Shot of Silence (Justice Again Book 3) by M Comley (best contemporary novels txt) 📗

After having a quick wash, instead of changing into her leisure suit, she decided to slip into a pair of heavyweight tartan pyjamas, ones that had a zipper at the neck which she knew would hide the damage from AJ.

She eased her way back down the stairs and into the kitchen.

AJ turned her way. “That’s unusual for you to get ready for bed so early. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine. Being lazy and cutting out a chore for later, that’s all. Is dinner ready yet? Want me to lay the table?”

“Nope, it’s all in hand. I thought we’d be slouches tonight and have it on our laps in front of the TV, if that’s okay with you?”

She smiled. “What you’re really saying is you intend to make the most of not running around after a five-year-old.”

“That as well. Go through, I’m going to dish up. There’s a list of films I’ve noted down on the pad in there. Take your pick, and we can start watching it as soon as I bring the dinner in.”

“I wouldn’t know where to begin, the choice is yours tonight.”

“I’ll sort it out then. Fancy a glass of wine? Will your head take it?”

“I’m not sure. I think I’ll stick with an orange juice, if that’s all right?”

“Of course it is.”

Dinner turned out to be the satisfaction her body was craving to ease her pain and discomfort. Engrossed in the film, AJ cuddled her, and she drifted off to sleep not long after she’d devoured her spaghetti bolognaise. She woke up a few hours later when AJ tried to lift her from the couch. “Leave me here, I’ll be fine,” she mumbled sleepily.

So he did.

5

Katy drove into work, her head still groggy from the decent night’s sleep she’d had. AJ fussed around, fixing her a cooked breakfast which she gobbled down after her morning shower. She’d studied the bruising to her forehead and chest in the steamed-up mirror. They were both far more prominent than the night before. She’d ensured she got changed in the bathroom that morning, in case AJ noticed the discolouration to her chest.

Arriving at the station, she was delighted to find the rest of the team already seated at their desks. She smiled, trying to convince them she felt perkier than she actually did, knowing that a couple of coffees would brighten her mood within the first hour.

Katy carried her first caffeine fix into the office. The phone rang within seconds of her taking a seat. Coffee in hand, she answered the call and then took a welcoming sip.

“Sorry to trouble you, ma’am…”

“Go on, Mick, it’s always ominous when you ring me.”

“I’ve heard something along the lines that there’s been a shooting, ma’am, and thought I’d give you the heads-up first, before anyone else.”

“Shit! What type of shooting?”

“One involving bullets. Sorry, I couldn’t resist it. I’m not sure if it’s connected to what went on yesterday, but I’d rather highlight it from the outset. Wouldn’t want you coming down heavily on me if it turns out I screwed up.”

“You’re a very wise man. I’ll make the team aware and be with you in a few minutes. Have the details ready for me.”

“Will do, ma’am.”

Katy slurped at her drink, annoyed it wasn’t cool enough for her to finish it. She detested taking drinks in the car with her. The idea always turned out to be a bad one when it went cold before she remembered to drink it.

She entered the incident room. “Charlie, sup up, we’re on the move. I’ve had word of another shooting. Unsure if it’s connected to the investigation as yet. We’ll know more once we’ve attended the scene. I need you guys to make a start on obtaining all the CCTV footage and sifting through the backgrounds of the victims, in our absence, and don’t forget to seek help from your contacts on the street.”

She and Charlie made their way out of the station.

She threw Charlie the keys to her car. “You can drive, I’m still not a hundred percent, and that’s between you and me. I don’t want it going any further, you hear me?”

“I do. I’ll bite down on the lecture that’s sitting on the tip of my tongue then. It wouldn’t do any good airing it anyway, would it?”

Katy smiled over the top of her car. “You’re learning quickly, partner.”

Charlie shook her head and got in. The journey was easier with the aid of the siren. Fifteen minutes later, Charlie brought the car to a halt outside a three-storey townhouse, the render of which had been painted in a deep pink.

“Yuck, who would want to do that to their house?”

“Maybe they inherited the colour. Either that or their intent was to make a statement, and they’ve definitely succeeded there.”

There was a huge police presence. SOCO and Patti were in attendance and in the process of setting up.

“I have a couple of spare suits in the boot. I’ll get them,” Katy announced. She hung on to the door and eased herself out.

“Shit, boss. You can’t work in that state,” Charlie reprimanded her through a hissed exchange.

“Hush now. I’ll be fine in a moment. It passes within seconds, once I’m upright.”

“There’s no point in me saying anything, is there?” Charlie joined her at the rear of the car, and the boot sprang open.

“Nope. Give it a rest, partner. I’m fine. The more you go on about it the more I’ll dig my heels in.”

“You don’t say.” Charlie extracted a suit and stepped into it.

Katy could tell Charlie was narked. Neither of them spoke again until they reached Patti.

“Hello, you two. Hard to tell if this is connected or not. I thought I’d jump in early before you got around to asking the inevitable question. How’s your head? It looks nasty.”

Katy inhaled a breath. “It’s getting better by the hour, stop fussing. I can’t catch a bloody killer sitting on my sofa at home, can I? Now,