by M A Comley
MORTAL JUSTICE
M A COMLEY
Acknowledgments
This book is dedicated to the one person who has stood by me through thick and thin throughout my life, my beautiful Mother, Jean.
Thank you to the wonderful support of all my fans and especially to Donna Moran for allowing me to use her name in this story.
Special thanks as always go to my talented editor Stefanie Spangler Buswell and to Karri Klawiter for her cover design expertise.
My heartfelt thanks go to my wonderful proofreader Joseph for spotting all the lingering nits.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author M A Comley
Published by Jeamel Publishing limited
Copyright © 2016 M A Comley
Digital Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the site and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the author’’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
OTHER BOOKS BY
M A COMLEY
Blind Justice
Cruel Justice
Impeding Justice
Final Justice
Foul Justice
Guaranteed Justice
Ultimate Justice
Virtual Justice
Hostile Justice
Tortured Justice
Rough Justice
Dubious Justice
Calculated Justice
Twisted Justice
Forever Watching You (DI Miranda Carr thriller)
Wrong Place (DI Sally Parker thriller)
No Hiding Place (DI Sally Parker thriller)
Web of Deceit (DI Sally Parker Novella with Tara Lyons)
The Caller (co-written with Tara Lyons)
Evil In Disguise – a novel based on True events
Deadly Act (Hero series novella)
Torn Apart (Hero Series #1)
End Result (Hero Series #2)
Sole Intention (Intention Series #1)
Grave Intention (Intention Series #2)
Devious Intention (Intention #3) Due out August 2016
Merry Widow (A Lorne Simpkins short story)
It’’s A Dog’’s Life (A Lorne Simpkins short story)
A Time To Heal (A Sweet Romance)
A Time For Change (A Sweet Romance)
High Spirits
The Temptation Series (Romantic Suspense/New Adult Novellas)
Past Temptation (available now)
Lost Temptation (available now)
Keep in touch with the author at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mel-Comley/264745836884860-
http://melcomley.blogspot.com
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CONTENTS
Mortal Justice: Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Epilogue
MORTAL JUSTICE
PROLOGUE
Craig Wilson ran until his heart was ready to explode. Shit! That way is blocked. He turned down the alley then regretted his actions when someone’’s fist connected with his jaw. He fell to the ground, and his momentum rolled him into the industrial-sized bin standing outside the rear of the Chinese takeaway, where he and his mate Johnny had eaten many times over the years, including the previous night. His head struck the large wheel of the bin. Blood trickled down his forehead and onto his cheek. His terror was compounded by the first signs of a concussion. Craig held up his hands. “Hey, it’s all cool. You’ve had your fun, guys.”
Moronic laughter filled his ears. The three men quickly closed in on him. His eyes flickered shut to block out the evil looks on their faces. He heard the sound of a train slowing down on the track. Past the men, he spotted the car held up in traffic at the entrance of the alley, and that was when he saw her—the beautiful girl in her early twenties. Her long hair shifted around her shoulders as she sat forward in her seat. He quickly averted his eyes, but it was too late; the three men had already seen her.
“Don’t just stand there. Get after her!”
The man’s two associates rushed out of the alley, but the traffic had begun moving. Craig heaved a relieved sigh. It was the penultimate emotion he remembered feeling. The final one was fear as the leader of the gang laid into him, punch after punch. The blows came thick and fast. There was nothing Craig could do to prevent the pounding. He wasn’t a fighter—he was a mere office boy. He’d never been in any trouble, nothing of this magnitude anyway. All he could think about was the terrified look he’d witnessed in the young woman’s eyes. He hoped with every inch of his being that the men didn’t catch up with her. Ouch! Fuck! Why?
The man stopped hitting him and resorted to kicking him instead. A boot to the stomach had him doubled over and screaming, but his punishment only seemed to increase the more he cried out. The final blow he felt was the man’s boot connecting with his face. The lights went out instantly.
CHAPTER ONE
Donna continued her journey into work that morning, constantly looking in her rear-view mirror. The men had been mere inches from her car, scaring her half to death. Fortunately, the traffic lights had changed. As soon as the car in front began moving, she seized the opportunity to drive into the empty lane next to her and put her foot down. She glanced in her mirror and witnessed the men’s frustration. Turning back to help the man was out of the question, though. She used the rest of the ten-minute journey into her office to think of what she should do next.
In the open-plan office at the call centre where she worked, she sat down at her desk. Her friend and colleague Mandy looked up from her paperwork and gasped. “Hi, Donna. Shit! You look rough. Late night out last night?”
“No,” she snapped. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound so harsh. Mandy, I’m beside myself. Never been caught up in something like this before, and I have no idea what I should do.”
Mandy left her chair and perched her backside on Donna’s desk. “A problem shared and all that. Have you fallen out with Drew again?”
“No, it’s nothing like that.” She sucked in a large breath, trying to steady her nerves.
“What is it? You can tell me.”
She shook her head. “I’m so scared right now. Afraid if I utter the words, my whole world will collapse around me.”
“Honey, if you’re carrying that kind of burden around with you, it’s going to have a detrimental effect on your health before long. You look ill, Donna.”
She clenched her fists and opened them again. “Okay, but this is between you and me, for now.”
Mandy placed her hands on her thighs and leaned in close. “You can count on me.”
Donna inhaled and exhaled a few large breaths then explained what had happened during her journey into work.
“What? Are you kidding me? Was the man seriously hurt? Could he be dead?”
“Oh God! Don’t say that, Mandy. I could never forgive myself if I found out he’d lost his life.”
“But you said the men were laying into hi
m.”
“They were. Perhaps he cheated with one of their wives or girlfriends. Oh, I don’t know, I’m probably clutching at straws. You can see my dilemma, though, can’t you?”
Mandy sat upright and shook her head briskly. “No, not really. I would’ve been on the phone to the police at the scene.”
“Really? Even if two of the guys came after you? You should’ve seen their faces. Evil, they were. Lord knows what would’ve happened to me if they’d caught me.”
“Okay, well, that’s even more reason for you to call the police, Donna. You’re nuts if you don’t.”
Elizabeth, the supervisor, swanned into the room and clapped. “All right, everyone, less chat, and let’s start work for the day, if you don’t mind.”
“I guess the decision has been made for me, for now. Can we talk about this over lunch in the canteen, Mandy?”
“Sure. If you can live with a dying, or already dead man on your conscience?” Her friend flicked her hair over her shoulder and returned to her desk.
Donna stared at her friend, wounded by the abrupt tone in her flippant remark. Shit! What should I do? How can I guarantee those men won’t come after me and beat me to a pulp, or worse?
“Do you have a problem with your headset, Donna?”
“No, Elizabeth. Sorry, I didn’t sleep well last ni—”
“Not my problem. You’re here to work, and that’s what I expect from you. Eight hours a day, not a minute more or less. Got that?”
“Yes, I forgot myself for a moment. I’m sorry.”
“Don’t let it happen again, or you’ll be staring off to space at the job centre next time, you hear me?”
Donna recognised the familiar glint in her supervisor’s eye. She’d been looking for an excuse to sack Donna for years. She placed her headphones on her head and smiled tightly at the woman. “I hear you. It won’t happen again; I promise.”
Elizabeth turned on her heel and mumbled, “It better not.”
During the morning, every time she blinked, Donna saw the distressed man’s eyes looking her way. She shook her head several times to dislodge the images, spurring Mandy to ask if she was okay. By lunchtime, even though her tummy was empty, it felt as if someone had tied huge knots in it.
“Well? Have you decided what you’re going to do yet?”
“No. I keep seeing that poor man’s face in my mind’s eye, but I keep asking myself if I have the courage to call the police.”
“Really? I know if I were in your shoes, I would’ve rung them the second I witnessed the gross scene, but I’m not you.”
“Thanks, that makes me feel a whole heap better. Okay, this is what I’m going to do. I’ll go home and switch the TV on and see if anything is mentioned on the evening news. If it is, I’ll ring the police right away. If it isn’t, then we have to presume the man walked away from the bashing he received.”
“You reckon? What if his body just hasn’t been discovered yet?”
“Crap, don’t say that, Mand.”
“It’s true. I really don’t envy the position you’re in, sweetie, but I know what I’d do, and I wouldn’t wait until I get home this evening to do it, either. Bite the bullet and call the police now. Here, use my phone.” Mandy slapped her mobile in Donna’s hand and pushed it towards her.
“Has anyone ever told you what a bloody bully you can be at times?”
Mandy smiled, baring her crooked teeth, and nodded at the phone. “Yes. We have half an hour left until lunch is over.”
Donna dialled 999, and a woman answered almost before she’d punched in the final number. “What emergency service do you require, caller?”
“Police, please.”
“I’m connecting you now.”
Another woman came on the line. “Metropolitan Police. How may I help you?”
“I’m sorry, my friend has told me to report an incident that I witnessed on the way into work this morning.”
“What time did this incident occur, Miss?”
“Umm… around eight forty-five.”
“And what kind of incident are you referring to, Miss?”
“I saw a man getting beaten up by three other men. The thing is, they saw me, and two of them chased my car.”
“I see, and where exactly did this incident take place?”
“In Oak’s Green, behind the row of restaurants on the high street.”
“Are you saying in a back road or alley?”
“Yes, I’m sorry. I’m very nervous. I’ve never had a reason to call the police before. Yes, it was in an alley. I was driving past at the time, stuck in traffic. Otherwise, I doubt I would’ve seen the attack.”
“Hold the line, Miss.”
Donna covered the mouthpiece of the phone and whispered, “She’s gone off the line.”
“Breathe. Don’t forget to breathe, hon. She’s probably looking to see if any incidents were reported this morning.”
“Hello, Miss?” the lady on the phone asked.
“I’m here. Has anything been reported?”
“Yes, we have the incident logged here at HQ. Can I take your name please?”
“May I ask why?” Donna chewed on her lip and awaited the answer.
“The incident was called in as a murder. As you witnessed the attack, I need to send one of our detectives round to question you and to take down a statement.”
“Murder? No, he couldn’t have been killed.” Donna ended the call and threw the phone back to her colleague as if it were scalding her hand.
“Bloody hell! Donna, you can’t leave it like that. You have to ring her back.”
She buried her face in her hands. “I can’t. Don’t you see? These men will come after me now. I just know they will. Shit! I could be dead by the end of the day.”
Mandy tore Donna’s hands away from her face. “Don’t be so absurd. The police can protect you. They can put you in their witness protection scheme if need be, hon. Don’t crumble on me now. Do the right thing and ask for their help.”
“I can’t. I don’t want to be this gang’s next victim. Surely you can understand how terrifying this must be for me?”
“I can. Which is why I’m telling you to ring the police back and ask for their help.”
Mandy’s phone vibrated across the table between them. “Crap! That’s probably the police now.”
“How? Why?” Donna asked, shaking her head.
“The woman on control probably hit the call back button. It’s not difficult to figure out where the call came from, Donna. The question is are you going to answer it, or am I?”
“I can’t handle talking to them right now, Mandy. I need this to sink in first. Knowing that I’ve just witnessed a man losing his life isn’t the kind of thing I come across every day.”
“Then I’ll do it.” She answered the call. “Hello… Yes, that was my friend… I appreciate that, but she’s absolutely terrified.”
As Mandy spoke to the police operator, Donna’s fear escalated. The thought of being questioned by the police about an incident she knew little about made her head spin.
“Yes, that’s right. We work at the call centre for Thames Water… Our shift finishes at five. No, this is my phone. I just let Donna use it… When will that be? Would it be okay if I was there with her? Just a minute.” Mandy placed her mobile against her chest. “They want to come and see you. Don’t look so scared. I’ll be there. So, shall I give them your address?”
“You’re saying it like I have a choice; I don’t. Are you sure you can stay with me tonight?”
“I wouldn’t suggest it if I didn’t mean it.” She lifted the phone to her ear again. “Okay, Donna has agreed… Her address is 14 Jasmine Square, Clapham… It’s Donna Moran. Goodbye.”
“I think I need to go to the toilet. I’m going to be sick.” Donna pushed her chair back and left the canteen. She studied her reflection in the mirror and shook her head. Her eyes misted up as the earlier incident in the alley ran through her mind for the millio
nth time. The thought of the man leaving a wife and children behind made her sprint into the cubicle and throw up.
“Donna? Are you all right?” Mandy called out.
Sniffling, she groaned. “I doubt I’m ever going to feel the same again. I wish I could bloody unsee what I witnessed today. That poor man.”
“All you can do now is help the man’s family, if he has one, to get justice, love. I can’t even begin to imagine how you feel right now, but I think it’s up to you to ensure the guilty men get put away before they do the same to someone else.”
“You make it sound so easy. What if the men come after me? They’ve tried it once already. Who’s to say they won’t try it again?”
“Let’s see what the police have to say later, eh? Come on, are you fit enough to go back to work? The last thing you want is Evil Elizabeth coming down heavily on you for being slack.”
“You’re right. Let me splash some cold water on my face first.”
CHAPTER TWO
“We’ve got another murder, boss.”
Lorne raised her eyes from the pile of paperwork crying out for her attention and motioned for Pete to join her. “Tell me more?” She sat back in her chair and clasped her hands together across her tummy.
“Well, the incident was reported about an hour ago. Someone passing an alley saw a man lying on the ground. They approached him to check if he was okay, but the amount of blood everywhere pointed to him being dead.”
“Is the witness an ex-copper?”
Pete nodded. “A special constable in the area. He retired a few years ago.”
“Okay, what else do you have?”
“About half an hour ago the switchboard took a call from a Donna Moran.” Pete paused, building his part as usual.
Lorne tutted. “And?”
“And, well, the woman only bloody witnessed the attack, didn’t she?”
“Interesting. Is she coming into the station to make a statement?”
“No. The girl on the switch told the woman we’d call round and see her about sixish this evening. I hope you haven’t got any plans.”
“Nope. Are you all right to work longer tonight? No hot date on your calendar?”