Chapter 15:

The next day.

"I think I'll go back to work today." Carla said.

"You sure?" Peter asked, concerned for her.

"Yeah. It'll be better than sitting here staring at these four walls all day." She replied

"Ok then, if you're sure."

The workers were all standing outside, freezing waiting for someone to turn up and open up.

They were all shocked when they saw Carla's car pull up.

"Mrs C, you're back" Sean said, with a smile.

"I sure am." Carla replied.

"It's good to have you back, Car." Michelle said, as she arrived too.

Carla tried to unlock the factory doors but to her surprise they were open.

"Michelle, did you lock up properly last night?" she asked.

"Yeah. I left at 5 with them lot and locked up then." Michelle replied, confused.

"Can we go in now please? It's freezing." Julie asked.

Carla pushed open the door and led them all inside. Her hands went up to her mouth in shock when she saw a dead body lying on the floor.

"Oh my god." She whispered.

"Who is it?" Michelle said, shocked.

Carla took a step forward.

She gasped.

"Frank…" she said.

"What?" Sean said, going up closer to a dead Frank.

Carla walked through into the office and picked up the phone. She dialled 999.

"Car, wait a minute. Who do you thinks done this?" Michelle asked, coming into the office.

"I don't know. Peter was with me all last night." Carla replied.

She called 999 and asked for the police and an ambulance.

"How the hell have they gotten in?" she said, going back through to where everyone else was standing in utter shock.

Carla sat down at one of the machines and put her head in her hands. Michelle walked over to her.

"Do you realise how bad this is going to look on me and Peter? They're going to think we did this." She said.

"Car, they aren't. How could you have when you were at home all last night?" Michelle said.

"I know but who could it have been?" Carla said, desperate to know who had been in her factory last night.

Michelle hugged her.

"Hey, at least he's gone now and you don't need to worry about him." Michelle said.

Carla nodded.

"Should I call his mum?" she asked.

"No. I'll do that. I don't want you having to go through speaking to her." Michelle replied.

"Thanks Chelle. I think her number's still in the book somewhere." Carla said.

Michelle went through to phone Anne and the police and ambulance arrived.

"What's his name?" the paramedic asked.

"Frank. Frank Foster." Sean said.

"How long has he been here?"

"I don't know. We all came into work today and he was there." Sean said.

The paramedics looked at each other.

"He's dead isn't he?" Carla finally spoke up. She hadn't said a word since the police and ambulance had arrived she was that shocked.

"Yes. I'm afraid so." The paramedic replied.

Carla nodded as the police officers walked in.

"We're going to have to speak to some of you. Get you to answer some questions." DC Malone said. She was the officer that had come to Carla's house on the night Frank raped her.

"Suppose you'll be wanting me first…" Carla said, getting up and going through into the office.

"If you don't mind, Mrs Connor but we're going to have to do all this down at the station. This is a crime scene now and needs to be investigated. I'm going to have to speak to you, Mr Barlow and a few others" DC Malone said.

"Peter's at the bookies." Carla replied.

"Ok. We'll go over and get him now then." DC Malone said.