Beautifully Irresistible (34 page)

“Here are the keys for the BMW you wanted.”

“Thanks, Mr Cole.”

“Bye, Sherlock. See you later and by the way, outstanding blow job, Miss Black, ten out of fucking ten!”

Chapter Forty Three

I took the stairs down to the underground car park and quickly located the BMW. It made me shudder just looking at it as the last time I saw the car, it was speeding towards me.

Deactivating the alarm, I slipped into the front seat. Taking out a finger printing kit, I dusted the area for prints and picked up some fibres from the seats. I opened the glove box and found a note with my car registration on. Carefully picking it up, I placed it in an evidence bag.

Hopefully something would turn up.

I checked over the rest of the car but I couldn’t find anything else of interest. Locking the car up, I walked towards the exit door that led to the stairwell. A shiver ran down my spine as I felt like someone was watching me. As I went through the door, I could feel someone pressing up against me. My assailant twisted both of my arms behind my neck and slammed me hard into the wall. My cheek ached.

“Snooping around yet again, are you, Jennifer?” a voice whispered in my right ear.

My heart was thudding loudly in my chest as raw fear prickled over my body in waves.

“Get off me,” I shouted with all my energy.

I tried my best to get away but he was just too strong for me.

“You are doing yourself no favours getting mixed up in things that don’t concern you, bitch. Just back off if you know what’s good for you!” the deep voice threatened.

If only I could have pushed him off, I would have seen who it was but I was trapped, pinned firmly against the wall.

“You won’t get away with this, you creep!” I shouted.

I could feel his erection pressing into my back. I felt really sick and paralysed with fear.

He pushed what felt like the muzzle of a gun into my back.

“Yes, I will. Can you feel how hard you make me, Jennifer?” he whispered as he transferred both of my wrists into one of his large hands. His hand travelled around my body as hot tears streamed down my face.

“Please just stop, will you? I’m begging you,” I sobbed.

I heard his zip opening and I was terrified he was going to rape me. My body went limp as I gave up fighting him.

Was anyone going to come and help me?

Please someone!

Anyone!

“Oh Jennifer, you are so sexy!” he shouted, pushing his body against mine.

Suddenly I felt my back getting warm as he ejaculated onto my thin dress.

He wiped himself off on it as I cried a river of tears. I heard his zip pulling up.

Thank god he didn’t rape me even though that was degrading beyond belief.

“Don’t you fucking dare turn around, do you hear me, bitch?” he shouted.

I managed to nod as the pressure was released from my wrists.

The double doors to the car park swung shut as he ran out through them. I was too frightened and shaken up to chase after him.

I slumped down to the floor crying but I managed to gather my bag up and find my phone. I dialled Zack but I couldn’t speak when he answered.

“Jennifer, what’s wrong? Where are you? Answer me please!”

“I’m at the bottom of the stairs leading into the underground car park. Please come quickly, Zack. I need you.”

I hung up the phone and sat in a heap on the floor.

Within minutes, I heard Zack thundering down the stairs.

He ran over to me and sat down next to me.

“What the hell happened?”

“I was coming back through the doors and someone grabbed me from behind. He… he touched my breast and he ejaculated all over my back. I was so scared,” I cried as huge sobs racked my tired body.

“Jesus!”

He pulled me into him.

“I want to go home. Can you get me any clean clothes?”

He took his phone out of his trouser pocket and hit a speed dial number.

“Joan, it’s Zack, could you do me a favour and run out and get Jennifer a dress from that boutique on the corner? Yes, Sophia’s, that’s the one. A size twelve please. She has spilt a full cup of coffee down herself! Thanks, Joan.”

“Thanks, Zack.”

How sweet that he knew my dress size. He pulled me up to my feet.

“Here put this round you, sweetheart.”

Zack handed me his jacket.

“Zack, there aren’t any CCTV cameras here. We won’t be able to find out who it was.”

“Shit! You are right.”

He helped me up the stairs. I waited in the toilet for him to bring me clean clothes. The reflection that stared at me in the mirror was not a pretty one.

My face was all blotchy from crying and my eyes looked like slits. Mascara and lipstick were all over my face and I filled the sink to wash my face.

“Jennifer, it’s me,” Zack told me, knocking quietly at the door.

He came in and I gave him his jacket back. I went into one of the toilet cubicles and quickly changed into my new dress.

“Thanks, Zack.”

I tried to smile at him.

“You will be okay but whoever did this to you will not be okay!” he said tightly as his fists clenched at his sides.

“Don’t do anything hasty!” I warned him.

“I won’t, but I will find out who it was! Are you going to go to the police?”

“I am. I will keep this dress in case they can get any DNA evidence from it.”

“Do you want me to drive you there later?”

“No! I will go tomorrow. I can’t face it today,” I told him as I was terrified someone would blow my cover.

“Let’s head home.”

He pulled me into a welcome embrace. I started to cry again.

We drove home in silence. Zack didn’t know what to say to me and I really didn’t feel like talking.

Chapter Forty Four

“We will get a takeaway tonight. Your choice, Jennifer.”

“I’m going to grab a shower, Zack. I won’t be long,” I told him as I wearily climbed the stairs.

I could still smell my attacker on me. He was wearing a distinctive strong aftershave that I was sure I would recognise again.

Stepping into the shower, I shut the door and tried to force the images out of my head.

First Alan tried to force himself on me and now Billy’s suspected killer did this after attacking me on the ferry and trying to run me off the road.

I was at the point of resigning from this case and maybe from the Police Force altogether. I just couldn’t keep putting myself through this.

I wasn’t strong enough.

The hot steamy water washed away the dirty feeling from my body as I scrubbed myself over and over again.

Feeling a lot better, I put my dressing gown on and I headed back into my bedroom. Zack had left a steaming cup of tea on the bedside cabinet and I lay on the bed sipping it. Tea always seemed to work in a crisis. Mum always said that.

I should be at home helping her. Tears started to cascade down my cheeks again.

After I had finished my tea, I quickly dressed and tied my hair up. I didn’t bother putting on any make up.

I started to go down the wide staircase and I could hear Zack shouting at someone on the phone.

He sounded really mad.

“No! I am not fucking kidding, Derek. A man assaulted my girlfriend and I am determined to find out who it was. I won’t rest until I know who it is that hurt her! Yes! Do whatever you feel is necessary, Derek. There are no rules to be broken. Understood? Goodbye.”

I stood outside the study door and took a deep breath.

“Can I come in, Zack?”

“Course you can. How are you feeling?”

“Much better thanks, Zack, thanks to you.”

“Come here, baby.”

I went over to him and climbed onto his lap. His strong arms felt so warm and reassuring around me.

“Jennifer, do you have any idea who it was?”

“He was tall, strong and muscular, maybe not as tall as you but definitely over 6ft.”

“Do you remember anything else?” he asked gently.

“Yes, he was wearing a really strong aftershave and he was well spoken, well educated,” I told him as I watched his face.

There was a flicker of something in his eyes as I described my attacker.

“I have Derek, my best man in these types of things, on the case. He gets results. He has a certain way about him.”

I had seen Derek and I knew what he meant. You wouldn’t want to cross him and he was not the man that attacked me. Derek was as tall as he was wide and I knew that he was from the Manchester area.

Snuggling into Zack, I had the distinct feeling that he had a suspicion about who my attacker was.

I was sure he would sort it out in his own way.

I closed my eyes and the next thing I knew Zack was climbing the stairs carrying me effortlessly. He placed me gently onto my bed pulling the covers back, his hands quickly undressing me. I felt him kiss the top of my head before he quietly shut the door.

I fell into exhausted sleep but I awoke suddenly when I felt Zack next to me fidgeting around. He was shouting again. I decided to get out of the bed in case he grabbed me again as he had really hurt my wrist last time.

“No! Phoebe, no! Stay away from…” he mumbled.

What was he saying?

“Alex! Get off her!” he shouted.

His hair was plastered to his forehead. He looked terrified.

“No, no, no! Jasper, no!” he screamed into the quiet room.

“Zack,” I shouted quite loudly, keeping my distance from his flailing body.

The covers were all over the bed as he thrashed about.

“Zack,” I repeated.

His eyes snapped open and he blinked rapidly at me. He was gasping for air and my heart went out to him.

“Jennifer, are you okay? I didn’t hurt you again, did I?” he whispered.

“No, I am fine. Don’t worry, sweetheart.”

“I was having another nightmare.”

He swallowed noisily.

“I know.”

“It was awful.”

“I am going to run you a bath. You are soaking wet. I will strip the bed while you are in the bath.”

Once Zack was lying in the bath, I stripped the sweat-soaked bed and put fresh bedding on.

“Are you okay?”

“Much better thanks baby.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

“No,” he said quietly.

“Okay. Well, if you do, I am always here for you.”

We returned to bed after I had dried off his tired body. He spooned into my back and fell fast asleep almost instantly.

I lay there most of the night trying to piece together the evidence I had gathered in this challenging case.

Could the shooter be David or Alex? David had no motive but Alex had. He was the spurned lover hopelessly in love with Phoebe. Could he be my attacker? David and Alex are very similar physically.

Billy’s last words weren’t exactly clear.

I was sure it was one of them.

I was 100% positive of it.

Chapter Forty Five

The following morning, I went in to the station with my gathered evidence.

“Come in, Black,” barked Ross beckoning me into his untidy office.

“Sir, I am sorry about the brief text last night. Mr Cole was with me nearly all of the time.”

I told him about collecting the evidence from the BMW and my subsequent attack in the stairwell.

“I might have to pull you from this case, Black. It’s getting very dangerous.”

“No, I don’t want you to, Sir. I have completed my firearms training so I would like a weapon.”

“Okay, but I will have to check with upstairs first. I will get the wheels in motion.”

“Thank you. I was on the edge of quitting last night but I feel like I am really close to cracking this case and I have worked too damn hard to give up now.”

“Get all your evidence over to the lab and fast track it. Good work, Black. I think after this case is wrapped up you should consider going in for your Sergeant’s exam.”

“I might do that, Sir. Thanks.”

I headed over to the lab with my collection of evidence including the revolting sticky dress.

I walked slowly in as my friend Susie greeted me.

“Hi, Jennifer. How’s it going?”

“Good, thanks. How are you, Susie?”

“Fine, thanks. Busy as usual. What do you have here, then?”

“A collection of evidence I obtained from a BMW leased by Cole Enterprises in connection with the Phoebe Cole case. This item is an extremely attractive dress with sperm on the back of it that I was wearing yesterday when a suspect attacked me.”