by Joy Ellis
Nikki squeezed the girl’s hand and whispered, ‘You’re finally safe, kiddo.’ She looked around her. It was hard to believe it was all over.
The armed team were being stood down and officers were escorting Travis Taylor out to a waiting vehicle. Medical staff and paramedics were helping the two drugged men to get free of their restraints prior to taking them across to A & E for a check-up.
Joseph, Dave and Vinnie came over to her. Each one in turn gave her a hug. ‘Nice work, guv.’
‘Ditto, lads. You guys were right on time, and I’ll give you ten out of ten for team work!’ She looked up at Joseph suspiciously. ‘Although I’m not sure if I believe all that about a last minute change of plan? It looked very well-orchestrated to me. However, I have to say that your amazing rescue was marred by one thing.’ She tried to look sternly at him, then felt a nervous giggle building up inside her throat. ‘Was that actually a plastic bed pan that Dave used to protect Cat from the acid bottle?’
Joseph tried to look miffed. ‘Don’t knock it, lady. That there was an ingenious bit of improvisation.’
‘But . . . saved by a bed pan?’ All her tension welled up and she exploded into paroxysms of relieved laughter. ‘Oh, poor Cat!’ she roared. ‘She’ll never live this down.’
THREE MONTHS LATER
Nikki and Joseph watched the gleaming white camper van turn onto the fen lane, hands waving a vigorous goodbye out of lowered windows. Rick Bainbridge’s wife had never looked so happy. And Rick was transformed! His hand was badly scarred, but gone were the deep ridges, furrows and worry-lines that made him look so much older than he was. Now he looked healthy, suitably wrinkled for his years, and well-weathered. Even Archer, their pet Springer spaniel, had acted like a puppy, leaping and barking at Joseph to play with him.
‘So they are off to the Peak District to get a feel for the open road?’
‘And freedom at last.’ Nikki watched as the vehicle moved into the lane out of Cloud Fen. ‘There were times when I thought he’d never make it this far.’
‘Good luck to him.’ Joseph stood beside her, a hint of sadness in his voice. ‘I really wish him a long and satisfying retirement. He’ll be missed, that’s for sure. He was one of the good old boys.’
Nikki turned to him, smiling broadly. ‘And what about you, Detective Inspector Easter? Will you follow his footsteps?’
‘As long as I have a breath in my body. I don’t want to be a dinosaur, but there are certain values that I will not compromise.’ He grinned at her. ‘I could ask the same of you. Did you know that Rick had put in a recommendation for your step up to DCI?’
‘He intimated as much, though I’m still not sure that I want that next rung on the ladder. I’m comfortable doing what I do, but hey, I’ll consider it, if only to keep the team together.’ She touched his arm. ‘And that reminds me. By way of celebration, I’ve got a bottle of bubbly chilling in the fridge. Shall we sit outside for a while?’
‘Why not? It’s still warm and it’s going to be a long winter. Let’s enjoy Cloud Fen while we can.’
Nikki walked into her kitchen and opened the fridge door. She took out the champagne, found two glasses and tore open a large bag of crisps. As she tipped them into a bowl, she realised that Cloud Cottage Farm felt like home again.
It had taken a long while to rid the dark corners of menace and threat, but now, well, it felt safe once more.
Joseph was seated at an old wooden picnic table that her father had made back when she was a girl, and was staring out across the sunlit marsh.
‘I can’t believe it’s all over, can you? As we were waving the Bainbridges off, it dawned on me that I’d stopped looking over my shoulder.’
Nikki laughed. There was a spark, a flash of understanding between them that told him she felt the same. She sat down opposite him. ‘No more Snipe. It’s hard to get your head round it, isn’t it?’
‘And if the word on the streets is to be believed, no more Stephen Cox either.’
‘Do you think Raymond Leonard really did find him?’
‘Mickey’s certain of it, although even he hasn’t uncovered any details yet. We do know that Cox was never after us at all, just Archie, and he had a lot of old scores to settle.’ Joseph smiled and shook his head. ‘The Leonards must have charmed lives. Mickey is back to normal, Joan is making a remarkable recovery and Archie’s back home again, although he knows he’s on borrowed time.’
‘Policing in Greenborough won’t be quite the same without Archie Leonard,’ said Nikki wistfully. ‘He’s a one-off.’
‘That reminds me. I’m reliably told that Raymond has radically changed his opinion of you, after all you did for Joan and Mickey. He’s still a villain and always will be, but he’s going to keep his dirty dealings away from our patch. I think you have a new ally.’ He grinned at her. ‘Maybe Archie’s successor will rule the empire like his father did, when the time comes.’
‘We can but dream.’ Nikki’s smile slowly faded, then she said, ‘Have you heard any more about Windsor Morton’s disappearance?’
‘Nothing definite, but North Yorkshire police had a call about a suicide. A jumper went off some chalk cliffs near Flamborough Head. There’s no body, hence no identification, but Morton’s car was seen that day leaving Bridlington and heading towards that area. They haven’t found it yet, but they are pretty sure it’s him.’
‘One less to worry about I guess, but still very sad. That must be why he killed his dogs.’ Nikki stared up into the blue sky. ‘Can we talk about Snipe?’
‘Sure. Now that the spy cameras have gone and the fen feels good again.’ His eyes lost their sparkle. ‘I would never have dreamed that Travis was such a disturbed soul.’ Joseph shook his head. ‘And the fact he was recruited by Rent-a-Crook directly from college meant he spent almost half of his life as a covert ‘spook’ criminal.’
‘And all that hate inside escalated because he’d never coped with his idol, William French, destroying himself.’ She pulled a face. ‘Or more to the point, he never forgave us for letting down the man who saved his life, the man he worshipped.’
‘Yeah, hero-worship taken to the level of insanity. And now he is locked up with no access to his precious computers. That will finish him completely.’
Nikki nodded. ‘Did Cat tell you that she went to visit him?’
‘Yes, she did. She said he was skin and bone, looked like death. I really wish she hadn’t gone.’
‘She did it without telling anyone. She contacted him and asked him to send her a visiting order. Said there were things she needed to get straight in her head.’ Nikki poured the sparkling champagne into their glasses. ‘She really liked him, you know. They’d been friends for years, or so she thought.’
‘Is that what she wanted to clarify? Whether at some level he cared for her too?’
‘I think so. Although she said he was little more than a zombie.’ She passed a glass across the table to Joseph. ‘I got the feeling that she’s happier now. She said it was because when she said goodbye, he called her ‘old bag’ again. It seemed to tell her something.’
‘You know that he tried to top himself yesterday?’
‘No.’ She sighed. ‘That makes the third attempt. He’ll succeed in the end. I just wish he’d tell us what happened to Brian Faulkner before he does.’
‘He swears he doesn’t know. He says that the other cell members carried out the specialist crimes. Travis supplied the names and the addresses of any remaining serving officers who had been on the team that should have been protecting James French, and let the professionals take it from there.’
‘At least we know now that poor Danny was a “sins of the father” choice. His dad, Bob Wilshire, was one of the officers on duty when James was murdered. Sergeant Brian Faulkner was another, and thinking back, I would have been too, if little Hannah hadn’t been poorly that night.’
Joseph stared into the glass and watched the bubbles rising. ‘It was enough for Snipe to target you
and your team.’
‘I don’t think he cared who he hurt as long as he managed to get his compensation from Greenborough Police. You can tell how long he’d been planning it from the length of time he’d been working with us. He’d worked alongside Stuart for over five years.’
‘Well, I’m glad Stuart has decided to stay on. It must have been one hell of a shock when he realised that Travis was up to something. He told me that when he discovered that his friend was remotely watching Cat’s movements on that old laptop, he believed that Travis was doing it because he fancied her.’ Joseph shook his head. ‘Then when he suspected that it could be something more serious, he did a bit of remote hacking of his own.’
‘Then he dashed to the hospital to talk to Cat and warn her off, and walked right into a needle of sedative, courtesy of our new and very verbal grass, Todd Ramsey.’
Nikki sipped her drink, ‘And talking of Rent-a-Crook members, how’s the crackdown in Ireland going?’
Joseph leaned back and stretched. ‘Well, Liam’s whistle-blower has come up trumps. With the promise of a new name and a new life with his family in another country, he’s been churning out names nonstop. They’ll never get them all but hell, there is one massive great spanner in the works at Rent-a-Crook HQ!’
‘Good.’ Nikki stared at her glass and suddenly saw in her mind the beautiful face of Magda Hellekamp. ‘And the Dutch police have nailed Daan for Magda’s death, although heaven knows what the courts will do with him. Apart from all his disabilities, he’s apparently lost it completely.’
‘At least they have him, and we can be happy with the part we played. We didn’t let Magda down.’ Joseph grinned at her. ‘And in a lighter vein, I’ve had a text from Tamsin. She’s coming to stay for a week next month, for a proper visit.’
‘That is great news! I’m really pleased for you.’
‘I suspect an ulterior motive. She mentioned young Niall Farrow twice in the same text.’ He laughed. ‘But hey! That’s a small price to pay to get my girl to spend some time here.’ Joseph leaned back. ‘So, what now?’
She frowned and looked at him, her head slightly to one side. ‘What do you mean?’
‘Now the dust has settled, what do you really want out of life, Nikki Galena?’
Nikki drew in a long breath and thought about it. There were things she could never have, but they were things that were far beyond her control, like holding her lovely daughter again, or getting her old dad back to health. Now she needed to think forwards not backwards.
She looked up at the familiar old stone farmhouse that was her home, and then across to the man who sat opposite her. Suddenly she realised that the raw pain of the past months had subsided, and she allowed herself a long, sighing breath of relief.
She held out her glass to Joseph. ‘Right now? If I’m honest? Nothing that I don’t already have.’
His glass clinked against hers, then he took her other hand in his. ‘Funnily enough, I feel exactly the same.’ He raised the glass in a toast. His smile was warm and honest.
‘To us.’
THE END
FIRST TWO BOOKS
AVAILABLE NOW
DI Nikki Galena Book 1 and 2
CRIME ON THE FENS
https://www.amazon.co.uk/CRIME-gripping-detective-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01H98SG5G/
https://www.amazon.com/CRIME-gripping-detective-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01H98SG5G/
A NEW CRIME THRILLER WITH A COMPELLING DETECTIVE WHO WILL STOP AT NOTHING TO AVENGE HER DAUGHTER
DI Nikki Galena Book 2
SHADOW OVER THE FENS
https://www.amazon.co.uk/SHADOW-gripping-crime-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01HHA49SY/
https://www.amazon.com/SHADOW-gripping-crime-thriller-suspense-ebook/dp/B01HHA49SY/
TWO BRUTAL KILLERS ARE LOOSE ON THE FENS BUT WHO CAN DI NIKKI GALENA TRUST?
Detective Nikki Galena’s friend and neighbour meets a tragic end but there’s more to his death than meets the eye . . .
And someone terrible from DS Joseph Easter’s past is back . . .
Character List
Detective Inspector Nikki Galena
Nikki is a brave, honest and dedicated police officer who started at the bottom and clawed her way up through the ranks. Although once a loner, hardened by personal tragedy and some of the terrible cases that she has dealt with, the formation of a new, close-knit team has given her drive and enthusiasm.
She is based in the Lincolnshire Fens and her ‘patch’ includes miles of agricultural farmland, massive stretches of dangerous marshes and Greenborough, a big market town with as many criminals as some urban areas. Nikki is divorced, with one daughter.
Detective Sergeant Joseph Easter
Joseph had a middle-class upbringing, good education, went to university then left to join the military. He keeps this fact a secret from his colleagues as he became bitterly disillusioned after an operation went wrong and innocent people died.
He has a quiet way and a calm, reasonable attitude, and he is completely unaware that he a very attractive man. After a dramatic first case with Nikki Galena, he is asked to join her team permanently, and he looks forward to a new life in Greenborough. He is divorced with one daughter Tamsin, a girl who hated the thought of her father being a soldier and killing people, and who lives with her mother in the States. Joseph is desperate to win back her affections and hopes that one day she will see just how much he has changed.
DC Caitlin ‘Cat’ Cullen
Age 27, Cat is tough and shrewd and the most streetwise copper on the team. Since joining Nikki’s team she had redeemed a failing career and is becoming an excellent detective. Cat is a chameleon and works brilliantly undercover. Nikki recognises her skills and knows that she can trust her. One of Cat’s strengths is that once she gets her teeth into a problem she never gives up. Another is her keen interest in technology. She is fiercely loyal to her team and works closely with her older working partner, Dave.
DC Dave Harris
Dave is good old cop and a proud man who chose to hide serious family problems in order to cope alone. Nikki found out about his background, and does her best to help and protect him. He repays her by committing wholeheartedly to her team and brings with him a wealth of local knowledge and old-style intuitive policing.
Superintendent Rick Bainbridge.
Rick is an officer who has earned his reputation of being fair, and is generally respected by both lower and higher ranks. He likes Nikki and is the only man at the station who knows about some of her darker secrets. He has been out on a limb for her many times and his trust in her has always paid dividends. Now Rick is approaching retirement, but he is not having an easy ride.
Glossary of English Slang for US readers
A & E: Accident and emergency department in a hospital
Aggro: Violent behaviour, aggression
A Level: exams taken between 16 and 18
Auld Reekie: Edinburgh
Barm: bread roll
Barney: argument
Beaker: glass or cup for holding liquids
Benefits: social security
Bent: corrupt
Bin: wastebasket (noun), or throw in rubbish (verb)
Bloke: guy
Blow: cocaine
Bob: money
Bobby: policeman
Bun: small cake
Burger bar: hamburger fast-food restaurant
Buy-to-let: Buying a house/apartment to rent it out for profit
Charity Shop: thrift store
Carrier bag: plastic bag from supermarket
Care Home: an institution where old people are cared for
Car park: parking lot
Chat-up: flirt, trying to pick up someone with witty banter or compliments
Chemist: pharmacy
Chinwag: conversation
CID: Criminal Investigation Department
Civvy Street: civilian life (as opposed to army)
Clock: punch
Cock up
: mess up, make a mistake
Common: an area of park land/ or lower class
Comprehensive School (Comp.): High school
Cop hold of: grab
Copper: police officer
Coverall: coveralls, or boiler suit
CPS: Crown Prosecution Service, decide whether police cases go forward
Childminder: someone who looks after children for money
Council: local government
Deck: one of the landings on a floor of a tower block
Deck: hit (verb)
Desperate Dan: very strong comic book character
DI: detective inspector
Do a runner: disappear
Do one: go away
Doc Martens: Heavy boots with an air-cushioned sole
DS: detective sergeant
ED: accident and emergency department of hospital
Early dart: to leave work early
Eggy soldiers: strips of toast with a boiled egg
Enforcer: police battering ram
Estate: public/social housing estate (similar to housing projects)
Estate agent: realtor (US)
Fag: cigarette
FMO: force medical officer
Fried slice: fried bread
Fuzz: police
Geordie: from Newcastle
Garden Centre: a business where plants and gardening equipment are sold
Gob: mouth/ can also mean phlegm or spit
GP: general practitioner, a doctor based in the community
Graft: hard work
Hancock: Tony Hancock, English comedian popular in 1950s
Hard nut: tough person
HOLMES: UK police computer system used during investigation of major incidents
Home: care home for elderly or sick people
