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| unfinished business; Bad Girls / Judge John Deed trilogy | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Jun 22 2008, 10:39 AM (19,815 Views) | |
| hopelessromantic | Sep 4 2008, 12:29 PM Post #106 |
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Have the lab run a CBC with differential an a chem pro plus stat
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Hey Richard well Summer's end is here and I've enjoyed this summer. Life is settling down once again in my neck of the woods so it's really back to some of the other wonderful things in life ...like reading great narration from you... writing and all the other many things I usually get up to. I have to say you're a real motivator for writing ...to read such brilliant writing is certainly always engrossing. Thankyou once again for your love of writing these characters and the compassion with which you write them. The last few scenes showed such Unity among the women. George has become so blithesome. I totally love her new winning personality. Great narration. HR |
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>>>>>> BGEnhanced <<<<<< One cannot expect Congeniality when one does not exhibit Courtesy, Politenes and Impartiality. Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart... Henry Clay | |
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| Andliv2laf | Sep 4 2008, 02:09 PM Post #107 |
G2 landing
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Richard I love the flow of your stories! It is as if I am a fly on the wall at every update! I am looking forward to the interaction of all the characters in this joint efforts. Aunt Yvonne looks to be quite and important part. You continue to show us that the world is in fact a small one; and that the steps we take and the people we encounter are in fact part of a master plan!! You are clearly a master storyteller and I am greatful for the opportunity to read your work!!
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| Axiegirl21 | Sep 6 2008, 02:59 AM Post #108 |
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Out of Dorm
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Great update Richard, by the sounds of it Shirley doesn't seem to know that they all know Yvonne in some way (although I'm sure she knows Karen's connection to her). It'll be interesting to see her reaction when she finds out, especially Nikki's connection
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The past is history. The future a mystery. And now is a gift thats why we call the present. Larkhall Lovelies Rule | |
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| richard | Sep 6 2008, 11:29 AM Post #109 |
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Enhanced
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Fantastic feedback from some very perceptive readers. To you, Emtsue, you have got the dynamics of the scene just right which you depict so clearly. I’m glad how you have picked up on the way the conversation goes back and forth between all the women. You have also thoroughly got the feel of Shirley Cheetham, that there are strong common roots between her, Yvonne (and Lauren) and while Karen’s spirits were boosted while she was in supportive company, she has her lonely flat to return to. To you, HR, you have likewise grasped the feel of the scene in your generous way and I would most certainly be interested in further writings you do. To you, Andlif2laf, you have certainly picked up just how much indirect influence Yvonne has beyond the prison walls and I am most flattered that you have this ‘fly on the wall’ feel for this fic and yes, there are connections in what happens in this world. To you, Axiegirl21, I love that perceptive remark about Shirley |
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| richard | Sep 6 2008, 06:14 PM Post #110 |
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Enhanced
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Here's the next part which moves the fic on in general and makes use of a couple of very minor Bad Girls characters. Enjoy. ........................................................................................................................ Scene Sixteen Nikki felt curiously happy about her working environment in a quiet part of Hackney, just out of the hustle and bustle of the city centre. The office was old fashioned, unpretentious and modern progress marked it only with the up to date computers and Internet access. Deep in the bowels of the building was a library with voluminous records of past scholarly research. That part of the building gave Nikki a sense of reverence, for past intellectual endeavours as she had for all libraries, even the Larkhall prison library where she had immersed herself with dreams of a better existence. It was while she had ventured down there that she bumped into Paul Armstrong, who raised an eyebrow at her. It was obvious that her junior was feeing on top of the world, glowing from a sense of achievement. “That report of yours was pretty damning, Nikki,” he commented, which put the woman instantly on the defensive. “I thought very hard on the report and I didn’t put anything into the report that I couldn’t back up. I couldn’t believe that after all Helen’s presence there, that it couldn’t have got better but I found the complete opposite. What drove home that conclusion was Dr Nicholson’s reappointment as Senior Medical Officer after his deficiencies had been made clear.” “Relax, Nikki,” Paul Williams said in easy-going tones to Nikki’s deliberately controlled manner and language. “My line is and always has been that if you can find facts to justify your conclusions, then that’s the way things are. My job is to back up your report to the hilt. I know enough about you to consider, that you’re fair minded, and doing your research on Larkhall Prison is about the most severe test you could ever hope to encounter.” “Why is that, Paul?” asked a smiling, visibly more relaxed Nikki. “As a researcher, you’re only human. It’s understandable if you either let your emotions take charge as soon as you set foot in the place or alternatively, overreacted the opposite way. Don’t get me wrong… there is a place for emotional engagement. The best of us are here on a crusade, not as a cold-blooded career stepping-stone as I’ve seen far too many of that kind in my time. The main thing is that you got it right.” Nikki was instantly glowing. She had felt as if she’s been given an A+ in an essay assignment. She knew that she was quite capable of ploughing her own furrow in this world but she was still a sucker for sincere appreciation of her efforts. “The other thing I wanted to ask you about was how your private research project is going on.” Instantly, Nikki was on the defensive again. Her ingrained habit kicked in that she thought an authority figure was going to slap her down again. Paul spotted it straightaway. “The most important thing that came out of the discussions yesterday is that Karen has got a private investigator on the case, name of Shirley Cheetham. She’s also got the services of Claire Walker. Shirley’s smart and has been well primed by Helen and I as to what to look for.” Though Nikki’s answer seemed straight enough, she couldn’t suppress, the tightness in her voice, as if to block off possible criticism. “So… your involvement will be in giving background advice and comfort and appearing as a witness in Karen Betts trial, that will inevitably take place. You won’t be going down on your hands and knees and checking out crime scenes.” Nikki looked very disconcerted. All she knew was her emotional investment in being back into battle again with her enemies at Larkhall. Her boss was two steps ahead of her and she wasn’t sure whether or not she was being reined in or if she should be. “I …..don’t understand, Paul.” “Let me explain it this way and let’s take it a step at a time. You became quite innocently a witness where a man was deliberately run over and killed and the police have interviewed you and Helen. The chances are that you’ll be called upon to give evidence in a court of law. You’ve had experience of that and I trust you to know how to handle yourself. So far, so good. You’ve been at a private meeting where you and Helen have advised your friend who has got two professionals on the case. That’s equally fine. You’ve conducted a visit to Larkhall Prison under our banner and you have done a great job of it. What worries me is that you’ll feel tempted to go back there again and you must know, that you can’t stake that prison out at the expense of other prisons on your watch like Holloway for instance. You have to carry our banner and you need to be careful with just how far you act as a private citizen without giving our political enemies a stick to beat us with. You have to accept that there are boundaries.” Nikki flushed with a curious sense of embarrassment at the obvious kindness shown by her boss and a sense that she was in danger of being carried away by the whole situation. “You must sometimes have real trouble with me. I’ve always had a mind of my own,” she said in thick, choked tones, not looking him directly. “Nikki,” he laughed affectionately.” When you were interviewed for your job, that was spotted a mile away and was seen as a positive advantage. My advice to you is to go away and figure out just where your boundaries are. Perhaps you talk it over with Helen. You’ll be bound to get to the right answer.” Nikki shook the man’s hand fervently as he smile and moved on. She then took herself to the familiar sense of comfort and quiet of the library. Her sense of justice made her conclude that Paul had handled the situation spot on. As she reflected in a spare moment while looking through the yellowed yet stiff pages from a bygone era, she reflected on Helen’s agonizing about her professionalism years ago when she was an inmate. She could now see that Helen’s reluctance to commit herself to their relationship wasn’t just her struggling with her sexuality. ******** “I had a very strange experience today,” Nikki said thoughtfully.” Paul took me on one side and talked to me about my responsibilities.” “Uh oh, that sounds like something of a reprimand,” Helen said, her memories jumping back in time to when she was wing governor at Larkhall. The war wounds still hurt when prodded. “It wasn’t really. He was being perfectly sweet about the matter. He wasn’t really drawing the line with me. It was more like he put a pencil in my hand and got me to mark out that line myself. It helped me to clarify my thinking, which isn’t common in my experience of authority figures. It was his way of making sure that he could fend off any criticism of me.” Nikki settled back behind the wheel and drove them calmly past the London bus that was slowing down. ******* As the week had been pretty calm and Karen’s business was well in hand, the two women treated themselves to a Friday night out at Chix. They got there fairly early and the club was only starting to fill up. Trisha and Sally came over to greet them warmly at a time when they could best devote them spare time. Helen was chatting away to Trisha quite normally; propping up the bar while Nikki was deeply engrossed in conversation with Sally Anne. “Remember me? I once nearly gave you a ticket for driving without due care and attention,” came a very firm voice from out of her past. The woman has shortish blond hair and was dressed in smart trousers and jacket in an almost military style. Her mouth dropped a mile and eyes opened wide with astonishment. She knew that she’d met her somewhere before but she couldn’t put her finger on it. “Perhaps if I put my on uniform and peaked hat, it’ll jog your memory.” “Aaah,” Helen exclaimed, an uncertain smile spreading over her face while her eyes flickered nervously,” I remember now. You pulled us over after I swerved to avoid a cat.” The policewoman favoured Helen once again with that emphatic conspiratorial wink and the smaller woman had that automatic feeling that somehow she was about to be issued with some kind of ticket. Perhaps if she kept smiling, the policewoman would go easy on her? “Hey take it easy, we’re off duty. We’re not doing some undercover operation here, but here for the same reason as you and your girlfriend over there. We only heard of this place recently on the gravevine so we thought we’d check it out. It looks pretty relaxed around here.” Helen was too polite to say that she felt pretty unrelaxed in the presence of two serving members of Larkhall police station. She saw Nikki looking out of the corner of her eye at them and had taken in the situation. The taller woman had every reason to be allergic to the police force in general placing Sally-Anne in a separate category. Nikki now turned round and came over to them, wearing her best smile of welcome. “We haven’t seen you in these parts before. It’s nice to see new faces. My name’s Nikki Wade.” “I’m Ros and my partner Jenny, believe it or not she’s the shy one of the two of us,” came the friendly enough introduction. “I bet you do long hours for the police force. This is a place you can unwind from all that.” “We’re in the same league. After all, you must slog your guts out for the hospital?” Nikki’s mouth hung open, not knowing what to say when Helen came to the rescue. Her attempt to be sympathetic and understanding had backfired on them. Was it nearly eighteen months ago, when they had first slept together, Nikki wondered to herself? She could remember finding out that Helen was dragging her back to Larkhall. She had grabbed the steering wheel in a mad moment to turn right at the junction rather than go straight on back to prison. Nikki had been sitting in the car, fuming at Helen who had been talking their way out of a driving charge by these very same policewomen who had pulled them up. This woman had spotted Nikki’s borrowed nursing uniform and Helen hadn’t denied that were both nurses. The parting remark to them suggested they get over their lover’s tiff and go on home to their bed. “We’ve moved on since then, Ros. I’m doing a nine to five job while Nikki’s doing a research job,” Helen said guardedly. She wasn’t sure if this woman would see Nikki as a ‘do gooder.’ “Ah well, each to their own. Mind you, I really respect the nursing profession. They do a hard enough job. Some of us get injured in the performance of our duties and they look after us……..” “Hey, I recognize you,” exclaimed Ros with a look of recognition as she looked around and spotted a familiar face.” You’re Sally-Anne Howe. I remember you from, let me see, five years back. I remember you made the big mistake of being too polite to that bastard Gossard and not threatening to knee him in the bollocks as soon as he tried it on as I did. I think he got the hint.” The general laughter of appreciation broke the ice and the two women escaped from the prison of their official identities, which had hung over them. They had been greeted in a friendly enough fashion but there was a feeling of unnatural stiffness. They were now just another two women who were fresh to the club and were getting their bearings in a new environment. “I know that being a policewoman is a conversation killer and we’re here to get away from all that,” Ros explained. She offered a round of drinks and deftly weaved their way into the community. ***** “I don’t want to spoil the party, Ros, but I wanted to talk some work business with you and then I’ll shut up,” Nikki said as she and the other woman propped up the bar, nursing their drinks in a friendly fashion. “Couple of minutes and that’s all. You’ll never know until you’ve been there what it’s like the moment you say what you do for a living. The ‘hang them and flog them brigade complain that we’re too soft on crime and the libertarians slag us off for being too hard.” “Just a practical matter, Ros. A friend of ours, Karen Betts, has been framed for a hit and run accident. We’re absolutely sure she’s innocent.” “How sure, Nikki?” the other woman asked sharply. “As sure as anything I’ve ever been of in my life.” Nikki’s upfront manner and the evening of socializing convinced the policewoman of her sincerity. “She got the best solicitor going and a great private investigator by the name of Shirley Cheetham.” “I know her.” “I don’t want you to put your job on the line but she’s been getting the runaround when she’s trying to get access to the car pound to look over her car.” “…..and you want to get access from the inside, Nikki. You know I’ve got to be careful what I do.” Nikki coloured a little. She was a little embarrassed at the idea of putting this woman in a difficult position. “I know, Ros. I’ve been advised by my boss along these lines earlier this week.” “Shirley’s all right. I wouldn’t let any idiot go poking around the car and risk screwing up the investigation. You give me her phone number and I’ll sort it out.” |
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| emtsue | Sep 6 2008, 08:48 PM Post #111 |
G3 Curtain and Duvet!
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Hey Richard, although you prefaced this chapter as being a "general" moving on of things, as usual it turned out to be so much more(for me at least). Showing the automaticity of Nikki's defences going up when approached by Paul,her supervisor, and her eventual embarrassment, vulnerability and the realization that those she works for really do care and are concerned how her past could easily affect her present.The ensuing discussion lets her see that advice can be given and taken without negative repercussions,and the "Them and Us" attitude that so surrounded Larkhall(and still does) is not necessarily so on the outside. At the same time this has given Nikki a greater understanding, once again into Helen and her actions while in Larkhall. Now, on to friday night at Chix!Here's where I would have loved to been a fly on the wall! To to be able to have seen Helen's facial expression when Ros the copper recognized her.HA! Classic! Who would have thought that your "minor" characters in this installment would turn out to be Not so minor after all. Nikki the Risk Taker shows up in full glory here, doesn't she? Nikki's got some set of brass balls(hidden of course) to ask Ros to do some snooping on her behalf, considering the night of the escape and all.So the questions still to be answered are: Will Ros find out who Nikki Wade really is? Most probably.The 2nd question is:will she findout about the escape or will she forever be blissfully ignorant of that "minor"fact? Guess we'll just have to wait and see. |
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| Andliv2laf | Sep 7 2008, 12:15 AM Post #112 |
G2 landing
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Emtsue, I am so glad you got to this first!!! Very well said! Richard, what I love about your writing is that I don't even consider where the story is going because you leave us with so many options I would never get anything else done!! More "minor Bad Girls character" that the famous Richard turns into major players as we have seen before!! Story development awesome! Do not swat any flies while writing the next update...it could be me or emtsue!! Love it as usual, and can't wait for more. Emtsue said it all, so I'll leave it at that!!! Thank you!!
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| emtsue | Sep 7 2008, 03:54 AM Post #113 |
G3 Curtain and Duvet!
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Hey Andliv2laf, if it makes you feel any better,it took me close to an hour to come up with that little piece!! Richard doesn't make it easy.But it is a lot of fun!! |
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| Andliv2laf | Sep 7 2008, 03:12 PM Post #114 |
G2 landing
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I understand Emtsue, that is why I was most relieved when I saw your post! You seem to express your thoughts better than I, so I thank you! |
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| richard | Sep 7 2008, 05:09 PM Post #115 |
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Enhanced
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Wow, some more mindblowing feedback. To you, Emtsue, I cannot improve on the very clear way you set out how defensive Nikki can be to criticism and how she continues to see the situation Helen used to be in through her own eyes- this is her most certain way of understanding though by no means her only way of empathizing with other people. I’m absolutely delighted that my development of a Shed character has register so strongly with you. You have brilliantly highlighted Nikki’s approach to Ros (as an aside, I’ve portrayed Nikki talking as one minor functionary to another and her knack of absolutely avoiding bullshitting people). As you say, Nikki has real nerve in approaching situations. As for the questions you pose at the end, well believe it or not, you have sparked off an idea which will surface in my writing, never fear. To you, Andlif2laf, I know that your thoughts run in tandem to Emtsue’s and you pose the fascinating difference in perspective to my position having completed the fic and your position seeing the fic evolve and considering alternative possibilities that might happen – as an ‘alternative history.’ What I love is that you find the fic both challenging and fun at the same time. This is fantastic and- if you didn’t know, keep these posts coming, they are so good. |
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| Rainbow | Sep 7 2008, 09:00 PM Post #116 |
Down the Block
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What a story, Richard! I am very impressed how you are working with the 'material' given. Each and every character of the two series is so recognisable, be it in behaviour and above all language so that I can almost hear them talk. They just all do sound so very authentic to me. One can tell you put a lot of effort in your stories. I was looking for the Claire Walker Question thread you mentioned on 'Enhanced', but now ran into this one by accident. You might remember me from the other board where I am following 'Cleanup Time'. I am sure you can imagine my dilemma discovering it is sitting here complete including a sequel. I shall be a good girl though and resist the temptation to read it in one go, since I would like to go on the journey while you are posting over there and add my comments then instead of a closing remark here. Since I have noticed some references to Cleanup Time in this story, I wondered whether I should stop reading, but I am not that good. I, by the way, loved the partly very humerous elements in this story. George coming out to her father certainly caused a fit of laughter on my end of the internet. Thank you! |
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| win211 | Sep 8 2008, 12:31 AM Post #117 |
Out of Dorm
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good story cant wait for more |
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| hopelessromantic | Sep 10 2008, 05:38 PM Post #118 |
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Have the lab run a CBC with differential an a chem pro plus stat
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Great Scene...it's so refreshing reading this fic as you never know what's up next ,which makes it so very intriguing. I particularly love the smooth way you included the plot of the two policewomen from Series 2 "Oh what a night." It's also so great reading the awesome feedback from emtsue, Andliv2laf, Axiegirl21, the way they break down the Scenes each time is pretty amazing and such engaging feedback and just fitting. Really inspiring writing here Richard. HR |
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>>>>>> BGEnhanced <<<<<< One cannot expect Congeniality when one does not exhibit Courtesy, Politenes and Impartiality. Courtesies of a small and trivial character are the ones which strike deepest in the grateful and appreciating heart... Henry Clay | |
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| richard | Sep 10 2008, 09:00 PM Post #119 |
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Enhanced
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Great feedback as before – thanks, Win211 To you, Rainbow, I can see your dilemma in seeing both the first and third fic in this series and I really appreciate all the things that you’ve picked up on, especially George’s sneaky ‘coming out’ to her father- I couldn’t have figured a different way of doing it. To you, HR, I know that this fic has a tendency to pull more surprises than previous writings thanks to me picking up on your very distinctive approach in your own deservedly praised fic. The idea of the two policewomen suddenly reappearing in Helen’s life popped into my head and was so irresistible. I couldn’t agree more about the wonderful feedback you describe. This next part has definitely got that detective sleuthing flavour for me and, here, I give credit to Shed for the CCTV storyline in Series 5. ...................................................................................................................... Scene Seventeen “Oh God, the name of that dratted prison again has come to haunt us,” Sir Ian groaned into his morning cup of tea. The silver teaspoon rattled its accompaniment in time with the man’s nervous spasm. “It’s an open and shut case,” Lawrence James pronounced in his stiff-necked version of offering comfort. “Can somebody explain to me that in all the prisons up and down the length of this country, why only Larkhall Prison offers such a fiendish selection of cases that turn round and bite us from behind. That dratted woman who was banged up for stabbing that out of control policeman gets tried not once, twice, but three times and everything ends up as if she’d never killed the man in the first place. That DC Gossard, instead of lying in his grave peacefully, somehow instigates that other dratted woman to sue the Metropolitan Police and the taxpayer’s ends up paying a fortune just because the Met couldn’t get its act together. I mean what’s the matter with this place, is some dangerous chemical getting fed into the drinking water to cause such mayhem?” Lawrence James waited tactfully for his master’s querulous nature to exhaust both itself and its vocabulary before tactfully intervening. “Surely by the law of averages, we must have a straightforward case and from what I understand of the evidence being presented, the case is sound.” “The case might be… but is there such a thing as a sound judge?” Sir Ian asked gloomily. “What about a sound barrister. There are plenty of them around?” Sir Ian heaved a sigh. What he couldn’t admit to Lawrence James was that the most talented judges and barristers had some spark of individuality about them. Some infernal practical joker of a deity made these people into unruly ill disciplined rebels. God only knew this should be the case as they nearly all came from comfortable backgrounds, through the public schools, through Oxbridge, and after acquiring their learning, flagrantly misused their talents. This is a contrary age, he concluded bitterly, and he resented why in hell he should be saddled with all these quite unnecessary troubles. “We have to trust that the case is watertight, Lawrence. That will be all.” ***** Shirley Cheetham had made her way to Karen’s house long before the two mandarins bemoaned their fate. When she rat tat tatted on the door, a sleepy Karen greeted her, her hair unbrushed, wearing jeans and a top she’d thrown on. “I’m sorry Shirley, but I’ve only just got up. I have trouble sleeping. Can I get you a coffee?” she said apologetically. The other woman tactfully set up her briefcase on the table while Karen got busy. She judged that this blond haired woman was hanging by her fingernails to every last bit of self-respect. She offered Karen a cigarette and ran her eye over the flat. “First thing is to figure how your flat was broken into and maybe if anything was tampered with. First off, on the morning after the accident, did you double check the file you prepared last night?” That question brought Karen up short. She had never thought to ask herself that question. It shows how her brains are going to mush with nothing to do, she thought bitterly. “I didn’t. I’d checked it all the night before I had a shower. Everything looked all right in the morning.” “You said you sent incriminating photos of Fenner. So what happened to the negatives?” Karen shot up out of her chair and darted to her sideboard as these questions sharpened up her memory. She looked inside and drew blank. “I swore I left the negatives there. They must have been taken.” “Right, is there anything that you can think of that’s been stolen?” “Not that I know of,” Karen replied in a tight voice after a long pause. “OK, no need to make you paranoid. We know something was taken from your flat. Now I need to check out how the guy got in.” Shirley took her box of tricks and checked out the front door. She investigated the front lock and sure enough, found marks where a screwdriver had been used to pry open the lock. There were very faint scratch marks showing that the burglar was an amateur. She hated to say it but these new flats that were run up in no time at all were far easier to crack than a Victorian terrace house with a solid front door and lock. She had had her suspicions as soon as she entered the flat and now they were confirmed. “Just look at that, Karen. Your front door lock has been picked.” “My God. …..does that mean that whoever broke in was an expert burglar?” “Just one question. Had this Fenner guy ever visited your flat?” “Yeah he did. He lived here for awhile till I kicked him out and he went to live in a bed and breakfast. He was separated from his wife and children before moving in with me.” “The guy who did that didn’t need to be so smart, Karen. An average guy could have done what he did. All he needed was desperation and nerve.” “Hmm.This is making more sense.” “So he must have either stolen your keys or else had a spare set cut?” “I put them on the dining table before I had a shower.” “Right, now show me how he could have got down to the garage, Karen.” The blond haired woman led the way through to the empty garage, and Karen pointed out exactly where she stood, when she saw that her car was replaced by an empty space leaving her no choice as she then naturally reported the car as stolen. Shirley reflected on this woman’s transparent honesty as she spoke in quite unassuming tones. That didn’t stop her from being open to all possibilities. This was the tool of her trade. Shirley said her goodbyes and set out on the trail to the scene of the accident. . The day outside was fine and glorious and she was eager to get investigating. She traced out the possible route that the car would have taken from Karen’s flat to the point to the point where Helen and Nikki first spotted it. Unfortunately, the route was pretty nondescript and, worse still, there were no CCTV cameras operating along the way. From comparing her own driving with the way Karen’s car was described as driving, without any doubt she knew, it must have been driven by a total nutter. Some of the narrow roads would have forced any ordinary driver to keep the speed down. She didn’t know how these facts would mesh in with the great scheme of things. When she drove to the murder scene, Shirley shook her head in wonder. All along, she had hedged her impressions between accident and murder. Seeing the width of the road laid out before her eyes, she knew that there wasn’t an earthly need for the man to have died. This was outright murder. Shirley knew at this point that she’d done enough musing and pondering. Her first call was at the police pound and she was waved through, giving ample reassurance to the bored looking attendants. This task was considerably helped by Nikki’s intervention, and she felt good in having no problems before her that she couldn’t crack. She made her way to the little green sports car and sure enough, it sported the correct registration places MHL324L. It had the look of a vehicle that had been left outside for a while but its interior was neatly kept. She took out her box of tricks and went carefully through the car interior. Not a grain of any forensic traces, which was her first setback. She was hoping that there might be the faintest trace left which the police had missed but she was out of luck. She then carefully examined the front bonnet of the car and it mapped out the tragedy of the murder. What attracted her attention was the position of the driving seat. She had carefully compared her height and build with Karen and when she sat down in the driver’s seat, she had to really stretch her legs so that the toes of her shoes could just about brush the pedals. When she reached for the accelerator, she had the same reaction. Her information was that Fenner was quite a bit taller than Karen, but her cool and calculating mind considered how the police would have moved the car from its resting place to this yard. Surely, she reasoned, if it was driven here or moved on a car transporter, whoever helped with the move needn’t be taller than Karen? They’re not all six feet strapping men and could easily be women? She filed this thought at the back of her mind as she politely thanked the men on the gate and drove off to the scene of the tragedy. On the face of it, the response by witnesses at the murder scene was disappointing as they all unhesitatingly picked out Karen’s face as opposed to the three other women of similar appearance from the photos she produced. What Shirley hadn’t forgotten was that the tabloids had splashed the story on the front page and included a picture of Karen Betts with it. She couldn’t discount the possibility that the witnesses were simply wishing their recollections to conform to the news story that had already been written. Helen and Nikki had tailed the car for a considerable period of time but they’d never seen the driver head on or sideways on as the witnesses had, even for a split second before it raced off. Again, they were extremely careful in their judgments and this could be explained two ways. On the one hand, it went against their previous perception of Karen even if their history wasn’t one of unmixed friendship and on the other hand, they were intelligent women who didn’t see the need for being Ms Know-all. However, the realistic side of her nature kicked in to depress her. She calculated that if these women stood up in a court of law, she knew which side to place her money on. Face facts, girl, you’ve got all the faith in the world but bugger all solid facts to set up against the opposition. You’ve got to dig a lot deeper than this. As the people went about their business, Shirley stood alone, the sunlight beaming down on this quiet ordinary looking street. In broad daylight, it didn’t look as if it had anything to conceal from the world but the events that night had set a puzzle as perplexing anywhere. She set off in her car and made her way to where Karen’s car had been left and that didn’t tell her much. The driver had simply pulled off the road, driven a short way up an incline and left, parked a little way from the kerb. What took her attention were the CCTV cameras, which were situated just right. A smile spread across her face, as she was sure that this could provide the answers she was seeking. ****** Three hours later, she was back in her flat with a video recorder, a stack of tapes and a mugful of strong black coffee. This uncertain, slightly blurry record was going to be her consistent, replayable eye on the events that had gone down. She knew that she was going to have an endless panorama of the same stretch of nondescript stretch of road. She had always been a determined sort of person. Well, depending on how the cassettes had been compiled, she would have to have all the determination in the world. She loaded up the first tape and let it run and run. As the afternoon wore on, that same stretch of road tired her eyes as nothing happened. She let each tape play to the end, put it on rewind and shoved in the next tape. Time crawled onwards until at the fourth tape, Shirley’s tired eyes suddenly blazed with excitement as she finally saw what she was looking for. That familiar green MG sports car suddenly turned the corner and Shirley jabbed at the pause button. The car was frozen in its frame with a slight wobble on it. She swore to herself, as the image wasn’t as distinct as she would have wished. She finally concluded that it might have been Karen but then again it might have been someone else. It was totally frustrating as she was no further than Nikki and Helen had been. After studying the screen for ages, she gave up in despair and let the car disappear out of sight, under its angle of vision. She sipped at the dregs of the cold coffee in her mug and morosely gave way to her feelings of disappointment. It was just then when a tall figure cantered its way diagonally from the bottom right corner of the screen to the top left hand corner. As he ran, he briefly twisted his body round to look behind him and immediately revealed the shape of the man. He was tall, well-built, short hair and his sharp features suggested the shape of Jim Fenner. Shirley shouted to herself exultantly as this handy device had at last put their chief suspect in the frame. She couldn’t wait to contact Karen, the one person who once had been closest to him who could be definite. |
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| Andliv2laf | Sep 11 2008, 01:24 AM Post #120 |
G2 landing
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Wow Richard, what a sleuth! Maybe Fenner will finally get it in the end! Great detailed writing as usual. Can't wait to see where this evidence is leading and who will be involved in the legal counsel! Looking good! Can't wait for more, you have us at a nice turning point! Thanks for the update.
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I shall be a good girl though and resist the temptation to read it in one go, since I would like to go on the journey while you are posting over there and add my comments then instead of a closing remark here.

8:47 AM Jul 11