Sweet Oblivion

by Rhiana Ramsey

  ************************************************‘Who the fuck does he think he is?’ Robert fumed into the telephone held to his ear, Elizabeth’s loud, animated voice booming from the ear piece as she detailed the news report she had just seen. ‘Fuck’s sake!’

  Robert grabbed the remote control for the large TV that hung on the incident room wall and switched it on.

  ‘Which channel?’ he barked.

  He found the correct channel and watched in horror as the gleeful reporters continued to update the public with the latest development that the killer was a woman. Even the banner at the bottom of the screen was proudly declaring: ‘Police hunt for woman killer after two males murdered.’

  ‘That man is a fucking liability.’ Robert hung up the phone, Elizabeth’s voice still audible right until he hit the ‘end call’ button.

  He sighed deeply and shook his head. Meadows had probably thought that by revealing the fact that they were looking for a female killer would draw more headlines and perhaps help flush the killer out. Of course it also couldn’t hurt that it would raise his own pubic profile – Meadow’s would soon be going for promotion after all.

  Robert agreed that it would certainly bring more press coverage, but far from assisting the investigation he felt it would be a hindrance as now not only did they have two murders on their hands with fuck all to go on to occupy their every waking moment, they would also have to contend with a media frenzy and the sensationalism this would bring, potentially boosting the killer’s ego, and also tipping the killer off as to the stage they were at in the investigation.

  As if that wasn’t bad enough the news about it being a female killer would also undoubtedly elicit the usual influx of calls from the lonely and insane purporting to be the killer, and reports of ‘sightings’ from concerned neighbours, friends and family members.

  Meadows had just unleashed hell on Robert and his team; Meadows’ motives were irrelevant. Thanks to him the nation, and the killer, would now be watching their every move, results would be expected and they would be expected soon.

  ‘Fuck it,’ Robert said to the empty room whilst snatching up the handset of the phone on a nearby desk. He couldn’t do anything about the shit storm Meadows had created but he could give the man a piece of his mind. He didn’t give a toss that Meadows outranked him and could easily hang him out to dry. Meadows needed to know what he’d done and Robert intended to make sure that he did.

  Chapter XXV

  Elizabeth gently rolled herself to the edge of the bed and gingerly put a toe onto the bedroom floor, glancing back over her naked shoulder to see if her movement had awoken Tony. Still flat on his back, snoring softly, Tony was undisturbed by Elizabeth’s stealthy manoeuvres as she attempted to extricate herself from the bed and serpent-like duvet which enveloped her.

  She continued to slowly push herself off the bed until she was finally free of the duvet’s clutches and standing naked by the side of the bed. She let out a quick breath of relief. It was awkward enough that she had drunkenly fallen into bed with a co-worker, without having the awkward morning conversation about what had happened and to let Tony see her ’au natural’ with her breath smelling like a vat of old apples. She wanted to cut and run, take the cowardly way out and simply get out of there as fast as she possibly could.

  She didn’t really known how it had even happened. They’d been drinking and watching the news getting gradually more annoyed with the news report, then they had moved on to a curry house, downed more drinks, and then when they should have parted company at the tube, they’d started kissing. Elizabeth didn’t even know who’d initiated the kiss.

  Then before she knew it ,they were in Tony’s flat, clawing at each other, pulling frenziedly at each other’s clothes, overcome with an overwhelming passion. And now here she was trying to creep out of her colleague’s flat without being spotted, without having to face him, trying to regain some semblance of self-control.

  She reached down and gradually picked up all her clothes which were strewn at various locations across the bedroom floor, testament to the night of unadulterated passion she had shared with Tony, the garments akin to route markers demarcating where their passion had begun and ended. Just as she was about to scurry cross the threshold and make good her escape, Tony’s voice startled her:

  ‘And where do you think you’re going Ms Lane?’ His voice was gruff and gravely, full of morning huskiness.

  She peered over her shoulder, feeling colour rising to her cheeks as she blushed. Tony was propped up on one elbow looking at her, a knowing grin on his face.

  ‘Er, I was fleeing the scene of the crime?’ Elizabeth said sheepishly, her unkempt hair falling into her eyes.

  ‘So I see, trying to leave without saying goodbye. I‘m going to start thinking you only wanted me for my body. Best you come back here.’ Tony tapped the bed with his palm and pulled back the bed covers, inviting her back in.

  ‘Tone…’ Elizabeth began.

  ‘I know, it’s a bad idea, we’re colleagues, we’re working closely together. But we’re also young free and single. And to be honest, you do have a great ass,’ he smirked, ‘so what’s really the harm?’

  Elizabeth shrugged and walked over to the bed, dropping her clothes back onto the floor as she crawled under the covers into Tony’s warm arms. She was disconcerted at how good it felt to have his arms wrapped around her, to feel his warm breaths caressing her neck, his firm, naked body pressed up against hers.

  ‘So, what’s the big deal Elizabeth?’ he whispered into her ear, his hand running up and down her leg, over her stomach and up towards her breasts. ‘Hmmm?’

  ‘It’s just, I don’t know. It feels… odd. I mean what is this really? It’s just a drunken fumble, right?’

  ‘Do you want it to be just a drunken fumble?’ Tony’s hands stopped rubbing her body.

  Elizabeth rolled over to look at him.

  ‘Do you?’

  ‘Oh no you don’t, I asked that question first.’

  ‘I don’t know. I had never thought about the possibility of you and I getting together. I mean you’re gorgeous, funny, intelligent and a huge pain in the ass, but I just thought we were buddies.’

  ‘Well, we are buddies, buddies who have just moved into the buddies-who-have-sex club. I would like to do this again. I wouldn’t mind hanging out with you more, see how things go.’

  ‘You’re such a bloke. Hanging out? Do I have to eat spicy wings, drink beer and burp too?’ Elizabeth asked. Tony laughed.

  ‘Now that is entirely up to you! Tell you what, let‘s keep this to ourselves, see how things go. You never know, you may end up falling madly in love with me.’

  ‘Hmmm… then again I may end up murdering you and framing the bondage killer,’ she sighed. ‘Ok, let’s see where this takes us.’

  ‘Good. I like the sound of that.’

  Tony kissed her on the forehead and glanced at the clock on the bedside table.

  ‘You know we don’t have to be in the office for at least another hour.’

  ‘So what?’ Elizabeth teased, coquettishly.

  ‘You know what…’ Tony pulled Elizabeth to him and kissed her hard on the mouth, his erect penis pressing against her thighs. She kissed him back no longer embarrassed, no longer confused. All she knew was she wanted this man and she wanted him now. To hell with the consequences, whatever they may be.

  ************************************************

  Louise felt better than she had in days. After returning home from the police station she had turned off her mobile phone, taken a long, hot bath, dressed in her most comfortable lounging-around-the-house clothes, and then curled up in front of the TV, wrapped in a duvet, cradling a glass of her favourite red wine.

  She’d watched hours of mindless shows before falling asleep around 10pm, the drama of the last few days catching up with her and smothering her in weariness. She had not stirred until eight o’clock the following morning, her slumber not even interr
upted by dreams.

  She still lay on the couch, eyes closed, savouring the warmth and comfort. She stretched languorously and gradually forced herself to sit upright. She flicked the TV on to watch the morning news. She got up then and padded into the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee. Just as she flipped the switch on the kettle, yawning widely, her front door bell rang.

  ‘Holy mother fuck!’ she exclaimed the noise startling her.

  As she walked over to the door she decided by process of elimination that her morning visitor was most probably Ben given that she had not returned his calls or spoken to him since the morning she had left his house.

  Can’t be the police as they’ve already been, Steve…? I think not. Melissa? Oh I wish!

  She glanced through the peep hole and saw Ben standing there, one arm pressed up against the front door, his face looming large in her small circle of vision.

  ‘Shit,’ she said quietly to herself. She hadn’t heard the external door bell so she guessed he must have snuck into the building on the heels of one of her neighbours.

  Ben, unimpressed by her lack of contact, was now standing on her doorstep, patiently waiting to be let in. She could no longer avoid him and this briefly frustrated her. She’d had enough of people getting involved with her life, causing upset to her routine and simply inconveniencing her.

  I could pretend I’m out or in the shower?

  No… Come on Louise. It’s Ben! He’s always been good to you. Let him in, you stupid cow.

  ‘Ben…’ she began as she swung the door open. He raised a hand.

  ‘It’s ok,’ he said, ‘I just wanted to check you’re alive, that you hadn’t slipped over and cracked your head open or something, or that you weren’t injured and unable to get to the phone. Now I see you’re ok, I shall leave. And by the way I didn’t appreciate you blanking me.’ Ben turned around, about to walk away but Louise reached out and grabbed hold of his arm, preventing him from leaving.

  ‘Ben, come in. Let’s talk. I am so sorry for letting you down. I should have called you, but I had a hell of a day yesterday you wouldn’t believe it,’ she said. ‘Please come in. Let me at least explain.’

  ‘Lou, you always have an excuse, don’t you?’

  ‘Yeah, but this one’s bloody good, I assure you.’

  Ben shook his head and rolled his eyes. ‘Alright, fine.’

  As he walked into the flat he noticed a slight smell in the air, an unpleasant smell that he couldn’t place. He crinkled his nose as he sniffed the air.

  ‘What‘s that smell Louise? I don’t mean to be rude...’

  ‘Smell? I hadn’t really noticed. It’s probably the sink getting blocked again. It’s a bit of a crappy design, less of a U-bend than an S-bend. It keeps getting clogged. I’ll whack some bleach down it later and give it a good ol’ plunge. Here, I‘ll open the windows to let some fresh air in.’

  She opened the living room windows and they moved into the kitchen where Louise made them both coffee. Ben placed his morning paper on the kitchen table and listened incredulously as Louise animatedly told him about what had happened the previous day with the police, from the moment they had arrived at the front door to finally leaving the police station and running into her old school acquaintance Elizabeth; she didn’t tell him about passing out in the interview room, not wanting him to use it as further evidence that she really did need to consult with a doctor. Hallucinations, passing out, periods of time she couldn’t account for… This was not something she really wanted to share with anyone, not even Ben. What he didn’t know couldn’t hurt him.

  ‘I think it was quite probably the weirdest day of my life. I’m not that surprised that Melissa called the police on me, she is one horrible bitch after all, but I was quite surprised to meet someone I used to know at the police station. We went to school together for a couple of years in Hertfordshire, got into trouble together and used to cause mischief wherever we went. When we moved away from the area, Elizabeth and I lost touch. I can’t believe she’s become a police officer,’ she smiled. ‘People always surprise you don’t they?’

  ‘That they do. I should have listened to you about Derek for example. That man is dangerous,’ Ben said, reaching into his pocket to show her the letter he had received. Louise looked at him curiously.

  ‘What’s he done now? I take it he didn’t take too kindly to being made redundant?’ She sipped her second mug of coffee peering at Ben over the rim.

  ‘Something like that. Read this and tell me what you think.’

  Ben handed her the envelope and waited as Louise looked at the contents.

  ‘These pictures are from the other night! Is he fucking stalking you? My God Ben, that’s seriously creepy. He must have been lurking outside like some kind of fucking voyeur. Jesus.’

  ‘Read the letter,’ Ben said.

  Louise read, shocked and disbelieving. What had she done, what had Ben done to make this man hate them so much? It wasn’t like he was being fired without remuneration, and Biztalk was making legitimate cuts in order to stay afloat. It was nothing personal, a rational person would realise that. She read:

  NICE PICTURES DON’T YOU THINK ? YOU HAVE BEEN LYING TO EVERYONE ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP. PURELY PROFESSIONAL? I THINK NOT. WE ALL KNOW WHERE GOING UP THE STAIRS LEADS… I KNEW SHE WAS BEHIND ME BEING MADE REDUNDANT BUT YOU LIED TO MY FACE AND SAID IT WAS NOTHING TO DO WITH HER. COWARD. THESE PICTURES ARE ALL THE PROOF I NEED TO SHOW THAT YOU TWO ARE IN A RELATIONSHIP AND THAT YOU CONSPIRED TOGETHER TO SACK ME. YOU HAVE BEEN BULLYING ME AND DISMISSED ME SIMPLY BECAUSE YOUR ‘GIRLFRIEND’ DOESN’T LIKE ME. THAT’S UNFAIR DISMISSAL… SEE YOU IN COURT. DC

  Louise’s mouth dropped open and colour rushed to her cheeks.

  ‘Lying, crafty, evil fucker!’ she exclaimed.

  ‘Indeed.’

  ‘Fucking bullying? Fucking bullying? What the fuck!’ she shouted jumping up from the kitchen chair, getting angrier and angrier the more she studied the letter.

  Ben reached out to take the correspondence from her but Louise moved it from his reach, reading parts of the letter aloud: ‘…we all know where going up the stairs leads. I can’t believe this Ben. Dismissed me simply because your girlfriend doesn’t like me. Oh he’s fucking got the ‘don’t like him’ part right. This is all my fault. I should never have come round to yours. And I tried to kiss you,’ she raised a hand to her forehead a sharp pain in her head causing her to gasp.

  Ben took her by the arm and forced her to sit down, extricating the letter from her grip as he did so.

  ‘Calm down Lou, it’s not worth getting that worked up over. We just need to plan what we‘re going to do next.’

  He waited for Louise to respond but she remained silent, her head bowed, her shoulders gently heaving. Ben thought she was crying.

  ‘Lou? It’s ok. Look at me. We’ll sort it out. Lou?’

  She raised her head and looked at him her eyes clear and angry, they looked almost wild, her whole face and demeanour seemed different.

  ‘Lou? I…’

  ‘Fucking men. Fucking MEN!’ she shouted. Ben was startled.

  ‘Whoa…’

  ‘Always causing fucking problems, always getting what they want, always manipulating, getting their own way,’ Louise fumed. ‘He will not get away with this Ben. He’ll get what he fucking deserves, you mark my words.’

  ‘Lou, please! Calm down. I wouldn’t have let you read it if I’d known it was going to upset you this much,’ he placed a placating hand on her arm. ‘It’s ok, we will work this out. And it’s not your fault.’

  Ben sounded calm but he was shaken, he’d never seen Louise lose it before and it was actually quite terrifying. He had glimpsed another side to her, a darker side, which he hoped he would never see again as he didn’t much care for this other person.

  Louise let out a deep breath and stretched her arms in front of her, then rotated her neck and shoulders easing the tension away. She breathed in and out deeply.

  ‘Sor
ry about that outburst Ben. I just get so wound up, so stressed. I can’t believe what is happening here. A few days ago my life was happily ticking along, I had no real worries beyond getting publications out on time and now Biztalk is struggling, people are being made redundant and let’s not forget it is because of me; my own job is in the balance too if the company goes down the pan; my boyfriend, the one man I thought I could trust, has cheated on me and broken my heart; I’ve been arrested by the police and processed like a common criminal; and now this. Derek fucking Cooper. I know it’s not all about me Ben and this is affecting you too, but I feel exhausted, you know?’

  Ben took her right hand in both of his and squeezed to show he understood. Louise seemed calmer now, more like herself. He was stunned by the rapidity of the change from red-hot temper to calm and collected. Had she always been like this?

  He tried to think back to previous occasions when he had seen her in a mood and decided he’d never before seen her anywhere close to such rage. But, he supposed, she’d never been in a situation like this before. He made a mental note to keep a close eye on her over the next few days fearing that she was heading for some sort of breakdown.

  ‘Lou, I know this is a difficult time for you and I am so, so sorry about asking you to help me with the downsizing. The redundancies are down to me, so please stop feeling guilty about it. If I’d known things would turn out like this, I promise you I wouldn’t have asked you to help. I also shouldn’t have let you know what Derek was up to, you don’t really need to know I guess. After all it is me he is threatening to sue not you.’

  ‘Yes but it involves me too doesn’t it? I am a part of this whether I want to be or not.’

  ‘In all honesty, yes.’ Ben sighed, ‘I thought about taking this letter to the police and trying to do him for blackmail, but if you think about it, he’s not actually blackmailing me, he’s simply telling me of his intentions. The fact he has the photos is creepy but he’s not using them to try and extort money from me - he’s going to go through the courts.’