Page 28 of Her Last Walk Home

She laughed. ‘That’s so corny.’

Leading her by the hand, he brought her into the kitchen, where he’d been cooking a curry before he’d gone upstairs to decorate the bedroom.

‘Smells…’ She paused. ‘Is it burning, Larry?’

‘Goddammit to hell.’ He whipped the pan off the hob. The curry sauce, which should have been a creamy yellow, was burned brown. The chicken pieces had shrivelled to black dots like buttons on a coat. The rice had melded into a soggy mess.

Switching off the appliances, he scratched his head. ‘I wanted to do something special for you. Looks like it’s a mega failure.’

‘It’s the thought that counts. We can order in. The table is fab, though.’

He felt heat flush up his cheeks. He’d set it with new plates and cutlery that he’d got at half price in the Guineys January sale, and he’d sprinkled a few rose petals across the table too. Despite all that, he felt like a grade-A dope.

She pulled out a chair and sat, wincing.

He sat opposite her. ‘Want me to take off your brace?’

‘I need my pills first. Would you be a pet?’

‘Your wish is my command.’ He filled a glass of water and fetched her pills from the cupboard. As she swallowed them, he noticed dark rings circling her eyes. ‘Is the new job taking too much out of you?’

‘It’s tiring, but I need it to keep me sane. I was going bananas looking at the same walls day in, day out. And Larry, I really appreciate all this.’ She swept her hand out over the table. ‘What will we order?’

‘I’d love a McDonald’s.’

She laughed. ‘That’s what we’ll have then. Ring it in, and while we’re waiting, you can take this cursed thing off my leg.’

‘With pleasure.’

Kirby smiled. Maybe tonight wouldn’t be a total disaster.

26

He’d sat in his shed, on and off, for most of the day, after he’d scoured the inside of the car and scrubbed himself for the third time. He thought about the man who’d been murdered on the building site. Waiting for the release of his name. Nothing had been leaked so far. He was fearful, and that angered him.

He had to park all that and direct his rage elsewhere. First, though, he had to think where he’d gone wrong with the young woman they’d found at the cinema complex. After much deliberation, and ten pots planted with seeds from little packets, he reached the conclusion thatshewas right. He had to watch them for a longer period before he took them. He had to listen to her and take direction from her. Shewouldn’t like him to make a big fucking mistake again.

One thing he was sure of, he had to be aware that the next one might fight back like Laura had. The news app gave some of her details. Laura Nolan. Age twenty-five. So shehadlied about her age. Bitch. And she had a son! That had never been in the equation. Just as well he’d killed her. If he’d brought her home, there would have been hell to pay whenshefound out about the child. As it was, she’d shouted at him for ten full minutes before she’d run out of breath.

‘They are all prostitutes,’ she’d said. ‘No one cares about them. They fade from the front page quickly, and if the media isn’t harping on about them, then the guards won’t put in the effort. They will be forgotten about. Like the other waste of space we have here. No one missed her. But Laura had a child! Are you totally stupid or what?’

He didn’t remind her that she’d had a hand in selecting Laura. Why didn’tsheknow about the kid? It wasn’t all his fault, was it? He kept that thought to himself.

He got into his car and drove into town. He could smell the bleach. Despite that, he doubted he had got rid of every last speck of blood. He had to be even more careful now. He parked, got out and locked the car, then headed towards Fallon’s, where all the young ones hung out.

It was time to stalk the next prey.

Shannon Kenny held a bottle of Coors Light in her hand while her friend Jess guzzled a pint of Orchard Thieves. Fallon’s was busy by 9.30, it being Friday night and all, but they’d found a nook that afforded them a view of the pub.

‘And you left him there?’ Jess said, putting her glass down. ‘You walked out on your date last night?’

‘He was a flirt. Eyeing up the woman behind the bar and ignoring me. I’ve had enough of that shite.’

‘Jealous boots.’

‘I didn’t give a shit, to be honest.’

‘Did you get paid at least?’

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