What's Left Behind

[Lynette Rees]

I got the idea for this story after watching a real-life crime documentary about a murdered teenage girl. She set out for school one day walking through a wooded area and was never to return home again. Her body was discovered several days later, she’d been strangled. Her killer was never found, until years later, when the police discovered they still had her red duffle coat stored in a locker at the police station. There was now one major difference to how crimes were solved — DNA! And so the murder was solved.

It got me thinking, what if a young detective ended up being visited by a ghost from her past when she’s involved in a series of killings in her home town?

This is a story which dips into the past as policewoman, Ruth Carter, is forced to relive her youth once again and remember the horrific murder of her best friend, Jenny Johnson, whilst the police search for a serial killer in the community who calls himself, ‘Prince Charming’…

***

When an elderly man turns up at her police station, D.S. Ruth Carter, does not immediately recognise him. However, when she does, she is immediately transported back in time to the 1980s when her best friend Jenny was murdered.

“There’s a man at the desk asking for you.” P.C. Aled Evans held the door open for her.

Sergeant Ruth Carter frowned. “What’s he want?”

The policeman scratched his head. “Dunno. Didn’t ask him.”

The bloody probationer didn’t have a clue. For goodness sake, the first rule was to prioritise, didn’t he realise that?
…
“Hello, Mr Johnson. I’m Detective Ruth Carter. What can I do for you?”

She detected a twinkle in his eye. “You don’t remember me, do you?”

Looking directly at her, his eyes softening, he said just one word. “Jenny.”

She fought to stop the image from entering her brain. For more than thirty years she had pushed it aside. Jenny was the reason she had gone into the police force in the first place.

Her hand flew to her mouth, her heart started to pound reminding her of all the frightening and scary events of her life.
—
There’s a killer on the loose who calls himself, ‘Prince Charming’, his modus operandi is to leave just one shoe on his victims. The murderer’s style is similar to the person who killed Jenny back in the eighties, but is this the same man?

Whilst the killer plays a ‘Cat and Mouse’ game with the detectives, Ruth’s personal life begins to unravel. What has her partner Pete been up to while she’s been at work? He’s been staying out over night and making excuses for his absences. Can she trust him? Particularly as he went missing the night of one of the murders.

Who is the killer is he a stranger or is he someone that she thought she knew so well?

Available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Whats-Behind-Detective-Carter-Thriller-ebo...