The Lipstick Killers

the gate into the shelter of the hedge.
    ‘Get off me,’ said Margaret, shaking his hand off her. ‘I’m not one of your suspects.’
    ‘You might be,’ he said.
    ‘Don’t be stupid. I rang you, remember?’
    ‘Call me stupid again and I’ll nick you.’
    ‘What for?’
    ‘I’ll think of something.’
    Meanwhile, the DC had joined them, and the uniforms were gathered outside on the pavement. ‘Where is she?’ asked Mahoney.
    ‘Upstairs, front bedroom.’
    ‘If you’ve contaminated my crime scene…’ Mahoney didn’t finish.
    ‘I fed the cat, went upstairs, didn’t touch anything. I’m a copper, I do know what to do.’
    Mahoney made no comment at this. Instead he turned to the DC and said. ‘Jacko, get upstairs, take a squint. Make sure there is a body.’
    Margaret let out a snort as the DC pulled on another pair of latex gloves and went inside. ‘You lot,’ said Mahoney to the uniforms. ‘Clear the area, and keep it clear. Tape it off.’
    ‘So you do believe me,’ said Margaret.
    ‘Of course. You are police after all. Sort of. But you were the one being stupid. Going in there alone, no backup, and unarmed.’
    ‘They took my gun away. Remember? Plus, I didn’t think I was walking into a murder scene, did I?’ said Margaret. But he was right. She had been foolish and regretted leaving her guns back in Battersea. Another reason for a trip home as soon as possible. Clean knickers, clean guns and more coke.
    ‘Come on,’ said Mahoney, and he led the way round the side of the house.
    The DC was back before they reached the kitchen door. ‘There’s the body of a woman on the bed upstairs,’ he said.
    ‘Her name was Joyce Smart,’ said Margaret.
    ‘We’ll wait for a relative to identify her,’ said Mahoney.
    ‘She has no relatives. Sharon’s family were her family, she always said, apart from Thomas.’ said Margaret. For the first time she felt a lump in her throat and a tear in her eye, but she swallowed the lump back, and shook her head angrily.
    ‘Thomas?’ said Mahoney.
    ‘The cat.’
    ‘The one you fed.’
    Margaret nodded. ‘He was starving.’
    ‘Lucky the doors were all shut or pussy would’ve been snacking on mum by now,’ said the DC.
    ‘She was a friend,’ said Margaret, shooting daggers at him.
    ‘Sorry,’ said the DC. ‘But it’s happened before. You must’ve seen it.’
    Margaret just glared at him, icily.
    ‘Anyway, from first sight it looks like it was a straight killing. She’s fully dressed. I don’t think there was any fiddling about done. Mind you she was getting on. Not that that’s ever stopped anyone.’
    Margaret moved forward, grabbed the DC’s hand and twisted his little finger back until she felt the tendons about to snap. He screamed and went down on one knee. ‘I said she was a friend,’ she hissed. ‘Have some fucking respect or I’ll break this like a matchstick.’
    ‘Leave him,’ roared Mahoney.
    ‘Now apologise,’ said Margaret, putting on more pressure .
    ‘Sorry! Sorry!’ said the DC in a high pitched voice.
    Margaret let him go, and when he looked up he had tears in his eyes. ‘Jacko. Get outside and wait for SOCO. And keep your big mouth shut,’ said Mahoney.
    When Jacko had gone, Mahoney said, ‘technically, that was assault of a police officer.’
    ‘Think he’ll press charges?’ asked Margaret.
    ‘What? And admit a woman made him nearly wet his Y-fronts? I don’t think so. But watch him. I think you’ve made an enemy there.’
    ‘Not the first,’ said Margaret.
    ‘I bet.’

33
     
     
     
    Mags and Mahoney were interrupted when the SOCO team arrived and Margaret said. ‘Do you need me anymore? I should get back and break the bad news.’
    ‘That won’t be easy, after everything else,’ said Mahoney.
    ‘Tell me about it. There seems to be nothing else lately,’ said Margaret, shaking her head.
    ‘It’s a hell of a mess, I’ll give you that.’
    ‘You can say that again. Well, do you need anything more?’ she said, looking at him directly.
    ‘Not right now. But we’ll need a statement and I’ll want to talk to you again today.’
    ‘Fair enough.’
    ‘Do you fancy meeting for a drink tonight?’
    ‘Tonight? Are you asking me on a date, Mahoney?’
    ‘Don’t push your luck’, he said, smiling slightly now. ‘But we should talk – away from your family.’
    ‘Can’t we do that down at the station?’
    ‘Yes, but I can think of better places to be. What about The George