MURDER BY SUICIDE

by S FEATES

  ''Grace will be back soon, I need to go out and get something for this burn. I will see you later.'' He picked up his jacket and keys then walked out.

  The police investigation was proceeding at a good pace, the intelligence supplied by Derek Williams had been invaluable and a task force was being formed to take down the Nevsky brothers criminal empire. Williams was making steady progress and was expected to make a full recovery. The police had kept Williams identity and the fact he was alive a secret. A press release had stated that two people had died in the Brentwood fire so as not to alert the Nevsky's that Williams was very much alive. The hunt for the mystery tenant had not been very fruitful but there were a few leads still to follow and it was only a matter of time before he was in custody. Essex police had decided to widen the search and the e-fit was broadcast nationwide on TV.

  Igor had orders from Dmitry to get over to Richmond as fast as possible, he was to make contact with Grace and give her any assistance she required. Grace had heard from him while she was at the wholesalers and she agreed to meet him outside Rest Assured so they could discuss the best way forward.

  Grace had been surprised to hear from Dmitry earlier that day, she had not spoken to her nephews in a long time. Alexander Nevsky was Dmitry and Viktor's uncle and Grace had first met the boys at his funeral. Grace and Alex had processed a few bodies for Alex's brother before he handed the business over to his sons and retired back to Russia. That was a few years before Alex died. Grace had indeed shifted her share of dead bodies and she was stronger, physically and mentally, than her aged belied. She colluded in helping Howard after he took over the business and they swopped ideas and techniques to perfect the darker side of their trade, her help and knowledge was invaluable to him.

  Igor was sitting in his car when Grace pulled up and he sat there until she walked over to speak to him. Getting in beside him she said.

  ''Hello Igor, we haven't met but I've been told good things about you. This is what I want your help with and you must follow my instructions to the letter.'' Grace then explained what they would do as Igor listened and nodded.

  When Dmitry had phoned he had told Grace that Howard was leaving for Boston tomorrow but he wanted her and Igor to take care of him and Black today as he didn't trust Howard anymore. He had a backup plan in place in Boston should they fail to kill them today. Grace had been taken aback at the request but she was and always would be loyal to the family, she would do it in Alexander's memory.

  Howard was not off getting something for the burn, he was in fact making his way across London with a new identity, a suitcase and his passport. There was a late flight leaving from Heathrow that evening and its destination was Cape Town, South Africa. A new life awaited him there and he was more than ready to leave this one behind. Howard had no intention of going back to Boston, he knew the Nevsky's too well and there was no way he was going to be allowed to walk away from the business. Howard was a dead man walking but he was determined to stay one step ahead and live as long as he could.

  Grace was all smiles when she entered the reception, she had a large bundle under her arm and I assumed it was the padding that Howard had sent her out for.

  ''Where is Howard?'' Grace asked looking round for him.

  ''He had to go out, he had an accident and needed some medical supplies. Nothing too serious just a cut hand, he said he wouldn't be long.''

  ''Oh, never mind I will get on, he wanted a coffin re-lined by this evening.'' She walked past heading for the embalming room, she was concerned by Howard's sudden absence but didn't show it. She would have to worry about him later.

  ''Can I give you a hand Grace?'' I was at a loose end and made the offer.

  ''No thanks dear, you go on up to your flat and put your feet up, I can manage.'' She was adamant.

  ''Ok, I won't argue I'm a bit knackered to be honest. See you tomorrow.''

  ''Goodnight Steve.'' Grace shouted from next door.

  I went up to the flat and sat down, Jackie immediately jumped up on my lap demanding I stroke him. As I stroked the cat I reflected on the last several months of my life. The ridiculous idea that I could follow in my old man's footsteps and become a hired killer was ludicrous. I was now feeling remorse for the killing of two innocent people Jackie Nolan and David Graham. Fair enough, the rapist, the drug dealing extortionist, the paedophile and the likes of Gregor and Tony were fair game, they lived by the sword and died by it. I felt profound sorrow for Derek and Sylvie and vowed that I would never take another life, I would give myself up to the police tell them everything and get my revenge that way.

  Grace took the lid off the coffin and was surprised to see an envelope addressed to her lying in the bottom along with a stun gun, gaffer tape and the oblong case that held the syringe containing the barbiturate. She picked up the envelope and opened it. The letter was written in Howards handwriting and she read it silently to herself.

  My dearest Grace,

  I am sorry that I have to say goodbye in a letter and not face to face but your nephews have left me with no choice. I have no alternative if I want to stay alive, and boy do I love life, you know that more than anyone. I have signed the business back over to you and I know it will be in safe hands, after all it was your hands that helped to create it in the first place alongside Alexander. I cannot say where I am going and I know you wouldn't ask but I will never forget you and I will have fond memories of our time working together. I know you feel love for me and I wish I could have felt something for you but my heart was always with my dear wife Amy, I'm so sorry.

  There is one last thing that I ask of you and that is to carry out your nephews wishes to eliminate Steve Black. It is only fair to remove the object of our current misfortune but as you can see it is impossible for me so I ask you as a friend to do this on my behalf. I know you have the skills and you know what is required so I have left you the tools to complete it, I taught you my technique so well. I am sorry to burden you with this but I know you will understand.

  I doubt we will meet again so I wish you a happy life and success for the future.

  Yours affectionately

  Howard.

  Grace wiped away a tear, she had not foreseen this happening or she would have spoken to the boys herself and tried to intervene on Howard's behalf. Dmitry would have to be informed of the change of plan and Howard would now be taken care of in Boston. Grace was relieved that she didn't have to kill him after reading the letter, deep down she had grown to love Howard and she would certainly carry out his wishes, despite the love being one sided she felt she owed him that much. She was however now more determined to make Black suffer as it was he who had ruined everything, since his arrival at Rest Assured things had gone wrong and now it would take her Howard away from her for good.

  Grace called Igor and told him to come in. She gave him the stun gun, oblong case and instructions then she set about installing the thick lining in the coffin. There was a slot booked at the crematorium tomorrow and she was determined to be ready.

  NO MORE LIVES AND NO MORE LIES

  36

  I awoke. Darkness. Eyes open, eyes shut, it made no difference. As soon as I had come round from the drug induced sleep I had searched for any glimmer of light and hope. There was neither to be found.

  Slowly the finality of the situation hit home, tears formed in the corners of my eyes and sweat dripped from every pore. Claustrophobia overwhelmed my mind and body as I tried to move my arms and legs. It took only seconds to realise that it was futile, my arms, hands and legs were bound by heavy duty gaffer tape, restricting me to the minimum of movement. The tape was also wound tightly about my head, covering my mouth and painfully cutting into my cheeks, adding to the anxiety as I struggled to inhale precious oxygen through my nostrils. I knew oxygen was a priority so I stopped struggling. My head throbbed due to the effects of the drug and the lack of air. Naked, apart from the gaffer tape, I could feel the surrounding, padded upholstery snugly caressing my clammy skin. The
upholstery used in this case was thicker than the usual trade standard, mainly to reduce any movement and to soundproof the coffin, I should know as I had installed it a few times before. A wry thought came to me, I bet he used environmentally friendly tape to bind me. After all, I knew him well, the man responsible for my predicament; he had a reputation for his attention to detail and his concern for the environment. My attention was drawn to something soft and furry that was nestled between my legs. It only took a few moments to realise that it was my cat Jackie. He was mercifully already dead and had been placed in the coffin with me probably as a final insult.

  The Mortician had executed the assignment with his usual professional, meticulous efficiency although the use of the stun gun had been a surprise, not part of his usual MO. Maybe I had taught him something new. It was because of his reputation for detail that he was the most sought after man in his field. Surprisingly, the only error in the whole operation was that I had woken too early because the sedative injected into my body had not lasted as long as it should. Or was I wrong? Maybe I should be awake and there was no error. I was confused, probably the effect of the drug. Despite the brutality of his extra curricula profession the Mortician was not immune to the suffering of his 'clients', irrespective of what they were guilty of, and it was to his credit that he insisted on despatching them with the minimum of pain and suffering unless he himself decided they deserved to suffer. But maybe the decision was not his and I was supposed to suffer. If the Mortician had made a mistake, he would be cursing this obscene lapse of judgement with his preparations and would punish himself severely for the error. Only three times in his career had he made a mistake and the self inflicted scars were there as a reminder of his over confidence in his abilities. I had witnessed the third scar and that one was down to me. Errors were never an option, either in his trade or his personal credo.

  The writing had been on the wall for me once I had crossed the Nevsky brothers and I should have known I was doomed. Now as I lay there trapped in the confines of the coffin I could hear the muffled sound of a man reciting a scripture from the bible, the service was reaching its climax. I wondered if there was anybody out there listening to the words being read aloud for an unknown dead man, just another pauper whose funeral was paid for by the council. The ironic thing was I had booked my own funeral the day before yesterday!

  As a former employee of the Mortician I knew the procedure intimately, so the knowledge of what was to happen next hit home and involuntarily my bowels emptied, adding to the discomfort. Nausea swept over me and it took all my willpower to prevent myself from being sick. Although choking on my own vomit was probably preferable to the horror that now awaited me. It was unbearably hot inside the coffin but then I knew it would soon be a whole lot hotter where it was going. There was a tightness in my chest and for the first time in my life I prayed. I prayed that my heart would give out before the coffin went beyond those doors. The hydraulics kicked in and the coffin started on its downward descent.

  Jackie Nolan had been right about one thing, I was going to burn in Hell!

  OTHER BOOKS BY THIS AUTHOR

  LEND ME YOUR EARS

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  Detective Inspector Mike Jackson and Detective Sergeant John Harris are desperate to catch the person responsible before they strike again. The investigation tests even the experienced D I Jackson, an old school copper, who thought he had seen everything.

  There are twists and turns throughout when the lover of one of the victims, who happens to be a journalist, starts her own investigation. It becomes a race against time to see who tracks down the attacker and brings their own form of retribution. One side driven by justice the other by revenge.

  DIVINE RETRIBUTION

  Detective Inspector Mike Jackson's world spirals out of control when he finds the torso of his girlfriend Barbara Parry on the bed in her apartment. On the wall written in the victim's blood is a religious message from her killer. Meanwhile, at the same time, a head is discovered hanging from a lamp post in a park near Kings Cross station, there is a crucifix embedded in the skull and tied with a red ribbon.

  Other murders occur, the only clues are bizarre religious quotations left at the scenes written again in the victim's blood. Why has the killer used superglue on parts of his victim's bodies? Is it a religious fanatic targeting prostitutes in the Kings Cross area? Or just a crazed individual committing the crimes.

  As the case unfolds DI Jackson's career hangs in the balance as he tries to overcome his personal loss and an increasing dependency on alcohol. His life is about to change forever.

  THE SANDS OF TIME

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  Jim Davies, a successful novelist and publisher, was the next soul on the list to be collected by Grim the reaper. But the quick thinking Davies manages to negotiate his way out of the reaping of his soul by making an offer to the reaper he can't refuse. Davies convinces Grim to let him write his biography, explaining how he was transformed from a simple farmer into a reaper in the ranks of The Brotherhood of Reapers. The journey is not a simple one and the incredible revelations about the truth behind Heaven and Hell, God and the Devil threaten to bring down the whole foundations on which society on Earth is built. As the details revealed to Davies become more disturbing his personal beliefs are brought into question. With the help of a celebrity psychic the book quickly becomes a controversial best seller and Davies and Grim become international celebrities, the world is at their feet and soon there is interest from Hollywood about movie deals. At the same time though there are people who have an agenda to destroy the book, along with those who wrote it, to safeguard the secrets of The Holy Trinity. Davies has other problems too, he is in debt to a vicious money lender who wants his money back and there are other business associates whom he seeks to avoid. Soon he is fighting not only for his financial future but his very life.

  Despite the title and the subject matter this is no horror story, it is a black comedy with elements of a thriller running through it as well as being a thoroughly good read.

  Beware though this book may alter your views on religion and test your faith!

  THE LITTLE BOOK OF BIZARRE BEDTIME STORIES

  A children's book of very bizarre bedtime stories that will put the fun back into reading.

  If your kids like entertaining, amusing and sometimes just downright crazy stories then this is the one for them - it ticks all the boxes!

  A must read for all those people who loved good old fashioned children's stories but with very bizarre twists.