Detective Mike Croft Series Box Set by Jane Adams

Author:Jane Adams [Adams, Jane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Joffe Books crime thriller and mystery box sets
Published: 2019-11-03T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter Thirty-Three

Sunday, early morning

It was clear, just from the way Jaques walked down the length of the ward, his footfalls quick and decisive, that he was not a happy man.

Mike gave him an expectant look and invited him to sit down. Jaques didn’t. He remained standing, his hands thrust deep into his pockets, fingers jangling keys and loose change, his voice as tense and abrupt as his footsteps had been.

‘I can’t stop,’ he said, ‘and besides, I’ve just seen breakfast about to be brought in. Wouldn’t want to interrupt.’

He paused, frowning, then sat down after all, leaned forward to rest his hand on the side of Mike’s bed in what was, for Jaques, an outstanding show of intimacy.

‘Just wanted to be the one to tell you, Mike. Courtesy, you understand, but this thing’s got bigger than any of us thought.’ He sat back and rubbed his face with the palms of his hands.

‘You look tired, sir,’ Mike commented.

‘I am, Mike, I am. It’s been a long night, you know. Anyway, it looks like internal affairs will be taking over from here on in.’

‘What. . .?’ Mike was taken aback.

Jaques silenced him abruptly. ‘You’ll be laid up for a good while yet, so it’s no longer your worry. . . You’ve heard about the body?’

Mike nodded.

‘Puts a different complexion on things,’ Jaques went on. ‘Mike, we’ve not always seen eye to eye, I know, but we’ve rubbed along pretty well, haven’t we?’

‘I should say so,’ Mike said, wondering where this was leading.

‘And I know you’ve always been one to give a fair hearing, even to the likes of Eric Pearson.’

Mike frowned. ‘Everyone deserves to be heard, sir, whatever our personal feelings might be,’

‘Quite so, quite so.’

He rummaged in his pocket and handed Mike a few sheets of folded paper. Mike took them. Jaques sat fidgeting until Mike had finished reading. Then he said, ‘Well, what do you make of it?’

Mike separated the pages. ‘This,’ he said, ‘is part of Blake’s journal. And this,’ he fingered Eric Pearson’s Deposition gingerly as though it might bite, ‘is not going to endear him to the residents of Portland Close.’

Jaques snorted rudely. ‘No, no, I don’t suppose it will,’ he said. He got to his feet and took the paper back from Mike, folding it tightly before replacing it in his pocket. ‘Look,’ he said. ‘I know this is not where you want to be, but that’s just the way of things sometimes. You try your best to keep things going and then it all blows up in your face.’ He stood hesitantly beside the bed as though wanting to say more. ‘I just came to keep you informed, Mike. Nothing official, you understand,’ he said at last.

Mike nodded, puzzled now by Jaques’ attitude. ‘Thank you, sir,’ he said. ‘I appreciate that.’

Jaques straightened himself up and shuffled his feet as though impatient to go but still having something left to say.

‘Just get yourself better, Mike,’ he said. ‘Take your time and don’t try to come rushing back before you’re ready.

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