Deadly Dozen: 12 Mysteries/Thrillers (96 page)

Charlie’s face lit up as if a thousand bulbs were planted under her epidermis. “Really? You mean it? But what are you and Tony going to do?”

Lorne placed her hand on Tony’s. “We’re going to become private investigators.”

“Holy crap! Er… sorry. That’s brilliant. My God, this is the best news I’ve heard in ages. We could all do it. Be private eyes I mean.” She clapped her hands together.

Lorne struggled to keep a straight face. “Umm… First things first, young lady. It takes experience to be a PI—”

“Mum, give me a break. I know that. I’m not saying any time soon. But maybe in a few years?”

“We’ll see. Now, getting back to our little plan. Your grandfather has been making some enquiries about turning this place into a boarding kennel to run alongside the rescue centre.”

Charlie nodded. “Makes sense. It might encourage people to take one of the rescue boarders home with them when they come and pick their own dogs up.”

Lorne couldn’t help but be impressed with her daughter’s thinking. She really had matured over the last few months. “That’s what we thought. We still have a little research to do on that side of things, but initial enquiries have come up with positive results so far. It would mean you having to deal with the general public, though. Are you up to that?”

“If you’d asked me that question last year, I would have said no way. However, the counsellor has told me I’ve come a long way in the last few months. So much so, in fact, that she thinks the sessions can come to an end soon.”

Lorne stood up, wrapped her arms around her daughter, and squeezed tight. The knowledge that the Unicorn’s hold over her daughter would soon come to an end was the best news she’d had in a very long time. “Darling, that’s wonderful news. This calls for a celebration. We’re all going out to a fancy restaurant tonight, on me.”

“Mum, get off me. I told you I’d get over it, didn’t I? I have your stubborn genes, don’t forget.”

“Be right back.” Lorne heard her father and Tony congratulating Charlie as she made her way into the lounge to find the phone. Before she could ring the restaurant, the phone rang in her hand. She answered, “Hello?”

Silence.

“Hello?” she asked again, more loudly.

A muffled voice replied, “Leave well alone, bitch!” Then the caller hung up.

Lorne was staring at the phone when Tony came in.

He asked, “Who was that?”

“Not sure. Although I can hazard a guess.”

He raised a quizzical eyebrow. “What did the caller say, Lorne?”

“He told me to back off, in no uncertain terms. He’s got two hopes of that happening—Bob Hope and no bloody hope. Cheeky bastard. Let’s see if his number shows up.” Lorne redialled the number and wasn’t surprised when it rang and rang. “Probably a call box somewhere, the gutless piece of shit.”

“Let’s not let it spoil the weekend. We’ll pay the guy a visit on Monday—how’s that? At work, if you like. That should knock the crap out of him.”

Lorne smiled. She liked the way her husband was thinking. “Agreed. Maybe it’s time we tightened the screws a little. I’m going to give Fiona a ring, see how things are with the girls.”

Tony kissed her cheek lightly and walked back out into the kitchen.

“Hi, Fiona. I’m sorry, did I wake you?”

Fiona coughed. “Lazy Saturday lie-in after a hectic week. I was just getting up, is that you, Lorne?”

“It is. How’s the boy settling in?” Lorne sat down on the sofa and booted her laptop to check her email.

“He’s doing great. We’re all spoiling him rotten. He’s grown very attached to Ami. Hang on a sec—yep, I can’t see either of them here; she must have taken him out for his walk. The last few days, she’s been up with the birds to take him out. Who’d have thought it? Usually on a Saturday, she doesn’t surface until mid-afternoon. Apparently, Blackie’s brought her out of her shell.”

“That’s excellent news. And how’s Linda, dare I ask?” Lorne tapped in her password as she spoke, and the email notification popped up that she had five new messages. She scrolled through the first four and opened the final message, a replica of the message she had received in the phone call. She switched on the printer and printed a copy, intending to give it to Katy as proof of Gibson’s harassment, although the email address looked suspiciously like one that had been made up specifically for the occasion. She’d been so engrossed in printing the email off that she’d forgotten that Fiona was talking to her.

“… Anyway, she seems to be getting stronger, physically and mentally. Any news at your end, Lorne?”

“Not so much at the moment. Tony and I called in at the nightclub to question the owner but drew a blank. He wasn’t very cooperative, I’m afraid. We’re intending to pay Gibson a visit at his work on Monday.”

“Really? That’s brave of you.”

Lorne wasn’t sure if she should tell Fiona about the threatening call and email she had received. She decided against it. “Brave or stupid—not sure which, Fiona. We’ll see on Monday. You have a good weekend. Don’t hesitate to get in touch, day or night, okay?”

“That’s reassuring. Thanks, Lorne. Let me know what the scumbag says on Monday, will you?”

“Sure, no problem.”

Lorne disconnected the call and stared down at the email she’d printed off and thought. Despicable piece of dirt. Well, when I’ve finished with you, matey, Mummy and Daddy won’t be able to buy you out of trouble anymore.

#

Gibson watched the girls’ flat from his hiding place, behind the parked transit van opposite.

The Chinese girl came into view around the corner. What’s this? They’ve got a dog now? Hmm… Well that throws a different light on things.

She had been easy to manipulate—they all were. Bloody women. Only good for one thing and most of the time, they managed to screw that up. All of them, give you the eye, a blatant come-on and yet balk at the first sign of contact.

Well, I’ll show them that I’m not the type to be messed with.

A smile curved his lips. So you think a damn dog is going to protect you, do you? I have every intention of having a piece of that other girl’s arse. She’s who I’m really after the stuck-up bitch who looks down her nose at any man who glances her way. I’ve only seen her once but…

Gibson watched Ami walk up the street and enter the flat.

He waited a few minutes before he moved from his position and ducked down the alley running alongside the flat. Through a tiny hole in the fence, he saw Ami let the German shepherd out into the garden.

The dumb dog was incapable of picking up his scent and warn the girls he was nearby. If you think that mangy mutt is going to stop me from having some fun, you’ve got another think coming, sweethearts.

Gibson turned and made his way back to the car, already hatching a plan of how he was going to get to Fiona. He had something special lined up for her. The other girls had got off light compared to what he had planned for the snotty bitch.

He dipped around the next corner and slid into his Ferrari, and let out an hysterical laugh. You’re a demented bastard, at times.

He drove away at speed, the acceleration made his mind work faster. By the time he reached his destination, he’d deviously hatched a master plan and slotted all the intricate parts together.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

“Hi, Katy. How are things?” Lorne stared at the print-out of the email on the table in front of her.

“I know you well enough to know when something’s up, Lorne. I can hear it in your voice. Come on. Give?”

Had Lorne become that easy to read since her retirement, or was Katy just getting more astute with experience? “Okay, we paid the nightclub owner a visit, but that was a waste of time. I’m guessing you guys got the same response as we did. Then yesterday, I received a crank call and a dubious email.”

“Interesting. Yeah, we got nothing out of the owner of the club. Tell me more about the call and email?”

“There actually wasn’t much to them, but they both said pretty much the same thing; warned me and Tony to back off. I’m betting it was Gibson behind them, but I have no way of knowing. I wondered if forensics could look into the ISP for me. I know it’s a lot to ask.”

Lorne heard Katy take a sharp breath. “Not sure about that, Lorne. Funds are getting tighter every day. Forward me a copy, and I’ll see what I can do, AJ might be able to help out there. What do you plan on doing next—with the investigation, I mean?”

She hesitated for a moment before admitting, “Well, we thought we’d go pay our friendly rapist a personal visit.”

“Shit! A word of warning, if I may. Be careful; his parents are well connected. If I were you I wouldn’t go near him yet.”

“Ah, but you’re not me, and my hubby is an ex-MI6 agent. I think I have all the bases covered, don’t you?”

Katy blew out an exasperated breath and snorted. “Just be careful. I’ve got to go. My gym instructor will be yanking on her ponytail wondering where I am. I’ll be in touch soon. Take care.”

“Have fun. I’ll keep you up-to-date with what happens.”

After hanging up, Lorne went back to her family in the kitchen and clapped to get their attention. “This is what I have planned for today: I’m making this a family fun day. It’s been ages since we all spent the day together, what with getting this place up and running. I’m not saying that we take the day off—only that we make it a happy, special day, if you like. Tony, is the field at the back all fenced now?”

He nodded and tilted his head. “It is. Why?”

“I thought we’d give the dogs a good old run-around. They spend too much time cooped up in their kennels. The four of us can keep a proper eye on them. It’ll do us all good to get some exercise too.”

Charlie scraped her chair back and was halfway to the back door before she replied, “Excellent. I’ll get the dogs’ leashes ready. Come on, guys. Get a move on.”

Sam Collins grunted as he stood up. “I think I’m getting too old for this lark, Lorne.”

“Nonsense, Dad. I bet you’re fitter than me at the moment.”

“I doubt that. I suppose I’ll appreciate our meal out this evening more if I burn off a few calories. Just a few, mind.”

She punched Tony’s shoulder lightly and pulled her reluctant husband out of his chair. “You want a sixteen-year-old to show you up? Come on. It’ll be fun.”

And it was. The dogs ran and ran, played, and rolled each other savouring their long awaited freedom. Charlie was chased the length and breadth of the field, laughing and screeching like a teenager should.

At four o’clock, they locked the exhausted dogs back in their kennels, showered and changed, and set off for the restaurant. Lorne had chosen an award-winning Indian restaurant for their family meal together, and they feasted on the banquet menu for four. Lorne loved to sample all the dishes on the menu instead of sticking to one boring main meal.

After their overindulgence at the restaurant, Lorne drove home and they all collapsed into bed, exhausted and satisfied by their fun day together.

The following morning, the sound of the telephone ringing woke a bleary-eyed Lorne. She cleared her throat and answered the phone by her bed; the clock read seven thirty-two. “Hello? You better have a good reason to be ringing me at this hour on a Sunday morning,” she told the caller, a little offhandedly.

“Oh, I do.”

Katy’s tone immediately grabbed Lorne’s attention. She sat upright against the headboard. “Go on. I’m listening.”

“We’ve got him.”

Lorne excitedly gave Tony a swift kick. He groaned and hid his head under the pillow. She lifted the pillow and whispered. “They’ve got him.”

“Got who?” Tony mumbled groggily.

Lorne ignored him and asked Katy, “How? Did he rape someone else?”

“Yep. At least, he tried to.”

“You’re joking! Poor girl. What happened?”

Anger emanated from Katy as she recounted the incident. “The bastard had the audacity to try and rape the girl outside the nightclub this time. The thing is, someone heard the girl scream. She tried to escape him and ran up the alley. He chased her. She was lucky; two guys heard her scream and bolted up the alley to find out what was going on. They apprehended him, made a citizen’s arrest, and confined him in the alley until our boys arrived. The girl was taken to hospital, but thankfully, she only suffered superficial bruising.”

“So has he been banged up?”

“At the moment, yes. But he’s got his high-profile brief on his way in to see him. To be honest, I don’t think we’ll be able to hold him for more than a few hours. I think the lines to the ‘super’ are already glowing red.”

“Thanks for keeping me up to date, Katy. I guess I’ll knock my plan on the head to visit him.”

“Any further developments, I’ll let you know. Speak soon.”

Lorne let out a relieved sigh as she replaced the phone in its docking station on the bedside cabinet, but she was only too aware how cases like that one turned out. Best not get too excited about the news.

Tony slung a lazy arm across her and pulled her back down under the covers for a snuggle.

“Five minutes, then I need to get up and see to the animals.”

Tony growled near her ear. “You need to take care of this animal first.”