Just Kill Them by Michael Leese

Author:Michael Leese [Leese, Michael]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mike Leese Communications
Published: 2019-08-02T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 32

Hooley had grabbed a couple of hours on a day bed and, after a quick shower, was heading back to his desk. It was just after 4am and the lights were on.

“Morning, Jonathan.”

They’d had a brief row a few hours earlier, as Roper had insisted he get some rest. With so little progress on the case, Hooley had been starting to feel the pressure in an almost physical way. It was affecting his concentration, so he had to read things several times over just to make sense of them.

“You look a lot better for some rest,” Roper said, studying him closely. “Do you mind if we have a quick conversation first?”

Hooley waved his hand in what he hoped was a nonchalant manner. “Please, go ahead.”

As usual, the younger man was straight to it.

“You don’t need to worry about me. I will be fine while you are in hospital so if they say you need to go in straight away, that will be good.”

Hooley went to respond. “Look, I’m not worried about you. I know you… “

He got no further because Roper cut him off. “I know you are worried about it. I can tell by the way you have been looking at me and then trying to pretend you are not really looking at me. I will be fine. I have learned so much from you that it won’t be like the last time I was on my own.

“I realise now that I pushed everyone too hard and made unfair demands on them. You have taught me to give people space and not hold them to my standards. I promise that every day I will make the effort to listen to people and answer their questions.”

Hooley felt himself welling up. The trouble was, he really was worried about Roper. The young detective had no idea how many enemies he’d made at Scotland Yard. That was the trouble with being the most honest person around - when people asked you questions, you told the truth.

He coughed to cover up his emotion.

“I know you’ll be fine. You’ve got Julie on your side and Susan will make a difference. Anyway, with a bit of luck, you’ll have me for a little while yet. We don’t know what the surgeon will say until I see him tomorrow.” Then he remembered that Julie Mayweather had called him at about 7pm last night. It felt like days ago. “If she can find the time, Julie is turning up this morning, just a flying visit.”

They went back to work, trying to ignore a sense of unease.

Surprisingly, it was the forensic accountants who helped ease the mood. Just after 6am, Hooley took a call from the senior accountant, Roger Croxford. Hooley had never met the man but had heard he was famously relentless. He sounded excited.

“We’re on to something, thanks to the steer from you guys.”

Hooley felt his mood lighten immediately. “Can you give me a moment while I put this on speaker so Jonathan can hear?”

Roper leaped up and perched on the edge of Hooley’s desk.

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