in the Strawberry Pub from around 7pm the previous night till she was walking home and that she fell and banged her head and died instantly.
“That doesn’t make sense, really, does it? I mean, they’re still in school, so who had the means to make this go away and label it as an accident?” Terry asked.
“I mean, it could explain why Soula let it be after Johnson had a two-year affair with his missus. I mean, what will happen when Soula finds out that his son isn’t his? Sounds like this is information we can use to our advantage when we get them in the station,” Said Terry
CHAPTER 26

As both Frank and Dave left to make their journey home. Mike couldn’t really sleep. He had tried. There was no news or sightings of Johnson, Soula or Gary anywhere. Both Chloe and Shannon had gone to their bedrooms after Mike explained everything that was happening with Leila and her father.
The kids handled the news a lot better than most adults would.
Phone rings
“ Mike here
“ Mike, we received a letter at the station today. It is from Johnson.
“Well,” Mike demanded
“The contents are a letter that has been written by Derek Johnson and is addressed to you.
Dear Michael,
By now, I and Soula and Gary have crossed international waters and are sunning it up in one of the many non – non-extradition countries. You will never find us. I mean you have been chasing me for over 20 years, and you weren’t even close to identifying me in 20 years. You were fooled by so many people, and you call yourself a Detective. Shame on you, Michael. Maybe you lost your mojo. You couldn’t even see when your wife’s heart and soul broke. I mean, she did some beautiful work, didn’t she? The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, does it? That’s my baby. She lost control, and you couldn’t stop nor protect her. Give up the game, Michael. I am gone. Till we meet again
The Unknown Killer
“When did that arrive? What time?”
“It was sent by post, and we think it arrived first thing. We are checking with the post office now as we speak,” Sally explained
There is no way they have managed to escape for a second time. What if we never catch them? Will they come back? Will they stay away?
As Mike heard the contents of the letter that Johnson had posted while in Mexico. All three men were now in Columbia, sunbathing on the beach . Just then Johnson started laughing so much that he had tears in his eyes.
“What’s so funny?” asked Gary, looking annoyed.
“They think it is all over,”
“What do you mean?” asked Soula.
“They will never find us, we made sure of that,” explained Gary, sounding smug
“They think the Unknown Killer will never turn up again, but I will. Be sure of that,” smiled Johnson.