Ultimate Dilemma (Justice Again Book 2) by M Comley (best books under 200 pages txt) 📕

“We’re going to do our very best.”

Katy and Charlie left the hotel and returned to the car. Katy checked her phone to find she had a missed call because she’d put it on silent, not wishing to be disturbed.

She dialled Patrick’s number. “Hi, sorry, I was interviewing someone. What have you got, anything?”

“An extra sighting, boss.”

“Go on.”

“One of the neighbours opposite the Crawfords’ house spotted the hooded person coming out of the front door. They ran down a nearby alleyway.”

“What time was this, Patrick?”

“He was putting the kettle on and thinks it was around ten-fifteen but then he said it might have been five or ten minutes later, so struggled to give a definitive time.”

“So a fifteen-minute window. That sounds good to me. I think Nadia said she arrived home around ten-twenty, which means she only just missed bumping into the attacker. Any further description of the person?”

“Slight build, he thinks, and some form of athlete by the speed he took off at, according to the neighbour.”

“Okay, it’s not much but it’s more than we had. Get a statement from him, Patrick, and then if you’ve spoken to everyone you can possibly speak to, return to the station. We’re on our way back there now.”

“We’ll do that, boss. See you later.”

Katy ended the call and stared out of the windscreen for a few seconds, collecting her thoughts. “Well, that sounds promising, doesn’t it?”

“Which part?” Charlie asked. “The witness seeing a person leaving the house or were you referring to what Penny just divulged back there?”

“I suppose both. I must say, what Penny told us made my skin crawl. What about you?”

“We don’t know what we’ve got until it’s too late. Some folks should treat their parents better in my eyes, because there will always be others out there who’ve had a rough childhood and gone through major trauma at the hands of a parent.”

“That’s so true. Hearing what those girls went through definitely puts your own life into perspective. Here’s what’s bugging me about Nadia: if what Penny told us is true, that they were both abused by the father, then why, oh why, did Nadia stick around and not leave like her sister, or even with her?”

“Pass. I’ve been asking myself the very same question since Penny first raised the subject. It’s disgusting, the way he treated his kids. You have to wonder if he’d have done the same had his wife not died.”

“Exactly. Maybe her dying and leaving him to care for his daughters alone triggered something within him. I don’t know, I’m just throwing that out there, seeing if it sticks. One thing’s for sure, this case is getting more and more complex the more we dig.”

“It is that. What about Nadia and her reluctance to take time off? That kind of makes sense now, doesn’t it?”

“It does, although I’d rather get the facts from her own mouth than speculate about it.”

3

Nearly a week later, and the investigation was no further forward, not really. Yes, they had the two sightings of the person in the hoodie, but that was where that lead started and ended, much to the team’s frustration.

This was the day of the funeral. Katy hadn’t attended many attached to a case before, just the odd few with her previous partner when the investigation appeared to be stuck in the doldrums. She’d insisted that Charlie dress in suitable attire, and here they were, parked up outside St Anne’s Church, both swathed in black, waiting for the hearse to arrive.

“Not the best day to have one, judging by the darkening clouds overhead,” Katy admitted.

“Have you ever been to one when it hasn’t poured down with rain? I don’t think I have.”

Katy cast her mind back. “Thinking about it, no, I don’t believe I have. Come on, let’s join the gathering mourners. I have to say, I’m blown away by the number of people here.”

“Former work colleagues perhaps?”

“Yep. I suppose when we visited the firm last week, they had more staff working there than I had anticipated. There’s Nadia and Penny. Let’s go and have a quick word with them before anyone else pounces on them.”

They left the vehicle and headed towards the two women. Penny smiled. She appeared to be taking the day in her stride. Nadia was busy scanning the crowd when they stopped next to her.

“Hi, Penny and Nadia. We hope you don’t mind us being here today?”

Penny shook her head. “Glad you could make it. Any news, or is this the wrong time to ask?”

“Yes, it is,” Nadia jumped in before Katy had the chance to respond.

“We can discuss the investigation later, at your leisure, Nadia, that’s no problem,” Katy suggested, giving the grieving woman the benefit of the doubt. “It’s a good turnout for your father. Are these all his colleagues from work?”

“A mixture of friends and colleagues. I went through his address book. I’m as surprised as you to see how many have shown up,” Nadia informed them.

“A popular man by all accounts,” Katy added, if only to see the sisters’ reactions.

Penny rolled her eyes and glanced over her shoulder at the crowd gathered behind her. “I suppose so,” she replied, a note of bitterness in her tone.

“Not today, Penny,” Nadia warned.

“What did I say? Don’t start on me, Nadia, I’ve had it with you and your bloody bossy attitude the last few days. I needn’t have come back down for this…this…farce of a funeral.”

Katy was tempted to step in to calm the situation down, but any copper worth their salt opened their ears and shut their mouths when an argument kicked off. It was always a surprise to hear what ended up being revealed in anger.

“I wish you’d stayed away, if that’s your attitude. It’s not like you loved him at all, is it?”

Penny’s jaw dropped. She recovered within a few seconds and leaned in to her sister. “And we both know why that is, don’t we? When are you going to realise