Evil Intent (DI Sara Ramsey Book 20), page 1
EVIL INTENT
DI SARA RAMSEY
BOOK TWENTY
M A COMLEY
Copyright © 2023 by M A Comley
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Special thanks as always go to @studioenp for their superb cover design expertise.
My heartfelt thanks go to my wonderful editor Emmy, and my proofreader Joseph 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. I miss you each and every day.
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)
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)
Justice at Christmas #2 (a 15,000 word novella)
Gone in Seconds (Justice Again series #1)
Ultimate Dilemma (Justice Again series #2)
Shot of Silence (Justice Again series #3)
Taste of Fury (Justice Again series #4)
Crying Shame (Justice Again series #5)
See No Evil (Justice Again #6)
To Die For (DI Sam Cobbs #1)
To Silence Them (DI Sam Cobbs #2)
To Make Them Pay (DI Sam Cobbs #3)
To Prove Fatal (DI Sam Cobbs #4)
To Condemn Them (DI Sam Cobbs #5)
To Punish Them (DI Sam Cobbs #6)
To Entice Them (DI Sam Cobbs #7)
To Control Them (DI Sam Cobbs #8)
To Endanger Lives (DI Sam Cobbs #9)
To Hold Responsible (DI Sam Cobbs #10)
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)
The Missing Wife (DI Sally Parker #7)
Truth or Dare (DI Sally Parker #8)
Where Did She Go? (DI Sally Parker #9)
Sinner (DI Sally Parker #10)
Web of Deceit (DI Sally Parker Novella)
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 (DI Kayli Bright #6)
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)
Locked Away (DI Sara Ramsey #13)
I Can See You (DI Sara Ramsey #14)
The Kill List (DI Sara Ramsey #15)
Crossing The Line (DI Sara Ramsey #16)
Time to Kill (DI Sara Ramsey #17)
Deadly Passion (DI Sara Ramsey #18)
Son Of The Dead (DI Sara Ramsey #19)
Evil Intent (DI Sara Ramsey #20)
The Games People Play (DI Sara Ramsey #21)
I Know The Truth (A Psychological thriller)
She’s Gone (A psychological thriller)
Shattered Lives (A psychological thriller)
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 series #6)
Prowlers (Di Hero Series #7)
Sole Intention (Intention series #1)
Grave Intention (Intention series #2)
Devious Intention (Intention #3)
Cozy mysteries
Murder at the Wedding
Murder at the Hotel
Murder by the Sea
Death on the Coast
Death By Association
Merry Widow (A Lorne Simpkins short story)
It’s A Dog’s Life (A Lorne Simpkins short story)
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
Clever Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)
Tragic Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)
Sinful Deception (co-written by Linda S Prather)
CONTENTS
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Epilogue
Keep in touch with M A Comley
PROLOGUE
“She’s an absolute treasure, mostly. I don’t hear a peep out of her after her head hits the pillow, so to speak. When I get up during the night, I check on her out of habit more than anything. She’s rarely awake, though. On the odd occasion when she does wake up, she’s sitting in her cot playing with her teddy,” Eve said, proudly puffing out her chest. She leaned forward and gave her daughter, Mia, a small piece of her banana, in the hope that it would satisfy her needs until they got home in about an hour.
This was only their second trip to the mother and baby group. It had taken her longer than anticipated to get out of the house and back into the swing of meeting new people. She’d always been a confident member of society, but something had changed within her once she’d given birth to Mia six months before. She was still trying to figure out what that specifically was. One thing was certain, she was a great protector of her new daughter. At least Covid had taught her how to protect her and her family from unwanted germs. She was clued up there and rarely let anyone else near her baby, for fear of someone giving Mia a nasty infection that might be incredibly hard to get rid of. She’d seen the effects that Long Covid had on a person, one who was in their mid-thirties, in the shape of her sister, Amelia. She had been hospitalised during lockdown for four weeks and had suffered with Long Covid ever since, susceptible to breathing issues and chest infections that meant she was no longer capable of holding down a job.
Amelia detested being on benefits, but she saw it as a necessary evil. How else was she expected to cover the exorbitant bills facing everyone living in the entire UK right now?
Eve and Paul were struggling. There was talk of her going back to work soon, and even asking Amelia to look after Mia during the day for a few hours. Her sister was still debating whether that was a good option for her or not, in light of her poor health. Would it be fair on either of them? Mia had become such a demanding little soul in the past few weeks. Amelia had voiced her concerns, and Eve had selfishly and hastily pushed them aside.
She drifted back into the conversation she was having with the other mothers, comparing each of their babies’ sleep patterns, some more vocal than others, expressing their points of view. Eve didn’t feel the need to comment further, she was more than happy with the way her parenting skills had developed since she’d left hospital. The birth itself had been traumatic. Eight hours of exhaustingly pushing and bearing down had resulted in Eve pleading with them to do a C-section; she had been convinced there was something wrong with Mia inside the womb and she had been proved right. The umbilical cord was found to be tightening around Mia’s neck. Paul had begged the nursi
Eve had remained in hospital for four days. Having the operation instead of going down the natural route had devastated her, knocked her physically and mentally, and she had struggled to understand why. Every time she glanced down at the perfect bundle she was holding, gazing into Mia’s bright-blue eyes, she realised how lucky she was to have her. The woman opposite her on the ward had given birth to a stillborn daughter, which had torn Eve’s heart out the minute she had heard the news. She found it near impossible to put herself in the woman’s position, going through nine long months of pregnancy, only to have your baby taken from you by God. The thing that perturbed Eve the most about the situation was the way the medical staff had kept the poor woman on the maternity ward.
Of course, she realised it would have been a tough call either way, but it didn’t stop her considering how the woman must have felt, surrounded by the hustle and bustle of a maternity ward, alive with new life and all that entailed when she had obviously reached rock bottom.
“What about feeding times, Eve?” Claudine asked, interrupting her thoughts.
“She’s a greedy monkey, I never know if she’s had enough,” Eve replied. She ran a finger around Mia’s face and smiled when her bundle of joy strained. “I think someone is in the process of filling her nappy.”
“I find they always do it at the most inopportune moment, don’t you?” Lynne said.
“It’s what babies do, I guess,” Eve countered. She’d had enough. She needed to get out of there, be on her own with her daughter for some much-needed bonding time, making the most of her husband working away from home. He tended to take over most duties when he was around and not working. Eve wasn’t entirely sure how she felt about him doing that just yet. Sometimes she felt left out, even though she tried not to show it, giving the game away to Paul and the other members of their extended family who dared to monopolise her daughter’s time instead of her. She needed to learn how to share, which was becoming increasingly difficult as her bond with Mia grew.
The group chat came to an end a few minutes later, and the women drifted off. She decided it would be better to visit the loo before she and Mia set off, to change Mia’s full nappy and wash banana mush off her hands and face. Happy baby, deliriously happy mother, wasn’t that how the saying went? She remembered reading it somewhere in one of those supposedly helpful books that set out to prepare new mothers with what to look forward to once their offspring entered the world. Most of what the authors had to say went over her head, she’d struggled to take it all in during the months leading up to the birth, and afterwards, well, time just wasn’t on her side, not at all.
When Eve emerged from the toilet only the staff were around. “Sorry if I’m holding you up, that wasn’t my intention at all. Mia filled her nappy, and I thought it would be better changing her now than when I got home.”
Becky, one of the co-owners, rested a hand on Eve’s arm. “You’re not putting us out at all, we won’t be ready to leave for another hour or so yet, so don’t even think that. Is Mia okay now?”
They both glanced down at Mia who was staring back at them, nibbling the ear of her fluffy teddy.
“She’s perfect, happy as a pig in muck,” Eve replied. “Ouch, I can’t believe I used that analogy.”
They both chuckled.
“Do you need anything else before you head off?” Becky asked.
“No, nothing. Thanks for putting up with us today, we’ll be back next week.”
“No problem, we’re here when you need us. Don’t ever think you’re alone on this incredible journey. Most mothers come a few times and then drop out, believing they can cope on their own with the new baby, only to find the opposite is true in some cases. Being a new mum can be a very lonely experience to some mothers.”
“Oh, why do you think that is?” Eve asked, intrigued.
“Hormones mostly. Giving birth is one of life’s great mysteries. What appears to be an easy task for some can be ultra-traumatic to others. Every mother and her relationship with her child will be different, there’s no one size fits all, as you’ve no doubt realised by now.”
“I have. Just getting involved in the conversation today, everyone sharing their own experiences, and I noticed the comparisons vary so much from mother to mother.”
“As I said,” Becky began, “one size rarely fits all, everyone’s experience and circumstances will be different. We can dish out all the well-meaning advice under the sun, but it won’t match everyone’s needs.”
“I suppose that’s right. I must admit, I did find myself getting a touch uptight when Francis tried ramming it down my throat what I should do when Mia cries. It’s something I need to work out for myself. Mia and I have a special bond. I guess all mothers will tell you that, won’t they?”
“Not all. Some who have experienced post-natal depression will tell you how difficult it was bonding with their baby. That’s when doctors and medicines come into their own. To return the woman’s body back to near normal as quickly as possible after the birth, to give the mothers and babies every conceivable fighting chance.”
“Yes, Claudine was telling me the other day how much the medication her doctor had put her on had saved her.”
Becky nodded. “Claudine is a totally different person to the one who showed up here a few months back. She has really come out of her shell in the past month or so, since the tablets have worked their way into her system. Anyway, I can’t stand around here gossiping all day, not that I’ve divulged any secrets, I wouldn’t do that. We’re all here for you, should you need any extra advice. Have a brief look at the noticeboard on your way out, there are several coffee mornings and other craft groups for you to get involved in, when, or if, you feel the time is right.”
“Thanks, Becky. I’ll stop off and have a look on my way out. Congratulations on servicing the needs of the public so well. Oh my, did I really say that? That sounded so formal. I drifted back to my previous career then, for a second or two.”
“What career did you have, and is there any chance of you going back to it soon?”
“I was a wedding planner in my former life, pre-Mia days. And truthfully, I’m not sure if I could take the pressure. It was pretty stressful most days, dealing with harassed couples, sorting out what they needed for their big day.”
“Rather you than me. My hubby and I eloped to Gretna Green, just took our nearest and dearest with us. The money we saved ended up being put down on our house as a huge deposit. I can never understand the need for couples to fork out twenty grand or more on a single day, that has never sat well with me at all.”
“Twenty grand? Most people end up spending double that these days.”
“Bloody hell, there you go then, I rest my case. It’s deplorable. A single day…” Becky wagged her finger. “No, I should keep my mouth shut on the topic, each to their own, and we won’t even mention the divorce statistics, will we?”
Eve cringed. “Yes, it’s no joke these days. We’re now a disposable society, aren’t we? Getting rid of unwanted possessions, which sometimes include our other halves. Makes me appreciate my husband more, that’s for sure. He’s working extra hours at the moment, keen not to have me return to work.”
“He sounds like a decent chap. Not every man would put himself out like that. Most of them think it’s a doddle bringing up a baby, being on call twenty-four-seven, three hundred and sixty-five days a year.”
“Thankfully, Paul isn’t like that at all. He’s always putting Mia and me first, in all his decisions.”
“That’s great to hear. He’s a keeper, hon. We’ll see you again next week then. If you need anything in the meantime, don’t hesitate to ring us.”
“You’re too kind, thanks, Becky. Enjoy the rest of your day.”
“You, too. What’s on the agenda?”
“As it’s a nice day, I bundled together a small picnic, thought we’d go for a stroll around the park and have our lunch there.”
“Go, enjoy yourselves. I’m a tad envious hearing that, I haven’t had a picnic in yonks. They used to be a regular occurrence in our house years ago. Funny how we forget to do things that give us such pleasure sometimes.”
