Bad Advice

by S M Mala

  ‘Ruby, Ruby, Ruby,’ he said softly, trying not to smirk at her childlike annoyance. ‘How many times do I have to tell you? I love you with all my heart, body and soul. I’m never going to kiss another woman like that again, I promise.’

  ‘I might kiss your mate Dave as he was giving me the eye,’ she mumbled. ‘Well, he’s always looking at my boobs.’

  ‘Because they’re wonderful.’

  ‘You’ve got a morning stiff one. Even I can see if from here and you think getting your leg over will make me forgive you. And you’ve not told me much about the case.’

  ‘You know I shouldn’t really be discussing it with you.’

  ‘Considering I’m involved, it’s the least you could do.’ She stomped up to him, staring all the time. ‘Nana Gwen made Annette jump and then she smashed the glass but something else fell onto the floor. What was it and why the fuss?’

  ‘Do you feel a bit sick?’ he asked, bending down to look into her eyes. ‘It should ease up in the next few weeks.’

  ‘Scottie?’

  ‘Let’s go to bed,’ he said, guiding her back up the stairs. ‘We’ll talk then.’

  Ruby gave him one of her well thought out glares then did as she was told. Soon as Scottie got her into the bedroom, he slipped off her nightdress and pushed her back onto the bed.

  ‘You’re not going to distract me with hanky panky.’

  ‘I really want to make love to you again,’ he whispered, with the aim of just doing that.

  He didn’t want to tell her anything about his real concerns.

  ‘You did last night.’

  ‘There’s never too much making love to you and-.’

  ‘Look here, romantic piglet! You’ve not been honest with me and that’s quite dishonourable, though taking into account your line of work, not surprising. Tell me what you know. Annette’s my friend.’

  ‘Then you have very strange friends.’

  ‘Only Jacinta.’

  ‘Her included.’

  ‘Please?’ she said, stroking his head. ‘What are you holding back from telling me?’

  ‘This evening I’ll tell you everything. By then I’ll be in a better position not to speculate but give you the facts,’ Scottie replied, starting to grin, manoeuvring on top and gently parting her thighs. ‘And as we’re going to be together for life, you have to stop making snide comments about my job.’

  ‘Marriage, babies and playing the loyal woman? You don’t ask for much, do you? I can’t let you off about… oh my word!’

  He managed to slip his dick in while covering her mouth with hers, if only to stop her from asking questions for the next fifteen minutes.

  The Commissioner hadn’t arrived and he was mildly dreading the forthcoming onslaught. Then he laughed, knowing he avoided telling Ruby anything, which just wound her up even more.

  But he couldn’t stop thinking about what happened the night before with Annette. Then he saw Dave walking towards him, looking quite ashen.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ he asked, getting to his feet.

  ‘Scottie, the insulin pen that was dropped in Ruby’s home had the same cocktail of drugs used to kill the other victims.’

  It felt like his heart had stopped for a moment as his breathing became erratic.

  ‘We’re trying to track her down,’ Dave said quietly.

  ‘She was going to hurt Ruby?’

  It sounded ridiculous, that the little old lady could have wanted to harm the woman he loved. He couldn’t get his head around it. Ruby always said Annette was her friend.

  ‘Are you sure?’ Scottie asked, seeing Dave look anxiously at him. ‘There’s no mistake?’

  ‘No mistake.’

  The need to find Annette Hector was now a priority. He looked over Dave’s shoulder and saw Commissioner Trott walking towards them.

  ‘We think we’ve found the killer,’ he said in his official tone. ‘We’ll have to re-arrange the meeting until later.’

  Before she could reply, he turned around and walked towards the small team.

  ‘So is it her?’ Janine asked, looking at a picture of the woman in question.

  ‘Unless it’s Ruby or my grandmother, then it is.’

  Then he thought about what could have happened the night before.

  Scottie’s blood ran cold.

  One hundred and twenty nine

  Ruby wasn’t quite sure if Scottie had been serious until he told her about the syringe and the contents. He was also very clear about not making any contact with the geriatric serial killer.

  She sat at her laptop, unable to take it all in.

  Annette Hector was planning to do her in.

  Immediately she felt sick and wanted to throw up but couldn’t.

  ‘It can’t be,’ she said quietly to herself and shook her head. ‘She wouldn’t.’

  Then she sent an email to Annette.

  ‘Did you intend to murder me last night? Scottie thinks so as you left a calling card.’

  Quickly she got a response.

  ‘No, I would never hurt you. So they found it. I didn’t realised it slipped from my bag. I wondered where it had gone.’

  Ruby’s heart was beating like the clappers realising Annette wasn’t denying anything.

  ‘This has got to be some mistake. Tell me it’s a mistake, please?’

  ‘No mistake,’ came the reply. ‘I want to give my side of the story then you can do what you like with the information. We have to meet up today.’

  Swallowing hard, she didn’t know what to do, the warning of Scottie ringing in her ears.

  But then she remembered how she felt all those years ago with the paedophile and her regret.

  Ruby had no other choice.

  ‘I’ll tell you where to meet.’

  ‘Are you mad?’ Nana Gwen said, shaking her head from side to side, sitting in her favourite Chesterfield armchair. ‘You want the serial killer to come to my home?’

  ‘It’s full of pensioners and no-one will suspect anything. The cops are outside and Scottie has made sure they’re keeping an eye on me. She said she didn’t want to murder me and I believe her.’

  ‘You believe a psychopath? Are you mental!’ barked Nana Gwen then rushed into the kitchen, coming back with a small vegetable knife.

  ‘What are you going to do? Dice her with it?’ laughed Ruby through her nerves.

  ‘Never met a murderer before and I have no intention of being a victim,’ said Nana Gwen through gritted teeth. ‘And you’re just being bloody hormonal and not thinking straight. I’m in two minds whether to ring Scottie or not.’

  ‘No don’t do that!’ she said, sitting down on the sofa. ‘Let me hear what she has to say. I’ve got the laptop to record her.’

  ‘You think she’s going to confess?’ sniffed the old woman. ‘And what are you going to do with the information? Give her some advice on what to do?’

  ‘Let’s see what she has to say then I’ll make a decision.’

  ‘But you’re not going to tell Scottie? I expect he’s looking for her.’

  ‘Gwen, please don’t call him. I just want to speak to Annette and it won’t take more than ten minutes. If you’re scared then go in the bedroom.’

  ‘If anything happened to you and my great grandchild, I’d never forgive myself,’ she replied loudly. ‘And you should know that there’s a large probability that Scottie will kill the pair of us in the process, when he finds out what you’ve done.’

  Ruby looked down at her stomach and grimaced. She knew he’d be upset if he found out but something excited her about speaking to Annette. It was a news story after all.

  ‘I’ve never really met a serial killer before,’ Ruby said quietly. ‘And certainly not someone I know.’

  ‘Really? I’d have never guessed,’ replied Nana Gwen sarcastically, putting the paring knife down the side of the armchair. ‘Best to play safe.’

  ‘I won’t let anything happen to you.’

  ‘Let her try. Did I tell
you I was a black belt in karate?’

  The buzzer went and the pair jumped.

  ‘Shit!’ Nana Gwen said.

  Ruby stood up and went to the intercom.

  ‘Hello?’ she asked tentatively.

  ‘It’s me,’ replied Annette cheerfully.

  ‘Just come to the top.’

  Turning to Nana Gwen, she noticed the woman’s colour had drained for a moment as they waited for the knock. Trying to calm down her breathing, she opened the door and Annette was smiling sympathetically at her.

  ‘Come in,’ she said, pulling the woman in and looking straight at her. ‘What have you been up to?’

  ‘Oh god!’ Annette said, looking relieved. ‘I’m just happy to tell someone.’

  ‘This is Scottie’s grandmother’s home. She’s here and-.’

  ‘You lay a finger on Ruby, I’ll throw you out the window,’ Nana Gwen said in a threatening manner. ‘You only tried to knock her off yesterday.’

  ‘No I didn’t,’ Annette replied, looking horrified. ‘I’d never harm a hair on Ruby’s head. She’s like a daughter to me.’

  ‘Well, you’re a bit of an odd mother, if I’m being honest,’ mumbled Nana Gwen. ‘Would you like a drink? I’ve only got red wine.’

  ‘That would be delightful, thank you,’ Annette replied, taking off her coat and putting her handbag down next to a small trolley case. ‘Where shall I go?’

  ‘Sit on the sofa and I’ll set up my laptop,’ Ruby said hesitantly. ‘Can I record this or will you deny it all?’

  ‘Let me tell it how it is,’ she said, laughing a little. ‘Then my job is done for the time being.’

  She wasn’t quite sure if it was her but Ruby thought Annette looked like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, whereas she felt like one was sitting on her gut.

  ‘Are you sure she’s all there?’ whispered Nana Gwen loudly from the kitchen, returning with a tray of drinks.

  ‘I’m perfectly sane,’ chuckled Annette.

  ‘That’s debateable dear,’ replied Nana Gwen, placing the tray down on the table. ‘But it’s not every day I meet a serial killer and a Samaritan to boot. So you can’t be that bad.’

  Sitting down in her armchair, Ruby noticed Gwen pick her drink up and push her hand down the side of the cushion, flashing a comforting glance over at her.

  ‘Have you informed the police you’re seeing me?’ Annette asked, taking her glass and sipping it. ‘Nice wine.’

  ‘From a box, you know,’ sighed Nana Gwen, full of pride. ‘Just as good as bottles and you get more for your money but people are rather snobbish about it.’

  ‘No-one has been told. Only Gwen knows,’ Ruby said quietly.

  ‘We are safe, aren’t we?’ asked Nana Gwen with a frown. ‘You’re not going to bump me off, are you? I’m aiming to get to one hundred just to piss off my daughters.’

  ‘You’re both safe,’ Annette replied and grinned brightly.

  ‘For someone who’s on the verge of getting arrested, you seem pretty chirpy,’ added Ruby with concern.

  ‘Have you got some wacky backy? I love that stuff but there’s not much of it going around in this place,’ shrugged the older woman. ‘And you think my grandson could get hold of it but no, he’d never do something illegal.’

  ‘It will now only take a matter of moments before he figures it out. People have been acting very suspiciously,’ whispered Annette.

  ‘You’re killing people! Of course they’re going to be suspicious!’ laughed out Nana Gwen.

  ‘Never of me,’ replied Annette indignantly. ‘Just the motive.’

  ‘Can you tell me why you did it?’ Ruby gently coaxed. ‘What gave you the idea to commit the murders?’

  ‘Simple really,’ she said, smiling brightly. ‘Bad advice. These people were dishing out bad advice and not thinking about the consequences. And they were abusing their power of trust. To me that’s unforgiveable.’

  ‘I thought it was because they were making money out of giving advice,’ said Ruby, looking at Nana Gwen who was concentrating on knocking back her drink. ‘That’s why I got worried.’

  ‘I don’t begrudge anyone making money! Each one of the victims, though I don’t think they were victims, were doing things to totally mistreat the trust people had given them. The papers have been good at finding the faults. I just exposed them by getting justice. No-one can tell me they were good Samaritans.’

  Ruby let out a little sigh, which was just a noise to hide her shock at what Annette was saying.

  She had a valid point.

  The victims weren’t the victims.

  It was the people who they dealt with, had been wronged. Not the ‘good’ Samaritan.

  ‘What about Chonika?’ asked Ruby, gulping hard. ‘She never did anything bad.’

  ‘Oh that poor child! That was a terrible error. You see, I thought she was someone else. When I followed her into the building I had no idea it was her.’

  ‘Were you going to just kill anyone?’

  ‘Oh god Ruby. It’s like you always said. Mick Dawson had bigger breasts than Chonika and I thought it was him. Little did I know, until I had injected her, what a mistake I’d made.’ She let out a little whimper and tears rolled down her cheek. ‘That was never meant to happen. I’m so, so sorry about that.’

  ‘Oh my god,’ Ruby said, putting her face in her hands then looked back at her. ‘You’re in such big trouble, do you know that?’

  ‘Well, it’s murder. Not like shop lifting, is it?’ replied Annette wistfully.

  ‘You’d probably do more time for thieving,’ grumbled Nana Gwen.

  ‘But you’ll go to jail,’ added Ruby.

  ‘No I won’t,’ sniffed Annette.

  ‘Why not?’ asked Nana Gwen, looking anxiously at Ruby. ‘You’re going to top us, aren’t you?’

  ‘Certainly not!’ she said knocking back her drink.

  ‘Annette, why have the parties and invite them? They were in the pictures. You can’t have disliked them that much, surely.’

  ‘Oh my child,’ sighed Annette, with her usual comforting smile. ‘There’s no harm being sociable and hospitable, regardless of how you feel.’

  ‘Remind me never to come to one of your shindigs,’ mumbled Nana Gwen. ‘I’ll be on a slab the following week.’

  ‘Did you intend to kill them then?’ Ruby asked, trying to hide the full horror of what she was asking.

  ‘I had a list that-.’

  ‘A list?’ gulped Ruby. ‘Annette, this is not a healthy hobby, you know that.’

  ‘Oh sweetheart, just listen to what I’ve got to say then you can make up your mind. It began …’

  One hundred and thirty

  ‘She looks like such a sweet old woman. No wonder people let her into their homes. What harm could an old biddy like this do?’ Dave said, looking at a picture of Annette Hector. ‘It’s a shock, to be honest, that she was under our nose all the time.’

  ‘Thing is, is she going to strike again?’ Janine asked. ‘She will now know we know she’s the killer, so she’s got nothing to lose.’

  ‘I’ve met her and it doesn’t make sense,’ grumbled Scottie, pushing his hand through his hair. ‘I got the impression from Ruby that Annette and she got on. So why consider injecting her?’

  ‘Who knows?’ shrugged Dave. ‘For whatever reason she committed these murders, it’s up to her to tell us why. And that’s if we can find her. There’s no sign she’s been back to her flat. After she left your home, the woman’s become untraceable.’

  ‘Most elderly women don’t stand out, do they?’ said Janine, getting to her feet. ‘Anyone fancy a cuppa?’

  ‘Maybe that’s how she got through the door?’ said Scottie, reading some of the files. ‘No one would suspect an old woman for doing something as atrocious as this. And her victims? Of course they’d let her in as she’s the last person you’d think was going to knock you off.’

  ‘I wonder where she’s gone. What if she’s eyeing
up her next victim?’ sighed Scottie.

  ‘Scottie!’ shouted out Janine, running back towards the desk. ‘Mick Dawson has come out his coma!’

  ‘Right,’ replied Scottie, getting up to his feet. ‘Let’s see what he has to say for himself.’

  ‘Are you sure about going?’ asked Dave, glancing at Janine. ‘Considering what his friend Nigel Stubbs has said. They collaborated together to harm Ruby Marquis. Are you going to try to keep your cool?’

  ‘We’ll see.’

  Walking down the corridor in the hospital, he didn’t know what he was feeling. It was cross between being professional and wanting to beat the man into a pulp. Clenching his fists, he focussed on the job in hand.

  Approaching the room, he realised the man wasn’t alone.

  ‘Mr Dawson,’ Scottie said and noticed Mick looked confused.

  There weren’t any tell-tale signs he’d been hurt. He just looked like he’d woken up from a hard night out.

  ‘This is my solicitor,’ he replied with a sneer. ‘I hear there have been some accusations about me so I wanted legal representation. I know about police harassment and fit ups. Aren’t you the man with Ruby?’

  ‘I’m Assistant Commissioner Jonathan Scott and this is my colleague, Detective Inspector Dave Hook. We need to ask you a few questions about what happened,’ he replied. ‘Do you remember the night of your attack?’

  ‘Have you arrested her? Have you found that bloody mad woman? She came into my home telling me all sorts of rubbish and the next thing I know she injected me!’ he said, getting red in the face before running out of breath. ‘I mean! Fucking mental case!’

  ‘Who are you talking about?’ asked Dave.

  Scottie stared at the large man, wishing Annette had done a thorough job and Ruby hadn’t turned up to save him.

  ‘Annette! She’s the murderer!’ he said, grasping his chest. ‘I could be dead!’

  ‘And if it wasn’t for Ruby Marquis, you should be,’ Scottie said through gritted teeth. He noticed the startled expression on Mick’s face. ‘She found you in time.’