Part 16 (1/2)

'Amazing what you can pick up beside the seaside,' said the Doctor, a faraway look in his eyes.

There was a rat-a-tat-tat on the front door. Anji gave him a look. 'Tell me that's not a whole beach party you brought along.'

The Doctor checked his pocket watch. 'Right on time.'

Anji crossed to the hall. 'Who's there?'

'Ralf and Susan Canons.h.i.+re,' came Fitz's deadpan voice. She opened the door and he nearly knocked her over as he grabbed her close in a big hug. 'Anji! I've really missed you!'

'You've only been gone a day,' she spluttered, trying to break free of his clumsy embrace.

Trix gave her a put-down look to say she knew nothing. 'Haven't you told her, Doctor?'

'I thought I'd save the catching-ups until we were all here,' the Doctor announced. He leant in towards Fitz and Trix, put an arm round their shoulders. 'Mission accomplished?'

Trix and Fitz glanced at each other and nodded. The Doctor smiled. 'I now p.r.o.nounce you both clever-clogs.'

'Well, we're all here, Doctor,' Anji said quickly. 'And we all have stuff to say, so...'

He nodded. 'Guy, Stacy, could you join us for a meeting of minds please?'

The two of them emerged, Guy with a polite nod of his head to Trix and Fitz, Stacy curious but wary. Fresh, impatient introductions were made. Everyone wanted to get to the point.

People found places to perch around the living room, and Anji looked the Doctor right in the eye.

'Well?'

Nineteen.

Storytelling The Doctor told them, right there and then and without ceremony.

He explained about the mists and his unplanned arrival in Newhaven at night, his near-death in the sea, and how Stacy had saved him.

Then he helped Stacy recount her own story, interrupting and embellis.h.i.+ng, the born raconteur who can't bear someone murdering a story he can tell better.

As Anji listened, she shuddered to hear of these mysterious non-murders of Daniel Basalt and his video nasties.

'So, you've met the man too,' Trix observed, acknowledging Stacy for the first time since their cool h.e.l.lo. 'Bad to the bone, isn't he?'

Stacy unfolded herself from a spidery heap by the TV and stared. 'You've seen him? Recently?'

'Sure.'

She half rose. 'You know where to find him?'

'We know his haunts,' Trix said casually.

'Later,' said the Doctor, holding up a hand.

But Fitz was unable to contain himself. 'I followed him to Bournemouth and back, just five days ago. Saw him kill a woman.' He crossed the room and slumped beside Stacy, clearly haunted by the memory. 'You're right. No special effects there.'

Anji saw Guy raise his eyebrows at her gravely and she nodded. 'G.o.d, Fitz,' she muttered. 'That must've been awful.'

'And not too great for the victim.' Stacy looked coldly between Fitz and Trix. 'Didn't you even try to stop him?'

'There was nothing I could do,' Fitz protested. 'In any case... half an hour later she came out absolutely fine. The same woman. Like nothing had happened.'

Anji saw Guy give him a doubtful look, and Fitz got cross. 'Look, it's true. It was the same woman... there just wasn't a mark on her. She made out that no one had called round, that nothing was wrong...'

'Denying all connection, like the people I've been hounding...' Stacy was wringing her hands in frustration. Her eyes flashed at Fitz. 'But you saw the murder happen. You let let it happen.' it happen.'

Fitz looked hurt. 'I was too late to... Look, the Doctor told me not to get involved.'

'Oh yeah?' Stacy's face had darkened. She looked at the Doctor accusingly. 'And why would '

'I didn't know anything of your own experiences with the man then,' he said gruffly. 'Nor what he was really capable of. And we still still don't. We're not seeing the big picture, what he's trying to achieve' don't. We're not seeing the big picture, what he's trying to achieve'

'Achieve? He's killing people, what more '

'Not now, Stacy!' he bellowed. She flinched like he'd slapped her face, and fell quiet. In the same breath he told Fitz, 'You did well. Don't worry.'

Fitz nodded, grateful and relieved.

The Doctor continued as if nothing had interrupted him, moving on to events down at the docks that morning. While Trix sat filing her nails like none of this concerned her, he briefly detailed his escapades with the hoods on the boat and how Stacy had seen what he literally couldn't: a white, rusty van.

'It was a c.r.a.ppy white van that pulled up outside the woman's house,' Fitz breathed. 'They brought out these bin bags full of... G.o.d knows what, and put them in the back.' He shuddered. 'I thought it was bits of her body.'

'There was a kind of coffin in the back of this van,' said Stacy slowly. 'But I don't think there was a corpse inside.'

Anji frowned. 'Why?'

'It was full of air holes like whatever was inside it was alive, like it needed to breathe. And these metal bands were all round it to keep it safely inside.'

Guy jumped up. 'You're joking!' he spluttered.

Everyone stared at him. Guy looked suddenly self-conscious, and sat back down.

'What is it?' the Doctor asked, with sudden concern.

'Well... That coffin you've described. It sounds textbook design for burial at sea.'

The Doctor leaped into the air. 'Eureka!'

Encouraged, Guy went on. 'The air holes are so the coffin fills with water and sinks quickly if it's allowed to drift it can end up resurfacing somewhere else. The metal bands hold the lid on and stop the body floating out. Sometimes the currents can '

'The biodegradable padding!' Stacy and the Doctor both exclaimed, as if the meaning of life had become suddenly clear.