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“Dunno. Might stay here, keep you company.”

“There is some good music on in the pub down the road. That Irish band we saw a couple of weeks ago,” Sandy told them and they nodded.

“Yeah OK. If you want to see them.”

Sandy shook her head. “No. I need to sort some stuff out.” Grace looked at her and she shrugged her shoulders. “Police paperwork. I've been putting it off, I just need it done.”

“I'll help. I don't want to…” Grace started and was unsure how to finish it. She didn't want to tell Sandy she didn't want to leave her alone, or alone at night as that sounded weird. Certainly she had cancelled some of her shifts so she could spent more time in the flat with her, although Sandy had surprisingly refused to cancel her shifts at the casino, especially as she was convinced her rape was now connected with the illicit gambling. She said she wouldn't let him win, but Grace could earn enough money to keep them solvent for weeks if they needed to.

“I'll go tomorrow. We can celebrate my birthday. Promise,” Sandy said. “And we can talk about our new business venture.” Grace and Terry looked at each other, but with Sandy's insistence they left the flat ten minutes later.

Grace whispered in Terry's ear. If he could be quiet later, he could fuck her ass. She just didn't want Sandy to hear.

Grace laughed as she unlocked the door to their small flat. Terry had his arms around her shoulders and was telling her about the problems a certain builder had caused. He was certainly knowledgeable about business and would provide guidance to Sandy and herself when they did set up on their own. She called out to Sandy when she came in but there was no answer; she's obviously gone to bed early.

Terry walked through to the kitchen and filled the small brown kettle. “You having one?”

“Please,” Grace replied and put her small handbag on the table and turned around to go into the bathroom. The cheap lager had made its way down to her bladder and she needed to release.

“You have milk, right?” Terry called and Grace replied that she did. He picked up the milk from the fridge.

Grace let out a piercing scream that chilled Terry to his bones; he dropped the milk onto the floor and ran into the bathroom, skidding abruptly. He immediately turned Grace to bury her face in his chest when he saw the sight that had caused her to yell.

Spinning from the ceiling joist was a naked and ashen-faced Sandy, suspended by a rope on her neck. “Call the police,” was all he could say and he pushed Grace out of the room. It wouldn't do any good, it was suicide, the chair kicked away from underneath her, but they had to do it.

He blinked and put his hand to his mouth. “You stupid girl,” he muttered and wiped a tear from his eyes. He had liked Sandy, she had been good to him and he knew how much Sandy meant to Grace. He had no idea that the rape had affected her so badly but there was no other reason why she would want to take her own life. Surely?

There was an envelope on the sink and he picked it up before respectfully closing the door.

Chapter VII

Dear Gracie,

I am sorry you had to find me like this but I just could not go on any more. I'm sure the bastard was stalking me to the shops yesterday and I know he is going to get me. Next time he will kill me and if you are there, he'll kill you too. Neville knows I know all his secrets and wants me dead.

I know you are thinking that I am weak and cowardly for taking the easy way out, or that I was insane, but there is no-one who can help me and this is the simplest way.

I am at peace now. No-one can make me unhappy or scared any more. No more perverted uncles trying to force me into under-age dog porn or abusing me. No more sweaty clients humping me. I have moved on to a better place.

I have put all of my money that I had saved up in your drawer. I have also taken all the money from Neville's casino safe and hidden it in Terry's car under the spare tyre. Please take it and have a good life with it. You deserve it.

I have also sent Neville's secret book where he keeps all the information about his dodgy dealings to the Police. Get out of London, the parlour may get raided.

I have fed Puddles and there is some chicken in the fridge for him tomorrow morning. I was going to have it for my dinner but didn't feel like it. Please don't let the little thing starve.

Please, please forgive me for being a coward. You are the only person I ever loved, you made me happy and my life worth living but I know you are in good hands with Terry.

He is a good man, I wish I could have found someone like him. Don't push him away, you need him now and he needs you.

I love you forever, see you in fifty years or so!

Sandy.

Chapter VIII

Grace's fingers were trembling as she read the letter, her eyes streaming with tears bouncing off the paper.

Terry got up when he heard a knock on the door and the burly PC Tate escorted by a younger officer, came in with a grin on his face. “Someone said the old tart had topped herself,” he said crassly. “Where's the body?”

Terry bit his lip. “She is in the bathroom, second on the right,” he replied tersely and he walked down the corridor and opened the door.

He chuckled. “Hey I bet she isn't gonna give good oral now. Boastful cow said she could suck a golf ball through a hosepipe.”

Grace took a deep breath, filed the letter away in the envelope and put it in her handbag. She walked to the corridor, and with as much force as she could muster, drove her fist into the side of PC Tate's head.

“Don't you dare talk about my friend like that,” she screamed, and arrowed a kick into his stomach, tears streaming down her face. “She was a good person. And because you won't find her attacker she has killed herself.” Grace steadied herself on the doorway and was over the surprised police officer.

“Stop her, Dawkins,” PC Tate cried out between painful yells and Terry dragged Grace away before the police could do it.

“He killed her,” Grace yelled, straining at Terry's arms. “It's his fault,” she shouted hysterically and he pushed her into the chair she had just come from.

Terry looked into Grace's eyes and knelt down beside her, holding her hand. “It won't bring her back, Grace. It won't bring her back.”

Grace and Terry walked into Grace's bedroom. Her body had been taken to the morgue and she didn't want to leave London that night, the shock of what she had seen made her scared. She had looked in Sandy's bedroom and she had helpfully sorted out all of her belongings before she had killed herself. This made Grace cry again; the very thought that she had spent the last days of her life organising her own death.

It hit her that suddenly she would have the rest of her life without her only friend and this scared her. But her loss was more than that, she felt she should have been there for her, Sandy was her friend and she let her down when she needed her the most. Why was she out with Terry instead of consoling her?

Grace was racked with guilt and nothing Terry could say changed anything. She opened her desk drawer and burst into tears. Sitting on top of all the underwear and papers was a big pile of money: Sandy's money.

“It'll pay for a nice funeral,” Terry muttered when he saw it and immediately wished he hadn't. It was a little insensitive but Grace was looking further into her drawer and not listening to what he said. A small wrapped present and card lay at the back; she removed them.

“She was twenty tomorrow,” Grace said tearfully. “We were going to go the flicks before all this happened.”

“What did you get her?”

“A bracelet,” Grace replied staring into the space. “A silver bracelet. She loved her jewellery.” Grace buried her hands in her face and howled inconsolably.

“Listen Fingers,” PC Tate said menacingly pushing the guy up against the alley wall. “You do what I tell you to. That girl you raped topped herself. You just do the beating that I tell you to and get out of there. Nothing fucked up, you hear me.”