Indefensible (DI Sara Ramsey Book 12), M Comley [world of reading TXT] 📗

saw anything, especially if the killer was possibly sitting out here for a while in their car.”

Carla scanned the area all around her. “And no CCTV cameras in sight. We have an extremely canny killer on our hands.”

“Yep, you read my thoughts there. Come on, I’ll go back inside the house while you arrange for uniform to pick up where you left off, okay?”

“Gotcha.”

They split up as they reached the path leading up to the bungalow. Sara eased open the front door to find Lorraine packing up her things ready to go. “How’s it going?”

“I’m almost done here. How was the son?”

“Cut up, as you can imagine. He told me his daughter came to visit his mother earlier.”

Lorraine gasped, her expression one of horror. “Oh God, I hope you’re not suggesting that she had anything to do with this?”

Sara shook her head and smiled. “No, I didn’t jump to that conclusion, although now you’ve mentioned it…”

“Shit! Forget I said anything,” Lorraine mumbled, staring at the bloodstains in the hall carpet.

“Are you sure you’re okay?”

Lorraine sniffled and stretched her neck, forcing her head up high. “Yep, I’ll get there. It’s going to be tough doing the PM on her.”

“Do you have to? Can’t you summon one of your colleagues to step in for you?”

“I don’t want to be seen as a wuss. I’ll leave her until the morning. Hopefully, I’ll have got my head sorted out overnight.”

Sara rubbed her arm. “I think you’re wise leaving it for tonight, you look shattered, sweetie. A good night’s sleep will be just what you need to help combat what lies ahead of you in the morning.”

“If I manage to get to sleep. I don’t think I’ve had eight hours for months now, damn insomnia.”

“Oh no, I didn’t realise you suffer from that. Have you seen a doctor? Maybe they can give you a course of tablets to take.”

“No way. I refuse to get addicted to any pills they’re likely to dish out. I’ve seen what those fuckers do to a person’s insides, remember. The pills I’m referring to, not the doctors, although it amounts to the same thing. I’ve never been one for downing pills at the drop of a hat.”

“I’m the same. I’m glad you didn’t go into detail about the damaging effects. I used to have a relative, an aunt actually who constantly took her husband’s tablets. Co-codamol, is it? She had a heart problem in a different country and was taken in for tests. I asked her if she’d told the docs she was taking her husband’s tablets and she was flabbergasted at the suggestion. The docs released her after a few days, couldn’t figure out what was wrong with her because she continued to lie to them.”

“How terrible. Was she addicted to the drugs? Who in their right mind would take another person’s prescription like that?”

“Beggars belief, right? Yes, I believe she got addicted to them. Anyway, she died a few months later and the PM revealed the damage the tablets had caused to her internal organs; they were in a dreadful state. The pathologist got in touch with Mum to ask if her sister had ever taken tablets in large quantities, and that’s when the truth came out.”

“Shocking. It’s tales like those and what I see on a daily basis that is behind my decision to steer clear, even of paracetamols, can’t stand the bloody things.”

“I’m with you. I have to be desperate to pop a pill. Anyway, getting back to the murder. I need to know what SOCO found, if anything.”

“Quite right, let’s get back on track. Nothing much would be the answer. No forced entry and as the incident happened right by her front door, I think we can safely assume that she opened her door to her killer and he or she took advantage of the situation. The house was turned over slightly, maybe they were searching for money. Everyone believes the elderly keep funds in the house, don’t they? That’s nothing new, is it?”

“Yeah, that’s true. The way banks are ripping us off with pitiful interest on our money, who can blame them? I need to get in touch with her family or Roger, see if they knew if she kept any money here or not. Maybe I’ll leave that until the morning. All right if I take a snoop around?”

Lorraine shrugged. “Feel free. I’m out of here. I’ll get the report back to you ASAP, it won’t be for a few days though.”

“I understand. I know you’ll do your best for me.”

“No question about that. Goodnight, Sara.”

Sara tapped her friend on the arm and smiled. “You know where I am if you ever need to unburden yourself, don’t you?”

“I do. You’re a good person, Sara, don’t ever let anyone tell you differently. Hereford is lucky to have you here.”

Sara’s cheeks warmed. “Thanks, I’m lucky to be here. Let’s face it, we wouldn’t have become friends if I hadn’t moved away from Liverpool, and I would probably be a miserable widower if I hadn’t bumped into Mark.”

Lorraine laughed. “I’m a miserable spinster for my sins, but working hard to change that.”

Sara winced, realising her mistake of putting her size fives in it. “Sorry, I didn’t think. You’ll find the right guy soon enough.”

“No need to apologise. As for finding the right soulmate, I don’t think swiping left is going to cut it.”

Sara laughed. “Ah, that’s where you’ve been going wrong all along, you’re supposed to swipe right, not left.”

Lorraine rolled her eyes. “See, I’m not cut out for this online dating lark, never have been and, I suspect, never will be in the future.” She turned and walked out the front door.

Sara watched her leave, her heart heavy for her friend who was so down in the mouth. Sara suspected her single status was laying heavy on Lorraine’s mind more and more lately as the years passed her by. Maybe Sara getting hitched recently had gone a long way in highlighting the issue more in