The Reporter by Quinn John Barry

Author:Quinn, John Barry
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Burton Mayers Books
Published: 2023-07-14T00:00:00+00:00

Half a Glass

Later that day, Inspector Broski phones Jude to say the whole job has been taken out of his hands. ‘Hampshire Police has claimed jurisdiction and will run the show from here on in. I reckon they’re trying to keep a lid on Smarties’ cock-up. Nothing is going to happen today, Hampshire has decided that the weather will remain too rough for divers, so efforts to recover the container and its contents will have to wait until tomorrow.’

Jude asks his Transport Police pal if he’s disappointed. ‘Not really, Jude. I’ve enough on my plate and this is going to take some sorting out. And let’s not forget that a huge volume of drugs now won’t find their way on to the streets. I prefer to believe the glass is half full, rather than half empty.’

He asks Jude to inform The Reporter’s readers that any packages washed ashore should be immediately handed to the police. ‘But the geniuses from the Vice Squad say there won’t be anything washed ashore. They say the cardboard boxes will break up and the plastic bags inside will be torn open by the sea and the drugs will be washed away harmlessly. Regardless, Jude, I’ll get a press release issued a little later.’ The inspector laughs. ‘And if any of your readers are fishermen, tell them not to eat their catch for a while.’

Over a coffee, Jude explains the latest development to his colleagues. Robert checks the weather out of the window and is surprised that the storm has passed and the sun is now shining weakly. ‘Looks fine to me outside,’ he says and turns on the office TV to check the weather forecast on Ceefax. ‘The wind will continue to die down, according to the BBC. Don’t see the problem for a dive.’

Jimmy laughs. ‘And when did you, Robert, become qualified to judge when it was and wasn’t safe to go SCUBA diving?’

Robert’s eyes widen. ‘When I gained my PADI Divemaster qualification, I suppose. I’ve been diving since I was about 12, on family holidays in the Caribbean at first, then the Florida Keys. Bit warmer than diving here in the UK.’

Jude smiles from ear-to-ear. ‘So, do you have any cameras, you know, that work under water?’

‘Of course; it’s the same camera,’ Robert lifts his F1 Canon 35mm SLR from his bag. ‘But it fits into a special watertight container and I’ve got really high-powered underwater lights. You need them if you’re going to dive and take photos in British water.’

‘So why don’t we go and take some photos?’ Jude asks.

Jimmy stops the conversation. ‘No, lad, no. It’s too dangerous and we’d be breaking all sorts of laws. I’m up for this story, but if anything happened, Alex would have us all sacked. You know I’m on thin ice already.’

Robert is not so easily dissuaded. ‘Jimmy, I don’t think we’d be breaking any laws. I’ll have to enter the water outside of the Docks, so we’re not trespassing, and swim to the container. Anyway, no one would know I was there.

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