Deadly Cry (DI Kim Stone #13) - Angela Marsons Page 0,14

any obvious smell, other than the flowers?’

Lesley sighed heavily, as though she wished she had more to offer. ‘None.’

‘And you saw nothing at all?’

Again, she shook her head. ‘Once he was gone, I didn’t move for ages in case he came back to kill me. I thought I was going to die, so I was too frightened to look.’

‘Do you have any idea what he used to assault you?’

‘I’m sorry but I don’t. It was hard and smooth, but not cold like glass.’

Stacey knew nothing had been found at the scene.

‘It said in the report that there was minimal damage and bruising to the vagina.’ A fact that had thrown doubt over her story at the beginning of the investigation.

‘He wasn’t rough.’

‘I’m sorry?’ Stacey said, taken aback. The attack had sounded horrific.

‘He wasn’t brutal. Don’t get me wrong, I was humiliated, angry, hurt, shamed and undeniably changed for the rest of my life because of what that bastard did to me. I’ll likely never trust a man again, but you haven’t asked me if there was anything I sensed.’

‘Was there?’

She nodded.

‘I got the impression that he wasn’t in control, that he didn’t really want to do what he was doing.’

Stacey sat back, careful to keep the surprise from her face. But, finally, she understood why Lesley Skipton could never have been put on the stand.

Twelve

I did it. I killed her, and there was a satisfaction to the twist of the neck that was morbidly gratifying for me. A slight thing, she didn’t put up much of a fight, but it wouldn’t have mattered if she had. She was going to die regardless.

There were so many stages of the killing process to enjoy. The planning, the how and the where and eventually, the who. There is a power that comes with deciding whose life I’m going to take. I relish that anticipation, enjoy the dominance I have. I imagine their life and the grief it will cause. I want to inflict the maximum amount of pain on the victim and their family.

The act itself is almost the best part. I had visualised the manner of death way before I touched her. In truth, there was a little disappointment. It was much harder to twist the neck than I’d thought. Even with one hand on the chin and one hand on the top of the head, there was no definite crack of the neck as the spinal cord snapped, making a sound like it does in the films. I would have liked to hear a sound. Instead, she just fell limply against me, her eyes staring up in an anticlimactic kind of way.

I must try not to think about such things; my enjoyment pales against the practicality and prefers to remember it how I saw it in my mind’s eye. And anyway, it was quick, it was clean, and I will not get caught. That’s what matters the most.

I saw your face again. I see it every time I take a life. I pretend that I’m killing you instead of the victim, and that’s okay because I can continue to kill you a million times – over and over again.

Yes, every single part of murder is enjoyable to me. But nothing compares to my favourite part.

The best is yet to come, I think to myself as I take out my phone.

Thirteen

‘Run that by me again,’ Kim said once Stacey had updated her on the shuffle case.

‘She has some kind of sympathy for her attacker,’ Stacey repeated. ‘She was even grateful that he pulled her shorts up and covered her once he’d finished. I get why they couldn’t use her,’ she admitted.

Kim got it. ‘She’d have been more like a witness for the defence. His barrister would have gone to town and twisted the whole thing so it would have appeared consensual.’

‘Exactly, boss, which would have weakened the case for the first victim, Gemma Hornley. It’s likely he’d have walked and paid for neither crime.’

Kim agreed. ‘Well, given that we’ve got a murder investigation to—’

‘Can I stay on it, boss?’ Stacey asked. ‘She’s still a victim and she’s being denied justice for telling the truth.’

Kim opened her mouth to refuse until the irony of Stacey’s words hit home. Truth and justice didn’t always go hand in hand, but they had to give it their best shot.

‘Okay, but if I need to pull you off while Bryant and I—’

‘Err… present and fit for duty, boss,’ Penn said, throwing his hand in the air to