Indefensible (DI Sara Ramsey Book 12) Page 2

  “You’re a wuss, always have been and always will be. Wusses never prosper in this life. Get out if you don’t want to see it.”

  He stared on as Adam thrust the knife into the woman’s chest, over and over until her screams died down and blood covered her white blouse and jumper.

  Satisfied, Adam took the money and left the house. Regret coursed through the older man. Why did I get him involved? Now I have the old woman’s blood on my hands.

  1

  “Before you go, ma’am, I’ve just received a call that I think you’ll be interested in.”

  Sara stared at the desk sergeant and glanced up at the clock on the wall behind him. “At nine-fifteen on a Monday evening? When my beloved husband probably has my dinner waiting for me on the kitchen table? This better be good, Jeff.”

  He winced. “Sorry, I believe it’s good enough to want to bypass your dinner.”

  She stepped closer, leaving her partner behind, and warned, “This better be worth it now that you’ve managed to grab my attention.”

  “We’ve had a call from a concerned neighbour. She popped out to the shops and when she came back, she found her elderly neighbour’s door wide open and her lying in the hallway, dead. Looks like a suspicious death.”

  Sara held out her open hand. “Give us the address. As if I can turn an elderly victim down. Reminds me of the first case I was assigned when I joined the station. I’ve always been a sucker for the old and infirm.”

  He smiled and nodded. “That’s what I thought. Here you go.”

  Sara looked at the address and ran through the map forming in her mind. “I know it, out near Callow, isn’t it?”

  Jeff nodded. “That’s right, not far.”

  Sara turned and faced Carla. “Do you want to tag along or are you going to call it a night?”

  “If I had a hot man waiting for me at home, I’d tell you to do one, as I don’t, count me in.”

  Sara sniggered and pushed open the main door. “My car or two cars?”

  “We might as well go in one car, you can drop me back here on your way home since you have to pass the door, anyway.”

  “You read my mind. Hop in.” Sara inserted the postcode into the satnav and started the engine. While the machine calculated the route, she drove out of the car park in the direction of the crime scene.

  “Just what we need at the end of a long day, eh?” Carla groaned.

  “I was thinking the same. Inconsiderate bloody criminals. One of these days, we’ll get home at a decent hour.”

  Carla laughed. “Umm… I think we do okay, compared to some of the officers working at other stations. Like I said, I’d feel peeved if I had a hot fella at home. I live in hope though.”

  Sara patted her partner on the knee. “You’ll find someone special soon.”

  “I thought Gary was special, at the time. I suppose he was… until the accident happened.”

  Hearing his name caused Sara to revisit the last time she’d encountered the fireman. Her warning rattled the inside of her head.

  “You okay?” Carla asked, interrupting her wayward thoughts.

  “Yeah, sorry. In a world of my own there for a moment or two.”

  “Thinking about your own loved-up relationship and making comparisons?”

  “No, not at all. Speaking of which, I’d better ring Mark and tell him I’m going to be late home.” She punched in her husband’s mobile number and spoke to him on the hands-free. “I’m in the car, say hello to Carla.”

  “Hi, Carla.”

  “Hi, Mark. Hope you’re doing well?” Carla replied.

  “Not bad. You?”

  “Fine, thanks.”

  Sara coughed a little and said, “Sorry to break up the pleasant catch-up. You’re going to hate me for what I’m about to say.”

  “Don’t tell me, you’ve got to work later than anticipated.”

  She didn’t detect any animosity in his tone, Mark wasn’t the type. He was as easy-going as they came. “Sorry, hon. Yep. To be fair, we were on our way home when we received the call. I’ve got to attend. I hope you understand.”

  “Of course I do. As it happens, I’ve had an emergency call as well. A cat has been knocked down and is on the way to the surgery. I’m in the car now.”

  “Brilliant. No, that came out wrong. I meant I’m glad I’m not the only one who is spoiling the evening we’d planned.”

  He chuckled. “A take-away and a romcom on the box, it’ll keep for another day. I’m at the surgery now. Give me a ring in a couple of hours, let me know how you’re getting on and when to expect you home.”

  “I will. Good luck fixing the cat. Love you.”

  “Thanks. Love you too. Bye, Carla. Stay safe the pair of you.”

  “We will.”

  “Bye, Mark. Good luck with the pussy.” Carla sniggered.

  Sara hung up and blew out a relieved breath. “I’m so pleased he’s going to be otherwise engaged. Hey, you haven’t mentioned it, have you seen Gary around lately?”

  “Nope. The less I see of him, the better. Couldn’t cope with his mood swings a moment longer.”

  “You need to get out there, socialise a bit more and find another willing partner.”

  “Ain’t going to happen when we get call-outs like this to attend, is it?”

  Sara turned to look at her and shrugged before flicking her gaze back to the road ahead. “You’re right. I did give you the option to back out.”

  “I know. Maybe if I had something better on offer, I would have turned you down.”

  Sara concentrated on her driving. Her eyes were tired, and she was having trouble adjusting to the dark now they were away from the city out on the country roads. She leaned forward, peering ahead over the steering wheel.

  “Is something wrong?”

  “I can’t see a damn thing. I’m being extra vigilant in case the local wildlife makes a sprint across the road.”

  “Get to Specsavers. You’re turning me into a nervous passenger.”

  “Crikey, they’re not that bad.”

  “Aren’t they? How come I can see perfectly well then?”

  Sara growled. “I’m beginning to wish you’d brought your own car.”

  “You’re not alone,” Carla chuckled.

  Five minutes later, they pulled into a street filled with a couple of patrol cars, a few SOCO vans and a crowd of onlookers to boot. “Jesus, haven’t these people got anything better to do? It’s at times like this I pray for it to piss down, they’d soon lose interest and trundle off home.”

  “You’re off on one.” Carla shook her head. “It’s called human nature when people are curious.”

  “Curious or nosy parkers tend to blight my life. I can’t stand them, there, I’ve said it.” Sara sighed. “Come on, let’s get suited up. Will you get the team organised? Ensure they shift these buggers back and push the cordon out further? I have a feeling the press will already be on their way.”

  “Leave it to me.”

  They left the car and grabbed a couple of white paper suits and a set of blue shoe coverings each then separated before they reached the house. Sara poked her head over the threshold and found Lorraine, the pathologist, crouched down, examining the victim.

  “How’s it going? I don’t suppose you have any information for me yet, do you?”

  Lorraine glanced up, her eyes watering. “I’m glad you’re here. This case needs to be handled sensitively.”

  “All cases should be handled sensitively, in my opinion, Lorraine. What’s different about this one? Are you all right?” Lorraine stood up and walked away from the corpse. On the other side of the hallway, she withdrew a tissue from inside her suit and blew her nose. Sara moved closer to the woman who had become a good friend to her since her arrival in Hereford. “What’s wrong, matey?”

  Lorraine stood there, staring at the victim for a while and then whispered, “She’s someone’s mother, grandmother even, and she looks… just like my grandmother.”


  Sara rubbed Lorraine’s arm, rustling the paper suit. “I’m so very sorry. What else can I say?”

  “Nothing. I need to buck my ideas up, pull myself together. Pronto. And usually, it’s not a problem, but this time, I have to admit, I’m struggling.”

  “We all get times like that. Lord knows I’ve had a fair few over the years, with what happened to Philip.”

  “Ouch, I never thought of that. I’m sorry, I feel stupid now.” Lorraine paced the area.

  “Don’t be. We wouldn’t be human if some of the shit we had to contend with didn’t affect us personally. Why don’t you hand the case over to someone else?”

  The pathologist played with the zipper on her suit for a few seconds, lost in thought. “Nope, it’s not going to happen. Your kick up the backside should be enough to put me on the right track again. I apologise for my lack of professionalism.”

  “Don’t you dare say that. You’re here, attending the scene and doing what you do best, aren’t you?”

  “Barely. But I’ll be back to normal in a second or two.”

  Sara inclined her head. “Want me to give you some space?”

  “No, I’m fine. You’ll be wanting to get home to Mark.”

  “Don’t worry about that. I’m here for the duration, Lorraine.” They both took a few paces back towards the victim and surveyed the body. “Seems like overkill to me.”

  Lorraine sighed. “You could say that. She’s in her eighties for fuck’s sake, hardly a threat, is she? And yet, here she lies, bloody as hell. A quick assessment and I found at least twenty stab wounds to her chest. I’m thinking one or two would have been enough to have killed her, so why the excess?”

  “You believe she knew the killer?”

  “Usually that’s the case. Or we could be looking at someone with anger issues. Stating the obvious, I know, but you get where I’m coming from.”

  “I do. Could it be a burglary gone wrong and the perp got frustrated with her?”

  “At this stage, anything and everything is possible.”

  “What about the family? Did she live alone or do we know if anyone else lives here with her?”

  “I had a brief chat with the neighbour who rang nine-nine-nine. She said the victim lived alone but had frequent visits from her family members.”

  “I’ll have a chat with her, maybe she can give us some contact information for them.”

  Lorraine pointed at a console table halfway down the hallway. “Address book on there, or maybe look through the call list on the phone at the recent calls coming in.”

  “Good thinking, I’ll do that. Are you okay now?”

  “I’m getting there. I’ll be all right as long as I don’t look at her face.”

  “Makes sense. I’ll have a chat with the neighbour first. Which side?”

  “On the right. Marjorie Fellows. I’ve told her to expect someone, didn’t realise you’d still be on duty at this time of night.”

  “It’s not such a shock to the system these days. They’re expecting us to do more and more work even though they’re intent on cutting the hours.”

  “Bugger, how is that fair?”

  “You tell me. I’ve got a tough decision to make soon. I’ve put it off as long as possible.” Sara lowered her voice and glanced up at the doorway on the lookout for her partner. “They’re telling me I have to make cuts. Give a team member the big heave-ho.”

  “Shit! I don’t relish the task you have ahead of you. Do you have anyone in mind?”

  “That’s just it, no, I haven’t got a clue. I have a sensational team, not one of them is a prankster or is guilty of not pulling their weight on an investigation. So how the fuck am I supposed to choose?”

  “Does Carla know?”

  “Negative. I can’t share that sort of news, damn, I shouldn’t be telling you this. The burden is laying heavily on my shoulders, though.”

  “Damn. I’d hate to be in your shoes, that’s a nightmare scenario to have to deal with.”

  Sara motioned with her head at the corpse below them. “Some issues are easier than others to handle in this life, although it might not seem that way at the time.”

  “You’ll work around it, if that’s what you have to do.”

  “I hope so. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Tell Carla where I am if I don’t see her first.”

  “I will. Good luck.”

  Sara left the house and searched the immediate area for Carla. Her partner was having an animated conversation with one of the onlookers. She decided to leave her partner to deal with the problem and to go next door to the neighbour.

  After ringing the bell, she stepped back. A worried looking woman opened the door a fraction.

  Sara flashed her ID. “Mrs Fellows, I’m DI Sara Ramsey. Would it be possible to step inside to have a brief chat with you?”

  “Yes, yes, come in out of the cold. I’ve been expecting you.”

  Mrs Fellows opened the door wider and allowed Sara access to the house. A small dog charged at her and the woman raised her walking stick, blocking the dog in its path. “I wouldn’t hit him with it, it’s just a deterrent, he’s territorial and often goes to bite strangers. Once he’s used to you, he’ll be fine. I’ll lead the way into the lounge, he’ll get in his basket once you’re sitting down. You’re not scared of him, are you? I can put him in the kitchen if you’re feeling uncomfortable.”

  “Don’t shut him away on my account. If you think he’ll settle down, I’ll take my chances with him.”

  “Come through. I’d offer you a cup of tea, but I only have enough milk for some cereals in the morning.”

  “You don’t have to do that for me.”

  “I don’t get many visitors nowadays, so what’s the point in getting in extra shopping just in case.”

  “I understand that. Don’t your family visit you?”

  “No, not now the money has run out. My husband had a lot of debts I didn’t know about. When he died, I was forced to pay them off. This place is rented. I had to sell the house. The kids blamed me for selling off their inheritance, and that’s it! I’m dead in their eyes. Oh dear, I shouldn’t say that, not with what has happened next door. Poor Val, she was such a lovely lady.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that. It’s hard dealing with families through life’s tough times, such as when a parent dies. I hope you manage to get in touch with them to sort things out soon.”

  “No chance of that happening, not with my family. Selfish fuckers, the lot of them. I barely have two pounds to my name and they couldn’t care less. Val used to see me right, cook meals for me when I couldn’t afford to feed myself. Now she’s gone, well, I imagine I won’t be long behind her.”

  Tears pricked Sara’s eyes and a large lump formed in her throat. “That’s tough. Maybe Age Concern can be of some help, or some other charity in the area.”

  Mrs Fellows batted the suggestion away with her hand. “I can’t be bothered. I have my pride, that keeps me going most days.”

  “It needn’t be like that. Do you want me to have a word with someone? I’ll willingly do it for you. You shouldn’t go hungry.”

  “You’re very kind. I sense you’re going to have enough on your plate trying to find the bastard who did that to Val.” She reached for a tissue from the packet on the coffee table. “I’m sorry, here I go again. I’ve done nothing but cry since I got back home. I’ll never get rid of the image of her lying there with her eyes open. It was such a shock.”

  “I’m sure. Thank you for plucking up the courage to dial nine-nine-nine.”

  “Of course.” She gasped. “Not sure how her family will take it. If I’d had Hazel’s number, I would have called her. I think she gave it to me years ago, but like everything around here, it soon got lost. I’m not one for putting things away safely. I usually write things on a scrap of paper and it tends to end up in the bin a few weeks later.”

  “Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll be able to locate her soon. Any idea which area Hazel lives i
n?”

  “In the city somewhere. I’m hopeless, can’t give you more than that, I’m afraid.”

  “Her surname?”

  “Val’s was Purcell, but Hazel is married to Ray. I can’t, for the life of me, think what their surname is. I feel such a failure. I should have been more careful and jotted their number down in a book somewhere. Mind you, I probably would have thrown that out sooner or later as well.”

  “Don’t beat yourself up. I’ll get on to the station, see what they can tell me. I’ll be right back.” She moved from her seat and the monster dog ran out of his bed and nipped her heel before his owner could intervene. “Hey you. I’m friend, not foe.”

  “Toby, get back. How dare you do that? Want to get put down for biting a police officer, do you?” Mrs Fellows shouted.

  The dog ran back to its bed with its tail between its legs.

  “It’s fine, no harm done.” Sara continued into the hallway and rang the station. “Jeff, it’s me. Do me a favour and try to find a next of kin for me for Val Purcell.”

  “Ah, I was just about to ring you, ma’am.”

  “You were? About what?”

  “I have her next of kin standing in front of me.”

  “That’s great news. Isn’t it?”

  “Depends on how you look at it. Roger Purcell works at the station. He’s a DS, ma’am.”

  “Holy crap. Does he know?”

  “Yes, he’s in shock. I’ve arranged for a car to come and collect him. He’ll be on his way to you shortly.”

  “Ugh… okay. Thanks for the heads-up, Jeff. How is he?”

  “As well as can be expected.”

  “Okay. I’ll wait at the house. I’ll make sure the pathologist finishes with his mum soon, before he arrives.”

  “Thanks, I’m sure that will help, ma’am.”

  Sara ended the call and returned to the living room. Mrs Fellows was holding her stick out to deter the devil dog from attacking her a second time.

  “Hello, dear, how did you get on?”

  “Very well. Mrs Purcell’s son is on his way here. So, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go and inform the pathologist of his imminent arrival.”

  “Of course. Will you be back?”