She Wasn't You

Chapter 17

Seeing her lifeless body laying beneath me was a thing of beauty. She had this coming for a long time, I'm sure some people will miss her but killing Nicola didn't leave me with the same guilt that I had inside after Philippa took her last breath. This time around it seemed more artistic, it felt real.

I had to move fast to unlock her phone with one of her fat thumbs before it was too late.

You didn't think I was going to leave my messages on her Facebook for all to see, did you? That would make me number one suspect in an instant. I wasn't finished yet, Katie. One more and I'd officially become a serial killer. That would get your attention, wouldn't it?

Thankfully I managed to get into her messages without too much fuss and deleted the evidence. I'm sure there is some sort of trick they can do to retrieve messages which is fine. I'm not expecting to get away with this for much longer, I just needed to buy myself as much time as humanly possible right now.

The stupid bitch had left her keys in the ignition of the car, what if someone had stolen it while she was being murdered? Did she not think this through? Although that would have made my life so much easier and put them in the frame for her murder.

Not to worry - I'll clear my own mess up. Now, in the movies the car wouldn't have started, would it? It would have failed to turn over and leave me here stranded with my DNA coated all over this shit heap of a car and it smelt. Not a nice female smell either, this was a masked smell of sweat and nastiness. She tried covering it up with one of those floral air fresheners but she failed miserably. It's smelt of desperation and failure. Just like her.

I drove the car a good two or three miles down the road. I knew a spot where you could drive in a few hundred feet and away from view. Although, this car would be visible for miles around in a few seconds, once I manage to get these damn plates off.

After a few minutes of trying to yank the back plate free, it finally snapped off and I moved quickly to stuff them into my bag. It was going to be a tight fit but fortunately the bag zipped up with them out of sight. Mainly because it would take them a little longer to identify the owner of the car and give me some more time but I took them as a trophy.

My first ever trophy.

I should have taken one from Philippa too, but I was new to this then. I'm almost a pro now.

Now it was time to clear as much evidence as I possibly could, I threw the torn of rag of clothing which I found in the back of her car and stuffed it into her petrol tank, just enough poking out for me to light it with the metal lighter in my pocket. I stood back and watched as the flame took hold of the cotton and not too long after, the entire car was engulfed in flames, burning away like a furnace which cut the chill off of the evening air. Toasty.

I knew I couldn't enjoy the warmth for long and had to get myself as far away from here as possible and as quickly as I could. It would only be a matter of time before someone phoned the Fire Brigade which would also bring out the Ambulances and police cars.

I hoped I had left enough of a gap between her and the car so the police didn't find her too soon. We'd soon find out just how good they are at their jobs, wouldn't we?

                                  ~~~

It took me hours to get back to the office that night. I'd left the car so far away from civilisation it seemed that it could be weeks before anyone found the car as it took me ages to thumb down a lift. Eventually being picked up by a very nice elderly couple a good mile away from the burning car.

I obviously had to dodge the inevitable questions.

"What are you doing here alone at this time of night?"

My car had broken down...

"Do you not have a mobile phone?"

No, I left it at home.

"You must be freezing! Are you hungry?"

I mean, yes but I couldn't waste time eating now could I, Doreen?

I loved that old people always wanted to fill your stomach, it had always been the same ever since I was young. Old people feeding you until you couldn't move. I hope I get to become that old person one day.

Maybe we could be that old couple, Katie? Together forever and feeding all passers by. You up for that?

They did almost catch me out with the mobile phone question though. Because we all carry our phones around now, don't we? And ordinarily I would have but today was different. Hence why I'm back at the office at midnight.

I had to leave it here, it gave me an alibi should anyone even get a sniff that I was involved and start digging around in phone records. Mine would have been here the entire night which would surely be good enough for the police to believe, after all as I said, we all ALWAYS have our phones on us.

And if they didn't believe me, I had a witness who could confirm I was here all night.

Steve.

Steve had been a security guard in our company for years now. Longer than I had been around and he was a lovely old boy. I obviously didn't tell him the truth about where I was, all he knows is that I was in the pub after work and to let Ellie and anybody else that came asking know that I was in a zoom meeting with the team in L.A and was unable to take any calls, should she or anyone else decide to call. I mean she shouldn't call as she usually believed me when I told her I was working late but I had to cover my own tracks. Even if that did mean being in three different places at once.

Steve also unwittingly gave me the perfect escape route from the building so I wouldn't be caught leaving when I did. Again, should the police track me down and need evidence against me.

At the last Christmas party, Steve had been under the influence a little too much and told me that there was a camera that pointed to the exit into the car park which had been out of service for years but he didn't want to tell anyone that it needed fixing as it was his spot.

I didn't want to ask him to elaborate on that any further but the alcohol had made him feel like he had to tell me all of the gory details of him being sucked off by the old managing director of the company back in the day. They used to sneak down there and get up to all sorts of mischief without the worry of being caught as he himself had disconnected the wiring.

I'm not sure how nobody else had ever picked up on the fact it wasn't working but I'm grateful I never asked or flagged it to anyone else as I had my escape route without the need to use my card to exit as I followed the night cleaner down to the car park and acted as if I had forgotten my pass. And like the gentleman he was, he happily allowed me to follow him through the door. No questions asked.

So not only was my phone here at the time of Nicola's murder but thanks to Steve, I had an alibi and an eye witness that I was here with my phone and the fact that nobody had any proof of me exiting the building. My tracks were covered.

The one thing that did shock me tonight though, was that you are on Facebook aren't you Katie?

I knew you were because we were 'friends' on there years ago and you just disappeared one day without a trace of warning. I assumed you had just taken the higher moral ground and removed yourself from the site but after having a sneak around Nicola's phone before throwing it in a nearby lake, you were on her friends list and I must say, I'm still shocked you're with him. You are too good for him Katie! But your children are adorable and definitely get their looks from their beautiful mother.

Two more questions do remain though.

When and why did you block me?

***