Uncompromising, gritty, thrilling, and not for the faint hearted! British detectives suspect a serial killer is on the loose. With the support of American profiler Dr Tessa Davies, they soon realize that this could be the work of a druidic sect.
Please enjoy another chapter of my dark crime novel, Death Marks . For now, I will post a chapter every Monday and Thursday.
Other Chapters
Don’t worry if you miss any chapters, since you will find links to other posted chapters here:
Death Marks
Chapter 10
Keeping his face composed, Redd nodded. ‘May we come in?’
Opening the door wider, the lined face grim, she led them through to the lounge. Her morbidly obese body brushed the sides of the narrow walls of the hall, the ridiculous mini skirt barely covering thunderous thighs, with skin mottled red, deeply pitted from cellulite. Dove wrinkled her nose at the stench of unflushed toilets, cigarettes, and fragmented joints, let alone clumps of dirty clothes strewn over chairs. They stepped around plates with the remains of last night’s takeaway.
‘Sorry about the mess, ain’t got around to cleaning yet.’
Dove hovered by the door, not wanting to sit down, whilst Redd sat on a wooden dining chair.
Fumbling in her cardigan pocket, the woman pulled out a packet of cigarettes. ‘Want one?’
Redd smiled, ‘No thanks.’
Grunting, her chin digging into her enormous breasts, she tried to lever herself up in the chair to reach the cigarette lighter. Dove’s eyes widened as Regina’s short skirt rode up to reveal a naked crotch. Oh, God, couldn’t the woman cover herself up. Redd seemed unaware of the monstrous thighs opening. ‘Want a cuppa?’
Dove glanced through to the kitchen, at the sink piled high with dirty dishes, ‘No, thank you; I’ve only just had one.’ Shaking his head, Redd muttered something about not being thirsty.
Dragging deeply on a cigarette, the woman appeared disinterested as to why they wanted to question her daughter. Sucking the smoke down, she directed out a stream of it to the ceiling.
Redd steepled his fingers as he leant forward. ‘Regina, can I call you Regina?’
The woman, busy sucking down the smoke, nodded.
‘We actually want to talk to your daughter Delle.’
‘She ain’t my daughter no more – little slag.’
Redd frowned, ‘I see. Do you know where Delle is?
‘Nah, ain’t seen her in months. Don’t want to either.’
‘Can I ask why?’
‘Yeah, she only went and did it with my partner. Egging him on all the time – letting him see her tits. Little slut. She thought I couldn’t see it. But, I’ve got eyes ain’t I? I’ve got ears.’
‘So your partner?’
‘Kicked him out and her – both of them. Caught them at it, you know. They thought I was working the late shift, but I knew, you see – I knew, and I just pretended to go work. Fooled them, didn’t I? Silly twats.’ Regina puffed furiously. ‘Caught them in the noddy, fucking – fucking in my bed no less. Gave them a bloody good hiding. Threw them out, didn’t I?’
‘So you have no idea where she might be?’
‘No, and don’t want to – the little fucker.’
‘Regina, have you any photos of Delle?’
‘Yeah, I stashed them away. Couldn’t bear the sight of her or him.’
Turning, she pointed to a sideboard drawer. ‘Save me getting up, just get one out of the sideboard over there. Pick any you want. ‘
Dove rose and walked over, pulling open the top drawer to see piles of paper, cards, keys, cigarette packets, and photos. Sorting through the muddle, she picked out a photo of a young girl, her pretty face tanned, long black hair waving over her shoulders. As she brought it back, Regina said, ‘Yeah, that was in Lanzarote – the ungrateful little shit.’
Examining the photo, Redd said, ‘Pretty girl, how old is she now?’
‘Twenty-one. Why?’
Redd evaded the question. ‘Can I borrow this?’
‘Yeah, I ain’t got no use for it.’
‘Did Delle have any boyfriends her own age?’
‘Nah, she was too busy fucking my partner.’
‘Regina, do you mind if we have a look at her room?’
‘Look me friends call me Reggie. Don’t like Regina; it rhymes with you know what?’ She winked at him, her hand going to her hair, the piggy eyes flirtatious. ‘It’s just across the hall, wait a moment; I’ll show yer.’
As she struggled again to rise from the chair, Dove watched the humungous breasts wobble over a huge stomach, the legs opening. She rushed forward, putting a hand on the woman’s arm. ‘No, you sit there now, Reggie; we’ll manage thank you.’
Smiling, Reggie collapsed back in the chair. ‘Thanks – yer a mate you are.’
Redd managed a smile. ‘Thanks, Reggie.’
Disgusted, Dove followed him to the bedroom. Once there, they gazed up at posters of heavy-metal bands. Looking at the black duvet with scarlet lace frills and black lace pillows, she noticed a large mirror on the far wall, facing the bed. Moving to the dressing table top, small and white with gilt handles, they searched through potions, lotions, perfumes, and makeup. Picking up a bright crimson lipstick, Redd pocketed it whilst Dove plucked at black hairs on the hairbrush. ‘Hair roots guv.’ Reaching for her handbag, she pulled out a plastic exhibits bag. Sealing it, she said, ‘These should help with the DNA.’
Redd’s eyes scoured the small bedroom. ‘Let’s hope she’s left us some leads. A photo or DNA of Dave Baker would be handy.’ He pulled out the top drawer and carried it to the bed, emptied out the contents onto the duvet, and went to a chest of drawers. Together they searched through combs, hairgrips, scrunchies, bits of paper, a couple of tampons packets, and a half-used packet of birth pills.
Holding them up, Dove murmured, ‘She did leave in a hurry.’
Shaking his head, Redd went to the second drawer, emptying the contents onto the bed.
Sorting through panties, thongs, bras, and tights, Dove said, ‘Some of these things are new, look – not been used, the price tickets are still on these three tops. Mahoney was right; if the victim is Delle, she was petite. These are a size eight.’
Redd held up a thong, a slip of red lace. ‘Shame, too small for Reggie, not that she would wear them anyway.’
Dove felt her face flushing, but on seeing his broad grin, he giggled, realizing he’d seen it all. They searched through more sweaters and nightwear consisting of flimsy tops and knickers – again, no sign of a lead. Lifting out the last pair of tights, Dove picked up a frayed pink ticket. ‘Look, Guv – might be something here.’ Reading the small print, she said, ‘It’s “Saturdays,” a nightclub on the pier. I know the place. You have to be a member to get in.’
Redd’s jaw bunched. ‘If this is our girl, then we’ve got a lead.’
Dove began re-filling the drawers. ‘Better put these back tidily.’
Walking back into the smoke-filled lounge, Redd sat down on the chair, looking steadily at Regina. ‘I wonder if you could help us a bit further, Reggie. Do you know of any distinguishing marks on Delle’s body?’
The colour drained from the woman’s face. ‘Wot d’you mean?’
‘Well, any marks that might help us to possibly—’
‘You’re talking about the couple in the papers, ain’t yer?’
‘Your daughter may be able to help us in our enquiries.’
The woman’s eyes narrowed. ‘You’d better be telling me the truth, mate.’ She lit up another cigarette, her hand slightly shaking. ‘Well, she ain’t got a mark on her; she has lovely skin – little minx.’
Dove noticed a tone of protection creeping into Reggie’s voice.
Walking to the car, she said, ‘That was difficult.’
Redd nodded, ‘You can’t drag every possible witness in to view a headless body. If it is Delle’s body, then we know she’s only recently had the tattoos.’
‘You think the unsubs did those?’
Dove said, ‘I think Reggie loves that girl.’
Redd frowned. ‘Did you notice how tidy Delle’s bedroom was? Neat, the carpet pristine clean, not a mark on the dressing table or chest of drawers.’
‘Yes, she’d kept everything too. However, the rest of the flat was a pit.’
‘Just shows, doesn’t it, for all Reggie’s hate talk, that room is ready for Delle to return.’
‘Let’s hope it doesn’t become a shrine.’
Seeing the boys still sitting on the curb near the car, Redd took out the peaked cap from his pocket. ‘Here – thanks.’
Seeing another five-pound note in the cap, the boy grinned. ‘Thanks, Guv – that’s sick.’
The other boy beamed. ‘Cool – just cool.’
Once seated, Dove said, ‘That was good of you. The trouble is, it will most probably pay for their next fix.’
‘It’s insurance. I might have to park the car here again.’
Redd listened to the engine purr into life. ‘The ticket to “Saturdays,” get DC Green and DC Crosby on that – check out the night club – the photo will help.’
As the car pulled out of the estate, Dove said, ‘Shame we can’t take Reggie to the mortuary – might be something to identify her.’
‘We haven’t got enough evidence for that. We can’t subject the woman to viewing a headless corpse until we’re more sure.’
Copyright.
No part of this book may be stored, reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the express permission of the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © Katy Walters
All rights reserved
Other Chapters
Don’t worry if you miss any chapters, since you will find links to other posted chapters here:
