by M A Comley
“That goes without saying, Katy. I always do my utmost for each and every victim.”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it to come across as offensive. I’m weary myself. Speak to you tomorrow. Let me know what time you’ll be performing the PM. I want to attend this one, if you have no objection.”
“No objection at all. It’ll probably be at around nine, is that okay with you?”
“We’ll be there, won’t we, Charlie?”
Charlie cringed but nodded her acceptance.
Katy chuckled. “You’ll get used to them. The more you attend, the easier it’ll become.”
“If you say so,” Charlie said.
“See you ladies in the morning then. I must get on.” Patti waved and got back to attending to the cadaver.
Katy and Charlie returned to the vehicle, depositing their protective suits en route in the black bag provided close to the cordon.
“You’re quiet,” Katy stated on the drive back to the station.
“I have a lot on my mind.”
“That’s a tad evasive, to do with the investigation?”
“No, not at all.”
Katy sensed her partner wasn’t ready to open up just yet and decided not to intrude further. “Are you okay about attending the PM in the morning? I didn’t force you into it back there, did I?”
“Of course not. I’m fine with it, it’s part of the job at the end of the day.”
“It is. Sometimes we can avoid them if the investigation is full-on, however, I’m determined to get a quick result on this one, don’t ask me why. Maybe it’s because of the injuries the man suffered before he lost his life that’s driving that notion. A cruel and heartless attack. Was he in the wrong place at the wrong time? Or did someone have a personal grudge against him?”
Charlie leaned her head back against the headrest. “That’s a tough call. We can’t know that until we have some ID and background information to go on. I hope this one doesn’t end up driving us up the wall. I sense it might be a struggle to solve.”
“I’m inclined to agree with you. We’re going to give it our best shot, though, aren’t we?”
“Too right. Each and every case is deserving of our full attention. That was Mum’s motto, I seem to remember, or something along those lines.”
“Yeah, I recall it was something like that.”
“I think she misses being your partner.”
Katy quickly glanced at Charlie and then shifted her gaze back to the traffic ahead. “What makes you say that? I thought she was happy living ‘the good life’.”
“She is. But I think there’s a part of her which is dying to get involved again with police work. It’s part of her makeup, I guess. She lived, breathed, drank and ate being a copper on call at all hours of the day. Is it possible to truly switch off?”
Katy drew to a halt behind a sports car with its stereo blaring and drummed her fingers. “I suppose. I’ve never really thought about it. I don’t seem to have a problem, you know, at the weekends, spending time with AJ and Georgina. Maybe that’s to do with Lorne’s influence, in a manner of speaking. She sat me down one day, once I announced my pregnancy, and told me where she felt she’d gone wrong in her life.” She turned to look at Charlie who was staring back at her. “I know she had massive regrets for not being around more, you know, through your troubled times.”
“I know she does. It was a phase I was going through at the time. Maybe that was the root of the problem, her not being at my beck and call as a demanding teenager. It wasn’t until…” Charlie paused and swallowed. She raked a hand through her hair. “Well, it wasn’t until The Unicorn abducted me that I truly realised how much I loved them both. Mum and Dad, I mean.”
“You never talk about your dad, how is he?”
“He’s around, sort of. He’s totally different when he’s involved with a woman. He tends to cut me off until he needs something or other.”
“That’s awful, Charlie. Sorry, I shouldn’t speak about your father like that. He needs a kick up the arse.”
Charlie chuckled. “I know, but he’s my dad. I’m used to it. I think it was a case of him tolerating me while I was growing up. Either that or he used me as a way to make Mum’s life a bloody misery.”
For some reason, Katy’s eyes teared up. She blinked to disperse the bulging droplets. “I really don’t know what to say to that. Have you run your concept past your mother?”
“Nah, why burden her? She’s made a wonderful life for herself and Tony. It suits them living in the heart of the country, away from the city lights, not that she got out much when she lived in London; the occasional trip to the theatre with Grandma and Granddad when they were both still alive. Heck, you’ve got me thinking maudling thoughts now.”
“Sorry. Let’s lighten the conversation a little. What about you and Brandon? Any plans for you two walking down the aisle yet?”
“Is it compulsory?” Charlie snapped back. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.”
“It’s okay. I’m sensing some tension every time I mention Brandon’s name. What gives, Charlie?”
“Let’s just say I have a lot of soul-searching to do in the next few weeks.”
“Oh no, that sounds serious. Are things really that stale between you?”
“Stale would be an understatement.”
“Crikey. Don’t ever feel you have to carry this burden alone. I’m always here for you if you ever need to chat.”
“I know. I suppose I didn’t want to heap yet more problems on your plate. You’ve had enough to contend with lately, what with Georgina going into hospital.”
“Nonsense. You should have told me things were that bad. For what it’s worth, I’m sorry.”
“It’s life. I’ve had enough heartache to deal with over the years, what’s one more problem thrown into the mix?”
“Charlie, think positive. If Brandon isn’t the right fella for you then there are dozens of other men who would fight to the death to take you out and be a part of your life.”
“That’s a bit dramatic, even for you, boss. I’m fine. We’re going to have a discussion tonight, well, we were supposed to. I think my arrival home at around ten could put the kibosh on that plan. We have things we need to thrash out, according to Brandon. If I didn’t know any better, I would hazard a guess that his parents were behind him forcing the issue. They’ve never really accepted me wanting to join the police.”
“What? How dare they? They’ve got no right to try to rule either of your lives. I’d dig my heels in and tell them to get a life and butt out of mine if I were in your shoes. Bloody hell, life’s too short to take crap like that, Charlie, especially at your age.”
“I know and I agree with you. I find myself having to bite my tongue a lot when I’m around them. Get the sense they try to bully me into doing things most of the time. If I try to raise the subject with Brandon, he walks out of the room.”
“Idiot. God, what is wrong with people? You’ve got the world at your feet, everything to live for, a fabulous career, a house to your name, that in itself is every young woman’s dream, surely.”
“Well, I dispute the part about having a house to my name, we bought it with a hefty mortgage attached as neither of us had a potful of savings behind us. Mum gave me a small lump sum when she sold the kennels to help us get on the ladder, but have you seen the prices of property in London? We had to take out a thirty-five-year mortgage. The thought of having that hanging around my neck is a tad daunting, to say the least.”
“Are you saying you regret making the move? Getting engaged before you’d had the chance to really live a little?”
“I think you’ve hit the nail on the head. We rushed into things. I got carried away with the romantic side of things, instead of taking stock of what that might entail.”
“Oh dear. Still, it’s better that you should find that out now rather than two to three years down the line, love, and have to deal with a messy divorce.”
“Yep,
you’re right.”
The conversation dried up as they pulled into the station car park. They left the car and walked into the station.
Upon entering the reception area, Katy stopped to have a brief chat with Mick Crawford, the desk sergeant, who was still on duty. “Hey, you should have clocked off hours ago, shouldn’t you, Mick?”
“I managed to grab a few hours then my replacement rang me to say he had an emergency. His mother had a fall, and she was rushed to hospital. It was the least I could do for him. How did it go at the crime scene?”
“It went. We’ll pick up the pieces tomorrow. I’ve already put out a plea to the general public via the media, so we’re ahead of the game. Can you organise a few patrol cars to go out to Hyde Park, to canvass the area close to the crime scene for me?”
“Of course, I will. On it now. Want my guys to follow up with statements from any witnesses?”
“Yes, there was a couple Charlie spoke to when we got there, she’ll give you their details.”
Charlie stepped forward and showed Mick her notebook. He jotted down the witnesses’ details and looked up.
“Thanks, I’ll get that actioned immediately.”
“Right, Charlie and I are going to throw in the towel for the evening. Can you ensure the phone lines are manned sufficiently as well?”
“Go. Leave everything to me.”
“I hope you get to go home soon, Mick.”
“Me, too. If not, them’s the breaks and I’ll plod on.”
“You’re a dedicated individual, Mick, we’d be lost without you,” Katy said, genuinely appreciative.
He coloured up and waved a hand to dismiss the notion.
Katy drove home, her mind whirring, trying to figure out how to locate the victim’s next of kin if the media plea she’d put out failed to entice people to contact the station. A sudden sadness welled up inside. It was at times like this she really and truly treasured her small family unit. The urge to hug and kiss Georgina remained with her until she entered her dimly lit home. She closed the front door and craned her neck, hoping to hear signs of life. There were none. After fastening the chain on the door, she slipped off her shoes and drifted into the kitchen. She made a beeline for the cupboard where they kept the only booze in the house. She drained the remains of the bottle of Baileys into a tumbler, and her heart sank. Is an eighth of an inch enough to satisfy my craving? I doubt it. She downed the drink in one gulp, switched off the lamp at the bottom of the stairs, which AJ had left on to welcome her home, and went upstairs to bed.
The impulse to go into her daughter’s room proved too powerful to resist. She nudged the door open and tiptoed to the edge of Georgie’s bed. Her daughter seemed so fragile, lying there, gently snoring. Katy knelt beside her, resisting the temptation to gather her beautiful child in her arms. Instead, she brushed aside a few stray hairs on Georgie’s forehead and kissed her temple.
“Is she all right?”
AJ’s voice startled her. She stood and walked towards him. He held out his arms for her to slide into. She kissed him and then rested her head on his chest and whispered, “She’s fine. I’ve missed you both so much today.”
He took her by the hand and led her into their bedroom. “Not as much as we missed you. You’ve had a long day. I saw the clip on the news. In all honesty, I wasn’t expecting you back so soon.”
She smiled and shrugged. “There’s little we can do until someone comes forward and helps us to identify the body. There was no evidence or formal ID found on the victim. He appeared to be a jogger, judging by the outfit he was wearing.” She kissed him again and began undressing, setting her clothes on the chair in the corner.
AJ slipped off his bathrobe and got back into bed. “That’s going to be a tough case to solve if no one comes forward.”
“I know. I won’t be a sec.” Katy entered the bathroom, carried out her nightly routine and joined her husband in bed.
AJ held his arm up, inviting her in for a cuddle. She snuggled up, the stresses of the day diminishing swiftly. “How was your day? Sorry I wasn’t around to have our usual chat at lunchtime.”
“Don’t fret about it. As it happens, I’ve had a pretty eventful day myself. Do you want to hear about it or are you too tired?”
She glanced up and smiled. “No way, tell me what you’ve been up to, I need to take my mind off the investigation.”
“It’s work related, so not all that exciting, not really.”
“Bullshit and you know it. Tell me.”
“Okay, I’ve been on the phone most of the day with a large corporate business. They passed me around to several different departments before I hooked up with Janice Carter. She’s in charge of all their corporate events, parties, outdoor adventure days for the staff et cetera. At first, I thought it was all a big wind-up, but the more I spoke to her, well, let’s just say her enthusiasm was totally infectious.”
“Sounds intriguing. What on earth would a corporate firm need your services for?”
“Yeah, I was with you on that one. She assured me that my business would do very well if they decided to collude on a joint venture.”
Katy sat upright and frowned. “I still don’t understand, you’re going to have to spell it out for me, love.”
He pulled her close again and kissed the top of her head. “The corporate mummies and daddies haven’t got the time to spend entertaining their offspring, that’s where I come in. I take the pressure off them in that respect by organising the children’s parties, either at home or at the firm, whichever suits them.”
“Ah, I get it now. Sorry to be so slow on the uptake, maybe it was a longer day than I thought. Hey, that’s excellent news. When will you know for definite?”
“Janice is going to ring me tomorrow with the outcome. This could really set my business apart from others that have recently started up. If I don’t get it, then I think I’m going to be forced to lower my prices because of the competition.”
“That’s a shame. I’ll keep everything crossed for you—no wait, sorry, I wouldn’t be able to work with my eyes crossed.”
He laughed and squeezed her tightly. “Your sense of humour never dwindles, no matter how tired you are. I love you so much, Katy.”
“Hey, not as much as I love you. I’m so proud of what you’ve achieved in the last year to eighteen months. You deserve your success so much, AJ.”
“Thanks. If I didn’t have a good woman behind me, urging me to get off my backside and do something useful instead, none of this would have happened. The one drawback for us to consider, though, is who is going to look after Georgie as the business grows.”
Katy sighed and considered the dilemma for a few moments. “She’s just started school, so that needn’t be a problem now.”
“That’s true. Maybe we could employ someone to take care of her after school. She’s five now,” AJ replied, sighing,
“I know that.” Except she’d forgotten that fact for a split second. “God, where has the bloody time gone? It seems like only yesterday I was straining in the birthing suite to unleash her into the world, and now, she’s five. Surely, that’s our problem solved.”
“I didn’t want to go there, but it would make sense especially if this contract comes to fruition, our income could skyrocket overnight.”
She glanced at him. “I didn’t think money was that important to you?”
AJ’s parents were wealthy but had always insisted he make his own way in life. A former copper, he’d given up his job in favour of being a househusband, caring for their daughter until he’d created his business in twenty twenty. Neither of them had expected it to take off the way it had. He arranged children’s parties but didn’t get involved in all the activities; he acted like a go-between for the clients and the entertainers on his books.
“It’s not, at least it never used to be, you know that, but when you put every ounce of energy you have into your business and see it grow to the extent it has, it gives you a buzz and you
start dreaming of how far you can go and what money you can bring into the house.”
“I get that. I’m so pleased for you, for us.” So what was holding her back? Why didn’t she share half his enthusiasm for what lay ahead of them?
“We’re going places, Katy. Let’s enjoy the ride together.”
“Don’t forget there’s a little one with a heart defect to consider as well.”
He groaned. “As if I could forget Georgie. This is her future I’m talking about here.”
“Just saying. Right, I’ve had a heck of a day and I need to get some sleep. I’ve got to report early for duty tomorrow as I have the PM to attend at around nine.”
“Okay,” he replied, sounding subdued.
She raised her head and offered up her mouth for a goodnight kiss. AJ obliged. “I’m proud of your achievements, whether you manage to tie down this contract or not.”
“Thank you. Goodnight, darling.”
Katy turned over and shuffled back to spoon into him. It wasn’t long before AJ’s snoring sounded behind her. She ended up lying awake well into the early hours of the morning, her head swimming, changing directions from trying to figure out what loomed for her and her team with the investigation, to how AJ’s business plans were going to affect their family, if the contract went ahead.
2
Katy met up with Charlie in the station car park. “Sod it, look at the state of us both, we make a right pair, don’t we?”
“Er, thanks, good morning to you, too. I take it you couldn’t sleep either.”
“You’re not wrong. Maybe a double dose of caffeine will help to ease us into the day. I think I finally dropped off at around two, what about you?”
“Between three and four. Let’s just say I don’t think the couch was made to be slept on.”
“Oh, Charlie, I’m so sorry. Does that mean you tried to talk to Brandon last night?”
“Tried and failed. It’s all good. I’m getting in touch with an estate agent today, if I get the time. We’ve agreed to break up and sell our home.”