Bad Advice

by S M Mala

  She knew, he knew, she’d been up to something.

  ‘Wait for me!’ she said then shouted out. ‘See you later Gwen!’

  ‘Keep the noise down, I’m trying to sleep!’ the woman barked back.

  Scottie ran down the stairs and when he reached the bottom, he looked up at her for a moment, shaking his head from side to side then disappeared.

  Knowing she was in big shit, Ruby composed herself and walked towards the lift, going to the ground floor. As the lift doors opened she noticed the other police officer, Stephen, was standing next to Scottie.

  They were talking to the manager.

  ‘I see,’ Ruby mumbled to herself, realising her bad boy cop was actually smarter than she’d given him credit for. ‘Is there a problem?’

  ‘I was just asking the manager if we could see the security footage from this morning,’ he asked, smiling brightly at her.

  Her stomach plummeted.

  ‘Why?’ she asked and noticed Stephen was grimacing.

  ‘You know it’s a criminal offence to aid and abet a suspect?’ said Scottie and Ruby took a deep breath then held her head up high. ‘And not tell the police.’

  ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about and if you’re accusing your own grandmother, then that’s not a very nice thing to say, is it?’

  Not waiting to hear his reply, she walked off towards the door, glancing at the leaflet regarding the away day to Bruges and smiled.

  One hundred and thirty four

  He knew they were hiding something. His grandmother was a good liar but Ruby just looked guilty. That made him realise she’d seen Annette since the incident the day before. Knowing Ruby was now avoiding speaking to him, he followed her back to the house in his car.

  ‘Sod work! Let me take you out to lunch?’ he said, waiting to see if she’d tell him what happened that morning.

  ‘I feel a bit sick now,’ she replied, opening the front door. ‘I don’t need the cops outside as I’m sure Annette won’t come back again.’

  ‘You’re sure?’

  ‘I’m sure.’

  ‘Ruby?’

  Scottie walked up to her as she put her bag on the table and he noticed she was taking a deep breath. She turned around and looked up at him with a big smile.

  ‘Gwen thinks I’m having a baby girl. I think she might be right.’

  He put out his hand and gently stroked her cheek. Scottie knew how he was going to play this but wasn’t quite sure if Ruby would co-operate. He told Stephen to look through the security footage of the care home and call him if he saw anything suspicious.

  Annette Hector suspicious.

  ‘I love you,’ he said, kissing her on the lips. ‘Do you love me?’

  ‘Yes, of course I love you,’ she replied, kissing him back.

  Her tongue was in his mouth and he was lost for a moment. Ruby’s hands were running up and down his sides.

  It took moments for her to remove his jacket and t-shirt. He knew immediately she was doing this just so she wouldn’t have to say anything.

  He’d tried that trick with her the very same morning and she was now using it against him.

  Quickly he glanced at her bag and knew the laptop was inside.

  Scottie was torn whether to grab the bag or make love to Ruby.

  She stepped back and took off her coat, kicking off her shoes and started to remove her top then trousers, just standing in her underwear. Then she undid her bra and flung it towards his head as he caught it, put it to his nose and inhaled her gorgeous scent. He threw the bra to the floor and looked at her breasts.

  ‘Oh my word!’ he sighed, putting his hands on his head and getting exciting. ‘Your boobs look amazing. They’ve got rounder since this morning.’

  ‘Come and have a feel.’

  He realised the bag could wait.

  Flinging himself forward, he grabbed her tightly, pushing her down onto the sofa and grasping at her breasts. Gently he suckled on each nipple, while giving them a squeeze, realising he was getting hotter by the second. He felt her fingers run through his hair and little groans were coming from her mouth.

  Then she pulled down her knickers and flung them to the floor. Ruby started to undo his jeans. Scottie stopped and pulled them half way down his thighs, along with his underpants. Gliding gently back on top of her, he opened her thighs and let his fingers start to stroke her nub either side, very slowly.

  Her mouth was slightly open, so he kissed her again, feeling the explosion of lust when their tongues met.

  ‘I love you so much,’ he whispered into her ear, gently sucking on her ear lobe, knowing this turned her on.

  His fingers were starting to move faster as her little nub was getting harder.

  ‘I want it to be perfect between us,’ he continued, hearing her groan. ‘Because I trust you.’

  Just then he noticed her eyes opened a little and she looked at him. Scottie kissed her again and her eyes closed.

  ‘I’m going to come,’ she moaned out.

  ‘You would tell me if-.’

  ‘Oh god, yes,’ she yelped, hitting her orgasm and Scottie watched her face contort from pain to pleasure, her body shaking.

  His technique of trying to get information out of her was failing as he pushed himself right in, feeling her hot sticky wet warmth and was lost in the moment, his hips bludgeoning into hers.

  Her thighs were pressed against his sides and her hands were moving up and down his back as she searched for his mouth.

  ‘You’ll always be honest with me,’ he said, realising this was probably the only way to get a confession out of her.

  ‘Yes, god oh yes I will,’ she groaned.

  He placed his hands on either side of her face. Ruby started to kiss him harder, gently scratching his back.

  ‘Did you see Annette today?’ he asked, starting to ram her harder. She closed her eyes. ‘Tell me.’

  ‘Don’t stop,’ she said and felt her finger nails dig into his back, turning him on.

  ‘Have you spoken to Annette?’

  ‘Harder, god, do it harder,’ she said and kissed him with such passion, he thought he was going to run out of breath.

  Then he jumped when he felt her finger was gently massaging his arse hole and before he knew it, he let out an almighty load groan when he came.

  He felt like he lost consciousness for a few seconds. Ruby looked at him accusingly.

  ‘Oh my god!’ he said loudly, feeling the shivers all over his body. ‘Jesus Christ!’

  ‘And you think Jesus Christ is going to help you with your honey trap, Jonathan Scott?’ she whispered in his ear. ‘I was right about you being the sort of man to use his physical charms to get someone to confess.’

  He’d been caught.

  One hundred and thirty five

  ‘I know your game,’ she said and glared at him, realising exactly what he’d been trying to do. ‘This morning to avoid talking to me, you shoved your weenie in. And now, you ask me questions in the height of passion, thinking that I’m going to talk. You know policemen have been rumbled for this before?’

  He was lying on top of her and she could hear he was having trouble catching his breath. She looked down at his back and noticed red scratch marks on his smooth skin.

  ‘That was amazing,’ Scottie mumbled into her neck. ‘Fucking wonderful.’

  ‘Well I’m pleased you liked it because it’s going to be the last screw you get off me for a while,’ Ruby huffed, pushing him off her and jumping to her feet.

  He was on his back with one arm behind his head, looking up at her.

  The problem with Scottie, he was too good looking and his height of his gorgeousness was always evident after sex.

  ‘If you don’t tell me what you go up to this morning, I will pull both you and Nana Gwen in for questioning,’ he said, letting out a massive breath. ‘That was good and you are hot to trot.’

  ‘And talking about Trott, did you see your boss this morning? I thought she was
going to give you a dressing down, or hand job, depending on her mood.’

  ‘Don’t change the subject,’ replied Scottie, looking at her up and down. ‘If you’ve spoken to Annette Hector since yesterday and know her whereabouts, then you have to tell me. I am investigating this case and-.’

  ‘Yes, yes, yes,’ she said, picking up her clothes and walking away. ‘I heard you.’

  She went up the stairs, holding tightly onto her jeans.

  ‘Where are you going?’ Scottie shouted out.

  ‘I’m going to take a shower,’ she replied and marched away, taking out the USB from her jeans pocket and put it in her knickers drawer.

  Then she had a shower.

  Letting the water run as she got out, Ruby sneaked out of the bathroom and poked her head over the bannister.

  Scottie was looking at her laptop and she smiled for a moment, knowing he was a copper through and through.

  But she was a journalist so wasn’t going to be shafted by the Assistant Commissioner today… until she got her say in first.

  Quietly, she walked back into the bathroom and turned off the shower then stomped to her bedroom. She heard his footsteps come up the stairs and turned to see him.

  Ruby looked at him innocently but wanted to laugh.

  ‘Yes?’ she asked, fluttering her eye lashes. ‘Is there a problem?’

  ‘When I find out what you’ve been up to, there might be.’

  ‘I’d never lie to you. Do you know that?’

  ‘Then why aren’t you answering my questions?’

  ‘Because I would have to distort the truth and that would be just wrong, wouldn’t it? You know we started our relationship not being honest with each other. Well, you were more of a liar than me.’

  ‘That’s not fair!’ he said, stepping closer. ‘And don’t twist it.’

  ‘I suppose you’re saying that because I’m a woman?’

  ‘I’m saying that because you’re a journalist, regardless of what you’re writing.’

  Ruby looked at him for a moment then grinned as he smiled.

  ‘Ruby, Ruby, Ruby, you are full of secrets aren’t you?’

  ‘Oh Scottie, Scottie, Scottie,’ she sighed. ‘When are we going to get married and I can make a decent man out of you?’

  ‘The question is, can I made a decent woman out of you?’

  ‘That’s debateable, isn’t it?’

  One hundred and thirty six

  ‘How comes Commissioner Trott got hold of the security footage?’ Scottie asked later on that afternoon. ‘I told you not to show anyone.’

  ‘I came back here and was looking through it then she popped out of nowhere,’ said Stephen, getting a little redder in the face and looked around the office so no one could hear him. ‘She asked what I was doing. I said I was looking to see if we knew where the suspect was.’

  ‘Shit!’

  ‘And then she asked why I was examining a care home and then Ruby was on the footage walking into the building. That’s when she confiscated it and now she’s looking for you.’

  ‘Fuck!’ he said, shaking his head from side to side. ‘She’s not sent anyone to pick up Ruby or my grandmother, has she?’

  ‘I’ve no idea what she’s up to.’

  He noticed Dave from the corner of his eye, storming towards him.

  ‘What has your girlfriend and gran done? The Commissioner is going mental,’ he hissed. ‘We now know Annette Hector is the murderer and it looks like you’re involved.’

  ‘Did you see Annette Hector on the footage?’ he asked Stephen.

  ‘I didn’t get a chance to. To be honest, all the old women sort of look the same and they had a hell a lot of people going through that place. It’s really hard to tell.’

  ‘Fine,’ he said, picking up his mobile and making a call. ‘Diane, it’s me.’

  ‘Hello Scottie, I was-.’

  ‘Listen, can you do me a favour? Can you go round to Nana Gwen’s and make sure she doesn’t leave her flat. The police might be on the way to arrest her.’

  ‘For what?’

  ‘Oh god, you don’t want to know,’ he replied, realising his cousin also knew Annette Hector and this could cause even further complications. ‘Please do it for me.’

  Then he dialled another number and it went straight to voice mail.

  ‘Ruby. Commissioner Trott knows that Annette Hector might have gone to the care home. Can you please call me urgently? You’re probably going to get arrested and I will more than likely lose my job.’ He took a deep breath. ‘And I love you very much.’

  The last number was picked up within two rings. Scottie walked to the corner of the office and noticed the Commissioner glaring at him from the corridor.

  ‘Hello there,’ said Sebastian. ‘What can-.’

  ‘I need your help. There’s a possibility that Ruby and my Nana Gwen might get arrested for aiding and abetting a serial murderer. Will you help them?’

  ‘This is a wind up?’

  ‘Sebastian, I have never been more serious in my life. Look, I’ve got to go.’

  He put his mobile in his pocket and walked briskly towards Commissioner Trott.

  ‘Follow me Assistant Commissioner Scott,’ she said, turning on her heels.

  She flung open the office door and he walked through.

  ‘I’m surprised you’re here, Commissioner? I thought you’d have gone back to-.’

  ‘What’s going on? Has Ruby got something to do with Annette Hector?’

  ‘I’m trying to find out. I’m not sure if she’s managed to make contact regarding her whereabouts.’

  ‘Have you seen the footage?’ she asked, raising her eyebrows.

  ‘No.’

  ‘So you don’t know that after Ruby walked in, a woman fitting the description of Annette Hector followed ten minutes later. I’m not sure if it is her, as they all look and dress the same at that age. It’s just getting digitally enhanced for confirmation.’

  Scottie gulped hard realising the amount of trouble Ruby, Nana Gwen and he was now in.

  One hundred and thirty seven

  ‘Oh god!’ Ruby said, hearing Scottie’s message as she waited in reception.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ Jacinta said, walking quickly up to her. ‘I can’t come out early, I’ve a meeting.’

  ‘I need to see Hugh and he’s not returning my calls or texts.’

  ‘I wonder why?’ her friend replied, screwing up her face. ‘He’s a bit upset, you know.’

  ‘I have to see him,’ she said, clutching her bag to her chest. ‘It’s really important and this is a good scoop for him.’

  ‘Scoop?’ Jacinta said and double blinked. ‘What do you mean? That’s journo speak.’

  ‘If you love me, let me in so I can see him.’

  ‘If I get the sack then you owe me.’

  ‘Anything.’

  ‘Sex with Scottie?’ she grinned.

  ‘No!’

  ‘You’re no fun since you got knocked up,’ her friend laughed, putting a comforting arm around her shoulders.

  They walked down the corridor towards his office. She knew the place so well. It was only six years earlier she had worked there.

  As soon as Ruby got to his glass office, he did a double take and immediately looked upset then angry.

  ‘Oh god, he’s not going to like this,’ mumbled Jacinta.

  ‘Stay with me. I need a witness.’

  ‘I need to eat when I have no job.’

  ‘I’ll pay for your food for a year if this goes tits up and he fires you. If it doesn’t, I’ll take you out for lunch once a week.’

  Hugh got up and walked to the door, opening it and just stared at Ruby.

  She gulped hard and knew, under the arsy expression, he was still upset about her news.

  ‘You owe me lunch,’ Ruby said cheerfully, taking Jacinta’s arm and walking her into the office.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ he asked while she pushed Jacinta onto the sofa and
sat in the chair opposite his desk.

  Slowly he walked back and sat down.

  Ruby took out her laptop, switched it on and put the USB in the drive.

  ‘You need to look at this,’ she said, turning the screen around. ‘I got a confession from the Samaritan slayer and I’ve written a piece that I’d like you to publish.’

  ‘Pardon?’ he said, looking confused. ‘You spoke to the killer?’

  ‘Certainly did.’

  ‘Ruby, you could have put yourself in-.’

  ‘I’m fine. She wasn’t going to hurt me. Annette just wanted to take revenge on people who abused their position and, well, it’s good to hear her side of it.’

  ‘You’re not joking?’ Jacinta said as she turned to look at her friend. ‘You came face to face with the killer? Was it scary?’

  ‘It was different,’ she said and pressed the play button. ‘Just take a look.’

  One hundred and thirty eight

  ‘This is bad,’ said Sebastian, looking at the footage from the care home. ‘It’s obvious Ruby set it up. Did she tell you?’

  ‘If she had then I’d have gone round to arrest Annette Hector immediately,’ Scottie replied. They were sat in the corner of a coffee shop. ‘Listen, what could be her alibi?’

  ‘She could say she had no idea and this woman followed her in.’

  ‘I think Ruby met with her this morning and she’s not saying a word.’

  ‘Have you asked her?’

  ‘I tried to get a confession and it backfired,’ he said, recalling Ruby standing topless in the living room. ‘She said she’d never lie to me and when I asked her if she’d seen Annette Hector this morning, she didn’t answer.’

  ‘Journalists are just annoying fuckers, don’t you think?’ Sebastian said, sipping his coffee. ‘You know they have every right to call her in for questioning.’

  ‘And Nana Gwen? Jesus! My mother’s going to go spare if another one of the family get called into the police station!’

  ‘Then there’s you, my sweet,’ said Sebastian gravely. ‘Your grandmother and now your fiancé, aiding and abetting a wanted person in connection to a string of murders. How the hell is that going to look? You could lose your job.’