at night.
Ledwich muttered, Lost my licence a
while back.
That doesnt stop you from driving,
though.
Ledwich folded his arms. I suppose
if I sit here long enough youll tell me what this is all about.
Ellen said softly, into his face, Abduction,
rape and murder.
He jerked back. Me? No way.
You cant get sex the normal way,
you have to con women and force yourself on them. We know that. Its a matter
of record. But you began to get more violent toward the end, didnt you? You
started to use your fists.
That charge was dropped.
So what? Doesnt mean you didnt do
it.
You know what we think, Lance?
Sutton said. We think youve graduated. We think you now realise what hard
work it is conning women to get a root. Much easier just to use force.
Subdue them, Ellen said, drag
them into the rear of your station wagon, rape and strangle them.
Ledwich swallowed. Im not into
that. Im married now.
Poor woman, Ellen said.
That, more than the badgering,
seemed to anger Ledwich the most. You lousy slag. Ill get you for that.
Somewhere dark, no backup to look after you, then well see how tough you are.
Youre threatening me, Lance? Or is
that an admission of how you operate? A woman alone at night, defenceless . . .
Youre putting words in my mouth.
Kymbly Abbott, Sutton said, Jane
Gideon. You forced them into the rear compartment of your Volvo, raped and
killed them, then dumped their bodies.
I bet I was working. Check with my
boss.
I did, Lance. Ellen numbered her
fingers: Late to work, finishing early, slipping away sometimes for an hour or
more at a time. You arent up for Employee of the Year, Lance.
Ledwich looked hunted. I never
fucking killed no-one. Prove I did.
We will.
Ive put the sex stuff behind me.
Lance, Ellen said, examining his
perspiring face, smelling the fear, you were sick back in 1991, youre sick
now, youll always be sick.
* * * *
Two
days in a row, Clara told him. Thats nice. She held him tight on the
doorstep, then led him into the house. Incense, already lit. Curtains already
drawn.
Just passing, Kees van Alphen
said.
Yeah, sure.
She unbuckled his belt. He groaned.
He was so hungry for her. Afterwards he said, Did you sleep all right last
night?
It was the question she needed. No,
she said, with a laugh of real pain. Its been awful, just awful.
You should get something to help
you sleep.
Having you there would help me
sleep, big boy.
He was pleased and embarrassed. Maybe
soon. Im on nights a lot at this time of the year. What about sleeping pills?
They make me hazy in the head the
next day. Look, dont be upset with me, but the only thing that would relax me
is dope or coke. She stopped. Now youre disappointed. Sorry, I shouldnt
have said anything.
Hed gone tense in her arms. She
held on, willing him to relax.
Sorry, Ive clearly said the wrong
thing.
Its all right. Its just, I dont
understand it, thats all. I dont mind so much if people are private users, its
the scumbags who traffic in the stuff, to schoolkids, that really gets to me.
I know. Im sorry, I shouldnt have
brought it up.
She turned away from him and began
to get dressed. She was cutting him out, and she saw that it scared him a
little. He pulled her back down to him. Look, when youre in the job you
forget that most people are basically okay. You mustve thought I was judging
you. I wasnt.
Its just my nerves at the moment,
she said. Im not what youd call a user. I used to smoke a bit of dope, do a
line or two of coke, but that was years ago. I was hardly twenty. Im clean
now. Its just, Im so jittery, so bloody scared at night, if I had some dope
or coke I think it would help straighten out my nerves.
He was silent. She began to trace
circles on his stomach with her tongue. He was so sensitive! She heard him
groan as she took him in her mouth. She knew what she was doing, but even so
there was a part of her that was immersing herself in physical pleasure and
comfort. She lost herself for a
Ledwich muttered, Lost my licence a
while back.
That doesnt stop you from driving,
though.
Ledwich folded his arms. I suppose
if I sit here long enough youll tell me what this is all about.
Ellen said softly, into his face, Abduction,
rape and murder.
He jerked back. Me? No way.
You cant get sex the normal way,
you have to con women and force yourself on them. We know that. Its a matter
of record. But you began to get more violent toward the end, didnt you? You
started to use your fists.
That charge was dropped.
So what? Doesnt mean you didnt do
it.
You know what we think, Lance?
Sutton said. We think youve graduated. We think you now realise what hard
work it is conning women to get a root. Much easier just to use force.
Subdue them, Ellen said, drag
them into the rear of your station wagon, rape and strangle them.
Ledwich swallowed. Im not into
that. Im married now.
Poor woman, Ellen said.
That, more than the badgering,
seemed to anger Ledwich the most. You lousy slag. Ill get you for that.
Somewhere dark, no backup to look after you, then well see how tough you are.
Youre threatening me, Lance? Or is
that an admission of how you operate? A woman alone at night, defenceless . . .
Youre putting words in my mouth.
Kymbly Abbott, Sutton said, Jane
Gideon. You forced them into the rear compartment of your Volvo, raped and
killed them, then dumped their bodies.
I bet I was working. Check with my
boss.
I did, Lance. Ellen numbered her
fingers: Late to work, finishing early, slipping away sometimes for an hour or
more at a time. You arent up for Employee of the Year, Lance.
Ledwich looked hunted. I never
fucking killed no-one. Prove I did.
We will.
Ive put the sex stuff behind me.
Lance, Ellen said, examining his
perspiring face, smelling the fear, you were sick back in 1991, youre sick
now, youll always be sick.
* * * *
Two
days in a row, Clara told him. Thats nice. She held him tight on the
doorstep, then led him into the house. Incense, already lit. Curtains already
drawn.
Just passing, Kees van Alphen
said.
Yeah, sure.
She unbuckled his belt. He groaned.
He was so hungry for her. Afterwards he said, Did you sleep all right last
night?
It was the question she needed. No,
she said, with a laugh of real pain. Its been awful, just awful.
You should get something to help
you sleep.
Having you there would help me
sleep, big boy.
He was pleased and embarrassed. Maybe
soon. Im on nights a lot at this time of the year. What about sleeping pills?
They make me hazy in the head the
next day. Look, dont be upset with me, but the only thing that would relax me
is dope or coke. She stopped. Now youre disappointed. Sorry, I shouldnt
have said anything.
Hed gone tense in her arms. She
held on, willing him to relax.
Sorry, Ive clearly said the wrong
thing.
Its all right. Its just, I dont
understand it, thats all. I dont mind so much if people are private users, its
the scumbags who traffic in the stuff, to schoolkids, that really gets to me.
I know. Im sorry, I shouldnt have
brought it up.
She turned away from him and began
to get dressed. She was cutting him out, and she saw that it scared him a
little. He pulled her back down to him. Look, when youre in the job you
forget that most people are basically okay. You mustve thought I was judging
you. I wasnt.
Its just my nerves at the moment,
she said. Im not what youd call a user. I used to smoke a bit of dope, do a
line or two of coke, but that was years ago. I was hardly twenty. Im clean
now. Its just, Im so jittery, so bloody scared at night, if I had some dope
or coke I think it would help straighten out my nerves.
He was silent. She began to trace
circles on his stomach with her tongue. He was so sensitive! She heard him
groan as she took him in her mouth. She knew what she was doing, but even so
there was a part of her that was immersing herself in physical pleasure and
comfort. She lost herself for a
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