The Kat and Mouse Murder Mysteries Box Set Read online

  The Kat and Mouse Murder Mysteries

  Books 1 to 4

  Anita Waller

  Copyright © 2018 and 2019 Anita Waller

  The right of Anita Waller to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by her in accordance Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  First published in 2018 and 2019by Bloodhound Books

  Apart from any use permitted under UK copyright law, this publication may only be reproduced, stored, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means, with prior permission in writing of the publisher or, in the case of reprographic production, in accordance with the terms of licences issued by the Copyright Licensing Agency.

  All characters in this publication are fictitious and any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.

  www.bloodhoundbooks.com

  Praise for Anita Waller

  “A masterclass in suspense. This is Waller at her best.” - Betsy Reavley, bestselling author of Murder at the Book Club and The Optician's Wife

  “A whirlwind of a read and a poignant one.” - Nicki's Book Blog

  “If you are after a book that deals with family, relationships and friendship that takes dark turns and twists that will hook you from the very beginning then you really do need to read this.” - Yvonne Me and My Books

  "Thanks for a great read Anita Waller! When is the next one out??" - Rebecca Burton, If Only I Could Read Faster

  "This book has lots of gasp out loud moments and plenty that will make you a little weepy too (it did for me anyway)." - Lorna Cassidy, On The Shelf Reviews

  "This is an engrossing read that I pretty much inhaled." - Philomena Callan, Cheekypee Reads And Reviews

  "Waller has an amazing skill to grab you and keep you interested until the very last page." - Eclectic Ramblings of Author Heather Osborne

  "WOW! ANITA HAS DONE IT AGAIN. What a bloody brilliant, outstanding, captivating story." - Gemma Myers, Between The Pages Book Club

  "This is a very gritty read...Add into the mix, the ruthlessness of the gangsters and you’ve got a cracking crime thriller." - Claire Knight, A Knight's Reads

  "It has twists and turns, shocks and honestly at times I had no idea what the end would be!" - Donna Maguire, Donna’s Book Blog

  "The author really keeps you on the edge of your seat – the twists made me gasp and she sets the atmosphere absolutely perfectly." - Melisa Broadbent, Broadbean's Books

  "If you are looking for a crime thriller that is somewhat unnerving as it is every mothers worst nightmare, a fast paced page turner that keeps you guessing. Then I definitely recommend Captor!" - Dash Fan Book Reviews

  Also By Anita Waller

  Psychological thrillers

  Beautiful

  Angel

  34 Days

  Strategy

  Captor

  Game Players

  Malignant

  Supernatural

  Winterscroft

  Contents

  Murder Undeniable

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  Murder Unexpected

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  Murder Unearthed

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  Murder Untimely

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Acknowledgements

  A note from the publisher

  Love crime, thriller and mystery books?

  You will also enjoy:

  Dedicated with love to my husband, Dave,

  with gratitude for his patience and tea-making skills.

  No teapots were hurt during the writing

  of this book.

  I would like to be there, were it but

  to see how the cat j
umps.

  In WEK Anderson (ed), Journals of Sir Walter Scott

  11 December 1826

  Mountains will go into labour,

  and a silly little mouse will be born.

  Ars Poetica 1.139

  Sweet is revenge – especially to women.

  Don Juan (1819-24)

  Canto1, st.117

  1

  8 May 2002

  Caroline Phillips and Isla Norman sat on the ground behind the riverside wall; Caroline took out a packet of cigarettes and a lighter. ‘Let’s have one now before the lads get here,’ she said, ‘and then they can smoke their own instead of ours.’

  Isla giggled. She was a giggly person by default, and at that moment her fascination for Oliver Merchant, with his blonde hair, slim body and piercing blue eyes, was making her even more giggly than usual.

  ‘They said they’d come after football practice had finished, so they’ll not be here yet.’

  ‘I heard from Sarah last night. She said to wish Michael happy birthday, and she’s sorry she’s not here to take part.’

  ‘She like her new school?’ Caroline asked, dragging on the cigarette, and tucking her long brown hair behind her ears. Sarah Hodgson had been a close friend of both of them, and had suffered an enforced move to Essex following her father’s promotion.

  ‘She just said it was okay, sounded a bit quiet to me.’

  Caroline laughed. ‘Quiet? Sarah? What have they done to her?’

  ‘Dunno. Maybe it’s because it’s another birthday here. We set this up between us, and she enjoyed four birthdays, including her own, then went to sunny Essex. Is Essex sunny?’

  ‘No more than Derbyshire,’ was Caroline’s considered opinion.

  Half an hour later, there was a crack of a football being hit against a wall, and the five lads they had been expecting came around the corner together. Peter Swift picked up the ball and they all crossed to join the girls. Each one took off their backpacks and removed two cans of lager.

  The previous year, Anthony Jackson had been the first one of the group to become fifteen, and they had decided to meet by the river, take a can of lager each, and chill out together after school. It had been an excellent couple of hours, and that first birthday had led on to a promise to treat each birthday within the group of eight in the same way.

  By the time the second birthday had arrived, Keith Lancaster’s, the lager intake had doubled, and the girls had also brought snacks.

  Each birthday had been a celebration of friends, and the only time all eight hadn’t been there was when Sarah had moved away. Now they were seven, and Michael Damms was their honoured guest on this warm early May evening.

  During the cold months, they had met twice in Oliver’s garden, using the summer house, but the proximity to his parents tended to put a dampener on their conversations, and their drinking and smoking. It was much nicer down by the river; Michael’s birthday was the 8th of May, and they would soon be meeting up again for Caroline’s benefit on the 23rd of May.

  Isla and Caroline produced crisps, peanuts and sausage rolls, and a general discussion was held that if they all chipped in one pound each for every birthday, the girls could get the food without having to dip into their own pockets.

  They finished eating, and once again the cigarettes came out.

  Only Peter refused to smoke. ‘I’ve had some good news, so there’ll be no more smoke going inside me.’

  ‘What’s that?’ Anthony asked.

  ‘It’s top secret, I’ve said nothing at school in case I don’t get accepted, but I’m going for a trial at Stoke City.’

  There was silence for a moment, then everybody clapped.

  ‘That’s brilliant,’ Oliver said. ‘You’ll go to their academy if you’re accepted?’

  Peter nodded. ‘Yep, and I’m not jeopardising that for the sake of a fag.’

  They all toasted him with what remained in the bottom of their cans, and he blushed. He was the quiet one of the group, unused to the limelight.

  Anthony took out a small plastic bag from the front pocket of his backpack. ‘I didn’t know whether to bring these or not,’ he said, ‘but this is a double celebration with Michael’s birthday and Peter’s news.’ He offered the roll-up cigarettes around.

  ‘What are they?’ Caroline raised her eyebrows; her nervous reaction wasn’t lost on the others.

  ‘Joints,’ Anthony laughed. ‘They’ll make you feel good. My treat to us for Michael’s birthday.’

  ‘Drugs?’ Oliver said, reaching across and taking one. He lit it, and took a drag.

  There was a slight pause, and then he said, ‘Wow, happy sixteenth, Michael!’

  The others, with the exception of Peter, all took one, and quietly sat with their backs to the stone wall, lost in the moment, not speaking, enjoying the new experience.

  Darkness had fallen; Peter gathered up all the rubbish and filled two carrier bags. He left the others in their soporific marijuana induced haze and took the bags around to the wheelie bins at the back of the Co-op.

  He smiled as he walked back to them; none of them looked capable, or even willing, to walk home. He could hear voices approaching where they were, although clearly on the other side of the stone wall, by the riverside itself. Peter dropped to his knees and held a finger to his lips. He didn’t want anyone seeing his friends like this; if it were the police they could be in heaps of bother.

  They all understood immediately; they too could hear the voices.

  One man seemed to be crying, to be pleading for something. They heard ‘please don’t do this,’ several times, and ‘I’ll get your money’, followed by a small scream.

  As the voices passed within three feet of their positions, they could tell that someone was being dragged, rather than walking unaided.

  ‘Let’s get him up the deeper stretch,’ they heard the first man say, and Oliver turned around to Keith, mouthing ‘Leon Rowe’. Keith dipped his head in agreement.

  They remained behind the wall, not moving, until the voices faded slightly.

  Keith spoke quietly. ‘We say nothing of this. That was Leon Rowe and Brian King. Brian lives next door to us, and trust me I know his voice, and Leon’s. Let’s just pretend we never heard this. I feel sorry for that poor bugger, whoever he is.’

  They felt suddenly sober.

  ‘Can we go home?’ Caroline’s voice was quivery.

  They picked up their bags, and Oliver carefully lifted his head above the wall. He could see the three men in the distance and, without speaking, waved the others to begin the walk home.

  ‘Stick to the roads,’ Anthony whispered. ‘We don’t want to be seen by anybody on the river path.’

  It was as they were moving quietly away they heard the scream. It was dramatically cut short by a popping sound, almost immediately followed by a splash.

  ‘We’ll talk tomorrow,’ Anthony said. He swung off to the right, accompanied by Oliver Merchant and Caroline Phillips. The others headed in the opposite direction.

  Anthony and Oliver walked Caroline home first, and as she closed the garden gate she leaned over it. ‘Those cigarettes, Anthony… can you get more of them?’

  ‘As many as you want.’

  She nodded. ‘I want.’

  ‘Me too,’ Oliver joined in.

  ‘Talk to me tomorrow in school,’ Anthony said, and Caroline disappeared down the path.

  Anthony Jackson’s career began that night.

  2

  April 2017

  Katerina Rowe’s first impression of her husband had been he was the most handsome man she’d ever seen; his dark brown, almost-black, skin radiated health, laughter, and, let’s face it, lusty sex appeal.