Dead Sweet: A D.I. Turnbull mystery (12 page)

Tuesday 9
th
July

22:00 hours

Dirty, cracked and yellow teeth bit into the Turkish Delight bar Malcolm was holding. He had begun by picking off the chocolate in an attempt to slow down the gourmandization of the bar, but his hunger was so severe he just rammed it into his mouth and bit down; chomping hard and relishing the sweet sticky taste. After the bar was gone, Malcolm got up from his rickety single divan, pushing his green sheets back and away from him as he shuffled to the foot of the bed.

Malcolm's room was a large double at the front of his parent's house. In an attempt to stay away from his hateful father, Malcolm had tried to fashion the room into a bedsit, choosing a single bed so he had space for a desk, office chair, sofa and television unit. None of the furniture was new as he had to rely on his mother's charity to fund the project so it was a miss-matched collection. Malcolm was happy when locked away in his room; it was the one place in the world where he was king. No one told him what to eat, called him lazy or fat; no one shouted at him and Vixen didn't reject him. In this bedroom Malcolm was strong, intelligent, bold and brave; a decision maker who was in control of his life. His only problem was as soon as he stepped from his world into the rest of the house where dwelled the overbearing mother and the father who saw him as an abominations, he went from king straight back to being an emotionally crippled and undesirable imbecile.

Malcolm walked over to his desk and sat heavily in his chair which gave a squeak of protest. He turned on the computer and grabbed another chocolate bar from the sweet stack which sat mountain like on the desk. As his hard drive completed its checks, he crunched on caramel and nut, closing his eyes he visualised spitting the contents of his mouth into Vixen's mouth and watching her eat it in a sensual way. His penis stirred as the imagination took control of his body. A musical note alerted Malcolm to the fact his computer was ready and he immediately opened the chat room where Vixen would often be. She wasn't currently there, so he searched instead for the Feeder websites he had learned about on a television documentary that had been shown earlier that year.

Malcolm had always envisioned force feeding a woman; Vixen in particular. At first he imagined there must be something wrong with him; when he had suggested feeding his ex-girlfriend, she had reached with absolute disgust. The programme had been an epiphany for him, however, a confirmation that although not considered the norm, there
were
men and women just like him in the world.

Malcolm knew that Vixen would probably never succumb to his demands for feeding, but he still believed she had some feelings for him - she continued to converse with him online and although she would accuse him of being sick in the head when he told her that he wanted to ram a chocolate bar in every orifice - she still came back online and hadn't blocked him or refused to speak to him, yet.

Malcolm spent twenty minutes looking at pictures of women with pipes in their mouths, topped by a funnel. Another extraordinarily fat women or extraordinarily thin man would be stuffing the funnel with food mush. All participants were naked and visibly aroused. Malcolm was able to access videos of the same and he was becoming more and more excited. He desperately wanted to see Vixen but she had not appeared online. Knowing she would be at home, Malcolm decided to go to one of his current favourite places which was a bush in the alleyway behind Vixen's house; from there he could see straight into Vixen's bedroom and on occasion he was lucky enough to catch glimpses of her when she omitted to close the curtains.

Malcolm tiptoed past his sleeping parent's room and quietly left through the front door. He walked the three miles that took him from the road of concrete blocks and litter strewn street in Elisworth to the leafy more affluent area of Twockford where Vixen lived.

Malcolm crept passed the ever present paparazzi and took up position in his favourite bush. He didn't expect to see much of her, but just the thought that Vixen may be naked and her pendulous breasts may be jiggling around inside the domicile, was enough for Malcolm. He released his penis from his trousers and began to stroke himself as he imagined what Vixen may be doing.

Suddenly Malcolm noticed movement in Vixen's bedroom. He saw her bouncy hair to past the window and saw her stop in front of the floor length mirror in her room. This was a rare treat; usually Vixen's first move would be to close her curtains, but this evening she didn't bother. Instead she studied herself intently in the mirror, turning side to side and rubbing her hand over her greyhound flat stomach. Malcolm found the stomach disgusting but could imagine the bulge and swell of it should he manage to feed Vixen the way they did on the internet.

Vixen pulled her pink top off over her head, releasing her enormous naked breasts from their material prison. Malcolm gasped in delicious surprise at them and pulled harder at himself as he watched Vixen squeeze her dustbin lid nipples between each finger and lift each breasts in both hands; they looked very heavy and Malcolm knew they would be very suffocating if they were ever to be pushed into his face. He could hold on no longer and he exploded into his cupped hand. Malcolm couldn't resist flinging his product at Vixen's window; he imagined it flying into Vixen's mouth and like magic making her breasts even bigger.

Reality hit him when Vixen turned at the sound of his semen splatting on her window. He ducked down in the bush but couldn't move as the breasts which now jiggled towards him, held him transfixed; only snapping out of it when Vixen pulled her curtains closed. Hearing the laughter of the nearby paps, Malcolm realised he had put himself in a really dangerous situation. If Vixen alerted people to the rear of her house, he would be discovered and almost certainly arrested. Malcolm pulled himself together and crept back the way he had come; heart in his mouth as he waited for the shout which must surely come.

No sound followed him, however, and Malcolm believed Vixen had once again allowed him to get close and live out his fantasies. He thought it was possible she knew he was there and because it was him, had said nothing. Malcolm wondered how long it might be before Vixen finally allowed him officially into her life and suffocated him with her fleshy mounds. Then they would live together and eat together, locked away in his bedroom forever. His mother would be so proud and his father would finally shut his poisonous mouth.

Wednesday 10
th
July

06:00 hours

Todd 'Todger' Turnbull opened his eyes very slowly. The light immediately caused him to shut them again. He reached for the phone which buzzed insistently on his bedside table and cursed himself for omitting to turn the alarm off.

"The only day I can have a lay in as well," he grumbled to himself, rubbing his eyes and yawning.

"What time is it?" the female voice, so foreign in Todd's bedroom caused a series of flashbacks, reminding Todd of the evening's shenanigans and his drunken state which led to a very enjoyable but inappropriate night with Candace.

Todd turned towards the voice, holding his head in an attempt to control the pain of his hangover.

"Sorry, I forgot to turn it off."

"That's ok, I better go home anyway, and I need to get ready for work later." Candace began to leave the bed, she grabbed the quilt cover and wrapped it around her body; self-conscious in the cold, sober light of morning. Todd, also feeling a bit embarrassed, quickly covered his nakedness with a bed cover and jumped from the bed.

"I'll leave you alone to get dressed," he said, "I'll go to the bathroom."

"Actually," Candace stopped him, "Sorry Guv, uh, Todd, but I could do with going to the bathroom myself."

"Oh, of course, sorry. You go in the bathroom and I'll wait here." Todd agreed.

Candace rose with the quilt around her and grabbed her clothes. Todd and her then had a rather awkward dance in the middle of the room as they tried to shuffle passed each other; both reluctant to make eye contact and frightened to let naked flesh touch naked flesh.

"Sorry."

"No it's fine."

"I just need my shoes."

"Oh, where are they?"

"Just over there," Candace pointed past Todd towards the foot of the bed where her shoes were placed very neatly beside each other.

"How did you manage to do that?" he wondered.

"What?"

"Put your shoes so tidy when we were, you know," he nodded in Candace's pubic direction.

"Just a neat freak I suppose," she chuckled, grabbed the shoes and shuffled in her quilt to Todd's bathroom. Todd released his bed covering, picked up his own clothes which were in various parts of the room and hurriedly put them on; all the while pondering his situation with Candace and trying to concentrate on not throwing up. He looked in his bedroom mirror and grimaced at the red eyed wolf looking back at him, then dabbed at the red wine stains which still smeared his lips into a constant smile.

A few minutes passed where Todd stood still, looking into space, concentrating only on the drum and bass which played noisily in his head.

The bathroom door opened and a pristine Candace appeared. Todd knew he had to set the boundaries straight as soon as possible.

"Candace, last night between us."

"Yes?"

"It shouldn't have happened."

"No, but it did and it was
amazing.
" Candace approached Todd and put her hands up onto his shoulders. He grasped her hands and removed them.

"Candace, I'm your boss, we have a really important set of cases to investigate; we can't get distracted."

"The cases will be investigated, don't worry about them." Candace shrugged, "And the guys at work will be fine about us, we can even invite them to the wedding," she smirked.

"Shoot me now," Todd smiled as he realised Candace was joking with him. "But seriously, Candy Cane, "

"Listen Todd," she interrupted him, "I had fun but I'm not stupid. I know how important the case is; I'm just as serious as you about catching the killer and getting justice for those poor girls. I do like you, but I'm a professional and you don't have to worry, this goes no further."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be Todger, I knew what I was doing. Maybe when everything calms down."

"Yeah maybe." Todd agreed, but he doubted very much whether he wanted to enter into a relationship with Candace.

She read his face and shrugged again, "Or maybe not."

"Sorry."

"It's fine, honestly. Please Guv, let's forget this ever happened."

"Ok well in that case, make me a bacon sandwich, I'm starving."

"You can make your own sandwich, I have to go," laughed Candace.

"So a blow job's out of the question then?"

"Fuck off."

"That's fuck off
sir
to you. Come on, I'll see you to the front door."

-x-

13:30 hours

Todd drove away from his sister's house, stomach filled with cupcakes and tuna sandwiches. His hangover was finally beginning to subside and the food had made him feel normal again. Jasmine liked the doll Todd had chosen for her and he was sitting firmly in the position of number one favourite uncle of all time, as she had told him through a mouthful of birthday cake. Todd once again resolved to take some time off work to spend with his sister and niece; they had discussed going away on holiday together and he assured them that as soon as the murder case was over he would definitely go away with them; he just hoped that was sooner rather than later.

Thirty minutes later, Todd pulled up at Olinsbury police station.

"Ah Hollywood, how I have missed you." He muttered as he passed two of the Olinsbury youth, perched atop a wall with beer can in one hand and a suspicious looking cigarette in another. He drove through the open side gate and parked in his usual spot in the rear car park. Todd got out of his car and walked towards the back door which opened before he could do it himself. Two police community support officers came out of the building, hands tucked into their stab proof vests, sharing a joke as they walked.

"You shouldn't do that," Todd pointed at the PCSO'S hands. "If someone grabs you, you won't be able to get your hands free."

"Sorry sir," she said, removing her hands, her counterpart did the same.

"Are you going out to the High Street?" Todd asked.

"Yes sir."

"Good, there are two lads sitting on the corner wall, pants nearly around their ankles. Go and speak to them please; they are drinking beer and I'm sure one of them has a joint."

"Cheeky beggars," she smiled, "Right near the nick as well."

"I know, can you make sure they get moved on please and if they do have the dope, call for back up."

"Yes sir." The PCSO fluttered her eyelashes at Todd. Once again he cursed the way he looked, it was so hard to be taken seriously by women when they were always trying to get his attention sexually.

"Go on then," he said sternly.

"Sir." The two officers scuttled off out of the side gate.

Todd walked up the flight of stairs to his office and found Candace sitting at her desk, looking at the files they had ignored the night before.

"Any developments?" he asked

"No Guv, just going back over the statements
again."
Candace said, rolling her eyes. "I'm not getting anywhere, I think we need to try something else."

"Any ideas?"

"We could go to their old school and find out who their friends were. Check pictures and speak to teachers; there may be a connection to someone. It could even be a bully or a person they bullied, something like that."

"Yes, I like your way of thinking Candace. Get onto their parents first, they may be able to start us off with names; it would make things a lot quicker."

"Yes Guv, I'll get onto it."

"Good girl. I'm going to speak to DI Jones to take over and get the low down on what's been going on in this wonderful town; do you know where he is?"

"I think he's down in the station office. There's been a distraction theft in the High Street, some poor old soul is covered in dog shit down there."

"Same gang?"

"Sounds like it; there was a man and a woman that spoke to him before the money went missing."

"How much?"

"Two grand."

"What? What's an old man doing with that much money?"

"He drew it out to pay for a ticket to Australia; he's got a daughter out there."

Todd sighed, he felt so sorry for the victim of the latest crime wave which was hitting Olinsbury. A gang of men and women were operating on the High Street; watching the local banks and waiting for someone to make a big withdrawal. When their mark was spotted, they would wait for the person to leave the bank and throw a noxious substance at their backs; then a woman would alert the victim to the stain and 'help' them remove their coat. The rest of the gang would join in as concerned by-passers and by the time the victim's coat was handed back, the money would be gone and so would the gang, very swiftly after.

"Poor man, I'll go down and see what I can do."

"Ok Guv, I'll carry on here."

Todd walked down the stairs and out into the public area of the police station. He was immediately hit by the smell of shit which hung thickly in the air. Todd saw a frail old man sobbing quietly, sitting on the blue metal chairs which lined the wall of the waiting area.

Detective Inspector Jones was squatting on the floor in front of the old guy, one hand on his knee, and talking quietly to him. He turned towards Todd as the door opened.

"Hi Todd."

"Hello Trevor, how are we doing?"

"Excuse me Mr Windruff, I need to speak with my colleague." The man nodded his head. DI Jones got up and retrieved a beige overcoat from the floor beside him. He held it up so Todd could see the large stain of excrement which painted the back of the coat; the lines of liquid matter told Todd it had been squirted onto the material.

"Same guys?" he asked.

"Definitely the same gang; one short Spanish looking woman, black haired and at least another two Mediterranean men."

Todd walked over to the old man who continued to sob quietly on the chair.

"I'm sorry this had to happen to you." He said, "Mr?"

"Billy. I was going to see my daughter," the man said, "I haven't seen her for twenty years."

"It's a disgusting thing to happen, have we got any cars out looking," he asked DI Jones.

"Yes, all cars are on alert and PCSOs are going up and down the High Street and surrounding roads. It took a little while for Billy to discover the theft though so they may have already left the area."

"It all happened so quickly," Billy sobbed. "I just walked out of the bank and she said, 'You've got something on your coat,' then she helped me take it off and the other guys sat me down on the bench. She gave me back the coat and told me to take it to the cleaners, so I did because I couldn't walk around covered in that muck. I only checked the pockets when I got there; that's when I realised the envelope wasn't there. It was all gone, every penny. Now I won't ever be able to see my daughter again. It took me five years to save that, I don't think I've got five years left in me to save it again."

Todd looked at Mr Windruff's watery eyes and had to fight the urge to take out his wallet. He knew he couldn't start helping every victim that came in the station or he would be a very poor man. It was horrible to see someone going through so much torment. He wished the perpetrators could see the consequences of their crime; the utter devastation they brought to people just so they could steal money to buy bigger cars or more expensive clothes.

"Where do you live Billy?" Todd asked.

"Twockford; I suppose I should go home and phone my daughter. She will be so angry with me for being so stupid."

"I think she'll be angrier at the people who stole from you."

"No, she's always telling me to use my Visa card, but I don't trust the computers. I'm used to paying in cash; wish I had listened to her and not been such a stubborn old fool."

"You're not the only person this has happened to mate; people younger and stronger than you have been duped by this gang. They are working together; it's a professional hit." Todd consoled him. "There was nothing you could have done differently. Once they decide they're going to steal from you, that's exactly what's going to happen."

"Still, there's no fool like an old fool," Billy sniffed, "Ok I'll go home now."

"I'll drive you," Todd offered. "Trevor, can you do the handover with Candace, she's upstairs. I'll take Mr Windruff home, it's the least we can do."

"Ok Todd, I'm going to bag up this coat so you can take it home Billy, at least it won't smell in the bag."

"Bin it," the old guy said. "I don't want to see it again. I've got other jackets at home."

"Ok if you're sure."

"Yes, I can't deal with it. I just want to forget it ever happened. I don't think I'll be going out for a while now."

"You need to make sure you go out again; don't let them beat you Billy. You're made of sterner stuff than that. I bet you were in the war." Todd said.

"Corporal Billy Windruff," he said giving a mock salute, eyes coming alive at the memory of his former years. "Bit older now though," he sighed.