Wrong Place: A gripping serial killer crime thriller. (12 page)

“That’s sweet of you, Jack. However, I’ve decided to stay at my parents’ for the next day or two. I rang Mum earlier.”

“You wouldn’t be telling me a fib now, would you?” he asked, one eye half-closed and tilting his head.

“No. It’s true. Thanks for your concern. You get off and tackle your mess at home and leave me to deal with mine, okay?”

“Grr… did you have to mention that? I might just have a sneaky one at the pub before I entrench myself in the battlefield. I can still walk you out to your car, though, right?”

“That’s a deal.”

They left the building together then went their separate ways at their vehicles. On the thirty-minute journey to her parents’ house, Sally prepared herself for the barrage of questions, along the lines of what her partner had subjected her to earlier in the day.

She pulled up in the drive and glanced across the street at the troublesome neighbours’ house. All was quiet, thank goodness. At least if a disturbance occurred during the evening, she would be on hand to deal with it.

Trepidation seeped into her veins as she placed her key in the front door and entered the house. Dex was the first to greet her. She knelt and made a fuss of her dog, who was pretty vocal and seemed pleased to see her. Tears of happiness welled up in her eyes. She hugged him, stood up, brushed down her suit, then walked into the kitchen, where she knew she would find her mother.

Not looking up from stirring the pot on the stove, Janine welcomed her daughter. “Hello, love. You’re just in time. I was about to dish up.”

“Smells beautiful, Mum.” Sally approached her mother and planted a light kiss on her cheek. “Can I do anything to help?”

“What the…” her father’s thunderous voice made them both turn in his direction.

“Don’t start, Dad, please?”

Her mother gasped and grabbed her arm. “How the heck did that happen? Did someone object to you arresting them?”

Damn! Why hadn’t she prepared a tale like that on the way over here?

Sally shied away from her father’s stare.

“What in God’s name?” Sally’s father pressed in spite of her plea.

She shook her head. “I’m okay, Dad.”

“There’s no fooling me, child. You should know that by now.”

Sally pulled away from her mother and sat down at the kitchen table. Her mother turned off the gas beneath the pot on the stove then pulled out the chair next to her. She clasped Sally’s hand in her own. “What is it, love? What aren’t you telling us?”

Sally’s gaze went over her mother’s head and locked with her father’s. His face had darkened, resembling a threatening storm cloud, but there was a glimmer of a kind smile lurking in his eyes.
He knows!

He raised an eyebrow. “Your mother asked you a question, Sally. Kindly do her the courtesy of answering it.”

She knew when her father spoke in that off-tone of his there was no hiding place. Such places had been absent during her childhood, too.

Her mother turned sharply to look at her father. “Don’t speak to her like that, Chris. Show some compassion in your old age.”

Sally squeezed her mother’s hand. “It’s okay, Mum. Dad’s right. I shouldn’t keep this from you. I should have told you what he was like before.”

“You’re not making any sense, love.”

“Hush, Janine. Let her speak.”

Sally flinched at her father’s unexpected harsh words. “This didn’t occur during working hours, Mum. This happened last night at my flat.” Sally’s father sat down on the other side of her and grabbed her free hand. All of a sudden, a tsunami of emotions overwhelmed her. Her voice cracked when she continued, “It was Darryl.”

Her mother’s free hand clutched at her chest while her other squeezed Sally’s hard. “No. He wouldn’t.”

“Yes, he would,” her father stated. “This has been going on for years, hasn’t it, love?”

Sally couldn’t bear to look her father or her mother in the eyes.

“What? Is that right, Sally? Look at me, child.” Sally’s mother placed a finger under her chin and forced Sally to look at her.

“Yes, Mum. I’ve always hidden it from the pair of you. I didn’t want to shatter the illusion you had of him.”

“Ha! I had no illusions other than that he was a charmer who enjoyed cheating on you,” her father said.

“Why on Earth didn’t you tell me you had doubts about him, Chris? I always thought the pair of you got on well together.”

“I tolerated him for Sally’s sake. You know that old saying about keeping your enemy closer, well, that’s what I was doing with him. I was waiting for the day he physically hurt you in a place we could all see, and now that day has come, nothing would please me more than to teach that shitbag a lesson or two about how to treat women. Damn! Why didn’t you just come out and tell us this was going on, Sally? I’ve had to suppress the desire to thump him for years, but I couldn’t do it while you still loved him.”

“I appreciate that, Dad. I really do. All you need to know is that we’re finished now. You know what cowards men who abuse women are. Once the truth is out in the open, they rarely stick around to face the consequences.”

“Okay, I understand what you’re saying, but surely the divorce put an end to any contact between you, didn’t it?” her father asked.

“Yes, or so I thought. He turned up drunk at the flat last night. Rather than disturb the neighbours, I foolishly let him in. It wasn’t until I asked him to leave that he lashed out.”

Her father’s eyes narrowed. “What else did he do, love?”

Sally sat back in her chair, releasing her hands from her parents’ grasp, and stared at the table. She heard her father curse under his breath and scrape his chair back, almost tipping it over in his haste to reach his car keys hanging up on the rack. Sally glanced up in a panic and silently pleaded with her mother to stop him.

“Sit down, Chris. I refuse to let you go after that piece of filth. He’s not worth it.”

“It’ll make me feel a darn sight better.” He placed his hands on the worktop, extended his arms, and bowed his head.

Sally left her seat and walked across the room. She threw an arm around his shoulder and gently rested her head against his. “Please, Dad. Don’t make this worse than it is. I’m fine.”

He swallowed hard. “You don’t look fine. I can’t let him get away with this.
You
can’t let him get away with this. That’s it—you should press charges against him for assault.”

Sally stepped away from him and shook her head. “I can’t do that, Dad. I wouldn’t be able to go into work every day knowing that people were whispering behind my back, treating me like a victim.”

“Is that all you care about? What people will say?”

“It’s an impossible situation, granted, but I’m asking you to abide by my wishes and not to jump in feet first only to regret your actions later. He’ll get what’s coming to him in due course.”

“I’m shocked. Shocked that you would let a… man like that roam the streets in the knowledge that he could attack another woman, or even kill someone. How could you let that happen, Sally?”

“Don’t try and make me feel guilty, Dad. I know him. He wouldn’t do such a thing.”

He twisted out of her grasp and stared at her, a deep frown creasing his brow. “Are you insane? Who understands what goes on in a twisted, perverted mind like that? Certainly not you. Otherwise, you would have left the bastard years ago.”

“Now, Chris, don’t go getting all worked up. Remember what the doctor said about keeping your stress levels to a bare minimum.”

Tears of guilt filled Sally’s eyes. “I’m sorry. Please, Dad, I’d rather just forget about things, if it’s all right with you. If you’d rather I didn’t stay here, just say, and I’ll find a hotel somewhere for a few days.”

“That’s nonsense, Sally. Of course we want you to stay.” Her mother left the table and joined them. “Stop it, Chris! I will not allow you to drive my daughter away in her hour of need. Do you hear me? She’s a grown woman who can fend for herself. We need to take a step back and let her deal with the situation to the best of her abilities.”

Sally gathered her parents in her arms and kissed each of them on the cheek. “No one could wish for greater parents. Thank you.”

During dinner, her father was very quiet, and he continuously clenched and unclenched his fist. Sally sensed then that she hadn’t heard the last of this conversation, at least where he was concerned.

* * *

Scott observed the couple’s shenanigans all evening from his vantage point at the bar. The girl was feisty, just the way he liked them. She obviously had no intention of letting her boyfriend ignore her all night. He had already picked up that the guy would much rather spend time with his mates than the pretty brunette sitting beside him.

“Are you listening to me, John?” The girl’s voice suddenly rose, not for the first time that evening.

“Don’t I always?”

“No! You don’t.” She punched the top of his arm, shoved her handbag under her arm, and ran out of the pub.

Scott’s brain worked through the gears. He downed the last third of his pint as he watched the man approach the bar and high-five his four mates standing there. “Barman, another round of drinks here. We’re celebrating.”

The barman nodded and poured five pints of lager, which he placed on the bar in front of the group. John raised his glass in a toast. “To freedom, boys. Sup up, and we’ll move on to the nightclub to pick up another unsuspecting victim or two.”

The group laughed riotously, and Scott slipped out of the pub then dashed across the car park to his vehicle. Scanning his immediate surroundings for the girl, he was surprised to see that she had already left the area. He jumped in his car and set off.
Where would I head for if I’d just split up with my partner?

He exited the car park and checked his speed, determined that his eagerness wouldn’t be his downfall. He drove down one of the smaller roads close to the pub. When he didn’t find her, he retraced his route back to the pub. Then he decided to take the main road. Finally, he found her sitting on a bench near a bus stop. Resting her chin on her clenched fist, she appeared to be deep in thought.

He pulled up alongside her, looking around him cautiously, making sure no one saw him approach the girl. He threw open the passenger door and called out, “Hey, do you want a lift?”

The girl scratched her head, confused, and pointed at her chest. “Who? Me?”

“Yes. Sorry, I don’t make a habit of picking up strangers in the street, I assure you. I was in the pub and saw what went on. I just wanted to make sure you’re okay after your little contretemps with your fella.”

“Oh, thanks! That’s very kind of you. I’m waiting for the bus, but have no idea how often they run, to be honest. I haven’t used public transport for years. Do they even run at this time of night?”

He shook his head and shrugged. “I don’t have a clue. Jump in. I’ll drop you off anywhere you like.”

“Are you sure?” she asked after a few seconds of hesitation.

“Of course. It’s not safe being out here on the streets at this time of night. If I drove off and left you, then read about your murder in the paper in the next few days, I’d never be able to forgive myself for not forcing you to come with me for your own safety.”

The girl’s eyes widened as his words sank in. She rushed forward and hopped in beside him.

He smiled, beaming from ear to ear, and held out his hand for her to shake. “Scott Taylor at your service.” Up close, he realised that she was older than she had first seemed. He would need to have all his wits about him to tackle this one.

She giggled briefly and shook his hand. “Tracy Brand. Nice to meet you, Scott. I really appreciate you giving me a lift.”

“Right, where to?”

“Gosh, I don’t really know. I told my flatmate that I would be out all night. I had planned on staying over at John’s house before…”

“Your flatmate won’t mind you going home, surely?”

“She has a new boyfriend staying over. I said I’d give them a bit of space, you know?”

“I understand. Well, I’m not from around here, just here for the weekend. I stay in a motel. You’re welcome to spend the night on the couch in my room if you’re desperate.” He left the suggestion dangling without pushing her at all for an answer.

After a while, she nodded. “Okay, if you’re sure? That’ll be twice you’ve saved me tonight. Not sure how I’ll be able to thank you.” A shyness descended, and she looked out of the side window as Scott drove off.

“Nonsense. It’s an honour and a privilege to come to the aid of a beautiful damsel in distress. I’d much rather take you under my wing than leave you out here alone with all sorts of nutters running around on the loose.”

“Thank you. You’re so kind. Where are you from?”

He thought quickly. “Devon.”

“Oh, what part? I used to go on holiday to Torquay with my folks when I was a kid.” After a deep sigh, she added, “They’re both in a care home now. Mum has Parkinson’s Disease and Dad Alzheimer’s.”

“How sad. I’m sorry to hear that. I used to live in Dawlish, just along the coast from there.”

The car fell silent until Scott pulled into what appeared to be a privately run motel’s car park. “I won’t be long. I’ll go in to collect the key.”

Returning from the reception office, he found the woman outside the car, resting against the passenger door.

He held the key up and jangled it in his hand. “We’re hot to rock.” Feeling nervous all of a sudden, he didn’t have a clue where that saying had come from.

“I don’t know. I’m sorry to have wasted your time. I think I will go back home and face the wrath of my flatmate after all.”

“No! I mean, what’s the point in falling out with her for weeks on end over a silly incident that could be simply averted?” He held up his hands. “I promise not to lay a hand on you. I’m even willing to give up my bed for you. How’s that?”

His heart skipped a few beats while he awaited her decision. Eventually, she nodded and smiled at him. “What the heck. You’re right, anything for a quiet life regarding Jill. She does tend to like hearing the sound of her own voice sometimes. Okay, I’ll do this on the proviso there is no funny business. Any sign of that, and I’m out of here. Got it? I’d get my own room if I could afford it.”