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

on me as well. Neither of us could have predicted this happening.”

“But we both had doubts. After the interview with Zappel, we got the team doing extra research. It was there in my mind all along that he was innocent, of the murders anyway.”

“Listen to yourself.” Carla shook her by the shoulders. “You’re wrong. We’ve done everything we could to get to the truth. I will not stand back and watch you punish yourself like this.”

Lorraine applauded. “I’m with Carla on this one. Don’t do this, Sara.”

Sara held her hands up. “All right, you two. I get the message. Back off or you’re going to have me in tears and you know, once I start, I won’t be able to stop.”

Carla and Lorraine high-fived. “Good,” Carla said. “What now?”

“We need to question the woman who found her. Sorry, I should have asked, Lorraine, any ID on the vic?”

“Yep, a bank card with her name on it. No driving licence from what I could see in her bag, maybe that’s why she was walking. Casey Nugent, I’m thinking she works at the hospital, I might be guilty of overthinking that notion though.” Lorraine winked at Sara.

“Funny, I know you only said that to cheer me up.”

“It worked, right?” Lorraine countered.

“It did. Now you girls have stopped ganging up on me, we should get cracking with the investigation, Carla. Unless there’s anything else you need to share with us, Lorraine?”

“Nope, all good here. I’ll get on with the further examination and then get her shifted back to the mortuary.”

“Thanks. Ring me with the results.”

“I will, it goes without saying. I’ll keep hounding the tech guys for the DNA results, to ease the pressure on you.”

“That’s brilliant. Thanks for the pep talk, or should I say boot up the arse?”

Lorraine smiled. “Always a pleasure.”

Sara and Carla left the scene but kept their protective suits on. “I can’t believe it,” Sara mumbled.

“Don’t go there, Sara. We’ve been over this. There’s no point blaming yourself. All we can do is double our efforts and find the bastard responsible.”

“I know how it works,” Sara snapped back. She faced Carla, whose head dropped. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to have a go.” She forced her shoulders back, determined in her quest.

A woman was standing at the window of the house they were after. She waved at them as they climbed the three steps up to the front door. She opened it and greeted them through tearful eyes. “Hello, you must be the police.”

“We are. DI Sara Ramsey and DS Carla Jameson. Pleased to meet you, Miss Martin.”

“Thanks, it’s Mrs, but please, call me Lizzie. Do you want to come in?” she asked, pointing at their suits.

“No, we’re fine as we are. What can you tell us regarding the victim?”

“I found her when I came home from my night shift. I wasn’t feeling too well, so my line manager sent me home early. I got home around four-fifteen, parked my car in the garage and was walking back. God, I nearly tripped over her, I was distracted, using my phone at the time. I rang nine-nine-nine straight away. I didn’t even touch her, well, I could tell she was dead, the way she was lying there with her eyes open.”

“It must have been a shock for you. So glad you rang us as soon as you found her. Did you happen to see anyone in the area around that time?”

“No, I can’t say I did, sorry. I’ve gone over what happened several times, more than that even, and well, nothing is coming to mind. I’m so glad the murderer wasn’t still around when I got home, that’s all I can say.” She shuddered at the prospect.

“You were lucky, that’s for sure. Is your husband in?”

“No, that toe-rag left me a few months ago. Shacked up with a bitch from the Plough Inn up the road. He’s got sex and beer on tap now, I shouldn’t wonder, nectar from the gods for a man like him. Bastard has been cheating on me since the day he slipped the wedding ring on my finger.”

“Sorry to hear that. Is there anyone else in the house? Someone who might have either heard or seen anything perhaps?”

“No. I live alone. You’ll need to try the other neighbours, might be a bit early for some of them though.”

Sara glanced at her watch, it was just after six a.m. “Hmm… okay, we’ll leave it for now. I’ll send a uniformed officer around later to take a statement from you, if that’s okay?”

“Can you make it later this afternoon? I was hoping to catch a few hours’ sleep before I go to work this evening.”

“Of course. How about five o’clock, will that suit you?”

“Perfect. Providing I can sleep after seeing her dead like that.”

“I know. You’re going to need to block it out. It’s not the most pleasant thing in the world to witness. Thanks for your help.”

“Too right. Who do you think did it?”

Sara had started walking back down the steps. She turned once she was at the bottom and shrugged. “Without any witnesses, it’s hard to say.”

“Gosh, I don’t envy you your job then. I hope you catch the bastard soon, for all our sakes.”

“Thanks. I’m sure we will.” Sara and Carla walked back towards the crime scene. “She’s right about one thing, it’s too early to start canvassing the area. Let’s get uniform to do that for us. I’ll organise it once we get back to the station, later. I’m in dire need of a coffee, left the house this morning without my usual fix,” Sara said.

“Me too. There’s an all-night café around the corner, if you’re up for it. Mind you, it’s a bit rough.”

“As long as the coffee is good, I don’t care. Let’s strip off first.” They slipped off their suits and threw them in the crime scene black bag. Sara sought out Lorraine again. “We had a word with Mrs Martin, got the ins and outs of her failed marriage