Nine Lives by Anita Waller (best english books to read .txt) 📗

why? Even the clues about the car are proving to be non-clues. Seven people dead and we know nothing.’

‘Whoever it is has possibly a connection with a hospital, might even work in one, because not everybody can lay their hands on Propofol. The only alternative is to buy it from some dodgy website in the States, like the one you showed me. They’re forensic savvy because they leave nothing of themselves. This is why, despite Will saying why isn’t sex involved, I’m still inclined to think it’s probably a man, because he could take photographs of what he’s done and get his pleasure later from looking at the picture. That way he’s not leaving semen at the scene, pubic hairs anywhere, nothing of him.’

Beth nodded her agreement. ‘And none of that supposition helps. It’s all well and good having feelings about things, but none of it is factual, and we’re actually no further forward than we were in twenty-fourteen.’

‘True.’ Erica drained her cup. ‘Let’s go home. Let’s have our night with the witches and wizards, and come back tomorrow refreshed and full of Haribos.’

They walked slowly down to the car park, and Erica looked at her car covered in mud and grass. ‘Look at that. It’s a mess.’

‘You went to the river in your own car? Why didn’t you check out a squad car?’

‘Didn’t think. Got the idea and went. I’ll maybe call at the car wash on the way home. See you in the morning, Beth, and enjoy your evening.’

Frannie was already home when Erica arrived with her sparklingly clean car. She handed Erica a drink as she walked through the front door, kissed her, and said welcome home.

‘Something smells nice.’ Erica wandered through to the kitchen with her glass of wine in her hand.

‘Boeuf Bourguignon. Be ready in about half an hour. That okay?’

‘It is. We haven’t had any witches or skeletons yet?’

‘No, thank goodness. If we ever have any children, Erica, you can do Halloween with them.’

Erica laughed and dumped her briefcase and cardboard box full of sweets on the kitchen side. ‘I’m knackered. As soon as the door knocks are done with, I’m off to bed. I’ve been at the river for ages today, cold, wet and a miserable place to be. Beautiful spot though.’ She emptied the sweets into the big plastic orange bowl.

‘You went on your own?’

‘Kind of. I did know we had an officer on duty, so I wasn’t entirely on my own. I needed some thinking time, needed to work things through in my head. Will Bramwell wanted to know why there was no sex. Why did the killer go to the trouble of removing all their clothes, choosing really pretty women, and yet not having sex with them at any point, either pre or post mortem? I didn’t have an answer. The only thing I could offer as something to discuss was that maybe it was a woman.’

‘You think?’

‘It’s one answer. I think one or two people don’t agree with it, because it would take strength to carry a dead body, so I told them you could manage two wheelie bins at once. They were impressed.’

Frannie’s laughter echoed around the kitchen. ‘God, I love you, Erica Cheetham. You make me laugh all the time. You want some more wine?’

The knock at the door was loud, and Erica put her glass down. ‘Maybe fill it up, I have some witches to attend to.’ She grabbed the orange bowl and headed for the door.

17

Beth looked in the mirror and laughed. Calling in to pick up some milk from the local store had tempted her into buying a witch hat with an attached wig – bright orange hair that floated across her face every time she moved – and it totally changed her. She took a quick selfie and sent it to Erica with the message I’m ready, then headed for the lounge.

She carefully emptied all the sweets into a large fruit bowl, then opened a can of soup. She wasn’t hungry, knew she would be dipping in and out of the sweets all night, and she’d also accidentally picked up a delicious crusty loaf, so tomato and basil soup with grated cheese on it was exactly the ticket, she reckoned.

Carefully pouring the hot soup into the dish, her hand reached for the grated cheese. She heard the knock at the door, and grabbed the sweets.

Two witches and a skeleton stood outside, a woman dressed as a ghost waiting at the end of the path.

‘Trick or treat?’ the children yelled in unison, and Beth laughed.

‘We’ll go for treat.’ She held out the bowl. All three children thanked her, and the woman at the end of the path held up a thumb to also say thanks. Beth held up the Haribos, silently asking the mum if she wanted a treat, but the woman laughed and shouted no thanks, she would help the children with their sweets later.

Beth watched as the children walked down the path to rejoin the woman, then she quietly closed the door.

She had washed her dishes before the second knock came, and this time it was two larger skeletons and a fairy. The fairy clung grimly on to one of the skeletons; she was hardly big enough to walk on her own, but clearly determined to join in with whatever her big brothers were doing.

Beth looked around. ‘You’re not with your mum?’

‘Yeah,’ was a skeleton’s response. ‘She’s down the road waiting for us.’

Beth held out the dish and grumbled inwardly that her visitors were taking most of the Swizzels lollies. She smiled and waved as they disappeared out of the front gate, running down to meet their mother.

Beth carried the bowl to the console table. ‘Best take one before they all go, Beth.’ She removed a Swizzels lolly and placed it in the drawer.

The evening passed with multiple visitors, and at eight o’clock Beth decided it was probably all over. The knock made her jump, and she picked up the dish