Two Victims

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by Helen H. Durrant


  “Time to call it a day,” she told the team. “Well done, everyone.”

  “You look done in,” Elwyn said “Fancy a drink? The team are meeting in the pub.”

  “Thanks, but no. I’ve got some sort of drama kicking off at home, so I’d better get going.”

  He stared at her. “You’re not happy, are you? What is it?”

  “Everything fits into place except the bit about Jed.” She saw Elwyn’s look of scepticism. “Yes, he’s a crook, and I know he’s done all sorts in his time. I’m under no illusions about what he’s capable of, but he’s never stooped this low. People trafficking, Elwyn! That just isn’t Jed. He can’t possibly be the ring’s head man.”

  Elwyn still looked doubtful. “Kenton reckons he’s done his research. He’s got evidence, he says. He has an excellent clear-up rate and is tipped for high office. I wouldn’t go out of my way to cross him, Rachel. You don’t want Kenton as an enemy.”

  “He’s got whatever lies Leonora Blake told him. Everyone else is dead.”

  “The name Mac on Danulescu’s phone, the one Ruby saw. What about that?” Elwyn said.

  “That means nothing, and you know it. The entire Greater Manchester underworld knows him as Mac. He’s made enough enemies in his time. This could be payback.”

  “Let it drop, Rachel. It’ll do you no good.”

  The notion that McAteer had somehow been set up persisted. But she was wasting her time trying to convince Elwyn. For now, she’d take his advice, but Rachel promised herself that sometime in the future, she would look at the evidence again, even if it meant cultivating Kenton’s friendship.

  Epilogue

  It was over. Anthea Moore had been charged with the murder of her sister Agnes and Jess Darwin. Rachel was on her way home to tackle the domestic crisis that had been unfolding all day while she was busy on the case. All she knew was what she could glean from her daughters’ cryptic texts. Mia and Megan had had another blazing row after school. Mia was still refusing to tell Megan who she’d been talking to in the park, so now Alan was involved.

  “It was a man, Mum. How many times have we told her? After what happened to her that time, you’d think she’d be more careful.”

  “Fair comment, but Mia is an outgoing girl. Perhaps this man’s the parent of a schoolmate of hers,” Rachel suggested without much hope.

  “He wasn’t anyone dangerous,” Mia insisted, “and you know him, Mum.”

  “Then tell us, idiot,” Megan said, pushing her onto the sofa.

  “I do?” Rachel said. And then it dawned on her. “Uncle Jed?”

  Mia nodded.

  “There you are then.” Rachel spoke matter-of-factly, but the nerves were at it again. “He saved her life, so he’s hardly likely to do her harm, is he?”

  “So why didn’t the stupid kid just tell us? Oh, I give up!” Megan stormed off to her room.

  “I take it I’m not needed anymore?” Alan said.

  Rachel smiled at him. “I’ll sort them from here.”

  “Thanks. Me and Belinda are going out for a meal and I’ve got to get ready.”

  Get ready. He was behaving like a schoolgirl with a crush. Not that Rachel was bothered. She was perfectly happy to have him out of the way.

  Finally, she and Mia were alone. “Jed gave you something, Megan said.”

  Mia held up the locket. “He said it was his mother’s. I did say I couldn’t take it, but he wasn’t having any.”

  Rachel smiled. “It’s beautiful. Keep it safe, and don’t let your sister borrow it.”

  “I’m not in trouble then?” Mia asked.

  “No. Jed isn’t a secret, not really. He was involved in a case of mine, that’s all. And he did save your life. We’re very grateful to him for that.”

  “You knew him years ago when you were young. He told me.” Mia looked almost accusing.

  But Rachel wasn’t up to explanations. “Did he say where he was going?”

  “Just away. And for a while. He wanted me to tell you something. Doesn’t make much sense to me, but then the stuff you adults say never does.”

  “Go on then, what was it?”

  “He said to tell you that he’s been set up and by a high-ranking policeman.”

  Mia’s attention was already on her mobile, looking at the image of Ella, her best friend, and she went off to her room to chat.

  Set up? Was that true? Rachel wanted to believe it was so. All her instincts told her that Jed wasn’t a trafficker. But if she was right, who had set him up and why?

  Whatever the truth, it would have to wait. Rachel was exhausted and there was no evidence to support such an outlandish theory. Mark Kenton might be CID’s latest superstar, but this time he hadn’t got the result he wanted. In the end, Jed McAteer had outwitted him. Rachel smiled to herself.

  THE END

  AVAILABLE NOW BY HELEN H. DURRANT

  RACHEL KING

  Book 1: NEXT VICTIM

  Book 2: TWO VICTIMS

  THE DCI GRECO BOOKS

  Book 1: DARK MURDER

  Book 2: DARK HOUSES

  Book 3: DARK TRADE

  THE CALLADINE & BAYLISS MYSTERY SERIES

  Book 1: DEAD WRONG

  Book 2: DEAD SILENT

  Book 3: DEAD LIST

  Book 4: DEAD LOST

  Book 5: DEAD & BURIED

  Book 6: DEAD NASTY

  Book 7: DEAD JEALOUS

  Book 8: DEAD BAD

  Book 9: DEAD GUILTY

  MATT BRINDLE

  Book 1: HIS THIRD VICTIM

  Book 2: THE OTHER VICTIM

  Please join our mailing list for free kindle crime thriller, detective, mystery, and romance books and new releases, as well as news on Helen’s next mystery!

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  THE CALLADINE & BAYLISS MYSTERIES (book 3 features DI GRECO)

  BOOK 1 DEAD WRONG:

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  First a shooting, then a grisly discovery on the common . . .

  Police partners, D.I. Calladine and D.S. Ruth Bayliss race against time to track down a killer before the whole area erupts in violence. Their boss thinks it’s all down to drug lord Ray Fallon, but Calladine’s instincts say something far nastier is happening on the Hobfield housing estate.

  Can this duo track down the murderer before anyone else dies and before the press publicize the gruesome crimes? Detectives Calladine and Bayliss are led on a trail which gets dangerously close to home. In a thrilling finale they race against time to rescue someone very close to Calladine’s heart.

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  A body is found in a car crash, but the victim was already dead . . .

  BOOK 3: DEAD LIST

  This book is the first to feature D.I Greco

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  An unlikely serial killer with a bucket list of victims . . .

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  An abandoned cotton mill holds horrific secrets

  Police partners, D.I. Calladine and D.S. Ruth Bayliss face one of their toughest challenges yet. A group of homeless people have set up camp in the grounds of a disused cotton mill belonging to local businessman Damien Chase.

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  Annie Naden and her husband buy a remote country cottage at auction. It’s the home of their own that they always wanted, but as they begin renovations, Annie discovers a satchel in a dusty old hidden cupboard. Inside are the usual schoolbooks, now over 40 years old, and a girl’s diary. Among the record of day-to-day crushes and pop concerts, is a secret whose terrible consequences are still resonating to this day

  THE DI GRECO MYSTERIES

  DI GRECO BOOK 1: DARK MURDER

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  A woman is found dead by a canal . . . why have her eyes have been viciously poked out?

  Detective Stephen Greco has just started a new job at Oldston CID and now he faces a series of murders with seemingly no connection but the brutal disfigurement of the victims. Greco’s team is falling apart under the pressure and he doesn't know who he can trust. Then they discover a link to a local drug dealer, but maybe it’s not all that it seems.

  Can Greco get control of his chaotic team and stop the murders?

  DI GRECO BOOK 2: DARK HOUSES

  http://www.amazon.co.uk/HOUSES-gripping-detective-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01CGR9KEQ

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  A young woman is found brutally murdered in an empty house

  Detective Stephen Greco and his team must piece together her life as quickly as possible. Within twenty-four hours there is another killing using the same method. The detectives realise that the victims are random but the locations are not. The killer is more concerned with finding the right house – somewhere he won’t be disturbed.

  Glossary of English Slang for US readers

  A & E: accident and emergency department in a hospital

  Aggro: violent behaviour, aggression

  A level: exams taken between 16 and 18

  Allotment: a plot of land rented from the council, used to grow vegetables or flowers

  Barm: bread roll

  Beaker: glass or cup for holding liquids

  Benefits: social security

  Bent: corrupt

  Betting shop: a place where you can place bets on horses and other sports

  Bin: wastebasket (noun), or throw in rubbish (verb)

  Bloke: guy

  Blow: cocaine

  Bob: money

  Bookies: a place where you can place bets on horses and other sports

  Burger bar: hamburger fast-food restaurant

  Buy-to-let: Buying a house/apartment to rent it out for profit

  Charity Shop: thrift store

  Carrier bag: plastic bag from supermarket

  Care Home: an institution where old people are cared for

  Car park: parking lot

  Chat-up: flirt, trying to pick up someone with witty banter or compliments

  Chemist: pharmacy

  Chinwag: conversation

  CID: Criminal Investigation Department

  Clock: punch

  Cock-up: mess up, make a mistake

  Common: an area of park land/ or lower class

  Common or garden: ordinary

  Comprehensive School (Comp.): High school

  Cop hold of: grab

  Copper: police officer

  Coverall: coveralls, or boiler suit

  CPS: Crown Prosecution Service, decide whether police cases go forward

  Childminder: someone who looks after children for money

  Council: local government

  Crown Jewels: the Queen’s jewels and crown worn on state occasions (can also be an expression for anything valuable)

  DCI: Detective Chief Inspector

  Deck: one of the floors of a tower block

  DI: Detective Inspector

  DS: Detective Sergeant

  Do a bunk: disappear

  Do a runner: disappear

  Do one: go away

  Doc Martens: Heavy boots with an air-cushioned sole

  DS: detective sergeant

  ED: accident and emergency department of hospital

  Early dart: to leave work early

  Estate: public/social housing estate (similar to housing projects)

  Estate agent: realtor (US)

  Fag: cigarette

  Garden Centre: a business where plants and gardening equipment are sold

  Get rid: dispose of

  GP: general practitioner, a doctor based in the community

  Graft: hard work

  Hairslide: barrette

  Hard nut: tough person

  HOLMES: UK police computer system used during investigation of major incidents

  Home: care home for elderly or sick people

  Inne: isn’t he

  Into care: a child taken away from their family by the social services

  Kark: die

  Kneecapping: punish by shooting in the kneecap

  Lad: young man

  Lass: young woman

  Lecky: electricity

  Lift: elevator

  Lippy: lipstick — can also mean loquacious

  Lorry: a truck

  Mare: derogatory term for woman, or can mean having a bad day (nightmare)

  Missus: wife

  MIT: Major Investigation Team

  Mobile phone: cell phone

  MP: Member of Parliament, politician representing an area

  Naff: lame, not good

  Narky: bad-tempered

  Net curtains: a type of semi-transparent curtain

  NHS: National Health Service, public health service of UK

  Nick: police station (as verb: to arrest)

  No-mark: loser

  Nowt: nothing

  NQT: Newly qualified teacher

  Nutter: insane person

  Nursery: a place which grows plants, shrubs and trees for sale (often wholesale)

  Owt: anything

  Pay-as-you-go: a cell phone you pay for calls in advance

  PC: police constable

  Pear-shaped: go wrong

  Petrol: gasoline

  Piss off: as exclamation, go away (rude). Also can mean annoy.

  Pissing down: raining

  Pleb: ordinary person (often insulting)

  Portakabin: portable building used as temporary office etc.

  Planning Department: the local authority department which issues licences to build and develop property

  Premier League: top English soccer division

  Prom: a classical music concert where some of the audience stands

  Punter: someone who gambles in a betting shop

  Pushchair: stroller

  Querent: person for whom the tarot card reading is done

  Rag: newspaper

  Ram-raiding: robbery where a vehicle is rammed through a shop window

  Randy: horny

  Right state: messy

  Ring: telephone (verb)

  Roadworks: repairs done to roads

  Scally: scallywag

  Scroat: low life

  Semi: Semi-detached house, house with another house joined to it on one side only

  Shedload: a large amount

  Shout the odds: talk in a loud bossy way

  Sixth form college: school for high school students in final two years.

  SIO: senior investigating officer

  Skip: a large open container used for building waste

  Slapper: slag

  SOCO: scenes of crime officer, police officer who gathers forensic evidence

  Sod: an annoying person

  Sort: to do or make

  Solicitor: lawyer

  Stunner: beautiful woman

  Super: superintendent (police rank)

  Sweeting: endearment, like sweetheart

  Tabloid: newspaper

  Tea: dinner (Northern
English)

  Tenner: ten-pound note

  Till: cash register

  Tipsy: a bit drunk

  Toerag: a bad person

  Ton: a hundred pounds

  Torch: flashlight

  Tutor: university teacher

  Tower block: tall building/ high rise containing apartments (usually social housing)

  Undertaker: mortician

  Upmarket: affluent or fancy

  Wash: the washing machine

  Water board: company supplying water to an area

  Wheelie bin: a large refuse bin on wheels

  White van man: typical working-class man who drives a small truck

  FREE KINDLE BOOKS

  Please join our mailing list for free kindle crime thriller, detective, mystery, and romance books and new releases, as well as news on Helen’s next mystery!

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  Our email is [email protected]

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  We hate typos but sometimes they slip through. Please send any errors you find to [email protected]

  We’ll get them fixed ASAP. We’re very grateful to eagle-eyed readers who take the time to contact us.

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