Page 18 of Her Lips Are Sealed

‘Why?’ She pushed past him to get inside.

‘Stop, you don’t want to go in.’

She didn’t hear him because she was already inside.

There was a dark, sweet, overly sickly smell lingering in the air of something rotten that made her stomach clench too hard and her mouth fill with bile. Donna tried to call her daughter’s name, but nothing came out. It was as if someone had cut her vocal cords. She walked towards the tiny kitchen where the light was on, each step felt as if it took forever. She knew she should turn around, but she couldn’t. What if Ash needed her? When she reached the open door her gaze fell to the floor. Her baby girl was lying still, dressed in only her underwear, her body a mottled grey-green and her eyes were fixed on a spot on the ceiling.

‘Ashley.’ She screamed and fell to the floor. Her daughter’s lips were painted a deep red colour that contrasted vividly with her waxy, yellowy complexion. Donna knew she was dead, knew that it was too late, but she crawled towards her, wanting to cradle her daughter in her arms and tell her how sorry she was.

Strong arms gently pulled her back, lifted her to her feet and dragged her away from her baby, out into the front street where a crowd had now gathered. Grumpy guy gave orders to someone who came running over with a plastic garden chair. Donna wondered who it was for, then realised it was for her as she was gently pushed onto it.

His voice whispered in her ear. ‘I’m so sorry. The police are on their way.’

A woman from the bakery came running over with a blanket. It had pretty pink hearts on it. Ash would love it, she loved pink and pretty, then it was draped over her shoulders, and a mug of tea was pushed into her hands. Donna didn’t drink tea but was grateful to have something warm to wrap her hands around because her entire body was frozen solid.

TWELVE

The undertakers arrived to remove Rachel’s body. Morgan and Ben hadn’t found anything else of interest inside except proof that Rachel had spent her day doing the most ordinary things – there was a receipt from a vet and slightly damp towels on the bathroom floor indicating that she’d taken a shower before answering the door to her attacker. Wendy had bagged them up in case they had been left by the killer as he cleaned up. She also supervised the undertakers as they arrived, and every officer who was in and around the scene stopped what they were doing and bowed their heads as Rachel was wheeled out of her flat for the last time and loaded into the back of the private ambulance.

‘Guys, did you hear that log that’s just come in?’

It was Al who called out to them. He had his earpiece in unlike the pair of them who kept their radios tucked in their pockets or in the car depending on how busy they were. They both turned in his direction. ‘No.’

He walked towards them and lowered his voice. ‘Body found in a cottage in Coniston, young woman, semi naked in the kitchen.’

Morgan’s legs wobbled a little, and her stomach began to churn. ‘What’s the address?’

‘You better shout Control, I didn’t catch it.’

Ben’s phone began to ring. They didn’t need to shout up because Control were already calling him. Ben was unzipping his white overalls, his phone tucked under his ear. He relayed the address to Morgan who tore off the blue nitrile glove she had on, ripped the cap off the pen with her teeth and scribbled it onto the side of her hand. When he hung up the phone his face looked grey, his eyes sad and Morgan knew this was going to be bad.

He whispered, ‘What the fuck is going on?’

Morgan drove, as Ben was on the phone asking for assistance from Barrow CID. There weren’t enough of them to do this, two bodies found in one day. Two scenes to work without the risk of cross contamination was a lot. Wendy and Joe were still up to their necks in it working Rachel’s flat.

Ben requested Claire to come, but if she wasn’t available, it would be Phil from out west, but Morgan knew Claire would always be his first choice. He ended his conversation and his phone rang immediately.

‘Boss, I reckon you’re going to need me and Amy. We’re on our way.’

Ben’s sigh was one of relief. ‘Is Amy okay with this?’

‘Never better, said she’s already fed up with being in the office and would relish a break from my company.’

‘Thank God for that, I need you both. See you there.’

He turned to Morgan and a bolt of panic shot through her heart; his skin had taken on a greyish tinge that didn’t look good on him at all.

‘Are you okay, Ben, do you feel well?’

‘Mentally no, I feel as if I’m about to have a nervous breakdown, but yes, I’m okay. Why are you asking that?’

‘You look a little grey.’

He pulled down the sun visor and lifted the flap to stare at his reflection, pulling down his eyelids and sticking his tongue out. ‘I look like shit.’

Morgan’s laughter filled the car.

‘It’s a good job you don’t love me for my looks because I currently resemble something the Crypt Keeper dug up.’