Deadly Summer

By Lady Anne-Marie Berry

What started as a beautiful carefree June day soon turned into the beginning of a complicated investigation. The summer would prove to be one of twists and turns, powerful emotions and sinister undertones, pushing Detective Inspector Ray Graham and Detective Sergeant Lisa Cambridge to their limits.
Become absorbed in the lives of Graham & Cambridge and their colleagues. Feel their pain, understand their frustrations, whilst at the same time enjoy a read that will very soon have you hooked!

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Mar 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9781524679323

Lady Anne-Marie Berry

Lady Anne-Marie Berry lives in Spain with her husband who is a successful singer. She has had a varied and somewhat diverse career training as a nurse when leaving school, then going on to spend 30 years in the world of show business working as a dancer/comedienne/singer and musician. After years of performing herself she re-trained as a stage technician providing sound and lighting for many popular artists and shows in the Spanish holiday resort of Benidorm. She has 2 adult sons and recently became a very proud grandmother. At the age of 54 and still eager for new challenges she is now a qualified Clinical Hypnotherapist and EFT Practitioner and runs a successful clinic in Spain. As well as spending many happy hours writing not only more Graham and Cambridge novels, but also a series of children’s books.

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© 2017 Lady Anne-Marie Berry. All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author.

Published by AuthorHouse 03/27/2017

ISBN: 978-1-5246-7933-0 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5246-7932-3 (e)

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models,

and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

The story is fictitious, and any resemblance to any living person is purely coincidental.

Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Contents

Preface

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty One

Chapter Twenty Two

Chapter Twenty Three

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Six

Chapter Twenty Seven

Chapter Twenty Eight

Epilogue

About The Author

To Donna and Brian,

Thank You,

You know what for.

PREFACE

T his is the second in the Graham & Cambridge series of books and I can honestly say that I had just as much fun writing it as I did writing the first - Damaged Goods. It was always my intention to write about characters that felt as real to the reader as they do to me. Normal everyday people whose lives can be happy, sad, exciting or mundane, and that I hope is what I have achieved. That having been said, it is also intended that the crimes committed will anger and frustrate you as much as they do the characters involved in solving them.

The book is written with the intent that it is read and understood as if the characters were real, the way they speak, react and behave in the world we live in today. Although I do stress as always that this is a work of fiction.

There are many people I would like to acknowledge for their support to me as an author, firstly my husband Andy for his continued faith in me and also my parents, and the many friends who have assisted greatly with their comments and encouragement.

So again I say, please read, get to know D.I. Ray Graham and D.S. Lisa Cambridge and their colleagues, but most importantly of all, enjoy.

The Author.

CHAPTER ONE

I t was an unusually balmy afternoon for late June, and Chloe Webster smiled to herself as she cycled along the path that cut through the Downs in Clifton, Bristol. The Downs were a very pleasant area on the edge of the city, a wide expanse of green land interspersed with mature trees, there was a path that circumnavigated them and a lake with ducks and other wild birds in the centre.

Chloe had plenty to feel pleased about. She had recently bought into a partnership at the wine bar where she worked and business was good, in a couple of days she was moving into a new house with her girlfriend, and most importantly, in just ten weeks she and her girlfriend Detective Sergeant Lisa Cambridge would be taking their vows in a civil ceremony.

A gentle breeze blew through the trees and a carrier bag swept in front of Chloe’s bike, she stopped and dismounted, leaned the bike against a tree and bent to pick the bag up. It was empty, so she screwed it up and looked around for a bin - it always annoyed Chloe the way people had no regard for the area and dropped litter carelessly. As she returned to her bike from the bin, which was only a few yards behind her, Chloe noticed a group of lads about sixteen or seventeen years old, they were wearing sweatshirts with the hoods up and smoking what she assumed was a joint as they were passing it between one another. Up ahead of them there was another boy, he was wearing the school uniform of the local high school and appeared to be looking at his mobile phone as he walked along. Chloe took her bike and was about to start riding again but she paused for a moment, undecided as to whether she should ride past the group of lads or cut back to the road. She wasn’t a nervous person by nature, but there was something menacing about the group that made her feel uneasy; she reached into her pocket and placed her hand on her own mobile phone, then she shook her head and got onto her bike. She was just being silly, she thought, just because a group of lads wore hoodies and were sharing a joint it didn’t necessarily mean they were up to no good.

Chloe had just started to cycle again when it happened, and it was all so fast. The group of lads suddenly started to run towards the lone boy, one of the gang punched him in the back, the boy fell to the ground, another of the gang grabbed the boy’s mobile phone and then they all started kicking him as he lay on the ground. Chloe cycled fast, without thinking of her own safety.

Hey! Get off him you bastards, leave him alone she shouted as she sped towards them. The gang looked over at her.

Fuck off one of them shouted back. Chloe had seen a couple walking their dog up ahead and she shouted to them.

Help me, they’re mugging this lad! she screamed. The couple turned and the man started to run towards her and the gang. As Chloe got to the boys she threw her bike to one side and headed straight at them. She grabbed one of the gang by the back of his shirt, he turned around and swung his fist - it caught Chloe by the corner of her eye. Everything seemed to happen at once, Chloe was grappling with the one boy, there was shouting and swearing, then the man with the dog reached them. As did his dog, a large Red Setter that barked and bit one of the gang. As the man tried to help Chloe and the boy who lay on the floor, the man was hit by one of the boys as well.

Leave it! I said, leave it shouted the lad who’d hit Chloe, and the fighting stopped. The gang broke off from kicking the injured boy and started to run, as he turned to run with them the lad who’d spoken looked at Chloe.

Bitch he spat at her and then he ran off. The man’s wife had by now arrived and was taking her phone from her bag.

I’ll ring the police and an ambulance she said. The dog had stopped barking and Chloe stooped to the boy lying on the ground, he was covered in blood and looked barely conscious, his face had been severely kicked and he was holding his side.

Tell them to hurry said Chloe, then she spoke to the boy. Don’t worry, help is on the way. Lie still sweetheart. As she spoke she saw blood pooling on the ground by the boy’s left hand side. Chloe turned to the man, Shit! He’s been stabbed, have you got a hanky or something? She asked, and the woman pulled off her silk scarf.

Use this she said. Chloe took it from her and pressed hard against the boy’s side - he let out a scream as she did so.

I’m sorry darling but I have to do this. Don’t worry, you’ll be ok. What’s your name? she said to him, but the boy didn’t answer, he appeared to have fainted. Chloe looked up at the couple.

Thanks, I’m so glad you were there she said.

They should lock the bastards up, it’s not safe to walk anywhere these days, replied the man, I’m Gerry, by the way. Look I’ll go out to the road and look out for the ambulance, you two stay here he told her, and he made his way through the trees to the road beyond. His wife knelt down by Chloe.

I’m Sue, is there anything I can do? she asked.

No I don’t think so. He’s so pale, he’s losing a lot of blood... I hope that ambulance gets here quickly replied Chloe.

The two women remained kneeling by the side of the injured boy with Chloe still pressing hard against his wound, within only five minutes they could hear the sound of sirens and Gerry came back through the trees.

They’re coming now, how is he? he asked. Sue shook her head, the boy looked so pale, even beneath all the bruising and blood on his face.

Two paramedics came rushing through the trees towards them, Chloe told them what had happened and they knelt by the boy, the one took over from Chloe whilst the other paramedic started to put a drip in the boy’s arm. When he’d done that he asked Gerry to hold the drip bag and he ran back to the ambulance for a stretcher. As he was returning two police men came running over, and between them they lifted the injured boy onto the stretcher.

You’re injured too, can you wait and we’ll get another ambulance out to you? said the paramedic to Chloe and Gerry, as he saw their bruised and cut faces.

No need, we’ll bring them. Get going said the policeman, and Chloe and Gerry nodded their agreement. The paramedics left with the stretcher towards the waiting ambulance.

Chloe turned towards the policeman, whose name was Stuart Carter.

Christ Chloe, I didn’t realize it was you, are you ok? asked P.C. Carter as he recognized Chloe.

I’m fine, nothing a piece of steak won’t heal. Thank god these people came along though Chloe shuddered as she spoke and smiled towards Gerry and Sue, then explained briefly to Carter what had happened. Stuart Carter listened and then he radioed for another car to come and take Sue and the dog home and take a statement from Sue, then he told Chloe and Gerry he was taking them to casualty, despite both their protests.

Do you want me to ring Lisa for you? Stuart asked.

No, I’ll call her after. Come on, I want to know how the boy is replied Chloe. She and Gerry followed P.C. Carter to the squad car and they left for the hospital.

Detective Sergeant Lisa Cambridge sat at her desk and sealed the last of the envelopes that she had been putting wedding invitations into, and added it to the pile in her out tray.

Good job the boss isn’t here, that’s hardly cutting edge crime-fighting, is it? remarked D.S. Craven, looking across at her.

If I want your opinion I’ll ask for it, ok? As it happens I’m doing it in my break time. I missed lunch because I was stuck downstairs sorting out your balls up with that shoplifter, and at least I don’t spend every waking minute glued to my mobile phone like a teenager retorted Lisa. She didn’t like D.S. Jim Craven, he was over on secondment to them from the Met. whilst D.S. Ed Collins, the other regular member of the serious crime squad, was on attachment in New Zealand.

Jim Craven was a year older than Lisa at thirty four, he was unmarried, he was ambitious, and he was not pleased at being sent to Bristol from London as he didn’t see that six months out of the capital city would help his promotion prospects. In fact his chief inspector had requested the move because he thought that D.S. Craven needed bringing into line a little, and he thought that six months in regional crime might curb Craven’s over-confidence. He was a tall, good looking man with blonde hair and blue eyes and when he’d first joined the team a month ago D.C. Caris Lloyd had taken a real fancy to him, but even she had changed her opinion in the weeks that had followed. Jim Craven was not a great fan of female police officers, his attitude was more that of a relic from the nineteen seventies and early eighties, when it was thought that female officers were only fit to make tea and offer sympathy. When Jim Craven had first arrived in Bristol, Detective Inspector Ray Graham - who led the team - had told him that he would not tolerate any sexual discrimination; but as D.I. Graham had been away on leave for the last twelve days on holiday in Turkey with his two teenage daughters Jim Craven had not lost any opportunity to make casual jibes at Lisa’s sexuality (she was lesbian), nor to attempt to wind Caris Lloyd up either.

It would be more useful if you could help come up with some more leads on the joyriders on the Kenston Estate, they’ve been getting away with it for over two years now and we still can’t nail them Lisa told him.

You’re not coming down hard enough on them, I told you that. You need to lean on the local kids, who are weaker, to grass them up Jim replied.

Yeah, and then we’ll have a load of beaten-up innocents on our hands, too, said Lisa, anyway I’m done here, I’m off to see the couple in Downend who had their car taken last night, uniform found it this morning, burnt out on the edge of Kenston. Are you coming? she asked.

No, I’m going to interview Charlie Jacobs in custody, his solicitor should be here now. I’ll take Stephens with me and Caris can go with you, all girls together. Be careful though Caris, she’s not a married woman yet, she might be up for a last fling replied Jim Carter.

Oh, Lisa it looks like our secret is out, we’ll have to go public with the affair now! Caris Lloyd said sarcastically as she crossed the office to join Lisa.

Looks like it, and we won’t be inviting you to watch either, perv Lisa snapped at Jim as the two women made their way out of the crime office and downstairs towards the main reception.

That man is a real arsehole, why did the boss agree to have him here? asked Caris of Lisa as they came to the bottom of the stairs.

I don’t think he had much choice, anyway we’ve only got him until Christmas, then Ed will be back. I wish it was sooner though; it’s a shame, Ed’ll miss the wedding as well Lisa answered her.

As they got to the police station reception, John the desk sergeant looked up.

Lisa, I was just going to ring up to you, have you got a minute? John asked.

Sure. Here, you get in the car - I won’t be long said Lisa, throwing the car keys back to Caris.

No, Caris can come too, said John as he lifted part of the counter top up for the women to pass through.

Ok, what’s up John, you look worried? asked Lisa as they passed through and into the small office behind reception.

Look, two of my uniform lads have just got back from the infirmary, there’s been a serious mugging on the downs. A young lad was walking back from school and a gang jumped him, stole his mobile, gave him a real beating and stabbed him in the stomach. He’s in surgery now, apparently, and it’s touch and go John told them.

Christ, we better leave Downend and get over to the hospital said Lisa, and she started to turn and leave the office.

Hang on Lisa, I haven’t finished, said John, the gang were stopped by some civilians who called us, and an ambulance, but not before two of them had been punched by the gang.

No wonder people don’t want to get involved, are they badly hurt? Lisa asked.

It doesn’t seem so, just a black eye, cuts and bruises, the thing is though Lisa, one of the civilians was Chloe. Your Chloe John started to say, but before he could finish Lisa had left the office and was heading out to her car, with Caris running after her.

Lisa and Caris drove straight to the city’s main hospital and parked in the car park by the emergency department. They hadn’t spoken much on the way, Caris had tried to calm Lisa down by telling her that John had said Chloe’s injuries weren’t serious, but she too was concerned. Caris, like Lisa’s other colleagues and friends in C.I.D., liked Chloe; they had all got to know her quite well over the past year and a half. The wine bar that Chloe now part-owned had become a regular watering hole for them all.

The two women were just about to go into the casualty department when they saw Chloe coming out, Lisa ran over and hugged her.

Are you ok? Oh god what happened, oh your poor face Lisa spoke quickly holding Chloe then looking at her bruised face.

Hey, hang on, don’t squash me to death! I’m fine, it’s just a shiner that’s all, and a little cut, the other guy who helped me got pretty much the same. He’s just gone home, it’s the poor lad they attacked that I’m worried about smiled Chloe at her.

I’ll take you home then go and see about him, are you sure you’re ok? Lisa said releasing the hold she had on Chloe.

I’m fine but I don’t want to go home, not until I know how he is. I’ll stay with you Chloe replied, and Lisa could tell that it was no use arguing with her. Lisa turned to Caris.

Can you phone back to the station and tell them we’re staying here to investigate more, tell Stephens and Craven to go and interview the couple in Downend after they’ve finished with Charlie Jacobs, and tell Stephens if Craven kicks off to remind him that while D.I. Graham is away I am still senior officer, ok? We’ll be inside, I’ll see when the lad’s due to be out of surgery and then we’ll go for a coffee Lisa told Caris.

Caris nodded and Lisa and Chloe went into the hospital, they were told that the boy who’d been injured was expected to be out of surgery within the next half hour, then Lisa would be able to speak with the surgeon, so they headed towards the hospital cafe.

Once they’d got coffee and sat down Lisa spoke.

Why did you get involved? That could be you up there she said, meaning the boy in surgery.

Come on, don’t give me a hard time, you’d have done the same thing. I couldn’t just stand by and watch then kick him to death, could I? said Chloe. It was such a lovely afternoon, I was just riding through the park, I thought I’d drop by the house and see how the paint had dried in the bedroom, then next thing I knew all hell had broken loose. I’m just glad those people were nearby to help, I didn’t think at the time, it was all so quick Chloe took a gasp as she spoke - it was only now that the true horror of what had happened began to hit her.

Come on drink your coffee. You’ve had a shock, you could do with a brandy really said Lisa, putting her hand on Chloe’s arm. Caris came across the cafe towards them, All done, have you heard anything yet? she asked. Lisa was just about to answer her when the lift doors opposite them opened and a doctor came out towards them. Lisa recognized him, he was the surgeon who’d taken her appendix out the previous year. She stood up.

Mr. Crabtree? Lisa Cambridge, Detective Sergeant she said, holding out her hand towards him.

Yes, I remember, how are you? said the surgeon.

I’m fine, is it you who operated on the boy who was attacked? How is he? Lisa asked.

Not so good, I’m afraid. We had to remove his spleen, the stabbing had done too much damage, and he’s lost a lot of blood, but our main concern is the swelling on his brain from the kicking he took. He’s in a coma at the moment, we’re monitoring him very closely, and may need to take him back to theatre. The neurosurgeon will make a decision in the next two hours. So far, apparently, no one has been able to contact his next of kin; we had no choice but to operate for the stabbing, but we really do need a parent here now Mr. Crabtree told them.

Lisa thanked him and said that she would get on to finding the parents straight away.

Right no arguments, you’re going home to rest, and we’re going to track this kid’s parents down said Lisa to Chloe when the surgeon had left. Chloe didn’t argue and they finished their coffee and left the hospital.

They dropped Chloe at the flat that she and Lisa shared and made sure that she was ok, then Lisa and Caris headed in the direction of the injured boy’s address, which the hospital had been able to give them from a library card in the boy’s jacket pocket.

Jack Lewis was the name of the boy who had been mugged, and he lived in a house at the far end of the Downs. It was in quite an affluent area of the city, old Victorian houses of some considerable size, most of which were behind high walls covered in Virginia Creeper shrubs. The gates of the house that Lisa and Caris were visiting were open and they could see a Mercedes parked on the driveway. Lisa put her hand on the car bonnet.

Someone’s home then, I wonder why they haven’t answered the message you left on the answer machine remarked Chloe as they squeezed past the car and headed for the front door.

The engine’s still warm, looks like they have only just got back replied Lisa as she pressed the doorbell.

Almost as soon as she’d rung the bell the door was opened by an attractive woman who looked to be in her early forties, she was smartly dressed and still had her bag in her hand and a jacket over her arm.

Hi, can I help? she said putting the bag down on a shelf near the door.

I’m Detective Sergeant Lisa Cambridge and this is Detective Constable Lloyd, are you Mrs. Lewis? Lisa asked as they both showed their warrant cards.

Yes, what’s wrong? I’ve only just got back, please come in Mrs. Lewis opened the door wider and the two women entered the hallway.

We’ve been trying to contact you, Mrs. Lewis, I’ve left a message on your answering machine Lisa told her. By now they could all see a red light flashing on the small answer machine on the hallway shelf, next to where Mrs. Lewis had placed her bag. It was flashing to indicate four new messages, Mrs. Lewis was just about to press the button but Lisa interrupted her.

Perhaps we can go and sit down somewhere she said.

Er, yes, of course - oh God, what’s happened? Is it Jack? Tony? Mrs. Lewis said with a note of panic in her voice. She had gone quite pale.

Let’s just go through here, shall we Caris said, she could see a room through a doorway from the hall and she guided Mrs. Lewis through. It was a large, sunny room with tasteful furniture; it had a large red sofa in the bay window, the room was decorated in cream, black and red, the walls were all cream except one that had large black and red flowers on what looked to be very expensive wallpaper. There were shelves staggered on the plain walls and on them were framed photographs, most of which were of a boy in various stages of growing up. Caris sat by Mrs. Lewis on the sofa and Lisa took a chair nearby.

Mrs. Lewis, we believe that your son Jack has been mugged. Mrs. Lewis caught her breath as Lisa started to speak.

A boy with Jack’s library card in his jacket was mugged earlier this afternoon walking along the Downs, he has been quite badly injured and was taken to the Infirmary, the doctors there had to operate on him because he had been stabbed, Lisa continued. Mrs. Lewis had put her hands up to her face, and tears were falling silently down her cheeks. Caris put an arm around her. Lisa explained the rest of the details about what the doctors had done, and also that Jack was in a critical condition because of the swelling on his brain.

Mrs. Lewis Lisa said.

Diane, my name’s Diane

Diane, is there someone we can call for you? Your husband Tony perhaps, and would you like us to take you to the hospital? Lisa asked.

Yes, yes please I don’t think I could drive. I’ll call Tony now Diane reached into her skirt pocket and took out her mobile phone, Why did they do it? What did they want from my Jack? He wouldn’t hurt a fly she asked.

We think he was mugged for his mobile phone. Come, we’ll take you to him said Lisa, and they stood up and left the room, Caris picking up Diane’s bag from the shelf in the hallway and making sure that the door was locked as they left.

On the journey to the hospital Diane had telephoned her husband who had said that he would meet them there. She’d told Lisa and Caris that he worked in the city centre at a bank, and she herself had a beauty salon also in the city; that Jack was thirteen years old and normally walked home from school over the Downs, and that Diane was always back within an hour of Jack getting home. She said he usually spent that hour doing his homework, then most nights they all ate together at seven when Jack’s father got home. They seemed like a nice normal happy family, Jack was their only son; Lisa and Caris were both inwardly praying that there would be good news when they got to the infirmary.

When they reached the hospital Jack’s father was already there, Diane ran to him and he held her as she sobbed. Lisa explained briefly to Tony Lewis what had happened and then they all entered the hospital, they took the lift to the fourth floor where Jack was being monitored in intensive care, and as they waited for a nurse to let them in, a doctor came over.

Mr. and Mrs. Lewis, is it? he asked, to which they nodded. This way, please said the doctor, he buzzed the door and they entered the clinical environment of the I.C.U. department. As they made their way to the bay where Jack was, the doctor explained to them that the neurosurgeon was getting more concerned about Jack’s condition, and she wanted to operate to remove swelling from his brain. Tony had to support his wife, who nearly fainted when they got to the boy’s bedside.

Jack Lewis was hooked up to various machines including a ventilator, the doctor had explained that he was in a coma and that the machine was helping him to breathe. The boy’s face was swollen and bruised and unrecognizable from the photographs in the Lewis’s living room, he had intravenous drips running into his arms and a monitor was making regular bleeping sounds at his side.

Diane, we’ll leave you in private for now, but please if there’s anything that you need, call me; any time said Lisa, quietly handing Tony her card, which had her office and mobile phone numbers on it.

Thank you. Just catch the bastards who did this, please said Tony Lewis as Lisa and Caris turned to leave the I.C.U.

Did Chloe get a good look at them? asked Caris, as they returned to the ground floor and headed out to the car park.

We didn’t get chance to talk about it all properly. Look it’s nearly six now, we’ll pop back to the station just to see what’s gone on there, then I want to get home to her and check how she is. Can I leave you to write the report up? Lisa replied.

Of course you can, look there’s no need for you to come in just drop me and then go to Chloe. I’ll ring you and update you in half an hour Caris told Lisa.

Thanks Lisa replied. They drove to the police station, where Lisa dropped Caris, then she headed as quickly as she could back to their flat and Chloe.

CHAPTER TWO

C hloe was lying down relaxing on the sofa when Lisa entered their flat. There were boxes stacked all over the place, and the walls were bare because the girls were due to move house the following day.

Chloe got up as Lisa entered.

Any news? she asked.

They’re taking him back into theatre, they need to operate on a swelling on his brain Lisa said grimly as she took her coat off and threw it over some packing boxes. She sat down on the edge of a wooden crate.

How are you, anyway? You could be in shock Lisa said.

"I’m fine. I got the shakes when I first got back, it had all happened so quickly; it was only when I