No Going Back by Casey Kelleher (black male authors TXT) 📗

But DS Morgan shook his head apprehensively. ‘The motive isn’t yet known; the victim, Shelby Cooke, is female and heavily pregnant,’ he said cautiously. He knew how close to home this case would be for his young detective, given the childhood trauma she’d endured, witnessing her own pregnant mother’s murder on the very same estate. ‘She was followed and attacked. Luckily, she managed to get away almost unscathed. She managed to fend off her attacker, but she is currently in hospital. She was punched and suffered a nasty fall. The doctors suspect the shock of the attack has brought on the onset of early labour. So, for now, we need to focus on looking for her attacker until Shelby is free to make a formal statement.’

‘Attempted knife attack, Sarge?’ Holder interrupted to voice what the rest of the team were thinking. ‘So, if the victim wasn’t actually stabbed, shouldn’t uniform take this one?’

‘We believe that this may not have been an isolated attack,’ Morgan said. He’d been getting to this bit. ‘It appears it might be a bit more complex than that. We’ve had intel from some of our MET colleagues over at the Operation Command Unit at Richmond Park, about a murder that took place there last week. The victim was of similar age and also pregnant. She’d been stabbed in the stomach.’

‘A serial attacker? Great. So much for knocking off early!’ Holder muttered, guessing that this wasn’t going to be a simple investigation, completely unaware of Lucy’s discomfort as she stood deadly still beside him, trying to keep her composure as she learned the details of this next investigation.

‘The attacker left a rucksack at the scene of Shelby’s attack, which we’ve sent off to be tested for any traces of DNA. There was also some DNA left on a small length of rope that was found near the victim’s body at the Richmond Park murder. We won’t know if the attacks are linked for certain until we get the results back. However, in light of the similarities between the attacks I’ve asked for a forensic psychologist to come on board and talk us through the suspect’s profile, but they won’t be available until the morning. Until then, we’ll follow all lines of enquiry and wait for news on when Shelby Cooke is able to see us for that statement. That’s it for now, everyone. We’ve all got more than enough to carry on with,’ Morgan said, dismissing his team before making a beeline towards Lucy.

‘Are you okay?’ Morgan kept his voice down, watching as most of the team busied themselves now at their desks. He could see Holder hovering nearby, trying to listen in, but the officer wasn’t close enough to hear. ‘Off the record, Lucy, if we have any further developments and you want me to keep you off this case, I can…’ He paused, knowing how strong-willed and capable Lucy was as an officer – the last thing he wanted to do was single her out or imply that she couldn’t deal with this investigation.

She’d made it perfectly clear, when they’d discussed her mum’s cold case previously, that the last thing she wanted was special treatment or sympathy. But Morgan knew that this wouldn’t be an easy case. It was too similar to what had happened to her mother.

‘I just want you to feel comfortable, Lucy. It’s your call.’

‘Shit! No. It’s fine,’ Lucy said, shaking her head, trying her hardest to compose herself. She was grateful that her boss was being so considerate.

But she’d known the risks when she’d signed up for this job. She’d known that she was going to have to deal with things that might drag her own demons back up to the surface, and that one way or another she was going to have to face them.

‘You’re sure?’ Morgan said, giving Lucy one final opportunity to change her mind. If she decided to take a step back from the case, if it was too much for her to handle, he wouldn’t blame her.

‘Honestly, Sarge. It’s fine. I’m in for this one.’

‘Good. Why don’t you go home? Get a few hours’ sleep and get back here for the briefing first thing. We’ve got a long couple of days ahead of us,’ Morgan said, before noting that Holder was still hovering around behind them. He turned to him.

‘You may as well call it a night too. Get your head down for a few hours and be back here for 7 am,’ he said, before going to his office to make some calls.

‘You don’t have to tell me twice, Sarge,’ Holder said, walking back over to where Lucy sat and noting the pained expression on her face as she tried to focus on her computer screen.

‘You okay? What was all that about?’

‘Oh, nothing. I think the sarge was just checking that I’m okay. You know…’ Lucy said, putting her hand to her face. ‘After the whack I got earlier.’

Holder nodded, not convinced that Lucy was telling the truth but knowing not to push her on it.

‘Cool. Well, as long as you are?’

Lucy nodded, turning away and placing her attention back onto the case file on the computer, as she mentally prepared herself for what lay ahead.

The words swarmed before her eyes as she thought of a pregnant woman being attacked with a knife – such familiar details – twenty years after the case that haunted her dreams. It felt like history was in some ways repeating itself.

Part of her wondered why it still shocked her, the depravity of the monsters that they were forced to deal with in their line of work. Because she’d dealt with sick individuals like this before, first-hand. And it looked like she had to do it all over again.

9

Opening his eyes, Ashley Cooke flinched at the brightness of the room. Perplexed for a few seconds at the unfamiliarity of his surroundings, he took in the