by M A Comley
“He knows nothing and wouldn’t have found out either if ...”
“What? My partner and I hadn’t been so good at our jobs?”
“Yes,” Walton admitted quietly.
“Maybe you were sloppy. If we hadn’t made the connection between you and Lincoln after seeing you talking to him at the bar, perhaps you would have got away with all three murders.” Kayli clicked her fingers and slapped the side of her head. “But then, you foolishly dumped the Harley. Although you did your best to disguise the serial number, Forensics were able to decipher it and would have led us to you eventually anyway. Your dad must be so proud looking down on you. Is that when your life imploded? When he died?”
“No. My life hasn’t imploded. Once I set out to achieve something, I get it.”
“Well, thanks for admitting to your crimes. It has certainly made my job a lot easier. Your admittance has ensured that you will spend the rest of your life in prison.”
Kayli ended the interview and stood up. “Are you going to sit in on the next interview, Miss Banner? With Lincoln James?”
The solicitor nodded, and Walton turned sharply to look at Kayli. “He’s here?” she asked quietly.
Kayli smiled. “He spent the night in the cell next to yours.” She walked towards the door. “Take her back to her cell, Constable.” Kayli then trotted down to reception. “Ray, do me a favour and get James out of his cell. I want them to see each other.”
The desk sergeant winked at her and unhooked a bunch of keys from the wall behind him. He rushed down the corridor and opened James’s cell door. Kayli remained just outside the reception area. At one end, a constable was escorting Walton towards her, while at the other, the desk sergeant was accompanying Lincoln James up the long, narrow corridor.
“Lincoln ... I did it for you, my love!” Walton shouted with tears cascading down her cheeks.
Lincoln James seemed confused. His gaze drifted between Walton and Kayli. When the group met in front of Kayli, Walton tried to grab James, but he turned to avoid her grasp as they passed, appearing to be well out of his depth.
“I guess you got your answer whether Lincoln will wait around for you, Melinda,” Kayli said smugly.
Walton screamed all the way to her cell. Kayli caught up with James and took over from the desk sergeant. “I think your constable could do with a hand, Ray.”
He nodded and ran the length of the corridor to help the constable secure Walton in her cell.
James looked over his shoulder. “Did she really do it?”
“Yep, all three murders. And you know why, Lincoln?”
“I have no idea.”
“All because she loved you.”
She escorted him to the table and introduced his solicitor then announced to the tape who was in the room.
Lincoln raised his hand to speak before Kayli had a chance to ask her first question. “Please, you have to believe me. I had nothing to do with this.”
“Why get involved with Walton in the first place, Lincoln?”
“I was flattered, I suppose. I had been with Carmen for years, and the thought that women still found me attractive was flattering.”
“Ah, a man’s ego getting the better of him once again. Are you telling me that you had no inclination of what Melinda was capable of?”
“Nothing at all. Even when she consoled me at the bar after Carmen’s death, she showed no hint that the accident was down to her. Had I known, I would have rung you right away.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Did she really kill all of them?”
“Yes, Adam and Brenda too.”
“Why? Why would she kill my best mate?”
“She said that both people interfered with your relationship. Pointed out how wrong she was to be going after you when you were involved with Carmen.”
“That’s sick.”
“It is indeed. I can’t believe that you would be taken in by someone with that kind of mentality. You seem a pretty intelligent man to me.”
“She was never like that. Showed none of the traits associated with a psychopath. Do you really think I would have spent time with her if she had?”
“Spent time with her? You mean slept with her?”
His chin hit his chest. “All right, slept with her. I will regret my actions forever, Inspector. I can assure you of that.”
“I’m not surprised. One thing I’d like to know, if I may? Did Jacky know you were having an affair with Walton?”
He shook his head. “Not with Melinda, but she did guess that I was seeing someone.”
“That’s why she told me not to trust you.”
He glanced up, hurt resonating in his eyes. “I regret my actions. Everything I’ve done over the last six months ... and now I have nothing. I know you’ll think this hypocritical of me, but I truly loved Carmen. I’m devastated I’ll never see her again or ever meet the child she was carrying ... my child.”
“Yep, you’re a hypocrite,” Kayli agreed. “Okay, I don’t believe you were involved in the crimes. All you’re guilty of is thinking with your dick. Be careful in the future who you choose to share your life with, Lincoln. You’re free to go.”
“Oh, I will, believe me. Thank you—not just for letting me go without laying any charges, but also for capturing the person who robbed those closest to me of their lives.”
Kayli ended the interview and watched the solicitor and James leave the room. DCI Davis stood up, looked down at Kayli, and began to clap.
“That was brilliant. I wanted to give them both hell, but you did an outstanding job by yourself. You’re an amazing police officer, Kayli Bright, just in case I don’t tell you often enough.”
Kayli felt her cheeks warm. “Thank you, ma’am.”
They left the room together and walked up the stairs. “How long do they reckon Dave’s injuries will keep him off work?”
“According to him, he’ll be back next week, parading around here on crutches. I think he’ll revel in trying to get the sympathy vote from his colleagues.”
“He’s welcome to come back, but on crutches, he’ll be as much use as a chocolate fireguard. Leave it with me. I’ll see what I can do about getting a replacement.”
“A replacement? Will the cuts allow that, ma’am?”
DCI Davis smiled. “I’ll do my best to get around that tiny issue for one of my best officers.” She walked towards her office. She paused and turned. “By the way, the drinks are on me after work in the pub across the road. Invite the rest of the team.”
“Wow! Thank you, ma’am. Very kind of you.”
EPILOGUE
Kayli, Donna, and Graeme entered the pub to find DCI Davis awaiting them with a bottle of champagne sitting in a bucket of ice. “She doesn’t do things by half, does she?” Kayli said out of the corner of her mouth to Donna.
“Apparently not, boss. It’s been years since I had a glass of bubbly. Guess we’ll be getting a taxi home this evening.”
“I think that’s a definite,” Graeme said, holding back a little with Donna as they approached the bar.
DCI Davis shook hands with the three of them and handed them each a champagne flute as the barman poured the drinks.
“This is totally unexpected, ma’am, but very much appreciated by us all,” Kayli said, accepting her glass.
“You’re all worth it, I assure you. I’m sure I can wangle it on expenses one way or another. Congratulations.”
They all chinked their glasses together.
“To absent friends,” Kayli announced, referring to Dave, although Mark’s smiling face entered her mind fleetingly as well.
The next few hours were spent in the company of good friends who took it in turns to reflect over their time in the force with some outrageous anecdotes.
At one point, Kayli nipped to the loo, and when she came out, she almost bumped into Giles. “Hello, you. What are you doing here?”
His gaze bounced around the room as he did his best to avoid meeting her eyes.
&nbs
p; “Giles, is anything wrong?” she urged.
“I hate to spoil your celebrations, love, but I need to tell you something.”
“Now you’re scaring the shit out of me. What’s wrong? Is it Annabelle? Is the baby all right?” She glanced over at her team to see everyone looking at them, seeming concerned.
“I think you better sit down, love.” Giles tried to steer her to a nearby seat, but she snatched her arm out of his grasp.
“Tell me, Giles,” she ordered harshly, her head suddenly clearing.
“It’s Mark.”
Kayli dropped into the seat behind her. “What about him? My God! He’s not dead, is he?” Tears misted her eyes.
Her brother shook his head. “No, he’s not dead.”
Relief instantly flooded every pore. “Thank fuck for that. What’s wrong then?”
“Shit! I hate to tell you this, sis, but he’s ... Mark has been kidnapped.”
“What?” she screeched, drawing the attention of the other patrons in the bar. “By whom?”
“The Taliban.”
“No. No, this can’t be happening.” Sobs wracked her breaths as her world collapsed around her.
“I’m sorry, sis. They’re doing everything they can to get him back.”
She saw her brother’s lips move, but nothing registered in her brain except the thought of Mark at the hands of the evil Taliban, thousands of miles away from her.
THE END
Find out the conclusion of this trilogy in Hidden Agenda ... coming in February/March 2018.
Thank you for reading KILLER ON THE RUN; I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this book as much as I loved writing it.
If you liked it, please consider posting a short review as genuine feedback is what makes all the lonely hours writers spend producing their work worthwhile.
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