Page 7 of M for Murder

‘Thanks. Thanks a lot.’ Justine kicked herself for sounding like such a goofball. Things hadn’t exactly worked out as she’d planned. What had happened to the cool, calm and seductive approach that she had hoped would result in him offering to buy her a cup of coffee? She was wondering if maybe she should give it a second go, when the door creaked open and Kylan Parker entered the room.

Justine knew her, though not to speak to. She had seen her around campus now and again, but it was only since she’d found out Kylan was married to Mr Parker that she had taken such an interest in her. And wished she hadn’t. Kylan was stunning to look at, with pale-blonde hair that fell onto her shoulders, large dark brown eyes, porcelain skin and prominent cheekbones. Even now, dressed only in faded jeans and a baggy checked shirt, she still managed to look a knockout.

Justine pushed a hand through her own cropped hair, and wished it was longer, blonder. She coughed, feeling a little uncomfortable. As though she’d been caught doing something she shouldn’t.

Like you wish.

Kylan glanced up at her and smiled. ‘Hi.’

‘Hi,’ Justine mumbled back, hating Kylan all the more for being friendly. She glanced at Mr Parker. ‘Well, thanks for your help. I’d better be on my way.’

She pushed past Kylan and made her way out into the corridor, stopping just outside the door to draw a couple of deep breaths. Back inside the classroom, she heard Kylan say in a joking voice, ‘So, Mr Parker, does one of your students have a crush on you?’

Justine burned with humiliation. Was she that obvious? Clutching her books tightly to her chest, she swallowed hard trying to rid herself of the sick feeling welling in the bottom of her stomach. She took a step away from the door so as not to be seen and waited intently to hear what was said next.

Always in the wrong place at the wrong time!

Victor Boaz cursed himself while descending the ladder into the sewer, hardly able to believe the chain of events that had led him to this point. The doughnut stop, the kid with the purse, Angell stubbornly chasing him, and the sewer worker appearing out of the manhole at the exact moment they were passing.

Always in the wrong place at the wrong time!

‘Boots?’ Angell questioned, watching him climbing the final few rungs, her flashlight trained on him.

‘I didn’t want to get a load of shit on my pants.’

Angell glanced down at her own trousers soaked up to the knee. ‘Well gee, Vic,’ she grumbled sardonically. ‘Thanks for thinking about me.’

‘The guy only had one pair, and I doubt they’d even fit you,’ Vic argued, thinking that she had a smart mouth for a hick. He allowed his eyes to roam her body. ‘Of course, if you really want the boots, I’m sure we could come to some kind of arrangement,’ he said, smiling suggestively.

Angell gave a derisive laugh. ‘You are kidding me, right?’

Vic glanced round the sewer, taking in the long narrow tunnel. For some reason the sewers always reminded him of the subway, only much smaller and wetter.

‘Why not, Angell? It’s nice and dark down here, just the two of us.’

He watched her as she rolled her eyes, looking disgusted by the idea.

‘You think I want to fuck you?’ she asked incredulously. ‘Give me a break. I don’t know what would be more repulsive. Doing it in the sewer or doing it with you.’

‘Hey!’ Vic snapped angrily, catching hold of her wrist. Rage swelled up inside him at her blunt rejection.

Damn bitch, talking to him that way.

Angell fixed him with a scathing look that warned him he was pushing his luck. He loosened his grip and she snatched her wrist away, continuing to stare coldly at him for a few moments. Eventually she pushed her way past him, shaking her head.

‘Come on,’ she grumbled. ‘I suppose you want me to lead the way?’

Vic collected himself quickly. ‘Well, if you’re volunteering, be my guest.’

Angell turned and smiled at him. It looked forced and sarcastic. Without a word, she started wading up the tunnel.

‘Hey, wait a minute!’ Vic called, wondering how come she seemed so sure of where she was going. ‘What makes you so sure that this alleged body is in this direction?’

Angell turned and shone her flashlight on him. ‘I guess I kind of figured it might be flowing with the direction of the water.’ She rolled her eyes again, then shaking her head she continued up the tunnel.

Vic glanced down at the water rushing past his boots and felt himself redden. He was glad it was dark so Angell couldn’t see. Christ, what an idiot. Why hadn’t he thought of that? It had never occurred to him before that things could drift in a sewer, and he guessed that it was similar to the sea where the tide drifted in and out. Only the sea didn’t smell so foul. He remembered how the sewer worker had said the body had smelt really bad and he wondered how the guy had been able to tell. After all, everything down here smelt really bad. Like a hundred dead bodies. Maybe a hundred dead rats. He knew plenty of them that frequented the sewers. Probably quite a few of the little furry rodents had snuffed it down here. Perhaps they might even see a few.

Vic grinned. That would no doubt give Angell a fright. Women always freaked out over things like that.