Death on Account (The Lakeland Murders)

by Salkeld, J J

  The clouds were lower now, and it was just spitting with rain.

  ‘In the car’ said Ray, and Nobby plipped the locks. He was in for a bollocking, and he knew it. ‘How did you know?’

  ‘Your missus told me. She’s been worried about you.’

  ‘She had no right to tell you.’

  ‘Nobby, you know that’s not true. She had every right. And you know this has to stop. We all feel sorry for Gemma, and her mum, but you can’t help, and it’s not your concern. You’ve got your own life, your own family.’

  ‘It was my fault.’

  ‘Bollocks’ said Ray loudly. ‘You’re not some wet behind the ears probationer, Nobby, are you, mate? What happened isn’t your fault at all, in fact you did all you could to help. And whatever you did was never going to be enough, was it? Terry Walker would have behaved the way he did whatever we’d done, no matter how often you nicked him, because he’s a stupid, evil bastard and he knew just how far he could push it.’

  ‘I know that, Ray, of course I do. But it was the look on Gemma’s face when I went into that room. I’ve never seen such pain. I can’t even begin to explain it to you. It was so pure.’

  They sat in silence, and heard the raindrops beat a faster pattern on the roof.

  ‘I know, mate. I understand, of course I do. But you’ve got to stop coming here, you really have. Now will you do that for me? As a mate, like?’

  Outside a man walked past quickly, trying to beat the rain, and he noticed the car with steamed up windows, and saw that it was rocking slightly. Someone must have had bad news, he thought, as he hurried past.