Don't Turn Around (21 page)

Jennifer frowned. It took an awful lot to impress their DI these days. ‘Don’t you think it’s strange Will? Nothing much happens in Haven, then all of a sudden we have several deaths in a short space of time. Charlie Taylor, Johnny, and now Shelly. What if someone is targeting these people and making it look like suicide so they can get away with it? It’s very similar to a case my mum dealt with when she was in the police.’

Will reached for the spot where his wedding ring used to be on his left hand. Turning the band was a habit he had conquered long ago, but today his thoughts were far away.

‘If you’ve anything on this case you should try again with the DI. Don’t bother with Anderson, he thinks his shit’s custard, and he won’t listen to the likes of us. DI Allison’s in tomorrow. He might be in a better mood then.’

Jennifer did not share Will’s optimism. Her DI had knocked her back once already, and she would need more evidence than a blurry CCTV image to convince him otherwise. Firm evidence was needed to find the identity of the killer before he struck again, and if the job wouldn’t help her, she would have to find it herself.

J
ennifer decided
to risk another visit to check on Joshua. Amy seemed glad of the respite from her energetic four-year-old, and banished them both to the tree house in the garden. Joshua’s bobble hat bounced as he ran up and down the steps, fighting imaginary dragons to save his fair damsel Princess Jennifer.

She pulled her coat tight as she sat in the cramped wooden box, waiting to reward her prince with chocolate. Joshua had not mentioned anything of concern, and she was happy to leave it at that. She looked through the makeshift window to the small enclosed garden. It was far removed from the treehouse she had frequented after her aunt Laura took her and Amy in.

J
oshua broke
into her thoughts as he clambered up the steps. ‘I killed the dragon,’ he said with a sniff, his cheeks nipped red from the cold.

‘Well, you are the bravest prince I’ve ever met.’ Jennifer said, taking a tissue from her pocket and wiping his nose. ‘Here you go, fair prince, and I have for you a reward.’ She produced a small bag of white buttons from her pocket. ‘Kiss first,’ she said, before handing them over.

Joshua kissed her on the cheek before wrapping his gloved hands around her neck. ‘You’re the best auntie in the world. I love you to the moon and back.’

Jennifer closed her eyes as she hugged him back. ‘And I love you more than life itself.’

T
he figure
in the bushes smiled. Soon Jennifer would be given the opportunity to prove the sincerity behind her words. Hollow eyes watched as she returned inside, hand in hand with her precious child. He had them exactly where he wanted them. Soon the bonds of blood would be tested.

A
fundraiser party
was the last thing she wanted to attend, but tonight Jennifer had her reasons. Investigations into Shelly’s death had drawn a blank, but she had not forgotten the strange phone call in the car from Shelly, and the silent calls that plagued her throughout. Jennifer was very cagey about who she gave her number to. Apart from her colleagues and immediate family members, nobody else could have known it. Joan’s prediction had warned her of someone close betraying her. Was the supernatural entity receiving help from human hands? She had begun looking at her colleagues with suspicion, and a couple of hours at the party would be the perfect backdrop for checking their mobile phones.

She wondered if Ethan would be making an appearance. Their time together had been short-lived because he had been pulled back to Westlea. At least DI Allison was not attending the party. It would be easier to blend in without him keeping tabs on her all night. Jennifer knocked back a glass of wine to settle her nerves.

She gave her hair one last blast of hairspray and stared at the backless dress in the full-length mirror. She may not have been blessed with Susie’s curves, but she looked as if she had been poured into the red silk material. The party dress code was ‘glamorous', and she was looking forward to seeing Will in the tuxedo he had promised to wear. It was a big improvement on the fancy dress theme from last year, when most people had saved on a costume and come dressed as police officers.

The taxi beeped outside, and her heart gave a flutter as she fixed her strappy red shoes. After all she had been through, getting nervous about going to a party seemed stupid. No doubt everyone else would be well oiled by the time she turned up. Having the party in the upstairs bar of the station was a cheap option, and the savings on the venue allowed the booze to flow. She made her way down to the taxi, wondering if drinking wine on an empty stomach was such a good idea after all.

Jumping out of the cab at the back of the station, she paid the driver. She shivered, wishing she had worn a coat, as she attracted wolf whistles from the officers queuing for custody. A suitable hand gesture silenced the catcalls and she entered the building. The music throbbed a beat from upstairs. For one night the prisoner's shouts and moans were drowned out, and custody officers would be treated with the echoes of eighties music instead of the usual backdrop of colourful language.

The police bar was heaving, and smartly dressed bodies were dappled with colourful lights, flashing in time with the music. Disco Dave was at the helm, and already half cut by the look of him. The blare of the seventies music seemed incongruous with the glamorous dress code, which was rapidly deteriorating as off duty officers removed their ties to wrap around their sweat-stained foreheads to dance to ‘Kung Fu Fighting’. Jennifer rested her elbows on the sticky bar and raised her voice to order a vodka and coke. She craned her neck as she looked around the room. It was ten past nine and there was no sign of Will anywhere.

‘Hey girl, fancy a dance?’

The smell of stale beer breath made Jennifer wrinkle her nose. She spun around to see Greavsy, her custody sergeant, grinning stupidly at her. His green kipper tie swung around his neck as he gyrated.

‘Thanks Sarge, but I need a few drinks down me first. Can I borrow your phone? I've lost mine, I just want to ring it.’

Greavsy slid the phone from his back pocket, too drunk to realise that she would not have heard it over the music. Checking call histories was not foolproof as the records could be deleted, but at that moment it was all she had.

She handed back his phone and he made his way to the dance floor with his dripping pint, swinging his hips in tune to the music.

For the next hour Jennifer worked her way through the crowd, checking phones laying on the bar and coming up with excuses to borrow them, each time drawing a blank. At ten o’clock she rang Will on her mobile, raising her voice over the music. ‘Where are you? You’re missing the party.’

‘Mum’s had a fall and she’s been taken to hospital. I’m making my way over there now.’

‘Oh God, I’m sorry, is it serious?’

‘No, I think it’s more of a precaution than anything else. I’ll call you tomorrow, yeah?’

Jennifer’s arm was suddenly yanked and she was pulled onto the dance floor as an odour of sickly sweet perfume wafted over her.

It was Susie. She bounced as she danced, to the delight of many, as her tight black basque left nothing to the imagination. Her bright pink lipstick was slightly smudged, having pressed against several cheeks already.

To hell with it, Jennifer thought as she followed her lead, immersing herself in the music while the room grew warm and condensation steamed the windows. She danced until her feet ached, then limped back to the bar to see Ethan ordering a drink. Sidling up to him, she ordered a vodka and coke. They chatted for a while, Jennifer's inhibitions lowering with each drink she consumed. All thoughts of checking phones and suspect killers were replaced by a drunken haze as the alcohol made its way through her bloodstream. She eyed Ethan appreciatively in his sharp black suit. He had since discarded his tie, and undone the top two buttons of his white shirt.

As the end of the night closed in, Coldplay’s ‘Magic’ seduced their senses and they wavered onto the dance floor, mottled in a series of lazy blue and gold circles cast by the lights.

‘Sometimes I wish I could take a night off from being myself, have some fun,’ Jennifer said, shuddering as Ethan slid his hand down her bare back.

Ethan nestled closer to her ear. ‘Want to come back to mine?’

She shook her head, knowing that as soon as the fresh air hit her face she would change her mind. The crowd of partygoers had either paired off or were leaning into the bar ordering one last round of drinks. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him forward. ‘I have a better idea.’

Giggling, they scurried down the corridor and ducked into a darkened room, which was so small it could be mistaken for a cupboard. The PIRS room was used to assist witnesses to identify criminals. It had a couple of monitors, a filing cabinet, and a small table wedged against the wall.

Jennifer flicked on the light and locked the door from the inside. She reached for the table as Ethan kissed her, tasting of whiskey and surprisingly, cigarettes.

The clasps of her earrings dug into her skin as Ethan held her head in his hands. She kissed him hard, wanting to lose herself without thinking. The national anthem echoed through the corridor as the party came to an end, and Jennifer tried hard to dismiss thoughts of the outside world as she pulled out Ethan’s shirt and ran her fingers up his torso. But as his hands slid the length of her body, her lingering doubts returned. What was she doing here with Ethan when she’d arranged to meet Will? He was her best mate and he needed her. Ethan’s mouth nibbled on her neck before he lifted her onto the table, pushing her dress around her thighs, Jennifer gasped for breath. This is happening too fast, she thought, her heart thumping hard. This is all wrong.

‘No, wait,’ Jennifer said, her raspy breath abating. But Ethan didn’t appear to hear her, as he pulled her towards him. ‘Ethan, stop!’ Pressing both hands on his chest, she pushed him back.

Ethan shot her a look of disbelief as his hands fell from her sides. ‘Are you serious?’

Jennifer slid off the desk onto her feet, now painfully sober. ‘Yes ... sorry.’

‘Oh,’ Ethan said, slightly panting. ‘Seems I got crossed wires.’ The muscles in his jaw tightened as he tucked in his shirt.

Jennifer nodded as she fixed her dress. All she wanted was to be alone.

R
inging pierced
through Jennifer’s brain as her phone vibrated from under her pillow. She opened one eye and reached for the offending object. Her eyelids were sticky from the mascara that stained her pillow. She rubbed her mouth in disgust at the bitter taste of alcohol lining her tongue. ‘Oh God,’ she murmured under her breath, wondering how she was going to crawl out of bed. A tangle of memories fought their way into her consciousness. Dancing like a loon, drinking too much and … did she have sex with Ethan?

She raised her head from the pillow and a sledgehammer headache rained blows onto her temples. Clasping her head, she stumbled into the bathroom and washed down two painkillers with some water from the tap. Her reflection in the mirror conveyed that she looked every bit as bad as she felt. Her shower was not hot enough to wash away the searing embarrassment from the night before, and the memory of rebuffing Ethan returned. Jennifer leaned against the wall tiles as the water cascaded, relieved she made the right decision.

Her phone was thankfully free from missed calls or texts. At least she had had the hindsight to change to a late shift. There was enough time to pull herself together.

The water dripped from her hair as she pulled the towelling robe around her. A quick text exchange with her sister relayed that Josh was safe and well. She thought of her nephew, feeling the weight of responsibility. She was dealing with a serial killer. Why the hell was she messing around with some bloke she barely knew?

A text beeped to inform her that she had voicemail. Susie’s voice came breathy and excited down the line. ‘I’ve been hearing all sorts about you and Ethan last night, you little sexpot. Call me!’

Jennifer clasped her hand over her mouth as her stomach heaved. ‘Please no,’ she moaned from behind her cupped hand. Susie could spread rumour quicker than any tabloid. The phone lit up as Susie’s phone number displayed on the screen and her mobile played a ditzy tune in keeping with the caller. ‘Hello,’ Jennifer said, wincing as the cheery voice on the other end pierced her eardrums.

‘Morning! Or should I say afternoon? I hope I didn’t disturb you, but I couldn’t wait for the goss.’

‘I don’t know what you’re on about.’

‘Ohhh grumpy! Had a hard night have you?’ Susie chortled. ‘
Hard
being the operative word, ha! Now c’mon spill the beans, was he any good?’

Jennifer rubbed her forehead with the heel of her hand. There’s no point in being defensive, Jennifer thought, through the hammering pain in her temples. ‘Ah, you got me, what can I say?’

Susie giggled. ’Oh you lucky bitch, the only person leering over me was Greavsy. Ugh. Can you imagine it? Looming over you with those big sausage fingers? Not to mention anything else!’

‘I’d rather not,’ Jennifer said, her stomach lurching for a second time.

‘So go on then, tell all. Did you really shag in the PIRS room?’

Jennifer winced. ‘God no. We only had a snog. To be honest he’s a bit immature. Not my type.’

Sue snorted. ‘That’s not what Ethan’s saying, it’s all around the nick! They say it’s the quiet ones you have to watch.’

Oh crap, Jennifer mouthed to the phone. It was one thing getting the blame for something she had done, but this just wasn’t fair. Taking a deep breath, she spoke with as much composure as she could muster. ‘It’s bullshit. Honestly Susie, nothing happened.’

‘Relax,’ Susie said. ‘You’ll be old news by tomorrow. You know how these parties go, people are always looking for something to gossip about.’

Jennifer resisted the urge to fling her phone out the window.

B
y the time
Jennifer walked in for her late shift she decided she’d had enough. Thoughts of her mother had filled her head on the drive over. Being a female police officer was challenging enough now, but it had taken real guts to make promotion in her mother’s time. If Elizabeth was alive now she’d give her a rollocking for letting things get the better of her. Jennifer felt her anger rise when she thought of every condescending remark, patronising look and muffled snigger she had been subjected to in the last year. She had once been the golden girl of Westlea CID, whose detection rate was the highest in the county. This person she had become since the enquiry was not who she really was. How had she been reduced to this? A nervous wreck obsessed with cleaning, while the town of Haven was being bled dry because the people that should care were too busy looking out for themselves.

Jennifer strode into the office, ignoring the raised eyebrows on the way in. Sliding the scarf from her neck, she hung it on the coat stand along with her jacket, while eyeing the DI’s office. The air was filled with the smell of stale coffee, body odour and the slight taint of dead mice, the scent of which had returned now that the fresh paint smell had evaporated. Susie caught her gaze and shook her head to advise against her visiting the DI.

Jennifer straightened her shoulders, knocking firmly on the door before walking in.

DI Allison glanced up from the paperwork that was spread across his desk among empty sandwich wrappers and drained juice cartons. Overtime sheets balanced on the edge, weighed down by a half empty coffee cup. Mould lilies floated on the surface of the brown liquid within.

‘Can you spare me a few moments of your time, sir?’ she asked, her feet planted firmly on the ground.

‘I’m quite busy as it happens. Is it important?’ DI Allison replied, sighing heavily.

Too right it’s important, Jennifer thought, walking towards the blinds. ‘Extremely,’ she said, tugging the handle to block out Susie’s gaze from the other side. ‘May I close these for privacy?’

By the time he had torn his eyes away from his paperwork they were already closed. He gave another harassed sigh and gestured at her to sit down.

Jennifer eyed the dilapidated chair piled high with folders. ‘If you don’t mind I’d rather stand. I’ve come to talk to you about my place on the team, and I want to know about the case involving Frank Foster and my mother.’ Jennifer folded her arms tightly across her chest as she glared at her DI. ‘Sir, would you mind not rolling your eyes when I speak? I find it very disrespectful.’

DI Allison cleared his throat, a flush creeping up his skin. ‘I … I’m sorry, of course.’

‘To be honest, sir, I’m used to it. I’m bloody good at my job, but instead I get shafted day after day, and have my mental health questioned when I challenge anything.’