Deadly Act

by M A Comley

  “The woman in the rear seat of my car reported the victim was stalking her a few weeks ago. She’s my wife’s best friend.”

  “Interesting. A stalker who ends up dead in the victim’s car.” Gerrard’s brow wrinkled, and he clicked his finger when he saw the corpse. “Wait a minute.”

  “What is it? Do you know this man?”

  “No. I’m remembering a case I worked on last year, similar sort of scenario.”

  “Are you thinking he copied it? What was the outcome?”

  “The perpetrator died in the back of his victim’s car. He had a knife, too.”

  Hero tilted his head. “Are you saying that you think this man’s intention was to wait for his ex to open the boot of her car and attack her?”

  “Yep! Mind you, he should have left the boot ajar, not shut himself in.”

  “Crap, what would possess someone to do such a thing? And why wouldn’t he have called out for help?”

  “I don’t have all the answers, Inspector. Let’s see what the autopsy throws up, shall we?”

  “Okay. I have to take the woman in for questioning, so won’t be able to attend the autopsy.”

  “Never mind. I’m sure I’ll cope on my own. I’ll ring you with the results as soon as I can. Later on today, I hope.”

  “That would be great, Gerrard. I really appreciate that.”

  Gerrard photographed the scene from every angle until the rest of his team arrived with a truck on which to load the car and take it back to the lab. They removed the body carefully and placed it on a stretcher. Gerrard called Hero over, indicating he had spotted something significant on the body. “I suspect this will turn out to be the cause of death, Inspector.”

  Hero glanced at the patch of blood on the man’s thigh. “I’m not with you.”

  “Pure speculation at this point, of course. I reckon when the victim got into the car, he possibly slipped and probably nicked his leg with the blade. My opinion is that he more than likely hit a major artery, which caused him to bleed out. If the temperature was cold, which it has been lately, he might not have realised how bad the injury was to his leg at the time. I’ll know more later.”

  “Well, that all makes perfect sense to me. I’ll be sure to go easy on my suspect in that case.”

  “That woman is no more a suspect than I am, Inspector. I’d proceed with caution if I were you.”

  “I’ll be sure to do that, Gerrard. Thanks.”

  During the journey back to the station, the car was mainly filled with silence, apart from the odd sniffle from Nelda. Hero interviewed Nelda and took her statement down as soon as an interview room became free. After Gerrard’s initial findings appeared to exonerate Nelda of all blame, Hero’s questions continued more along the lines of a friendly chat than an interrogation. He left Nelda in the interview room with a female constable and went upstairs to his office, where he rang his wife.

  “Hero? Two calls in a day. What’s up?”

  “We’ve found Fox.”

  “That’s excellent news. I hope he’s now wallowing in self-pity in a station cell.”

  “Not exactly, love. I possibly phrased that statement wrongly. I should have said we discovered Fox’s body this afternoon.”

  “What? Where? Oh my!”

  “In Nelda’s car.” Hero filled his wife in on what had occurred during the last few hours.

  “How incredible. Oh, God. Is Nelda all right? Someone should be with her.”

  “She’s fine, coming to terms with everything right now. I’ll drop her off at her house on my way home. For a second there, I suspected she had killed him herself.”

  “No way! Not Nelda. I would have thrashed the life out of you if you had come home and told me that, Hero.”

  Hero chuckled. “Yeah, that was what I was afraid of. Let’s not get carried away just yet. We still need to get the definitive results back before we can put the flags out in celebration.”

  “She’s innocent. I’m confident of that.”

  And so was Hero, in the end.

  NOTE TO THE READER

  Thank you for reading Deadly Act; I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading this novella as much as I loved writing it.

  If you liked it, please consider posting a short review as genuine feedback is what makes all the lonely hours writers spend producing their work worthwhile.

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  CRUEL JUSTICE (Justice #1)

  #1 Best-selling novel in two categories, Police procedurals and Women sleuths in both US and UK and Amazon top 20 novel in 2013.

  The headless body of a wealthy widow is discovered decomposing in Chelling Forest. Then a second victim is found. Detective Inspector Lorne Simpkins and her partner, DS Pete Childs are assigned the case. Before they can discover the identity of the killer they must make a connection between the two victims.

  After a third murder, Lorne receives a grisly surprise. Clearly, a vicious serial killer is on a rampage…‌‌and Lorne has become the killer’s fixation.

  Lorne can’t allow her failing marriage or her new boss—a man with whom she shares a sensuous secret—keep her from focusing on her job. She must catch the macabre murderer, or risk becoming the next victim.

  IMPEDING JUSTICE (Justice #2)

  For eight long years, Detective Inspector Lorne Simpkins has tracked the vicious criminal known as The Unicorn. But the killer has frustrated MI6 at every turn and remained successful at Impeding Justice.

  When Lorne is targeted in a trap that results in the death of her partner, the tragedy shakes her confidence to the core. Before she has time to recoup, her teenage daughter is kidnapped. More than Lorne’s professional reputation rests on her bringing The Unicorn to justice.

  FINAL JUSTICE (Justice #3)

  A ruthless killer returns—and former DI Lorne Simpkins is forced to revisit her ugly past.

  After suffering a breakdown and quitting the force, Lorne Simpkins finds herself embroiled in an MI6 covert operation to hunt down her old enemy, a sadistic and merciless criminal whose ambition is to become the world’s richest man.

  Lorne tracks the madman through France, attempting to thwart his plans and bring her long-time nemesis to Final Justice.

  FOUL JUSTICE (Justice #4)

  Detective Inspector Lorne Simpkins is back on the force. Before she can get comfortable with her new partner, newly-promoted DS Katy Foster, the two are assigned a tragic murder case that looks like a robbery gone wrong. However, when another wealthy footballer’s family meets the same deadly fate within twenty-four hours, it is clear the crimes involve something far more sinister.

  Keeping her focus on unravelling the complex case isn’t easy for Lorne when she learns news that throws her personal life into a spin—her fiancé, M16 agent Tony Warner, is involved in a dangerous covert operation in Afghanistan.

  But innocent people are dying on her patch, and someone must catch the killers. Lorne can’t allow this Foul Justice to prevail.

  GUARANTEED JUSTICE (Justice #5)

  Retired DCI Lorne Simpkins thought she knew what she wanted when she started an animal rescue centre with her husband Tony. Although saving and retraining exploited dogs is fulfilling, Lorne can’t help but feel that something vital is missing from her life. Linda Carter is brutally raped and left for dead in an alley. By some miracle, she survives, but now she lives each day terrified by the perpetrator’s final threatening words—that her sister, Fiona, will be his next victim.

  The sisters decide to adopt a guard dog and contact the rescue centre. During a home check to see if the girls and their flat are suited for a German Shepherd, Lorne witnesses Linda’s horrendous injuries. The young woman knows the identity of her rapist—wealthy, playboy Graham Gibson—however, the police haven’t made an arrest. The shocking story turns into a life-altering moment for Lorne. She decides to become a Private Investigator, and urges the girls to let her take up their cas
e. Little does she know that more victims will come forward to accuse Gibson of rape.

  Lorne is determined to see this vicious criminal behind bars, but is anyone ever guaranteed justice?

  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.

  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?

  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.

  TORTURED JUSTICE (Justice #9)

  Revenge…‌‌some cups spilleth over.

  DS Lorne Warner and DI Katy Foster are investigating the murder of a man killed with an unusual weapon. The case takes a turn when two brothers disappear within the vicinity of the murder.

  Lorne and Katy quickly determine that they may be after a group of serial killers out for their own sort of justice.

  ROUGH JUSTICE

  After two detectives are suspended, the Met is forced to return to all the cases the partners investigated. The cold case of a missing university student, Noelle Chesterfield lands on DS Lorne Warner’s desk.

  Because Noelle was working her way through school as a pole dancer, Lorne and her partner DI Katy Foster find themselves with plenty of suspects on their radar. However, when the leads run dry, they call in the services of an unusual ally to find the missing student and give her devastated family some peace.

  BLIND JUSTICE (a Justice 20,000 word novella and prequel to Cruel Justice)

  DI Lorne Simpkins and DS Pete Childs are called to investigate the death of Jenny Bartlett, who’s decomposing body is found in a wooded area. When Lorne informs Jenny’s parents of her death they are understandably shocked but also confused by the news as they were under the impression their daughter was out of the country, working as a volunteer in Africa.

  Delving deep into Jenny’s personal life leads Lorne to Jenny’s former boyfriend, Simon Killon, after Lorne discovers they had a secret liaison in a restaurant shortly before her death. But is he guilty of Jenny’s murder?

  After learning what traumas Simon himself has encountered lately, Lorne has her doubts that he’s the culprit. However she finds it hard to disprove the evidence pointing in his direction.

  FOREVER WATCHING YOU—A DI Miranda Carr thriller

  With everything to live for, wealthy cosmetic entrepreneur Anneka Morton is on the cusp of launching a brand-new range of products…‌but her husband reports her missing just days before the launch party.

  When intrepid Detective Inspector Miranda Carr arrives at the crime scene, the clues indicate that Anneka was abducted from her own home. Without a body, she suspects foul play from a cosmetics competitor. However, DI Carr’s case gets turned on its head when Anneka’s body is found, and the last person Miranda suspected goes on the run.

  Miranda hops on a plane to Portugal with her boss, DCI Caroline Gordon, and enters into a joint covert operation with Interpol to arrest and extradite Anneka’s murderer.

  EVIL IN DISGUISE—Based on True Events novel

  Caught in an abusive marriage, Jenny Slater desperately hopes there is more to life than the lies she tells to hide the bruises. Her three children have no idea their father is a monster, and Jenny struggles with the decision to tell them of her torment, which she can no longer bear alone.

  Jenny’s pen pal in the States is the only person aware of the truth.

  When Helen pleads with her to visit, Jenny is undecided about leaving England when her family is at odds. However, when a letter from a mysterious source arrives, seeking Jenny’s help, she flies to the States. Her attempts to save another trapped soul only entangle her in another manipulative relationship.

  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.

  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.

  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.

  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 her
self 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.

  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.”

  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.

  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.

  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.