Suzy by Gary L Beer (easy books to read in english txt) 📕

Quickly finishing her sandwich Sharon lays back with a contented sigh; “I did not realise how hungry I was, I feel bloated now.”
Suzy finishes her sandwich and collects the empty boxes up; putting them into the bag along with the flasks she returns them to Sharon's car. Needing to pee she walks into the trees and finds a secluded area.
Relieved, she steps out into the sunshine and walks towards Sharon; Sharon is still lying where Suzy had left her and Suzy thinks she is asleep, or unconscious.
“Sharon.” she calls; “Wake up, you will get sunstroke laying there.”
Sharon slowly opens her eyes; “What is going on? Suzy I feel really rough.”
“That is because you fell asleep, it must be ninety degrees out here in the sun, best you get in the shade.” Suzy advises. The last thing she wanted was for Sharon to die out here, the trouble she had trying to move Doug; and Sharon is a similar size!
Sharon tries to stand up but the effort is too much and she doubles up in pain, stepping forward Suzy grabs her arm and pulls her upright. Putting Sharon's arm around her shoulder she manages to get her back to her car.
Putting Sharon in the driving seat proves more difficult and Suzy is soaked in sweat by the time she succeeds. By all appearances Sharon has passed out and Suzy smiles in triumph.
Going back outside Suzy picks up the tartan picnic rug and brushes over the area where they had sat. Covering their footprints and retracing the route Sharon took alongside the cliff, Suzy erases any trace of them being there.
Returning to the cave Suzy puts the rug into Sharon's car and sits in the passengers' seat. Keeping the door open she releases the handbrake as the car slowly rolls backwards. Not wanting to go to fast Suzy applies the handbrake a few times until she is about twenty metres into the cave.
Pulling the handbrake on she leans over for Sharon's safety belt, pulling it towards her she clips it into position securing Sharon's body. Suzy can hardly hear Sharon's breathing and thought for a split second that she was already dead.
Reaching into the bag of empty sandwich boxes Suzy pulls out a small canister of lighter fluid suitable for cigarette lighters. Opening the plastic top Suzy squirts the fluid over Sharon and the seat she is sitting on. Using the rest on the passengers' seat and bag as she gets out Suzy throws the empty can inside the car. Shutting the door she walks to the entrance to the cave and looks outside.
All is quiet except for a blackbird singing softly in the distance. Aware that time is short Suzy hurries back to Sharon's car and looks inside. Sharon looks to be in a deep sleep, or dead.
Taking the cigarette lighter out of her pocket Suzy opens the passenger door and leans inside. Using the lighter she sets fire to the bag of empty sandwich containers and flasks, which ignites immediately due to being soaked in lighter fluid. Suzy withdraws her hand quickly and can smell her burning hair from the back of her hand. Putting the flame to Sharon's arm Suzy smiles as the arm erupts into a mass of flame. Throwing the lighter at Sharon, Suzy shuts the car door and runs to the entrance to the cave.
Looking out she can see no sign of life, except for the blackbird which reassures her that no one else has visited. Following the cliffs to the left Suzy follows a faint animal trail that leads between the trees.
As the cliffs end the trail leads along the side of them and takes Suzy to a large field. Suzy smiles in triumph as the field is empty of people, following another trail Suzy hurries along until she has reached her back garden.
Walking along the high fence Suzy sees the two boards she is looking for, bending down she slides them to one side and steps inside her garden. Putting the boards back she walks to her back door, unlocks it and steps inside. Several minutes pass before she hears the siren of the fire engine and she hurries to the lounge window so that she may see it pass.
Suzy laughs when she sees the fire engine with its blue flashing light racing along the road. By the time they get there, if the fire engine is able to get along the tarmac road, they would be too late. Stepping outside Suzy can see the plume of black smoke that is billowing in the air indicating the petrol tank has caught alight.
Pleased with her success Suzy goes into her bedroom and strips off changing into her gardening clothes. Taking her clothes she wore when she was with Sharon, Suzy makes her way to the back garden and the pile of furniture that is still to be burnt.
Putting the clothes down on the ground Suzy clears a small area near the furniture, going into the shed she comes out carrying an old newspaper. Starting a small fire with the newspaper, Suzy adds small pieces of wood until the fire is burning well. Putting one item of clothing onto the fire at a time and periodically adding wood she destroys all traces of her clothes. Satisfied she sits and watches the fire until the flames disappear and goes back indoors.

The ringing of the doorbell two days later wakes Suzy from a deep sleep; looking at the clock she sees that it is seven o'clock in the morning.
Knowing it has to be the police Suzy swears repeatedly as she puts her dressing gown on. Walking quickly to the front door she shouts; “Who is it?”
“Hello Suzy it is WPC Davenport, may we come in and talk to you?”
“What at this time of day, can you come back in a couple of hours?” she shouts.
“Sorry Suzy, it is urgent we talk to you now.”
Opening the door Suzy reluctantly opens it wide; “What is so important?”
“May we come in and talk to you please?” asks WPC Davenport in her sweetest voice. Standing behind her are two more police women and a policeman, who stands three metres from the front door.
“What all of you?” asks Suzy in a scared voice.
“No only me and WPC Levit if we make you nervous.” smiles WPC Davenport; “Are you here on your own?”
“Yes I am.” answers Suzy in a firm voice; “You had better come in then.” she invites as she turns and walks to the kitchen.
The two police women follow in shortly and Suzy can hear them as they walk slowly along the hall. Stepping into the kitchen their eyes look everywhere as they wait for Suzy to invite them to sit down.
Making them wait Suzy keeps her back to them as she fills the kettle with cold water from the tap and switches it on. Taking three mugs from the cupboard above the worktop Suzy turns around and finally acknowledges them; “Do you want a cup of tea or coffee?” she asks politely.
“Yes please, thank you Suzy.” replies WPC Davenport; “May I have tea with one sugar?”
“Of course you can,” smiles Suzy; “and what about your friend?”
“Tea as well please Suzy, no sugar.” replies WPC Levit.
“Take a seat.” invites Suzy as she turns back to making the tea.
As Suzy puts the tea in front of the policewomen and sits down opposite them WPC Davenport looks her in the eyes; “You have not had a lot of luck recently have you?” she asks in a friendly sympathetic voice.
“You heard about the fire then?” replies Suzy.
“Yes, I heard that you nearly lost your bungalow, it was lucky the fire brigade arrived quickly.”
Suzy did not like to correct her in saying that Lewis had already put the fire out before the fire brigade arrived. Instead she decided the best option was to lie; “Yes, I was so scared and the firemen are so brave.” she feels she says convincingly.
“I understand that it was started by a candle being knocked over?”
“Yes, I knocked the candle over when I went into the bedroom. It must have been burning for ten minutes before I smelt the smoke.” Suzy replies, continuing to lie.
“What has happened to your friends Sharon and Lewis?” asks WPC Davenport unexpectedly.
“I have not seen them for quite a while now, thanks to your people.” replies Suzy putting an angry tone to her voice.
“Why thanks to my people?” asks WPC Davenport.
“Your people have been following me since Doug's death. They stuck with me until you found him down that Well. When you started following me again they thought that maybe I was involved in some way. Now I do not see them anymore.” says Suzy in a condescending voice as she stares WPC Davenport in the eyes.
The policewoman looks away, unable to meet Suzy's accusing stare.
Her partner WPC Levit breaks the silence; “Did you see the fire further up the road the other night?”
“I saw the smoke and the fire engines going past, but I stayed here at home what happened?”
“A car had been driven into one of the caves and set alight; unfortunately someone was inside and died in the blaze.”
Suzy hopes she looks suitably shocked at this bad news; “Who was it, kids?”
“No, I am sorry to tell you it was your friend Sharon.” the WPC says rather coldly.
Allowing her jaw to drop she remembers her pet cat Petal who had died horribly when she was a child. The memory always makes her cry and with tears filling her eyes she asks; “Are you sure it is Sharon?”
“Yes it is; the dental records confirm it.”
“Dental records, why did you need dental records?” asks Suzy in pretend confusion.
“The fire damaged her badly, I am sorry.”
Suzy looks at the two policewomen; “Was it suicide?” she asks in a shaky voice.
“Forensics are still working through the wreckage, it may take some time before we can answer that.”
By the sounds of things the car must have been nearly completely destroyed and they had found no evidence connecting her to the fire. If they had they would be arresting her rather than talking to her.
“Did your husband Doug know Sharon very well?” asks WPC Davenport.
Suzy thought carefully before she answered, she knew she was taking a chance killing Sharon so close to home but it did ensure she got home safely.
With Doug obviously being murdered, could Sharon have been murdered by the same person?
Is that what the police were thinking?
Suzy was convinced that the police