Dubious Justice (Justice Series Book 11) by M A Comley Page B

no, I don’t need windows or my ears bashed by Jehovah’s Witnesses. Thanks all the same.”
    Katy and Lorne produced their IDs. “Sorry, we’re not sure of your name, miss, but we’d like a chat with you about a Victor Caprini. Do you know him?” Katy asked.
    “Police? Yes, he’s my fiancé. Is he in some kind of trouble?”
    Katy glanced over her shoulder at the road. “If you don’t mind, it would be better to discuss this inside, in private.”
    Shaking her head in puzzlement, the woman stepped into the house, leaving the front door open for Lorne and Katy to follow her.
    Once the three of them had travelled the length of the house and were in the kitchen, the woman sat at the round onyx table and motioned for them to join her.
    “Okay, you’ve got my attention. What’s this about? Should Victor be here with us? I could call him.”
    “No. This is very hard for me to say, Miss…?”
    “Please, call me Tammy.”
    “Tammy. It’s with regret that I have to tell you Victor’s body was discovered this morning in his van.”
    “Body? I don’t understand?” Her trembling hand swept over her face.
    “He’s dead. I’m sorry.”
    “What? How? Where did the accident occur? When?”
    “The thing is, Tammy, Victor’s death is suspicious. It wasn’t an accident—at least we don’t think it was,” Katy informed the distressed young woman.
    Lorne’s gaze drifted to the large fridge behind the woman’s chair. A number of crayon pictures adorned the door, stuck up with multi-coloured magnets. Shit! Another bloke with a young family.
    Tammy gasped and covered her face with her hands. In between heavy sobs, she asked, “I don’t… understand… are you saying… he was killed by someone?”
    “Is there someone we can call to be with you?” Lorne butted in and asked.
    Katy gave her an apologetic look for not thinking to ask the woman that herself.
    “My mother. Can I ring my mother?”
    “Of course, or I can do it for you,” Lorne volunteered.
    The woman reached for the mobile phone lying on the table and punched in a number, then she handed it over to Lorne.
    “Hello, darling. I was just doing my housework, and then I was going to give you a ring.”
    “Sorry, um… this is DS Lorne Warner. We’re with your daughter at her home, sharing some bad news. I wondered if it would be possible for you to come over to be with her.”
    “Oh my! Bad news you say? About what?”
    “About Victor Caprini. Can I tell your daughter to expect you soon?”
    “Yes, I’ll leave immediately. Is Victor all right?”
    “We’ll inform you of that when you get here. Please, drive carefully.”
    “I’ll be ten minutes at the most.”
    The woman hung up. Lorne pressed the button to end the call, then she smiled at Tammy. “Your mum will be here shortly.”
    “Thank you. I can’t believe it. Why? Why would anyone kill Victor? He’s the sweetest man going. Never hurt anyone as far as I can remember. We were planning our wedding…”
    “Damn!” Katy said. “You have our sincere sympathies. I’m sorry, but we need to ask a few questions. Are you up to answering them or would you rather wait until your mother gets here? Maybe Lorne can make you a cup of strong tea?”
    “Yes, that would be good. Help yourselves to a drink, too. Do you mind waiting till Mum gets here? I don’t suppose I’ll be able to think straight at the moment.”
    “That’s understandable,” Katy said as Lorne left the table to fill the kettle with water.
    Ten minutes later, the front door opened, and Tammy’s mum bustled into the room. Mother and daughter flew into each other’s arms.
    “What is it child? What’s wrong?”
    “Victor’s dead, Mum. He’s dead.”
    Lorne saw the mother’s legs weaken, and the woman almost toppled against the table. Lorne sprang to her feet and guided her to a spare chair next to her daughter. “Take a seat. We’ll try to explain what happened, although it’s not too clear right now.”
    Mother