Suzy, Gary L Beer [story reading txt] 📗

down and decided to wait for Lewis to help.
Lewis, though recovering well, needs to rest from his operation and has spent most of his time at home. Suzy has kept busy by washing the entire bungalow from top to bottom, much of the wallpaper has been ruined and will have to be replaced or painted.
Expecting Doug's body to be found anytime now, Sharon and Lewis had stayed away. Suzy kept in contact with them using her mobile phone which was not registered to her; and helped reduce her paranoia.

Malcolm knew it was time, two weeks had passed since seeing Suzy and he had hardly slept. The worry he felt for the safety of his family prevented any relaxed sleep; most of his time had been spent in looking out of the window or sitting in the front garden.
He had not seen any strangers hanging around and the strain of the past two weeks has become too much. Driving down to the town he parks in a narrow street, locking the car he walks along an alley that leads between two large apartment blocks.
The public telephone he needs at the end of the alley is empty and with his heart in his mouth he opens the door and picks up the receiver. Pulling a piece of paper out of his pocket with the telephone number of the local police station he dials the number.
A young lady answers and asks how she can help.
With his handkerchief held over the mouthpiece Malcolm speaks in a gruff voice; “If some of your officers were to take a walk and look at the empty Well at the edge of the woods; they will find a dead body.” he finishes with a rush as he hangs up the phone.
Wiping his fingerprints from everywhere he touched, Malcolm makes a hasty exit and runs along the alley. Unlocking his car he jumps in and starts the engine with a roar, taking his foot off the accelerator he tries to calm himself down. Putting the car in gear he drives slowly forward and heads for home.

Someone pounding hard on Suzy's front door awakes her with a jump; looking at the clock she sees it is six-thirty in the morning and a Sunday!
Leaping out of bed she puts her dressing gown on as the pounding is repeated. Knowing that it can only be the police at that time of the morning she tries to stay calm.
Approaching the front door Suzy shouts in a scared voice; “Who is it?”
“Suzy, it is WPC Davenport and PC Willmott, can we talk to you please?”
Suzy nervously opens the door with shaking hands but manages a false welcoming smile; “You are early, I hope you are bringing good news?”
“Quite the opposite, we need to take you down to the station.” replies WPC Davenport.
“Down to the station; what on earth for?”
“I am sorry to inform you but we have found your husband’s body and need you to answer a few questions.”
“His body.” asks Suzy in apparent shock; “You, you mean he is dead?”
“Yes, I am afraid he is, his body was found yesterday. Would you please put some clothes on and we will take you to the station.” orders WPC Davenport.
“Why do I have to go to the station? I have answered all your questions many times.” Suzy protests, the fear she feels making her voice high-pitched as she starts to cry.
“There are still some questions we need to ask you.”
“Why not ask them here?” Suzy demands.
“We must insist you accompany us to the station.” says PC Willmott firmly.
Suzy looks in his eyes and can see by the expression on his face that he wants her to refuse; so that he can restrain her by force!
“You had better come in while I put some clothes on then.” she answers in resignation as she opens the door wide.
Suzy walks quickly to her bedroom as WPC Davenport follows her in and stands by the door watching her as she gets dressed.
“Where have you found my husband?” asks Suzy as she continues to cry; “The way you are standing there gives me a bad feeling, am I under arrest?” she asks as she puts her jeans on.
“No, unless you are able to answer our questions to our satisfaction.” threatens WPC Davenport.
Suzy thinks she is going to be sick and tries to keep calm. Lewis had assured her that she had nothing to worry about; and it was this thought that prevented her from breaking down.
“May I use the toilet please before we go?”
“Of course.” replies WPC Davenport.
Suzy puts her thick woollen jumper and trainers on and makes her way to the toilet, with WPC Davenport following closely behind. As Suzy attempts to shut the bathroom door WPC Davenport puts her foot in the way preventing her from closing it; “You will have to leave the door open Suzy.” she commands.
Suzy is furious at this invasion of her privacy and to have someone watching her makes the anger grow.
The only satisfaction she has is that she wanted more than a pee and she hoped the WPC enjoyed the noise and the smell.


Chapter Fifteen

Opening her front door Suzy breathes a sigh of relief as she steps inside. It had been a very tough twenty-four hours since she had been taken to the police station. Initially the police had been most unfriendly towards her by accusing her of killing Doug.
Suzy had cried appropriately at the death of her husband and denied all knowledge of it. Keeping to her story which she had told previously, she felt after almost fifteen hours of continuing questioning that they believed her denials. Her appointed solicitor was not much help being a young inexperienced lady in her early twenties and seemed unsure what to do.
Many times Suzy asked her advice and when she seemed uncertain as to what to reply Suzy would say to the police 'no comment'.
Walking into the kitchen Suzy notices that many of the cupboard doors are open; someone has been here!
Running into her bedroom she sees that her bed has been moved to the left slightly and the wardrobe door remains open. Finding her money box in the bottom of the wardrobe she pulls it out and puts it on the bed.
The box is unlocked, with no sign of forced entry and Suzy opens it quickly. Her money lies on the top of the paperwork contained inside; not exactly where she left it. Counting the money she sees that it is all there and looks through her paperwork, relieved to see that nothing is missing, Suzy puts the box back in the wardrobe and shuts the door.
Obviously while she had been at the police station the police had searched her bungalow. Anxiously she opens the living room door and peers inside and Suzy can see that they had lifted the carpet and tried to replace it as it was before. The carpet appears looser to Suzy compared to the perfect job the carpet fitters had done.
Saying a silent thank you to Lewis, Suzy shuts the living room door and goes into the kitchen to make coffee. Realising that the remaining milk in the refrigerator will not be healthy Suzy goes to find her coat as she will have to go to the shop.
Taking some change with her so that she can telephone Lewis from a public call box, Suzy steps out of her front door and shuts it quietly.

On the third ring Lewis's familiar voice answers; “Hello.” he says in a pleasant voice.
“Lewis, it's Suzy I am free now, can we meet somewhere please?”
“Suzy! Great to hear from you, have they let you out?”
“Yes a few hours ago, I really need to talk to you.” replies Suzy in desperation.
By the tone of her voice Lewis can tell Suzy is deeply upset; “I cannot meet you anywhere as my lung is giving me some problems in this damp weather. If you can get here without anyone knowing is the best I can offer.”
Suzy looks around her and can see no one loitering around; “I think so.” she replies a little uncertainly.
“Where are you now?”
Suzy tells him of the telephone box in the town and listens intently as Lewis explains a route to his flat. By using back alleys and quiet streets Suzy would have to detour about a mile making her end up at the back of Lewis's flat. Suzy knew the roads that Lewis was explaining but had never noticed the many alleys he mentioned.
Relying on trust and with Lewis's assurance that he would remain by the phone if Suzy got lost she hangs up.

One and a half hours later Suzy is ringing the bell to Lewis's flat. Impatiently she waits for him to answer as she feels vulnerable in plain view standing on the front steps.
Lewis opens the door and lets her in, stepping outside he looks along the road and at the surrounding buildings; “You weren't followed then?”
“Not a sign, I stopped and waited at the end of some of those long alleys you got me to go down and not a sign.”
Lewis smiles in relief as he steps back inside and shuts the door; “Go in, I will make you a drink.”
“Water first please, I am really thirsty.” answers Suzy and not waiting for permission walks into Lewis's kitchen. Getting a mug from the draining board she rinses it out with cold water from the tap and fills it to the brim. Putting it to her mouth she drinks deeply and sighs in relief.
“How on earth did you know about all those back alleys?” asks Suzy with a tired smile as it had been a very long walk to here.
“Have lived here for a while; make it my business to know my way around, lucky I do.”
“Bit of a long walk I feel really tired now.” admits Suzy.
“When you have had a rest you can tell me what the police had to say to you; everything they said.”
“You do know I was in there for twenty-four hours, I hope you have plenty of food I am starving?”
Lewis laughs; “Not really as I have not been able to get out properly, my lung hurts a bit and I do not want to take a chance. I will phone the takeaway in about an hour when they open, if you can wait that long?”
“I can wait.” replies Suzy with a relieved smile. Even though Lewis was still ill she felt safe