Deadly Dozen: 12 Mysteries/Thrillers (89 page)

The young woman appeared to be surprisingly at ease with the dog. Most people were initially apprehensive about meeting the larger breeds. Fiona crouched down to pet the shepherd, and he licked the side of her face. She giggled and almost toppled backwards.

“Well, you two seem to have hit it off. He likes playing fetch with a tennis ball, by the way.” Lorne went in search of the ball near the link fencing. She threw the ball, and the dog immediately ran after it.

He came to a screeching halt, retrieved the ball, and trotted back to them with the ball in his mouth. When he reached them, he sat and dropped the ball at Fiona’s feet.

“Good boy,” she said, picking up the wet ball and throwing it to the back of the compound.

Lorne produced a tissue from her jeans pocket and offered it to Fiona. She waved it away and immediately went up in Lorne’s estimation.

The game continued for the next ten minutes, until Blackie headed for the door to the kennel.

Lorne laughed. “I think you’ve succeeded in wearing him out. He’s still a little unfit. He’ll get there, though.”

They followed Blackie inside the kennel.

“Gosh, I never thought. Sorry. So, what’s the next step? You, coming out to do the home visit?” Fiona patted the dog between the ears.

Lorne filled up his water bowl and shut the kennel door. “That’s right. If we go in the house, I can check the diary, to see when it would be convenient for us both.”

Before they reached the house, Fiona said, “I was kind of hoping you could come out today. I’ve got the day off work, you see.”

“Wow, when you get an idea in your head, you certainly like to run with it, don’t you?”

“All my friends say the same thing. I’m the same at work. No half-measures for me.”

Lorne flipped open the diary to see if she could possibly move the afternoon’s appointments around a little. Two of the appointments were visits from the local RSPCA, who had a few dogs they needed temporary homing for the next few weeks until they had room at the local pound. Then there were a few visits booked in for people wanting to rehome a staffy and a collie.

Lorne figured that if she spoke to Tony nicely enough, he could handle the appointments for her while she visited Fiona’s flat. It would be nice to see Blackie settled into a new home as soon as possible. “I’ll need to ask hubby if he can do me a favour, but I can’t see any reason why I can’t call round and see you about four. How’s that?”

Fiona didn’t hesitate answering, “That’s great. The other girls should be back around then, too.”

“Excellent. I can’t wait to meet them.” Lorne handed Fiona a notebook and pen, asked her to jot down her address, then saw the young woman out to her MR2, which was sitting in the yard, glittering in the sun.

After waving Fiona off, Lorne went in search of Tony and her father in the bottom field.

“Damn thing! What is the matter with it?” Tony cursed. He was bent over the chainsaw, pulling the starter cord trying to make it spark into life.

“I think it’s time we got a new one. I told you not to trust that bloke at the second hand shop.”

Tony looked up and glared at her. “I’ll take it back this afternoon. If he can’t fix it, he can bloody well give me my money back.”

“Ah, can you take it in early? I’ve just made an appointment for late afternoon, and I was hoping you’d take care of the appointments already booked in.” She gave him her broadest smile and fluttered her eyelashes the way she always did when she really wanted to wrap him around her finger.

Tony shook his head in dismay, and her father burst out laughing. “Look, why don’t I deal with the appointments? That leaves Tony free to sort the chainsaw out. It’ll be good practice for me.”

“What? You mean you’ll take care of things round here for me, Dad?” Lorne went to hug him, but he stepped back.

“On the understanding that you two help me out in the mornings and evenings,” her father said, looking first at Lorne and then at Tony for agreement.

“You bet. Instead of getting up at seven, I’ll set the alarm for six. That’ll be all right, won’t it, love?” she asked Tony, who was looking at her as if she’d just dealt him a Tyson-like punch to the stomach.

“Like I have a choice in the matter?” he mumbled, and he turned his attention back to the reluctant piece of machinery.

“Anyway, Dad. I should imagine most of our work will happen in the evening or during the night. But you have my word that we’ll muck in when we can. Come on, Henry. We have work to do.” Lorne skipped away, with Henry trotting along beside her.

The rest of the morning was spent cleaning out and feeding the animals. She’d dropped in to see Hercules in his temporary stable. He appeared to be so much happier with life now; his head was upright, and he seemed to be taking far more interest in surroundings.

Lorne noticed the little feral cat they’d inherited when they had purchased the farmhouse, curled up asleep on the straw behind Hercules. Gratitude seeped through her. It was strange how animals knew when others needed company and guidance.

With the sun’s rays already beating down, Lorne decided that she wouldn’t let Hercules out into his paddock until the evening, when it would likely be much cooler. She didn’t want the little donkey having any adverse effects from the relatively new experience. It would be best if he got used to being outside slowly and in his own time.

She went over to the string bag in the corner of the barn, took out a large carrot, and offered it to Hercules. At first, he appeared hesitant, as if he didn’t really know what to make of the long orange pointed vegetable, which broke Lorne’s heart. Then, with a little encouragement, he nibbled at the end, liked the taste, and ended up munching his way through it in seconds.

After preparing bacon sandwiches for the two men in her life, Lorne attacked the few bits of paperwork she had to deal with, mainly suppliers’ bills that needed paying.

Then she changed into a summer dress that she hadn’t worn in ages and set off in the van to Fiona’s flat.

CHAPTER FIVE

Lorne eased through the thickening mid-afternoon traffic and arrived at the flat, which was situated in a respectable neighbourhood on the outskirts of Gravesend, about twenty minutes after leaving her place.

The flat was part of an old Victorian house. Lorne rang the doorbell to the first flat. An abrupt voice came out of the metal speaker. “Yes? Who is it?”

Lorne pressed the button and spoke into the mic grill. “It’s Lorne Simpkins. I’ve come to see Fiona.”

“Of course. Push the door and come through,” the voice ordered.

The door clicked, and Lorne entered a communal hallway. Fiona was holding a door open to the flat on the ground floor. “Hi. Come in.”

Lorne squeezed past her and stepped into a large lounge. On the sofa was a petite Chinese girl who had a pile of books beside her and an A4 notebook balancing on her lap. She looked up and smiled shyly at Lorne.

“This is Ami.” Fiona knocked softly on the door behind her. “Linda, the lady is here to see us.”

Fiona pointed at a rocking chair, indicating where she wanted Lorne to sit. “Do you mind if I see the garden first?” Lorne asked, looking through the coloured voile curtain to the garden beyond.

“Good idea.” Fiona pulled back the French door, and they both wandered outside onto a patio area that had a gas barbecue on one side, and a table and four chairs on the other.

The garden impressed Lorne. “Wow! What is this, about eighty feet?”

Fiona smiled. “I guess so. We have a man come in every week to cut the grass and generally keep it tidy. I had a quick look around when I came back. I spotted a small area at the rear that could be deemed a little dubious. I’ll show you.”

They walked down the path that had grass on either side, and a few evergreen shrubs dotted the area, with no flowers as such. They reached the rear fence.

Lorne wobbled the fence panel and noted how rickety it was. Moving down to the bottom, she pushed and pulled at it. The panel appeared to be broken or rotten at one edge. “Hmm… I’d say this needs replacing rather than repairing. Could your maintenance man do that?”

“No problem. I’ll get it fixed ASAP. As you can see, we don’t really do flowers, so Blackie won’t be shouted at all the time to keep off the beds. He’ll be free to go wherever he likes. That’s if we have him.”

“Okay, provided this panel is fixed, I’m satisfied that Blackie or another dog would enjoy this garden and be safe running around out here. All right if I have a chat with your other flatmates now?”

“Sure. Can I get you a coffee or tea?”

They entered the lounge just as another girl came out of the room Fiona had tapped on before.

Lorne found it hard to hide her shock at the young woman’s appearance. “My God, are you all right?”

Fiona rushed to help the girl onto the sofa. The poor girl looked very uneasy walking, as if she could faint at any moment. “This is my sister Linda. She’s had a bit of an ordeal lately. You’re getting better though, aren’t you, love?”

Lorne couldn’t stop staring at the young woman, at the appalling bruises covering her face and the fact that her ankle was in a cast. She knew it was rude of her to stare, and had she still been in the Met, she would have been called unprofessional by her colleagues, but the girl’s injuries were like a magnet to Lorne.

Linda swallowed hard before she gave a weak smile. “Hi, I’m sorry to alarm you. I’m getting there.”

“Please forgive my rudeness. I don’t mean to stare, but… What the hell happened?”

Fiona patted her sister’s hand and went into the kitchen to boil the kettle. No one answered until Fiona returned. “Linda had a bit of a mishap the other night.”

A mishap! “Wow, some mishap,” Lorne tried to answer matter-of-factly, but the words didn’t come out as lightly as she’d intended.

The woman was beaten black and blue. Lorne surmised that either Linda was involved with an abusive partner, or she had been assaulted by a stranger. Lorne figured the latter scenario was probably the more accurate one, as Fiona hadn’t mentioned any men sharing the flat with them.

Linda started crying. Fiona rushed to her side, while Ami’s attention dropped into her studies once more. The room suddenly felt uncomfortable to Lorne.

Fiona shrugged at Lorne as she comforted her sister. “I’m sorry. Maybe we could do this another time?”

Lorne nodded, stood up, and prepared to leave.

“No. Wait. Give me a minute, and I’ll be fine. I don’t want you to have a wasted trip,” Linda said between sniffs.

Lorne reached into her briefcase and took out the checklist Sheila had suggested she devise for the home visits. “If you’re sure?”

Both Linda and Fiona nodded before Fiona got up to finish making the coffee.

“Okay, so you both know that Fiona came to see me today with regard to rehoming a dog in my care. I have to ask if you’re all in agreement with that decision?” Lorne looked over at Linda, who was nodding frantically. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ami give the briefest of nods, as though she was doubtful about the idea. “Ami, do you have any reservations?”

The girl glanced up at Lorne. She appeared uncertain about what to say in front of Linda. Reluctantly, she said, “I guess.”

Fiona came back in to the room carrying a tray with four mugs on it. Lorne noticed the hard stare Fiona gave Ami as she put the tray down on the coffee table.

Ami’s cheeks flushed. “I mean, yes. It’s okay with me.”

Hmm… Lorne was far from satisfied. Nevertheless, she pressed on with the checklist, deciding to voice any doubts she might have at the end. “I’ve gone over a few issues in the garden that need addressing with Fiona. Providing they are corrected, I can’t see any problems. Can I ask what type of dog you all have in mind?”

“I’ve told them what a darling Blackie is and that I think he would be an ideal dog for us, and we’re all in agreement, aren’t we girls?”

Lorne carefully watched Ami’s reaction. She didn’t think the girl oozed a great amount of certainty. “Ami?”

Ami looked at her flatmates, placed the books she had on her lap on the floor beside her, and stood up. “I said, I’m okay with it,” she snapped before she stomped out of the room.

Lorne looked over at Fiona, whose expression was twisted in anger.

Sighing, Lorne shuffled her papers and put them back in her bag. “I think you still have a lot of talking to do on the subject. Maybe it would be better if you rang me next week with your decision.”

Fiona held up a hand. “Please don’t go. Ami will be fine with whatever we decide.”

Lorne shook her head. “I’m sorry, Fiona. I only have the dog’s welfare at heart here. If there is a possibility of him not being wanted or liked, then I’ll have to find him somewhere else.”

Linda’s hand shot out and grabbed her sister’s arm tightly. “You have to let us have the dog.”

Raising a questioning eyebrow, Lorne asked, “Why do I have to, Linda?”

The sisters stared long and hard at each other before Fiona spoke. “If we don’t get a dog then we’ll be on tenterhooks. Scared of every knock on the door. Afraid to go out. We’re living under a threat.”