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

“Carry on with the tasks in hand. We’ll bring you up to date on things when we return. Charlie, are you ready?”

“I was born ready,” Charlie replied and winced when the words tumbled out of her mouth.

“I’m not surprised, considering who spawned you.”

Charlie stifled the laugh teetering on her tongue.

Roberts drove, and they arrived at the scene within twenty-five minutes. “I might be a bit rusty out in the field, feel free to butt in at any time.”

“Don’t worry, sir, I’ve got your back,” Charlie replied cheekily.

Patti eyed them with curiosity. “Hello, what’s going on here? And you are?”

“DCI Roberts, Patti, he’s my partner for the day.”

“Something wrong with Katy?” Patti asked.

“Can we keep to the investigation in hand?” Roberts interjected.

“Of course. Yet another victim who worked for Zedex. Apparently, she was on the phone to her fiancée at the time. You’ve got good camera angles, hopefully you’ll manage to pick something up from them.”

“Her name is Andrea Gregory,” Charlie filled in, staring at the body.

“Thanks. I’ll note it down. If you want a closer look, I’m going to have to ask you to suit up to protect the crime scene.”

“That won’t be necessary,” Roberts said. “We’ll leave you to it and track down the camera footage. Nice to meet you, by the way, Patti, I’ve often heard you mentioned.”

“I’m at a disadvantage; that’s a good thing, right? Proves the girls don’t run you down, not within earshot of me.”

Charlie sniggered.

“Good to hear I’m not the ogre they perceive me to be. This way to the office, is it?” Roberts pointed off to the left.

“I believe so.”

“Don’t let us hold you up then, Patti. I’ll expect your PM report within the next day or two.” He turned and walked away.

Patti raised an eyebrow and jerked her thumb in his direction. “I’ll do my best,” she shouted after him.

“You’ll do more than that,” he retorted.

Charlie watched the interaction and found it comical.

“DC Simpkins, are you coming?” Roberts bellowed, his voice echoing around the car park.

“Sorry, gotta fly.”

“Good luck, Charlie.”

“Thanks.”

Charlie trotted to catch up with Roberts’ long strides.

“Let’s get one thing straight, I don’t take to people standing around gossiping when there’s information to gather and get collated,” he said.

“I don’t think we were gossiping as such, sir. Patti is a close friend. She’s professional in the same way as we are, when we’re involved in a case.”

“Good, I’m relieved to hear that. Let’s see what the camera tells us. They never lie, apparently.”

They reached a tiny office. A man with chunky grey eyebrows answered the door. “You the police? Those people told me to expect you. I’m Warren Bagshaw.”

Charlie showed her badge and introduced them. “Can you let us see the footage and perhaps run us off a copy of the disc?”

“Aye, I thinks I can do that for ye. Come in, although it’ll be a bit of a squeeze with all three of us in here.”

“I’m sure we’ll manage,” Roberts told him, sporting an uncomfortable grin. “Can you tell us when the body was discovered?”

“Right you are then. I’ve done my bit and set it up for you. I likes to be organised, you see. Didn’t get to where I am today without being prepared. Yep, I came on duty at around eight. It wasn’t until I did my rounds that I found her lying there. I suppose by the time I’d made a cup of coffee, drunk that, it must have been about eight-thirty.”

“I see. If you’d like to start playing the disc. Thanks,” Roberts requested.

Comparable to a sardine in the confined space, Warren started the disc. On the screen, Andrea arrived in the garage with a couple of colleagues.

“Do you recognise the other two?” Roberts whispered.

“Yes, Ben Thompson and Steve Abbott,” Charlie responded without hesitation.

Warren nodded. “She’s good and she’s right,” he confirmed. “This is where it gets interesting.” He pointed at the monitor.

The two men waved farewell, and one after the other, their vehicles left the garage. Andrea was waylaid because she was on the phone. She laughed and smiled broadly all the time she spoke.

“Why didn’t she just get in the damn car?” Charlie muttered. She shook her head, aware of what was about to happen next.

“Makes you wonder, doesn’t it?” Roberts asked in response.

“She quite often does it,” Warren added.

“I see, okay, so if it’s a regular occurrence, then possibly the killer knew this and waited patiently for his chance to come.”

“Here he is now,” Warren announced.

A man came into shot wearing a clown’s mask. He stood to the side of Andrea for a good few seconds. Being so engrossed in her conversation, she failed to notice him. He moved a few steps ahead of her, and she screamed, almost dropped the phone. The masked man applauded and tipped his head back, obviously laughing at her.

“Bastard, he got a real kick out of this before he finally did the deed,” Charlie said.

“Aye, you could say that. Watch,” Warren advised.

The man pointed at the ground. Andrea dropped her phone down by her side and got down on her knees in front of him. The woman, rightly so, looked shit-scared of what was about to happen to her. The masked man aimed a gun at her chest. It went off three times. Andrea fell to her side and lay there, dead. But that wasn’t enough for the man. Whereas other killers might have done the business and run, fearing they might be caught, he remained there for a while. It was hard to tell what was going on, but Charlie presumed he was holding a conversation with the victim.

The murderer bent low and wagged the finger of his free hand while still aiming his gun at the dead Andrea. Then, he seemed to pause, pace the area for a few seconds before he directed the gun at the back of her head and shot her again, twice.

“Oh shit! That was a bit extreme, the woman was obviously already dead,” Roberts murmured.

“I’d say so.