Blood Axe Read online

  BLOOD AXE

  Cut Short – CWA Dagger shortlist, #1 iTunes, #1 Women Sleuths Road Closed – #1 Women Sleuths, Top 20 kindle, Top Read Euro Crime, Top 50 iTunes Dead End – #1 Women Sleuths, Top 20 kindle, Top 20 WH Smith’s, Top 10 Miami Examiner Death Bed – #1 Women Sleuths, Top 20 WH Smith’s Stop Dead – #1 on Amazon Kindle DI Geraldine Steel is a Lovereading Great Female Sleuth

  ‘Silently dipping his oars in the water he made his escape. It was a weary journey, with few spoils to show for it. Next time he would do better. He looked back over his shoulder. The bridge had disappeared, swallowed up by the darkness. From its walkway he too had become invisible. Only the bloody body of a woman showed he had been roaming the streets that night’

  DI Ian Peterson investigates a series of gruesome and brutal murders in York. As the body count mounts, the case demands all Ian’s ingenuity, because these are murders seemingly committed at random, and this is a killer who leaves no clues.

  About the Author

  Leigh Russell studied at the University of Kent, gaining a Master’s degree in English. A secondary school English teacher, and guest university lecturer in creative writing, she is married, has two daughters, and lives in North West London. Her first novel, shortlisted for the CWA best first novel award, Cut Short, was published in 2009. This was followed by Road Closed in 2010, Dead End in 2011, Death Bed in 2012 and Stop Dead in 2013 and Fatal Act in 2014. Her first title in the new series starring DI Peterson, Cold Sacrifice was also published in 2013 followed by Race to Death and Killer Plan in 2014.

  Critical Acclaim

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR RACE TO DEATH

  ‘Unmissable’ – Lee Child

  ‘Leigh Russell has become one of the most impressively dependable purveyors of the English police procedural’ – Marcel Berlins, Times

  ‘As tense openings go, they don’t come much better than this’ – Bookbag

  ‘If you enjoy a well-written mystery with a well-constructed and thought-out plot line then this is the book for you... it is my BOOK OF THE MONTH’ – Crime Book Club

  ‘the story unfolds at a great pace and grips until the end’– Fiction Is Stranger Than Fact

  ‘Leigh Russell weaves a fascinating tale that had me completely foxed. Whilst the mystery is tantalising the characters also fascinate, so clearly are they drawn’– Mystery People

  ‘Fast-paced and unrelenting, and with more than enough twists to keep the most demanding reader entertained, Race to Death certainly doesn’t disappoint! 4.5/5*’– Claire Loves to Read

  ‘Full of twists, turns and dark secrets. The plot gallops along creating suspense on every page’– Creuse News

  ‘Fantastic... I can’t wait to read more’– Book Addict

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR COLD SACRIFICE

  ‘A complex mystery rich in characters, this new series promises some interesting times ahead for Ian Peterson’ – Promoting Crime Fiction

  ‘Russell’s story telling was strong enough to keep me enticed right to the very end’– Lloyd Paige

  ‘Ian Peterson as a character could potentially be just as good,if not better, than Geraldine Steel’– Best Crime Books

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR FATAL ACT

  ‘a most intriguing and well executed mystery and... an engrossing read’– Shotsmag

  ‘the best yet from Leigh Russell – she keeps you guessing all the way through and leaves you wanting more’ – Crime Book Club

  ‘fantastic. I can’t wait to read more’ – Book Addict

  ‘another fast-paced and complex mystery – a fabulous read’– Fiction Is Stranger Than Fact

  ‘a truly great author... enough mystery and drama for the most ardent of mystery fans’– Bookaholic

  ‘another corker of a book from Leigh Russell... Russell’s talent for writing top-quality crime fiction just keeps on growing...’ – Euro Crime

  ‘the plot is strong and the writing just flows with style and panache’– Goodreads

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR STOP DEAD

  ‘All the things a mystery should be, intriguing, enthralling, tense and utterly absorbing’ – Best Crime Books

  ‘Stop Dead is taut and compelling, stylishly written with a deeply human voice’– Peter James

  ‘A definite must read for crime thriller fans everywhere – 5 stars’– Newbooks Magazine

  ‘For lovers of crime fiction this is a brilliant, not to be missed, novel’– Fiction is Stranger Than Fact

  ‘Geraldine Steel sticks out as a believable copper and Stop Dead flows easily’– Electric Lullaby

  ‘a well-written, a well-researched, and a well-constructed whodunnit. Highly recommended’– Mystery People

  ‘a whodunnit of the highest order. The tightly written plot kept me guessing all the way’– Crimesquad

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR DEATH BED

  ‘Earlier books have marked her out as one of the most able practitioners in the current field’ – Barry Forshaw, Crime Time

  ‘Death Bed is a marvellous entry in this highly acclaimed series’– Promoting Crime Fiction

  ‘An innovative and refreshing take on the psychological thriller’ – Books Plus Food

  ‘Russell’s strength as a writer is her ability to portray believable characters’– Crimesquad

  ‘A well-written, well-plotted crime novel with fantastic pace and lots of intrigue’– Bookersatz

  ‘Truly a great crime thriller’ – Nayu’s Reading Corner

  ‘DEATH BED is her most exciting and well-written to date. And, as the others are superb, that is really saying something! 5*’ – Euro Crime

  ‘The story itself was as usual a good one, and the descriptive gruesomeness of some scenes was brilliant’ – Best Crime Books

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR DEAD END

  ‘All the ingredients combine to make a tense, clever police whodunnit’– Marcel Berlins, Times

  ‘I could not put this book down’ – Newbooks Magazine

  ‘A brilliant talent in the thriller field’ – Jeffery Deaver

  ‘An encounter that will take readers into the darkest recesses of the human psyche’– Crime Time

  ‘Well written and chock full of surprises, this hard-hitting, edge-of-the seat instalment is yet another treat... Geraldine Steel looks set to become a household name. Highly recommended’– Euro Crime

  ‘Good, old-fashioned, heart-hammering police thriller... a no-frills delivery of pure excitement’ – SAGA Magazine

  ‘the critical acclaim heaped on Russell thus far in her literary career is well deserved’– Bookgeeks

  ‘a macabre read, full of enthralling characters and gruesome details which kept me glued from first page to last’ – Crimesquad

  ‘Dead End was selected as a Best Fiction Book of 2012’ – Examiner

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR ROAD CLOSED

  ‘A well-written, soundly plotted, psychologically acute story’– Marcel Berlins

  ‘Well-written and absorbing right from the get-go... with an exhilarating climax that you don’t see coming’ – Euro Crime

  ‘Leigh Russell does a good job of keeping her readers guessing. She also uses a deft hand developing her characters, especially the low-lifes... a good read’– San Francisco Book Review

  ‘perfect character building... cleverly written... can’t wait for the next one’– Best Books to Read

  ‘New star of crime fiction, Leigh Russell’s chilling psychological thriller is terrific and terrifying!’ – Clem Chambers

  ‘Road Closed is a gripping, fast-paced read, pulling you in from the very first tense page and keeping you captivated righ
t to the end with its refreshingly compelling and original narrative’ – New York Journal of Books

  CRITICAL ACCLAIM FOR CUT SHORT

  ‘Cut Short is a stylish, top-of-the-line crime tale, a seamless blending of psychological sophistication and gritty police procedure. And you’re just plain going to love DI Geraldine Steel’ – Jeffery Deaver

  ‘Russell paints a careful and intriguing portrait of a small British community while developing a compassionate and complex heroine who’s sure to win fans’– Publishers Weekly

  ‘an excellent debut’ – Crime Time

  ‘It’s an easy read with the strength of the story at its core... If you want to be swept along with the story above all else, Cut Short is certainly a novel for you’– Crimeficreader

  ‘Simply awesome! This debut novel by Leigh Russell will take your breath away’– Euro Crime

  ‘an excellent book...Truly a great start for new mystery author Leigh Russell’– New York Journal of Books

  Cut Short is a book I had to read in one sitting... excellent new series’– Murder by Type

  ‘a sure-fire hit – a taut, slick, easy-to-read thriller’ – Watford Observer

  ‘fine police procedural, with a convincing if disconcerting feel of contemporary Britain’ – The Compulsive Reader

  ‘Cut Short featured in one of Euro Crime’s reviewers’ Top Reads for 2009’– Euro Crime

  ‘Cut Short is not a comfortable read, but it is a compelling and important one. Highly recommended’ – Mystery Women

  ‘gritty and totally addictive debut novel’ – New York Journal of Books

  To Michael, Joanna, Phillipa and Phil

  Acknowledgements

  I would like to thank Dr Leonard Russell for his expert medical advice, and all my contacts on the Metropolitan Police for their invaluable assistance.

  I would also like to thank the inimitable Annette Crossland for her loyal support.

  Producing a book is a team effort. I am fortunate to have the guidance of a brilliant editor, Keshini Naidoo, and I am very grateful to Ion Mills and Claire Watts, along with all the dedicated team at No Exit Press, who transform my words into books.

  My final thanks go to Michael, who is always with me.

  Glossary of acronyms

  DCI–Detective Chief Inspector (senior officer on case)

  DI–Detective Inspector

  DS–Detective Sergeant

  SOCO–scene of crime officer (collects forensic evidence at scene)

  PM–Post Mortem or Autopsy (examination of dead body to establish cause of death)

  CCTV–Closed Circuit Television (security cameras)

  VIIDO–Visual Images Identifications and Detections Office

  1

  The warrior sprang on to dry land, shoulder muscles straining as he heaved his narrow vessel against the current. The river flowed darkly beneath the railway bridge. Grunting, he hauled his boat along to the narrow steps that led up a steep slope to the path. Under cover of night it wasn’t easy to see the boat lying at the foot of the slope. Bent almost double, he trotted halfway up the steps and looked both ways along the path. Satisfied there was no one in sight he hurried back down the steps, hauled his boat up them and dragged it swiftly over the tract of muddy grass and across the path to a gap in the wall. With an effort he heaved his boat upwards, manoeuvring it right over the top of the wall. Clinging to a rope attached to the boat, he lowered it swiftly to the ground on the other side. Forcing his way through a gap in the wall he made sure the boat was settled in a wide ditch, before pushing his way back through the gap to the path.

  Turning, half crouching, he padded towards a nearby settlement. It was a mixed blessing when the moon god lit up the path in front of him. He did not want to be seen as he stole along the deserted river bank. Up ahead, a bridge spanned the dark waters, illuminated at intervals by street lights that cast an orange glow. Even at that late hour a steady succession of cars was gliding across the bridge. He hadn’t expected the roads to be so busy at that time of night. He didn’t want a confrontation. He could fight with the strength of a bear, but he was alone. A distant humming barely disturbed the quiet of the night as he ran up the steps and on to the bridge. Crossing it, he slipped over the road and up a side street. He rounded a bend and a figure appeared in front of him, only a few feet away. From behind it was impossible to tell whether he was following a man or a woman. It made no difference. If the stranger was armed, a strong woman could be nearly as dangerous as a man. What mattered was to take his target by surprise.

  Wolf-like, the warrior ran forward, his leather shoes pounding silently on the hard ground. There was no room to wield a long sword. Having touched his silver amulet for protection, he gripped his axe with both hands and raised it. He had won the axe in battle and had been biding his time ever since, eager to try it out. Now it was about to claim its first trophy. At the last minute his victim looked round. He saw her eyes widen in terror, her lips parting as though to scream. With one blow of his axe he felled her, leaping aside to avoid her spurting blood. She sank to the ground with barely a murmur.

  The woman lay at his feet, a pool of blood spreading from a deep gash in her skull. The light overhead illuminated her face and he saw that she was young. There was no time to waste in regret that he had killed her before considering taking her as a thrall. She was beyond his clutches now, already on her journey to the frozen wasteland. Deftly he set to work. Guided by the moon god, he wiped his blade on a piece of her tunic that wasn’t drenched in blood. He removed her silver necklace and pulled three gold rings from her hands. They slipped easily from her wet fingers. Dropping them into his pouch he ran on, keeping to the shadows.

  After such a kill, the area was dangerous. Once the woman’s body was discovered, her people would come looking for him. Until then, the streets were his hunting ground. So far he hadn’t found much, just a few trinkets that weighed hardly anything. After all his effort, he had to do better than that. All at once he stopped in his tracks to gaze at a glittering display of precious metalwork, rings and gems, and delicate decorative chains, all skilfully wrought. Trembling with desire, he forced himself to walk past. It wasn’t safe to steal such a rich hoard openly in the busy street. People were hurrying by singly or in small rowdy groups. Most of them took no notice of him, but one or two threw curious glances in his direction. With his bloody axe at his side, it was best not to loiter. He spun round and made his way back across the bridge and down to the river. All he had to show for his efforts were a few gold rings and a fine silver chain. He remembered the woman he had killed, and cursed her. If she hadn’t appeared in front of him at just that moment, his pouch might have been stuffed with treasure now. The gods had not favoured him that night, but he had no one to blame but himself.

  He reached the river and hurried along the path. Dragging his boat from its hiding place behind the wall, he carried it back down to the water and leaped aboard. Silently dipping his oars in the water he made his escape. It was a weary journey, with few spoils to show for it. Next time he would do better. He looked back over his shoulder. The bridge had disappeared, swallowed up by the darkness. From its walkway he too had become invisible. Only the bloody body of a woman showed he had been roaming the streets that night.

  2

  Ian Peterson woke early. His wife was asleep so he went to work straight away, without stopping for coffee before leaving home. Driving to the police station before most people were stirring, he made the short journey in record time. His office was small, but he had it all to himself. That was just one of the many advantages of his recent promotion to detective inspector, another being that he no longer lived anywhere near his in-laws. He cleared his desk before going to the canteen for breakfast. Detective Sergeant Ted Birling was already there, one hand wrapped round a mug of coffee. With black hair and dark eyes, his air of brash confidence mad
e him appear older than his mid-twenties. The sergeant looked up and greeted Ian with a smile as he sat down. Nodding an acknowledgement, Ian tucked into a plate of egg, beans and sausages.

  ‘Wife not feeding you?’

  Ian grinned in reply and they sat in companionable silence until he finished.

  ‘Had a good weekend?’ Ian asked, putting his knife and fork down.

  Ted shrugged. ‘Jenny wanted to go to see this new film everyone’s been talking about.’ He mentioned a name Ian vaguely recognised.

  ‘Was it any good?’

  ‘It was a load of shite, but she enjoyed it.’

  ‘That’s all right then.’

  They exchanged a resigned smile.

  ‘How about you? Good weekend?’

  Ian shrugged. ‘We had tickets for the last night of the Viking Festival. My wife’s interested in all that.’

  Ted nodded. ‘I used to go to those events when I was a kid.’

  A crowd had gathered the previous day near the west door of the Minster, where a group of people dressed as Vikings were standing on the steps. The men wore round helmets, hooded cloaks and belted woollen tunics, while the women wore long skirts and pinafores fastened with belts and brooches.

  ‘A lot of them aren’t wearing replicas of authentic Viking helmets,’ Bev told him. ‘Nose guards weren’t around until the Normans, and the Vikings never had horns sticking out of their helmets.’

  ‘Where do those originate from then?’ Ian nodded at a group of men sporting huge curved horns on either side of their helmets.

  ‘I don’t know.’

  Ian stopped one of the Vikings wearing a horned helmet. ‘Where’s your helmet from?’

  ‘eBay, mate.’

  At a rousing note on a cow’s horn, the onlookers surged round the outside of the cathedral to watch a host of costumed Vikings marching past, yelling ‘Odin!’, and banging their shields with their spears.