Vile Justice: A Justice series novella
VILE JUSTICE
A Justice novella
M A Comley
Jeamel Publishing Limited
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author M A Comley
Published by Jeamel Publishing limited
Copyright © 2020 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.
Contents
Also by M A Comley
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Epilogue
Keep in touch with the author
Also 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)
Justice at Christmas 2 (novella)
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)
Savage Justice (a 17,000 word novella Featuring THE UNICORN)
Vile Justice (A 17,000 word novella)
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)
Goodbye, My Precious Child (DI Sally Parker #6)
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)
Taken (Kayli Bright #6 coming March 2020)
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)
Twisted Revenge (DI Sara Ramsey #6)
The Lies She Told (DI Sara Ramsey #7)
For The Love Of… (DI Sara Ramsey #8)
Run For Your Life (DI Sara Ramsey #9) Coming August 2020
I Know The Truth (A psychological thriller )
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)
Criminal Actions (Hero Series #5)
Regrets Mean Nothing (Hero #6)
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
Cozy Mystery Series
Murder at the Wedding
Murder at the Hotel
Murder by the Sea
Tempting Christa (A billionaire romantic suspense co-authored by Tracie Delaney #1)
Avenging Christa (A billionaire romantic suspense co-authored by Tracie Delaney #2)
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 Barbara and Jacqueline for spotting all the lingering nits.
To Mary, gone, but never forgotten. I hope you found the peace you were searching for my dear friend.
1
“For God’s sake, Pete, not again!” Lorne shook her head at her hapless partner, not for the first time that week.
“What? So, I had a few extra bevvies last night.”
Lorne growled. “Have you listened to yourself? Look at you, you’re not fit to report to work today. By rights, I should send you home. You’re half-cut, man.”
“Maybe, and has anyone ever told you that you’re a nag?”
Lorne glared at him and pointed to the door. “Get out of this fucking office—no, station—and sober up before you return to work. I’ve had it with you. Your drinking is spiralling out of control. I need a bloody partner who will be beneficial to me. I’m not going to carry you a moment longer, Pete Childs.”
Pete stood and toppled against her desk.
“I rest my case. Call a taxi, you get in that car of yours, and I’ll get uniform to arrest you immediately.”
“I haven’t got the money for a cab.”
She opened her drawer and threw her emergency tenner at him. “No, but you’ve got money to spend on booze, right?”
“You’re a harsh woman at times. No wonder your marriage is on the…”
He halted his sentence, probably after noticing the way Lorne had narrowed her eyes at him, aware that he’d gone too far, as usual. “I’ll take a day off my holiday, it’s not like I go anywhere, is it?”
“And whose fault is that? Just go, Pete. Get out of my sight.”
She watched him leave the room with a heavy heart. She loved that man like a brother, and yet, at this moment, she hated him for not only letting her down but himself as well. All because his football team had won the league the night before.
So bloody negligent for a man in his forties to act like a teenager when he has a responsible job to report to the next day.
The phone on her desk rang. She answered the call. “DI Lorne Simpkins, how can I help?”
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“Morning, ma’am, it’s Bert here. I’ve received a call from a distressed woman who has just discovered both of her parents lying dead at home. Blood everywhere, apparently.”
“Shit. Okay, I’ll attend. I’ll grab the address on the way out, Bert. Thanks.” She ended the call and sighed. “Great, just when I need a decent wingman by my side.” Lorne tucked her warrant card into her pocket and left the office.
Pete was at the exit, joking with the rest of the team. He saw her and bolted out of the room.
“And that, folks, is how not to show up for work. I’m warning you, if anyone ever shows up drunk again on my watch, they’ll be instantly dismissed. AJ, get your coat, you’ll be my partner for the day.”
AJ was the newest member of the team. He was eager to learn and had hung on her every word since the day he’d joined the team a few months ago. He tipped his chair back in his excitement, his cheeks reddening under Lorne’s gaze.
She marched towards the door. “Get all your paperwork up to date, guys. From what I can tell, we’ll be dealing with a double murder case. Yet to be confirmed, of course. Ready, AJ?”
“Yes, boss.” He was beside her in a flash.
They left the incident room and passed Pete who hadn’t got very far on the stairs.
“I thought I told you to go home?” she snapped, flying past him.
“I can’t help being popular, lots of folks have wanted to chat with me.”
“They feel sorry for you. Come on, I’ll see if I can drop you off en route to the crime scene.”
“Or I could always tag along for the ride,” he replied with a smile, as if testing the water.
“You could, if your boss was sympathetic and not an ogre.”
He cringed.
“Hurry up, Pete, I haven’t got all day.” She ran back up the stairs and linked her arm through his.
Just their luck, DCI Roberts chose to appear at that moment.
“What’s going on here?”
“Pete’s not well. I’m going to drop him home on my way to a crime scene.”
“Are you running a personal taxi service now, Simpkins? Nice to see you putting your job first.” He thundered past them.
Lorne swiped Pete’s arm. “Just what I frigging needed. I’m fed up with you dropping me in the shit.”
“Sorry, that wasn’t my intention,” he slurred.
“Jesus, I’m just thankful you kept your mouth shut or we’d both be in his office by now being read the riot act. Now will you promise me you’ll get your act together? Either that or you’re gonna end up on the dole, matey.”
“I promise, this was a one-off…”
She shook her head. “You’ve said that the last three times I’ve had to reprimand you for similar incidents. I’ve had it, can’t handle the stress anymore.”
“Sorry,” he mumbled, sounding genuinely apologetic.
They made it down to the bottom without further problems and Lorne asked AJ to collect the address for the crime scene from Bert, the desk sergeant, while she helped Pete into the back of her car.
AJ handed over the slip of paper, and she asked him to enter the postcode into the satnav.
“You’re in luck, big man,” she called over her shoulder to Pete, “we’re virtually passing your front door.”
“That’s handy. I really appreciate it, boss.”
“Whatever. Do me a favour, don’t go puking back there, all right?”
“I’ll do my best.”
“You’d better.” She rolled her eyes at AJ who was shaking his head beside her. “See what I have to put up with, AJ? Don’t use him as a role model if you want to get on in this career.”
He sniggered. “That’s a given, guv.”
After dropping Pete off at home and ensuring he had enough milk to make a coffee, Lorne jumped back in the car and set off for the crime scene. They headed out into the country to a farmhouse situated down a winding narrow lane. She pulled up five minutes later and let out a groan.
“Crap, Jacques Arnaud. And there was me thinking my day couldn’t possibly get any worse.”
AJ tilted his head and asked, “Don’t you two get along?”
“We have our moments. He has one thing going for him, he’s an excellent pathologist. Don’t tell him those words ever left my mouth, though: his conceitedness—is that even a word?—knows no bounds. Well, if it is, it sums him up perfectly. You know all the female coppers swoon over him, don’t you?”
AJ laughed. “Well, he’s a good-looking Frenchman, what do you expect?”
“I expect people to be professional when they report for work, hence me sending Pete home today. It’s a bugbear of mine that I have trouble dislodging.”
“I hear you.”
Lorne smiled. “You’ll go a long way, AJ. Let’s see what we’ve got here, then. Now would not be a good time to tell me you’re squeamish.”
“I’m not.”
“Phew! Thank God for that.”
They left the car and approached the scene. Jacques was collecting some equipment from the back of his van. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the renowned Inspector Simpkins. It’s a pleasure to have you join us. And who’s this? Where’s your chubby partner, may I ask?”
“He’s ill. I’ve just taken him home. This is his replacement for the day, AJ. Be kind to him, he’s not been with us long.”
“Kind? Not in my vocabulary, you should know that by now, Inspector. Tog up, as you Brits say.” He threw them both a protective suit and a set of covers for their shoes.
Lorne and AJ ripped open the plastic bags and slipped on the suits before they followed Jacques into the house.
Lorne scanned the car park, a SOCO technician was putting markers on the garage door. There was a Merc parked in front of it. She said nothing to Jacques, that could wait.
They entered the farmhouse via the back door, as people were more prone to do living out in the country. Lorne wasn’t prepared for what lay ahead. She wandered through the kitchen with its dated units and followed Jacques into the lounge. He had to duck to avoid the low beams, but Lorne, being only five foot five, had no such problem.
There, lying on the swirly red-patterned carpet was the body of a woman. She was on her front, the back of her head caved in. There was blood spattered up the nearby wall and across the ceiling. “Shit! I’m taking it she was hit several times.”
Jacques nodded. “True. The perpetrator also slit her throat in the process.”
“After she was struck over the head, I take it?”
“More than likely, yes.”
“I was told this was a double murder. Where’s the other body?”
“In the office. Come, I’ll show you.”
Lorne faced AJ. The colour had drained from his young face. “Are you all right?”
“I think so. This is my first dead body, boss.”
She rubbed his arm. “Sorry, I should have thought. Do you want to go back to the car?”
He flapped his hand at her. “No way. I’m here for the long haul. I’ll be fine in a sec.”
“Good lad. Let’s see what the other body reveals.”
They wound their way through the farmhouse into the office with its matching beams and patio doors that led onto the driveway. The doors were open.
“Yes, I’m anticipating what you’re about to say next, the doors were open. There is a trail of blood. My initial findings are that the husband—I’m presuming he was the husband, judging by the photos dotted around the home—was struck outside as he left the car, and he probably managed to drag himself inside where the killer finished him off.”
“Hence the markers your tech is putting on the garage doors, correct?” Lorne noted.
“Obviously.”
Lorne resisted the urge to react to his statement. That was Jacques, always trying to put her down. Either he hated her or he genuinely wasn’t patient with the opposite sex, she hadn’t quite worked out which it was.
The male was also lying o
n his stomach with very similar injuries.
“The daughter called it in, didn’t she?”
“That’s right. She’s in her bedroom upstairs. I didn’t want her down here listening to our summation of the scene.”
“Why didn’t you ask her to leave, to go to a friend’s house?”
“Not my job. No point me doing your role for you, now is there, Inspector?”
Lorne tutted and shook her head. “I’ll go up and see her.”
“You do that and let me get on with analysing the scene.”
Lorne turned on her heel. AJ followed her, and they made their way upstairs to the master bedroom where a woman in her mid-thirties sat on the end of the bed, waiting for them.
Lorne produced her ID and introduced herself and AJ. “Sorry, your name is?”
The woman appeared shell shocked, her eyes glazed over as she glanced up at Lorne. “Maureen Phelps. How could this happen? Who would do such a thing?”
“I’m so sorry for your loss. That’s what me and my team intend to find out. Are you up to telling us what happened?”
“Yes, I suppose so. I might break down now and again, though. The tears keep flowing, and I can’t see them drying up anytime soon. Why them? They’ve never hurt a soul in their lives.”
“When did you find your parents?”
“I came to visit them this morning. I needed to pick up something for work.”
“You don’t live here then?”
“No, I have my own house, a few miles up the road in the next village. I didn’t move far from the nest,” she added with a smile.
“Not sure any of us do if we get on well with our parents.”
“I do, I mean, I did. My parents meant everything to me.”
“When was the last time you spoke to either of them?”
“Last night. I always ring, every day, and frequently pop in to see them. I think I probably spend more time here than at my own place.”