Mummy's Little Girl

by Kay Leitch

  Carla banged on the doors of the pub, 'Vanessa! It's Carla I need to speak to you,'…nothing…Carla shook the doors and rang on the delivery bell, still nothing, she ran around to the back and up the fire escape (the same route that Tracy had taken a couple of weeks before). The kitchen door was locked and there was no sign of life inside…apart that is from the mass of flies that she could see crawling and buzzing on the kitchen door windows. Carla could feel sweat dripping down the back of her neck, she pulled out her mobile and punched in Ted's number, he answered after a couple of rings, Carla could hear the noise of her team celebrating in the background. 'What's up Carla?' shouted Ted down the phone. Carla explained where she was and that she needed him to meet her there immediately, without waiting for his answer she hung up and started looking around for a rock or something with which to break the backdoor window, she found an old door stop and used it to break the glass…the stench from inside almost made her gag as she felt around inside the door for a key, at last she found it and opened the door.

  All the curtains had been closed and the heat had been turned on constant, the smell and flies were overwhelming and Carla had to walk outside again to take a deep breath before venturing any further. She went through the kitchen into the hall way, the living room door was shut, but Carla could hear the buzzing of flies through the door…she pushed the door but it felt really heavy, and it took all her weight against it before the door swung open.

  Heat and flies will have a devastating effect on a body. And it took Carla a couple of minutes to realise that Vanessa was hanging with a cord around her neck on the back of the door…Carla only just made it outside again before she threw up, she waited at the top of the steps until she spotted Ted's car pulling up in front of the pub, 'Up here Ted,' she called and he made his way up.

  'Carla love, you ok?' he said on seeing her sitting there white and shaking, she indicated that he go in and look, and after a couple of seconds she followed him inside, she checked the rest of the flat, it looked like Faye must have headed back to Australia, there was no evidence of her still being there anyway. Carla went back into the living room.

  Ted was just staring at Vanessa's grotesquely bloated body hanging on the back of the door with a puzzled look on his face.

  'That just makes no sense,' he said after a while, 'why would she want to do that, I mean I know that Giles will go to jail and I suppose that maybe she is heartbroken…but I thought she had her sister staying with her, I mean I know she was going to have to face a trial but, I thought things were going to turn out well for her.'

  While Ted had been talking Carla had been looking more closely at the body on the back of the door, its face all distorted with its blackened tongue and bulging eyes.

  'Well the sister seems to have left, all her bags have gone and I can't see her passport anywhere… that's strange I'm sure she said she was going to be staying until the trial, maybe that was the last straw for Vanessa being left alone to face it all…I don't know Ted something's not right here,' she said as she stared hard at the ghoulish features, then it hit her. 'NO NO NO… TED! IT'S FAYE…IT'S NOT VANESSA IT'S FAYE…that fucking bitch…that sick fucking bitch…she's killed her…it was that fucking bitch all along…everything Louise…fucking Derek…and Giles, Giles went along with it because he was so bloody in love with her, she's killed them all…oh my god, and she's gone…long gone…how could I have been so stupid…'

  Carla had had enough, she sat down on the sofa and started to cry, Ted started shifting about uncomfortably, but when Carla began to sniff loudly and wipe her nose on the back of her hand, he went over to her and handed her a hanky. 'Come on love, buck up…' he put a comforting hand on her shoulder and waited while Carla pulled herself together, then he walked over to the body still hanging on the door and had a good look.

  'I don't know if you're right Carla, it bloody looks like Vanessa…how can you tell?' he said after a while.

  'Look at her nails Ted, bitten to the quick, Vanessa always had beautifully manicured nails, no I'm sure of it…they looked pretty similar, same height and build same colouring although Faye was a bit more tanned and blond…oh of course…bloody clever cow, she's taken her passport. I bet we don't find Faye's passport and return tickets…that fucking bitch she'll be in Melbourne by now, or anywhere she likes…' Carla put her head in her hands, she felt totally defeated, Vanessa had made a complete fool out of all of them. 'Fucking devious clever bitch,' she said once more and left Ted to deal with the forensic team that had just arrived.

  CHAPTER 58 - THE WITCHES OF GLORY WOODS CAULDRON MEETING 2013

  Because Tracy was still waiting for the swelling in her face to go down before she would venture outside, and because their usual venue The Bull Public House, was closed the witches met at Tracy's cottage. It had been nearly a month since they had all been together like this, and, because of the events of that month it was a very subdued group that sat together in Tracy's tiny sitting room.

  Maggie was watching over Helen like a mother hen, Helen had gone straight from the hospital to Maggie's house, where she had been holed up in her spare room. It had taken all Maggie's powers of gentle persuasion to get her here tonight, and, although she was here physically it was like she was somewhere else in her head. She had barely spoken, and apart from giving Tracy a very tearful and thorough hug when she arrived, she had taken no part in the evening so far. The loss of Will and the callus way that Mike had dumped her (only after spending the night with her) seemed to have sucked the life out of her and left a hollow shell behind…hopefully time would help, and it was obvious that Maggie would leave no stone unturned to get her old friend back.

  Tracy on the other hand was on fine form, the injuries had only touched her physically and she seemed to have put her terrifying experience behind her, apart from of course from relating it in more and more gruesome detail to anyone that asked, with her role in the story becoming more and more daring. Simon had turned into some sort of super hero that had broken the door down with one blow and pulled Vince off her singlehandedly, Carla, who had been there, knew that it had been a lot more touch and go, and also a lot more about luck than super strength.

  At the moment Carla had the floor, after being bombarded with questions she was trying to fill them all in on what had happened, but was constantly being interrupted by Tracy and Maggie.

  'So it was Vanessa all along then…so did she kill the girl…um Louise, I don't understand I thought Giles killed Louise.'

  Carla sighed and went over it again.

  'No it was all Vanessa, she had been so horrified when her dad told her that Louise was trying to find her, I suppose she felt that she had left all of that behind her and she was terrified that her lovely new life and her fictional past life was about to blow up in her face. So she started emailing Louise letting her think that she was desperate to see her she arranged to meet her, we're still not sure where they met…the text on Louise's phone says to meet at the station but there is no sign of either of them on the CCTV cameras, so I can only assume that she changed her mind or that she knew a way of avoiding them…anyway she obviously met with her and at some point persuaded her to go for a walk in the woods.' Carla smiled and looked at Helen, 'It was your photo that finally put all the pieces together honey,' she took Helen's hand. 'Vanessa had obviously spotted you snapping away with your camera and tried to hide herself and Louise, I don't know how it went from a walk in the woods to bloody murder, I guess I'll never know unless I catch up with Vanessa one day I suppose.' Carla stopped here, she still felt such a fool for letting Vanessa get away as she had.

  'So Giles did nothing then?' asked Maggie. 'Why the hell didn't he say so instead of allowing himself to be arrested for murder?'

  'Oh my god I don't know,' said Carla. 'And I wouldn't say he did nothing, he knew about Vanessa killing Louise.' Giles had told them everything when he realised that Vanessa had hightailed it out of the country and left him to face a murder charge.' He was also responsi
ble for the abduction of Vanessa's dad…he had found out about how she had been abused by him as a child, I think he just loved her so much that he would have done anything for her, I mean he was prepared to spend his life in prison for her wasn't he?' Carla added sadly, she would never forget the look of pain on Giles Poole's broken face when she had told him that Vanessa had killed her sister and left the country, it had literally destroyed him.

  'So how did that psycho Vince get involved, I mean I realise now that the old man he kept referring to was Derek Styles, but I don't understand why he would do Giles any favours, he seemed to hate him,' asked Tracy.

  'Vince knew Giles from way back when he was representing all his buddies and keeping them out of jail, but it was Vanessa he knew best apparently, they seemed to have had some sort of a partnership, at least I think he helped her set up her escort business…but at the end of the day this just came down to money. Vanessa asked Giles to hire Vince to get rid of her dad…unfortunately for Giles and you honey,' Carla squeezed Tracy's hand, 'Giles wasn't quick enough paying up and that meant Vince came looking for him, which is where you came in.'

  'Poor Giles,' said Tracy. 'Oh I know he is one seriously fucked up bloke, but it seems to me that he was just a victim of love…he just loved Vanessa too much.'

  'Well I can understand him wanting to kill her dad…I'd want to kill that fucking piece of shit, it was sickening what he put his own daughter through', said Maggie, 'I would want to kill anyone who had done that to someone I loved, but seriously to stand by and cover for her when she killed her own daughter…no that's not love babe…that's a man who's being controlled.'

  'Yes, well I don't think many of us felt a great deal of sympathy for Mr Styles when we read Vanessa's diaries,' said Carla with a wry smile. 'Although…my god when I remember what that animal did to him…phew…I wouldn't wish that on anyone…but Vanessa certainly had her revenge, she had been sending Derek letters from 'Faye' inviting him to come and stay with her, she arranged with Vince to pick him up from the home, that was the 'taxi' that arrived to take him to 'Faye's', and it was Vince that had kept him locked up in that old shed for a couple of weeks, but then Giles got involved after Vanessa was taken into custody, I think he just went a bit mad…he blamed Derek for everything that had happened to Vanessa…he was probably right too…but anyway he knew that Vince got his kicks from a bit of torture, so he was the perfect man to finish the job…the only problem he hadn't foreseen when dealing with a nutter like Vince Harman is that they can just as easily turn on you…as Giles soon found out to his cost!'

  She saw Tracy shiver, and put an arm round her, 'But of course thanks to our intrepid heroine here, he was rescued from the unspeakably awful Vince and lives to serve his time in jail…' Carla broke off here because she still found it hard to talk about how guilty she felt that she had been so well hoodwinked by Vanessa… Faye's death could have been avoided if she had not been so carried away by the horrors of Vanessa's years of abuse.

  'Any news Carla…about Vanessa I mean, she hasn't surfaced yet I presume?' said Maggie gently.

  'No…nothing, she's using Faye's passport we know that, but she'd had so much time, she could be anywhere…the joint bank accounts had been cleaned out so she has a good deal of money with her, and as we now know Vanessa has never had any difficulty in making money…she'll survive…she's done it before, she'll do it again.'

  CHAPTER 59 - 2013 BANGKOK, THAILAND

  The elegant woman sat at the bar sipping her drink and surveying the room. Her dark hair shone in the candle light and along with her casual, but expertly tailored, linen trouser suit and her discreet but obviously expensive jewellery, all proclaimed her to be a woman of taste and means. She had not gone unnoticed, several of the businessmen that frequented the bar had already taken note of her dark good looks…she was aware of this, but Vanessa had learnt that it paid to keep your audience guessing and to leave them wanting more…she finished her drink and left the bar…alone, they'd ask about her, they'd hear that she came in most evenings…they'd be back tomorrow, they wouldn't be able to help themselves.

  THE END

  A NOTE FROM KAY

  Thank you for reading my book, I hope you enjoyed it!

  If you did, could I ask you to share your experience with someone else. Either by recommending it to your friends or to any book groups to which you may belong or simply by writing and posting a review.

  ‘Mummy’s Little Girl’ is my first novel; and also the first in the ‘Witches of Glory Woods’ series, there are three other books: ‘Bad Things Happen’, ‘Nasty Bitch’, ‘The Girl in the Rug’ and 'Lost Girls'. You can find the descriptions on the following pages.

  Thank you once again.

  You can contact me and find details about my books on my website http://www.kay-leitch.com. I always love to hear from my readers.

  Kay

  Thanks

  Thank you to all my wonderful family and friends for all their encouragement and support, Emma and Natalie for listening to me droning on about my story lines, and giving me good honest criticism, Ben, Abby and Robin for making sure their friends read my stories and write a review, Colin for looking so gorgeous on the front of ‘Bad Things Happen’ and Marcus for designing my covers.

  My special thanks go to Steve for his constant love and support, and the hours of work he puts in getting me published…thank you darling.

  NEXT TIME...

  The story of the Witches of Glory Woods continues in Bad Things Happen, Nasty Bitch, The Girl in the Rug and Lost Girls:

  Bad Things Happen

  A five year old boy has been kidnapped; and whether she wants to or not Detective Inspector Carla Right is heading up another massive police operation. But this time every minute could be the difference between finding the child safe and well or finding a body.

  Carla has spent the last six months beating herself up about the mistakes that she made which led to twisted murderer Vanessa Poole managing to slip through her fingers, this time there is no room for error.

  Maggie has successfully managed to avoid her ex-husband for nearly ten years, how will she cope now that fate has conspired that she has to see him every day! Tracy's relationship with Simon is put in jeopardy when she discovers something that could blow them apart. And Helen has a secret, a wonderful secret, that she has told no one, not even the Witches.

  The village of Kenley has only just recovered from the drama of six months earlier. Now they have to pull together to try and find a missing little boy, and on top of that gypsies have moved onto the common, coincidence or could the two events be linked in some way?

  Nasty Bitch

  Someone is torturing and killing men.

  Someone has been waiting and planning for years, to exact revenge from the people of Kenley Village.

  The dreadfully mutilated bodies of several men have been discovered, both here in England and in Florida, USA.

  So when a courting couple find the grisly remains of a man in a disused barn near Kenley, Carla and her team fear that they may have a serial killer on their hands.

  Life has moved on for the Witches of Glory Woods, Carla, Maggie, Tracy and Helen have all got new challenges to deal with, but the one thing that remains constant is the friendship that binds them together and the knowledge that they will always be there for each other… no matter what life has to throw at them!

  The Girl in the Rug

  Eight year old Andy Hunt lies shivering under his thin blanket; he has gone to bed hungry again with fresh bruises on his face.

  Hot tears roll down his grubby cheeks and onto his pillow…he doesn’t know why he always makes his mum so angry, he tries to be good, he really does.

  But nothing can prepare this little boy for the devastation that he will have to deal with, when a series of tragic events bring him and his family to the attention of two vicious local thugs.

  DI Carla Right has to face one of the hardest investigations of her career when the body of a lit
tle girl is found. At the same time, evidence comes to light that a paedophile ring is targeting the local care homes for children…could it be that the two crimes are linked in some way?

  The Witches, Carla, Maggie, Tracy and Helen are back, each with their own new set of problems to deal with. Thank goodness they have each other to turn to when things go wrong…because sometimes, things can go very, very wrong indeed.