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

“Be good and I won’t.” He shoved the socks in her mouth. She gagged several times. Then he tied her arms behind her back and forced her to the ground. She tried to resist, but with her arms now restricted, he found it easy to gain access to her panties.

“No, no, not that, please.” Her muffled response was clear enough for him to understand.

He stared at her and grinned. “Yes, please. I want what you have to offer. You girls think it’s all right to wear short skirts and high heels. You do that and this is what’s going to happen.”

She shook her head and then turned to the side and squeezed her eyes shut as he ripped off her panties. Her thrashing ceased, accepting what was about to happen.

Once the deed was done, he roughly grabbed her chin and forced her to face him. “How was it for you?”

Tears flowing, she gagged numerous times on the pair of socks. Fear reached her eyes. He laughed and watched her suffering, not caring if she lived or died.

The choking continued and the panic rose in her eyes.

His hand latched around her throat and he throttled her until she lay still, her eyes permanently wide open now. Dead.

He stood, pulled the zip up on his trousers and trotted up the alley to his car. He felt numb, no feelings either way. But as he drove away, the euphoria erupted and he laughed until tears seeped from his eyes. He drove home, but stopped off at the off-licence to pick up a four-pack of lagers, which he had every intention of downing the minute he stepped through the front door.

An idea sparked when he got out of the car and saw the ATM on the wall outside the small Tesco’s. He adjusted his cap and put the old woman’s card in the slot, then dug around in his pocket for the slip of paper he’d found in her purse on which she’d written the pin number. He punched the number in and selected the ‘other amount’ button on the screen, then manually added three hundred pounds as a withdrawal figure.

He glanced around him, making sure there wasn’t anyone else close enough to see him, or worse still, to try and rob him once the cash came out.

After collecting the notes, he went into Oddbins and picked up a pack of Fosters, paid for them and returned to the car.

He smiled at how easy it was to get the money from the woman’s account. Another three hundred again tomorrow and the next day, and I’ll be laughing for a few weeks.

4

En route to the crime scene and after postponing the shopping trip and dinner date with Mark, Sara let out an expressive sigh. “Jesus, as if we haven’t got enough to deal with at the moment. Why is it we always get lumbered with having to run two cases at the same time?”

Carla kept quiet, she knew better than to say anything to the contrary when Sara was letting rip.

“Say something,” Sara shouted.

“Maybe, when you’ve calmed down, I’ll be able to get a word in.”

“Sorry, I’m terrible when I get going.”

“We need to blame it on the cutbacks. Every team at the station is under pressure, right?”

“Yeah. But bitching about it makes me feel a whole lot better.” If only you knew! I still have no idea who I need to set free on the team, and I’ve got to make that decision within the next month. Oh, joy of joys!

Carla sniggered. “Which is why I let you rant away.”

“Sometimes you’re wiser than you let on, aren’t you?”

“I have my moments, especially where your moods are concerned.”

“Charming! I wasn’t aware that I had mood swings.”

“Let’s just say they’ve been getting worse over the past few weeks.”

“They have? Why didn’t you tell me?”

Carla faced her and grinned. “I value my job.”

“Bloody cheek. You know you’re allowed to speak freely around me, especially when we’re alone.”

“I know, but you saying it, and me acting upon it, are two different things entirely.”

Sara tutted and pulled up alongside the SOCO vans at the end of the alley. “Lucky our journey has come to an end. We’ll continue this conversation later. Let’s suit up before Lorraine has a hissing fit.”

“Wonder how she is today.”

“I was just thinking the same. I bet she hasn’t had a chance to perform the PM on yesterday’s victim yet, and now she’s got another one to deal with.”

“She’ll come good, she always does.”

“I’m still going to tread carefully around her today.”

They left the car and stepped into their paper suits, then went in search of Lorraine. They found her instructing the SOCO technicians a few feet from the body.

Sara stared down at the victim. She shook her head. The girl couldn’t have been much more than twenty-five. Her whole life ahead of her and now, she’s dead!

“Shocking, isn’t it? To die so young. And yes, I believe she was raped.”

“Any DNA left on her?”

“Nope, none found so far.”

“What was the time of death, any idea?”

“Around two hours ago, max. I rang you as soon as I was notified.”

“Oh, so you’re the one to blame for handing us another case so soon after starting the other one.”

“Sorry, I figured as long as I was under the cosh, you might as well join me. Sharing is caring and all that.”

Sara sighed. “Thanks. If only you knew the pressure we’re under right now.”

“Aren’t we all? I haven’t even touched yesterday’s victim yet, and no, I’m not guilty of postponing it. If you must know, I had a road traffic accident victim to attend to around midnight.”

“Crap, I thought you looked tired. I steered clear of mentioning it because of how upset you were yesterday.”

“I’m over that. I gave myself a good talking to just before I attended the accident. I came into work this morning prepared to go ahead with the PM on the old lady when the phone rang and I