Maggie Jamieson Crime Thriller

CHAPTER EIGHT

Patrick had made sure Lucy knew exactly how he felt about her bloody note when he’d texted her back earlier. He wondered if Lucy’s sister, Melody, would also be coming over. A bit of eye candy would make it easier to tolerate the whole situation.

Unlike Lucy, Mel looked after herself. She had big tits she liked to put on show and wore short skirts to accentuate her long, toned legs. Even though she was a solicitor, Patrick liked her down-to-earth personality. He often wondered if he had chosen the wrong sister. He made his way to the bathroom, the thought of Mel still stuck in his head.

There were only a couple of hours before he had to collect Siobhan, so he jumped in the shower in an attempt to sober up. Lucy would have a go at him if he was drunk and he couldn’t be bothered with the hassle. If the nosy bitches that hung around the school gate smelled alcohol on him, that social worker would start her home visits all over again. He wouldn’t put it past any one of those tramps to ring social services. Lucy would go ballistic.

Back downstairs, he picked up the post, sat down in his favourite chair, and went through the envelopes. Bills, bills, and more bills. He threw them on the coffee table for Lucy to deal with when she got home. He thought about looking for a job, but remembered how quickly he had lost the last one. The row with his old colleague that had spiralled out of control. The way people had laughed at him, taken the piss. A good kicking is what they deserved.

Patrick’s main concern was his kids – Siobhan and Rory – and anyway there was no need to work if Lucy continued to pay for everything. They were struggling financially, but he wasn’t going to just take any job. He wanted his kids to be proud of him. He saw the way they looked up to Lucy. Patrick was hoping that Rory would visit again soon, though he knew Rory’s mother did her best to poison his son’s mind against him.

Another stupid bitch.

It was no secret that Patrick loved his drink, so why did the women in his life always make an issue out of it? They knew what they were getting from the start. Beer was his drink of choice, but, if truth be told, he’d drink anything. It let him see things more clearly, made everything quieter, even if it did sometimes make him angry or sad. Fuck Lucy – what does she know?

Today he felt a bit down and Lucy’s constant moaning didn’t help. Patrick was no fool. He had a rage inside, he’d had it from a very young age. He couldn’t help it. It was his parents’ fault. After all, witnessing his mother being beaten and getting a few hard slaps at the hands of his father would be hard for anyone. What did people expect? His father wasn’t selective though – he beat all his children equally. Fair is fair, he used to say.

Patrick clenched his fists. He used to promise himself he’d never treat a woman the way his father treated his mother. Promises he found hard to keep. He didn’t care what anyone said – he wasn’t like his father.

CHAPTER NINE

Maggie and Kat arrived at Wendy Parker’s house after going to the hospital to check on Drew Talbot’s ex – Heather Parker. The nurses had confirmed that Heather had been in the hospital for the last three weeks and, with the recent infection she had from her injuries, there was no way she could have left the hospital in her condition and the only person who had visited her since she was admitted was her mother, Wendy.

They knocked and waited for Mrs Parker to answer the door.

‘I’m coming,’ a frail-sounding voice called out.

The door could use a bit of WD-40, thought Maggie, as it squeaked open. The haggardlooking woman inside had grey hair, tightly piled in a bun on the top of her head, and wore a pair of slacks with a neat blouse.

‘If you’re selling something, I’ll save you the time. I’m not interested.’

Maggie smiled. ‘Are you Mrs Parker?’

‘I am.’

‘My name is DC Jamieson, and this is my colleague, PC Everett. Would it be OK if we came in and had a chat?’

She noticeably relaxed at the sight of their ID. ‘Of course. Please, make yourselves at home. Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?’

‘That would be lovely. I’ll have a coffee – milk, no sugar – and PC Everett will have a cup of tea if it is not too much trouble. Milk and one sugar.’ Kat looked almost surprised that Maggie had remembered how she liked her tea.

‘Is this about Drew? Was it him that was attacked? It’s been all over the news. I won’t be at all upset to hear that someone finally gave him what he deserved.’

Kat piped up, ‘Yes, I’m afraid it was Drew. We just have a few questions for you.’

‘For me? What in the world would I know about this?’

‘Standard procedures, Mrs Parker.’ Maggie stood up to help the woman with the tray of tea. She looked like she might fall over.

‘Oh. Thank you. I can normally manage, but I’ve been having dizzy spells lately. Old age, I guess … and please, call me Wendy.’

‘OK, Wendy. Can you tell me where you were on Monday between the hours of midnight and four a.m.?’ Maggie watched her eyes.

‘Are you having a laugh? Look at me. I’m in bed before nine most nights. I can barely lift a tray of tea. How do you expect me to have inflicted all those injuries that the news reported? And the size of him! I’d need a ladder to hit his head … pffft.’

‘Please just answer the question, Wendy, so we can eliminate you from our enquiries. Did you ask anyone to hurt Mr Talbot? Or do you know of anyone who would want to hurt him?’ Maggie asked reluctantly.

‘Absolutely not! How dare you even insinuate such a thing. Do you know what HE did to my daughter? Do you?’

Trying to calm the situation, Kat changed the subject. ‘We do know, and it was a horrible assault on your daughter. But as I’m sure you understand, we have to ask these questions. Mr Talbot’s family need answers too.’

Wendy seemed to soften at the mention of other victims. ‘It was awful … just awful what that man did to my girl. I could see the imprint of his hands around her throat in the bruises.’

Maggie handed her a tissue and patted her knee.

‘We’re so sorry, Wendy. At least he will never be able to hurt anyone again.’

‘It’s all my fault. My fault. I turned her away when she came here. I thought she just wanted money for drugs. Why did I do that?’

Seeing the anguish in Wendy’s eyes, Maggie’s throat tightened. She could only imagine what Wendy was feeling. If someone had hurt her, both her parents would have the same view. ‘We’re sure you did what you thought best. How were you to know what was happening?’

‘My head knows that. My heart says: a mother should know.’

‘This is not your fault, OK?’ She smiled and patted the woman’s knee again. ‘But like my colleague has just said, you must understand how Mr Talbot’s family are feeling. We just need to help them get closure too?’

‘I understand. But I am still so angry with him. Walking about here when he was out on bail. No shame or remorse. And my daughter, lying battered and bruised in the hospital. It wasn’t fair and I wasn’t the only one who thought that either.’

Maggie looked at Kat. ‘What do you mean you weren’t the only one? Could you have said something to someone and maybe they took matters in their own hands?’

‘Did you not hear me before? Don’t be daft. I don’t have many friends and the ones I do have wouldn’t hurt a fly. I’m tired now, so if you’re not going to arrest me, I’d like you to leave. As far as I’m concerned, the man who hurt my baby got everything he deserved.’

Kat handed Mrs Parker a card. ‘Thanks for your time. If you think of anything else, our number is there. You can call at any time.’

‘We’ll be in touch.’

Kat and Maggie returned to the pool car.

‘What did you make of that, Kat?’

‘She was angry, but I don’t think she had anything to do with Talbot’s murder. Way too frail. She’s just concerned about her daughter. Do you think she was involved?’

‘My gut instinct is no, she wasn’t. But can we rule her out completely? I mean, she sure has motive. You saw her daughter. What Talbot did to her was vicious. I don’t think we should cross her off the list just yet.’

CHAPTER TEN

Finishing work without any further major incidents, Lucy arrived home tired. When she opened the door, she was met by an excited Siobhan. Well, at least Patrick remembered to pick her up.

‘Hey, sweetie! Where’s your dad?’

Patrick appeared in the doorway. His eyes were slightly glazed, and Lucy sighed.

‘What the fuck was that for?’

‘Patrick! Please don’t swear in front of Siobhan. I’m just tired, OK? That’s all. My parents are going to be here soon, and I’m not really in the mood. I guess I’d better start the dinner.’ Lucy turned and put the shopping bags on the counter. To avoid confrontation with Patrick, Lucy prepared the dinner.

‘Will your sister be coming?’ Patrick called. Lucy’s shoulders tightened. She didn’t have to turn around to know that Patrick was sneering at her.

‘I’m not sure. Mel just split up with her husband. She wasn’t sure if she could make it.’ Melody and Lucy didn’t share the best of relationships, though she hoped that would change. Lucy hadn’t told Patrick that Mel was single again, because she knew he’d use that to wind her up. She saw the disgusting way Patrick ogled her sister. At one point, Lucy had confronted Mel about the way she flirted with Patrick. Mel had laughed in her face and told her that flirting was one thing, fucking was another. Lucy never thought that Mel would ever make her feel the way Patrick did, but with that one sentence, Mel had confirmed how weak she believed Lucy to be. Their relationship was never the same after that.

‘Pity. Would be nice to have something pretty to look at.’ Patrick purposely knocked into Lucy as he made his way to the fridge for another can of beer.

‘How many of those have you had?’

‘Don’t start,’ he warned. ‘I’m really not in the mood. Isn’t it bad enough I have to sit across from your father and listen to his snide remarks about me?’

Lucy didn’t answer. She had seen the look in his eyes.

‘So, what’s for dinner then? I hope you’re going to make something edible for a change.’

Trying a different tack, Lucy put on a cheerful voice. ‘Your favourite. I thought I’d make a shepherd’s pie.’

‘Well at least that’s something. Even you couldn’t fuck that up.’ He headed back to the living room.

Lucy’s stomach was cramping with nerves. This wasn’t going to be an enjoyable evening. Why didn’t I just keep my mouth shut?

Forty minutes later, with the dinner in the oven and the kitchen tidied, Lucy asked Siobhan to set the table and went to get changed. If Mel was coming, Lucy would feel like a frumpy, old woman. Every one of her nice outfits was now too tight, all she had were her work clothes. She held back her tears, knowing that her father would start asking questions if he saw her red, puffy eyes. Lucy put on a little make-up, black trousers with a sweater, and stared sadly at herself in the mirror.

Mel was a high-paid solicitor in Birmingham. Her soon-to-be ex-husband was also a solicitor, and this always made Lucy feel slightly inferior. At work, Mel would wear power suits and come across as the total professional that she was. Outside of the office, though, it was short skirts, tight tops, and stiletto heels that were her sister’s weapons of choice. It never used to bother Lucy, until now – now she’d let herself go. Not caring served a purpose though: it reduced the number of times Patrick could accuse her of cheating. Instead, he would put her down, pointing out that she was lucky he wanted her as no one else would. Lucy sighed and headed back downstairs.

Patrick looked up from the chair. ‘Why are you wearing make-up?’

‘I just thought I’d make a bit of an effort.’

‘Oh, nice, you don’t make any effort for me, but you’re happy to put a bunch of shit on your face to impress your parents.’

Lucy knew she shouldn’t have bothered, but she didn’t want her parents wondering why she’d changed so much. Questions would be asked, and she just couldn’t cope with the look of disappointment she knew she’d see on her father’s face. Taking a tissue out of her pocket, she wiped some of the make-up off and sat anxiously on the edge of the sofa to wait for her parents.

The knock on the door startled her. Siobhan ran to answer it, but Lucy called after her. ‘Hang on, sweetie. I’ll get it.’ She ruffled Siobhan’s hair on the way past. Lucy hadn’t seen her parents for some time, so wanted to be the first to greet them. They had been very supportive of her – particularly her father – allowing her space to make her own decisions. It broke her heart that she now felt so distant from them. Straightening her sweater, she took a deep breath and pasted on a smile as she opened the door.

‘Hi, Mum. Hey, Dad!’ She invited them inside and kissed each of them on the cheek as they squeezed by her in the doorway. She was about to close the door when her sister put her hand out.

‘Eh! Charming, sis!’

‘Oh sorry, Mel. I didn’t see you hiding there.’ Lucy’s hands squeezed into fists as she looked her sister up and down. They were complete opposites. Mel worked out and showed off her toned arms and shapely legs with a tank top and short skirt.

‘Aren’t you cold? You barely have anything on.’

‘Don’t be jealous, Luce. It’s not an attractive feature.’

Why did I even invite them around? Shrugging her shoulders, Lucy shuffled them all from the kitchen to their seats in the dining room. Lucy cringed when her dad sat at the head of the table. The sooner this was over, the better.

The tension in Lucy’s shoulders subsided as dinner and drinks were served; the talk around the table was polite if not semi-strained. Lucy was embarrassed to see Patrick drinking heavily and leering over Mel. She seemed to be loving the attention, giggling like a teenager. The scowl on her father’s face said it all. Lucy figured her mother must have asked him to keep his mouth shut, because he barely said two words during the meal. Siobhan, as always, was as good as gold and Lucy smiled at her.

‘I’ll help you clear the table, Lucy.’ She really was a little diamond and Lucy gave her a hug as she gathered the plates.

‘Is everyone ready for dessert?’ Lucy called from the kitchen. She heard a few moans; the shepherd’s pie must have filled them up. But once dessert was served, Lucy knew her father would want to make a quick exit and that suited her just fine. The room was silent except for the awkward sound of cutlery scraping on plates. Someone coughed uneasily. Lucy didn’t want to make her parents stay where they were clearly uncomfortable. Her sister was the first to answer.

‘None for me, Luce. Can’t afford to add any extra pounds, if you know what I mean?’

Lucy held her tongue. She noticed Patrick lean over and whisper something in Mel’s ear. Mel giggled and slapped Patrick playfully on the arm.

The flirting between the pair was making Lucy feel physically sick. How could he do that in front of her? In front of her parents and Siobhan? Her hands shook with rage.

Before she could say anything, her father interjected, ‘Enough now, Melody. Can we just enjoy dessert without any of this nonsense?’ Lucy looked at her dad and thanked him with her eyes. He returned the action with a smile and a nod. Lucy really did miss her father, but she knew that the less contact she had with her parents, the less likely they were to realize what she was going through. She couldn’t take the pity looks and she didn’t want to hurt her family.

Everyone devoured the dessert in record time. Patrick made it clear the night was over by abruptly standing up and making a move to leave the table. ‘Right, time to clear the pipes out! Think that’s the first decent meal Lucy’s cooked in ages; my body isn’t used to it!’ He laughed loudly.

‘It’s late, darling. I think we’re going to make a move,’ Lucy’s dad said.

Patrick didn’t acknowledge him but turned to Mel, leaned in, and kissed her on the cheek.

‘It was really nice to see you. Don’t be a stranger.’ At least this time Mel had the courtesy to blush as she saw the look on Lucy’s face.

‘Take care, Patrick,’ Mel said. She reached her hand out to Siobhan. ‘Come give your Aunty Mel a hug, sweets.’

Siobhan walked over and gave Mel a big hug as everyone said their goodbyes. Patrick disappeared upstairs as Mel and her mother got into the car. Lucy’s dad, however, pulled Lucy aside and they stood in the front garden outside the open door.

‘Why do you put up with that, sweetheart? You’re so much better than him.’

‘Oh, Dad …’ Lucy hugged her father tight. ‘He’s not always that bad. He’s had a tough time lately.’ Lucy saw the look of disappointment in her father’s face. She could feel the tears welling up, too ashamed to tell him the whole truth.

‘It’s OK, Lou-lou.’ He used to call her that when she was a little girl. ‘There is always a place for you at ours, if you ever change your mind.’ He wrapped his strong arms around her and gave her a squeeze.

Lucy choked back the tears. ‘Thanks, Dad. That means a lot.’ She gave him another hug and waved them off, not seeing Patrick as he stepped back from the open bathroom window directly above the front door.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Across town, at the same time Lucy’s parents were saying their goodbyes, field officers were about to carry out the safe-and-well check for Louise. They knew Robert well as he’d been arrested a few times for drunk and disorderly.

As they approached the house, they saw a light in the front room. One of the officers knocked while the other tried to look through the window.

‘Who is it? Do you know what fucking time it is? Taking the bloody piss!’

‘Police, ma’am. We’re here to check that everything is OK.’

‘Well it is, so get lost!’

The officers looked at each other.

‘Please, ma’am. Do you mind if we come in for a few minutes for a chat?’

Both officers knew that if they left the property without actually seeing Louise, there could be trouble; Robert could be inside coercing Louise to get rid of them.

They heard the chains rattle and multiple bolts being undone. Clearly Louise was concerned for her safety. The door eventually eased open slowly. One chain remained, and Louise poked her head between the gap.

‘There! Satisfied?’ The officers heard her mumble some not so savoury words underneath her breath.

‘Uh, no – sorry, ma’am. Could you please open the door fully?’

‘Oh, for fuck’s sake …’ Louise shot back the final chain and wrenched open the door. ‘Happy now?’

‘Yes, ma’am. Sorry to have upset you. Can we just come in for a quick chat?’

‘Please yourselves.’ Stepping out of the way, Louise ushered the two officers into the living room. They could see curtains twitching in the street outside; Louise was clearly keen to get them out of sight.

‘When was the last time you saw Robert?’ The officer closest to Louise asked while his colleague stood looking around the room.

‘The last time I saw that waste of space was when I called you guys. Yesterday I think it was, it could’ve been the day before. Fucked if I know. There is a restraining order in place but that seems to do jack shit – which is why I never got one before! I mean, what is the point of having it if he can swan over here, do some damage, and then the police act?’

‘We understand your frustration, Mrs Millard. But it really is the best option. And with the panic alarm and your house being flagged – the police will respond immediately.’

‘Yeah, yeah. I get it. Just pisses me off.’

Before leaving, the officers advised her what she should do if Robert turned up at her house again but neither were confident she would heed their advice. They only hoped the next visit wasn’t for something more serious.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Patrick stood back from the bathroom window. Fucking prick should mind his own business. He gripped the sink and tried to control his breathing. It wouldn’t have bothered him so much if he hadn’t been drinking that evening. But he had, and he was fuming now. Blaming it on the alcohol made him feel better. He’d often say to Lucy, ‘If I’d been sober, that would never have happened,’ but Patrick knew the truth. It would have. Patrick hated feeling out of control, hated people treating him like a muppet. It wasn’t his fault if people kept winding him up. People like Lucy. People like Lucy’s dad. They did it on purpose. Especially when Lucy used her probation speak. If she’s going to treat me like an offender, I may as well behave like one.

Patrick loved Lucy despite all the arguments … the other women in his life were just a means to an end. A man has needs, and if Lucy didn’t want to fulfil them, he knew plenty of other women who would. Maybe he should make a move on Mel, make Lucy really appreciate what she has. He’d never leave her though. There was no way she’d leave him either. He’d make sure of that.

He flushed the toilet when he heard her come back inside and went into Siobhan’s room.

Inside the house, Lucy shut the door and leaned against it. Looking around the kitchen, she knew she’d have to clean up before going to bed. She turned on the hot water tap and started to fill the sink. While she waited, she wiped down the counters, and the dining table. Bitterness filled her mouth at the fact that her sister had reciprocated Patrick’s flirting. Actually enjoyed it. Especially after Lucy had confronted her and told her how she felt. Lucy wiped the table harder, her jaw tight. She thought her sister was better than that.

Lucy could hear Patrick upstairs with Siobhan. Although unusual, she was grateful that he was getting Siobhan ready for bed. She didn’t have the energy. It still made her suspicious, though. Patrick never did anything without expecting something in return, even for his own child. She wouldn’t let that prey on her mind; instead she wanted to get the kitchen cleaned and get up to bed before Patrick came down, that way, she might avoid any argument.

As she was finishing the last of the dishes she heard him on the stairs. Staring out the window at the overgrown back garden, her heart sank. She’d missed her opportunity. With a sigh, she prepared herself for whatever insulting comments he was about to unleash on her.

‘So, what’s your dad’s problem then?’ The accusation in Patrick’s voice was undeniable.

‘What are you talking about? My dad barely said two words all evening.’

‘Ah. OK. Are we playing that game then? I hate when you play dumb, Lucy … really fucking annoys me.’ Patrick’s lip curled in that sneer that Lucy recognized; she had to think fast, or something bad was going to happen.

‘Seriously, Patrick. I have no clue what you’re talking about.’

Patrick prodded her shoulder sharply as he accentuated each word spoken. ‘Don’t. Worry. I. Know. Exactly. What. I. Am. Talking. About.’ He then tapped his nose and winked. Making his way to the fridge, he peeked past the open door, staring at Lucy as he took out a can and cracked it open. He knew she hated that sound.

Lucy cringed and turned away. He won. She placed the tea towel on the counter and started to walk off. Patrick’s phone pinged indicating he had a text message. Just as Lucy reached the bottom of the stairs, she heard Patrick call out, ‘Well, will you looky here! Looks like your sister might fancy a piece of me.’ Lucy stopped dead in her tracks. Her head was screaming, Ignore him. He’s just doing this to wind you up. She clenched her jaw and began to turn around. What the hell was Mel playing at? When did she start texting MY husband?

Lucy was on her way back to the kitchen when Patrick came out. ‘Oh, you’re back. I thought you were slinking off to bed. And not even a goodnight kiss.’