Without Remorse Ch 05

This is a crime thriller with some romantic sex, and a smidgeon of violent non consensual sex and interesting by-play between various characters whom I hope you'll enjoy.

Ten stories long it will take you down a path as you follow Ben, Jake, Kelly and the villain of the piece along the investigation into the serial attacker of homeless women.

Definition of a Sociopath – someone unconcerned about the adverse consequences for others of one's actions and with a total lack of moral compass.

*

Ben Stanton stood in the line for a taxi outside of Kings Cross station, the noise from the street and surrounding area overpowering. Changing his small suitcase from his right hand to his left he moved forward in the queue, his nose wrinkling up with distaste at the stink that assaulted him. Traffic fumes, stale curry, perspiration and just plain dirty smells wafted him, so unlike his home town back up in the North East where the air was fresh and clean.

Finally he came to the front of the queue and leaning into the Black London cab he asked the driver, "Marylebone Police Station." before climbing in the back and getting comfortable on the big leather seat. The cab joined the heavy traffic in the Euston Road, stop starting its weary way to its destination, whilst Ben stared out the window lost in thought. Finally he had a possible lead to finding the witness to the murder of his best friend and colleague.

Earlier in the year Richard Symonds had been working undercover as a member of a local boat crew that dealt in drugs, bringing them in through Great Yarmouth and then out into the rest of the country. Somehow he and the other undercover colleague had been uncovered and the top man, a violent and hard man called Micky McShaunassy had executed them with a bullet to the head after having them beaten up. The killings had taken place behind a local pub in an alley, amongst the garbage bins and rubbish thrown by the holiday makers and night revellers in the famous English seaside town, and witnessed by the barmaid from her window where she lived above the pub.

Ben's eyes closed in sorrow as the cab continued its jerking journey forward. Richard had been due to get married about now, his fiancée Penny still mourning the loss of the love of her life, while he was to have been the best man.

Getting the bastard that had taken his friends life had now become an obsession, and he was going to find the scared witness who had run for her life when it had become obvious that a contract on her life had been taken out to stop her giving evidence. And now he had a place to look, a lead. He wasn't going to go back up North without her, even with the incompetence of these stupid London cops he was determined to find her and get her back for the trial next month.

*

Walking through the dark and dank basement of the car park near Waterloo Jake and Kelly stepped over the makeshift cardboard lean-to's that some of those living rough, that called this grey and godless area of London home, had made. In front of them sat four of those people huddled around a small fire, the smoke rising up and staining the concrete ceiling a black sooty mess.

Holding out the photo that the force up in Great Yarmouth had sent electronically over Jake asked, "Any of you seen this girl. She would have a cast on her arm and a bandage on her head."

Shaking their heads without really looking at the photo the listless down-and-outs continued to roll a toke and pass around a can of extra strong beer ignoring the two detectives. Leaving the dark and dingy corner and walking towards the exit Kelly said, "Its like looking for a needle in a haystack, she could be anywhere in London."

Jake looked at Kelly and said, "Did she say where she met this Charlie?"

"Over by the Thames, on the embankment near to Cleopatra's Needle, why?"

"Just a thought but if I was her, hurt and in pain I would go looking for where I knew others would help me, somewhere I was familiar with, friends, and that there are lots of places to get food and shelter. The embankment has lots of cafes, places to hide, and has a fairly eclectic atmosphere. My bet is she went back there."

Just then his cell phone rang, answering it he heard his boss telling him to get Kelly and himself back to the station as the Detective from Great Yarmouth had arrived and was going to brief them. Walking back to the car where they had parked it, Jake told Kelly, "Remember, don't let them wind you up. It's not your fault she did a runner from the hospital."

"But the CI doesn't see it that way. He already thinks women Detectives are next to useless and especially me....."

"The man is old guard, just forget it and do your job."

"....and I bet this plonk from up in the sticks will think it's my fault."

Jake shook his head, quietly he thought Kelly was a little to thin skinned and self absorbed to be a cop, and that was a real liability to him.

*

Meanwhile the girl called Hanny was giving a blow job in the alley to an office worker her head bobbing up and down as he stood, his flies open and cock out stuffed in her mouth. She needed to get some money as she was feeding and looking after both herself and Janice, who was running up a fever and unable to go out begging. Lying deep in the Arch recess, the injured girl lay, the cold and her injuries robbing her of any strength. Sitting stoned near her was the shaven headed and tattooed friend of Hanny, finishing off the third can of extra strong cider he had managed to get hold of today, his buzz just at a nice level, feeling no pain and paying no attention to the sick girl as she shivered in her misery.

*

In the incident room Ben stood in front of the team next to the Chief Inspector, and listened while the older man introduced him. He had noticed the very attractive woman detective as soon as she had walked in sitting down, her lovely slim stocking covered legs crossing so that her pencil line black skirt had raised up her thighs enough to make him feel a little hot under the collar and down in his groin.

Kelly sat looking at the stranger in front of them; he leaned against the desk behind him, his white shirt open casually at the collar, his black suit jacket held back where his hand was in his trouser pocket showing off his long slim body. Short dark brown hair topped a strong face with sexy stubble, and grey eyes looked back at her in interest.

Handing over to Ben, the CI stepped back and Ben told the team, "The girl we are looking for was a witness to the murder of two undercover cops. Her name is really Linda Rothley although I understand from the CI that she is going under the pseudonym of Janice." Taking a deep breath he continued, "Micky McShaunassy is a local drug dealer bringing in tons of hash into the country through the fishing ships that come into Great Yarmouth. The two cops were undercover in the crew of two of the ships we suspected of running the drugs. Somehow McShaunassy got tipped off and executed the two men. Linda witnessed the killings. Her DNA was on the database from a couple of years ago when she had been picked up for shoplifting. She had been pulling her life together working and living as a barmaid in the pub behind the alley where the killings took place. She saw the whole thing and is our main witness. We need her by next month to give evidence at the trial. If we don't find her and get her back he walks."

There was a murmur that arose from the room; no cop likes to let a bastard go free that has killed one of their own.

"Any questions?"

"Do you have any better photos of the girl than the one sent over?"

"Yeah, I brought some down with me, the chief is getting them printed up for you."

"Are we letting the press know about this? Get some publicity as maybe a member of the public might recognise her and turn her in."

"Too dangerous. McShaunassy has a contract out of her from his prison cell where he sits on remand. That's why she fled in the first place."

Stepping forward the CI told the team, "Grab a new photo and get out there looking, I want her found."

Standing up and turning around to pick her bag off her desk Kelly didn't see the look of interest that Ben gave her bottom as she bent over. But Jake did. Smiling to the other man he acknowledged man to man the appreciation. Walking up to him he asked him, "Want to join me and Kelly on our part of the search?"

"Yeah, that would be good. Just let me get my case, later can you drop me off at my Hotel?"

"Where are you staying?"

"The Travel Lodge on the north side of Putney Bridge apparently."

"Forget that, can't have you living in a sterile hotel room whilst you're down in the big smoke, my wife and I have a spare room and if you can put up with the crying of our baby you are welcome to stay with us."

Clapping Jakes shoulder Ben told him, "Thanks, that's very generous of you. I'll think I'll take you up on that offer." And the two men walked out the room followed by Kelly who paid the compliment back to Ben by watching his arse and back with approval.

*

Micky McShaunassy's Solicitor sat with him in the Prison Meeting room, his chunky body encased in prison denim jeans and blue shirt frayed at the cuffs and collar. His once carefully groomed hair cut by the prison barber was now short, and his skin had a pale pallor that gave his jowly face a pasty and unhealthy look.

Leaning forward his pale blue eyes bore into the smartly dressed bent Solicitors eyes, "Send Archie down to London, tell him to follow that copper and when he finds the cow that put me in here, kill them both."

The legal man sat back, swallowing hard, "Mick, it would be better to lean on some of the jury once it's picked. Two more killings are going to look too much like a contract on your orders and bounce right back to you."

"I don't give a shit. Do what I say. I want both the fuckers dead. My sources say the copper has gone down as she has been found in London and to pick her up and bring her back for the trail. I do not intend to even take one step into a courtroom. No witness, no trial."

Nodding the man sitting opposite him rose up and picking up his briefcase told him, "Archie will be down there by tonight. They're walking dead."

"Good."

*

The man stood in front of the mirror feeling good. He had an in with the investigation now, and he believed he could find out more if he played his cards right.

The urge to go out on the hunt was taking hold again, the need to rape, to hurt, to feel the terror of the woman as he took what he wanted from her was overpowering him, so soon he knew he would have to go out again.

The cycle was getting shorter between rapes. The high after the last rape not lasting as long as before. A plan had formed in his head on how to build a strong alibi for the next one and tonight was the start of preparing that plan.

He couldn't wait and picking up the electric razor he raised his chin and started his preparations for the night ahead.

*

David Nobles wife watched as her husband walked through the front door worried. Recently he had been either going out in the evening, or coming back home late. Often he seemed distracted and tonight she had walked into the bathroom and found him staring at himself, a strange look on his face.

Half her husband's age she had met him at a Conference in the Midlands where she lived. They had had a whirlwind romance and married only three months after meeting. That was two years ago.

She had been swept off her feet by him, impressed by his charm and attention, putting aside the worries that this was his third marriage, that he was so much older than her, and that she knew little of his friends or family.

She was in love and until recently she had thought they had the perfect marriage, but now she was worried. Walking back to the lounge she sat down on the big light green sofa and started to cry.

She had her suspicions. She thought he was having an affair.

*

Kelly, Jake and Ben had spent the last couple of hours around the Blackfriars Bridge and Cleopatra's needle area of the embankment, searching out the disenfranchised individuals that made up the invisible underclass of London. The search had been fruitless and Kelly was on edge not wanting to be late for her date with Mike from the Architects office. Agreeing to start fresh tomorrow Kelly left the two men to make her way home, whilst the guys climbed into the car to make their way to Jakes home, discussing Jakes theories on the Homeless Rapist.

"So you think this man is playing at being homeless?"

"Yeah, two of the rapes were in buildings that the Architects Secours and Noble had the contract with giving a link, but the other rape sites don't seem to have a link with each other."

Ben thought for a moment and then said, "Maybe not with the Company that won the contracts for designing or building on the other sites, but what about if they had put in a bid that didn't win. That would still give them knowledge to the sites."

"And a real link!"

"Narrowing down the possibilities."

Smiling across Jake told Ben, "Tomorrow we start checking out that theory, as well as hunting your missing witness."

"Pharmacies!"

"What about pharmacies?"

"We hit the pharmacies around the area you think she's in, she has to be hurting bad about now. She'll need painkillers. We ask at the pharmacists if they've seen her."

"Good thinking Batman."

The two men laughed, feeling like a team. Working together like good cops should as they headed towards Jakes home, his wife and child, and a good home cooked meal.