PROLOG

48 hours later;

 

It didn't matter what cover story Leah used on Tammi because once the offspring was out of circulation there would be no going back. And that was the point - momma couldn't be taken out without the twins.

"Hello, I'm Detective Chief Inspector Leah Lockes, would you mind if I joined you for a few minutes?"

Leah sure looked like a DCI and the leather wallet badge and ID she flashed complete with her photograph on it sure looked real to. She was professionally presented and immaculate in every respect. If anything, the fitted suit she wore was a little bit on the tight side in the skirt but she wore it very well. And one could not imagine anyone complaining about that, if she was a DCI. Eye candy for the boys and yet with a lethally acute and sharp mind. She had waited for Tammi to appear in the discreet SUV across the road from the coffee shop. It was a coffee shop the girl always used. Kind of midway between university and the posh upmarket apartment that she lived in with her mom. Leah had had no real idea 'when' the girl would appear, just that she would at some point. Teenagers - very rarely creatures of habit and even less rare following in the same footsteps twice.

Tammi was a spit for her mother - or rather she was a younger version of her mother. There was the trademark red hair - that was the initial most striking feature. But where Claudia's freckles had spread and faded over the years, Tammi and a splattering of them across the bridge of her nose which kind of flared out to her cheeks. And where mom, although perfect in complexion and presentation, showed obvious signs of her more advanced years, Tammi was utterly flawless. Her skin was pale - yes it was pale but that was usually the case with red heads. The paler skin associated with red heads was almost always the second most striking feature. For the application of makeup, and the foundation of any of the modern fashions, pale skin was almost a must. Tammi was truly stunning - even Leah was slightly startled at the similarity. The girl must have had at least some of her growth spurt because she was tall. It could have been that her teenage thinness was adding to the illusion, not that it was an illusion, of her height. But that thinness also added to the top-heavy appearance of the girl. That partial growth spurt had not simply just added to her height - it had added to her breast size to and she was easily a C or even a D cup. One might come to the conclusion that Tammi still had some growing and developing to do - but she was already a striking, striking girl about to burst into womanhood. Leah stood over the table at which Tammi sat alone - and as she waited for the response from the girl she took out a note book and unfolded it open.

"I'm sorry... you are... Tammy Raynes, right? Daughter of Claudia Raynes."

Tammi hadn't been in a particular rush to look up to meet the eyes of this DCI Lockes. What was it with teenagers and the police? Until that was her name was mentioned, and her mother's name was mentioned. It was always said that severely bad news was delivered by policemen, or policewomen in plain clothes. Although, it could be said that there was nothing 'plain' about Leah Lockes, at all.

"Why what's the matter has something happened? Sorry yes I am Tammi Raynes and Claudia is my mother... but what is this all about? Please yes - please do join me."

Tammi's spoken voice was both educated and considered. She was certainly a girl who had had money spent on her education - and even in the slight shock or distress of this apparent policewoman approaching her in this way, her calm and cool was retained. There was no loss of composure. Leah, as always was making mental notes. She couldn't do anything else - that was what she did. It was what she herself had been trained to do. She pulled out a chair and sat down.

"So what can I do for you DCI Lockes?"

Leah crossed her black nylon sheathed legs under the table and the pointed toe of her moderate stilettos just brushed the front of Tammi's own leg. It was the young girl who adjusted herself, and apologised for the contact. Leah smiled to herself.

"Tammi, I come from the Serious Sexual Crimes Unit. We're part of the Met - but at the same time we are well away from it. We cover mainly cold-cases - or cases where complaints have been made years after the offences were allegedly committed. But also - we investigate current and on-going crimes. Including internet related crimes."

Leah was talking slowly, but she was talking clearly. She knew that the words she was using would be sinking into Tammi's head, but that there would be an amount of shock setting in as a result of those words. Leah knew that the young girl would be asking herself questions - loads of questions in her own mind.

"O-ok, has something happened to my mother? Has she been attacked or something?"

Leah slid her hand over the table and just touched the hand of the girl.

"No no Tammi, its nothing like that, I promise you."

One of Tammi's fingers twitched up between Leah's and stayed there. Leah was a high ranked policewoman who was showing some compassion - it seemed.

"Tammi there is no easy way to say this so I am going to just say it as it is.."

Tammi kind of sighed a breath of relief that her mom had not been attacked, and the movement of her breasts inside a perfect white shirt as she did that was palpable. There was the relief then the renewed anxiety as this DCI Lockes kind of semi warned of what was to follow.

"Your mom has been arrested Tammi and she is being held at a secure location for questioning, and whilst further investigations are being made."

Tammi listened incredulously as Leah spoke. The more the DCI spoke, the more upright the young girl sat in the chair. Then she smiled. Her smile was her mother's smile, to a T. Even Leah was even more taken aback at the similarity of mother and daughter.

"There must be some mistake - there HAS to be some mistake. Or this is one big wind up, right?"

Leah let the young girl have her little say. It was all part of the game for Leah - getting reactions, and then getting further reactions. She leaned over the table, so that her tone could be hushed and so that it could not be overheard.

"I wish there had been a mistake Tammi I really do - your mother is under investigation for sexual offences against young girls - much younger girls. Girl younger than you. She is accused of posing on the internet as someone else - and using that someone else's identity to groom the young girls."

Leah paused again - let the words sink in to the young girl. If Tammi had been pale before, then she seemed to lose even more colour until she was a deathly white. Leah had 'spun' this huge lie and was weaving it around the young girl's mind. It was no accident that she was beginning to twist Tammi's mind - that was the way it was meant to be. It was another off-shoot to what was being done with Claudia. A rather interesting offshoot that Leah was beginning to warm to. At first the twins were being looked on as obstacles - but Leah was beginning to think not like that, but rather, thinking of them, more as 'garnish' to the main dish.

"There has to be some mistake - there just has to be. My mom is lesbian, everyone knows that - she came out and stayed out years ago. But she'd never do anything like you are suggesting. She just wouldn't. What about this other 'identity' you say she is using? Who's to say that this person isn't trying to pull of some kind of double bluff - that person pretending to be my mother, pretending to be someone else? I mean it could happen.. it could happen..."

Tammi's voice trailed off as though she were having difficulty swallowing, or believing her own words. Although her quick thinking was to her credit - coming up with a plausible solution to what was being accused. Leah moved her hand away from Tammi's and she recrossed her legs under the table - there was a distinct sound of nylon rasping on nylon as she did that.

"Tammi we're investigating all avenues and all angles and we haven't ruled anything out at this point. The problem is that the identity she is using is yours. It appears that your mom, or whoever, has been doing these things under your name. She's even been using your photographs to lure her victims in."

Tammi sat bolt upright then almost collapsed against the back of the chair that she pushed back against hard. That was like a lightning bolt out of the blue and it shocked her to the core.

"B-but my mom wouldn't do that. This has to be wrong it just has to be wrong!"

Leah reached forward again and this time stroked the web between Tammi's fore and index fingers. She was showing compassion again and the disturbing thing was that it was coming across as utterly genuine.

"I really, REALLY wish that was the case Tammi. And we are thoroughly investigating - discreetly. There are no blues and twos, or heavy handed police tactics in this. Because of the complexity, and the nature of the crimes we do take things slowly, and meticulously. You might realise that we have done quite a lot of investigation already - I mean we do actually know that your mother is behind it, and not you. Unfortunately there is more. But we need to go back to your apartment Tammi - I can be more detailed, more specific there - and I can explain to you what has to happen next - and the rough time line involved. How do you feel about that?"

It was a moot question from Leah. Tammi sat almost paralysed by the words that Leah spoke and the words and the information that she was trying to process. She just nodded, that she understood and that she agreed. Leah was impressed - such a young girl, barely past her eighteenth birthday and able to retain her poise the way she did. And her ability to 'think' under duress was at such a young and tender age was startling to say the least.

"C-can I see her. I mean can I talk to my mom. I mean she may talk to me - tell me what the fuck is going on? She might talk to me, more than she will talk to you guys."

Leah continued to be impressed with Tammi. It seemed this young girl followed after her mother in more than looks alone.

"Oh Tammi, you can't see her, or speak to her because in a way you are implicated in the investigation. And until the exact events have been cleared up and explained - the two of you can have no contact with each other at all. But also - your mother is being held at a secure unit. She is having some sort of break down and so we are having to deal with that as well. It seems that when it all came on top for her, she went into some kind of meltdown. Seeing her, or talking to her just is even less possible at this time Tammi. But look - let's get back to your apartment and take things slowly, one step at a time. I'm sure we can sort all of this out, but it is going to take time."

Leah squeezed her thighs under the table. She was pleasuring herself as she heaped anxiety on the young girl. And she was heaping anxiety on her. Tammi seemed to droop a little more in her seat. Her perfect poise just slipping a little bit.

"A b-break down? Like a nervous breakdown your mean? B-but is she ok - will she be alright? I really really wanna see mom. My god my mom has never ever been nervous, let alone had a nervous breakdown. This just has to be all wrong. There just has to be some explanation or other for all of this - there has to be."

Leah squeezed her thighs again as the young girl showed clearer signs of weakening under the onslaught.