The Forsaken Son: A London Crime Thriller (Detective Chief Inspector Arla Baker Series Book 8)

A deliciously dark, devilishly twisted crime thriller.
The body of a woman floats on Clapham Common Pond. Her hair spreads like a halo, her eyes stare like she’s in a daydream…
Detective Chief Inspector Arla Baker is called to investigate. The woman is Susan Remington, the daughter of an eminent politician. Her family are wealthy and powerful, and they want answers. Susan was beautiful, intelligent and successful, and there was no apparent reason why she would commit suicide. Arla discovers finger marks on Susan's neck. She also has scrapes on her knuckles as she fought off her attacker.
On the back of her left hand a dollar sign is carved out. Why?
Susan didn’t kill herself…she was killed.
Two days later, Susan’s best friend Madelyn’s body is found floating in the same pond. The same strange dollar sign is carved on her left hand.
Arla is distraught, because she met Madelyn the day before. She knew things about Susan that no one else did. Why was Madelyn silenced? By whom?
As Arla delves into the Remington family, she discovers shocking secrets that will rock not just the family, but a scandal that can engulf whole political establishment.
Soon, Arla knows this vicious killer is just getting started. Arla and her team are now in his cross hairs, and he will stop at nothing to reach his target…

CHAPTER 1

Susan was feeling drowsy. She only had two drinks, and that too her favourite white wine. Sancerre, 2014 vintage. Her head fell back on the car seat, and she stared out the window at the sky with dreamy eyes. The promise of Easter was in the air. Signs of green life were appearing on the trees, and birdsong had returned in the early mornings. The snowy shackles of a silent winter were relaxing, melting into wet earth. It was past sunset and the mauve sky was deepening into shades of violet and blue. Sailboat -shaped clouds darkened the approaching night, suffocating the last vestiges of light.
Susan didn't know where she was, but she trusted her companion. All the colours seem to seep into one, the brown branches now bearing precious leaves, the yellow streetlights hesitantly flickering into life, and the maroon shadows of evening. Susan blinked, and the scenery turned opposite, sky below, ground above. She squeezed her eyes with the fingers and sat up straight. There, that was better. She turned to her companion.
"Where are we?" Her voice was thick, and it sounded unnatural even to her own ears.
Her companion didn't answer. The car took a left. The scenery looked familiar to Susan, but she wasn't sure. Dense clumps of trees appeared on both sides, and they hung over each other on the road, creating an archway of foliage. It was visible because of the streetlights, and beyond the pale the penumbra of the lights, the inky night sky was clotted, faceless like a mask.
Susan's mouth was dry. "Can I have a drink?", She asked.
"There's none in the car," her companion said.
Susan said something, but she couldn't make out the sound of her own voice. Her head rolled back on the seat, and she stared out the windows again. Flashes of light passed overhead, interspersed by black shadows. Her eyes fluttered close, and all she could hear was the sound of her own breathing.
Her body gave a jolt, and she realised the car had stopped. She heard the door slam, and her eyes open. Then, a gust of fresh air as her door opened. She strained her eyes. There was a streetlight close to the car, and it shone down on the figure that had opened her door.
"Get out," her companion said in a gruff voice.
Susan was confused.
"Why? Where are we?"
Her companion stared at her for a few seconds. Then a hand reached out and grabbed her below the shoulders. She leaned against the car, as the door slammed shut. Susan frowned.
"What's going on?" She asked.
She didn't get a response. The strong pair of arms supported her shoulders, and she leaned into her companion. There, that felt better. She could rest her head on the strong shoulder.
She inhaled the freshness of the open air, a touch of cold, mingling with the faintly acidic, lemony taste of the wine at the back of a throat. Strange, Susan thought to herself. She couldn't ever remember getting this drunk after two glasses. Admittedly, they were big glasses. And yes, she was intent on getting drunk. But this much?
Maybe she shouldn't have drunk so much wine after an abstinence of three months. She had been determined to lose weight, and alcohol had gone out of the window with her new diet. Maybe that's why she was feeling it so much. Well, the new diet had worked. She had lost 3 kg, and dropped a dress size.
The shoes were crunching gravel, and soon she heard a different sound. It was the rustling of water. The smell of fresh, wet earth was strong now, infusing with the scent of flowers she couldn't identify. The air seemed cooler, and it made her eyes blink open. A row of yellow orbs glistened in the distance, like a shimmering garland suspended mid-air. It seemed so far away. It took her some time to realise she was staring at streetlamps across the waters she was now facing.
Susan was confused. Once again, she turned to her companion and asked where they were. Once again, she got no response. Her legs were heavy, and her head felt heavier. She could barely walk. She slid down the grassy verge as her companion got closer to the water.
Her feet squelched on wet ground, and she yelped when water splashed against her ankles. She was wearing jeans, and it turned soggy instantly, sticking to her legs. The water was cold. Freezing, actually.
She straightened herself with an effort, and resisted by pulling back. "Hey. I'm not going in there."
She stood her ground, and breathed heavily. The evening breeze murmured softly over the black waters, whispered in her ears. Her vision shook and moved, and she tried to make her legs move, but found they were stuck in the mud.
Her companion had let her go, and was watching her intently. Susan wanted to walk back to the car, but she had no strength. She forced herself to move, and with a gasp she fell. Her bum landed with a splash on the water, and she was soaked immediately. She cried out, her hands digging into muddy waters. She grabbed the hand that her companion offered, clutching it blindly. Then she felt both of her companion’s hands on her arms, dragging her deeper into the water.
"No," Susan screamed, but her voice was weak. She felt water splashed against her chin, rise up her nose. Her companion was strong, relentless, pulling her deeper with consummate ease. Susan coughed and spluttered as water went inside her mouth. The brackish, bitter taste filled her mouth. She was choking. She tried to speak, but her words were now submerged, as was most of her body. As Susan drowned, her last thought was that her companion would save her.
Then Susan couldn't think any more, and the world turned black like the water.