by Helen Phifer
Will threw the office door open and it slammed into the wall. Everyone looked up from their computers at him. He didn’t speak, just went and sat down at his desk and slouched behind the computer monitor so they couldn’t see his face. Laura was nowhere to be seen which suited him just fine; he didn’t care if he never set eyes on her again. Jake was well pissed off with him but he could cope with that, what he couldn’t cope with was seeing the look of betrayal on Annie’s face. He began reading his emails, anything to take his mind off the last twenty four hours. He wanted to make it up to her but he didn’t know if he could, she hadn’t returned any of his calls. He had an email from Grace Marshall who was a profiler from Manchester they had drafted in to help search for the last killer. She was telling him all about the wonders of geographical profiling and how she had just helped to solve a series of rapes in the Blackburn area because of it. She also told him she was off to Corfu for two weeks and planning on coming down to Barrow to pay him and Annie a visit.
He considered asking for her advice on the woman found in the church yesterday but she would probably cancel her holiday and he didn’t want to make her do that. They should be able to figure this one out without any outside help. He hoped to God no more turned up but if another body did appear then he wouldn’t wait around he would ask for her help. There was no way he would wait while bodies stacked up, one serial killer in this town was enough and they didn’t want another. The sound of movement made him glance up to see Stu and Laura whispering to each other. She must have sneaked back in because he hadn’t noticed her. He nodded at them; they were both holding clipboards.
‘Sarge is it okay if me and Laura revisit some of the houses near to the church? See if we can catch anyone who wasn’t in earlier.’
Will nodded once more; he couldn’t bring himself to speak. As far as he was concerned they could drive to bloody Blackpool for some candy floss and a stroll on the beach – as long as he didn’t have to look at them. He leant back, putting his feet up on the desk, then he put his hands behind his head and shut his eyes.
***
Annie finally got to book her prisoner in twenty minutes after the fiasco. He was now snoring loudly in the back of the van and she had to shake him to wake him up. He fluttered his eyelids at her, ‘What, where am I?’
‘You’re about to be booked into the cells Peter, again.’ She emphasised the again bit seeing as how she had arrested him twice this month already.
‘What for?’
‘What do you mean what for? What did you get arrested for the last two times I met you?’
‘Oh yep, I forgot about that.’
She shook her head in disgust. ‘You can’t just forget about making someone’s life a misery.’
She helped him get out of the cage and led him to the door, which clicked open. The internal door to the custody suite buzzed and they walked into the small room, where they went through the process of getting him booked in until court tomorrow. Once this was done and he was tucked up safely in his cell Annie went to find Jake. She stuck her head through the community office door; it was empty. So was the parade room. Surely Kav wasn’t still bollocking him. Not really wanting to go and face Kav but not knowing what else to do she walked into his office where he was sitting on his own reading the paper.
‘Erm Sarge where’s Jake, is everything okay?’ She could feel the cooked breakfast she’d eaten earlier rolling around in her guts.
‘He’s gone to get me a McDonalds to make up for his bad behaviour.’
She let out a sigh of relief and he pointed to the empty chair opposite his desk. ‘Take a seat and don’t look so worried, what did you think I was going to do send him to the Inspector? I have the feeling that whatever it is Jake had a pretty good reason for it but do not tell him I said that.’
‘Thanks, I suppose he did and he is very good at protecting my honour but sometimes I’d rather live without all the drama. It’s knackering.’
Kav nodded. ‘I should imagine it is. Anyway enough of that, how are you?’
‘I’ve been a lot worse.’ Images of her lying in casualty last year filled her mind. ‘I just wish I could lead a simple life away from all the hassle. Maybe I should take up flower arranging.’
‘I actually think that’s a good idea, how much trouble could you get in making pretty bouquets?’
She laughed, ‘Knowing me probably a lot. I think I need a change of scenery or a lottery win, either one would be nice.’
‘Then this might just interest you, there is a vacancy about to come up in Windermere which is top secret because you know how many people would like to escape and work up in the heart of the glorious English Lake District, dealing with lots of tourists and sheep.’
‘Really, do you think I would be able to apply for it?’
‘Well I can’t make any promises but if I have a quiet word with the Inspector up there and tell her you need to get out of here for the sake of your sanity but more for the sake of mine, it might just be possible. Plus she owes me for not arresting her teenage daughter a couple of weeks ago for being drunk and disorderly and trying to fight every copper outside that new nightclub where you can drink yourself into oblivion for a quid.’
‘That would be amazing, I need to put everything behind me and have a fresh start.’
‘Yes Annie, I think you do. Although I will be gutted to lose you from my team because nobody provides me with the excitement or entertainment that you do but it might mean I can hang on to what’s left of my hair. Leave it with me and if you go and really hate dealing with all those Japanese tourists who have lost their cameras then you know I’ll have you back tomorrow.’
She stood up to leave. ‘Thank you, I really appreciate it Kav.’ She walked out of the door and back to the office to wait for Jake to turn up so he could give her a lift back down to Marsh Street for that statement. It wasn’t long before Jake walked in carrying a greasy brown paper bag and slurping on a giant size drink. ‘I have no idea where you put the amount of food you eat or why you’re not fifty stone. What did Kav say to you then?’
‘Just told me I was a prick and basically I need to wind my neck in, but he also said that Will was an even bigger prick and I told him I didn’t know about that because I’d never had the pleasure. Soon stopped him in his tracks, he didn’t know where to look so he sent me out for food.’
‘Well at least you’re not in any real trouble, I appreciate you sticking up for me but like I told you before I can handle it.’
She felt her eyes fill with tears and Jake began rooting around in his bag. He pulled out a cheeseburger and held it out. Annie shook her head.
‘You know you could always try batting for the other side, you might have a bit more luck with a bird. We could go to Manchester to the Gay Pride parade as a foursome.’
He dodged the desk stapler that came flying across the room. ‘Just a thought.’
‘Hurry up, I need to get out of here and go get that statement.’
Jake shoved the last of his burger into his mouth. He was still slurping from the paper cup. ‘Do you want some? It’s chocolate milkshake, your favourite.’
‘No thank you.’
‘Suit yourself but I bet it would make you feel better.’
She walked out of the office with Jake behind her; head bent and straight down the corridor just in case anyone was looking. She couldn’t be bothered with polite conversation. There was no way she’d be coming back in here until it was finishing time.
Chapter 8
Sean parked the Ford Focus in the car park opposite the police station just in time to have front row seats for the fight which had just kicked off. In reality he should have run over to break it up but he was enjoying the show far too much. He did feel sorry for Annie; the poor woman didn’t have much luck with her men. A bit like him and his women, he chuckled to himself. He placed his bet on Jake, he definitely wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of him and he got scary when he was angry. Sean had worked w
ith him enough times to see him in action. Just as he thought about getting out of the car Kav intervened, saving him the trouble. He knew that stuck up bitch Laura was the cause of all this because he’d heard a couple of officers gossiping before briefing this morning in the parade room. Sean had never liked her, well he had until the last Christmas night out when he had bought her a couple of drinks and thought he’d been doing all right until Will had walked in. She then spent the rest of the night hovering around Will and completely blanking him. He hated women like that and an idea began to form in his head. He stayed in the car until it had all calmed down across the road, then just as he was about to get out his radio crackled to life as the control room asked him to attend a job. He started the engine and reversed out of the parking space to go all the way to the other side of town because a group of ten year olds were playing football in the street.
***
It had been four days since Kav had told Annie about Windermere and yesterday he had taken her to one side and told her the job was hers if she wanted it. The only downside was that if she did she had to start there in two days’ time, they were so understaffed. She had gone home and dithered, was she doing the right thing? Should she not let her pride get the better of her? For a couple of hours she had gone over and over it. Then she’d taken a notebook and a pen, writing down a list of reasons she should go and reasons she shouldn’t. It took her ten minutes to realise the list for the move was much more impressive than the list not to. She’d phoned Kav and told him yes, thank you.
She spent the last hour of her shift boxing up her stuff and her various pieces of uniform and Jake who had hovered around her all day helped her carry them to her car. ‘I can’t believe this is it, that I’m never going to work with you again.’
Once more she asked herself if she was doing the right thing, but all that was keeping her here was Jake. She would miss the banter in the office and Sally and Claire the PCSOs but apart from them that was it, oh and Kav, she couldn’t forget him, he’d been more like a dad to her than her boss. She wouldn’t tell him that though. She had left a huge box of cream cakes in the fridge to help ease the pain a little; she had never really understood the tradition that if it was your birthday or you were leaving that you had to buy the cakes.
‘Don’t be soft; I’ll still see you out of work. It’s not as if I’m moving to London or somewhere far away.’
Jake pouted. ‘Well I feel as if you are. I want a phone call every day and plenty of emails and if there is any eye candy up there of the male kind then that’s super important because I might have to get a transfer up there myself.’
Annie laughed, ‘I promise I will.’ She loaded the last box into the back of her now full car and slammed the door shut. ‘Anyway it’s time to book off duty now, come on let’s go to the pub for a drink.’
Jake brightened up at the thought of alcohol. ‘Excellent idea, should I see if Sally and Claire are coming?’ He went back inside and again she wondered if she was doing the right thing but then a car pulled into the yard and she caught a glimpse of Laura with her bleached blonde hair and felt the familiar pain shoot through her chest. Yes she was doing the right thing, she had spoken to Will briefly yesterday as she had been leaving the station and he had begged her to come home with him so they could speak but she couldn’t. She didn’t want to go back to his house; it was easier to blot things out this way.
‘Please Annie; we need to talk about this. One minute we were fine then within the space of twenty four hours you had moved out and I know it’s my fault entirely. But I need to explain it to you.’
‘Just give me some space, every time I see you with her it’s like a bloody great knife gets twisted in my heart. I might be soft but I’m not an idiot Will, I won’t have anyone laughing at me behind my back.’
A van pulled into the yard and she walked away before the officers got out and took an interest in their conversation. She turned to look at him. ‘I think you should know I am transferring to Windermere. Kav told me they were even more understaffed than we are and need someone pretty quick.’
She had walked away before he even had time to digest what she’d just said. She got into her car and drove it home, parking it on the drive and hoping that no-one would break into it with all her stuff inside or else she’d be in trouble. Locking it and double checking the doors she pulled out her phone and began dialling the number for a taxi just as Jake pulled up in a police van. ‘I thought that you might need a lift back to the station.’
She grinned at him and climbed in. ‘So who’s coming to the pub?’
‘Kav, me, Sally, Claire and of course you.’
‘Perfect, my favourite people.’
He drove them back to the station where he parked the van and then handed her the keys. ‘Go stick them on the whiteboard while I nip and get changed.’
She took them from him and did as she was told. A wave of sadness washed over her as she walked into the sergeant’s office for the last time. The whole station was a complete shit hole but she loved it and would miss it. Kav walked in behind her. ‘I believe the first drinks are on you. Miss Graham.’
She nodded, ‘They are, after everything you’ve done for me this last year I owe you far more than a drink.’
‘Steady on Annie, it’s only five o’clock. You’ll make me blush.’ But he winked at her and she laughed. ‘Sergeant, you know exactly what I meant.’
He pulled his jacket off the back of the chair and put it on, then opening the door for her he waved her through and whispered in her ear, ‘You’re doing the right thing Annie, trust me. Everything will work out just fine.’
They walked down the street to the Railway, which played no music but the beer was cheap and it was always busy. True to her word Annie bought the first round and they all squeezed around a corner table in the window, where they could watch the world go by and get drunk. At the table opposite them was a group of men, one of them an old friend of Mike’s who waved at Annie and shouted hello. She waved back. Mike’s so-called friends had no idea that he was a wife beating thug. Or if they did they never let on. She hadn’t liked any of them because he always went for the loud, cocky ones who would laugh and joke at everyone’s expense.
After half an hour she went to the bar for another bottle of wine. It was packed and she had to squeeze in. She felt a hand squeeze her behind and turned around about to give whoever it was a mouthful and was shocked to see Mike’s friend grinning at her.
‘Alright darling, fancy seeing you in here, you know word has it you were already sleeping with one of the coppers before Mike’s coffin hit the ground. You didn’t do much mourning for him then?’
She wanted to tell him to fuck off but was too polite. ‘No I didn’t, not after he almost killed me. His death didn’t have quite the same effect.’
She paid for the bottle of wine and turned around. There were people pushing in all over the place and he took advantage and pushed himself as close to her body as he could. She shoved him away with one hand, a bit too hard, and he stumbled back into a tall man who was behind him making him spill his pint. ‘Watch it mate.’
Annie muttered an apology and squeezed through the throng of people to get back to her friends; she put the wine on the table and turned her back to the group of men, who were laughing.
After five glasses of wine she knew that she’d had enough. Claire and Sally had left a while ago and Jake and Kav were discussing the football. She wanted to go home, put her pyjamas on and then crawl into bed; if she told them she was leaving they would make a fuss, instead she told them she was going to the Ladies. Neither of them looked up as she made her way through the crowds to the door and some fresh air. It was dark outside and slightly drizzling. She thought about phoning a taxi but she rarely used them, she would rather walk around to the bus stop outside the police station and get a bus for a quid. She didn’t notice Mike’s friend follow her outside. Putting her head down she began to walk briskly around to the back of th
e pub to take the shortcut across the car park, which was in a quiet back street. Most of the streetlights weren’t working and it was dark but she wasn’t bothered, there was no-one around. She had walked these streets at four in the morning on her own when she was working. The alcohol making her brain foggy she forgot that she wasn’t at work and didn’t have the benefit of CS gas or handcuffs should she need them. She crossed the road and was almost at the other side when she fell forward as someone shoved her hard from behind. Unsteady on her feet because of the wine, she fell to her knees and cried out. Before she could do anything a weight pressed on her and she felt herself being dragged across to the open rear yard of an empty shop. She opened her mouth to scream and a fist hit her in the face, missing her nose but hitting her square in the eye. Annie lost it then and began to fight with everything she had but her attacker was strong, she could smell the beer on his breath and knew it was Mike’s friend from the pub whose name she didn’t even remember. She was managing okay but as she lunged forward she tripped and fell, landing on her back. He straddled her and memories from last year filled her mind. She opened her mouth to scream but he clamped his hand over her mouth so she bit him as hard as she could. Another punch hit her on the side of the head this time and then his weight lifted off her chest and she watched in slow motion as he flew through the air like a balloon. Kav bent down and helped her up and Jake had the prick shoved against the bonnet of a car in an arm lock. The guy was struggling so Kav walked over and sucker punched him in the guts, knocking the wind out of him. The blackness was illuminated by flashing blue lights and Annie groaned as she looked across at Kav, ‘Really.’
‘Yes Annie, really. Do you want to let that piece of scum go on his way after he just assaulted you and tried to do God knows what else?’
Annie shook her head, ‘No but I don’t want any more hassle either. Christ I just want an easy life, please Kav – I can’t do this.’
He put his arm around her shoulders. ‘Come on kid, it’s like a parting gift for your colleagues. You are going to leave them all bored shitless so at least they will get a little entertainment whilst you’re away.’
