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

serviced, it’s been rattling for weeks. Would he listen to me? No, and now…”

“Please, try to calm down. It wasn’t an accident. I’m sorry to have to inform you that Robin died in suspicious circumstances.”

“Suspicious, in what way?”

“He was murdered.”

Another scream flew out of the man’s mouth. The cacophony battered Katy’s ears. She resisted the temptation to cover them to block out the confounded racket. She’d met some off-the-wall reactions over the years, but this was the first time she’s been faced with anything of this magnitude.

“No. Because he was gay? Is that it? Some fucker took an instant dislike to him because of his effeminate ways or possibly how he spoke and killed him for it? What kind of sick and disturbed world are we living in? People no longer have the freedom or choice in this life.”

“You believe he was killed because he was gay?” Katy was floored by the suggestion.

Could that be the link between all the murders, that the other men were gay? But surely not, Dale Peters was married.

“Why not? Most people can’t accept it when people’s preferences change.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t understand what you’re saying. Can you enlighten us?”

He sighed and let out a shuddering breath. “He used to be married…to a woman until we met. Our love was strong from the moment we first laid eyes on each other.”

“Oh, I see. How long was he married?”

“About twenty years, maybe longer, I wasn’t that interested in what went on in his life before I came along. We had a secure, loving relationship.”

“But he was married when he started seeing you?”

“Yes, what does that have to do with anything? No, you don’t think that bitch knocked him off, do you?”

“Bitch? Are you possibly referring to the woman who shared his life with him all those years?”

“Yeah, whatever you want to call it. She was livid when he asked her to set him free.”

Katy inclined her head. “For a divorce, you mean?”

“Yes. That’s right. She threatened all sorts.”

“Do you have her name and address handy?”

“Oh yes, as if I’m likely to forget that.”

“Did they have any children together?” Katy asked as Nicky searched through the coffee table drawer for something.

“No. She couldn’t have them. They even tried IVF when they were a few years younger. All that money wasted because each month her body rejected the eggs.”

Katy neither liked nor appreciated the way Nicky was portraying the ex-wife. She felt he was being unfairly harsher than was necessary. “That’s a shame. Are you telling me that she lashed out and blatantly threatened you guys?”

“Not in so many words, but there was no doubting her disgust. I wouldn’t put it past her to have a hand in this. Here you go, do you want to copy it?”

Charlie took the notebook from him, jotted down the information and handed it back to him. “Thanks, I think I’ve deciphered it correctly.”

Nicky tutted. “Want me to read it out to you?”

“If you wouldn’t mind, just to be on the safe side,” Charlie replied.

“Laila Hewitt, forty-seven Forrester Road, Whitechapel. She got the house, and he walked away with nothing. He did all that to be with me. Why? Because we loved each other.”

“He took nothing, no furniture?”

“That’s right. I advised him not to take anything, to let her have it all because of the damn fuss she was kicking up about him coming out.”

“You thought her reaction to the situation was over the top?”

“I should say so. She saw us holding hands in a restaurant once, stormed up to us, slapped him around the face and spat in his dinner, she was so incensed. He had to restrain me. I wanted to pull her fucking hair out and shove her capped teeth down her throat. Why are people always so bitter come the end of their relationships? Why can’t they just remember the good times and move on?”

“Twenty-odd years to be married to someone and not realise they’re gay…it kind of blows the mind. She would’ve been left doubting her abilities as a woman. I’m only guessing that’s what would have been running through her mind, not having been in the situation myself, of course.”

“These things happen, people need to learn to adjust and let the person go. There’s no point hanging on to someone who doesn’t want to be around, is there?”

“True enough. Has Laila been in touch with either of you lately?”

“No. We haven’t heard from her in a few months, not since the decree absolute came through. She rang and shouted down the phone, ‘Good riddance!’ It was pretty clear she wouldn’t want anything more to do with Robin. He told me that was a relief, as remaining friends with her after they’d been intimate all those years would have been a nightmare for him.”

“I see. Does she work? Have anything to occupy her mind now?”

“Not sure on the latter, but no, she’s never worked a day in her life.”

“That must’ve been hard on Robin, to be the sole provider in the house.”

“Yep, my thoughts exactly. I pay my way around here. I work full-time, you’ve caught me on my day off today. I wouldn’t have it any other way. I love my independence. Not her, that’s why she begged him to stay, even after he came out to her. She pleaded with him to make it work with her.”

“She sounded desperate.”

“My sentiment exactly. And desperate women are prone to doing desperate things, right?”

“Occasionally. I’d rather not cast aspersions at this stage. We’ll need to speak with her to get her side of things first.”

He stared and narrowed his eyes. “Typical, women sticking together. Don’t take my word for it, will you?”

“DC Simpkins has noted everything down in her notebook. If we have to refer back to it during our conversation with her, we will. Have either you or Robin encountered any other problems recently?”

“No. We’re careful who we mix with. The only time Robin has been out of my sight was when he attended his old friend’s