by M A Comley
PRIME
JUSTICE
M A COMLEY
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author M A Comley
Published by Jeamel Publishing limited
Copyright © 2017 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 (novella)
Cruel Justice
Mortal Justice (novella)
Impeding Justice
Final Justice
Foul Justice
Guaranteed Justice
Ultimate Justice
Virtual Justice
Hostile Justice
Tortured Justice
Rough Justice
Dubious Justice
Calculated Justice
Twisted Justice
Justice at Christmas (short story)
Prime Justice
Clever Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)
Tragic Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)
Sinful Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)
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)
Hero #3 (Due out in Spring 2017)
Sole Intention (Intention series #1)
Grave Intention (Intention series #2)
Devious Intention (Intention #3)
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://melcomley.blogspot.com
On Facebook
Twitter @melcom1
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thank you to Ruth and John Davey, Nadine, Claire Knight, Noelle Holten, Kath Brinck, Rebecca, Teagan Hodgson and Amanda Oughton for allowing me to use your names in this book, you rock!
Special thanks as always go to my talented editor Stefanie Spangler Buswell and to Karri Klawiter for her superb cover design expertise.
My heartfelt thanks go to my wonderful proofreader Joseph for spotting all the lingering nits.
TABLE OF CONTENT
Cover
Titles Page
Copyright
Other Books by the Author
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Epilogue
Other Books by M A Comley You Might Also Like to Read
PROLOGUE
Nadine Walker-Scott hooked the leash on Shadow’s collar, ruffled her loyal black Labrador’s head, and pulled on her green Wellingtons. When she reached the bottom of the grand, sweeping oak staircase, she called out, “Rebecca, I won’t be long. Will you keep an eye on the casserole while I’m out, dear?”
“Yes, Mum. I’ll be down in a few minutes. Enjoy your walk. Don’t be too long—it’s already dusk.”
She smiled at her daughter’s concern and the fact their roles in life had recently begun to reverse. Her thirty-two-year-old daughter had become the one issuing safety warnings. “Come on, Shadow. We’ll just go for a quick stroll down to the end of the lane and back again tonight.”
Her faithful, chubby companion looked up at her and moaned. Quite often, she would engage in long conversations with her four-legged friend when Rebecca wasn’t around, which was all too often since her daughter had started dating Robert Gallagher. The day she’d met him, Nadine had known he would be the one to sweep Rebecca off her feet. It had taken six months for the young man, a barrister, to finally pop the question. They were all counting the days in the final month before the wedding.
In the past, Rebecca’s boyfriends had mostly been of the dubious variety, but over the past few years, Nadine’s carefree, almost wayward, daughter had begun to express the need to settle down and start a family.
Nadine closed the door to the boot room behind her and looked up at the sky. Once she saw how dark the clouds had become, she set off at a brisk pace. “Just a quick one, Shadow, then we’ll spend the evening sitting by the fire, reading a book, at least I will.”
They marched out through the wrought-iron gates and turned onto the country lane that wound its way down to the church where Rebecca and Robert would be married. Nadine beamed as she ran through all the preparations in her mind. She had organised everything her daughter had requested, and all that remained was to count down the days and pick out her own wedding outfit. She had her eye on a beautiful linen lilac suit in a little boutique in Sevenoaks. She had tried it on several times in the past few weeks, along with dozens of other suitable outfits, much to the angst of her daughter, who had chosen her wedding dress the instant she had laid eyes on it hanging on the rack.
“I’ve decided, Shadow. I’m going to make my final decision tomorrow. Although, I might need to go and try on the ensemble again, just to make sure it’s as perfect as I believe it to be.”
Shadow looked up at her then sniffed at the weeds in the hedgerow before he cocked his leg. Nadine chuckled. “Is that the effect my scintillating conversation has on you, boy?”
Nadine had been so caught up with the wedding plans and talking to Shadow that she didn’t hear the approaching car until the driver slammed the door. Her hand covered her chest. “Goodness, you nearly startled me to death. What are you doing here?”
The man walked towards her, his eyes narrowed, and his pace quickened the instant she recognised him.
“I repeat, what are you doing here? Didn’t you hear me?”
“I heard you. What am I doing here? Hmm… good question.”
Shadow began to growl. Uncertainty shrouded Nadine after she saw how black the man’s eyes had become, the closer he got to her. Having no idea how to avoid his advancement, she held up her free hand. “Stop. What on earth do you think you’re doing?”
“Don’t ask dumb questions. Give me the combination to the safe now!
”
She gasped. “What? Are you crazy? Why would I do such a foolish thing?”
He withdrew the crowbar from his windbreaker jacket. “Because if you don’t, I’m gonna kill you.”
“Don’t be so absurd. Why? You wouldn’t have the guts to do such a thing.”
“Really? You really want to find out how much nerve I have right now?” He took a few steps closer.
She tried to back up, but a thorny branch stuck in her thigh. “Ouch. Look, I’m not going to give you the code, so why don’t you just run along and we’ll forget this incident ever happened?”
“It ain’t gonna happen.” He pulled out a notepad and pen and handed it to her. “Write it down, and I’ll let you go on your way.”
“I refuse to. You can’t speak to me like this. Have you forgotten what I’ve done for you over the years?”
He laughed. “You’re deluded if you think you’ve treated me well in the time I’ve known you. You snobs are all the fucking same. All so full of your own self-importance, walking around with your noses stuck up in the air. The world is going to be a much better place without you in it. This is your last chance, bitch. Either write down the code, or…”
Her hand hovered over a sudden tightness in her chest, and the excruciating pain was becoming unbearable. “Please, my heart. I need my tablets.”
“Fuck this, if you’re going to pull that old trick.”
The crowbar struck Nadine on the side of the head. She cried out then sank to her knees, one hand clutching at her heart and the other gingerly holding the side of her sticky head. “Please, not again. I’ll give you the number.”
“It’s too late now, bitch.”
Shadow’s growl turned into a lip-curling snarl. The man raised the crowbar again, intent on hitting the dog, but Nadine tumbled sideways as if protecting the dog, and the bar landed on the back of her head. “Run, Shadow, go get help.”
The dog took off before the man could grab him. The man swore under his breath as he watched the dog make its escape. He bent over her. “Think you’re clever, bitch? I’ll show you.”
Her head throbbed, but Nadine shouted for help, knowing deep down that her cries would remain unheard. She felt two more blows before the darkness descended.
~ ~ ~
Rebecca glanced out her bedroom window to see Shadow coming through the gates alone. She raced down the staircase, two stairs at a time and opened the front door. “Shadow, here, boy.” The dog panted heavily in her face and strained against Rebecca when she tried to pull him inside the house. “What’s wrong, boy? Where is she?”
The dog twisted his neck, working his way out of her grasp, and ran back up the drive towards the gates. Rebecca grabbed her phone off the hallway table and ran after the dog. She caught up with him just beyond the gates. His pace was slowing with every step. If he’d been lighter, she would have considered carrying Shadow, but then he would have been unable to lead her back to her mother. “Oh God, I hope Mum’s heart is okay. Maybe I should have hunted for her tablets before I set off. It’s too late now.”
Shadow was sniffing at the ground. He looked back at Rebecca, his tail wagging, then set off again, his nose close to the road.
When Rebecca reached the spot where the dog had halted, she stopped dead. “Oh my God, that’s blood. Crap! Mum, where are you?” she called out, her voice faltering.
Shadow barked. She’d lost sight of him and called out, “Shadow, where are you, sweetheart?”
He emerged from the hedgerow—where her mother’s Wellington poked out. Rebecca pulled back the undergrowth and stood over her mother’s body. Tears spilled from her eyes, and she swiped them away angrily. “Mum, can you hear me?” She realised it was a dumb question as she saw no rise and fall in her mother’s chest.
She patted Shadow’s head and punched in three digits in her phone. “Police please. My mother has had an accident, and I think she’s dead.”
The operator asked for the location, which Rebecca supplied automatically. Then the operator ordered her to stay where she was until the police and the ambulance arrived.
She collapsed to her knees and smoothed the bloody grey hair away from her mother’s face. “Oh, Mum, why did you have to go out for a walk at this time of night? Why?”
CHAPTER ONE
Lorne woke up to the impatient sound of her mobile vibrating on the bedside table beside her. Through tired eyes, she glanced at the clock. Crap! Six o’clock. Who the hell can that be ringing at this ungodly hour? She took the phone into the bathroom and closed the door. She tutted when her eyes became focused and saw her good friend’s name on the tiny screen. “Shit, Patti, do you have any idea what bloody time it is?”
“Damn, did I wake you? I guess I should have looked at my watch before I thought about ringing you.”
“The damage is done now. What’s up?”
“I’ve been called out to a crime scene. Think you’ll be interested in this one, Lorne.”
Frowning, she studied the dark shadows underneath her eyes in the mirror above the sink. “How come?”
“It’s just down the road from you. I know the victim, and I’m guessing you’ll know her, too.”
“Shit. Can you give me a name?”
“Nadine Walker-Scott.”
“Whoa, I don’t know the lady personally, but I’ve heard her name mentioned a lot for all the fundraising that goes on in our neck of the woods. What happened?”
“She was beaten to death and pulled into a hedgerow. The dog was with her when the attack occurred and ran back to the house to alert her daughter, Rebecca. Terrible shock to the system when I arrived at the scene and saw who the victim was, I can tell you. Who the heck would do such a thing?”
“Okay, where are you? I’ll get showered and dressed and shoot over before I head into the station.”
“Do you know where her house is?”
“Yes, it’s the old mansion on Morton Lane, isn’t it?”
“That’s right. I’ll be here for another few hours yet. I’ll see you soon.”
Lorne hung up, wiped the sleep from the corner of her eyes, and switched on the shower. Ten minutes later, she stepped back into the bedroom to find a sleepy Tony eyeing her with interest.
“What’s going on? Bit early for work, Lorne.”
“Ordinarily, yes. Except Patti has just rung me about a nearby case, thought I’d be interested in dropping by before I drove into the city.”
“What kind of case?” Tony asked, sitting up, exposing the top half of his wonderful physique, making her heart flutter. He could still turn her on after all these years together—that was something Tom had failed to do when she’d been married to him.
“Not sure until I get there. The victim is a friend of Patti’s. I know her, too, from a distance. It’s Nadine Walker-Scott, the posh lady from that huge mansion house, Green Gables on Morton Lane. I’ve met her at a few charity functions over the years since we moved into the area.”
“Damn, that’s a bit close to home. Did Patti give you a hint as to how she died?”
“Apparently, the poor woman was beaten to death,” Lorne replied, slipping on her crisp white blouse and stepping into her grey skirt.
“Nasty. Wonder why?”
“That is for me and my team to find out. Look, I don’t have time for breakfast. I have to run. Don’t forget we have two sets of prospective families dropping by today to view a couple of the dogs up for adoption. Any chance you can hang around here for a few hours to give Charlie a hand?”
“Hey, I’ve got a very important business to run, too, in case you’ve forgotten.”
“I know. I’m sorry. Do me a favour and ring Carol then, make sure she’ll be here with Charlie when the families call, please?”
“Leave it with me. I was only teasing. I’ll ensure at least one of us is around, especially in light of what you’ve just told me.”
She rushed over to the bed, kissed him long and hard on the lips, and bolted for the door before
he could grab her and start something that would put her behind for the rest of the day.
“Ring me when you can?” he called after her.
“Will do. Have a good day, Agent Boy.” She winked and closed the door to the bedroom. He hated her calling him Agent Boy; it had been years since he gave up serving as an MI6 agent, which he’d been when they’d first met. They had despised each other to begin with, but gradually, during the search for her major nemesis, the Unicorn, their relationship had grown. Thinking about it practically, Lorne knew she’d been attracted to Tony the first instant she had laid eyes on him, while she was still married to Tom. Their marriage had been on the rocky road to failure for years, but neither of them had been willing to admit it.
She sighed. That’s all in the past now. Tom has remarried, and Charlie doesn’t appear to have suffered any because of the divorce. If anything, she’s blossoming into a very strong independent young woman.
Lorne hopped behind the wheel of her car and drove to the scene, which was only ten minutes down the road from where she lived. Sunrise was just breaking, and the air was still a little chilly when she exited the car and walked towards the pathologist, Patti Fletcher. Traffic had been diverted at the junction half a mile away, so there was no real reason for the scene to be cordoned off like normal. She flashed her ID at a uniformed officer, who nodded and stepped back to let her pass. Patti, dressed in a white paper suit, walked towards her.
“Do you want a suit on?”
“Not particularly, but if you want me to get togged up, then I will.”
Patti nodded. “I’ll give you one.”
Lorne followed Patti over to her vehicle. Once Lorne was suited and booted, they made their way back to the crime scene.
“I don’t suppose there were any clues lying around?”
Patti shook her head. “Nothing. There’s a patch of blood in the road about fifteen feet that way. My assumption is that she was killed there before the murderer dragged her into the undergrowth. I’m presuming that he or she hadn’t bargained on the dog finding its owner so quickly.”