by M A Comley
Joanna stood in front of her, sensing that something was wrong. “Boss, we need to go. They’re waiting to let us out.”
Sally shook her head and looked at Joanna. “Okay, I’m coming. Sorry.”
Darryl’s warped laugh followed them to the end of the corridor. Once the officer had closed and locked the metal door with bars, Sally glanced back at her ex. A shudder rippled down her spine. It was hard to tear herself away from Darryl. Seeing him had conjured up all sorts of vile images of them together, the worst one being when he had pinned her down in their home and raped her. She felt a hand on her arm and flinched.
“Sorry, boss. We need to get out of here, now.”
“Come on, ladies. I haven’t got all day,” the officer on reception shouted abruptly.
“You’re right. We’re coming.” Sally glowered at Darryl, which only made him laugh louder.
Once outside in the warm fresh air, Sally tore off her jacket and leant against the bonnet of her car to compose herself before she got behind the steering wheel.
Joanna kicked at the dusty car park surface. “Was that him?” she asked hesitantly.
Sally swallowed, her emotions in turmoil once more. “Yes. I feel such a bloody fool. What the hell did I see in him? Just looking at him disgusts me. Makes my skin prickle with hatred. Even now, after all this time, that bastard shouldn’t be able to affect me like this. When will the torment end? Will it ever end?”
Joanna rubbed her upper arm. “You’ve done well up until now, boss. Think of the life you have with Simon. You’ve moved on. You might think at this moment that you’re letting Darryl still affect your life, but he really isn’t. You’re having the last laugh, not him.”
Sally smiled at her colleague. “You always know when to say the right thing. I thank you for that, Joanna.”
“Nonsense. All I’m doing is pointing out the positives in your life at present. Always focus on them, and you can’t go wrong, as my old mum always says. You know what? Nine times out of ten, she’s right about that. Are you okay to drive, or would you like me to?”
Sally shook out the tension in her arms and smiled. “Nope, I’m fine now. Thanks for the pep talk. I think we’re going to get on really well. I apologise for my mini-meltdown.”
“There’s no need. We all have them, boss.”
They arrived back at the station at almost five o’clock. Sally called the team together so that she and Joanna could relay the information they had gathered from Craig Gillan.
“That’s where we stand,” she finished. “My initial thoughts are that the man is totally innocent. However, we’ve been duped by other manipulative suspects over the years, so I’m still going to proceed with caution. I’d rather do that than end up with egg on my face.” Just then, the phone in her office began to ring. She raced through the line of desks to answer it. “Hello. DI Sally Parker. Can I help?”
“Hello, Inspector. DCI Green here. As promised, I’m getting back to you concerning your partner.”
“I see. Have you managed to find him a suitable post, sir?” Sally crossed her fingers, hoping he hadn’t. She really didn’t want to lose Jack at this stage.
“I have found him a position. Whether it’s suitable remains to be seen. There aren’t a lot of vacancies at present. I have one in the control room; do you think that would be acceptable to him?”
“I’m not sure, sir. It’s hardly a challenging role for someone of his experience.”
“Like I’ve already stated, vacancies are very thin on the ground at present. Let me know in the morning, and I’ll make the necessary arrangements.”
“Thank you, sir. I’ll ring you first thing.” Sally hung up and called for Jack to join her. “Take a seat, Jack. That was concerning you.”
Jack slumped into the chair. “Uh-oh, am I in trouble?”
Sally laughed. “Don’t be ridiculous. That was Green on the phone. He’s got another post for you.”
Jack crossed his arms. His bulging biceps tugged at the seams of his jacket. “Go on, surprise me.”
Sally twisted her mouth and bit her lip before she responded. “Umm… it’s in the control room.”
Jack’s head jutted forward, and the side of his mouth hitched up. “What? Is that it? How many detective sergeants do you know who resort to working in the control room? What a bloody smack in the face that is after the years of service I’ve given this department and Green.”
“Calm down. There’s always an alternative—you know that.”
“Calm down? You’re kidding me. How would you feel, Sally? It’s a bloody downright insult. And what’s the alternative? To stay here and work on old cases, some of which should never see the light of day again? Bloody hell, what a choice.”
“I can see how mad you are about this, partner, and that’s totally understandable. Why don’t you discuss it with Donna overnight and let me have your decision first thing? That’s when I have to report back to Green.”
He unfolded his arms and stood up. “And why don’t I pick up the evening paper on the way home and search through the vacancies’ page?”
“Come on, Jack. You know the team and I would be lost without you. Seriously consider what you want before you think about ditching the force altogether.”
“Oh, I will. All right if I take off now? Looks like I’m going to have a busy evening ahead of me.”
“Sure. Give my love to Donna and the kids.”
As a disconcerted Jack left her office, Sally picked up the phone and called her mother. She was in desperate need of hearing a cheerful voice to chase away the angst she felt after seeing Darryl earlier. “Hi, Mum, how are things going?”
“Sally, oh, it’s lovely to hear from you, darling. We’re doing great. Dex is missing you of course. He spends his day sitting by the front door, waiting for you to come home.”
“Aw… don’t make me feel worse than I do already, Mum. It’s not practical for me to have him during the working week. He’d soon get bored if he was left alone all day. How’s Dad?”
“Loving his new role. It’s wonderful to see his zest for life at the moment. We can’t thank Simon enough for showing faith in him.”
“It’s a two-way street, Mum. Simon is grateful for all of Dad’s expertise. They’re going to make a great team. Umm… I need a quick chat with you.”
“Sounds serious, dear. Is everything all right between you and Simon? He’s such a caring man. I can’t believe anything would be wrong there,” her mother said, asking and answering her own question.
“No, everything is perfect between Simon and me. He’s one in a million.”
“And how’s the new job going, dear?”
“It’s okay, Mum, has its ups and downs at the moment. Teething problems I suppose the experts would call it.”
“Okay. Then why am I sensing there is something wrong?”
“I’m delighted with the new role, Mum…” Sally sighed heavily. “It’s just that I had to visit the prison today.”
Her mother gasped.
“And yes, I saw Darryl. I froze, Mum. I really didn’t want to show him how much he’d affected me, but I just stood there like a block of ice, unable to move.”
“Oh, darling. How dreadful for you. He didn’t get near, did he?”
“No, there were bars and a hallway between us. But he laughed at me, a vile, condescending laugh that creeped me out.”
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that, Sally, but why did you go to the prison to see him?”
“Sorry to mislead you. My thoughts raced ahead of me. I didn’t go to see him. I went to see another prisoner whom I believe to be innocent. As Joanna and I were leaving the prison, that’s when I saw Darryl. God, why on earth did I marry that? I can’t believe what an absolute fool I was, Mum.”
“We all make mistakes in this life, love. It’s what moulds us for the future. All you need to do now is concentrate on the life you have with Simon. He’s the total opposite to the other scallywag. Move on and
learn from your mistakes. That’s all any of us can do. You have a wonderful man by your side now who loves and treats you like a princess. Those types of men only come along once in a blue moon. I should know. Forget all about Darryl and move on.”
“Thanks, Mum. That’s just the kind of reassurance I was hoping to hear. Why don’t you and your Prince Charming come and share Sunday lunch with me and my Prince Charming?”
Sally’s mother laughed. “That’s a date. I think your father said that he would be ringing Simon tonight, regarding a new property he has in mind for renovation. What time should your father ring?”
“Around eightish, Mum. That gives us the chance to cook dinner and get the clearing up done before he rings.”
“Perfect. Have a good evening, love. Don’t even give that other waste of space another thought. You hear me?”
“I hear you. Love you, Mum. See you on Sunday, around one, okay?”
“Looking forward to it. Love you, too, dear.”
Sally hung up, feeling at peace with the world again. Her mother’s voice and the common sense she always spouted never failed to help put things into perspective. She unhooked her jacket from the back of the chair and walked into the outer office. After dismissing the team for the evening, she stopped off at the off-licence to purchase three bottles of wine: one to share with Simon that evening and two for when her parents visited at the weekend.
CHAPTER SIX
Simon called to say he was running half an hour late, so Sally decided she would use the time to knock up his favourite meal, lasagne. She was just sprinkling the cheese on top and slicing the tomatoes for the decoration when she heard his key in the front door. She reached into the cupboard above her and withdrew a glass. After pouring the wine, she awaited his arrival with the filled glass in her outstretched hand.
He wandered into the kitchen, his face lighting up as soon as he set eyes on her. He accepted the glass, wrapped an arm around her waist, then kissed her lightly on the lips. Sipping the cool wine as though it were nectar from the gods, he let out a satisfied sigh. “It’s good to be home, finally. How was your day?”
“Mixed. And yours?”
“Full of dead bodies and lots of unanswered questions. How is the case going?”
“It’s going.” Sally pulled out of his grasp and bent down to get the frozen peas out of the freezer. She tipped two portions in a pot and filled it with water before she spoke again. When she glanced at Simon, he was wearing a look of concern. “What’s that look for?”
“I know you well enough to know when you’re keeping something from me. Do you need me to torture you, to tickle you, to make you share what it is?”
Sally picked up her glass of wine and led him to the table. They sat opposite each other, their hands still clasped firmly. “I came face-to-face with Darryl today.”
“What? Where? When? How?”
Sally smirked. “I had to visit the man convicted of Anne Gillan’s murder, her husband. Sorry, I went all around the houses to get to that. Once I’d finished interviewing him, I was waiting in the hallway with Joanna, and who should be standing at the end of that hallway but Darryl. God, it was terrifying to see him behind bars like that. It brought it all flooding back to me. If Joanna hadn’t snapped me out of it, I have no idea what would have happened to me. As I walked away, he let out a deranged laugh, taunting me.”
Simon’s other hand caressed her cheek, and she tilted her head, trapping his hand against her shoulder. “You’re safe now. You’re with me. Even when he gets out, I will never let him lay another hand on you, sweetheart.”
“I know, and I’m so grateful to have you in my life.” She shook her head. “I’m so bloody angry at myself for reacting the way I did. I always promised that if ever our paths crossed, I would show how strong I’d become. I failed big time.”
“There’s no need to blame yourself, Sal. He’s a twisted individual through and through. None of what you had to endure was ever your fault. You know what they say about men like that. They can bully women, but when it comes to having it out with a man, they crawl back into their shells like the pathetic creatures they are. There’s no need to fear him now.”
“I know, but he’ll be getting out of there in a few years. I know he’ll come after me.”
“After all the crap he’s dished out recently to your car and to Dex, there’s no way he’ll be given parole. Between us, we’ll ensure that doesn’t happen. Please don’t let him go on ruining your life. He’s not worth it, love. We have such a lot to look forward to. The wedding is just around the corner and, hey… you do still want to marry me, don’t you?”
Sally left her seat, darted around the table, and fell into his lap. She ran her hand through his greying hair. “More than ever. I’m sorry for letting him affect me this way. I promise he will never do anything that will come between us, though, all right?”
“I should jolly well hope not. We’re soulmates, Sally. Just remember that if you ever see him again. I’m going to make it my life’s work to make you deliriously happy from this day forward. Life really is too short to reflect on the bad things that have devastated your life in the past. From now on, we’re going to concentrate only on positive things. Deal?”
They wrapped their little finger around each other’s and both said, “Pinkie deal.”
Sally leaned forward, and they shared a long kiss. Pulling away, she said, “I love you, Simon Bracknall.”
“I love you, too. About my name, please tell me you’ve decided once and for all that you’ll be changing yours now?”
“That’s a definite. I can’t wait to get rid of Parker. It’ll be my final tie to him.”
“Good, I know it’s a mouthful, Bracknall, but you’ll soon get used to it. Now, how’s that dinner coming along? I’m starving.”
Sally hopped off his lap and crossed the kitchen to peer through the glass oven door. “It should be ready in five minutes—oops, I better put the peas on.”
“I’ll just go and get freshened up, if that’s okay?”
“Of course.”
Every evening, without fail, Simon showered as soon as he got home to get rid of any lingering smells of death either attached to his clothes or trapped within his pores.
Sally continued with the dinner, set the table, and was just plating up the lasagne when he entered the room again, wearing his jeans and a clean T-shirt. Her heart skipped a beat, the way it always did when he walked into a room in casual clothes. She was so proud to be his fiancée and was looking forward to becoming his wife in a couple of months, and nothing was going to stand in the way of that.
After the meal was finished and the kitchen cleaned up, they had just settled down in the lounge with their wine when the house phone rang. “Sorry, that’ll probably be Dad. Mum said he was going to ring you tonight.”
Simon kissed her forehead and went in search of the phone. “It’s fine, honestly.” He answered it. “Hello, Chris, how’s it all going down at the sites?”
As Sally watched Simon speaking with her dad, she couldn’t help her heart swelling with pride. She was delighted he and her parents got on well together, although they had also thought highly of Darryl until the news of his abuse had come out.
“Penny for them?” Simon asked, snuggling up alongside her on the couch once more after he’d ended his call.
“I’m just sitting here, wondering how lucky I am to have you in my life.”
“I’m the lucky one. I can’t believe how far we’ve come in the last few months. I thought you hated me the first time you laid eyes on me. Do you remember the case we were both working on back then?”
“Are you kidding me? As if I’m likely to forget the most gruesome scene I’ve ever witnessed during my career.” She shuddered as she recalled the head sitting on a stake. Its eyes had been plucked out by the birds, and the man’s body lay scattered around his head. The killer had taken a chainsaw to him, chopped him into tiny bits, and placed the body at regular intervals
signifying the numbers on a clock. The man’s head had been placed so that a shadow would be cast telling people what time it was—a sundial of the grisliest kind.
“Yeah, I thought you’d lose your stomach that day, although I was hoping you’d lose your heart to me.”
Sally sat upright and looked him in the eye. “Crikey, you fancied me back then? That was over five years ago, right?”
“Yep. But I knew you were married, so I backed off. Had you been single at the time, I wouldn’t have given up so easily.”
“You’re adorable. I had no idea. Anyway, we’re making up for lost time now. What did Dad say?”
He grinned. “Swift change of subject there. We’ve arranged to meet at lunchtime tomorrow. He thinks we should be looking at our next investment as the other two jobs are almost finished. He’s arranged for a couple of estate agents to value the homes for market. They’ve both said they think the houses should sell reasonably quickly. I’m happy to take his word on that, after seeing the quality of his work at the weekend. He really knows his stuff.”
“Phew! I’m so glad things are working out well. So, what’s the new project he has lined up?”
“An old Victorian semi in need of complete renovation. He’s going over there again tomorrow to look at the roof. If it can be patched, he thinks we should go for it. However, if it needs a new roof, he says he’s going to reluctantly say goodbye to the project. I’m happy to go along with his decision. I’ve agreed to meet him at the location at one o’clock.”
“What if you’re in the middle of a PM?”
“I’ll delay starting a PM until the afternoon. I’m really eager to see this one. Your father says it’s huge.”
“You’re both so funny. You have the enthusiasm of a five-year-old playing with his first car at Christmas.”