Death do they part, p.1
Death Do They Part, page 1
Death do they part
J.D. WHITELAW
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Acknowledgments
Published by RED DOG PRESS 2022
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Copyright © J.D Whitelaw 2022
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J.D Whitelaw has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988 to be identified as the author of this work
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This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, resold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser
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First Edition
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Paperback ISBN 978-1-914480-30-0
Ebook ISBN 978-1-914480-31-7
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www.reddogpress.co.uk
For all the patience both Anne-Marie and Henry have always shown me.
1
The thumping bass of the nightclub speakers seemed to make everything rattle—including Martha’s teeth. She already felt like a fossil—a hundred years old, with all the flesh on show. On more than one occasion, in then ten minutes she had been in the place, her jaw had almost hit the dancefloor.
Wave after wave of scantily clad young people washed past her. As if the thundering noise of the music wasn’t bad enough, she had to put up with feeling like a complete dinosaur.
“Bloody hell,” she said to herself.
“What?” yelled Helen beside her.
“Nothing,” said Martha.
“What?” Helen shouted again.
The pulsing lights danced over her just long enough to show her face all screwed up. Martha sighed, not that anyone could hear it.
“I said ‘nothing’ Helen,” she shouted.
“Nope, I can’t hear a thing,” said her sister. “This bloody place. How can anyone think this is enjoyable? I feel like my head is a bike tyre about to burst.”
Just as she finished a huge roar went up from the crowd in the tightly packed room. Arms shot into the air and everyone danced that bit harder and faster to the new beat. Martha felt something wet on the back of her legs. She didn’t want to look down to see what it was. She only hoped somebody had spilled their drink.
This was awful. She had to remind herself that they were there for work, not to have a good time. Which was probably for the best, all things considered. The last thing Martha Parker could do in a nightclub was have a good time.
“Where’s Geri?” Helen nudged her in the ribs.
Martha felt a shove in her back. Then one in her front. The crowd was shifting, like a sleeping bear rolling from its back to its belly. She tried to protest but nobody could hear her. The music was far too loud.
She looked around the darkened room, across the dancefloor and over to the bar. What seemed like hundreds of different faces whizzed past, but none of them was her youngest sister. She wasn’t sure if she should panic or not. Then she remembered who she was talking about. Geri Parker was a lot of things—fierce, feisty, her independence only matched by her intelligence. If she said she would be somewhere, she usually would turn up. Eventually.
“I don’t know,” said Martha, rolling with the ebb and flow of the heaving clubbers. “Come on, let’s find a quiet place so I can think straight.”
“What?” yelled Helen.
Martha grabbed her sister by the arm and tugged her over to the door. There was a small alcove just outside the main room. A cool breeze cleared the air out here. The music still blared and Martha was certain she’d have tinnitus for days after this. But at least it was quieter here. And she could breathe.
“Bloody hell fire,” said Helen, buckling over and holding her knees. “Is this what nightclubs are like? I thought it would be more civilised. Not a flipping meat market.”
“I don’t know, Helen,” said Martha. “I haven’t been in one for about twenty years. The last time I set foot on a dancefloor, Kylie Minogue and EMF were in the charts. I don’t think half the people we’ve seen in here were even born when that happened.”
Right on cue, a gaggle of young lads strolled past, all dressed in identical outfits, creased, short-sleeve shirts and jeans so skinny it made their legs look like pipe cleaners. A waft of cologne followed them like the wake of a cruise liner. Martha stifled her impoliteness, Helen wasn’t quite so measured.
“Yuck,” she said, pinching her nose. “Those boys smell like open drains in the summer sun.”
“Helen,” Martha quietened her down. “Come on, pull it together. We need to meet Geri. Phone her, text her, find out where she is.”
Helen tutted loudly. She unfastened her cardigan to reveal a waist bag, fastened tightly around her stomach. She unzipped it and pulled out her phone.
“What?” she asked, noticing Martha staring.
“That’s very… fashionable Helen,” Martha said. “I just… I just wasn’t expecting to see something so current on your person.”
“Hey, that’s offensive,” she said, wagging her finger. “I’m very current. I’ll have you know that I have at least one other pair of sandals at home that have barely been worn.”
She wriggled her toes in the sandals she was wearing. Martha laughed. How they’d made it past the bouncers on the door she still had no idea. But here they were, in the middle of a busy nightclub filled with children barely out of nappies.
A pang of panic snapped her back to the job in hand. They were there to work, they had a mission. They didn’t need any distractions. Not tonight. They were very close.
“Come on, phone Geri, find out where she is.”
“What do you think I’m doing?” asked Helen snootily.
A roar went up from the crowd in the room they had just left. Martha peered in to see what the fuss was about. She was none the wiser. Hands in the air, throbbing lights and pounding bass. Same scene, different song.
“Straight to answerphone,” said Helen. “She must be in here somewhere.”
“Damn,” said Martha. “I hope she’s alright.”
“Martha, come on, it’s Geri we’re talking about here. Geri in a nightclub. That’s about as alright as she’s ever likely to get.”
Martha nodded in agreement. “Come on then, let’s check in here, we need to find her.”
She walked around the narrow hall, past a long queue of people waiting to hand in their coats at the cloakroom. Helen trudged behind her, sandals slapping on the wet floor. Another room with a bar at the far side opened up in front of them. The music was just as loud in here, but the atmosphere was more subdued—less intense.
“There,” said Helen, pointing over Martha’s shoulder. “She’s at the bar. Is that… is that who I think it is she’s talking to?”
Martha gulped down a dry swallow. There was Geri, her sister, standing at the bar laughing and flirting with a tall, handsome looking man with slicked back hair and a sharp suit. They clinked shot glasses before downing the drinks. Then they congratulated each other, before he signalled over to the barmaid for more.
“Oh no,” said Martha.
“Kevin McTrusty,” said Helen. “The very man we’re here to nab.”
“Yeah,” Martha said. “That’s exactly who it is.”
“But I thought the plan was just to take photos of him with his suspected mistress.”
“Yeah, it was,” said Martha with a sigh. “But you know our sister, Helen. She likes to take matters into her own hands at times.”
“Oh, don’t remind me,” she rolled her eyes.
Geri and McTrusty downed another shot and burst out laughing. She clapped a hand on his shoulder, moving closer to him. He didn’t seem to mind, welcoming the attention. Martha had suspected he might. Parkers Investigations specialised in people like Kevin McTrusty, you might even say they were their speciality. Good looking, confident and, most importantly, married.
“Right, bellies in,” she said, tapping Helen on the shoulder.
They wandered over to Geri and McTrusty by the bar. When she saw them coming, the youngest Parker straightened up. The smile dropped from her face and her eyes widened. If Martha didn’t know better, she would have thought Geri was surprised to see them.
“Good evening,” she said.
“Hi,” said Geri awkwardly.
“Hello,” said McTrusty, wiping his mouth on the sleeve of his expensive looking suit. “Who are you?”
“We’re friends of Geri’s,” said Martha.
“Good friends of Geri’s, you might say,” Helen added, rocking back and forward on her heels .
McTrusty eyed them both up and down. He sneered and reached for his bottle of beer that was waiting on the bar. The glare from his giant, designer watch almost blinded Martha, but she didn’t let it show. She had an intense dislike for this man. Yes, she knew that his wife and young child were waiting at home until all hours, wondering what he did with his nights. Yes, she knew that he had been having at least three affairs with old school and college friends in the past month they’d been trailing him. And yes, she thought he was arrogant beyond all belief. Being in his company for the first time seemed to confirm everything she had learned from afar.
“Hi guys,” said Geri, clearing her throat. “Good to see you.”
“Geri,” Martha nodded.
“Geri,” Helen nodded too.
“I thought you guys weren’t coming in until later?”
“We got her at the arranged time,” said Helen, trying to sound businesslike. “Which is many, many hours past your bedtime young lady.”
“Hey, back off yeah?” said McTrusty with an arrogant laugh. “You’re not her mum, okay? We’re just having a good time.”
“Oh, is that so?” Helen lifted her nose high into the air.
“Helen,” said Martha and Geri in unison.
“Yeah, that is so,” said McTrusty.
He puffed out his chest and squared his shoulders, turning to face Helen straight on. “What are you going to do about it, eh?”
“What am I going to do?” Helen laughed. “I’ll tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to phone your wife and tell her where you are and what you’re doing. How does that sound, eh?”
“Oh jeez,” said Geri, clapping her hand to her forehead.
“Helen,” said Martha, her toes curling in her boots.
McTrusty laughed. He took another swig from his beer and then looked the Parker sisters up and down again, Geri included this time. Something seemed to twig in the pit of his slightly drunken mind. Martha was certain she could see the penny dropping.
“Wait a minute,” he said. “Wait a minute, here. Who are you three? Who are you?”
There was panic in his voice. Even in the sweltering heat and noise of the nightclub Martha could see it. She had confronted enough cheating partners down the years to know what guilt looked and sounded like. And Kevin McTrusty was sweating guilt by the bucketload.
“Is this a setup?” he shouted. “Are you three in cahoots or something? Did Angela send you? Are you fitting me up?”
“Kevin, calm down,” said Martha, stepping forward. “We’re more than happy to explain.”
McTrusty leapt forward. His big, meaty hands thrust into Martha’s chest with enough force, she felt like she’d been kicked by a horse. She tumbled backwards, Geri and Helen catching her before she hit the floor. McTrusty made off in the opposite direction, pushing and shoving his way towards the door.
“Oh no,” said Martha, being helped to her feet. “I really hate it when they run.”
The Parkers gave chase across the smaller dancefloor and out the door. They followed the noise of screams and shouts as McTrusty barrelled up the main stairwell that led to the exit. Martha, Helen and Geri weren’t far behind, weaving into the gaps where eager clubbers had wisely ducked out of the way.
“Way to go Helen,” panted Geri. “Another sterling success for Parkers Investigations.”
“At least I wasn’t trying to bed the target, Geri.”
“Excuse me? I was trying to get him to cough up some evidence.”
“Oh, is that what you call it these days.”
“Quick,” Martha shouted. “He’s heading for the door.”
McTrusty reached the exit before them, although they had made up plenty of space. He was wheezing and coughing by the time he reached the fashionable smokers huddled around the arched doorway of the converted church that now hosted the club. He staggered before trying to navigate the steps. His foot slipped and he tumbled forward, bouncing and thudding down the well-trodden stairs until he landed in a heap at the feet of the bouncers.
Martha, Helen and Geri reached the door in time to see him scramble to his feet. Dishevelled and filthy, he still carried an arrogance about him, even though he looked ridiculous. When he spied the sisters back at the door, he smirked. Tipping them a lazy salute, he laughed.
“Nice try ladies,” he said. “But I’m too shrewd for that.”
He tapped his temple and went to head past the security staff and off into the night. Martha panicked. This had been their chance to catch him in the act. It would bring the case to a close. If he got away then they wouldn’t get another chance at him. He knew they were onto him and poor Angela, the forgotten wife, would never have closure.
Before she could scream in frustration, a loud whistle went up from beside her. Everyone outside the club seemed to stop what they were doing, including McTrusty. All eyes fell on Geri, her fingers in her mouth.
“Oi!” she shouted at the bouncers. “That bloke stole my purse.”
She pointed at McTrusty, who looked dumbfounded. There was no time for him to react. The burly, broad chested bouncers, clad in black, pounced on him in an instant. He tried to resist, but it was futile. Before long he was wrestled to the ground and was cursing at anyone and everyone who would listen.
Martha let out a yelp of delight. Geri sauntered down the old church steps to the melee and produced her phone. Kneeling down beside McTrusty, she took a photo. The flash dazzled him before he started to struggle again.
“There we go, lovely stuff,” she said, showing him the picture on her screen. “I think your wife will be delighted when we show her a picture of you fighting with bouncers at a trendy nightclub, don’t you? Where was it you said you were again tonight? Work was it? Or helping out at a soup kitchen. I can’t remember, you’ve told her so many lies Kevin, it almost doesn’t matter anymore. We know them all, anyway. Still, nice of you to buy me that drink. I won’t be taking you up on your other offer, and I won’t mention it in front of these lovely gentlemen. I don’t want them to tear you limb from limb.”
“You cow,” McTrusty snarled. “You little cow.”
Geri laughed, as Martha and Helen joined her down the steps.
“Very good, Miss Parker,” said Martha with a smile.
“Yes I suppose that was a good enough plan,” Helen sniffed. “Not quite what we arranged, but it worked nonetheless.”
“That’s about as kind a compliment as I’ve ever had from you Helen, thank you,” said Geri. She reached out and hugged both of her sisters as the bouncers led McTrusty away from the other guests. Geri sniffed the air.
“Oh,” she said. “Do you smell that? Chips. Delicious.”
“Chips it is then,” said Martha.
“As long as you’re buying,” said Helen.
Martha smiled as they headed out onto the road. She felt her phone vibrating in her back pocket as they went, but she ignored it. Not now, not after this little victory. Another case closed. Not a happy ending, not this time. But justice was done. They could afford to celebrate. Or at least, that’s what she thought.
2
Martha stared at the hospital bed. It was empty, bare, and lifeless—the sheets and blanket folded back with expert, almost military precision. Stark lines of colour breaching the washed out white of the linen. Two pillows were propped up at the top, their duty done for the day. They’d been a great help of course, making things as easy as they could be, given the circumstances. Thoroughly cleaned and back on duty, they’d be helping someone else shortly, Martha didn’t doubt that.
