PROTECTIVE CUSTODY

DC Tracey McGorrin led the blanket wrapped man from the house.

“Am I really free?” he asked.
“Yes, Gary,” she said, “we’re taking you to a place of safety.”
“Nowhere’s safe,” he replied wretchedly, “you didn’t catch her.”

 

In the interview room, it was evident that Gary, once a swaggering, confident, Cockney van driver was a shadow of his former self.  Before DCs McGorrin and Davidson could even begin, he’d asked again; “Have you caught her?”

“No sir,” Davidson replied, sipping his coffee, “the female calling herself Sadie Felix is known to us.  We’ve put out a warrant.  You must tell us how it all started.”
“I was with me mates in the pub,” Gary began.
“Were you perhaps bragging about previous sexual conquests?” McGorrin probed.
“Yeah.”
Davidson and McGorrin nodded to each other.
“She was alone,” continued Gary, “a real looker.  Out of my league, but then she came over, said she was new in town and needed someone to show her round.”
“That’s when your relationship started?” Davidson clarified.
“I thought I was well lucky.  All she wanted to do was shag and she looked after me, cooked amazing food, but after six months, when she’d moved in  ...”
“You lasted six months!” McGorrin exclaimed.
“You must be knackered!” Davidson added.
“I didn’t have any break from her.  She wanted it all the time, sometimes twice a day.  I told her ‘Sweetheart, I can’t keep up with you’ and then she’d cry and act all rejected ...”
McGorrin and Davidson nodded again.
“The food she cooked started tasting funny and I got the raging horn after eating it.  I found a jar of Viagra in her make-up bag, she was crushing it and spiking my dinners.  That’s when I ...”
“Tried to leave?” McGorrin enquired.
“I’ve never known a woman so strong.  She got hold of me while I was packing and shoved me on the bed.  She tied me to it and ...” he buried his head in his hands, “you say ... she’s known to you?”
“We’re currently gathering evidence against them, finding out how they operate ...” Davidson answered.
“There’s more than one of her?” Gary’s face paled.
“We don’t know who they are or where they’re from, but they’re turning up everywhere,” Davidson replied.
“We’ve put out warnings to men,” McGorrin added, “no bragging publically about sexual conquests, no promising women about how long they can last or penis size ...”
“No inuendos or flirting,” Davidson said.
“You just don’t know who you’re talking to,” McGorrin stated, “they look like ordinary women.  They can come from any walk of life, any occupation ...”
“The trouble starts when the man tries to leave,” Davidson said, “if he can get out he’s often re-captured.  That’s why Tracey is going to take you into protective custody until we catch Felix.”
Gary looked gratefully at McGorrin, she looked like someone who could fend Sadie Felix off.  He shook Davidson’s hand when it was offered to him and watched the detective walk out of the interview room.
“Come on, Gary,” McGorrin said standing up, “let’s get you somewhere safe.”
He stood up too smiling at her relieved that he was going to be protected.
“You lasted a whole six months?  Very impressive,” McGorrin purred, her voice suddenly had a silky edge and her eyes had brightened.  When she took his arm, her grip was strong, “I’ve got the perfect safe house for you and me.  Somewhere Felix will never find us.”