LITMIR.BIZ

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stiff upper lip deal though, not showing or sharing anything. It was better that way, he’d decided. Move on and forget.

      It was becoming harder to forget though. And the dreams came more often.

      His phone beeped in his pocket, ‘You go, Laura. It’ll be good to get some more experience under your belt. You’ll get used to it at some point,’ Murphy said, giving her a supportive pat on her shoulder as he took his phone out.

      Rossi’s shoulders slumped a little but she began to nod her head. ‘Okay, okay I’ll go. I’ve left the possible missing persons on my desk. I’ll bring them over before I leave.’

      ‘Good,’ Murphy said, looking at his phone. ‘You best get a move on, it starts at twelve.’ He waved the phone at her. Rossi trudged off towards her desk.

      Murphy began going through the messages on his answer machine, deleting the ones he deemed not needed. Rossi dropped a file containing some papers on his desk, whilst simultaneously pointing at Murphy’s computer and mouthing ‘use that’ to him. Murphy gave her a two-fingered salute as Rossi smiled and walked away.

      Nothing of importance on his voicemail as usual, so he opened the file of missing persons. He pictured the victim in his mind; short, around five foot four inches, brunette, average build, not skinny or fat, just normal. She’d been wearing a red jumper and black trousers. She had a mole on her neck he remembered. Not overly large, but noticeable.

      And dead, he thought – let’s not forget that.

      It’d been a while since Murphy had been in contact with a dead victim. He’d been dealing with teenagers mostly. Serious assaults, drugs, teenage boys always seeming to be involved. Lives wasted before they’d even begun. Their sneers matching the dogs they always had on short leads. It reminded him of life on the council estate he’d grown up on. The kids he’d knocked around with then would probably not be in the same lofty position he occupied now. More likely to come across them during an investigation than any other way.

      It was something Murphy thought of often. The different paths life can take. He was no different to those lads at that age, doing stupid things, getting into trouble. Nothing that serious though. Few fights here and there. He’d been over six foot tall from the age of thirteen, which made him stand out. He’d been to the local boxing club for a while but gave up when he realised spending time with his mates and girls was more enjoyable to him. His parents had been a constant presence however. Always trying to lead him into a better way of living. He pushed back at first, tried to defy everything they attempted to instil in him. As he got older, more mature, he calmed down. Met his first wife at twenty, divorced at twenty-one. Married too young, but it gave focus to his life.

      It had led to him doing a job he loved. But it wasn’t without its dark moments.

      Some so dark and personal, he had trouble letting them go. Kept him awake at night, dead eyes staring down at him in the darkness.

      Murphy tried to clear his head. He needed to focus and find a name for the girl. He started reading the names of the missing. They had DCs doing the same work in the room, yet Murphy would share the load. There wasn’t much else he could do at the moment. No CCTV to look at, witnesses to interview. Finding the name of the victim was the most important thing they could do right now.

      An hour later, it came.

      ‘I’ve got it. Donna McMahon.’ Murphy looked up from his computer screen at the DC standing over him. DC Harris. Murphy was sure this time.

      ‘Positive, Harris?’ Murphy replied, hoping he was right.

      ‘Pretty much,’ DC Harris replied, smiling briefly, before quickly becoming serious-faced again.

      At least he remembered some names, Murphy thought.

      ‘What do you mean “pretty much”?’

      ‘It was the mole that did it. The only distinguishing feature we had to go on really. Matches the description we have, just getting a picture now.’

      ‘Who is she then, where’s she from?’ Murphy said.

      ‘Twenty years old, from Leicester originally. She’s a student at the City of Liverpool University. Her housemates reported her missing six days ago. Her parents still live in Leicester, but they’ve been staying up here the last few days. We’ll contact them to confirm the ID.’

      ‘Good work, Harris,’ Murphy said. ‘Rossi is at the PM now, get the picture sent to her phone just to check it.’

      ‘Okay, sir.’ DC Harris scuttled off. Murphy watched him go back to his desk. They had a name. And parents who had to be told their daughter was dead. The thought of informing them began to filter through to Murphy’s mind, sending a shudder through him. That was a conversation he really didn’t want to have. Nerves jangling again. Voice in his head repeating itself.

      ‘Don’t screw up again … don’t screw up again …’

      A student. Has to be a boyfriend then. All that psychology talk in the letter pointed to a fellow student.

      Talk to her friends, find out if she was seeing someone. Murphy would bet good money there’d been arguments.

      Case would be closed within a couple of days. Tops.

      He sat back in his chair, his mind wandering. Tiredness washed over him, his eyes threatening to close, the sounds of the busy office becoming muffled as he lost himself in his own thoughts.

      What if he was wrong?

      6

       Early evening. Late spring turning into a summer which would see more rain than sun. Night was drawing in, the fading light turning the world outside grey.

       The text message that had been sent to him, drawing him here had been simple, yet effective.

       WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CHECKED ON YOUR LOVED ONES DAVID?

       He’d opened the door using the key usually kept under the fake rock in the front garden.

       The rock had been moved. The key tossed to one side. A red smear on the fob. He’d held the key carefully, trying not to disturb the mark. Knowing what it was, refusing to believe it meant anything.

       He entered the house, his movements slow and methodical, an overbearing silence greeting him. A smell in the air that was familiar, yet his conscious wouldn’t place what it was. He moved through the hallway, the living room door to his left, closed. Something drew him towards the door at the end of the hallway which led to the kitchen. He moved slowly along, his senses heightened. He could almost track the progress of every hair as it began to creep up on the back of his neck, his heart hammering against his chest.

       He reached out to push the kitchen door open, noticing his hand was shaking.

       It was empty. No one there. Nothing out of place. The sun, low in the sky, was shining through the window which overlooked the garden, creating an orange tinge to the light inside. He turned and left the kitchen, going back down the hallway towards the closed living room door, knowing that was where he was supposed to have gone first. Being drawn to the kitchen was his mind trying to keep him from entering, drawing him to the safe place.

       He stood at the closed door, somehow knowing what lay behind it. Not wanting to see, knowing he had to. His hand moved of its own accord – in his head he was screaming at himself to stop, not to see, not to feel.

       The door opened, and all was red.

      7

       Sunday 27th January 2013

      Mid-afternoon on the first day. Rain battered the windows, as the weather turned to its usual Northern charm. Murphy sat forward in

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