Donna Joy Usher - Chanel 01 - Cocoa and Chanel by Donna Joy Usher Page B
Authors: Donna Joy Usher
Ads: Link
bopping my head.
A few songs later, Martine reappeared by my side and took a seat. ‘So,’ she said, ‘what happened at work today?’ I looked at her in surprise and she said, ‘You frown when you mention work.’
‘Do you really want to hear it?’
‘I’m done for the night so hit me.’
So I told her all about work and at the end she shook her head. ‘That doesn’t sound very fair. Isn’t there a board or something you can complain to?’
‘Probably,’ I said, ‘but from what I’ve learned of the Police Force, you don’t want to create waves, especially not just out of the Academy. Plus … I’m a woman.’
‘Why should that make a difference?’
‘Well, they recruited us pretty easily – part of the State Government’s pledge to have more women on the Force. If I get known as a troublemaker I’ll never get rid of the stigma.’ I knew this from having listened to Rick talking. ‘I just have to tough it out and earn their respect.’ Unfortunately I had my doubts about whether or not it was possible for me to earn Inspector Ramy’s respect; especially not after the yellow ribbon conversation.
‘It’s true,’ she said, ‘it’s so easy for women to be accused of cashing in the furry chequebook.’
‘Furry chequebook?’
‘You know.’ She pointed down to her nether regions.
I shook my head.
She rolled her eyes and pointed at her crutch.
‘Oooh,’ I said, ‘the furry chequebook. I won’t be using that.’
‘Soooo what are you going to do?’
‘Well…’ A stupid idea had been rolling around in the back of my head but I was loath to voice it.
‘You can tell me,’ she said, shuffling closer.
Bruce handed me another drink. ‘And me,’ he said.
‘Okay, but you can’t tell anyone because it’s silly.’
‘Cross my heart,’ Martine said.
‘And hope to die,’ Bruce finished.
‘I want to find the serial killer.’ I said the words in a rush, happy to have them out of my head and in the open. Once they were free they swirled around, taking form and becoming a reality.
My God , I really did want to find the serial killer. I hadn’t admitted it even to myself. The idea was shocking and absurd, but it felt real to me. I wanted to hunt down the bastard who was doing those terrible things to women and make him pay. It didn’t matter that they were prostitutes. They were people, with families and friends, and no-one deserved to be treated like that.
‘Silly hey?’ I said, looking at Bruce and Martine’s shocked expressions.
‘There’s a serial killer?’ Martine said.
‘In the Cross?’ Bruce added.
‘You don’t know?’ How could they not know? It was five women now. I filled them in on the basics of the killings, leaving out anything I thought might be confidential.
‘No wonder the girls have been acting so strangely,’ Bruce said when I’d finished.
‘The girls?’ I asked.
‘The group that work this area: Bianca, Rosie, Isabella and Lizette. ‘They normally work different corners, but lately they’ve been hanging together.
‘Huh. You know these girls?’
‘They’re friends,’ Martine said.
‘Do you think they’d talk to me?’
‘If we introduced you, they might. They don’t like pigs, sorry, cops much.’
I yawned and looked at my watch. It was already two in the morning. ‘I need to get to sleep,’ I said apologetically. ‘I’m going to look at some apartments tomorrow.’
‘Come back tomorrow night,’ Martine said, ‘and I’ll see if I can get the girls to talk to you.’
‘Thanks.’ I gave her a hug, surprised at how muscly her torso was. She must really work out.
I walked the short distance home with my mace in one hand and a whistle in the other, determined not to become victim number six. But even though I was scared I was also euphoric. I had my first lead. Tomorrow night I was going to get to talk to some of the Cross’s prostitutes. I just hoped they could give me some useful information.
***
I looked at
A few songs later, Martine reappeared by my side and took a seat. ‘So,’ she said, ‘what happened at work today?’ I looked at her in surprise and she said, ‘You frown when you mention work.’
‘Do you really want to hear it?’
‘I’m done for the night so hit me.’
So I told her all about work and at the end she shook her head. ‘That doesn’t sound very fair. Isn’t there a board or something you can complain to?’
‘Probably,’ I said, ‘but from what I’ve learned of the Police Force, you don’t want to create waves, especially not just out of the Academy. Plus … I’m a woman.’
‘Why should that make a difference?’
‘Well, they recruited us pretty easily – part of the State Government’s pledge to have more women on the Force. If I get known as a troublemaker I’ll never get rid of the stigma.’ I knew this from having listened to Rick talking. ‘I just have to tough it out and earn their respect.’ Unfortunately I had my doubts about whether or not it was possible for me to earn Inspector Ramy’s respect; especially not after the yellow ribbon conversation.
‘It’s true,’ she said, ‘it’s so easy for women to be accused of cashing in the furry chequebook.’
‘Furry chequebook?’
‘You know.’ She pointed down to her nether regions.
I shook my head.
She rolled her eyes and pointed at her crutch.
‘Oooh,’ I said, ‘the furry chequebook. I won’t be using that.’
‘Soooo what are you going to do?’
‘Well…’ A stupid idea had been rolling around in the back of my head but I was loath to voice it.
‘You can tell me,’ she said, shuffling closer.
Bruce handed me another drink. ‘And me,’ he said.
‘Okay, but you can’t tell anyone because it’s silly.’
‘Cross my heart,’ Martine said.
‘And hope to die,’ Bruce finished.
‘I want to find the serial killer.’ I said the words in a rush, happy to have them out of my head and in the open. Once they were free they swirled around, taking form and becoming a reality.
My God , I really did want to find the serial killer. I hadn’t admitted it even to myself. The idea was shocking and absurd, but it felt real to me. I wanted to hunt down the bastard who was doing those terrible things to women and make him pay. It didn’t matter that they were prostitutes. They were people, with families and friends, and no-one deserved to be treated like that.
‘Silly hey?’ I said, looking at Bruce and Martine’s shocked expressions.
‘There’s a serial killer?’ Martine said.
‘In the Cross?’ Bruce added.
‘You don’t know?’ How could they not know? It was five women now. I filled them in on the basics of the killings, leaving out anything I thought might be confidential.
‘No wonder the girls have been acting so strangely,’ Bruce said when I’d finished.
‘The girls?’ I asked.
‘The group that work this area: Bianca, Rosie, Isabella and Lizette. ‘They normally work different corners, but lately they’ve been hanging together.
‘Huh. You know these girls?’
‘They’re friends,’ Martine said.
‘Do you think they’d talk to me?’
‘If we introduced you, they might. They don’t like pigs, sorry, cops much.’
I yawned and looked at my watch. It was already two in the morning. ‘I need to get to sleep,’ I said apologetically. ‘I’m going to look at some apartments tomorrow.’
‘Come back tomorrow night,’ Martine said, ‘and I’ll see if I can get the girls to talk to you.’
‘Thanks.’ I gave her a hug, surprised at how muscly her torso was. She must really work out.
I walked the short distance home with my mace in one hand and a whistle in the other, determined not to become victim number six. But even though I was scared I was also euphoric. I had my first lead. Tomorrow night I was going to get to talk to some of the Cross’s prostitutes. I just hoped they could give me some useful information.
***
I looked at
Similar Books
