Mortal Crimes: 7 Novels of Suspense (80 page)

“That’s easy.” Jim had a smug grin on his face when he placed a coffee mug on the table in front of her and dropped into the chair opposite.

“All right, smart arse. Let’s have it?” Ellen instinctively knew what her brother was about to say.

“Taxi driver has bumped her off, or she’s gone missing to get away from her abusive husband. Has he reported her missing to the national hotline?”

“Yes, but he wanted the personal touch. That’s why he called us. And no, I don’t think the taxi driver is involved any more than that he was negligent for not hanging around to wait until she got in the house safely. As for the hubby, he’s been a bad boy in the past, but he assures me that he’s mended his ways.”

“Yeah, that’s what they all say.”

Ellen nodded and took a sip of coffee. “I’m inclined to believe him. I didn’t get any negative vibes from him while I was there, and their home is full to the brim of pictures of the happy couple, I mean as in overkill, if you’ll pardon the pun.”

“So, where do you go from here?”

“I’m still thinking about that one. Oh, I forgot to mention that Cheryl, Donna’s sister, told me that she thought a man was kind of stalking them at Gypsy’s on Friday night.”

“‘Kind of stalking them’? Either he was, or he wasn’t. I’d go down that route. What a strange thing to say.”

Before Ellen had a chance to say anything further, Jim leapt out of his chair and headed over to the stove. His wife, Suzie walked into the kitchen seconds later. Ellen glanced up at her sister-in-law and stifled a grin. Suzie looked as though she hadn’t slept for a year.

“Hi, Suzie. Are the boys tucked up in bed?”

She collapsed into the chair, sat back, and hooked her hands behind her neck. “Yes, thank goodness. They’ve played me up something chronic today. Are you staying for dinner?”

“I don’t know.” She turned to her brother, who was bending down, checking the contents of the oven. “Am I?”

“I think I can make it stretch to three. The boys ate earlier. Will sausage toad suit you, Sis?”

Ellen’s stomach grumbled in response. “Sounds fab. Would I be pushing my luck if I asked if it was being accompanied by mashed potato, too?”

Jim laughed. “All the usual accompaniments, Sis, just like mum used to make, still makes.”

“So what brings you here, Ellen? Not that it isn’t always nice to see you.”

She and Suzie had always got on well together. They’d never had a cross word between them in the time they’d known each other. Actually, they teamed up well to wind up Jim when the need arose.

“Nothing special. I was just in the area and thought I’d pop in and see my four favourite people. Well, two of them, anyway. I didn’t want to intrude on the boys’ bath time. I’ll drop back to see them another time.”

“Hmm…You might be able to pull the wool over his eyes, young lady.” Suzie pointed at Jim, who was busy concentrating on getting all the components of the dinner to cook at the same time. “But you can’t fool me. What’s up?”

Ellen’s gaze dropped to her mug, and she swivelled it in a circle on the place mat in front of her. “I did a dumb thing last night.”

Suzie glanced over her shoulder to check that her husband couldn’t hear, then leaned forward. “Go on.”

“You know how hard I’ve been working lately. Well, I decided to let my hair down and was invited to a friend’s party.”

Suzie’s eyes widened. “You’ve met someone, haven’t you?”

Ellen squirmed in her seat before she answered. “Erm… not exactly. Nothing long term planned as yet—”

“I should hope not, after only just meeting him. So? What happened?” Ellen purposefully stayed quiet until she heard Suzie gasp. “You didn’t?”

Ashamed, Ellen nodded a few times and tentatively glanced up at her sister-in-law. “I feel awful about it. That kind of thing has never happened to me before.”

Suzie reached across the table and covered Ellen’s hand with hers. “Why now? Why change a habit of a lifetime? There’s something you’re not telling me, isn’t there?”

She released her hand from Suzie’s and started turning her mug again. She had never been able to successfully keep secrets from her sister-in-law. “Don’t tell Jim. You hear me?”

Suzie crossed her hand over her heart. “Promise. What is it, love?”

Ellen inhaled a large breath and then admitted, “It’s Colin.”

“Colin? What’s gone on now?”

“He’s threatened to chuck me out again. Really laid in to me the other night when Mum was out.”

Ellen’s problems with her stepfather had been going on for years, too many years. In his eyes, she couldn’t do anything right. She sometimes wondered if she actually breathed the way he wanted her to in his company.

“Why?” Suzie looked appalled.

“You know what? This time, I have no idea. I’ve been trying to keep a reasonable amount of distance between us. So much so that Mum complained we were drifting apart last week. We’ve always been close, until he came along.”

“Maybe you should consider moving out and finding a place of your own. The flat above the pub is tiny for three people who don’t see eye to eye.” Suzie glanced over her shoulder again to see what Jim was up to before she added, barely above a whisper, “He hasn’t tried it on with you, has he?”

She couldn’t tell her the truth. If the truth ever came out, their loving family would be ripped apart for good. Ellen smiled half-heartedly. “Of course not. Christ, if he ever tried anything on with me, I’d be out of there like a shot.”

“There must be some reason he keeps picking arguments with you.”

Sensing avoidance tactics were needed, Ellen called over to Jim, “Any chance of us eating this meal tonight? I haven’t bloody eaten all day.” She saw the suspicious sideways glance Suzie was giving her, but she chose to ignore it.

“As it happens, Oh Impatient One, I’m about to dish up now. Make yourself useful, the pair of you, and get the table laid. Suzie, don’t forget to dig out the ketchup bottle. You know how fond madame is of it.”

Ellen poked out her tongue at him. Some things were hard to move on from when they started in childhood, then continued through adolescence and into adulthood. Giving up ketchup was one of those “things” she hadn’t quite accomplished yet.

Between them, they washed the meal down with a gorgeous bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, which weirdly appeared to bring out the flavour of the onions in the gravy to perfection. At around ten o’clock, Ellen stood up and pulled on her jacket.

“Hey, you’re not going anywhere,” Suzie said, aghast. “For a start, you’ve been drinking, and for another, the boys would love to see you in the morning.”

Ellen doubted the latter was true, or the first point, for that matter. She’d had only the one glass all evening. Suzie was obviously trying to save her from getting a tongue-lashing from her stepdad when she rolled home.

“I can make up the sofa bed for you, Ellie, no problem. I agree with Suz. You shouldn’t be going home tonight,” Jim said, oblivious, as usual, of why his wife was insisting she should stay. He walked out of the room, leaving her to face yet more awkward questions from her sister-in-law.

“Look, I’m not sure what has gone on with Colin, but if you ever need to chat, I’m always free for you. Got it?”

Ellen’s eyes misted up. “Maybe one day. Thanks, Suz.”

“And another thing. It is about time you got out of there and started to live your own life. Christ, thirty, and you’re still at home.”

Jim clomped back down the stairs and into the living room next door.

“Correction, I left home, remember? And I ended up back there. It wasn’t my fault my last fella cheated on me and rendered me homeless. Mum begged me to go back home.”

“Why? Because she’s having problems with the adorable Colin?” Suzie’s brow wrinkled with concern as she cleared the dishes from the table.

“I don’t think so.” Ellen left the table, walked over to the sink, and started to run the water to wash up, but Suzie stopped her. “It’s the least I can do after Jim cooked such a fabulous meal.”

Suzie pointed at the new stainless steel appliance. “It’s called a dishwasher.”

“It’s called a waste of money in my book. Please let me do it. I hate those bloody things.”

“Nonsense, if you want something useful to do, make another coffee. I’ll help Jim make up your bed. Oh, and by the way, if things get bad at home, you can always move in here for a while. We could clear out the tiny spare room for you, and it would stop you waking up in strangers’ beds.” She laughed when Ellen’s face coloured up.

“That was a cheap shot, mate.”

“Yeah, but a necessary one.” Suzie laughed again as she walked next door, into the lounge.

Maybe it’s not a bad idea, after all! Something to consider, anyway.

At least it would get her away from her stepfather once and for all.

CHAPTER THREE

His car idled as he watched the crowd leave the nightclub. He decided to stay where he was and wait patiently for the right moment. His breathing increased as his heart rate escalated to a level he’d grown accustomed to over the last few months. The cops had no idea and no leads because he’d thought through his plan, crossed all the t’s and dotted all the i’s. He would’ve been up for Brain of Britain if his plans weren’t so downright evil.

However, this would be the first time he put his newly hatched plan into action. His modus operandi was about to alter, for the better, not for the girls, but for him.

He eagerly watched a single blonde girl stagger out of the club and head toward the taxi rank.

Time to make my move.
He put the car into gear and flicked a switch on the little machine on his dashboard. The interior of the car took on a slight green tinge as the For Hire sign lit up. His car crawled up to the girl. As if sensing the car behind her, she turned, almost losing her balance in the process. He smiled broadly and wound down his window. “Taxi, love?”

“Thanks, you just saved me a walk,” the blonde slurred. She opened the back door and fell onto the backseat.

He glanced in his rearview mirror, careful to disguise his smugness. “Everything all right back there?”

“Yeah, silly me, I tripped over the step.”

“Never mind, as long as you didn’t hurt yourself. That’s the main thing.”
That’s my job!
“Where to, love?”

“Hallow, please, just past Ladygo Stores.”

“Ah yes, I know it well. Pop your seatbelt on. There’s a good girl. Wouldn’t want the police after us now, would we?” he said in his well-practised sing-song, put-them-at-ease tone.

The girl picked up the belt and studied it for a while, trying to figure out how it worked.
Typical dumb blonde. Boy, am I going to enjoy myself with you.

As they travelled out of town and through the country lanes, towards her home, he kept a close eye on her, waiting for his opportunity to present itself. Her head bobbed, and he could see she was close to dozing off. At the next junction, he changed course and headed to the location that had come into his possession with perfect timing. Poor Uncle Fred’s passing had been a surprise, especially when he’d thought the old git had died years ago. The place was ideal for what he had in mind.

He hummed a tune he’d heard on the radio while he waited for the night’s victim to drop into his lap. He was elated when the girl’s head fell against the back of the seat.
Don’t worry, beautiful. Your handsome stranger will wake you up when we arrive at our destination.
He clamped a hand over his mouth to supress his snigger.

To his consternation, the girl woke up as the car turned down the dirt-track entrance to the farm.
Shit! Go back to sleep.
However, by the look of fear stretching across her face, he knew that was unlikely.

She wrestled with her seatbelt, but the superglue, which he’d leaned over and squirted into the clasp just before picking her up, held firm. “Let me out! What do you think you’re playing at?”

“Oh, come now. Sit there and keep calm. We’ll soon be home.”

“But… this isn’t my home.” Her eyes bulged in her pretty face, then blinked as tears formed and fell down her cheeks. “Please, take me home,” her timid voice begged.