Definitely Dead

by Kate Bendelow

  Maya stepped carefully around Alison and positioned herself in front of Donnelly. ‘I’m afraid I can’t just stand here and let you do that. I know I’m not perfect and I’ve made mistakes, but murder? Why? What you’ve done makes you just as bad as the likes of him,’ she said, indicating her head towards Donnelly.

  ‘Because I’ve given my whole life to this job, that’s why. I’ve sacrificed so much to put the likes of him and Gorman and Jim Baron and Geoffrey Doran away and for what? They get released in the end and carry on with their lives, completely unaffected. They don’t deserve to live. Good, decent people die every day while scum like that remain untouchable.’

  Alison gave a bitter laugh. ‘His type never learns. The more we put away the more come crawling out of the woodwork to fill their boots. Right now, there’s a wannabe Aiden Donnelly, Piotr Nowak or Celeste Warren about to embark on their criminal careers with the intention of gaining the next big reputation.

  ‘And it’s people like us, Maya,’ said Alison, poking herself in the chest, ‘people like us who will put our own lives on hold and work every hour God sends to catch them. We’ll sacrifice all those precious moments, all that special time we can never get back. Think of all those missed weekends, nights out, Christmases, birthdays, weddings…’

  She choked on her words and Maya could detect a tremble in her voice as she continued. ‘Family celebrations that should be spent with the people you love. And it’s not even the big moments. It’s the everyday we take for granted. The meals that go uneaten because you’re working a shift that never ends. Those cosy early nights that you promised your partner, but by the time you do crawl into bed at 3am, the reception is as frosty as the weather outside.

  ‘I didn’t realise how much time I’d wasted until it was too late. My partner, Louisa, she died of cancer last year.’ She closed her eyes briefly. Clearly even the mention of the name brought her immense pain. ‘The only saving grace,’ she continued, ‘was that it was quick, and she didn’t suffer too much. But God knows I’ve suffered since.’ She jabbed herself in the chest again.

  ‘I took time off work, didn’t divulge why, it had nothing to do with anyone else. Then when I came back it was as if the scales had fallen from my eyes. I saw things so clearly for the first time ever. I realised how futile the job was. That it meant nothing. All the time I spent trying to make a difference and furthering my career should have been spent with her.’

  Alison was clearly wracked with grief. She had paled despite the situation and sweltering heat.

  ‘I… I’m so sorry. I don’t know what to say. But…’

  ‘NO! Listen to me. You need to understand why I’ve done all this. For Louisa.’ She shuddered with emotion. ‘Have you ever been in love? I mean real love. Ever found your soulmate?’

  Maya shook her head. Alison was showing an intensity and passion that was visceral. ‘Then you don’t know how wonderful and how fucking painful it can be. We were a cliché. You could say we met at work. Louisa used to work for Celeste. The first time I saw her when we raided the brothel… It was love at first sight. I did everything I could to help and support her. I got her away from that bitch. That woman ruined so many lives.’

  ‘So, she didn’t jump, you pushed her,’ said Maya.

  ‘Correct. I made her write that note and then she took me for a tour of her home. Couldn’t wait to show it off. She was smacked off her tits, she’d been drinking and snorting coke like it was going out of fashion. She thought I was there because I wanted to sleep with her. Once we were outside on the roof terrace, all it took was one little push. Perfect.’

  ‘And the others?’

  ‘Not as satisfying as Celeste. I regret that Karl Gorman didn’t suffer more. I persuaded him to let me in as I told him I was interested in taking him on as an informer against Donnelly and Nowak. He bit my hand off at the thought of getting a steady payout from the cops rather than actually having to work to earn the crumbs Donnelly was throwing his way.’

  ‘Cheeky fuckin’ grass,’ mumbled Aiden. The other two ignored him as if he wasn’t even there.

  ‘Anyway, I talked my way in with a bottle of vodka, and, when he wasn’t looking I slipped some GHB into his drink. It’s amazing what you can acquire from the property store, you know? He sat at the kitchen table while I offered to start cleaning the kitchen up for him. I was surprised when he told me he had a tea towel in his drawer, but once he’d passed out, I used it to cover his nose and mouth until he stopped breathing. It was surprisingly easy. Disappointingly so. As he was so out of it, he didn’t put up a struggle so there was no sign of trauma at the PM.’

  ‘The tea towel gave you away. I knew there was something wrong. What about Jim Baron?’

  Alison snorted with disgust. ‘That silly fat bastard finished himself off in the end. He got himself so wound up when he saw me; he dropped dead with a bloody heart attack. Can you imagine? At least I knew Geoffrey Doran suffered, so that’s some compensation.’

  ‘The hit and run?’

  ‘Yeah, I was a bit reckless with hindsight, but it got the job done.’

  ‘You were reckless with Posner too. Did you know you’d been seen?’

  ‘Only when I came in on nights and DI Redford did the handover. They hadn’t started interviewing the shoplifter because he was rattling, and they were waiting for him to see the nurse. I managed to convince him he’d be out quicker if he retracted his comments. Fortunately, he didn’t recognise me because I had my hood up at the time. But you’re right. I was sloppy.’

  ‘Surely you knew you weren’t going to get away with it?’ Maya said. ‘It was only going to be a matter of time before someone else realised all these deaths weren’t just coincidence. How were you planning on explaining it?’

  She thought she could detect the sound of a siren approaching in the distance. If only she could keep Alison talking and distracted, then perhaps she and Donnelly had a chance of getting out of this situation alive.

  84

  Lurch had left his flat straight after Maya. He had hurriedly packed a bag before heading over to Aiden’s place. Once inside, he accessed the safe, which he knew held a substantial amount of cash. The safe also housed fake passports and other documents for himself, Aiden and Piotr. Despite his many faults, Aiden had always been prudent. Although he had never had any materialistic needs or a desire for cash in the past, Lurch knew money meant freedom. He squirrelled away the sizeable nest egg and new documentation.

  Finally, Lurch carefully placed the bloodstained hammer and towel, which he had used during the murder of Ryan Johnson, into the loft where he knew the police would find it. Mimicking Aiden, he tapped the side of his nose with his forefinger as he muttered the words ‘forensic insurance’. Lurch knew Aiden and Piotr mocked him for his stupidity, but he liked to think he had picked up a couple of tricks in the time he had worked with them both.

  The thought of being incarcerated for the murder of Ryan Johnson terrified him. The thought of a lengthy prison sentence would be like returning to his formative years in the children’s home. He had been institutionalised enough to last him a lifetime and he knew that a prison stretch would be worse than a death sentence.

  All the years of doing the following without being seen, had paid off. He left Aiden’s house without being spotted. He was ready to do what Maya had suggested. He was going to disappear and start a new life where no one would know him. He was going to live the rest of his life being the best person he could be and helping others. He would repent. And preferably somewhere warm, where every evening, the sunset would turn the sky the colour of salmon.

  85

  Maya was sure the sirens were getting closer, although Alison showed no signs of having heard them. Yet.

  ‘I never expected to get away with all this,’ answered Alison, waving her arm in Donnelly’s direction. ‘I’m neither stupid nor naïve.’

  ‘So, what did you think was going to happen? Did you think you could just kill one last piece o
f shit and then carry on as normal?’

  ‘Hey!’ said Donnelly defensively.

  ‘I’ve done what I needed to do. I had to compensate for all the wasted time I should have had with Louisa.’ She paused for a moment, deep in thought. ‘It hasn’t all just been for her. It was for the others too. For all the victims and their families. I’ve been delivering real justice. I’ve been giving a death sentence to all those offenders who have stolen precious time off me and never served enough of their own.

  ‘They never suffered enough for their victims and I couldn’t go to my grave carrying that knowledge. Life comes with a price, Maya. I appointed myself the job of Grim Reaper. Interesting career change, don’t you think? But still very fitting and well deserved.’

  The sirens were noticeable now, growing closer. Alison smiled and nodded her head, indicating that she had heard them too.

  ‘You’re going to be hugely successful in your career, Maya. Just learn from my mistakes and make sure you also spend time with your loved ones. You need to make sure you…’

  Alison stopped mid-sentence as she grimaced. She swooned slightly, the hand she was clutching the gun in dropped heavily to her side. She squeezed her eyes shut as she appeared to wince in pain.

  ‘Ma’am? Alison…’ Concerned, Maya stepped away from Donnelly and reached for her other hand as Alison opened her eyes. A ghost of a smile lingered on her lips. Her ashen face caused Maya real cause for concern, and she was glad to hear the sirens growing ever closer.

  Suddenly, Alison gripped hold of Maya’s hand tightly. She twisted Maya’s arm in such a way that she was pinned in a hold against the side of Alison’s body. Stunned by the sudden movement and unexpected display of strength, Maya was unable to relinquish the hold on her and she could only watch in horror as Alison raised the gun and shot Aiden Donnelly in the chest.

  Within a split second, Alison shoved Maya away from her.

  Maya fell to the floor, sickened by the red mist which filled her vision. She felt Donnelly’s blood moisten her skin. She turned towards Alison and her mouth opened in a perfect O.

  ‘I’m going to be with Louisa.’ Smiling almost apologetically at Maya, Alison shoved the gun into her own mouth. Maya screamed as she squeezed the trigger again. The second deafening bang was accompanied by another cloud of fine red mist which joined the dancing dust motes drifting through the air of the fetid container.

  Alison’s body dropped to the floor like a stone. Maya screamed in horror as the container doors burst open.

  86

  Maya peered through the keyhole before opening the door. It was a futile effort as she couldn’t even see Kym and Chris because of the huge bouquets of flowers he was carrying. Smiling, she removed the safety chains and beckoned them both in.

  ‘Here,’ Chris sneezed as he handed her his bunch, ‘take them, me eyes are bloody streaming. Kettle on?’

  Maya laughed. ‘Obviously, and there’s biscuits. Go on through, make yourself at home as usual.’ He stooped to kiss her on the way past and headed for the kitchen. Chris had been true to his word on the day he had offered his friendship to Maya after Gorman’s post-mortem. There’d hardly been a day since Alison Mitton’s death that he hadn’t been in touch with Maya. He had told her about the journal they had found at Alison’s house. In it, she had kept a detailed record of all the killings. Chris was a good friend and a frequent, welcome guest.

  ‘It’s good to see you,’ said Kym as she, too, kissed her on the cheek. Maya raised an eyebrow as she admired the flowers.

  ‘Have you been to Kew Gardens?’

  Kym laughed before whispering conspiratorially, ‘Chris bought them but insists they’re off all of us. You know he doesn’t like to confess to being too much of a softy.’ Maya smiled at Kym and led her into the lounge where she sank into the sofa.

  ‘So, please put me out of my misery. What did top office say?’

  Kym sat up seriously. ‘You’ve been given an official warning for not disclosing your relationship with Naylor…’

  Maya slumped forwards, her head in her hands and gave a little scream.

  ‘But…’ Kym was smiling now, ‘they have recognised the mitigating circumstances and also thoroughly commended you for working out and pursuing a link into the chain of sudden deaths that subsequently would have gone undetected.’

  Kym sighed. ‘Despite the fact you broke countless rules in the process, they’re happy you’ve completed your probation period and you’re officially stuck with us.’

  ‘Oh, thank God.’ The relief was palpable, and Maya sank back into the chair.

  ‘I for one am very, very glad you’re staying. And that you’re in one piece… I can’t imagine…’ Maya was shocked to see Kym’s eyes brim with tears as she choked back the words she couldn’t bring herself to speak.

  The moment was broken as Chris bumbled into the room haphazardly carrying brews and biscuits on a tray. He slopped the offerings onto the coffee table before grabbing a biscuit and sinking down next to Maya.

  ‘So, how’s counselling going then? All that touchy-feely bollocks helping, is it?’

  Kym opened her mouth to chastise Chris, but Maya belly laughed. It was so good to see him and be in the presence of his brusque normality. She would rather that than have people tiptoeing around her, scared to say or do the wrong thing.

  ‘Yeah, it’s helping a lot actually. The counsellor is great.’

  ‘Good stuff. So, when are you planning to come back to work? I mean the overtime’s handy, but I’m bloody knackered. I’m covering Andy’s shifts as well as yours.’

  Maya leant forward eagerly. ‘Has there been any news on Andy?’

  Kym tried unsuccessfully to suppress a grin. ‘Yes, actually. He’s been charged with perverting the course of justice amongst other offences. It’s looking highly likely he’ll be serving a custodial sentence. I believe he’s not contesting anything and is pleading guilty.’

  Chris opened his mouth to begin his usual foul-mouthed tirade as to what he thought of Andy, but Maya was quick to silence him with a biscuit. It was nothing she’d not heard dozens of times before. She wanted to concentrate on her good news, not have it tainted by thoughts of Andy.

  A couple of hours later, as she waved Kym and Chris off, Maya was pleasantly surprised to realise she felt the most relaxed and normal than she had in ages. Things would never be quite the same again. They couldn’t possibly be after what she had witnessed, but she had her job, her family and friends. And with the continued support from her counsellor, she had her sanity.

  Maya reached for her phone so she could ring Dominique and let her know the outcome from top office. Mama would be as overjoyed as she was to know that her job was safe. To hear that she could keep the career that meant so much to her. As she glanced at the display, she noticed a missed call and a text from Spence. She smiled to herself. Just the sight of his name gave her a warm, tingling sensation in the pit of her stomach. Her instincts were telling her that everything was going to be okay. Life was good. And it was all ahead of her, ready for living.

  THE END

  Acknowledgements

  Firstly, huge thanks to all the team at Bloodhound Books for accepting Maya and I into the kennels. It was a proud moment when I held a published version of my non-fiction book, The Real CSI: A Forensic Handbook for Crime Writers for the first time, but I always said I wouldn’t feel like a real author until I published my first work of fiction. This is a childhood dream come true, so thanks to Betsy for taking on the Maya Barton trilogy.

  Thank you to friends and family who continue to support me. Especially my early readers for their time and constructive criticism. To Lindsy Slamon for her endless support and for crime-scene-managing my murder scenes. It’s a different challenge writing a fictional murder scene than it is to investigate a real one! To Graham Bartlett, author and police advisor, for his SIO expertise and keen eye. To Eve Seymour for her editorial skills on an early draft of Definitely Dead, and her invaluable w
riting advice. To CJ Skuse, an author whose work I hugely admire, who was kind enough to take the time to read and comment on an early draft.

  Much love to my writing friends who I’ve met along the way, either on courses or at festivals, for your friendship, encouragement and social media shares. Also, to my workmates and colleagues whose hilarious banter and anecdotes provides me with an endless source of inspiration, none of which, unfortunately, is suitable for publication.

  Special thanks go to Alice for taking the time to share her experience of being a mixed-race female with me. Her experiences and insight have not only been educational but invaluable in shaping Maya’s character.

  And finally, my eternal thanks to Gary, Sophie and Elissa for all your love and support. It would have been easier to write at times without the constant percussion of dropped iPads, Roblox and Tik Tok dances, but I consider it character building. Seriously, I could never have achieved any of this without the three of you helping and supporting me, especially Gary, my very own Annie Wilkes. I love you.

  A note from the publisher

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