A Crack In The Dark (Death On The Clyde Book 2) by Hunter J Walker

Author:Hunter J Walker [Walker, Hunter J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Stonehill and Hunter Publishing
Published: 2016-01-30T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 26

Deirdre Macintyre liked her walks on these long summer evenings, although steering a course away from drunks and courting couples, or the occasional flasher, made Friday and Saturday nights more interesting. Sometimes she pitied the flashers. At the slightest hint of a threat Towser had the nasty habit of leaping up to waist height, with his jaws wide open and his sharp teeth bared. She was sure more than a few of them had departed with the imprint of Towser’s teeth on their genitals.

Tonight, Towser calmly walked beside her until, for some reason she could not fathom, he made a beeline for a bush and began snuffling around underneath the foliage. She pulled on the lead to bring him to heel but he ignored the instruction. She tried pulling harder but he put all the muscles of his wiry body into resisting her. She had to concede his interest in whatever was under the bush. Approaching the dog she could see a dark something that Towser burrowed around making the occasional yelp.

Switching on her torch she pointed it at the base of the bush. The battered face of a corpse stared up at her. Panic seized her heart in a vice like grip, almost stopping it. Long seconds passed before she took in the reality of the woman’s face. A bloody mask, with teeth bared in her death anguish.

When Deirdre’s heart rate slowed, and her breathing restarted, she pushed the foliage back to see more of the body. The woman’s black trousers were still in place and Deirdre hoped she hadn’t been interfered with. She knew the absence of blood pumping from the gashes in the face meant she was beyond help. Deirdre turned away and reached into her bag for her mobile phone. The woman answering the 999 call asked which service she required.

‘Police and I suppose medical as well, but I think she’s beyond help,’ Deirdre said. After she gave her name and the location she walked up and down the path wondering if the woman’s assailant was still in the park. After a wait she felt a surge of relief when she finally saw two black figures shining torches as they approached along the path. They were a pair of young police officers, a taller man and a shorter woman. She shortened Towser’s lead to avoid any misunderstanding on his part as they neared her.

As they reached her she pointed to the bushes. ‘Towser found the body.’

‘Towser is?’ the male PC said.

‘My dog,’ she said and tugged the lead to pull him back.

‘If you could stay here. I’ll take a look.’

‘I didn’t touch the body as she looks dead,’ Deirdre said to the man’s back as he strode away. ‘A bit to the right…a bit more…yes, under that bush.’

She heard the faint sound of a siren.

‘Did you ask for an ambulance?’ the woman PC enquired.

Deirdre nodded. ‘I thought it best to ask for them. I know she’s dead, but I’m not an expert.’

The woman PC looked at her quizzically.

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