Chapter Twenty Six

Dee’s mobile trilled as they made their way back to his car.

She was so happy, she’d never felt this happy ever. He loved her. This wonderful, funny, kind, generous, sexy as hell man loved her. Her, Dee Wilson from Southampton, England. She thought her heart would just burst with sheer happiness.

She smiled at Richie as she clicked on her phone.

“Hello?” she said smiling.

“Ooh aren’t we in a happy mood then?”

“Hi Simon, yes I am, I’m at the beach, the sun is shining and I’m with the man I love.” she said, happily.

“And does this wonderful man love you back.”

“Yes he does.” she said simply.

“Oh my fucking god baby girl that’s huge! Though probably not as huge as he is, right?” he cackled evilly.

She spluttered with laughter.

“So anyway baby girl, just thought I’d let you know that the tox screen picked up an anomaly.”

“Oh my god, Simon what?” she asked, walking away from the car, so Richie couldn’t overhear.

“A large amount of anti depressants. It’s not something that is generally looked for in a tox screen but the detailed one picked it up. She took a huge amount of Xanax about half and hour before she rolled up at your man’s place. She was, excuse the phrase, the walking dead. Without immediate medical intervention she would have died anyway. Whether it was intentional or not we don’t know but the record will state that cause of death is accidental overdose. Richie’s lawyer will be getting this news as we speak, so lover boy’s off the hook.”

“Oh my god,” she began, tears falling down her face, “Oh Simon, I love you so much for this. Thank you so much.” She looked over at Richie who was talking on his mobile. She hung up her call and quickly wiped away any evidence of tears, not wanting him to know she already knew that his innocence had been proved.

Before she knew it she was swept up into a huge bear hug and swung round.

“Dee, Larry just called. She took an overdose so I’m free!” he crowed, shouting out to the world at large.

“I knew it.” she said hugging him back.

Her phone trilled again and she answered it without looking.

“May I speak to Dee Wilson please” an unfamiliar voice asked her

“Yeah, speaking.” she said as Richie danced around her on the sand.

“My name is Captain Amrita Ojai.”

Dee stiffened slightly as the she listened to the voice of the woman in charge of all 911 operators in the LA area.

“What can I do for you?” she asked, politely.

Richie had wandered off to kick the shallows.

“It has come to my attention that you have broken departmental rules and gotten involved, not only with a suspect in a murder enquiry, but with someone you took a call from. I need to ask you how you met before I take this any further. For instance I need to know if you knew him before you took the call on Saturday morning. If you did then the charges may not be as severe; however if you did not…”

Dee took a deep breath and answered.

“No I didn’t know him before Saturday morning.” she said, quietly, soberly, her heart breaking as she turned to watch Richie kicking up the waves and gambolling through the surf, hearing his laughter across the beach.

“In that case I need to ask you exactly how you got involved with him. Now we can do this now over the phone or tomorrow at my office at 9am.”

“I understand,” she said, “I’ll be at your office tomorrow.”

“Goodbye Miss Wilson.”

“Goodbye.” she said and clicked the phone off. Clearing her throat she made her way over to where Richie was kicking his heels up and did her best to be happy for him.

She made her excuses later on, saying she needed to get home to do some washing and see Simon and went home that night.