Bex edged forward. Now she was within an arm’s reach of Xiu Lan, standing directly between her and Quinn. She noted the woman held the knife tip only against the side of Isla’s throat, pressed against her carotid artery, her other arm wrapped along her body and tucked behind Isla’s neck, keeping her in place.
“Wynter, get out the way!” Quinn hissed.
Behind Xiu Lan Eli raised his other hand to steady his aim. Bex kept her eyes riveted on Xiu Lan, willing her to believe her next words. “You’d be much better with me as a hostage. Cops don’t want to see other cops shot.”
Raising her open hands in a gesture of surrender in front of her, she inched another step closer. “Take me, Xiu Lan,” she egged on the other woman.
As Xiu Lan’s grip on Isla wavered, Bex shot out a stiff left palm to strike her wrist with a nerve-numbing blow. Xiu Lan gave a garbled scream as the knife clattered to the ground. In the same instant, Bex thrust Isla hard in the opposite direction with her right arm, flinging her to the ground and out of firing range.
A shot barked out.
Blood and pink matter splattered from the back of Xiu Lan’s skull. Her arms jerked once, before her body crumpled.
Bex didn’t pause. She launched herself like an arrow straight towards Eli. An elbow to his chin knocked him off balance so she could grapple the gun from his clenched fist. He resisted and they fell together in a heap.
“Didn’t you hear Quinn say the girls are safe, Eli?” Bex shouted in his ear, her hands clamped around the gun, holding it out of his reach. “Your daughters are safe!”
The wild gleam in his glazed eyes gradually regained their focus.
“Your girls are safe, Eli,” she repeated.
He dropped his head against her shoulder and she locked her other arm across him, holding his shaking body in place. The sound of his sobs was harsh and broken as his tears soaked her shirt.
A thin scream rent the air. “Quinn!”
Over Eli’s heaving shoulders, Bex took in Isla scrambling to her feet and throwing herself into Quinn’s arms. She clung to him like ivy, her body curving into every crevasse, her face lifted invitingly.
Beyond Quinn, Bex glimpsed a thin police officer, kitted in body armor, an assault rifle still held to his shoulder. But no other assailants burst onto the scene.
Without conscious volition, her eyes were tugged back to Quinn and Isla. Quinn had closed his free arm around Isla’s body as though he was holding something fragile and precious. His head dropped and their lips met in hunger, her hand clutched against the nape of his neck.
Bex continued to hold Eli.
Chapter 39
Ingle Road, Ealing
Bex stood in the center of the room Georgie had rented to her. On top of the tallboy, next to her espresso machine and the kettle and two cups, she had placed the bundle of photos Neil sent over from New York. She gazed at the black and white images of a young Zane she had never known, trying to regain her balance. It had been a wild thirty-six hours.
She had wanted to escape from the confusion and noise from dozens of emergency services personnel converging on Fairbridge parking lot, and the rabid news reporters held back only by crime scene tape and uniformed officers, without any fanfare. Refusing to be rushed to hospital, she had allowed one of the paramedics to check her over and patch up her scrapes. Luckily she had no broken bones and her wounds were nothing that a strong dose of codeine wouldn’t help.
She was vaguely aware that Quinn had wrangled Eli into the ambulance with his daughters. Juggling Isla with one arm, Quinn had fielded a call from Dresden before handing his phone to Bex, who slipped away for privacy.
“Standing tells me you’re refusing to go to hospital.”
“No need, I’m fine, really, Ma’am. My scrapes have been patched up and it’s just a matter of living with the bruises until they fade.”
“As your captain told me when you applied for this job, you’re one tough cookie, Wynter. Good job getting those girls out safely. They’re traumatized of course and that will take some getting over. But that’s not our job. Our job is to secure their safety.”
“That was Standing’s work,” Bex protested.
“He gives you credit as well. I’m glad to see you’re finally managing to work as a team. I’ll see you bright and early Monday morning.”
“Actually, Ma’am, I hoped to have the day off.” Bex intended to front Bromley Police Station with the evidence to exonerate Josh.
Dresden didn’t miss a beat. “Take as long as you like to get over this, Wynter, as long as it’s only a day. This has turned into another high profile case and I don’t want CID nabbing all the glory. I’ve spoken to Superintendent Titus about calling a media conference tonight so I can be Skyped in to field questions.”
When she ended the call, Bex had found Quinn talking with another officer near Georgie’s beaten up Honda, hemmed in between ambulances and police vehicles. She handed back his phone as the other officer gave her a nod of acknowledgement before drifting away.
“That’s the guy who shot Xiu Lan?” she asked.
“Jim Dukeris. He came upon a hostage situation with a civilian and three police officers being threatened. No brainer that he had to take out the perp.”
“It was a clean shot.”
“Thanks to you clearing the way.”
She felt a rush of heat at his praise and lifted her face to relish the fresh, damp night air. The humidity had brought a brief shower to clear the atmosphere.
Quinn’s long blue eyes drilled into hers. “By the way, the gun that Eli had on him when you tackled him was one of Li’s illegal weapons. Ignoring any danger to himself, he broke into the dormitory to help save us.”
“Is that so?”
“Bleeding oath, that’s so.” Quinn’s voice was sharp and succinct. “The man’s virtually a hero.”
“What about your gun?”
Quinn flicked his eyes towards the melee of ambulances and paramedics. Bex kept her eyes fixed on Quinn, noting the tension along his jawline.
“There’ll be an internal inquiry but luckily the only weapon fired was Jim Dukeris’ so there shouldn’t be any disciplinary action. I’m no longer licensed to carry firearms, but I can take the flak.”
“Meaning Eli can’t?”
“Eli’s already on notice because of his personal involvement with the victims.”
Bex felt as though the air had been sucked from her lungs as she realized Quinn was protecting Eli. Had Quinn seen the murderous look in Eli’s eyes as they focused on Xiu Lan? She had no doubt Eli had almost crossed a line from which there would be no coming back. Since he hadn’t, it remained a matter for Eli and his conscience.
“Everything happened so fast and the lighting was so dim I never got a good look at Eli’s gun,” Bex said. “And I never had a chance to ask him where he’d got it.” Deciding not to dwell on “what if” scenarios, Bex shed those thoughts in favor of a new direction. “How’s Isla?”
“Shaken, rather than stirred. Isla gave me some sketchy details and they found Lewis Dorritson tied up where you left him. Lucky you were with her, because I would’ve killed the bastard.”
“It was tempting. But I need him for an alibi. Has Isla forgiven me for that move I pulled while Xiu Lan’s knife was resting against her carotid?”
“I think she’s finding it harder to forgive you for your dicey comments about me relishing the expectation of shooting my ex-wife.”
Bex shrugged. “Just doing my job.” She dropped her eyes to her fingers, knitted together nervously. “You two seem to have patched up your differences.”
Quinn ran a hand over the rough stubble on his chin. He was standing so close to Bex she heard the faint rustle in the darkness. His expression, overcast with blue and red from a nearby police car’s strobe lights, was difficult to read.
“Sometimes a brush with death puts life in a different perspective, makes it seem too short to not give our marriage another go.”
&n
bsp; “Good for you,” Bex said with hearty enthusiasm. “Maybe she’ll sharpen up your clothes choices.”
The flashing lights distorted the smile crossing his face.
“Dresden said we made a good team,” she added.
“Yeah, well, if you hadn’t gotten yourself kidnapped I may never have ended up back at the school, so credit where it’s due.” His teasing tone lacked its usual sarcastic bite. “And I have to give Reuben props for calling through the intel from CID. Just lucky we made the break before they did. It’s all in the timing, as they say.”
Bex nodded her agreement. “As you say, it’s all in the timing.”
* * *
New Scotland Yard
It was past midnight when Bex snuck out of Georgie’s house. She left Reuben and his mother immersed in news coverage of the kidnapping. The keys to Georgie’s Honda burned a hole in her pocket and it took only a moment to overcome her indecision to slip into the car to take a drive through London’s busy streets. Georgie and Reuben had downed more than a half bottle of Square Mile Gin, so there was no way Georgie would need the car tonight.
Bex drove aimlessly for a while, before using the GPS to end up outside New Scotland Yard. The building glowed with a faint blue light. She knew no other places in London, no other people. She parked the car and for a moment rested her forehead against the steering wheel. In her coat pocket was one of Neil’s photos of Zane. She smoothed it between her fingertips before holding it up to the windshield.
“Take a look because this is where I work, Zane,” she whispered into the darkness.
I know, babe. Remember, I’m the one who told you to spread your wings and fly. You did good tonight. She heard his voice inside her thoughts. Brackish, unsettled feelings stirred from their buried depths and she pushed them aside.
Stepping out of the car, a wall of humidity hit her. So much for the evening’s earlier rain, she mused. Passing the eternal flame she swiped herself inside the building. Taking the glassed elevator to the third story, eerie silence enclosed her as she exited. Her feet padded over the long stretch of carpet towards one end of the floor where the Youth Crimes Team had staked out their patch of turf. She was greeted by a view over the city of swirling lights from the London eye and swift-flowing traffic. She started as a black silhouette disengaged from one of the desks.
“Eli! What are you doing here?”
“When I drove back from the hospital I found the house staked out by reporters, so I just kept on driving and ended up here. There’s a mountain of paperwork to sort out over the shooting of Li Xiu Lan. Crims can murder whoever they want, but if a copper pulls a weapon we have to answer to the Home Office and every other government body in town.” He pushed his chair away from the desk. “I was just about to go for a fag break. Want to come? You’ll like this.”
Confused, she followed him back towards the elevator. When the doors opened, he led her past the conference room straight out onto the rooftop. She leant against the stone balcony, soaking in the view from the narrow terrace. To her right Big Ben stood as an iconic sentinel over the city’s rooftops. Lighted barges floated along the Thames below her.
“One day I’ll have to ask Reuben what the real estate value is of this building,” she said, taking in a deep breath.
Eli cracked a laugh, like a piece of china breaking. With a shaky hand, he drew a cigarette out of a new packet and she smelt the sulfuric sting of the flaring match.
“What are you doing on your own, Eli? I thought you’d be with your girls and your wife.”
Smoke crawled from between his fingertips. “Sydney’s left me,” he stated baldly. “She told me that as soon as the girls are released from hospital, she’s leaving London and taking them with her to her family in Liverpool.” He snorted. “Liverpool, no less!”
“Maybe you misunderstood? She probably means to take a break during summer vacation. The girls probably need time to recuperate. They’ve been through a horrific experience.”
“I know. They’ve been to hell and haven’t come back yet. Imogen could barely look at me when I traveled with them to the hospital.” He closed his eyes against the smoke drifting across his face. “Sydney blames me for what happened. Imogen blames me. Apparently she spoke out on the bus and said her father was a cop and would find these men. They made an example of her for the other girls. Hannah told me. First, he held a gun to her head. Then he forced her to her knees and made my little girl give him a blowjob. Right there on the bus in front of all the other girls. To teach her a lesson. To cower the rest of them into obedience.” His voice splintered, torn through with grief and anger. “Sydney’s right to leave me. I can’t even protect the people I love.”
As the hope drained from his voice, Bex’s heart constricted. She fought back her own tidal wave of guilt. I know exactly how you feel, she thought.
“I’m so sorry, Eli. But it’s still not fair of Sydney to blame you. Is Imogen going to be okay?” Her voice petered out. There were no words to mend his bleeding heart.
“Physically yes. Emotionally and mentally, who knows? Sydney’s convinced herself that neither she nor the girls will be safe with me around. Her leaving’s not a total surprise. Our marriage has been teetering on the brink for a while. But I’m going to miss my girls.”
“I’m really sorry, Eli,” she repeated. “
“Yeah, me too. I knew Sydney and I had our moments, but we had some good times too. But this job sucks any good out of your life,” he said with bitterness.
Bex felt her eyes grow moist. Policing was demanding. Despite that, she still loved it. Zane had accepted her love of it, even though it had impinged on their time together and the choices she’d made in their relationship. If it wasn’t for policing Xiu Lan and her crew would still be running their sex trafficking ring. Instead, they had rescued twenty-two girls from a life worse than death.
Sighing, Eli stubbed out the half-smoked butt. “Don’t listen to me, Bex. I’m just a cranky old geezer. I’m two strikes down in the marriage game and at forty-five, it’s not like I’ll ever get another innings in the love stakes.”
“On the bright side, it looks like Quinn and Isla might have patched up their marriage.” One marriage ended, one renewed. The odds on love remained fifty-fifty.
“When you’re young it’s easier to find love.”
Bex sincerely doubted that. But she did believe that love could strike unexpectedly. Neil had once told her that he’d never expected Zane to find love again, let alone the love of his life. She fingered the photo deep in her jeans pocket.
“Don’t give up, Eli. I know a man who found the love of his life when he was forty-nine.”
“But did it last?”
“It lasted the rest of his life.”
THE END
COURTING DEATH
BOOK 3
BRITISH CRIME WITH AN
AMERICAN TWIST
About this book
Only your therapist knows your darkest secrets…
Two murder victims. One confession. An open and shut case…or not?
Hot shot lawyer Isla Standing believes the truth belongs in court, even if that means risking her career.
After overturning a police conviction and shattering a family man’s reputation, Harley Carroll’s case becomes an emotionally charged investigation full of unexpected twists for the Youth Crimes Team. DCI Bex Wynter must follow a long-dead trail of evidence, secrets and hidden agendas to solve this murder mystery.
But truth comes with a price and who will pay?
In a story that mixes legal suspense with realistic police procedure, Courting Death is a character-driven crime mystery that will keep you glued till the end.
This is the third book to feature American Bex Wynter at the London Met with the Youth Crimes Team. While each book in the series can be read as a stand alone, the story will be enhanced if read in sequence. That way the development of relationships between the characters can be better understood and appreciated.
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Table of Contents
About this book
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 1
Halloween night, 13 months earlier
My heart pounded so loudly I almost didn’t hear the shout from the other end of the house.
“Harley! Har-ley! Don’t keep me waiting!” The voice floated across the hallway, laced with equal measures of threat and cajoling.
This was my cue to action, but my arms hung leaden at my side and my feet were frozen to the tiles on the kitchen floor. The only part of me that felt capable of movement was my heart, pumping and bumping against my ribcage like a bird caught in a trap.
I sucked in a calming breath and forced myself to visualize what I planned to do. My actions were like a map laid in front of me, or a set of instructions for assembling a flatpack of furniture. I had been over them so many times in my mind I hoped they would be second nature.
“Harley! Don’t make me come and get you!”
His calls were like nails driving through my skull.
Bex Wynter Box Set Page 31
