that you are a danger to others and you will be returned to prison.’ She stood, towering above the gibbering wreck. God, she hated disappointment. ‘And we all know there are plenty of middle-aged men in there, don’t we, Shane?’
His head dropped and his shoulders trembled. She took his silence as complete understanding. They were done. Permanently.
She brushed past Dougie and headed to the kitchen. Most of the occupants had gone back to bed now the excitement was over. Only David and Malcolm remained, with Dougie hovering somewhere behind her.
Alex couldn’t help but be impressed at the job Shane had done on the plump, harmless victim sitting at the table. Now all she had to worry about was damage limitation. It didn’t suit her for the police to be involved. This was her playpen.
‘Oh, Malcolm …’ she said, sitting beside him. ‘You poor thing.’ She reached up and tenderly touched the swollen flesh of his face, already starting to bruise. His lip bulged with a cut to the right hand side. Alex could only imagine what he would look like in the morning.
‘He’s a damn lunatic. Needs to be locked up.’
Alex glanced at David and understood his position. A crime had been committed, but David knew that Shane could not survive being returned to prison. Alex nodded and David left the kitchen to check on Shane.
‘Look, Malcolm. You’re perfectly justified in calling the police. You’ve been terribly assaulted. It’s difficult for you to fully understand some of the other residents.’
She leaned forward slightly and Malcolm’s gaze wandered to her intended target. Malcolm had never harmed a soul in his life. Painfully shy and socially inept, he had fallen prey to an online scam with a ‘Thai woman’ who had fallen in love with him in the romantic setting of a tropical fish chat room. Many sick relatives and a bunch of money transfers later, Malcolm was broke and began embezzling from the steel company for which he was an accountant.
He had served only two years, and although he hadn’t had much before, he was now starting from scratch. At fifty-one years old, he had no wife, no children, no home and no profession.
Alex coated her voice in saccharin and leaned forward another two inches.
‘You have to remember, Malcolm. You’re not like these people. You are an educated, professional man with a lot to offer. You’ve been hurt terribly but you are not permanently damaged. These pathetic creatures deserve your pity. They will never have an ounce of your intelligence.’
Alex re-crossed her legs and brushed his knee with hers.
‘But he should be held accountable …’ he said weakly and Alex knew she had it in the bag.
‘And he will. I think you need to take the action that is right for you. Do what will make you feel better, but it’s only fair that you understand that Shane will be returned to prison and he will never come out again. I don’t want you to have that on your conscience if you are acting in the heat of the moment. Once you make that call you won’t be able to take it back.’
Alex took a deep breath so her breasts rose and fell. The core of decency he now fought was the very reason she had ruled him out as a research subject.
‘I have a suggestion if you’d like to hear it?’
Malcolm nodded but continued to look down her top. It no longer suited her to have Shane around. She didn’t want to see his pathetic little face again.
‘Well, I think it would be impossible for you both to continue living here. You shouldn’t have to be frightened of any repeat attacks. My opinion is that you leave the police out of it, as long as Shane leaves the house.’
Malcolm finally raised his face to hers. God, he was a mess. ‘But where will he …?’
‘That’s not really your concern after what he’s done to you, is it?’
‘Well … not really …’
‘So, shall I tell David your decision?’
Malcolm nodded. Too easy.
Alex leaned across and patted him lightly on the
His head dropped and his shoulders trembled. She took his silence as complete understanding. They were done. Permanently.
She brushed past Dougie and headed to the kitchen. Most of the occupants had gone back to bed now the excitement was over. Only David and Malcolm remained, with Dougie hovering somewhere behind her.
Alex couldn’t help but be impressed at the job Shane had done on the plump, harmless victim sitting at the table. Now all she had to worry about was damage limitation. It didn’t suit her for the police to be involved. This was her playpen.
‘Oh, Malcolm …’ she said, sitting beside him. ‘You poor thing.’ She reached up and tenderly touched the swollen flesh of his face, already starting to bruise. His lip bulged with a cut to the right hand side. Alex could only imagine what he would look like in the morning.
‘He’s a damn lunatic. Needs to be locked up.’
Alex glanced at David and understood his position. A crime had been committed, but David knew that Shane could not survive being returned to prison. Alex nodded and David left the kitchen to check on Shane.
‘Look, Malcolm. You’re perfectly justified in calling the police. You’ve been terribly assaulted. It’s difficult for you to fully understand some of the other residents.’
She leaned forward slightly and Malcolm’s gaze wandered to her intended target. Malcolm had never harmed a soul in his life. Painfully shy and socially inept, he had fallen prey to an online scam with a ‘Thai woman’ who had fallen in love with him in the romantic setting of a tropical fish chat room. Many sick relatives and a bunch of money transfers later, Malcolm was broke and began embezzling from the steel company for which he was an accountant.
He had served only two years, and although he hadn’t had much before, he was now starting from scratch. At fifty-one years old, he had no wife, no children, no home and no profession.
Alex coated her voice in saccharin and leaned forward another two inches.
‘You have to remember, Malcolm. You’re not like these people. You are an educated, professional man with a lot to offer. You’ve been hurt terribly but you are not permanently damaged. These pathetic creatures deserve your pity. They will never have an ounce of your intelligence.’
Alex re-crossed her legs and brushed his knee with hers.
‘But he should be held accountable …’ he said weakly and Alex knew she had it in the bag.
‘And he will. I think you need to take the action that is right for you. Do what will make you feel better, but it’s only fair that you understand that Shane will be returned to prison and he will never come out again. I don’t want you to have that on your conscience if you are acting in the heat of the moment. Once you make that call you won’t be able to take it back.’
Alex took a deep breath so her breasts rose and fell. The core of decency he now fought was the very reason she had ruled him out as a research subject.
‘I have a suggestion if you’d like to hear it?’
Malcolm nodded but continued to look down her top. It no longer suited her to have Shane around. She didn’t want to see his pathetic little face again.
‘Well, I think it would be impossible for you both to continue living here. You shouldn’t have to be frightened of any repeat attacks. My opinion is that you leave the police out of it, as long as Shane leaves the house.’
Malcolm finally raised his face to hers. God, he was a mess. ‘But where will he …?’
‘That’s not really your concern after what he’s done to you, is it?’
‘Well … not really …’
‘So, shall I tell David your decision?’
Malcolm nodded. Too easy.
Alex leaned across and patted him lightly on the
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