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

a tick.” Katy set off and walked the length of the corridor to the DCI’s office.

Trisha smiled. “Back again so soon, Inspector?”

“I might as well set up a desk in his office, eh?”

“I’m sure that would go down well with his nibs.”

“Hey, at least I’ll have fancy coffee on tap.” Katy winked as Trisha left her desk and knocked on the chief’s door.

“DI Foster to see you if you have a spare moment, sir.”

“Send her in,” Roberts replied.

Trisha stepped back and smiled. “Can I get you a coffee?”

“That would be lovely, thanks, Trisha.”

Katy entered the office.

Sean was eyeing her suspiciously. “Inspector, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Thought I’d drop by to bring you up to speed on the developments we encountered overnight, sir.”

“Okay, first of all, sorry, take a seat, I have some news for you.”

“Sounds ominous.”

“I know it’s taken a while to surface, and I bet you thought I’d forgotten about it, but I hadn’t.”

“Are you going to give me a hint about what you’re referring to, sir?”

“The incident with the gun leaving the evidence room in your previous case. DC Wainwright turned out to be the culprit. He admitted the charge against him plus asked several others to be taken into consideration. Apparently, some of the gang’s drugs and arms were seized, and he handed them back to the gang after they blackmailed him and threatened to kidnap his teenage daughter and hand her over to a human trafficking ring.”

“Fuck. So he did it under duress. Will the powers that be go lightly on him in that case?”

“They’d better. We’re hearing more and more about this type of thing happening to our members, it’s a wonder people still want to sign up to join the police.”

“It’s a scary thought. AJ and I discussed this not long ago with regard to me changing my name. That’s settled, I’ll keep to Foster at work. The last thing I want to do is put AJ and Georgie in jeopardy.”

Trisha walked in with two cups of coffee and distributed them.

“Thank you, Trisha. I’m sure this is the only reason DI Foster insists on making these frequent visits to my office.”

Katy pulled a mock-offended face. “How dare you insinuate that, sir? Is that the thanks I get for pulling an all-nighter?”

“Okay, maybe I’ve misjudged you. What do you think, Trisha?”

“I’m keeping out of it, sir, if you don’t mind. I enjoy working here.” Trisha left them to it.

“Anyway, he’ll plead his case with the IPCC, probably get a rap on the knuckles, nothing more now that the gang has been wiped out and is no longer in existence.”

Katy sipped her smoothly roasted coffee and then nodded. “There’s bound to be another gang take their place soon enough, there always is. Charlie’s organising a psych evaluation for Nadia—there’s still a possibility she’s our suspect. It might be a case of Dissociative Identity Disorder as they refer to it these days. I’m an expert on the topic now, or I should be after the hours Charlie and I have put in researching the damn subject.”

“Is there such a thing? You’re telling me you think she’s killed these men without realising that she’s done it?”

“I know it sounds far-fetched, I hope I’m wrong, but the mind is a complex organ. If, as she stated, she’s suppressed the images of her mother’s death until recently, who knows what’s going on in her head?”

“But she’s a nurse, should she still be performing her duties?”

Katy sighed and puffed out her cheeks. “That’s the sixty-four-million-pound question. All this is supposition on my part, we don’t have any evidence at this point to back up either my claims, or her guilt or innocence.”

“It’s a puzzle we need to unravel soon.”

“There’s another thing. The car the witness spotted leaving the Bird murder scene has also been found, dumped on a trading estate.”

“Well, that’s good news. I take it Forensics have it now.”

“Yep, first thing I asked when it was found. The desk sergeant had already actioned the request.”

“Glad to hear the team are on the ball. What are your plans for the wife of the latest victim? That’s a tough call because you’ve had a grieving woman locked up in a cell for two nights now.”

“I’m aware of that. I don’t know whether to feel guilty or take pride in hauling her in.”

“Odd conclusion, I must say. She needs to be charged and released, Katy.”

“I know. That’s my next task, well, after I get a statement of events from her first.”

“You’d better get a move on then, time’s a wasting, as they say.”

“Can’t I finish my coffee first, after slaving all night?”

“All right. There’s no need to keep playing the martyr.”

Katy chuckled. “Worth a try.” She downed the rest of her coffee and sprang out of her seat. “I could drop by with another update at around one, if that’s all right with you, sir?”

“Get out, you, cheeky scoundrel.”

Katy reached the door and flashed him a smile. “Shoot me for trying. What about if I get an intravenous line running along the corridor tapped into your coffee machine?”

“I’d snip it halfway down. Now go.”

There was a lightness in her steps as she made her way back to the incident room. It felt good to have a bit of banter first thing to ease the stress running through her during an investigation.

“Any luck, Charlie?”

“Yep, managed to book an appointment with a Doctor Marlow for seven o’clock this evening. Do you want me to call Nadia and tell her when and where to attend?”

“If you would. Thanks. I’m just going to give AJ a call and then I’ll go down and interview Amy Bird. Oh, by the way, we have an update on the missing gun from the evidence room. An officer has been named, and it’s in the hands of the IPCC. He was coerced into doing the deed, shall we say.”

“That’s terrible, guv, are any of us truly safe?” Karen asked.

“It makes you wonder, Karen. Have you managed to find out