Irrational Justice
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IRRATIONAL JUSTICE
M A COMLEY
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author M A Comley
Published by Jeamel Publishing limited
Copyright © 2017 M A Comley
Digital Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the site and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Table of Contents
Title Page
Copyright Page
Acknowledgments
IRRATIONAL JUSTICE
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
EPILOGUE
Acknowledgments
Thank you as always to my rock, Jean, who keeps me supplied with endless cups of coffee while I punish my keyboard. I’d be lost without you in my life.
Special thanks as always go to my talented editor, Stefanie Spangler Buswell and to Karri Klawiter for her superb cover design expertise.
My heartfelt thanks go to my wonderful proofreader Joseph for spotting all the lingering nits.
And finally, to all the wonderful Bloggers and Facebook groups for their never-ending support of my work.
OTHER BOOKS BY
M A COMLEY
Blind Justice (novella)
Cruel Justice (Book #1)
Mortal Justice (novella)
Impeding Justice (Book #2)
Final Justice (Book #3)
Foul Justice (Book #4)
Guaranteed Justice (Book #5)
Ultimate Justice (Book #6)
Virtual Justice (Book #7)
Hostile Justice (Book #8)
Tortured Justice (Book #9)
Rough Justice (Book #10)
Dubious Justice (Book #11)
Calculated Justice (Book #12)
Twisted Justice (Book #13)
Justice at Christmas (short story)
Prime Justice (Book #14)
Heroic Justice (Book #15 coming November 2017)
Unfair Justice (a 10,000 word short story)
Irrational Justice (a 10,000 word short story)
Clever Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)
Tragic Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)
Sinful Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)
Forever Watching You (DI Miranda Carr thriller)
Wrong Place (DI Sally Parker thriller #1)
No Hiding Place (DI Sally Parker thriller #2)
Cold Case (DI Sally Parker #3)
Deadly Encounter (DI Sally Parker Cold Case series coming Oct 2017)
Web of Deceit (DI Sally Parker Novella with Tara Lyons)
The Caller (co-written with Tara Lyons)
Evil In Disguise – a novel based on True events
Deadly Act (Hero series novella)
Torn Apart (Hero Series #1)
End Result (Hero Series #2)
In Plain Sight (Hero Series #3)
Double Jeopardy (Hero Series #4)
Sole Intention (Intention Series #1)
Grave Intention (Intention Series #2)
Devious Intention (Intention Series#3)
Merry Widow (A Lorne Simpkins short story)
It’s A Dog’s Life (A Lorne Simpkins short story)
A Time To Heal (A Sweet Romance)
A Time For Change (A Sweet Romance)
High Spirits
The Temptation Series (Romantic Suspense/New Adult Novellas)
Past Temptation (available now)
Lost Temptation (available now)
Keep in touch with the author at:
http://melcomley.blogspot.com
On Facebook
Twitter @melcom1
Follow me on Bookbub
IRRATIONAL JUSTICE
M A COMLEY
PROLOGUE
Lorne drew the car to a screeching halt at the end of the alley. “This looks like the right location.”
Pete nodded, distracted by chatter on the radio.
“All right then, let’s see what we’ve got,” Lorne said. They exited the vehicle and walked into the mouth of the alley. Graffiti covered every inch of the brick walls of the buildings on either side, and the remains of takeaways littered the ground. “This place is a dumping ground. The council need to clean up their act.”
“They probably only cleaned it last week; this area is always a shithole.”
“We should split up. She has to be around here somewhere. Time’s running out,” Lorne reminded him, her eyes darting around the long alley.
“No kidding,” Pete glanced at his watch. “Ten minutes, that’s all we have.”
The pair separated. Her heart racing, Lorne searched the right-hand side of the alley, while Pete began to explore the left. She hated having a countdown to work to.
Lorne heard a distant cry for help. “Pete, did you hear that?”
He shook his head, and his mouth turned down at the sides. “Nope.”
She held out her hand, instructing her partner to stop and listen until she heard the muffled cry again. “Did you hear it this time?”
“I did. Sounds like it was coming from back there.”
“Put the call in, Pete. Get the bomb squad here and tell them it’s urgent. We have ten minutes before that damn vest explodes.”
CHAPTER ONE
Twenty-four hours earlier.
Lorne arrived at work to the news that the man they had been chasing for the past few weeks, the Lynx, was approaching his endgame. He’d certainly kept them on their toes during the investigation, and she’d barely slept for a week. Only one other nemesis had ever done that before: the Unicorn. She’d been chasing that particular bastard for eight years. He made a point of popping up now and again to taunt her, which made her wonder if the Lynx was a close associate of his.
“Morning, boss.” Her rotund partner, Pete, deposited the cup of coffee on her desk and sat down opposite her. “What’s on the agenda for today?”
“Morning, Chunky.” Though she used his nickname as a term of endearment, Lorne was aware how much it wound him up. That was the kind of relationship she had with Pete, though. He was more like a brother to her than just a work colleague. “There was a sighting of the Lynx over in the East End. I think we should trundle over there this morning.”
“This guy has given us the slip for far too long now for my liking. It bugs the hell out of me that we haven’t got a proper name for him yet. I can’t exactly see the Lynx being written on his birth certificate. Although, who can tell nowadays, with the wacky names some of these celebrities are calling their offspring.”
“Okay, Mr. Grumpy, I know the Arsenal lost at the weekend, but I think you need to get over that loss and swiftly move on. I have enough on my plate with DCI Roberts expecting me to arrest this guy, without you causing me more angst.”
“Huh, my mood has nothing to do with Wenger’s lot losing. As for Roberts, he’s always breathing down your neck. No news there.”
“Shoo! Let me whizz through the post, and we’ll set off in half an hour. Unless we get a call about this guy’s whereabouts in the meantime.”
Pete left
his chair and walked out of the office. Lorne glanced out the window at the grey skies floating over London. “Please, give us a break on this one. This guy has been leading us a merry dance for weeks now.”
A bolt of lightning seeped through the overhead clouds as if in response to her plea. Her eyes widened in amazement. She shook her head and got back to the dull task in hand. Twenty minutes later, she had finished her morning chore and went in search of Pete again. “Ready, partner?”
“As I’ll ever be. You guys keep up the background searches on this guy. Shout if anything comes to light,” Pete addressed the rest of the team, who either nodded or issued him with a thumbs-up in acknowledgement.
Lorne drove, much to Pete’s annoyance. He hated her driving, but there was no way she would be seen dead in his “Sherman tank” of a car. Pete’s constant complaining forced her to mess up her usually smooth gear changes. It was a never-ending cycle: the more he complained, the more she messed up. Fifteen minutes later, they arrived at the location where the Lynx had been sighted—a terraced house in Osbourne Road.
“This has to be some kind of wind-up, right?”
“We won’t know until we get in there, Pete. Stop being so pessimistic about everything until you know the whole truth.”
“Ooo... pardon me for breathing! It was only an observation. Maybe I’ll keep them to myself in future.”
Lorne clenched her fist and aimed it at his thigh. “Stop being so sensitive. Ready?”
“I ain’t, and yes, I’m ready.”
They left the vehicle and approached the run-down house. The patch of grass off to the right of the tiny front garden was up to Lorne’s waist. Pete rang the doorbell.
A woman in her mid-forties, with mascara-streaked cheeks, opened the door within seconds. “Thank God! You took your time. Come in.”
Lorne and Pete exchanged puzzled glances and followed the woman into the lounge. The smell of body odour and wet dog hit Lorne immediately as some kind of medium-sized terrier ran up to greet her. Her heart squeezed, saddened by the state the dog was in. He was covered in mange. Lorne patted the dog on the head, and he rubbed himself against her trouser leg.
The woman stepped forward and clipped the dog around the head. “Get away, Rex. Go lie in your bed.”
Lorne was tempted to arrest the woman on the spot for animal abuse. His head down, Rex made his way towards his bed but stopped halfway to scratch his stomach. “Has he seen a vet recently?”
“No. I ain’t got money for things like that. He gets fed. What more does he need?”
“As a pet owner, it’s your responsibility to care properly for your pet.”
“Whatever. Are you here about the dog or my daughter?”
“Neither. But tell us what has happened to your daughter.”
“She’s missing. You are the police, aren’t you?”
Lorne produced her ID. “We are. I’m DI Lorne Simpkins, and this is my partner, DS Pete Childs. Have you reported your daughter missing?”
“Yes, this morning. I thought she’d come home last night, but when I checked her room this morning, she wasn’t there.”
“How old is she?”
“Fifteen, going on thirty. You have to find her. It’s not like Lisa to go off like this. I’m worried sick.”
“Why don’t you start from the beginning?”
“Are you insane? Get out there and bloody look for her. She could have been abducted by aliens for all I know.”
“Highly unlikely. We need you to tell us calmly when you saw her last. Did you have an argument, perhaps?”
“No, we effing well didn’t. For God’s sake, you shouldn’t be interrogating me—you should be out there searching for her. You lot are pathetic.”
How to win friends and influence people! “We can’t start searching until you give us more details. Do you have a recent picture of your daughter?”
“She’s the blonde in the photo.” The woman waved toward the old-fashioned brick mantelpiece.
Lorne walked over and picked up the picture the woman had pointed out. The girl wasn’t what she would call outstandingly beautiful. However, she was no plain Jane, either. “So, she went out last night? Where did she go?”
“She went clubbing with her friends.” The woman bit her lip when she realised what she’d said.
“At fifteen? On a school night! And you allowed her to go?”
“Yes, there’s no harm in letting them run loose a few times at that age. I bet you did the same.”
Lorne shook her head. “Actually, I didn’t. But we’re not here to discuss how my parents brought me up.” She could sense Pete’s intense gaze land on her.
“Well, I don’t see any harm in it,” the woman bristled.
“Does she go out drinking?”
“The odd one or two.”
Lorne shook her head in disgust. She didn’t often form an instant dislike to many people, but she was willing to make an exception in this woman’s case, especially after seeing how she treated her dog. “Okay, I’m going to ignore you allowing her to break the law, for now. You say you noticed her missing this morning. About what time?”
“About eight o’clock. She’s usually up and about by seven thirty, sorts out her breakfast first and then gets dressed for school.”
“And where are you while she sees to herself in the morning?” As if I can’t guess!
“In bed. Is that a crime? She’s not a kid. She’s a young adult. She has to learn to stand on her own two feet at some point in her life.”
Lorne bit down on her tongue and paused before she said something that could be construed as being an insult. “Has she disappeared like this before? Stayed out all night after a visit to the nightclub?”
“No, never. I let her go on the proviso she always comes straight home.”
“Did Lisa go out with friends?”
“Yes, I’ve rung them. As far as they’re concerned, she came home. She didn’t go off with some boy, if that’s what you’re insinuating.”
“I wasn’t, but that’s good to know. We’ll need the names and addresses of her friends.”
“I just told you I’ve already rung them.”
“Okay, then we’ll need those before we leave.” Lorne was becoming irate, struggling to keep her temper under control. The two main things she hated most were disinterested parents and animal abusers, and this woman fitted snugly into both categories.
“And when is that going to be? You should be out there, trying to find her, like now,” the woman stated, crossing her arms and tapping her foot.
“Well, that depends on what information you’re willing to share with us. So far, it’s not much. We’ll need a recent photo of your daughter, her friends’ phone numbers and the name of the school she attends. She does go to school, I take it, Mrs...?”
The woman glared at her. “It’s Timmins, Jeannette Timmins. And yes, my daughter goes to school, just like every fifteen-year-old should. I’m guilty of letting my daughter go to a nightclub, that’s all. What gives you the right to come in here and think that I don’t care for my daughter properly?”
Lorne narrowed her eyes. Hmm... let’s contemplate that for a second. The fact your daughter is allowed to go nightclubbing, to drink alcohol, and is expected to look after herself in the morning while you have a lie-in. I can’t imagine why I should think you don’t care for her properly.
Pete cleared his throat, cutting through the awkward silence. “This isn’t getting us anywhere.”
Lorne nodded. “My partner is right. If you just give us the photo and the information I asked for, we’ll be on our way.”
Mrs. Timmins unfolded her arms and slapped her hands against her thighs out of frustration. “All I bloody want is my daughter back, not for you lot to turn up here looking down your noses at me.”
“That wasn’t my intention, and I apologise if that’s the way it came across. At the end of the day, we both want to achieve the same thing: to get your daughter back.”
After taking the picture of her daughter out of the frame on the mantelpiece, Mrs. Timmins moved over to the small dining table in the corner of the lounge, picked up a pen, and started to write information down on a pad. When she’d finished, she tore the top sheet off and handed it to Lorne. “That’s all you asked for and all I can give you at this time. Please bring my daughter home to me.” The woman’s eyes sparkled with tears.
Guilt stabbed at Lorne’s heart for the way she had spoken to the woman. She hadn’t meant to be so judgemental. “Thank you. I apologise for my behaviour. It’s just that we’ve been chasing a criminal we believe might have abducted your daughter for weeks now.”
“You know who’s behind this?”
“Let’s say we have a suspicion at this point. A call put his last known location around here. We’re simply putting two and two together.”
“Then why haven’t you picked this guy up already?”
Lorne shrugged. “It’s not as simple as that. He has a gang, and they tend to do all the dirty work for him. Anyway, thanks for this. We’ll get your daughter’s photo circulated ASAP. We’ll be in touch with any updates as we get them.”
“Thanks.”
Mrs. Timmins remained in the lounge while Lorne and Pete left the house. Before they’d reached the car, Pete tutted loudly.
Lorne sighed. “All right, Chunky, let’s have it.”
“I don’t get it. Why did you have to get her back up like that? It’s not like you to instantly judge people, Lorne.”
She inhaled a large breath and got in the car before she answered. Pete jumped into the passenger seat and twisted round to look at her. He wasn’t about to let things lie until she gave him an adequate response. “You’re not a parent, so I don’t expect you to understand, Pete.”
“Try me!” he demanded, glaring at her.
Lorne raised an eyebrow. “You can pack that in, matey. I’m the senior officer around here, remember?”
He swivelled in his seat and slammed his back into the chair. “You don’t have to remind me. Shame you don’t act like it sometimes, is all I’m saying.”
Lorne’s mouth gaped open, and it took a few moments for her to think of a suitable retort. “All right, maybe I was out of order back there. I apologised to her, didn’t I?”