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

how Forster saw her. As a pretty trinket to be seen at his side during fundraisers and recruitment drives for the charity, or was the scar on her cheek actually the real reason he wanted her involved?

So far as she was concerned, the scar portrayed her as a survivor, but to a politician like Forster, she assumed it would be seen as a badge of victimhood. If she became the public face of a victims’ charity, many, if not all who saw her might assume she was a victim of rape.

She knew this would be a burden she’d have to carry alone, but it would be worth it if Forster was serious about making it easier for women to report their rapists and feel confident that their attackers would face imprisonment, while also providing shelter and counselling to help them through their ordeal.

‘I’m sure that you can’t talk to me about your investigation into the person who’s behind the murders and planted what I’m sure are disgusting images on my computer, and I’m not going to put you in an awkward position by asking you about them, but I will say that I saw you on the news.’ Forster gave an approving nod. ‘You certainly made quite an impression when you called out that reporter for his stupid question.’

‘What did he expect? I mean, who puts a deadline on an investigation?’ Beth shrugged and thought back to the swearing O’Dowd had given her for the way she’d lambasted the man who’d asked if the killer would be caught the next day while ignoring his more troubling question about why none of the first three murders had been connected before Felicia Evans’s body had been found.

After fielding the majority of questions put to her during the press conference with ease, a piercing question had caught Beth off guard and as she was recovering her poise the foolish reporter had made his move. Despite the nudges then kicks O’Dowd had delivered to her ankle under the table, Beth hadn’t been minded to stop unloading her frustrations at the lack of real progress with the case onto the hapless reporter. She’d pointed out the effort they were all putting in, the way there were no restrictions on resources or budget and that despite all their hard work, there were very few leads to pursue.

O’Dowd had ended the press conference once Beth fell silent and as soon as they were alone she’d had a rant of her own. The only way Beth had been able to defend herself was to point out that her rant had saved them from having to answer the one question they’d been dreading would be put to them: why didn’t a senior officer with a countywide overview pick up on the similarities between the murders sooner?

Nobody ever wants to make public criticisms of a superior’s failings in a hierarchical system, but the question had been asked, and neither Beth nor O’Dowd had been able to offer either a convincing answer or a reasonable deflection.

Beth hadn’t lied to O’Dowd by claiming the rant was a deliberate tactic to get them off the hook they were on, but she had pointed out that it had been a handy side effect. Another future benefit was that it was unlikely she’d be invited to speak at another press conference anytime soon.

‘I have to say, I thought you were very impressive. The way you conducted yourself when you were quite clearly furious was nothing short of brilliant. You put that man in his place and let the world see your determination to solve the case. But more than that, you showed how fired up you are, how the case is personal to you. As a member of the public, it was uplifting to see that kind of zeal in a police officer. Too often these days we hear about coppers spending half their time on diversity courses or filling in forms. You showed them a stressed but determined frontline copper who’s intent on solving a case.’

‘Really? I was worried I came across as someone who’d lost the plot.’

‘Quite the opposite. I saw that same zeal when you rounded on me the other day. That’s why I want you involved in the charity we’re here to discuss.’

He fell silent as the waitress appeared with their meals.

‘Thank you.’ Beth cast her eyes across the room, afraid to look directly at him. She could feel the blush on her cheeks as the waitress put Forster’s starter in front of him.

As he ate, Beth composed herself as best she could. Forster was a slippery manipulator and she knew the flattery he’d laid on her was designed to lower her defences and bring her onside. She also had to consider the way he’d said he wouldn’t ask about the investigation; that was reverse psychology if ever she’d met it. He’d stated his position in the hope she’d throw him a few crumbs out of respect for his understanding.

As she watched him spear his food, she knew she’d have to keep her guard up against his wily manipulations. He appeared as if he was acting without thought, that everything he said was genuine, yet there was no denying that he was pressing the right buttons at every point in the conversation.

When he’d arranged his knife and fork on the plate and dabbed his mouth with a napkin, she threw him a bone to make him think his ploys were working. ‘I spoke with the team at SimpleBooker today; they didn’t know who might want to target you and I didn’t get the impression any of them would want to.’

‘I didn’t think they would either.’

‘I also managed to track down the lady who called herself Lorraine, and I’m confident it’s not her or anyone who might be connected to her either.’

‘I see.’ Forster scratched at his forearm and revealed an expensive-looking watch. ‘Is that good or bad news?’

‘Both. Good for her that we’ve eliminated her as a suspect and bad because