by M A Comley
“Nah, Donna would serve my gonads up to the kids if I’m late. I rang her earlier and told her what time to expect me. Have a good weekend, Sally. Hope everything goes well on Sunday.”
Sally leaned over and pecked him on the cheek. “Thanks, partner. I hope you get some quality ‘me time’ over the next few days.”
She exited the vehicle, waved him off then surveyed her car before she entered the house to a very warm welcome from Dex. “Hello, sweetheart, have you been a good boy?”
His usual high-pitched whine hurt her ears.
“Give me ten minutes to get changed, and we’ll go out for an evening stroll.” She popped her head around the kitchen door to find her parents talking to each other near the stove. “Hi, thanks for sorting the tyres out, Dad. Let me know how much I owe you.”
“We can discuss that later. It was no bother. Any news from SOCO about the car?”
“Damn, I knew there was something I had to chase up this afternoon. Maybe it would have been too soon to learn anything. I’ll chase it up on Monday. Do I have time to take Dex out for a quick walk before dinner, Mum?”
“If you want to, love. I can always put your dinner in the microwave. It won’t spoil.”
“Fab, thanks, Mum. What’s on the menu tonight?”
“Chicken casserole.”
“Smells delicious, as always. I’ll nip up and get changed and shoot off.”
“Take care, and don’t let Dex off the lead,” her father warned as she ran up the stairs two at a time.
After a quick change into her jogging trousers and sweatshirt, they were off. She walked Dex along the usual route down by the river, and he kept pulling on the lead, urging her to release him, but she refused to buckle. Halfway down the track, they came across the same man and dog who had helped her find Dex. “Hello there. I was hoping I’d bump into you again.”
“Learnt your lesson about letting him stroll around on his own, I see.”
“Yeah, he’s eager to be let off, but I can’t take the risk now. He means too much to me.”
“I better get on. The wife will be wondering where I’ve got to,” he replied abruptly.
“See you soon,” Sally shouted after him as he scurried away. “Maybe he was embarrassed about me thanking him again, boy.”
Dex looked up at her and panted before pulling on the leash to set off again. They walked another twenty minutes then turned back. Sally strolled past the car on the drive and gasped. “What the fuck? Who would do such a thing?”
She ran into the house and slipped Dex’s lead off. “Dad, have you got a minute?”
Her father appeared at the end of the hallway, a frown on his face. “Yes, love. Something wrong?”
She beckoned him, placed a finger to her lips then pulled him outside the front door to show him. Someone had scratched the word slag into the driver’s door. “What the hell? Did you see anyone?”
“No, they must be watching the house, Dad, waiting for me to go out before they pounce. Did you hear anyone out here?”
“No, we were out the back, eating dinner. You better call it in.”
“Christ, what good will that do?” She kicked out at the new tyre then rushed back into the house and up the stairs before the floodgates opened.
Sally’s mum knocked on the door a few minutes later, holding a steaming cup of tea. “Your father told me what happened, love. I’m so sorry. Any ideas who could be doing this to you?”
“None at all, Mum. Why would anyone think of calling me a slag? I never sleep around. There’s just no call for that type of language.”
“Maybe we should invest in some CCTV, keep an eye on the car that way.”
“Excellent idea. I’ll nip into town in the morning, see what I can find.”
“Go with your father. He’ll give you some advice and can fit it to the outside of the house over the weekend. Don’t hide away up here, love. We’re in this thing together.”
“I just needed to release my pent-up emotions, Mum. It’s been a frustrating week with the case I’m working. This was just the last straw. I’m fine now, looking forward to my dinner.”
Her mother bent down and hugged her tightly. “We’ll catch the buggers in the act, love. Don’t you worry.”
Sally stood up and wrapped her arm around her mother’s shoulder. “I hope so, Mum. Not sure I can take much more of this.”
“Nonsense, you’re the bloody strongest woman I know. Shoulders back and move on. Don’t let the buggers grind you down, as my old dad used to say.”
“You’re right. Maybe I should cover the car over with something?”
“If they’re going to damage it, sweetie, covering it over won’t stop them. Do you want us to get our car out of the garage?”
“No, it doesn’t make any sense for the bastards to ruin both cars. Thanks for the offer, though, Mum. I just wish I understood the person’s motive for doing this.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Saturday flew past too quickly for Sally’s liking. That morning, she and her father set off to Norwich to source a decent CCTV camera. In the afternoon, she helped her father fit the camera to the front of the house, tucked alongside the drain pipe, angled at where her car was parked on the drive. She had also called the car body shop her father’s friend ran and booked the car in for repair, but they wouldn’t be able to get to it until mid-week. There was no way on earth she was going to turn up for work in a car with the word slag on the side, so her father had generously offered to run her in every morning. She was sure that Jack wouldn’t mind dropping her home each night at the end of their shift.
On Sunday, Sally woke up with the tightest knot in her stomach because of what lay ahead at lunchtime. The whole family had dressed up for the occasion; even Simon turned up wearing a smart grey pin-striped suit. Her heart melted when she opened the door to him and he handed her a mixed bunch of flowers and a bottle of red wine. He also held a box of chocolates, which he presented to Sally’s mother when she greeted him warmly. The lunch, and the four hours Simon spent with them, was a complete success. While Sally helped her mum in the kitchen, Simon and her father discussed Simon’s renovation idea. Over dinner, they raised a glass for their brand-new partnership.
During their stroll with Dex after lunch, Simon admitted how concerned he was for her safety after he learned of the damage to her car. The way he said it made her feel guilty for delaying her decision to move in with him. However, there were still a few issues that she needed to deal with before giving him her final answer. He was wonderful about it, though, and never once pressured her into making a choice she wasn’t ready to make.
Simon left at around four in the afternoon to complete some paperwork he had been avoiding. Once he’d gone, Sally’s parents had nothing but praise for her new beau. When her father brought up Simon’s offer, his eyes brimmed with tears. Sally prayed that nothing went wrong to sour her parents’ view of the man she had fallen in love with.
When Sally took Dex for a short walk in the evening, she shuddered when she had the feeling someone was watching her. She admonished herself and put her uneasiness down to a sudden breeze that had struck up, but even Dex was spooked as the dry leaves swept past them on the pavement.
~ ~ ~
Her father dropped Sally into work at eight thirty on Monday morning. She was surprised to see Joanna already beavering away at her desk. “Morning, Joanna. Why the early start?”
“I left a few things unfinished on Friday, boss, thought I’d come in early to deal with them.”
“Anything I should know about?”
“I was delving into whether Drake was in the same prison as Wilson and Jenkinson—remember we were looking for a connection there?”
“I do. And were they?”
“No. So that’s put paid to that idea.”
“Never mind, we can cross that off our list now.”
“Did you have a good weekend, boss?”
“Mixed, really. It started off with my car being vandalised but ended
up with my parents meeting Simon for the first time. Thankfully, the temptation to kill each other wasn’t on the agenda.”
“Vandalised? Didn’t someone slash your tyres last week?”
“Yes. Too much of a coincidence, right?”
Joanna nodded. “That’s dreadful. Any idea who would do such a thing?”
“I wish I knew. Hopefully, we’ll find out soon enough, because Dad and I have rigged up CCTV outside the house.”
“What a fantastic idea. Let me know when you have a suspect’s image, and it’ll be my pleasure running it through the system for you.”
“Thanks, Joanna. You’re a star.”
Jack entered the room just before the end of their conversation. “Have I missed something juicy?”
“More vandalism. Dad had to drop me off this morning. Any chance of a lift home tonight, Jack?”
“Sure. Do you think it’s something to do with the case? What about Spike? Could he be behind this?”
“I doubt it’s him, but maybe it is to do with the case. Only time will tell, but we’ve rigged up a camera to catch the bastard in the act, so we should find out soon enough. The car is due to be repaired mid-week, so I might be relying on you for a few days, if that’s all right?”
“Of course. No bother, you know that. What sort of damage did they do this time?”
“They scratched the word slag into a side panel.”
“Slag? You? If it’s anyone to do with the case, why would they use that word? Pig or filth, maybe, but not slag.”
“All right, Jack, no need to keep repeating it. I hate that word as it is.”
“Sorry, boss.”
“Apology accepted. You have raised a fair point, though.” Sally walked over to the coffee machine. “I’m buying. Who wants one?”
Jack and Joanna both nodded. She returned with their cups and set them on the desk beside Jack.
“I did have something else I wanted to make you aware of, boss.”
“Go on, Joanna.”
“According to reports, there has been a sighting of Drake in Great Yarmouth of all places.”
“That’s good news. Was he apprehended?”
Joanna shook her head. “Nope, he gave the officers chasing him the slip.”
“We know how that bloody feels,” Jack grumbled before taking a sip of his drink.
“Damn. Maybe he has more to hide than we first thought. Another one that should go back to the top of the suspect list. Frustrating, either way. Right, I’ll leave you guys to it and go tackle the dreaded post. Give me a shout if anything else comes up. As things stand, we’re getting nowhere fast.”
Sally retreated to her office for the next few hours. She snuck in a quick call to Simon before starting her daily chores. “Hey, you. How are you this morning?”
“Hey, I’m tickety-boo. How are you?”
“Have you had a poetry lesson overnight?” she asked, laughing.
“Oh, I see. Ha, ha. Sorry. I had a wonderful time yesterday. Thank you again for asking me to join you all.”
“It was a pleasure. I’m just relieved that you all got on so well.”
“I have to say, so am I. What have you got on the agenda today?”
“Boring paperwork and then more tracking down friends and relatives of the victims. I get the impression this week is going to consist of us chasing our tails a lot. You?”
“Yet another traffic accident to contend with first thing. Not sure if the driver was drunk or on drugs. Amounts to the same conclusion in most cases, bloody idiots. Thankfully, the driver was the only one pronounced dead at the scene. However, the driver and passenger of the other vehicle are fighting for their lives in hospital.”
“That’s terrible! I hope they pull through. Okay, I better let you get on. I’ll ring you this evening.”
“At last, something to look forward to at the end of the day. Maybe that will change soon.”
Sally noted the hopefulness in his tone. “Goodbye, Simon.” She hung up and opened the first of the many brown envelopes littering her desk and sighed.
At around ten thirty, Jack brought her another cup of coffee. “Thanks, matey. I’m gagging for that.”
He motioned to the pile of letters in front of her. “I’d offer to help, but I’d just cause you more work.”
“Thanks. I appreciate the thought, and fear you might be right.”
An enthusiastic Joanna peered around the door. “Some good news finally, boss. Border Control have just rung. They have taken Warren Dean into custody and want to know if we can go down and pick him up from Portsmouth.”
Sally punched the air in excitement. “Of course. See if Jordan and Stuart will shoot down there.”
~ ~ ~
Sally noted the time on the clock when Jordan and Stuart returned to the incident room—almost five thirty.
“That was quick, boys. I wasn’t expecting you to return until about eight. You’ve brought Dean back with you, right?”
“We left him downstairs with the desk sergeant,” Jordan said. “It was an emergency, boss, so we used the siren and lights where possible. He’s protesting his innocence. Says he’s done nothing wrong to warrant being held by us.”
“Does he now? Okay, let’s lock him up overnight, shake him up a little, see if that changes his mind. Tell the desk sergeant I’ll interview him first thing in the morning.”
“Rightio, boss.” Stuart left the room to deliver the message and returned ten minutes later just as the team were packing up for the evening.
Jack dropped Sally off at home and got out of the car to inspect her vehicle for himself. He whistled. “Wow, that’s a hell of a scratch. Wonder what implement they used?”
“I don’t care. I’m just annoyed they tested the damn thing out on my vehicle. Thanks for the lift, Jack. See you tomorrow.”
“Want a lift in the morning?”
“Thanks, but I’ll get Dad to take me in. Enjoy your evening.”
Sally entered the house, which was suspiciously quiet for a change. Even Dex wasn’t at the door to greet her. Sally dipped into her handbag and pulled out her pepper spray. Damn, why didn’t I ask Jack in for a cuppa? She tiptoed up the hallway and into the kitchen. She let out a huge sigh when she found her parents in the kitchen, talking. “Gosh, it was so quiet, I thought something had happened. Where’s the boy wonder?”
“He’s out in the garden with his chew. You’re later than usual, so it’s put his timing out. You’re interfering with his chew time. Everything all right, love?”
“Yes. I had to wait at the station until one of the main suspects arrived. We’ve been waiting for him to return to the UK for a week or so. I’ve told them to throw him in a cell; I’ll question him first thing.”
Hearing scratching at the back door, Sally crossed the room to let Dex in. His tail mimicked a helicopter’s blades, and he leaned heavily against her leg while she stroked him.
“That’s excellent news. So you think this man murdered the victim?” her father asked while he laid the table.
“That’s what we need to find out, Dad. He’s spouting his innocence at the moment. I’ll get it out of him in the morning, no doubt.”
“Will Jack be there during the interview?” her mother asked, wide-eyed and breathless.
“Don’t worry, Mum. Every precaution is taken when we question suspects at the station.”
“Glad to hear it. Dinner won’t be long if you want to get changed, love.”
Sally rushed upstairs and pulled on a clean pair of leggings and sweater as there was a definite chill in the evening air.
After tucking into chicken curry and rice, Sally cleared up swiftly then took Dex out for his evening walk. She hadn’t gone far when she had the feeling someone was watching her again. “Come on, boy, let’s go home before it gets dark.”
She walked home with one eye on the road ahead of her and constantly kept an eye on what was going on behind her. She walked past her car on the drive, and her heart sank as she
spotted yet more damage to it. “Jesus, what next?” Scratched into the bonnet was the word whore. Sally ran into the house and called her father to assist her. “Dad, we need to view the CD. My car has been vandalised again.”
“Bloody hell. In broad daylight. This bugger has got some balls, I’ll give him that.”
“He won’t have soon. I’ll rip them off and feed them to the pigs down the road.” Sally booted up her laptop and rewound the footage. “There. What the...? I know him.”
Her father’s gaze darted between Sally and the screen. “Who is it, love?”
“I don’t believe it.” Tears pricked her eyes, and a lump formed in her throat. “He’s the man who helped rescue Dex the other day. Bloody hell, why didn’t I realise it sooner? I saw him a few days later, and he couldn’t wait to get away from me. I’ve been sensing that someone has been following me the last couple of nights. I bet it was him.”
“Don’t beat yourself up, love. We’ve caught him in the act now. He’ll get his comeuppance. Why didn’t you tell me that someone had been following you?”
“Because no one was there when I turned around, Dad. It was just a feeling. I didn’t want you to think I’d become paranoid.”
“Nonsense, as if I’d think that. Right, now we’ve found out who it is, what are you going to do about it? Do you think he’s local?”
“He must be if he walks his dog around here. I’ll search through and see if I can get a decent image of him and take it in to work tomorrow, get Joanna to run it through the system.”
“That’ll only work if he’s got a record, right?”
“Yes. If he isn’t on the system, then I’ll distribute his image around the station, see if anyone can come up with a name.”
“At least you have the proof. Sorry about your car, love. People who do this sort of thing must have warped minds; that’s all I can say.”
“I agree, Dad. At least if I catch him, I can present him with a bill for the damages. I should imagine that’s going to be quite hefty, even though Ray is a mate of yours.”
“Come on, love, chin up. We deserve a tot of the hard stuff.”
Her father left the room just as unexpected tears rolled down Sally’s cheek. Why would this man do this to me? I’ve never knowingly hurt anyone in my life before. Why me? Hopefully, his name would show up when she ran it through the system and help put her mind at rest.