Wrong Place: A gripping serial killer crime thriller.

by M A Comley

  He avoided eye contact, pretending that her comment had embarrassed him. He’d refined his act to perfection over the past year or so. Only for the latest batch, he’d travelled to another area.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause you any discomfort. Don’t mind me. My mouth tends to run away from me at times.”

  “No problem. I’ll just sit here quietly and have my drink, if that’s okay.”

  “Sure. I apologise again.” She walked to the other end of the bar and served another customer, who laughed and chatted with her as if he’d known her for years.

  A jealous grip took hold of his insides. How dare she! Is she trying to make a fool out of me? I’ll punish her for that later.

  Every time she looked around to see if he was watching her, he let his gaze drift off to the side. When he’d finished his drink, she returned to refill his glass.

  “I’m not sure I want one just yet.”

  “That’s a shame. You’re not thinking of leaving us, are you?”

  “That depends,” he told her quietly.

  “On what?” She furrowed her brow.

  “On whether you want me to stay around or not?” His gaze latched on to hers. He kept his expression blank while he watched hers twist with what he perceived as awkwardness. Surely not! She’s too outgoing for that. The colour rising in her cheeks is because of me turning her on. Her blood is boiling as she imagines us together in bed. Oh yes, I have her hooked, all right.

  She leaned toward him, exposing her heaving breasts for him to ogle—but he kept his eyes on her face. This was a ritual of his; he knew how girls reacted to his intense stare. She was no different from the others. “I knock off in a couple of hours, if you fancy seeing me after.”

  He cocked an eyebrow and suggestively ran his tongue across his lips. She watched the movement and shuddered a little. She’s hooked. Now reel her in, boy. Reel her in. “You do? I’m sure your boyfriend will be keen to have you home.”

  She chuckled. “I don’t have a boyfriend, silly. Do you really think I’d be giving you the come-on if I had one of those hanging around?”

  “Is that what you’re doing? Giving me the come-on? I wouldn’t have known if you hadn’t told me.”

  “You’re winding me up, right?”

  He sensed hesitation in her tone. He laughed, cutting through the sudden tension, then smiled at her. “Yes, I was joking. What did you have in mind?” he asked quietly, so the other customers couldn’t hear him.

  A middle-aged man at the far end of the bar called her name. She swore under her breath and fixed a smile in place before she turned to the customer. “I’ll be right back. Hold that thought.”

  Oh, I have every intention of doing just that, my dear. He watched the beautiful brunette walk away from him and wondered why she didn’t have a boyfriend or husband. Their loss, not mine. He knew she had the hots for him—and he revelled in that knowledge. Her amenable nature would make his mission so much easier when he got her in the back of his car, unless another more appropriate place sprang to mind in the meantime.

  He spent the next hour teasing her. One minute, he was making out that he would be leaving, then the next, he was questioning her about what time exactly she finished work.

  She flipped between being confused and showing real signs of interest at his hints. She approached him for the final time in the bar that evening. “I’ll be ready to leave in twenty minutes.”

  “Okay, I’ll finish my drink and meet you outside in the car.”

  “Wait across the road. The boss always sees his staff off the premises for safety reasons.”

  “He’s a wise man. You can’t be too careful these days. There are some really twisted souls walking this earth.” He fixed a concerned expression firmly in place.

  “Too right. Only last week, there was a murder up the road from here.”

  His eyes widened, and he covered his chest, pretending to be mortified. “Goodness, I can understand your reluctance to come with me. Maybe I could come back next week, get to know you a little more.”

  “Nonsense. We’re like old friends now. I feel like I’ve known you for decades.”

  “Oh, that’s nice to know. The feeling is mutual. It’s been a while since I’ve met anyone as beautiful and as like-minded as you.”

  “What a flattering thing to say! I appreciate that more than you’ll ever know. I’ve obviously been dating the wrong kind of chaps. You’re adorable.”

  He snorted. “I don’t think I’ve ever had the pleasure of being called that before.”

  “I’d better get on with clearing up. I’ll speak to you soon.”

  “Okay, I’ll call out when I leave just like the other customers.”

  She nodded then got on with her work. Before long, he noticed her humming Madonna’s song Like a Virgin while she cheerfully washed and wiped the glasses as she arranged them on the shelves behind her.

  His groin started to twitch, until finally he could take no more. “Goodnight, all,” he shouted as he headed towards the exit. He received a few mumbled responses from the few stragglers sitting at the bar. He suspected they were hoping for some kind of lock-in.

  He drove out of the pub’s car park and into the smaller car park belonging to one of the shops opposite. He didn’t have to wait long to see the last customers leaving the pub. Alexina and her boss followed soon after.

  Alexina waved goodbye to her boss and headed across the street to where Scott was parked. When Scott pushed open the passenger door, she jumped in and surprised him by leaning over to peck him on the cheek.

  “That was nice. Thank you.”

  “That’s nothing compared to what I have in store for you,” she sniggered.

  He gave her one of his looks that said, Hey, baby, anything you can think up in that department, I can do better. “Sounds promising. Where shall we go?”

  “My place is out of bounds; I share with a friend. What about your place?”

  He shrugged. “I’m staying in a cheap hotel for a few days. Not the kind of place a beautiful young lady like you should be seen in.”

  She flicked her hand in a playful gesture and caught the top of his arm. “Smooth talker you. I don’t mind—just drive. I’m sure we’ll figure it out soon enough. Why are you staying in a hotel?” she asked.

  He thought fast, and another lie tumbled easily from his mouth. “I’m having some work done on my house. It’s easier if I move out for a few days to avoid the mess.”

  “How exciting. I live in a crummy two-bed flat with a mate of mine. Every now and then, her boyfriend stays over, and the walls are that bloody thin I might as well be in there with them.”

  “Now there’s an idea—a threesome!” He laughed, in spite of thinking the idea was in fact an excellent one, ever one to push the boundaries.

  “What work are you having done?” she asked as he pulled out of the car park and drove up the high street.

  “An extension to the kitchen. By the time the builders have finished, it will hopefully be double the size it is now.”

  “Bigger is definitely better.” She laughed.

  “So I’ve been told. I know just the place. It’s a little way out, if that’s okay?”

  “Sure. I’m in your capable hands.”

  They chatted for the next fifteen minutes, and his heart rate escalated as their destination grew ever nearer. I’m going to have a little fun with this one before I kill her. She seems up for something new, but only time will tell.

  He pulled into the wasteland that loosely resembled a car park. He manoeuvred the car around the large potholes and piles of rubble dotted around the area. “What’s this? Home from home for you?” she joked, running her hand up his thigh.

  “I was going to drive out into the country and thought, ‘Sod it!’ I just want to get to know you better, and quickly. Are you objecting?”

  “Definitely not. Pull over, and I’ll show you what I mean.”

  He drove close to the warehouse and s
topped the engine. She had already unclipped her seatbelt, and she lunged for him in a flash.

  He pushed her away gently. “Eager, aren’t you?”

  “Too bloody right, mate. It’s been months.”

  “Do you think we’ll be more comfortable in the back?”

  She climbed between the front seats and sat in the middle, staring back at him. “What’s keeping you?” she asked seductively.

  He joined her, and they got down to the business of ripping each other’s clothes off, their lips moulded together. Once they were naked, he could see her beautiful figure in the bright moonlight that filled the car.

  She looked at him shyly for the first time that evening. “Have you got something with you?”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out his rubber friend. “Of course, I never travel without one.”

  “That sure of getting laid, are you?”

  “One lives in hope. Are we going to chat all night or get down to business?”

  She grabbed him round the neck and pulled him on top of her. “Less talk, more action. You’re my kind of guy.”

  The sex that followed was a mixture of guiltless pleasure and frantic possession. He had every intention of using Alexina to the fullest extent. She was an enthusiastic and very willing participant, after all. Not long after the couple had climaxed, his strength started to return, and the wobbliness in his limbs subsided. He started to play with her breasts, giving her the unspoken message that he was eager to go a second time. She wriggled beneath him, inviting him to take her again. His hands went on a journey of pleasing her until they came to rest on her neck. He played with it, tickling the sides, and she moaned as her eyes fluttered shut. Then he struck. He squeezed with all his might with his hands while using his splayed-out legs and his extra weight to prevent her from struggling free from his grasp.

  The last words he spoke to her as she gasped for breath were: “Thank you, but you were nothing special.”

  Her lifeless eyes stared up at him. He discarded her, pushing and pulling at her body in his eagerness to get dressed. Once he was fully clothed, he tugged her body through the back door, lifted her still-warm frame into his arms, and made his way into the building. He saw no need to bother concealing her body—the police had no clue who he was. He went back to the car and retrieved her clothes and handbag, which he piled close to her head. Then he emptied the contents of the phial across her thigh, just as he had with the others. Calmly and without looking back over his shoulder, he left the girl and jumped back into his car.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Sally was finishing up sifting through the monotonous paperwork thrust upon DIs nowadays—after the relaxing weekend, the chore seemed so much better to deal with—when Jack appeared in her doorway.

  “We’ve got another one.” He looked downbeat, and an ominous feeling pushed away all the relaxation that had seeped into her body over the past few days.

  “Crap, really? Where?”

  “Different location entirely. In a disused warehouse not far from Acle.”

  “If it’s disused, how did someone find the body?”

  He shrugged. “Lucky break, I guess.”

  “Do we know how long it’s been there? What kind of condition is the body in, decomposing or what?”

  “I don’t know, boss. All I know is that a body has been reported and that the pathologist is on his way over there now, as we should be.”

  “All right, Jack. Keep your toupee in place. What’s biting you this morning?”

  He mumbled something as he turned away from her. Sally shuffled the rest of the paperwork together and set it aside then stood up and slipped on her jacket. The incident room was buzzing when she joined the rest of the team. “Okay, guys, you keep digging into the other two murders while Jack and I go visit the crime scene. Let’s hope the DNA is the same and we’re not dealing with either another killer or a copycat on our patch. Joanna, have you chased up the second DNA results this morning yet?”

  “Not yet, boss. I’ll get on it straight away. I know it’s Monday morning, but it’s been almost a week now. I’ll remind them of the promise they made.”

  “You do that. How do they expect us to catch a killer if they can’t furnish us with the DNA results? Okay, climbing off my soapbox for now. Are you ready, Jack?”

  “Yep.” He walked out of the incident room without waiting for Sally.

  Sally stopped by Joanna’s desk. “What’s eating him this morning? Do you know?”

  “Nope. He’s barely said two words since he arrived, and that was to bite Jordan’s head off about something minor.”

  “That’s not like him. Trouble at home, maybe?”

  Joanna shrugged. “Probably. I’m sure he’ll tell us when he feels ready to open up.”

  “Yeah, I suppose. Looks like I’m in for a fun-filled morning.”

  Joanna nodded and reached for the phone. “You and me both!”

  Jack was leaning against Sally’s car when she walked out of the station, his face turned upwards as if seeking out the springtime sunrays.

  “We haven’t got time for you to top up your tan, Jack. Leave that until your holiday, eh?”

  “What bloody holiday? We’ve had to cancel it.” He kicked out at the gravel.

  “Shit! Why? No wait; fill me in on the way.”

  They both climbed in the car, and Sally drove off, heading for the crime scene. The area had become more familiar to her every time they drove out that way. “So?”

  “To be honest with you, I’m just too damned angry right now to discuss it, boss.”

  “That bad! Surely nothing can be so bad that it forces you into cancelling your summer holiday, mate. Is Donna all right? You guys haven’t been arguing, have you?”

  Jack remained silent, and Sally noticed his hands wringing together in his lap. She’d never seen her partner look so wound up. Something major was afoot, but she thought he would fill her in when the time was right. Nothing ever got Jack down. Years in the forces meant he had a chilled-out nature that was ideal for his role as a DS. So to see him in such turmoil concerned Sally greatly. “Okay, I’m taking the hint and butting out. I’ll just say one thing, Jack. I’m here if you need to chat. You know I can keep a confidence, right?”

  “I know, boss. When the time is right, I’ll let you in on the secret. I just need to sort things out up here first.” He jabbed a finger at his temple.

  “I understand. I hope you get things sorted soon.”

  He turned to look out the window at the passing countryside. “I doubt that.”

  Sally cringed, feeling helpless that she couldn’t help her partner through his difficult time. However, on a purely selfish note, she hoped his problems didn’t come with any lingering lapses in concentration where his work ability was concerned.

  They arrived at the crime scene to find Simon and his team getting suited and booted beside his vehicle.

  “Just got here?” Sally called out.

  “Been here a few minutes, Inspector. If you have intentions of coming inside to view the body, you’ll need to get togged up first. Tony, sort out another couple of sets for the detectives, will you?”

  “What do we know about the victim? Anything yet?” Sally slipped one leg into the paper suit Tony provided for her.

  “Not a lot right now. Similar MO in that she had traces of semen found on her leg, and she was naked.”

  “Damn, even more essential to chase up that DNA sample from the lab.”

  Simon frowned. “Have you still not got that? Want me to make a phone call later for you?”

  Sally let out a long breath. “If you could, that would be marvellous.”

  With everyone dressed in white suits, gloves, and blue paper slippers, the team entered the building. Doubtful about falling debris from the crumbling walls and what was left of the floor above, Sally paused at the entrance. “Shouldn’t we wear hard hats instead of flimsy paper?”

  “I took a quick look and came to the co
nclusion that the roof and floor above appeared to be sound enough, for now at least.”

  “I’ll take your word on that,” she said, her tone full of sarcasm.

  “There’s our victim.” Simon pointed off to the side, just feet ahead of them.

  “Do you think she was murdered elsewhere and then dumped here?” Sally asked.

  “Maybe.” Simon replied with a shrug.

  The group approached the corpse.

  Sally felt the need to cover the girl’s body, as she always did when she stumbled across a naked female victim. “Shit! Another young girl. Can you get us an ID to start us off?”

  Simon nodded and removed the woman’s small handbag from the pile of clothes. He flipped open the front flap and extracted her purse. “Let’s see. Alexina Graham. A miss, according to her bank card.”

  Sally motioned for Jack, who still seemed a little distracted, to note down the woman’s details. He took out his notebook and jotted down the information from the ID.

  “I have to say, he’s a very obliging murderer,” Sally observed.

  Simon frowned at her. “That’s a very crass thing to say, Inspector.”

  “I didn’t mean it to be. It’s just an observation. How many murderers have you come across who leave a DNA sample at the crime scene and their victim’s IDs lying around?”

  “Good point. It’s as though he’s crying out to be caught.”

  “Precisely. Which is why it’s imperative we get that DNA result pronto. Sorry to keep harping on about it, but it’s a fact. That’s three young women who have been murdered now. If we’d had the result back earlier, maybe—just maybe—we could have prevented this one,” Sally said, pointing at the victim.

  Her harsh words seemed to strike a chord, because Simon sighed and nodded. “I’m not disagreeing with you, Inspector. Perhaps we should make a public appeal to all the criminals out there to take a week off so our forensic departments can catch up. My team does the best it can, really.”

  “No need to be sarcastic, Simon.”

  “Believe me, if I hit you with sarcasm, you’d definitely know about it. The damn budget has got us all down, Inspector. There’s no point ‘harping on about it,’ as you said. To keep working is the best we can do. Now, shall we get on with our work?”