What Doesn’t Kill Us
By Ajay Close Welcome to our regular feature showcasing the talents of the nation’s best writers.
Go on, then,” Liz said to Moody. “Taking orders from your PC, are you?” Sproson said. “She’s the ventriloquist, you’re the dummy?” Moody gave Liz a glare. “What it is, Sir, is we followed up this tip on hotline. Jennifer Cleasby. Attacked a couple of year back –”
Liz cut him off. “Bloke who did it were the double of that photofit.”
Sproson went off the deep end. “Tanya Sharp’s a flaming headcase, and a drunk. You can’t believe a word she says. You ought to know that, Liz, she took you for a bloody ride –”
“But this is a new witness. They had a conversation –”
“Was there anything else?” Sproson said, like if there wasn’t they should push off.
Moody gave it one last try. “This is first decent lead we’ve had since Janice Cartwright –”
“Next person to mention that photofit to me’s on traffic duty. Do you understand, DS Moody?”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Bugger off then. Not you, Liz.”
He wanted her to go and see Mandy Summersgill, pushed a couple of pound notes into her hand. “Buy her some flowers or summat.”
“What sort of flowers?”
“I don’t bloody know. Do I look like a girl?”
“Roses?”
“No, not bloody roses. You trying to be funny or summat?” “Carnations?”
“Just don’t make it look like bloody Valentine’s Day. Talk to her woman to woman. She can’t stay on sick forever.”
It was common knowledge he’d been sleeping with Mandy before she got herself signed off. Helen said she’d had a late abortion and slit her wrists, but across the veins, not along them, so either she was daft or it was just a cry for help. “What if she wants to come back, Sir?” He stared at her till she looked down. “Any other bloody stupid questions?”
So he didn’t want her back in CID. Liz wasn’t sorry. She couldn’t see him keeping them both on.
“If she wants a transfer, she’ll get a good reference. You can tell her that, as a friend.” “I’m not her friend, Sir.”
“Don’t try and be clever, Liz. It dun’t suit you.”
About the author
Ajay Close grew up in Yorkshire and worked at
Granta before becoming a journalist and then a novelist.
She is the author of seven literary novels and lives in Perth. What Doesn't Kill Us is published by Saraband, price £10.99