Free Easy Kill by Lin Anderson

she could, if she was going to keep Minty off her back. The onlyway to face that was to take something. She took the Valium from the bedside cabinet and swallowed four, then took another two to make sure.
    As she got ready to go out, she watched the news. The original story, about a young girl murdered on a night out, had been replaced with the truth. Lucie’s face stared out at Leanne, as the horrifying details of her death were read out. But nothing prepared Leanne for what followed. The revelation that a second body had been found buried below the first, sent her into hysterics. She was crying so loudly, she didn’t hear the first bang on the door. Then Minty’s voice broke through her sobbing.
    ‘Open the fucking door!’
    Leanne froze as fists pounded the flimsy wood.
    ‘I said open the fucking door!’
    Leanne tried desperately to get her head into gear. The Valium was kicking in, bringing euphoria to replace the panic. Minty would be a whole lot angrier if she didn’t let him in. But maybe he would think she wasn’t there and would go away? Leanne stood motionless, unable to make a decision.
    The next thump sent the door flying, crashing against the inside wall. Leanne glanced wildly around, but there was nowhere to hide. Terri had always been the one to deal with Minty. She hadn’t been scared of him, not the way Leanne was.
    Now he was in, Minty was taking his time. Leanne heard him go through to the living room, then the squeaking hinge told her he was in the kitchen. If she ran now, she might just make it down the hall and outthe front door. Leanne glanced down at her half-clothed body and bare feet. Minty would catch her before she got as far as the stairs.
    The door swung open. Minty was perspiring heavily from his exertions. He stank of sweat, stale beer and skag. He smiled when he saw her, exposing the space where his two front teeth should have been. Leanne made a useless attempt to cover her exposed top half. But Minty wasn’t interested in bare breasts; not yet, anyway.
    He snapped his fingers. ‘Money.’
    Leanne struggled to find her voice. ‘I told you on the phone.’ She licked her lips. ‘The police have Terri’s money. I’ll make it up tonight.’
    He thought about that, his eyes roaming over her. Leanne reached for the top she’d laid out on the bed. Until now, Minty had taken their money and never demanded anything else. Lucie had been different. She had been his to own – a piece of streetmeat he’d controlled and fed off when required.
    And Lucie was dead.
    The terrifying thought that Minty might be the killer crossed Leanne’s mind. Maybe Lucie had done something to piss Minty off, like not handing over her earnings, or spending it all on drugs.
    ‘I have to go to work.’ Leanne pulled on the top and sat down to put on her shoes. The tranquillisers were generating a wave of disinterest, as though she were an onlooker rather than a participant in the scene.
    Leanne rose unsteadily and had to widen her stance to balance on her heels. In her present state, Minty’sapproach appeared to play out in slow motion, although it must have taken only a split second. She saw the gleam of the knife as he flicked it open, then he was on her. A hand grabbed her bare crotch under the short skirt and she yelped as his nails dug into the sensitive flesh. Then he used the blade to hook the strapless top and yank it down to expose one breast.
    To her fury and shame the nipple grew hard, as adrenalin fuelled by fear fought the Valium for control of her body. Minty swiped the blade past, so close Leanne thought he’d cut her nipple. His face was an inch from hers, his mouth frothed with angry spittle.
    ‘Tomorrow. Got it?’
    Leanne forced a nod.
    Minty pushed her away and she staggered back, her head reeling. Then he was gone, the door slamming behind him. Leanne sat on the edge of the bed, the room drifting in and out of focus. She longed to curl up and let the drug take over, but she had to