Perfect Intentions: Sometimes justice is above the law Read Online Free PDF Page B

exclamation. There, spread on her sofa, was an unconscious Dean. The light had woken him and he stirred, and wiping the sleep from his eyes, turned to look at her.
    “Oh, you’re up and about again, are you?”
    “What are you doing here?”
    “Well, it didn’t feel right leaving you here on your own.”
    “Umm, right, thanks, and sorry about last night.”
    “It’s fine. You’re quite amusing steaming drunk.”
    “Oh God, what did I do?”
    “Well, you started with a little bit of karaoke— "
    “I didn‘t know they had a karaoke machine”
    “They don’t.”
    Clare started to redden as Dean continued.
    “You followed up the Rocky Horror medley with a little dancing…on the table.”
    “I didn’t? I’m amazed you’re still here. I’m so sorry. I don’t suppose you’ll want to go out again.”
    “Why not? You’re a dream date.”
    Clare looked at him, bemused.
    “What are you on about?”
    “I got you into bed on the first date and I ended the evening better off than when I started it.”
    Clare looked confused.
    “Yeah, your table top exploits earned me a few quid.”  His lopsided grin was back, and Clare had to laugh.
    “You bastard.”  Smiling, Clare picked up a cushion and threw it at him.
     
     

Chapter 5
     
    When the news of the second body came through to the station, Holt hadn’t been surprised. Judging by what he had seen at the first crime scene, their perpetrator was organised and meticulous. Having both the bodies discovered within hours of each other showed a level of control that was making Holt uncomfortable, and he knew he would need to bring in outside help. The victim’s heavily pregnant girlfriend had discovered the body. She’d had to be taken straight to hospital after the shock had brought her labour on. Luckily she’d gone on to have a healthy baby boy; unfortunately, it would also mean that one day she’d have to explain to her son the demise of his father and the fact that his birthday fell on the same date. Already the reach of these crimes was moving into the next generation. There hadn’t been a murder in the town in over thirty years, and the last one had been a mugging that had gotten out of hand. These crimes weren’t opportunistic.
    For the first time in his career, DI Holt was scared. He had no idea how to deal with the nightmare unfurling before him. Now that he had made the decision to go and see this Loretta Armstrong he felt a little calmer, despite the knowledge that she had been instrumental to his own divorce. He thought about the first time he’d heard her name; it had been shortly before his wife had finally walked out on him. His wife Helen; had been going to see Loretta to talk through some ‘personal issues’ she’d been having at the time. As it had turned out these ‘personal issues’ had been that she’d had enough of her marriage. Holt let out a derisory snort as he cast his mind back to the final conversation he’d had with his then wife. She’d had the affront to accuse him of being ‘emotionally retarded’. When she’d said it to him he’d laughed in her face, before reminding her it had been she who had sought out the advice of a perfect stranger to discuss the intricacies of their marriage. With her doctorate, she could—and probably would—make him feel very nervous. But he knew he’d need a head start on this case, and maybe she could shed some light on the type of person they were looking for. And going by what he’d witnessed in the last twenty-four hours, it wasn’t a rational mind he was looking for. He leant forward, cradling his head in his hands, and attempted to rub the sleep away from his eyes and force his mind to wake again. He stared back down at the photos in front of him. He just hoped Dr. Armstrong was as good as her reputation suggested, because he had a feeling he was going to need all the additional help he could get.
    Grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair, he called for DS Henson,