Crime Fiction Series With Strong Female Protagonist
Angela Murphy Murder Mysteries by Elly Grant
Series Excerpt
On Liz’s advice Angela had some lunch before heading back to the office. Liz was the third generation of her family to be a cop and both her brothers were policemen.
”Trust me,” she said, “Eat whenever you can when you’re on a job because the high heed yins think you’re a machine. They think you can run on hard work and air.”
When Angela got back to the office it was practically empty. There was just one typist clicking away on her computer keyboard and a detective called Paul Costello in the room. The office was overdue for refurbishment and nothing had been upgraded since the nineteen-sixties. The grey, metal desks and filing cabinets, strip lighting and vinyl floor covering, had seen better days and the whole place looked dingy and depressing. Angela had just laid her bag on a desk when a voice boomed out from the small room at the end of the main office.
“Murphy,” Frank Martin roared. “Get your arse in here and bring coffee with you, milk, no sugar.”
Paul Costello chuckled and shook his head.
“Is he always that polite, or have I been singled out for special attention?” Angela asked.
“Naw, it’s not you, Hen, he’s always a grumpy old bastard. You’ll get used to it.”
“I don’t think so,” Angela said, setting her jaw in a determined way that made Paul chuckle again.
“What are you doing Murphy? I’m dying of caffeine deficiency here. Get a bloody move on.”
Paul winked and smiled. “You’d better get going before he blows a gasket. The coffee will calm him down. I’m sure he’d rather have a Scotch, but he doesn’t drink on the job, well not much, not like some of them.”
Angela picked up two polystyrene cups and filled them with coffee then headed for Frank’s room.
“You took your time,” he said as she placed the cups on his desk. “Typical, you wait for ages then two turn up at once,” he added eyeing the coffees.
“One’s for me,” Angela said stating the obvious. “I don’t appreciate being bellowed at across the office. I know you’re the Boss, but your manners are atrocious and it’s against all policy to speak to me like that. Would you please try to remember I’m a professional,” she added primly.
“Oh, for fucks sake, Angela, this isn’t some namby pamby girl’s finishing school. If you’re going to survive in this job you’ll hear a lot worse than me. Get over yourself girl. Now pull up a chair, sit down and shut up.”
Angela bristled with indignation, but rather than create a fuss, she did as she was told and sat down on the ripped leather chair facing Frank. It surprised her that, although he was fastidious about his person, his office was a mess. The bin was overflowing with rubbish and pieces of screwed up paper lay around it on the floor. His wooden desk was pitted and marked with rings and the cork message board behind it had aged notes, curled and brown, attached haphazardly with drawing pins.
“What did you find out from the witness?” Frank asked.
“Not a lot, I’m afraid. She saw a tall, slim, man wearing a grey hoodie, but as Mrs Ali is very short, to her, a tall person might be anything over five foot six. The timing was right though and she was close enough to see what she thought were blood stains on the hoodie. Are these the photos from the scene?” She asked nodding at the images strewn on the desk.
“No, these are the photos from the other murder, ten years ago. It could be the same apartment. You thought they were from this morning’s job. I told you it looked staged.”
“Oh my God, you’re absolutely right, it looks the same. The radio plugged into the socket and hanging off the worktop, the way she’s lying with the robe slightly open and her hair stuck to the floor with blood, it’s identical.”
“Aye, the only thing missing from the scene, as I remember it, is the victim’s son.”
“I didn’t realise you were actually at the first scene. It must have been quite disturbing to witness today’s murder with it being so alike.”
“It freaked me out. I don’t mind telling you. It really freaked me out.”
“Do you think we’re dealing with the same killer?”
“I just don’t know. If it is, where’s he been for ten years? The original killer was never caught, so it’s not like he was in jail. In fact, when I read the case file, I was shocked at how little we’d had to go on. There were no witnesses and hardly any evidence. The woman was a prossie, dozens of men visited the house. It could have been anyone.”
“You said she had a son, didn’t he see anything? Couldn’t he give the names of any of the men?”
“No, the lad was traumatised. The only men he mentioned were his Uncle Mal, who was dead, and his father, who he’d never met, and who was also dead.”
“What happened to the boy?”
Angela, it’s been ten years, who the hell cares what happened to a dead prossie’s son? Let’s concentrate on the job in hand. We need to get out on the street and talk to people. If Mrs Ali saw something then maybe other people have information too.”
“So you want me to go back to Govanhill? I’ve just got into the office. Could you not have phoned me and told me to stay put?”
“What’s your problem? You’re being paid. Are you worried about missing your lunch?”
“No problem, Boss, I’ve already had my lunch,” Angela replied smugly. So that’s his game, she thought. Keep the junior on her toes. Give her a hard time and toughen her up. Nice try.
“I’m requesting a uniformed officer to assist me. Have you any objections?”
Frank smiled slowly, “I take it you have someone in mind for the job?”
“I don’t care who it is,” Angela replied, not wanting to give anything away. “As long as they’re smart and don’t get under my feet.”
“Choose who you like, it makes no difference to me as long as their boss is okay with it. Just get you’re arse back out there and come up with some answers before the press remember the previous case and crucify us. Now fuck off back to work and give me some space.”
As soon as Angela got back to her desk she put in a request for Liz Brown. Although she was a junior officer she had a lifetime of experience dealing with cops and that was just what Angela needed. With a bit of luck Liz might be able to help her understand what made Frank tick.
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