A Body in the Lakes by Graham Smith (great books of all time .TXT) 📕

didn’t envisage spending her whole life as a singleton. One of the best things about Ethan was that he worked as a paramedic; therefore he got the shift work and understood the vagaries of the job in a way that lots of others didn’t. His easy smile and bluest of blue eyes drew her to him along with his jocular nature and the way he made her feel like the only person he could see.

‘Thanks.’ Beth laid down her pen. ‘We’ve covered your relationships. Did you have any one-night stands during the last two years?’

Forster let his gaze dance around the room before he brought it back to her. ‘I had three.’ He gave a half scowl, half smile. ‘Two were with ladies I know. From time to time, one or other of us will call the other for some company. If we’re single at the time, we meet up.’

‘Lots of people have fuck buddies. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.’ Beth wasn’t trying to be kind. She was aiming for the shock value of using the term. ‘What about the other one, who was she?’

A look of distaste overtook the mayor’s face. ‘I’m afraid that wasn’t my finest moment. I met a lady at a civic function over at Workington. We chatted and, as I was leaving, she asked me if I’d like to join her for a drink. It was just before Christmas and I thought sharing a drink with a beautiful lady was a better way to spend the rest of the evening than sitting in front of the telly.’

‘What was her name?’

‘Lorraine.’ A pause to grimace. ‘I think that on reflection it might not have been her real name.’

‘Why do you say that?’

‘When I used her name she didn’t always answer first time. It was like she was using a false name and then remembering that she had to answer to it.’

Beth gave a rueful smile. ‘It’s all part of the games people play. So, you had a drink with Lorraine, what happened then?’

‘We had the drink in the bar of the Wall Park and then we went up to her room. I left a few hours later and I haven’t seen her since.’

Rather than give a trite reply, Beth maintained a silence. For two people to hook up in this way wasn’t unusual. Both would have their needs satisfied and so long as nobody expected more from the encounter, no feelings would be hurt.

A one-night stand wasn’t something she’d ever done herself, but there had been times when she had definitely fancied a no-strings night of passion. More than anything else, the main reason she’d never done it was the fact that whenever the desire was strong in her, the only available candidates were either drunk or married, and she thought too much of herself to hook up with a drunken stranger or a cheater.

That the woman had potentially used a false name spoke of a desire for anonymity. This, in turn, suggested that she was maybe married or in a long-term relationship, which also suggested there could be an aggrieved party.

Beth questioned Forster about the event for a while and then, with her hand aching from all the notes she’d taken, she got up to leave.

‘Before you go, there’s something I’d like to ask you.’

Beth stopped moving for the door and rested a hand on the back of the chair she’d just risen from. ‘What is it?’

‘When I spoke about setting up a charity for rape victims I was serious. It’s something I want to do and I’d like to have you on board in an advisory capacity. Together we could potentially help hundreds of women. As a man I admittedly don’t know a lot about how women might feel talking to counsellors, how many women bury the experience and never talk about it. That it’s happening is bad enough, but I’m sure that many cases go unreported and, as a police officer, you’ll have a better handle on that than me.’

‘Why me? You’re a well-connected and influential man, you can probably pick up the phone and speak to any councillor or the chief constable. The force has rape counsellors who’re way more qualified than I am to help you.’

‘You may well be right, but all those counsellors are tainted by the existing system. What I plan to create is something different. Something that puts the victim first and the rapist in jail. I’m talking about getting these women justice as well as help. It won’t be easy, and I’m aware that a lot of the women will be terrified of appearing in court, but one of the things I plan to do is negotiate a rate with a specialist lawyer which means the victims can have a representative who’s smart enough to not let the defence lawyer blacken their character. It’ll take money to set it up, but I have money and I have a team of people who can get this kind of stuff done. I want you on board because you’re passionate, honest and, if I may be frank without causing offence, the scar on your cheek lends you an air of toughness. That’s what I want to have fronting my campaign: a passionate woman who looks tough enough to handle anything. That’s the dream I want to sell these women. That times may be hard for them just now, but that there is a bright future out there if they can only find the strength to grasp it.’

‘Hang on a minute. It’s not as cut and dried as you think. That business about the victims having their character blackened, that’ll only happen if the victims waive their right to anonymity. They’re afraid of that, but most people don’t know that’s an option which is why they never make the report. Plus, you forget that even with anonymity, the rapists who’re guilty often know their victims, which means that if an accusation is made and no charges are brought against the