‘Yes, I do, I know, and yes, I understand you, sir.’
‘You understand me. Good. What’s your name?’
‘Soheil. Soheil Afshar.’
‘Well, okay then, Soheil. We got off to a bad start, or at least you got off to a fucking stinker, but you still got potential, all right? Now then, I can’t make it any clearer. You follow my instructions to the letter in future, Soheil, because despite my chipper outlook, I am a fucking horrible piece of shit and I will not hesitate in making an example of you and your family to get my message across. So, is it clear now?’
Soheil nodded.
‘That means yes in your culture, right?’
‘Yes, I understand.’
‘Well, that’s good. I only wish all of them spoke English as well as you do.’
The rear door opened and the figure was once again standing at the roadside lifting a cigarette to his lips. He tapped on the driver’s window and Soheil lowered it, all the way this time. ‘You’ll hear from me, and no doubt about me. My name is Smith. You remember that.’
Soheil nodded. He watched Smith walk away. He bent, gathered up the money and stuffed it back in the envelope and down his jumper. He would head straight back home before continuing with his day’s work. The last thing he wanted now was for the police to pull him over and ask questions about the bundles of cash, his bruised cheek, and the man called Smith.
Chapter 10
‘Not a big fan of the quiet life, are we, PC Kavski?’ Inspector Andrea Watts stood glaring at the PC who had been summoned to her office.
Ed Kavski smiled. ‘What would be the fun in that?’
‘Ah yes, fun. That just about sums up your attitude towards your job, the police as a whole and your own safety. I don’t really give too much of a shit about your safety, and why should I when you clearly don't care about it yourself?’
Ed raised an eyebrow. Andrea had to be under a lot of pressure for her to swear. It sounded odd in her Australian twang, softened by the twenty years that had passed since her move.
‘But the way you go about things, someone else is going to get seriously hurt. Michael Hunt could very well—’
‘Michael Hunt is an idiot who was playing games with your negotiator.’
‘Michael Hunt could very well have been dangling that child out of the window for all you knew!’ Andrea flopped heavily into her seat. She expelled a long sigh, and Ed had a feeling he might be over the worst.
Sure enough, she came back softer. ‘You just don't think, Ed. You go in, all guns blazing, with no regard whatsoever for the rules of engagement.’
‘With respect, ma’am, that job was at a stalemate and I got it done. Within five minutes of our arrival, our man was in custody.’
‘But Ed, you have to understand that the outcome is not the most important thing with police processes. We have to be able to show that we followed procedure, that we went by the book the whole way through and cannot be criticised, even if it all turns to rat shit. And Ed, you are the only one that didn’t act according to those procedures. I simply do not understand why you refuse to follow orders.’
Andrea was leaning forward. One elbow rested on the table while the other hand was busy unclipping her tie and undoing her top button. She looked every bit like someone who had been facing questions from above as to why she couldn’t control her staff and what she was going to do about it.
‘Ed, you leave me no choice. Your Taser ticket is immediately revoked and you need to hand it in to me now. I’m also putting you back in uniform, and you’ll be working with a response team until the investigations into this incident, as well as last week’s, have been completed.’
‘Last week?’ Ed looked puzzled.
‘Last week, Ed, when you Tasered a sleeping man.’
‘Ah, yeah. Well, as a matter of fact, that man was very much awake.’
‘Even if that was the case there can be no denying that he was naked and lying in bed.’
‘He was, true, but I weren’t gonna fuck about letting him get up and dressed before I gave him the warning. I was authorised to Taser the bloke.’
‘Yes, if necessary, in order to control him, not in order to prevent him sitting up and asking who the hell had just burst into his bedroom!’
Ed crossed his arms. ‘Expert in unarmed combat is the intel we got given.’
Andrea waved a hand. ‘Forget it. Save it all for the professional standards people, because they’re going to want to speak to you about it. The superintendent might want to talk to you as well — he’s still batting off questions from the press about today’s incident.’
‘And in the meantime you’re busting me back to section. How long is that for?’
‘Yes, I am, and I had to fight to make that happen. Some very influential people were looking at either suspending you completely or sticking you behind a desk for the foreseeable future. But make no bones about it, Ed, if you step even slightly out of line, you will be back in the station sat behind a desk, auditing crime reports ten hours a day.’
Ed wiped his mouth, considered a reply but changed his mind. He was glad to be excused before he said something he would regret. He stepped out of her office and looked around at the clerks and civilians who were indeed involved in computer work for ten hours a day. He uttered a silent thanks to Andrea. He knew that she would fight for him. She had already, on a couple of occasions in the short time he had worked for her. But he knew eventually even she would give up on him.
Ed took the lift to the ground floor where he stopped as his phone vibrated in his jeans pocket.
‘Well, this is a blast from the past!’ Ed smiled.
‘Yeah, what’s it been, three whole months?’ Inspector Craig Jacobs sounded chipper.
‘Hang on, mate, stay there.’ Ed hurried outside and walked until he was satisfied that he was out of earshot.
‘Inspector,’ he said. ‘Has it really only been three months? Feels like an age since I was doing a proper job.’
‘How are you, Ed?’
‘Shit, mate. And you?’
‘Similar I suppose. What’s your problem? Let me guess, they don’t appreciate you up in the north of the county?’
Ed cast a look back at the building. ‘They don’t seem to appreciate my methods, put it that way.’
‘I’m having the same experience mate, I’m almost thinking we made a mistake leaving the big city. You getting a hard time?’
‘Well, I’m getting the results but I can’t seem to keep myself out of trouble. Seems they don’t have the same sort of attitude to getting the job done as we had in London, you know? It’s got to the point where I think we might not be compatible.’
‘Well now, that’s music to my ears, Ed, because if you were having a good time up there on the periphery, I would have had a battle on my hands. This way you get to come quietly.’
‘You what? Where am I coming quietly?’
‘To work for me.’
Ed made sure he was facing away from the station. ‘We’re on already?’
‘I don’t hang about. We can have another crack at what we didn’t finish in our previous life. I won’t go into detail now, but I’ll sort out a meeting in the next couple of days.’
‘Really? Next few days?’
‘Yes, mate, could be as soon as tomorrow. Keep your phone with you and I’ll be in touch.’
Jacobs ended the call.
Ed grinned. All of his frustration was immediately gone. He reckoned he would be back doing what he did best in a very short time.
Chapter 11
Smith sat in a haze of cigarette smoke. The large flat screen showing MTV was the only light source in the room. He sighed as his mobile phone trilled. The number was withheld.
‘Yeah?’ Smith’s eyes narrowed against the smoke of his cigarette.
‘Smith, it’s Marlowe.’
‘Marlowe! Long time since you felt the need to call me. What’s the story?’ The sofa creaked as Smith settled back into
a more comfortable position.
‘Listen, Smith, I just called to tell you what I know. I ain’t stirring no shit and I ain’t saying nothing about nothing, this is just what I see.’
Smith picked up the remote and muted the TV. He swept his dark fringe from his eyes. ‘What you got, friend?’
‘It’s just that we’ve got this new guy driving with us and I hear that he’s driving for you too.’
‘The raghead?’
‘Soheil.’
‘That’s the fella.’ Smith heard movement from upstairs. His girlfriend flushed the toilet.
‘Yeah, well, I was working the other day. I went past the cop shop in Langthorne and I see Soheil.’
‘What, he got himself nicked?’
‘That’s the thing, he weren’t nicked, at least it didn’t look like it. They let him out the front for a start and some lad, a copper, he walked him out and shook his hand right there in the street. When have you ever been walked out the front and shook hands with the filth? Something’s not right there. I wanted you to know.’
Smith lit another cigarette. ‘You think he was talking to them?’
‘No doubt of it. Just no way of knowing what he was saying.’
‘He was on his own?’
‘I couldn’t see anyone else with him. Like I said, I ain’t looking at causing no shit for anyone. I just thought you’d want to know. We’ve all got a lot riding on this, and if he’s in there talking we might all be fucked, you know?’
‘I appreciate it, you did good. Do the others know about this?’
‘I spoke to Tim today but that’s all. I wanted a second opinion like. He said I should give you a bell.’
‘Okay, cheers for the call, Marlowe. I’ll sort it.’
Smith put the phone down on the arm of the sofa.
A voice called from upstairs. ‘Who was that, hon?’
‘Christ,’ muttered Smith. ‘Work!’
The stairs creaked. Smith’s girlfriend wore one of his old shirts and nothing else. Her hair was tousled. ‘You all right?’
‘I said, it’s just work!’ he said without looking up, and she backed out of the room. Smith waited for her to leave and picked up his phone.
‘Smudge, wassup?’ The voice was blurry with sleep.
‘Tone, you free this evening?’
‘Can be, mate.’
‘Come to mine, whenever.’
‘Okay, what you got?’
Smith dragged on his cigarette. ‘I could do with your assistance, mate. I need to deliver a message.’
Tone gave a knowing laugh. ‘Just let me eat, man, and I’m with yer.’
Chapter 12
‘How’s the boy?’ George Elms asked his wife, Sarah.
She moved to sit on the bed besides him. She’d just pulled the curtains wide open, causing George to blink at the sudden sunlight.
‘The boy? Look, I thought we’d discussed this.’
George rolled over and chuckled. ‘I told you, if it’s a girl you can stick it back in. I mean, what use is a girl?’
Sarah gave her husband’s bare back a light slap. ‘I’m going to tell her what you said about her when she gets here.’
‘I’ll tell her now.’ George moved across to his wife and rested his ear against her bump. He pretended to listen. ‘I’m not sure he’s up,’ he said, looking up at Sarah.
‘Maybe she’s having a lie-in.’
George manoeuvred himself so he was looking down at Sarah’s stomach. He lifted the maternity T-shirt. ‘Right, you in there, if you’re a girl then I suggest you stay right where you are, got it?’ He looked up at Sarah. ‘Anything?’
‘What do you mean, “anything?” She’s been moving around a lot this morning actually.’
‘Any movement now, though, any sign that he might have got the message?’
Sarah placed her hands either side of the bump, ‘I think I just felt a thumbs-up.’
‘That’ll do me.’ George jumped out of bed, spun to face Sarah, and put his hands on his hips. ‘You fancy seeing if we can shake him up a little, maybe prompt him to surface?’
Sarah looked him up and down. ‘To be honest with you, George, I’m really rather looking forward to getting this young fella out now, before I consider putting anything else in.’
‘You have such a lovely way with words.’ George looked thoughtful. ‘I guess I should have a shower. I assume you have plans for me today, hence the wake up?’
With a grunt, Sarah put her feet on the floor. ‘I do indeed. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to pick up your daughter from school at three. Can’t remember the last time you did that. She’ll be ever so excited to see her dad waiting for her.’
George smiled. ‘Now that I can manage.’ He turned towards the door to the en-suite bathroom.
‘And then there’s food shopping . . .’ Sarah called out. George stopped in his tracks.
‘Ah, there’s the catch. You know I’m no good at Tesco.’
‘Charley knows what we need. She’ll be there to help you.’
‘Charley? Our six-year-old daughter knows what we need? She’ll help me?’
‘Exactly. So you don’t need to worry.’
George nodded and stepped into the bathroom. As he turned on the shower, he called back, ‘You know you just called him “fella,” right?’
* * *
George was still grinning as he took in his reflection. He had started the shower running, and the mirror was already starting to steam up. He had left his watch on the windowsill, the afternoon was half gone. He stepped into the shower just as he heard his wife calling out. He couldn’t make out what she wanted and he lifted his face to the warmth. She would shout it louder if it was important.
‘George!’ He still didn’t reply. The shower suddenly stopped. There was a switch on the wall on the outside that cut the power to the shower. George tugged the curtain back, white suds ran down his face and forced his eyes shut. He spat soap with his reply, ‘Sorry, dear, did you say something?’
‘Yes, dear, I was about to ask if you were going into work this evening, or if we might be able to spend it together as a family for once. Maybe this time you can be the one that rushes me to the hospital for a false alarm. And you need to hurry up if you’re getting Charley.’
George brushed suds from his face. ‘I see, and to hurry me up, you delay me even further by turning off the shower?’
‘That’s correct.’
‘Okay, and I don’t have to be back at work until tomorrow morning, as I put in a double. Is that to your satisfaction, milady?’
‘It’ll do.’ Sarah smiled. She switched the shower back on and George squealed. The water came back cold.
* * *
Charley’s face lit up when she saw her dad’s Laguna parked up close to the school gates. George stepped out of the car and acknowledged a community support officer monitoring the gates, who recognised him despite his casual wear. Charley broke into a run, her blue gingham school dress flapping. George caught her up and spun her round.
‘How’s my little Char-Char?’
‘Why are you here?’ Charley said into his ear.
‘You know I’m your dad, right?’
Charley grinned. ‘You’re silly.’
‘We both know that, Little Lady. Listen, Mummy’s sending us shopping this afternoon, but I reckon we could just go get some ice cream and pic ’n’ mix and then pretend you forgot — what do you think?’
Charley giggled. ‘Noooo! Mummy told me what we need and she said I had to make sure you behaved.’
‘Well, good luck with that.’ He opened the car passenger door and held it for her, pretending to doff his cap. ‘Your Highness.’ But as he closed the door, George’s smile faded. He had met the stare of a man standing on the other side of the road, leaning against a tall fence. Something passed between them, and then the man pushed off the fence and strode away.
George thought quickly, then pulled open the passenger door and lean
ed in. ‘Charley, I gotta go and speak to someone. I’ll be two minutes.’ He walked over to the community support officer.
‘I need to borrow your radio.’
The officer unclipped the radio hanging from her belt. ‘Thanks. Listen, I think I’ve just seen someone who really shouldn’t be here. Can I ask you to stand with my daughter — she’s in the car. I’ll just call it in and then I’ll be back.’
The officer nodded and George set off. The man was now almost a hundred metres ahead. His hands were thrust deep in the pockets of his oversized duffle-coat. He had pulled up his scarf, covering his mouth. George jogged after him. The man glanced back and broke into a run.
The man clearly knew the area, for he made for an alleyway that led to the school playing fields and woodland beyond. George knew it too. It was a good place to disappear.
By the time George emerged from the alleyway the man was halfway across the field, but George had gained on him. At the entrance to the woods, the man looked back over his shoulder and saw George closing in on him. He stopped running and held his hands up.
‘Will! Interesting to find you here.’
Will was panting. ‘I was just walking past . . . I live near, you know that. I was walking home.’
‘Walking home via the primary school?’ George put the radio up to his mouth and pressed the button to speak. ‘Sergeant Elms to Control.’ Both men stared at it, waiting for a response.
‘Last caller, go ahead.’ The operator sounded surprised. The radio would have shown them an ID assigned to a police community support officer at a primary school, so they must have been wondering why this call came from an off-duty detective sergeant.
‘Control, this is Sergeant Elms. I am on a PCSO’s radio and I’ve stopped a male. Received so far?’
Will wrung his hands and shifted from one foot to another. ‘I can’t go back! I can’t go back there. They’re gonna kill me in there, they said so!’
George recalled the interview at Langthorne House. Will, a forty-two-year-old man with a pot belly and scraggly hair, had spent most of the time in pieces.
BODILY HARM a gripping crime thriller full of twists Page 6
