Overdue Justice Read online

  OVERDUE JUSTICE

  JUSTICE #19

  M A Comley

  Contents

  Other Books By M A Comley

  Keep In Touch With The Author:

  Acknowledgments

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Epilogue

  NOTE TO THE READER

  New York Times and USA Today bestselling author M A Comley

  Published by Jeamel Publishing limited

  Copyright © 2019 M A Comley

  Digital Edition, License Notes

  All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Other Books By M A Comley

  Blind Justice (Novella)

  Cruel Justice (Book #1)

  Mortal Justice (Novella)

  Impeding Justice (Book #2)

  Final Justice (Book #3)

  Foul Justice (Book #4)

  Guaranteed Justice (Book #5)

  Ultimate Justice (Book #6)

  Virtual Justice (Book #7)

  Hostile Justice (Book #8)

  Tortured Justice (Book #9)

  Rough Justice (Book #10)

  Dubious Justice (Book #11)

  Calculated Justice (Book #12)

  Twisted Justice (Book #13)

  Justice at Christmas (Short Story)

  Prime Justice (Book #14)

  Heroic Justice (Book #15)

  Shameful Justice (Book #16)

  Immoral Justice (Book #17)

  Toxic Justice (Book #18)

  Overdue Justice (Book #19)

  Unfair Justice (a 10,000 word short story)

  Irrational Justice (a 10,000 word short story)

  Seeking Justice (a 15,000 word novella)

  Caring For Justice (a 24,000 word novella coming July 2019)

  Clever Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)

  Tragic Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)

  Sinful Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)

  Forever Watching You (DI Miranda Carr thriller)

  Wrong Place (DI Sally Parker thriller #1)

  No Hiding Place (DI Sally Parker thriller #2)

  Cold Case (DI Sally Parker thriller#3)

  Deadly Encounter (DI Sally Parker thriller #4)

  Lost Innocence (DI Sally Parker thriller #5)

  Web of Deceit (DI Sally Parker Novella with Tara Lyons)

  The Missing Children (DI Kayli Bright #1)

  Killer On The Run (DI Kayli Bright #2)

  Hidden Agenda (DI Kayli Bright #3)

  Murderous Betrayal (Kayli Bright #4)

  Dying Breath (Kayli Bright #5)

  The Hostage Takers (DI Kayli Bright Novella)

  No Right to Kill (DI Sara Ramsey #1)

  Killer Blow (DI Sara Ramsey #2)

  The Dead Can’t Speak (DI Sara Ramsey #3)

  Deluded (DI Sara Ramsey #4)

  The Murder Pact (DI Sara Ramsey #5) Coming August 2019

  The Caller (co-written with Tara Lyons)

  Evil In Disguise – a novel based on True events

  Deadly Act (Hero series novella)

  Torn Apart (Hero series #1)

  End Result (Hero series #2)

  In Plain Sight (Hero Series #3)

  Double Jeopardy (Hero Series #4)

  Sole Intention (Intention series #1)

  Grave Intention (Intention series #2)

  Devious Intention (Intention #3)

  Merry Widow (A Lorne Simpkins short story)

  It’s A Dog’s Life (A Lorne Simpkins short story)

  A Time To Heal (A Sweet Romance)

  A Time For Change (A Sweet Romance)

  High Spirits

  The Temptation series (Romantic Suspense/New Adult Novellas)

  Past Temptation

  Lost Temptation

  Keep In Touch With The Author:

  Twitter

  https://twitter.com/Melcom1

  Blog

  http://melcomley.blogspot.com

  Facebook

  http://smarturl.it/sps7jh

  Newsletter

  http://smarturl.it/8jtcvv

  BookBub

  www.bookbub.com/authors/m-a-comley

  Acknowledgments

  Thank you as always to my rock, Jean, I’d be lost without you in my life.

  Special thanks as always go to @studioenp for their superb cover design expertise.

  My heartfelt thanks go to my wonderful editor Emmy Ellis, my proofreaders Joseph, Barbara and Jacqueline for spotting all the lingering nits.

  A special shoutout to all the wonderful Bloggers and Facebook groups for their never-ending support of my work.

  Thank you to Claire Frost for allowing me to use her name as a character in this book.

  To two people who truly belong together, Jamie and Victoria. Love you both, here’s to what lies ahead of us all in the future. Family are everything, even when we don’t realise it.

  Prologue

  Ten years earlier.

  She propped herself up against the wall, the shadow of the bridge above shielding her from sight. Withdrawing her phone from her pocket, she pressed the button to see the time. He should be with her soon. She shuddered against the effects of the bitterly cold easterly wind that was stirring. Her heart raced when distant voices sounded at the other end of the tunnel. She scooted around the end of the wall, tucked away out of sight until the loved-up couple passed, relieved they hadn’t stopped in the dark tunnel for a lustful grope. It was far too cold for that. Once they had passed, she returned to her position and waited. Memories she thought she had suppressed rose from the depths of her dark mind, a little voice instructing what she had to do to combat the torture of what the memories were putting her through.

  The pub had closed its doors around fifteen minutes earlier. What was taking him so long? Finally, footsteps, a shuffling sound as if the person was staggering, finding it a struggle to stand upright, no doubt due to the alcohol they’d consumed. This had to be him. He was a drunk. Some would even say he was a borderline alcoholic, he always had been—something that repulsed her to her core. She resisted the urge to vomit when the memories emerged once more and hurriedly pushed them aside, conscious she would need a clear mind to carry out her intention.

  “I knew you were waiting for me.”

  Making out what he’d said made her freeze. Damn, he’s spotted me. She didn’t break her cover, though, not yet. Thankfully, he drunkenly continued to slur his words as he recited the George Michael and Aretha Franklyn song, signifying that her fears had been unfounded.

  His singing became louder the closer he got. She swallowed down the bile filling her throat at the thought of what she was about to do, her heart racing as she clutched the blade. She’d been over and over how this would go down, but now that crunch time was here, she questioned whether she had the balls to see it through. She had to. She shuddered at the thought of this letch clawing at her flesh. The disgusting smell
of alcohol lingering on his breath as he’d tried to kiss her. She had fought hard, right up until someone had held her legs in place while the man carried out his degrading deed, stripping her of her virginity. His visits had become a regular occurrence after that first time. There was little point in her protesting. When she did, it usually ended up in her getting a slap from… She hated them both.

  The plan she was destined to carry out tonight had begun to stir the second he’d laid hands on her flesh. Now, that plan was about to come to fruition, and she couldn’t be happier. There was no doubting the fear touching every nerve of her body, but the eagerness to rid the world of such evil drove her on.

  The footsteps came closer. He toppled into the wall around five feet from where she was hiding and rebounded off it, swiping at the air and cussing at the invisible man he believed had shoved him off balance.

  What an absolute prick!

  She heaved out a silent breath to calm her nerves and prepared to strike.

  Four feet.

  Three feet.

  Two feet.

  He was there, standing right in front of her. She let him pass, her nerves getting the better of her. Did she really have the courage to see her plan through? The niggling voice combatted the one urging her to end this man’s life. She closed her eyes, envisaging what would happen when she attacked him. The satisfaction she would feel once the final breath left his vile body. He deserves this! She was doing this on behalf of the other women and children he’d raped over the years. She knew she wasn’t the only one, not by a long way.

  That thought urged her to break out of the shadows. She had soft-soled shoes on, so he wouldn’t hear her, wouldn’t know what was coming at him, not until he felt the blade at his throat.

  She crept up behind him. He staggered off to the left and then took a few faltering steps to the right. Her arms outstretched, she grabbed one of his.

  “What the fuck? Who’s there?”

  “It’s me, you fucking pervert. You know what? I’m going to make you regret ever laying a finger on me, let alone shoving that smelly dick of yours inside me.”

  He bent his head forward, searching, trying to peer through the darkness, to see who his aggressor was.

  She flung an arm around his neck and positioned the blade against his throat. His flailing arms almost sent the two of them off balance, but she held firm. She had to—there was no way she could let him go now. She had to finish the job. The first cut was always the deepest, so they said. She dug the blade into the side of his neck and wiggled it—she wanted him to feel what the sensation was like when something was forced upon him, just like she had felt in his presence over the years.

  He yelled out for help.

  “Shut up! Shout again, and I’ll end your life here and now. I have the upper hand, remember!”

  “I won’t. Let me go, I’m begging you. I’ll start going to church, rethink my evil ways. I’m too young to die.” His words came out in one long slur.

  “When? When was the first time you raped a woman?”

  “I’ve never done that, I swear.”

  She dug the knife deep into his neck again. “Don’t give me that bullshit. When?”

  “I don’t know. I was in my teens, I suppose.”

  “How many?”

  “What?” he asked, leaning against her now as his legs became weak through the blood loss.

  “How many women have you forced yourself upon over the years?”

  He flung an arm up. “I don’t frigging know. I never counted.”

  “You never counted the number of women whose lives you destroyed?”

  “I didn’t. They were up for it, most of them anyway. Most women enjoy a good shafting now and again. Admit it, go on!”

  Her anger grew to another level. She couldn’t stand to be near the man any longer. She placed the blade at the edge of his throat and sliced from one side to the other. He gurgled, his blood spilling over her hand. She had to force herself not to vomit. She wanted to stay there until he drew his final breath. She lowered him to the ground. His legs kicked out, and his arms flailed, but he said nothing. Within a few seconds, all his limbs came to an abrupt halt. She sank to her knees and bent close. There it was, the bastard’s last breath.

  Jubilation should have run through her. It didn’t.

  What have I done?

  Her gaze darted around. Shit! Yet more footsteps approached, and the silhouette of a man came closer, his steps heavy, the sound rebounding off the underside of the tunnel roof.

  She dashed for cover.

  “It’s no good running. I saw you.”

  She closed her eyes, recognising the voice of authority. Damn! What do I do now? There was only one thing left to do—face her accuser. Face the man who had brought this bastard into her life in the first place…

  Her father.

  Chapter 1

  Lorne stretched and winced, forgetting for a split second the warning the doctor had given her not to extend too far or there was a possibility her wound wouldn’t heal fully.

  “Silly, you know what the doc told you,” Tony mumbled, pulling her close for a cuddle.

  She slapped his hand away. “I don’t have time for this. As much as I’d love to stay in bed with you all day, some of us have work to go to.”

  “Cheeky mare. I have a business to wind up and packing to do if you’re still serious about moving to Norfolk.”

  “I am. I’m only going back because Sean told me I wouldn’t get paid if I didn’t work my notice.”

  Tony chuckled. “I think you’ll find he was pulling your leg. He’s determined to hang on to you. Who wouldn’t, given your success rate in the force? They’re going to miss you when you decide to retire, Lorne.”

  “I know Sean better than you do, remember? I’ll work the two weeks as agreed, more because I want to go out with a bang and prove to him what a great detective I am.”

  They both laughed.

  “Deep down, he recognises that, he’s just being a typical bloke, too stubborn to tell you what an asset you’ve been to the station over the years. I know one thing: Katy is going to miss you when you finally retire your handcuffs.”

  Sudden tears welled up. “I’m going to miss her, too. Sean, not so much, but don’t tell him I said that. Maybe we should hold a farewell barbecue and invite all the team. What do you think? Especially as you’ll be in charge of all the cooking on the day.”

  He squeezed her tight. “What a great idea. You’ll never change, you’re always thinking of others.”

  “Not really. There are exceptions to that. Such as when my life is in danger, hanging by a thread.”

  Tony grunted. “I think everyone would think the same if they found themselves in similar circumstances. I love you the way you are.” He ran a gentle hand over her stomach. “Scars and all. So glad that woman didn’t aim higher. You were lucky she didn’t hit any major organs. My life would be a mess if you were no longer around.”

  She turned to face him, gathered him in her arms, and they shared a long, satisfying kiss. “We make each other’s life complete. There’s no doubting that, Tony. I love you more and more with each passing day.”

  “That makes two of us, and to think, things could have been so different for us. You hated me when we first met, as I recall.”

  She ran a hand through his steel-grey hair. He was ageing rapidly now, they both were, as they were nearing their fifties. “I was testing you. You were so cocksure of yourself back then, agent boy.” She chuckled.

  “Bloody hell, you haven’t called me that in years. Can’t say I’ve missed it.”

  “I remember how much those two words used to wind you up in the beginning.”

  “I must be getting old. I spent the best part of twenty years being an MI6 agent and I can barely remember it, or anything else come to that, before I met you.”

  “You say the sweetest things. That’s why I love you so much. We’ve both led frantic work-driven lives in the past, but I
feel the same way as you do. That all pales into insignificance now. It’s the things we’ve achieved together that resonate the most in my heart and in my mind. Which reminds me, I need to get in touch with the other kennels in the area, see if they can house the dogs for a week or two until we get settled. Are you looking forward to the move?”

  “Yes, except for all the packing. I think the house and land we’ve chosen will definitely keep us busy in our retirement.”

  Lorne drifted as a picture of the farmhouse with ten acres and newly built kennels flooded her mind. It was her dear friend, Sally Parker, who had stumbled across the place and emailed her the details. Lorne and Tony had shot up to Norfolk that very weekend and offered the full asking price on the property. It was as if God, or someone else—Lorne had an inkling who that was—was watching over them. They’d been exceptionally lucky selling the house and kennels they owned now. They had been snapped up by a woman in her sixties who had a similar outlook on life as Lorne. They both felt it was their destiny to save as many abused dogs as possible. Lorne’s current home had turned out to be just the right size for the woman to look after on her own. Not only that, the woman, Marjorie Locksley, was a good friend of Carol’s. Which meant that Carol would be sticking around for a while, to lend a hand during, and after, the takeover.

  Yes, Lorne could have left the resident dogs with the new owner, but she would have missed them. So it had been agreed that Lorne would house them elsewhere for a few weeks until they had the kennels up and running at the other end, in spite of Marjorie telling her there was no need for her to do that.