Free Perfect Intentions: Sometimes justice is above the law by Leona Turner

wouldn’t take long for the survival instinct to kick in. You’d be surprised how resilient and resourceful the mind can be under the extreme pressure to carry on living.”
    Jimmy took a large drink of his tea and winced. Coffee. Drinking it down quickly, he put his cup back down and turned back to Loretta.
    “Ok, so why didn’t he look inside the box?”
    “Well, why wouldn’t you look inside the box in his position?”
    “I don’t know. I guess if I thought opening it would make my situation worse.”
    “Exactly. Now consider what was found on top of the box.”
    “A clock.’”
    “Yes, now, considering everything else, why do you suppose he didn’t open the box?”
    Reassessing all the new ideas, it didn’t take Jimmy long to work it out.
    “He believed there was a bomb in it? That’s the reason he didn’t wait for the flames to die down or open the box? But why leave the keys in the box? Did the killer want him to escape?” Jimmy’s face was agog.
    “I wouldn’t think so. Maybe they wanted you to believe the victim had a chance, but in reality, he didn’t. It’s an incredibly elaborate plot; I don’t think these two murders are going to be isolated.”
    “Meaning?” Holt was almost afraid to ask.
    “Meaning, given the amount of time taken to execute them and how close together they were…”
    Loretta paused for a moment and looked Holt in the eye.
    “You are looking for a serial killer, a highly organised individual. The only thing you can be completely sure of, Inspector Holt, is that there will be more bodies. How many more is up to the killer.”
    “And us,” Holt amended.
    Loretta got up and went to pick up Holt’s cup.
    “I’ll get you a refill” Holt, still lost in thought, brought his hand down on top of Loretta’s to stop her.
    “No, it’s ok, thank you. I’ve got to get going now anyway.”
    Realising his hand was still covering Loretta’s, he quickly removed it and gathered up all the photos that now littered the table. Getting up, he turned to Loretta.
    “Well, thank you for your time, but I really ought to get back to the station.”
    Holt wasn’t sure why, but he suddenly felt embarrassed. His need to leave the confines of Loretta’s apartment made him suddenly clumsy. As he reached the living room doorway, his jacket caught on the door handle. Acutely aware of his faux pas, he started quickly down the hall toward the front door when his foot found the underside of the hall runner rug. He fell face first, and the photos spewed across the floor. He heard Loretta coming up behind him, and he quickly started gathering the photos up. She knelt down next to him to help. As she did, she paused to look over the photos of the second murder scene. She stared at them for a moment before handing them back to him.
    “Did you want to leave those photos here so I can look over the second murder properly?”
    “I appreciate the offer, but I can’t, I’m afraid; they shouldn’t really have left the station.”
    “Ok, then.” Getting up with him, Loretta walked him to the door.
    “Well, thanks again. Would it be ok to come round again at some point?”
    “Of course, glad to be of service.” She grinned then, and the act made her look childlike. She opened the door for him and he walked out.
    “Take care of yourself, Jimmy.”
    “Will do; you, too.” He smiled at her as she closed the door, and then he leant back against outside wall of the apartment.
    What the hell was that?
    He hadn’t behaved like that in female company since he was fifteen. There was no denying Loretta was an attractive woman, but to lose his nerve so quickly? All he’d done was touch her hand. He could see why strangers would find themselves opening up to her. She had the rarest of qualities; an authoritative presence coupled with a gentle manner. And her eyes, she had the eyes of a long lost friend, someone you may not have seen in a lifetime but you feel entirely comfortable pouring your soul out