1848453051 (39 page)
Authors: Linda Kavanagh
At this point, Laura could barely contain herself any longer. ‘You nasty, vicious bitch!’ she screamed. ‘I’d have gladly shared the money with Pete – and with you! If you’d told me you were my father’s daughter, I’d have given you an equal share, too! I’m not obsessed with money like you are!’
‘Easy to say when you have so much, eh?’ Kerry inspected her nails. ‘And you were left your grandfather’s estate, too. How lucky can one woman get?’ Then her mood darkened even further. ‘You inherited all that money several years ago, but you never even offered me any!’
‘Believe it or not, I’d actually decided to give you a chunk of the money just as soon as my divorce became final,’ Laura told her angrily. ‘You knew I couldn’t bear to touch the money earlier, because I felt so guilty! I thought I’d killed my family, whereas
you
were the guilty one all along!’ she said bitterly. ‘You killed my family, and now you’re planning on getting rid of me. But how do you intend getting your hands on my money? How do you know that I haven’t left it all to a charity?’
Kerry looked pleased with herself. ‘Oh, I’ve already sneaked a look at your will – I know you’ve left everything to me. You even gave me the idea for your death yourself, when you told me that Jeff had killed his father, but arranged the scene to look like a suicide.’ Kerry wrung her hands in mock horror. ‘I’ll tell the police that you’ve been very depressed lately. That the deaths of your parents and brother have been weighing heavily on your mind, and that you’ve mentioned suicide several times.’ She gave a sigh. ‘Jeff’s death was probably the last straw – I mean, getting news like that would clearly unbalance your mind, wouldn’t it? You were very upset when
you arrived here, but I eventually managed to calm you down – or so I thought. Then I went off into the kitchen to cook us dinner, and you repaid my kindness by hanging yourself from the banisters as soon as I’d turned my back. I’ll sob and tell the police that I feel responsible.’ She smirked again. ‘And I’ll be distraught when I ring for help.’ Putting on a sorrowful voice, she mimicked calling the police. ‘Oh help, please – my friend has just hanged herself!’
‘But what have I done to you? I don’t deserve your hatred!’ Laura screamed. ‘It was our father and your mother who created this situation! They’re the ones who had an affair! Why do you have to avenge yourself on me?’
Kerry gave a bitter laugh. ‘Because you were born with a silver spoon in your stupid mouth, that’s why! I should have been the daughter who had everything – I was born three months before you! But because my mum was only the mistress, you got all the attention! I knew he was my dad, yet I still had to call him “Mr Thornton”!’
Laura’s eyes filled with tears again as she remembered her father and, for the blink of an eye, she could empathise with Kerry’s loss before the rage returned. Kerry’s very existence confirmed that her father had had another life, a secret life. Briefly she wondered if her mother had known about the affair, and if she’d been aware that Kerry was her husband’s daughter? She felt an urge to cry, hoping that her poor mother had been oblivious to the situation.
Laura felt her eyes closing. Why was she feeling so tired just when she needed to be alert? ‘You’re out of your mind …’ she managed to say.
‘Maybe I am, but you probably didn’t realise that I slipped a sedative into your juice, and I can see that already you’re beginning to feel drowsy. When you’re comatose, it’ll be easy for me to get a rope around your neck and throw you over the
banisters.’
Laura’s eyelids were fluttering, and she was finding it difficult to keep her eyes open. ‘But the police will discover that you’ve filled me with sedatives –’
‘Don’t worry, I’ve thought that through as well,’ Kerry said, smiling. ‘I’ll volunteer the information that you’ve been taking a lot of medication lately, to cope with all your stress. I nicked those sedatives from you ages ago. I’ll be able to produce the box from your handbag – with your name clearly on it – and show it to the police. I’ll remove most of the tablets first, of course – proving that you’ve previously dosed yourself heavily.’
Laura tried in vain to move towards the door, but she was already beginning to feel the effects of the tablets. She found herself struggling to remain standing, as though a terrible weight was pressing down on her, and she was finding it difficult to keep her eyes open. Although she willed herself to stay on her feet, she was overwhelmed by the desire to sleep, even though her very life depended on staying awake …
As Laura struggled feebly, Kerry laughed. ‘You’re fighting a losing battle – those pills are pretty strong. Of course, I’ll weep and moan when you’re gone – that’s what you’d expect from your best friend, isn’t it?’
Kerry seemed possessed of inhuman strength just when Laura felt at her weakest. Even though drugged, she tried to call out, but no words would come. Somewhere in the deepest recesses of her brain she realised that she was falling into a deep sleep. And if Kerry had her way, it would be a permanent sleep …
‘Laura! Are you in there?’
Unable to speak, Laura could only make a gurgling sound in reply. Dimly, she was aware of a banging sound. Was it coming from the entrance hall? … Perhaps she’d imagined that
someone was calling her name.
By now, Kerry was wearing gloves and had managed to tie a length of rope to the banisters, slip the noose around Laura’s neck and tighten it. The banging and the shouting seemed to be reverberating in Laura’s brain as Kerry redoubled her efforts to get Laura over the banisters.
‘Goodbye, Laura!’ Kerry whispered, as she heaved the top half of Laura’s helpless body over the rail. Leaning down, she grasped Laura’s legs, intending to dispatch her headfirst over the banisters.
Although she tried to grip the banisters, Laura felt like a rag doll, unable to move her limbs, and all she wanted was the oblivion of sleep …
‘What the fuck –?’
‘Jesus Christ! What’s going on –?’
There was suddenly a lot of shouting and pushing, followed by a piercing scream and a thud. Someone pulled her back from the abyss. Laura felt the rope being removed from her neck and found herself in Darren’s strong arms, as he whispered endearments to her and held her tightly. Laura smiled sleepily. She must be dreaming, but it was such a lovely dream …
T
ony Coleman had insisted on driving her home after the cinema, although Ellie had assured him she was more than able to make her way home by herself.
‘I insist!’ he said gallantly, ‘Otherwise, I’d worry in case anything happened to you.’
‘Oh, all right,’ Ellie had replied, grateful for the company on the journey back. The movie they’d seen had been forgettable, but she’d enjoyed having someone with whom to spend a pleasant evening. Alan was away on a business trip, so the days were dragging more slowly than usual. Being on her own for days on end wasn’t a very pleasant experience, so when Tony had turned up on her doorstep and invited her to the cinema, she’d gladly accepted his invitation. She’d also felt that Tony might prove a useful decoy – if people saw her out and about in his company, it would never cross their minds that she could be involved with someone else.
‘Thanks, Tony,’ Ellie said, as they reached her doorstep and she prepared to go inside.
‘Don’t I get a cup of coffee?’
Ellie sighed. She was tired and longing to go to bed so that she could dream about her beloved Alan. But it would seem churlish to deny Tony such a small indulgence, especially as he’d gone to the trouble to make sure she got home safely.
‘Okay, come in.’
But, once inside the door, Tony grabbed her roughly by the hair. ‘You’ve been leading me on for ages,’ he whispered, his breath rasping. ‘Do you think you can keep playing games with my feelings? You’re nothing but a tease, Ellie!’
‘Leave me alone!’ she replied, her eyes blazing with fury.
But Tony was undeterred. ‘I like it when you’re angry,’ he said smiling malevolently, still holding her by the hair. ‘You think you can put out those signals all the time, but never deliver? I’m not waiting any longer, Ellie.’
‘Tony, I never led you to believe –’
‘Oh, yes, you did, but right now I don’t care whether you believe that or not. I won’t take “no” any longer –’
Grabbing her hand, he pressed it against his erection.
‘That’s what I’m going to give you, Ellie –’
‘Tony, please –!’
Tony grinned, his breathing laboured. ‘I love when a woman begs for it – it’s such a turn-on!’
‘I’m not begging, you fool! I just want you to go!’
‘I’ll go when I’m finished with you,’ he said, his face too close to hers. ‘Come on, Ellie – you’ve been married, so you’re no vestal virgin. You can’t tease a man and not expect him to respond!’
Roughly he pressed his mouth to hers. Retching as she inhaled his stale breath, Ellie tried to pull away, but he was too strong for her. She was now very frightened. What had been a pleasant evening had suddenly turned very sour.
She looked around wildly for something she could use to hit him with, but there was nothing in sight. Silently, she cursed the isolation of her house – it was ideal for conducting an affair, but no one would hear her if she cried for help. If only Alan would arrive and save her! But of course he was away, and knew nothing about her spur-of-the-moment trip to the cinema with Tony that evening.
Tony realised that she was looking for some kind of weapon, and his desire turned to fury. Still gripping her by the hair, he slid across the bolt on the front door with his free hand, closing off any escape route.
‘We don’t want any visitors, do we?’ he whispered menacingly in her ear.
‘Get off me, you bastard!’
Dragging her into the drawing room, he lowered her unceremoniously onto the large rug in the centre of the room, knelt down beside her and began pulling her clothing off. As she resisted his attempt to remove her bra, he momentarily raised her up and deftly flipped open the hooks at the back. Then he bit her nipples as she cried out in pain and fear. How had she ever thought Tony was a nice man?
‘Come on, Ellie – you know you want it!’ he panted.
In a frenzy of lust, he pulled off her panties and spread-eagled her, using his knees to keep her legs apart while he quickly opened his trousers. Bucking and screaming, Ellie tried to push him off, but he was far too strong for her. Without preliminaries, he entered her, and Ellie cried out as she felt the searing pain as he thrust deep inside her. How different it was from when she was with the man she loved! Then, her body was always ready for him.
With a final heave, Tony reached his climax and lay spent on top of her. Ellie struggled to breathe, fearing that he was going to fall asleep on top of her. But instead, he opened his eyes and smiled at her.
‘How about that cup of coffee, Ellie?’ he asked, his eyes glinting knowingly.
‘Go to hell!’ she said, her voice low and disgusted.
‘Didn’t I satisfy you?’
Her face contorted with disgust, Ellie pushed him off her and rose to her feet. Throwing on her clothes, she marched to the front door, unlocked and opened it. ‘Get to hell out of here!’ she screamed. ‘And never come near me again!’
‘Dear me, you do have a temper, Ellie!’ Tony muttered as he sat up and rearranged his clothing. ‘Calm down – it was hardly a big deal, was it? Why don’t we just forget about it?’
‘Get out.’
This time, the tone of Ellie’s voice didn’t brook any argument. Smoothing down his hair, Tony buttoned up his trousers and left without a backward glance.
As soon as she’d locked the door after him, Ellie hurried to the shower. She felt sore, violated and unclean, and she desperately wanted to wash away any lingering connection to Tony Coleman. She’d always believed him to be a dull but essentially mild-mannered man, but tonight he’d proved that she should never have trusted him.
In the shower, she scrubbed her body until it was almost raw, feeling that by doing so, she was obliterating every atom and molecule that might have come from contact with Tony Coleman. At last, she felt cleansed and caressed by the hot, cascading water, and her anger gradually began to fade. It was then that she came to a decision. Today was a day she’d wipe totally from her mind. She’d pretend it never happened. Only she and Tony would know what had transpired, and he’d hardly have the nerve to come near her again. If he did, she’d threaten him with the police.
In the silence of her bedroom, and in the loneliness of her situation, Ellie wept until she’d no tears left.
W
hen the police arrived at the Green Street apartment, they readily accepted Darren and Albert’s explanation that Kerry’s death had been a terrible accident, resulting from her own attempt to kill Laura. Darren informed the police about Laura’s earlier visit to Islington Police Station, and a quick search of the apartment soon located the pay-as-you-go phone that Kerry had been using to pose as Jeff. The police also took away the rope for forensic analysis, but since the protagonist was already dead, there didn’t seem to be any case to answer.
Nevertheless, the police had been unhappy about Laura’s semi-comatose condition, and had insisted that she be taken to hospital for a check-up. Due to the sedatives, she hadn’t fully registered what had been happening in the Green Street apartment. But, in the ambulance, with Darren holding her hand, she was beginning to realise how near she’d come to dying at Kerry’s hands, and how Darren’s intervention had saved her with only seconds to spare.