Virtual Justice (23 page)

Lorne and Charlie waved to the dogs and then went back inside the house for a consoling cup of coffee. During the morning, Lorne kept a close eye on Charlie, who ambled around the house looking lost, until Lorne suggested she take Henry out to the training course.

Charlie bucked up, and Henry wagged his tail as if pleased to be the centre of the teenager’s attention once more.

Mid-morning, the phone rang.

“Good news and bad, Lorne,” Katy told her.

Lorne lowered herself onto the sofa. “Go on?”

“Bad news first. We managed to track down Simon Pierce, the ex-boyfriend of Susan Samuels.”

“And?”

“He hasn’t stepped foot back in the country since he left a year ago.”

“Oh, no chance he could have got a friend to bump her off?”

“It’s not something we’ve considered. Seems unlikely to me.”

“Keep it in mind.”

“Will do. Another thing that has come to our attention is forensics went through the agency’s computer and found that a newcomer made a date with a Natalie Swanson.”

“Okay, I can guess what you’re going to tell me next, that the newcomer’s details were all fake. Am I right?”

“Bang on. Plus they were due to meet up at a restaurant.”

“What day was the date supposed to take place?” Lorne asked as she doodled on her notebook.

“Monday evening.”

Lorne gasped. “The night Susan died.”

“Correct. Coincidence or what?”

“So…‌if this—sorry, did you mention the bloke’s name?”

“No. Hang on. Gordon Watts.”

“Right, if this Gordon Watts couldn’t get in touch with Natalie Swanson because Lucy pulled the plug at the agency, where did he find his next victim?”

“Where indeed. I might go and pay Natalie Swanson a visit.”

“It might be worth a shot to see if she’s contacted any of the other sites or if she’s recently joined an activities club or something like that. What about last night’s victim? Any progress there?”

“He’s quite poorly, but he put his pain aside to help the artist. He wants us to find the woman as soon as poss, fears she might try the same routine on another bloke soon. Thinks she’s a prick tease and gets off on leading men on, knocking them off balance, only to knife them when they least expect it. I’m inclined to agree with him.”

“Has the artist finished?”

“Yeah, I’m looking at the sketch now. Not sure I think it’s any good, though. I can never seem to work these things out. He’s done a photo composite ID, too, and that just looks weird.”

“Do you want to fax them over to me?”

“I’ll do it now. That’s as far as we’ve got at this end. How’s Charlie?”

“Well the dogs went off at nine, and she’s been walking around lost all morning. She’s just started training Henry. I looked out a few minutes ago, and she was laughing at his antics. I think she’ll be all right after a few days.”

“I’m sure she will. Gotta fly. Expect the fax soon. Let me know what you think?”

“Rightio.”

Lorne hung up and was just about to replace the phone in its docking station when it rang again.

“What did you forget to tell me?”

“I’m sorry. Is that Mrs. Warner?”

“Yes. Who’s calling?”

“Mrs. Warner, this is Dr. Steele, calling with regards to your husband.”

Lorne felt her heart beat at the back of her throat. “Sorry, Doctor, I thought you were someone else. Is Tony all right?”

“Yes, he’s fine. I wanted to let you know that I’m discharging him early. He asked me to give you a ring. Any chance you can come and pick him up?”

“Need the bed urgently, eh, Doc?” It was either that or the hospital couldn’t wait to get rid of Tony.

“How did you guess?” The doctor laughed. “In all seriousness, I suspect he’s dying to leave and get back home there to be with you.”

“I could be there in about an hour. Is that okay?”

“That’s fine. Look forward to seeing you then.”

Lorne leapt out of the chair, her mind racing about how to make her husband’s homecoming special. She shot upstairs to change the bedding on the bed. Then she ran back downstairs, put the sheets in the washing machine, and turned it on. She went to the freezer and removed a lasagne she’d made over the weekend. After putting the dish in the oven to thaw, she went back in the lounge to ring her sister.

“Hi, Jade. Are you doing anything special today?”

Jade sounded tired when she replied, “I’ve got another appointment with my psychiatrist. Why?”

“Oh, no worries. I’ve just got a call from the hospital asking me to pick Tony up, and I wondered if you could drop by and sit with Charlie for a while. That’s all.”

“In case you hadn’t noticed, sister dearest, Charlie is a big girl now and is more than capable of fending for herself and being left alone there for a few hours.”

Lorne exhaled slowly. “Yes, thanks, Jade, I know that. It’s just she’s a little upset today because she’s said goodbye to a couple of dogs she really cared about. One of them was Rusty. It doesn’t matter. I’ll see if Carol is available to come over. Thanks anyway.”

Lorne ended the call and dialled Carol before Jade could ring back and complain about being hung up on.

“Hi, Carol. I hate to ask, but can you come over and sit with Charlie for a while?”

“Yep, I was just getting my shoes on. Thought you’d be ringing me. He’s going to be all right, you know, so stop worrying.”

“Who is? Tony?”

“Yes, and Charlie will be fine after a few days.”

“You’re a Godsend, Carol. Now any chance you can pick the winning lottery numbers out for me?”

Carol tutted. “If I had a pound for every time someone said that.”

“I know, you’d set sail on an around-the-world cruise, blah, blah, blah.”

They both laughed. “I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes.”

“Thanks, Carol.”

Charlie came in the back door with an exhausted Henry at her heel. “Who was that?”

Lorne refreshed the water in the dog’s bowl, and he dived for it straight away. “Carol. She’s coming over. I’ve had a call from the hospital. Tony’s being released, and I have to go and fetch him.”

“Aww…‌Mum, she’s not coming over to babysit me, is she?”

“No, certainly not. I just asked her to swing by and keep you company. Pardon me for caring.”

Charlie rushed at her and flung her arms around Lorne’s neck. “I’ll be all right. We all will be, especially Rusty.”

“I know, love. Humour me, huh?”

“Okay. What’s for lunch?”

“Can I leave you to knock up something for you and Carol? I don’t have time to eat.”

“Do you think Carol likes beans on toast?” Charlie asked with a large grin.

“I’m sure she does. I’m leaving now. On second thought, I’ll wait until Carol arrives, then shoot off.”

“You will not. I’ll be fine. Go!” Charlie picked up Lorne’s handbag and keys and virtually threw them at her before she ushered her out the back door.

“Okay, I get the hint. I shouldn’t be too long. It depends on the traffic.”

•\ \ \ \ \ •\ \ \ \ \ •

Lorne and Tony returned home to find Charlie and Carol playing cards. At least that was what Lorne thought they were doing at first glance. She soon realised that the cards fanned out on the table were a pack of tarot cards.

“Mum, this is great. You should let Carol do a reading for you.”

Lorne’s mouth dropped open as an embarrassed Carol looked up. Lorne could tell that Carol was about to tell her something unpleasant.

“Go on, spit it out. What have you seen in my future?”

“Sit down the pair of you. I wasn’t merely dabbling here, and despite what Charlie inferred, I haven’t done a reading for her, nor would I until she’s older.”

“So, what have you seen?”

Carol frowned slightly. “First things first, how are you, love?”

Tony smiled and rubbed his leg. “Much better, thanks. I was driving the nurses potty and wanted to come home.”

“Thought he’d drive me up the wall instead, didn’t you, hon?” Lorne gave him her cheesiest grin.

“Ignore my wife. She loves me, really.”

Lorne squeezed his hand and then urged Carol to tell her what she’d seen. “Come on, what have you seen?”

“Well, when you left, I thought I’d have a bit of a tidy round for you, so I started in the lounge. That’s where I saw the picture.”

“What picture?” Lorne queried, perplexed.

“On the copier in there, of that woman.”

Lorne glanced down at the table beside Carol and saw a sheet of paper. “Oh, the fax, you mean. Gosh, I forgot all about that. Too excited about my husband coming home.”

“Yeah right,” Tony mumbled.

“Can I see it?” Lorne reached out as Carol handed her the picture. She studied it hard for a while before she shook her head. “Katy was right. It is a na—wait a minute. I know her. Dammit, where do I know her from?”

Tony took the picture, looked at it, then shook his head. “Not sure I recognise her from the agency pictures we saw.”

“Never mind, it’ll come to me. What can you tell us, Carol?”

“Well, she’s the killer all right. Except she’s being forced to do it. I’m not sure if blackmailed would be too harsh a word for what he’s doing to her in order for her to carry out the deeds.”

“So there are two killers. He kills the women, and she kills the men, or attempts to. The latest victim is in hospital. That’s how we’ve got the photo ID of his attacker.” Lorne explained to a puzzled-looking Carol.

“That’s what I’m seeing. If only I could give you more. I can see his outline but can’t zero in on his features.”

“That’s a shame. Keep working on it for me.”

“Of course. But if you know this woman, you should pick her up right away.”

“I intend to as soon as I figure out who she is. It’s so bloody annoying.”

Charlie reached over the table and took the picture from her mother’s hand. “Let me try something.” She turned the picture face down on the table and then turned it the right way up again. “What about now?”

Lorne shook her head. “Nope, nothing.”

Charlie turned the photo over for a few seconds more and then placed the photo in front of her face. Lorne twisted her head this way and that until she got a neck ache for her trouble. Then it hit her. She snatched the photo and ran into the lounge to call Katy.

“Katy, it’s me. I know who the killer is.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

“Y
ou managed to identify her from the picture?”

“Yes.”

“But when you didn’t get back to me, I assumed you didn’t know her. Anyway, that doesn’t matter. Who do you think it is?”

“Bella Croft.”

“No way! Really? Did we look at the same picture?”

“It is her. I’m positive. All right, it’s not a very good likeness, but I know it’s her. The question is, what do you intend doing about it?”

“Arrest her, of course.”

“I wouldn’t. I’d set up some sort of surveillance on her as we know she’s working as part of a team. Why don’t you and I team up? We could follow her. She’s bound to lead us to the bloke.”

“Hmm…‌let me run it past Roberts. I’ll call you back in a sec.”

Lorne glanced at the doorway to see Tony standing there. She rushed over to him and helped him to the sofa. “The doctor said to keep off your leg as much as possible for the next few days. Listen to him, okay?”

“What was that all about?”

“Stop changing the subject, mister. Katy sent a picture through earlier, and I recognised the woman as the one Katy and I visited the other day. Come to think of it, she had a really bad mark around her neck as though someone had tried to strangle her.”

“Maybe they had.”

The ringing telephone interrupted their conversation. “Hello.”

“We’re good to go, Lorne. I’m tied up today, and I’m sure you’ll be wanting to spend some time with Tony tonight. How does tomorrow sound?” Katy asked, her voice buzzing with excitement.

“Sounds great. What time?” Lorne asked. She smiled at Tony, awaiting his nod of approval. He had no hesitation in giving it.

“I’ll pick you up after work, about six-ish if you like?”

“You’re on. See you then.”

•\ \ \ \ \ •\ \ \ \ \ •

Bella had her instructions to be at Morris’s flat by no later than seven that evening. When she arrived, he was pacing around the living room. A funny cartoon image of a character with steam coming out of his ears entered her head.

“Everything okay, Morris?” She walked up to him and touched his forearm. Automatically, his fist clenched and powered into her stomach. Doubled over in pain, Bella stared at the floor in front of his feet. She saw his foot coming towards her and put her arms up to prevent it from making contact with her ribs. “Morris, please. Stop it!”

“You stupid bitch. I trust you with one bloody job, and you can’t even get that right.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. What have I done?”

He lunged forwards and yanked her up by her hair then banged her back against the wall. His breath hot on her face, he sneered. “You didn’t kill him. You’re an idiot. I should wash my hands of you—or better still, kill you, for what you’re worth.”

She gasped, realising her mistake. She’d thought she had killed him. She had intended to, despite liking Phil. Had her feelings clouded her effort when she’d wielded the knife?

“But—”

“Shut up. I’m angry enough as it is. Don’t make it any worse on yourself.” He pushed her head back, and her skull hit the wall not once, but twice. She closed her eyes, intending to block out his twisted features and the pain he was dishing out. Suddenly, his grasp loosened, and he set her free. He began pacing the room again, sticking to the same path in a small circle. She stayed pinned against the wall, too scared to move.

Then he acted as if a light bulb had gone off in his head. Morris dipped into the bedroom and came out again, pulling on a suit jacket over his matching pinstriped trousers. “Come on.”

“Where are we go—”

The evil glare he gave her silently told her she should shut up if she knew what was best for her. So she did. She ran to keep up with him. Then they hopped in the lift and rode it in silence down to the basement car park.

In the car, he turned over the engine, and as he drove out of the car park and into the lit street, his demeanour changed again, and he told her of his plans.