by M A Comley
Taste of Fury
M A Comley
Jeamel Publishing Limited
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author M A Comley
Published by Jeamel Publishing limited
Copyright © 2021 M A Comley
Digital Edition, License Notes
All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof may not be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted in any form or by any means electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, or used in any manner whatsoever without the express written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review or scholarly journal.
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.
Contents
Acknowledgments
Also by M A Comley
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Epilogue
Keep in touch with M A Comley here
Acknowledgments
Thank you as always to my rock, Jean, I’d be lost without you in my life.
Special thanks as always go to @studioenp for their superb cover design expertise.
My heartfelt thanks go to my wonderful editor Abby, my proofreaders Joseph, Barbara and Jacqueline for spotting all the lingering nits.
Thank you also to my amazing ARC group who help to keep me sane during this process.
To Mary, gone, but never forgotten. I hope you found the peace you were searching for my dear friend.
Also 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)
Justice at Christmas 2 (novella)
Justice at Christmas 3 (novella)
Prime Justice (Book #14)
Heroic Justice (Book #15)
Shameful Justice (Book #16)
Immoral Justice (Book #17)
Toxic Justice (Book #18)
Overdue Justice (Book #19)
Unfair Justice (a 10,000 word short story)
Irrational Justice (a 10,000 word short story)
Seeking Justice (a 15,000 word novella)
Caring For Justice (a 24,000 word novella)
Savage Justice (a 17,000 word novella Featuring THE UNICORN)
Gone In Seconds (Justice Again series #1)
Ultimate Dilemma (Justice Again series #2)
Shot of Silence (Justice Again #3)
Taste of Fury (Justice Again #4) Coming March 2021
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 thriller#3)
Deadly Encounter (DI Sally Parker thriller #4)
Lost Innocence (DI Sally Parker thriller #5)
Goodbye, My Precious Child (DI Sally Parker #6)
Web of Deceit (DI Sally Parker Novella with Tara Lyons)
The Missing Children (DI Kayli Bright #1)
Killer On The Run (DI Kayli Bright #2)
Hidden Agenda (DI Kayli Bright #3)
Murderous Betrayal (Kayli Bright #4)
Dying Breath (Kayli Bright #5)
Taken (Kayli Bright #6 coming March 2020)
The Hostage Takers (DI Kayli Bright Novella)
No Right to Kill (DI Sara Ramsey #1)
Killer Blow (DI Sara Ramsey #2)
The Dead Can’t Speak (DI Sara Ramsey #3)
Deluded (DI Sara Ramsey #4)
The Murder Pact (DI Sara Ramsey #5)
Twisted Revenge (DI Sara Ramsey #6)
The Lies She Told (DI Sara Ramsey #7)
For The Love Of… (DI Sara Ramsey #8)
Run For Your Life (DI Sara Ramsey #9)
Cold Mercy (DI Sara Ramsey #10)
Sign of Evil (DI Sara Ramsey #11)
Indefensible (DI Sara Ramsey #12)
I Know The Truth (A psychological thriller)
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)
Criminal Actions (Hero Series #5)
Regrets Mean Nothing (Hero #6)
Sole Intention (Intention series #1)
Grave Intention (Intention series #2)
Devious Intention (Intention #3)
Merry Widow (A Lorne Simpkins short story)
It’s A Dog’s Life (A Lorne Simpkins short story)
Cozy Mystery Series
Murder at the Wedding
Murder at the Hotel
Murder by the Sea
Death on the Coast (April 2021)
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
Lost Temptation
Tempting Christa (A billionaire romantic suspense co-authored by Tracie Delaney #1)
Avenging Christa (A billionaire romantic suspense co-authored by Tracie Delaney #2)
Prologue
She thrashed around in her bed, aware that she wouldn’t be able to change things, not now, not ever.
She’d had the same recurring nightmare over and over for years.
Megan wiped the sweat from her brow and began fanning herself with her quilt. She leapt out of bed and carried out her daily stretches, easing the tension and the kinks out of her weary body. Yet another mostly sleepless night which invariably ended with the same nightmare. When will they end?
It was the same question she’d asked herself hundreds of times over the years, since that tragic night had devastated her life. Sleep had become progressively hard to come by lately. She was shattered most days and had resorted to catnapping when at all possible, like today. The time was four-thirty, and she was on course for what lay ahead of her. Her great loss never far from her mind. The life she’d once had shattered with a click of the fingers. She felt so alone now, so distraught most days when the memories surfaced.
Lifting the medium-weight dumbbells, she carried out several reps, working her upper arms until the muscles complained. Then she jumped in the shower.
Mild exercise helped clear the sadness from her mind and replaced it with fortitude. She blow-dried her blonde locks and tied them back. After selecting the appropriate coloured wig, she fixed it in place and admired her image. She�
�d made the right choice this time, brunette with subtle red tones suited her down to the ground.
The next dilemma she had to deal with was to choose a suitable outfit to wear. She slid the wardrobe door open and studied the array of clothing up to the task. Primark had recently had a sale on that had proven to be too good an opportunity to miss out on. A thought struck her. She sidestepped to the chest of drawers and opened the second one down, flipping aside countless garments until she found the particular one she had in mind. A sexy lacy black bodice. She grinned and held it up against her slim frame. A wicked smile replaced the grin as yet another thought emerged.
She riffled around in another drawer and located something she thought would work a treat for what she was proposing. She fastened the extra padded domes into the bodice and slipped into it. Laughing, she turned sideways to check out the transformation. Within seconds she’d gone from a thirty-two A to a thirty-six double DD. “I could get used to this,” she muttered. “Some women pay extortionate fees to a plastic surgeon to achieve this look. Why bother going under the knife in the first place?”
After selecting a low-cut blouse from her wardrobe and a black above the knee skirt, her ensemble was complete, almost. She dug around in the bottom of the wardrobe for the strappy sandals she’d bought as a mistake, hoping they would come in handy in the future. Well, that time had now arrived. She slipped them on and once again admired her image from every angle.
“Sexy bitch! You’ll do, for what I have in mind.” Megan spent the next five minutes practising her sensual walk in front of the mirror. Slow and steady, that’s the key. Not long after, she gathered her sequinned evening bag, filled it with her purse, phone and keys then left the flat. Her movements now driven by the revenge pulsating through her veins.
She jumped in her car, aware of what she must do to prevent anyone tracing her movements later, once the deed was done. Megan drove to the location, ensuring she parked a few streets away from where she was about to meet her… date.
The preparation she’d carried out ensured she walked steadily in her heels. She entered the pub under the watchful gaze of the customers already there—two men at the bar, a group of men at a table in the corner and another group of more mature women on the bench seats in front of the bay window. The barmaid appeared from the back room and smiled at her as she approached the bar.
“Evening, what can I get you?”
“Hi, any chance of a cocktail?” she asked tentatively.
The barmaid frowned. “I can get you anything you like, I might have to ask Google how to concoct something I’ve never heard of, but I’m up for the challenge. What’s your poison?”
“A Mojito or a Margarita perhaps?”
“I can make both of those, which do you prefer?”
“Let’s stick with the Mojito.”
The barmaid hunted around under the counter for a few minutes, cussing now and again. Eventually, she resurfaced, looking pleased with her achievements as she held up the metal cocktail shaker. She got to work creating the drink. Megan hopped up onto the stool and removed her coat.
The rest of the punters got back to their conversations. Megan could see out of her peripheral vision that one of the men standing at the bar kept glancing her way in between taking large gulps of his pint.
Brimming with satisfaction, the barmaid poured the Mojito into a cocktail glass she’d sourced from the bottom shelf which she rinsed and dried first. She presented the drink and added a straw for that special touch. “How’s that?” She smiled, appreciative of her own achievement.
“Looks fine to me, it’s all in the taste though. How much do I owe you?”
“I’ll get that,” shouted the man who’d been scrutinising her since she’d arrived.
She fluttered her false eyelashes at him. “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly allow that, but thank you all the same.”
“Nonsense. I said I’ll get it. Put your money away. Tracey, come here.”
The barmaid raised her hands. “Hey, I’m keeping out of it. It’s up to you, sweetheart. What do you want to do?”
Megan sighed and offered the man a broad smile. “If you’re sure? I’m quite willing and able to pay my own way.”
The man left his seat and picked up his pint, he took five paces and joined her. “I’m certain. Can’t have a beautiful young lady like you drinking on her own now, can we?”
“Who says I’m alone? Maybe I’m waiting for my husband or boyfriend to arrive. Perhaps they’re late.”
He took a step back. “Sorry, have I got the wrong end of the stick?”
Megan frowned. “It depends on what you mean.”
“I thought you were alone, out on the town… umm, looking for some company.”
She sniggered. “In that case, you’re a very astute young man. I was only winding you up.” She patted the stool beside her. “Here, take a seat. Tell me all about yourself.”
His serious expression gave way to one of relief. A dimple appeared in his right cheek as he smiled. He slipped onto the stool next to hers and slid a ten-pound note across the bar to the barmaid. “I’ll have another pint while you’re at it, Tracey.”
The barmaid cocked an eyebrow, crossed her arms and stared at the tenner. “Umm… not until you give me more money, the cocktail was eight quid, Jason.”
He jutted his head forward. “What? Bloody hell, I hope it’s worth it,” he mumbled.
Don’t you worry about that, Jason Davis, mark my words, it’ll be totally worth it!
“Don’t feel obliged to pay for my drink, I told you, I’m not averse to paying for my own drinks.”
But he insisted, “No, I never go back on a promise. You can get the next round, how about that?”
She shrugged. “Suits me.”
Tracey supplied him with another pint of beer and left them to get acquainted. The conversation flowed easily enough. At one point, Megan almost had regrets about fooling the man sitting beside her. He seemed a decent chap, compared to the other men who had taken an interest in her over the years.
“So, Melinda,” he said, using the false name she’d supplied him, “what do you do for a living? Wait, don’t tell me, let me guess.” He placed a finger against his cheek and tapped it. “How about a model?”
“Wow, you’ve hit the nail on the head at the first attempt. How did you manage that?” She glanced down at her cleavage and chuckled. “Oops, never mind, I think I can guess. And yes, I’m a certain type of model.”
He raised a finger. “No, don’t tell me. I’ll take a punt and say you model wellies and rainwear. How did I do?”
Megan laughed. “Appallingly, I model underwear, but you figured that out all by yourself, you were just pulling my… leg, weren’t you?”
He leaned in and pecked her on the cheek. “I was. Hey, we’re getting on like a house on fire, aren’t we?”
“Why do you sound surprised when you say that?”
He shrugged. “To look at you, I’d say you were out of my class, just goes to show, doesn’t it?”
“Perceptions can be deceiving, as I know to my cost.”
He inclined his head. “What do you mean? Not trying to pry or anything.”
She waved away the suggestion. “It’s fine. Ignore me. The last thing I want to do is go all maudlin. I’m having a whale of a time, it would be a pity to spoil things now.”
“If you’re sure. Do you live around here?”
“Yes, not too far,” she replied, intentionally omitting the area she lived in just in case the barmaid was earwigging their conversation.
“This is my local. I’ve been coming here for years.”
“And your wife puts up with you spending a lot of time here?”
“Oh, I’m not married. Far from it, I love my freedom too much.”
Liar!
She glanced down at his hands to see his wedding ring slip off his finger and heard it clatter onto the bar under his palm. “Oh, my mistake. You,” she hitched up a shoulder, “seem th
e married type.”
“Nah, not me. What about you?”
She waved her ringless hand around. “Young, free and extremely single. Still waiting for my Prince Charming to arrive. They appear to be few and far between these days.”
“That’s a shame, I would’ve thought a pretty girl like you would have been snapped up long ago.”
“Flatterer. I had a ring on my finger once, when I was engaged to Tim…” her voice trailed off and her head dipped on purpose.
He covered her hand with his. “What happened? Go on, we’re friends, you can tell me.”
“He was killed in a crash. Joy riders with nothing better to do with their time.”
His hand slipped from hers and she distinctly heard him gulp. “That’s terrible. I’m so sorry to hear that.”
His words sounded genuine enough, but she was aware they were just that, words. Her story might have been made up, but there was a snippet of truth involved. Her mood had turned sour. She needed to cast the past aside and concentrate on the present.
Revenge! It was enticingly within her grasp now.
“See, I told you I didn’t want to get maudlin, ignore me. It happened years ago, I’m over it now.”
“You don’t seem over it. Mind you, how do you get over something as dreadful as that?” He twisted his glass on the bar.
“You have to. Life goes on. Anyway, tell me more about you. What do you like to do in your spare time when you’re not working as a painter and decorator?”
His head shot around to face her. “How do you know what I do?”
Shit! She was forced to think fast on her feet and ran a finger down the paint ingrained in his knuckles. “Umm… call it a lucky guess.”
