Page 16 of Gone in the Night (Detective Morgan Brookes #16)

SIXTEEN

Amy had walked home with a smile on her face and a feeling of peace inside of her heart that she had never known before.

Cain had made her cry with her leaving party and it had melted her heart beyond what she’d ever known.

The fact that he’d cared enough to do all of that for her meant the world to her, and she was truly thankful to have such good friends.

A slight twinge in her stomach made her pause.

It wasn’t enough to take her breath away, but it was a little uncomfortable.

The midwife had told her she may have Braxton Hicks contractions in the last month, so this must be what it was because she still had three weeks left to go.

The image of the woman who’d been murdered in her tent filled her mind and she couldn’t let it go; it was so horrifying.

Ben had told her she could finish so she wouldn’t have to even think about this case, but she’d seen the photos and now they were stuck in her head.

She thought about Gordon Wells, that could have been her, stabbed to death, or even worse kept captive in a tiny room with no windows or escape.

What if she’d had her baby in that tiny concrete cell?

She shuddered and stopped walking, whispering to herself, no more, Amy, it didn’t happen.

You can’t keep thinking like this, you have to concentrate on the baby .

As she reached Cain’s house, where she was now officially renting because he’d moved in with Angela, she saw a familiar figure sitting on the front doorstep and did a double take.

Jack looked awful, his complexion was pale, his normally clean-shaven face was covered in dark stubble, and he had big, purple circles under his eyes.

He stood up when he saw her and smiled. ‘Hey, long time no see.’

She stared at him, furious that he’d turned up now when she’d been in such a great mood. She wasn’t in the right frame of mind to argue with him; he’d shown his true colours when she’d told him about the baby.

‘What do you want, Jack?’

‘Blimey, Amy. No need to sound so happy to see me.’

‘I’m not happy, why are you here, tainting my doorstep with all your bad vibes?’

Jack looked at her. ‘Your doorstep, I thought this was Cain’s house.’

‘It is, but I’m renting it from him so technically it’s mine, and you’re making the place look untidy.’

‘Can I come in?’

She didn’t even need to think about it. ‘No.’

His mouth dropped open; and she realised he hadn’t been expecting such a blunt reply.

‘I guess I deserve all of this hostility.’

She nodded.

‘How are you? How’s the baby?’

‘We were doing just fine until I saw you. I want you to leave. I have nothing to say to you. I gave you a chance and you blew it, so don’t bother to come around here asking if we’re okay because you and I both know that you don’t give a crap about either of us.

All you’ve ever cared about is yourself. ’

‘Ouch.’

‘Does the truth hurt? Actually, don’t answer because I really, honestly do not care one little bit.’

‘I’m in a bit of a mess.’

She paused, he looked a mess, and he also looked sadder than she’d ever seen him since she met him.

‘Can I talk to you? I really need to talk to someone.’

Amy sighed, she wanted to tell him to fuck off out of her life, but she hadn’t ever seen him looking so dishevelled and down. The last thing she needed on her conscience was for him to go off and do something stupid because she wouldn’t talk to him.

‘Five minutes. You raise your voice at me and I’m calling the cops. I mean it, I’m not in the mood for your bullshit, Jack.’

He nodded. ‘Thanks, Amy, I appreciate it, best behaviour. I promise that I’m not here to give you any grief or cause any trouble for you.’

She opened the door, and he followed her inside, but she didn’t lock it.

She took her phone out of her pocket and placed it on the breakfast bar in the kitchen in front of her, where she made sure it was charged enough that she could phone 999 if he kicked off.

He was a copper; he was supposed to stick to the code of conduct in and out of work, but up to now he’d had a hard time controlling his emotions when it came to the subject of her and their baby. She pointed to a stool. ‘Sit down.’

He did as she told him.

‘Do you want a drink?’

‘I’d love a coffee if you have any.’

She made him a coffee, a lemon and ginger tea for herself, thinking about how she was going to have the world’s largest latte after she’d given birth because she missed it so much.

After she managed to get herself and her extra-large bump onto a stool and they were sitting facing each other, she asked him, ‘So what kind of mess are you in, and why do you think I care about that?’

He flinched at her harsh words, but she didn’t care. He hadn’t cared about the way he’d spoken to her, telling her to get an abortion when she’d told him she was having a baby, their baby.

‘You look great, being pregnant really suits you.’

‘Does it? Not sure why you’d care, Jack.’

‘I’m sorry I was such a dick to you, Amy. I get why you’re mad at me, I do, and I deserve it. I shouldn’t have spoken to you the way I did, it was cruel and I messed up big time.’

‘What do you want?’

‘I’ve been drinking too much, got into playing online poker and I’m going to lose the flat if I don’t sort myself out, but that’s not what I’m here about. The woman I’ve been seeing.’

‘I knew you were seeing someone, Jack, nothing is ever a secret in the station and you should know that. What about the girl you were seeing? She’s realised you’re a complete loser and gave you the brush-off?’

‘She’s dead.’

Amy sat up as straight as she could. ‘What do you mean she’s dead?’

‘I heard the log come in as I was finishing work, and I didn’t think anything of it, but there’s a picture of a purple Land Rover with one of those roof tents on it posted all over Facebook, saying they found a body inside of it.

I was seeing her, I mean we weren’t serious or anything, but if it’s true and Sharon is dead, then my prints will be all over the place.

I didn’t do it. I wouldn’t do something like that. ’

Amy couldn’t believe what she was hearing. ‘You were going out with the woman who was found murdered this morning?’

Jack’s eyes filled with tears as he nodded.

‘Holy crap, did you kill her, Jack?’ She had to ask, needed to know.

‘No,’ he shouted across the breakfast bar at her, making Amy shrink back a little.

She looked around the room at the knife block, it was within reach, and at the same time thinking this isn’t happening, please God this can’t happen again .

‘No, I didn’t, I would never.’ His voice was much softer this time. The tears in his eyes and the pain as his voice cracked made her believe him. He was a dick, an idiot and selfish, but he wasn’t a killer.

‘You have to speak to Ben, tell him what you just told me because when they go to her house and search it, then print the car and the tent, your fingerprints will flag up on the database in seconds.’

Jack buried his head in his hands. ‘I can’t.’

‘Well, if you don’t, they’re going to come and arrest you, and I’m telling you now it will look much better if you go speak to Ben first and tell him what you just told me, instead of letting them discover it themselves. You can’t worm your way out of this, Jack.’

‘I didn’t kill her, Amy. I wouldn’t kill anyone.’

Amy sighed. ‘Do you want me to ring Ben and tell him?’

Jack shrugged. ‘I don’t know what to do.’

‘Yes, you do. You tell the truth; you’re a police officer, you’re one of the good guys not a killer.

You speak with Ben, get interviewed, and make sure you have a brief with you.

You be open and honest, no lying, no withholding anything that you think makes you look guilty because in the long run it never works, and we both know that.

If you didn’t do anything it will all be okay, but you’re going to have to face up to speaking with Ben whether you want to or not. ’

‘But you know what the gossips are like in the station, it will be all around that I did it. I’ll get suspended whilst I’m investigated, and PSD will get involved.

My career will be over. If I’m lucky, I’ll get put in an office working the crappiest crimes on the system if or when they ever let me go back. ’

‘And if you don’t, you’re going to look as guilty as sin anyway. Either way you’re going to have to come clean because you’ve already told me and I’m not withholding any evidence for you. So either you phone Ben or I will. For once in your life do the right thing, Jack.’

She brought Ben’s phone number up and passed him her phone. He took it from her and called it.