DI Lorne Simpkins 09 - Tortured Justice
Page 17
Lorne is determined to see this vicious criminal behind bars, but is anyone ever guaranteed justice?
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ULTIMATE JUSTICE (Justice #6)
A ship wreck—
Dozens of bodies washed ashore—
Clear evidence that evil has made port in London.
The horrific case piques the interest of P.I. Lorne Simpkins. It doesn't take long before Lorne learns that young, helpless women are being caged and sold to the wealthy and salacious. Old wounds are wrenched open when she suspects a cover-up by the very authorities that should be keeping lawful order. Can she trust the self-serving journalist bent on making the human-trafficking ring his next big story? When her daughter is involved in a life-threatening accident, it's difficult for Lorne to keep her head in the game. But Lorne and her ex-MI6 husband, Tony, are determined to end the repulsive slave trade and bring the criminals to justice—even if it means Lorne ends up locked in a cage herself.
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VIRTUAL JUSTICE (Justice #7)
Internet Dating—A Stalker’s Paradise
P.I. Lorne Warner is back in Virtual Justice, the seventh installment in the Justice series.
The body of a strangled woman draws Lorne into an intricate investigation that expands swiftly when a second innocent is murdered. A serial killer is on the loose, plucking victims from Internet dating sites. But when a third victim—this one male—is discovered, Lorne is forced to admit her worst fears…she is on the trail of a serial killer duo.
Lorne’s personal life grows complicated as her sister, Jade, struggles to come to terms with their father’s death. Lorne suggests drastic measures to cure Jade’s grief.
The answers are out there, but will Lorne solve the crimes and find the killer before the next victim dies?
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HOSTILE JUSTICE (Justice #8)
Enticed back to the police force, Lorne again teams up with Katy, her former partner. Things are no longer the same between them, though. Katy is now Lorne’s superior which could prove detrimental to their latest investigation.
The crime itself is perplexing: Four small boys discover the corpse of a woman in an abandoned warehouse. CCTV footage shows the woman was abducted in broad daylight by two hooded men. When questioned, the woman’s husband swears she had no known enemies and he thought she was on holiday at the time of her death.
During the investigation a personal problem unfolds for Lorne when her teenage, daughter, Charlie, attends a friend’s eighteenth birthday party—with dire consequences.
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TORN APART (Hero Series #1)
Everyone understands about the no-go districts—areas of the city so overrun with gang violence even the police stay away. In this book, the first in a new series, DI Hero Nelson sets out to combat the issue.
When Saskia Hartley and her nine-year-old son are run down outside a restaurant, DI Nelson knows it is no ordinary hit-and-run incident. He's looking at a homicide case…and the evidence points to the brutal Krull Gang. When two prostitutes are murdered, but little interest is given to the women on the Krull's payroll, Nelson connects the dots.
DI Nelson has to decide whether he's dealing with a turf war or something far more sinister.
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END RESULT (Hero Series #2)
Before DI Hero Nelson has the chance to get used to his new role as a father to brand-new twins, a murder investigation steals his attention. When a second victim is discovered on his patch, Hero has his eye on a single perpetrator for both murders—but the suspect has a solid alibi for both crimes.
Hero continues his investigation until he obtains a surprising end result.
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SOLE INTENTION (#1 Intention Series)
Former police officers Ellen Brazil and Brian Lynx have joined forces to start a successful missing persons investigation firm which has just been contracted to find the wife of bodybuilder Will Endersbe. Ellen discovers that a number of women with similar features and hair colour have also vanished in the Worcester area. Ellen and Brian suspect a serial kidnapper is to blame, and without a body, the police are happy to leave the case in their hands to solve.
Hoping the women are still alive, Ellen digs for clues and races to find the women, despite her troubled private life and a meddlesome stepfather with a violent secret.
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GRAVE INTENTION (#2 Intention Series)
Private investigator Ellen Brazil is hired to find ex-banker Charles Dugan, who disappeared after his mansion burned to the ground. Ellen quickly discovers that Dugan’s new profession—playing poker full time—has earned him a circle of very dangerous “friends.”
Ellen’s investigation is disrupted when her mother is injured, leaving Ellen to wonder why her mother’s abusive husband has gone missing when he should be at the hospital. Ellen finds herself trying to solve two cases at once while smoothing over her own personal issues.
When she learns Dugan has plans to flee the country, Ellen knows it’s imperative to find him before the gang he owes money to discover his whereabouts and carry out their grave intentions.
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It’s A Dog’s Life
This is a 12,000 word novelette that takes place between Cruel Justice and Impeding Justice and is based on actual events.
It may not be homicide, but to DI Lorne Simpkins it’s still murder.
When a reporter friend of DI Lorne Simpkins gives her a tip about a story involving ex-racing greyhounds, Lorne is sceptical.
But after delving into it, she’s horrified to discover the grisly fate of racing dogs that are no longer useful to their owners—and she’s determined to bring the cruel and uncaring owners to justice…
“Animal welfare is so close to my heart, the real-life plight of these former racing dogs moved me to tears. I’m delighted to donate all profits of the book to PUPS, The Protection of Unwanted Puppies Society.”
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Merry Widow
This is a 5000 word short story to accompany the best-selling Justice series.
It’s just an ordinary day in the life of D I Lorne Simpkins until she gets a phone call from a woman whose husband has died in unusual circumstances.
Lorne takes up the case with disastrous results for both her and her partner DS Pete Childs.
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PAST TEMPTATION (a Temptation novella)
Until now, Nicole’s main focus in life has been running her successful business while raising her daughter, Sammy Jo, single-handedly. Now, Nicole’s ex-boyfriend, Josh has turned up determined to rekindle the relationship he ran out on.
Before they get the chance to pick up where they left off, Nicole’s personal life is put in mortal danger.
Past Temptation a Romantic Suspense novella. 25,000 words.
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LOST TEMPTATION (a Temptation novella)
Chrissy fears she is losing her boyfriend, Kyle, so she formulates a plan to try to get their relationship back on track.
However, events drastically backfire when a car chase puts both their lives in danger.
A Romantic Suspense Novella 20,000 words.
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A Time To Heal (a romance novella)
Family Liaison Officer, Chloe Fullerton is helping hero pilot, Captain Steve Ewing, recuperate from injury after he landed his stricken plane, avoiding a major disaster.
Chloe’s sworn off love ever since she lost the love of her life. But the spark between her and Steve makes her feel she may yet love again. There’s turbulence ahead though—Steve’s ex-wife is determined to wreck his and Chloe’s blossoming relationship.
Novella approx 33,000 words.
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A Time For Change (a romance novella)
Based on a true story.
Danie
lle Pires’s life is going well. She has a boyfriend who wants to marry her and is building a reputation as a talented and hard-working interior designer. Keen to expand her portfolio, Danielle is delighted by a request to breathe life back into the Victorian Mansion that handsome Scott Jordache is renovating.
Her parents, meanwhile, have organised a surprise Caribbean cruise to give her a much-needed break.
Danielle sets sail only to discover Scott aboard the same ship, but mysteriously travelling under a pseudonym. Intrigued, she feels torn between mistrust and being drawn in by his charm.
Should she let herself fall for Scott or return to the security of the man she left at home?
33,000 words.
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A Twist in the Tale
Six short stories with a twist at the end.
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High Spirits
This is a true account of a paranormal experience I encountered when I moved into my first house in France.
The cover is a true picture relating to the story.
This story is 5000 words.
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Keep reading, as a bonus, read the opening chapter of the first book in another of M A Comley’s bestselling series, The Intention Series.
SOLE INTENTION
PROLOGUE
Sweat poured from her brow. Her clothes clung to her as she ran for her life through the ink-black forest. She’d already bumped into several tree trunks while looking over her shoulder for him.
Why me? Why is he so desperate to kill me?
She tripped over a half-hidden log and landed in a pile of autumn leaves, but she was up running again within a few seconds. Her life depended on it.
Stop thinking and just run!
She could hear him tracking her—the sound of crunching undergrowth getting ever nearer. She had no place to hide. Is that why he brought me here? Of course. The question was: would she ever leave this place alive?
Another stray branch slashed her cheek, distracting her. As she tumbled over a large fallen tree trunk, her heart almost shuddered to a stop. She tried to get up and continue running but winced as a sharp pain shot up her leg. She looked down at her ankle. It hung at an odd angle. “Fuck! Damn and fuck.”
The noise of leaves rustling behind her made her turn her head sharply. She didn’t see the flat head of the shovel until it was inches from her face.
“Run from me would you, bitch?”
Stars danced through her terrified brain. She tumbled back into the damp undergrowth, but her attacker quickly yanked her upright again and slammed her back against a wide tree. Everything was a daze, except the way he was glaring at her. She felt the rope slither around her torso, then groaned when it tightened, pushing the air out of her burning lungs. “Please don’t hurt me,” she whispered, fear tearing at her vocal chords.
“You shouldn’t have run. Now I have no choice.”
“Yes, you do. Everyone has choices.” She tried to reason her way to survival. Right then she would have done just about anything to save her life. “Please, I have money, savings in the bank. Take it. Have it all…please don’t hurt me.” Saltiness from her tears slipped into the corner of her mouth.
“I don’t want your money. I wanted you.”
“Then have me. We’ll go away together. You scared me. That’s why I ran. Please, give me another chance. I won’t mess up again. I swear.” Her words forced confusion to travel across his face.
Is he debating setting me free? “We’ll be good together, once I get to know you properly. It takes me a little while to get used to people. Please give me that chance.”
The confusion gave way to anger. His eyes creased up until they formed tiny slits in his tanned face, and his lip curled with intent. “If I set you free now, you’ll only run to the police and give me away.”
“I won’t. I promise. Give me a chance. Give us a chance,” she implored, desperation lacing her words.
“You had your chance. Nobody makes a fool out of me. Many women have tried before, seen me as some kind of joke, to their cost. I thought you were different, but when it comes down to it, you’re all the same. Full of your own self-importance. Preening yourself to attract us men. Then, when you’ve snared us, you cast us away like a used tampon.”
She had never thought of herself in that way and really wanted to challenge him. However, she was conscious that would only make matters worse. She turned her head to the side and mumbled an apology.
His hand shot out and clasped her throat. “What did you say?”
He had cut off her airway, so she couldn’t speak even if she wanted to. She could feel the air disappearing and felt light-headed as his grip tightened. Her eyes fluttered shut, and her family’s faces filled her oxygen-starved mind. Bye, Mum, Dad, and Cheryl. I’ll never be able to share good news with you all again. Please don’t grieve much for me. Go on with your lives. Never let the bitterness of what he’s about to do to me destroy your lives like he’s destroying mine. I love you all…the end.
He let go of her throat, and she gulped air as if it were an endangered commodity.
He held her hand in his, touched it affectionately to his cheek, then looked her in the eye as he crushed her fingers between his. She’d never felt so much pain in her life, and she screamed until her voice dried up.
“Scream all you want, bitch. No one will hear your desperate cries out here.”
She sobbed and whispered through dry lips, “Get it over with. Kill me.”
“Oh, I will. Not yet, I intend to make you suffer first. This is just the beginning of what I have in store for you, bitch.”
He stood up and towered over her. Her gaze remained focused on the tree stump opposite. She could make out, formed in its bark, her mother’s beautiful smiling face, giving her the courage to be brave. When she looked around, she realised that he’d vanished, leaving her alone and vulnerable to the four-legged creatures of the forest. The sobs came and increased in tempo as she came to the conclusion that even though he hadn’t killed her, it wouldn’t be long before she died a horrible death out there. Alone.
Lost deep in thought, she neglected to hear his return. She jumped when he taunted her with his vile words.
“Say your prayers, bitch.” Something glinted in his hand, and her eyes opened wide before the object sank deep into her flesh. “Your life is about to end.”
She tried to scream, but her voice box proved to be raw and uncooperative. The third time he struck her, she drifted into a welcome unconsciousness. The blackness surrounding her quickly gave way to the brightest light she’d ever witnessed. She moved towards it and breathed a sigh of relief. I’ve arrived…can no longer hurt me.