Page 143 of Not That Ridiculous

“Clown?”

He sipped his latte, gazing at me over the rim of the mug.

“Never mind,” I said. “No one knows about the cowboy thing yet, but it doesn’t matter. Everyone’s already decided it’s connected to Ray’s dolls. Word on the street is, this is the same serial killer with a penchant for mummifying people and dressing them up in little outfits.”

“Word on the street?” Liam grinned.

“I mean, it is, isn’t it? Chipping Fairford’s very own serial killer? Ugh. This is going to bring in more tourists.True-crimetourists.”

“Good for business.”

“Financially, yes. I am making bank today. On a personal note, no. Didn’t you see the sign? I’m banning everyone who tries to talk to me about it until Christmas.”

“I assume I’m exempt?”

“Only if you’re asking in a professional capacity. You even hint at it when you’re off duty, and you’re gone.”

He huffed a laugh. “Okay. Here’s the update. All the human remains have been removed from the site and I’ve handed them off to the coroner and pathologist. The forensics team is still at the house but it’s an old and highly compromised disposal site, not an active crime scene, and there’s a limited amount of evidence to collect. When or if I need access for further investigations, I’ll arrange it in the coming weeks. I’m fairly confident you can go home tomorrow.”

“Oh. That’s quicker than I expected. Not that I’m complaining.”

“As I said, there’s limited evidence.”

I stared at him. “No one’s ever going to find the whack job who did this, are they?”

“It’s doubtful. The same lab who investigated the bodies found at Ray’s will investigate the new bodies. They may shed some new light on the case, but realistically? I’m sorry, Charlie, but with the age of the remains, the lack of other evidence, and the fact we already stalled out on the case once, it doesn’t look good. It’s not going to get a lot of attention. It’s a low priority for an already busy and overworked force.”

“Tell that to the papers.”

He grunted.

“That’s it, huh? It’s weirdly anticlimactic. I was worried you were going to start knocking holes in my walls, looking for more. Ripping up floors, digging up the garden. All that stuff. “

“Right.” He shifted. “Glad you brought it up. Uh, your bathroom. Did you know there was a hole in the floor?”

I pinched the bridge of my nose. “Who fell through, and how bad is the damage in the kitchen?”

He laughed. “No one fell through, and the kitchen’s fine. I did get someone to take up the linoleum and have a peek under the boards.”

“Makes sense, I suppose. Considering Ray’s house. Did you find another body?”

“Nope. But you have a serious mould problem. The floorboards have rotted through.”

“Great. That’s just…that’s great. What about the walls? Did you get anyone to have a peek in my walls? Is my house like Swiss cheese?”

“No need. I already covered it off with Kevin.”

I stuck a hand on my hip. “Excuse me?” I said, my voice going high.

Liam’s eyes widened slightly. “Kevin told me that the master bedroom was the only room with a false wall. He’s a professional. He’s already done a survey of the house, and he assured me that every wall he’d checked was solid. I had one of the forensics jog around and do a double-check, and she said the same.”

When had the little shit done his survey, I wondered?

Probably while I was in the bathroom or cooking him a fucking lasagne.

Or when I’d left him sleeping in my bed.

My stomach twisted at the thought that I might never get to see him there again, dark-blond hair tousled against my pillows, sleepy brown eyes on mine when I kissed him goodbye and reminded him to lock up when he left.

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