BLOOD STAINED an unputdownable crime thriller with a breathtaking twist (Detective Claudia Nunn Book by Rebecca Bradley (rooftoppers .TXT) 📕

murdered. He hadn’t liked his manner at all when they’d informed him of her death. Dominic looked forward to turning Chapman’s life upside down.

Chapter 29

Dominic

The first report to appear was, of course, online. Dominic slid into bed beside a sleeping Ruth and checked the news website before he went to sleep for what was left of the night. It was as bad as they had feared. The police were being trounced. Because of them another woman had lost her life. This wouldn’t help Madeleine’s mum. He would have to speak to the FLO in the morning and update him before he turned up for his shift at the house. He needed to be aware what he was walking into. Dominic hoped they had reassured Gwen enough when they visited her. But victim relatives could have erratic emotions and reading reports like this would do them no good whatsoever. It certainly didn’t breed cooperation between families and police when it was needed the most.

He lay his head down and tried to switch off. There was a gentle snoring coming from beside him. Ruth was adamant she didn’t snore, but she was asleep so how would she know. It wasn’t loud and bullish, it was a mellow snuffle as she breathed in and only happened if she lay on her back. He stuck his elbow into her as the sound pierced his brain and irritated his tired head. She rolled onto her side and he closed his eyes. It had been a tough day and his mind was buzzing but he needed to switch off so he’d be prepared for the day ahead in the morning.

The alarm was going off before he’d even had the chance to realise he was asleep. He was dazed, his head fuzzy, cloudy and heavy, and he struggled to find his phone to switch it off. Eventually it was quiet.

Dominic lay back and relaxed. Ruth was still asleep. She had another hour before her alarm was due to ring. He was getting an early start. He stared at her sleeping form, irrationally annoyed she could still sleep on. He wanted to prod her, wake her, make it so that it wasn’t just him who was awake and this tired.

He made a mug of tea and placed it with a clatter on her bedside table. She stirred, opened her eyes and looked at him.

‘You’re home,’ she said sleepily.

Frustration fizzed through his body as she stretched lazily under the quilt. ‘Yeah, I’m heading back into work now.’

‘Have a good day.’ She turned and saw the drink. Made just so he could wake her. She rubbed her eyes. ‘Thanks for the tea.’

He gritted his teeth. He needed to get out of the house and get to work. It was no good taking his exhaustion out on Ruth. He walked to the door. ‘I’ll see you later.’

‘Hey.’

He turned.

‘No kiss?’

He ground his teeth, the tension running up to his tired head and building up behind his eyes, then strode down the stairs and out the door. The day was already bright and the sky clear.

In the station Dominic found he was one of the first in. He fired up his computer. He was relaxed once he was back in the station.

Staff trickled in and the noise level in the incident room increased. Hayley was the next person from their team to arrive.

‘Sleep well, Dom?’ she asked wrapping a cardigan around the back of her chair.

‘Surprisingly, yes,’ he lied. Could he call what had happened in his bed last night sleep? ‘What about you? Getting enough rest?’

She smiled. ‘I have no trouble sleeping. What mood do you think the boss is going to be in this morning?’

Dominic rubbed his chin. ‘I have no idea. Depends on who he’s spoken with this morning and how much grief he’s been given about last night’s press conference.’

Hayley pulled out her chair and sat behind her desk. ‘It didn’t go quite as planned, did it?’

‘You could say that.’

‘Were you in bother?’ Paul had crept up behind them.

‘Not really. Nothing anyone could have done about it. Though I’m not sure that’s how the brass will see it.’

‘Yeah, they like to have control and blame.’ Paul had a mug in his hand and took a slurp.

‘Hey, where’s mine?’ Hayley moaned pinning him to the spot with a look.

‘I didn’t know who was in yet, did I?’

‘Well you do now, so get back and make more tea. I’m gasping.’

Paul saluted her, placed his mug on his desk and spun on the spot, heading out the incident room back to the kitchen.

‘You’ve got him well trained.’ Dom leaned back in his chair as Paul stalked out of the room.

Hayley laughed. ‘You’ve got to be tough on this team if you want anything doing.’

‘Is that right? Am I doing this leadership thing all wrong? Do I need to be tougher on all of you?’

She laughed some more. ‘I think you’re doing fine. But if I’m not tough with them they’ll think they can walk all over me.’

Dominic was silent as he considered what she’d said. More people walked into the incident room. Krish came up to his desk and greeted them with a good morning. They both responded with the same.

Dominic looked at Hayley. ‘You think it’s because you’re female?’

‘Oh, what’ve I walked into?’ Krish was wide eyed.

Hayley laughed yet again, this time at Krish. ‘You’re fine. Nothing. I’ve sent Paul to make me a cuppa as he had one himself and not one for me.’

Understanding dawned on Krish’s face. ‘Nothing to do with being a woman, Dom. If you don’t tell Paul what to do he’ll forget or not have a clue.’

Dominic wasn’t having any of it. ‘You said you had to be tough, Hayley.’

She sighed. ‘Yeah, we’re in the