When a Killer Strikes, page 28
Hartley lifted his head. ‘Look, I didn’t mean to hurt her. I lost my temper. One minute she was begging me to shag her, the next she told me she was going to drop me in it for that other girl, her that does gym stuff. I told Julie, the girl meant nothing to me, she was just a dick tease, but she wouldn’t believe me. They both come onto me and then they change their bloody minds. What do you women expect?’ His eyes were cold, his mouth ugly. He stared at Raj, unblinking.
Raj swallowed. ‘Can we go a little slower, Reggie, so we can understand. Is it all right to call you Reggie?’
‘Absolutely,’ he said.
‘Okay Reggie, do you want to tell us what happened from the beginning. Your sister Lucy has told us that you helped her out sometimes, and took parcels round to Julie’s, is that right?’
Hartley scoffed. ‘Aye, well, she thought I was helping her out but I was using her. Bloody thick she is. Why would I want to help her out if I wasn’t getting something out of it? The bonus was Julie had the hots for me – begging for it she was.’
‘And did Alan know about this?’
‘No, what a dick, he must have been blind. I even bit her on her tits and he didn’t even say ought.’
‘And did Julie seem upset when you bit her?’
Hartley shrugged his shoulders. ‘She likes it rough, it’s a game we play.’
‘Okay, so how did Julie get hurt?’ said Raj.
‘It were your lot’s fault actually. A note came through our Lucy’s door asking her to contact the police about a parcel delivery.’
Vicky turned to look at Raj.
‘What? What’ve I said?’ said Hartley with a mocking laugh.
Raj frowned. ‘Nothing, go on.’
‘I knew our Lucy would talk to Julie, so I went around to see her and ask her not to say anything about me doing the delivery that day. That’s when I saw that gymnast girl, brandishing her arse at me. She gave me the come on – I followed her home. She left the door unlocked for me to go in after her. She’d even got upstairs to get ready for me.’
‘And then what happened?’
‘I was shagging her.’ Hartley’s smile grew on his ugly face. ‘How was I to know her bra was around her friggin neck. She should have taken it off like I asked her to.’
‘But you must have known…’
‘She was moaning – girls moan when they’re enjoying it, don’t you?’ He stopped for a moment, a twinkle in his eye. ‘I left her lying there… That’s the truth.’
‘I knew it were me that had done the delivery for her that day, didn’t I? So I went round to her place and asked her not to say anything. I took a few drugs with me, to say thank you like. But she started acting really strange when I offered her them.’ His eyes grew wide. ‘Like really, really strange. She tried to run out on me. She fell instantly to the floor… there was blood all over. I had to move her. A cop car followed me from the end of her street. I panicked, changed direction over the moors and dumped her in Shroggs Grove, behind the bins, where she belonged. I dumped her car in Ogden water. So you see just a catalogue of accidents really.’
‘You raped a young schoolgirl before you strangled her and you killed Julie by smashing her head in with a hammer.’ Vicky told him.
‘Yeah, and do you want to know something? I fucking enjoyed it. You women are just tarts, you bring it on yourself,’ Spittle sprayed from his mouth as he shouted causing Raj to lean back.
It was time to end the interview that even the solicitor appeared to be pleased about.
Dylan turned the screen off and smiled across at David and Rachael. ‘Well, what do you think?’
‘He’s a monster that needs to be behind bars,’ said Rachael with a look of distaste.
‘They’ll interview him again, but my guess is he will “no reply” to everything we put to him.’
‘Samples need to be taken,’ said David, ‘I should get off.’ The couple stood. Rachael walked to wards the door.
‘Thanks, sir,’ she said with a wave and she was gone.
‘And then he’ll go before the courts,’ said David.
‘He will indeed.’ Dylan raised his eyebrow at David. ‘Tell me,’ he said. ‘You two an item?’
David colour rose on his cheeks. ‘Not much gets past you, does it, sir?’
Dylan grinned.
‘You know, I have experience some rather painful situations in my youth when people have reacted badly to my missing hand. I travelled, I bought nice cars, I love his job, but I never thought I’d find anyone who’d love me. And then I met Rachael who was guarding the scene at Patti’s murder and, I can honestly say I’ve never been happier.’
‘Should I tell Jen to buy a hat?’
‘Who knows, sir, who knows…?’
* * *
‘Neither investigation has been easy and now they have been connected to one man,’ Dylan said at the debrief. ‘Nobody expects a murder down their street, and when it does happen, the shockwaves ripple far and wide across the community. Lives have been lost and others destroyed. I want to thank each and every one of you, for your excellent work that is worthy of recognition by the courts. When a killer strikes, what most people don’t appreciate, or the perpetrator realise, is that they have unleashed a relentless pursuit by dedicated officers that never ends until the offenders are caught. We will have a proper get-together when Hartley is convicted, but anyone who wants a quick drink this evening, across the road, you’re welcome, my shout!’
Later that evening across the road in the pub Dylan stood quietly sipping his pint at the bar. His eyes lazily scanned the room. Success was in the air, and that wasn’t all as he noticed David and Rachael sat talking and laughing in the corner by the door.
‘Hartley is a monster that needs to be behind bars.’ Vicky said as she joined Dylan with Raj.
‘For once I have to agree with her analysis of the man, if you can call him that,’ added Raj.
Dylan picked up his mobile phone and typed a message to Jen. ‘It’s over. He’s charged, Miss Jones,’ his name for her when they had first met at Harrowfield Police Station. ‘Just standing the team a drink and then I’ll be leaving one station for another.’
‘Brilliant news! When you decide to retire, you’ll be busier than ever, there is so much here to be done,’ she replied.
Dylan smiled, a contented smile downed his pint and ordered another.
First published in the United Kingdom in 2017 by Caffeine Nights Publishing
This edition published in the United Kingdom in 2023 by Canelo
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Copyright © R.C. Bridgestock, 2017
The moral right of R.C. Bridgestock to be identified as the creator of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act, 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
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ISBN 9781804365588
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places and events are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Cover design by Jem Butcher
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R.C. Bridgestock, When a Killer Strikes
