A Handsome Stranger
Page 11
‘With any luck,’ he finished, ‘I can get you in and out again without any hassle from DI Jones.’
I couldn’t help but notice the weariness in his voice, but I thought there was more to it than simple tiredness.
‘What’s going on, Dave?’
He let out a huge sigh. ‘The whole operation’s gone pear-shaped. Slick Tony wasn’t there.’
‘But, I saw him,’ I said.
‘Oh, he was there earlier in the week, but he was gone before we went in. I said all along we should have stormed the house as soon as we knew he was there, but DI Expert insisted we should wait. It’s like the guy knew exactly what we were doing and when we were coming.’
‘But it’s not your fault. How can it be?’
‘Of course it’s not my fault. The blame should lie with the guy running the operation, but he’s going to offer me as the sacrificial lamb to save his own skin.’
‘You think Slick Tony has someone on the inside?’
He thought for a few moments before answering. Then, as he swung the car into the police station car park, he replied.
‘Well, if he has got someone on his payroll, my logic says it’s not likely to be someone from this tinpot little town where he’s never been before. Much more likely he knows someone from London, wouldn’t you think?’
True to his word, he managed to take Sophia’s statement in record time and we were back home before we knew it. Sophia was still clutching my hand as we approached our flats.
‘I need my hand to open my door.’
‘No,’ she said, pulling me past my own flat and towards hers. ‘You’re coming with me.’
Jelena had said very little since our release from the van, but now she spoke her approval of this new step in our relationship.
‘At last! Thought would never happen.’
Despite her tiredness, a cheeky grin lit up her face.
‘But please not make too much noise. One of us have to work in a few hours.’
‘Jelena!’ Sophia was shocked.
‘What? You lovers now, right? Is not problem, just please not be too noisy.’
She opened the front door to the flat and stepped inside.
‘I have to sleep now, but I very happy for you. Is good.’
‘Is good’ was Jelena’s seal of approval. We had her blessing.
We stood on the step. Sophia still looked shocked.
‘Maybe I should go back to my own flat,’ I said. ‘I mean, if you’re not ready-’
‘Not ready?’ she interrupted. ‘I wouldn’t have asked you if I wasn’t ready.’ Then, cheekily she added, ‘Of course, if you’ve changed your mind about getting involved…’
I hugged her to me. ‘I promise you I’m never going to change my mind about that.’
She stood on tiptoe so she could whisper in my ear.
‘If you carry me inside, I promise not to make too much noise.’
I didn’t need to be asked twice…
*****
A Complete Fiasco
Thank you for managing to read through to the end of this novella series. I know they are not to everyone’s taste, so not all who started this journey will have got this far! If you have got this far, it’s reasonable to assume you’ve enjoyed them, so don’t forget there is an alternative version of the last one, called A Complete Fiasco.
The stories are essentially the same, but the original Alfie version is written in the first person, whereas the Dave Slater version is written in the third person. If you haven’t already downloaded a copy, you can get it by clicking this link.
Thank you once again for downloading these stories.
Best wishes,
Peter (P.F.) Ford.
Books by P.F. Ford
Dave Slater Mystery Novels
Death of a Temptress
Just a Coincidence
Florence
The Wrong Man
The Red Telephone Box
The Secret of Wild Boar Woods
A Skeleton in The Closet
The Kidney Donor
The above books can all be purchased individually
but they are also available as great value two book sets.
Dave Slater Mystery Doubles
Set One includes
Just A Coincidence & Florence
Set Two includes
The Wrong Man & The Red Telephone Box
Set Three includes
The Secret Of Wild Boar Woods & A Skeleton In The Closet
P.F. Ford links:
P.F. Ford website
P.F. Ford’s Author Central page