The Rookie by Adam Croft

Author:Adam Croft [Croft, Adam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Adam Croft

6

By mid-morning on his second day in CID, Jack was starting to doubt DI Taylor’s comments about no two days ever being the same. He was already on first-name terms with the man in the local corner shop, and had started to wonder how many cups of tea and coffee his colleagues could possibly drink — and what had happened to the teabags and jars of instant coffee he’d bought only an hour and a half earlier.

He’d woken that morning with a bit of a thick head from the night before, so had been responsible for four cups of coffee himself. He’d left for home after the third pint, not used to drinking heavily on a work night. His uniformed colleagues had occasionally gone out for a couple of drinks after work, but it was usually much more sedate. In contrast, his new CID colleagues had decided to hit the whiskies after their third pints — something Jack politely declined.

Whisky didn’t agree with him at the best of times. He’d heard it was something you became more accustomed to as you got older, but Jack couldn’t see that himself. He certainly didn’t ever imagine himself becoming a whisky drinker. The odd beer or two, maybe. But never whisky.

As the morning wore on, Jack was starting to think that he might actually get a lunch break. Stealing a bite of something here and there was about the best anyone seemed to manage in the police force. The diet usually consisted of chocolate biscuits or crisps — anything that could be eaten on the job and provide a quick sugar kick at the same time.

Just as he was imagining what culinary delights he might be able to enjoy, he was pulled out of his reverie by the sound of DI Taylor slamming his phone down. With lips pursed, the DI strode into the centre of the room as the other detectives looked on.

‘There’s been another burglary in town. Birch Street. Another elderly woman, alone in the house. Mary Stokes. This time, though, she caught him in the act and tried to put up a fight. She’s currently in Mildenheath General, having emergency surgery. She’s eighty-eight, unlikely to see eighty-nine.’ Taylor’s voice rose in volume as he spoke. ‘She is somebody’s mother, somebody’s grandmother. The wanker who did it was spotted, again by a neighbour. Fortunately, it seems neighbourly relations are still strong in Mildenheath. Unfortunately for you, No Knock,’ the DI said, rounding on Jack, ‘the person they spotted coming out of Mary Stokes’s house covered in blood was young Gary McCann.’

Jack’s heart sank. He swallowed hard. Taylor was waiting for him to speak.

‘Are we sure it was McCann?’

‘Yes. No doubt about it. The eagle-eyed neighbour is an old schoolfriend of his. Charlie Emerson. Would know him anywhere, he told us.’ Taylor’s voice was now calm. Too calm. There was a sinister edge about it which told Jack he’d really fucked up.

‘Has he been nicked?’ Jack asked.

‘He has, and he might get done for this job, but we’ll need more than just a witness statement.

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