Whisper For The Reaper, Jack Gatland [good books for high schoolers txt] 📗

Rising, she looked around the office at the other officers. Not one of them looked back at her, all involved in their own personal cases.

She didn’t look back at them as she left the office.

Declan was leaning against a waist height wall as she walked out of the main entrance.

‘Are you supposed to be here?’ she asked. Declan grinned.

‘Christ no,’ he replied. ‘That’s why I was so cautious. Worried that I’d be hit by lightning just for considering it.’ He looked at Anjli, as if evaluating her. ‘How’s it been?’

‘You’ve worked the spot,’ she replied. ‘How was it for you?’

‘I was here a couple of days, and in that time I uncovered two corrupt cops and solved a murder,’ Declan smiled. ‘Probably an uncommon situation.’

‘Fair point,’ Anjli shrugged as she joined Declan on the wall. ‘There’s something off, here. It’s not the people, they’re all perfectly fine. Even DCI Esposito’s doing his best to make me feel at home, although it’s obvious he’d rather I buggered off elsewhere. He had me sorting out vandalism in a park yesterday.’

‘That an option?’ Declan asked. ‘To go elsewhere?’

‘Dunno,’ Anjli sighed. ‘Don’t even know where I’d go. I spent most of my career here and then went across to Monroe. Feels like a massive step backwards.’

‘I might have an answer,’ Declan smiled. ‘You got any holiday time?’

‘Even if I didn’t, I reckon Esposito would give me something, just to get me out of the way,’ Anjli chuckled. ‘Why do you ask?’

‘Because I need your help as much as you look like you need mine,’ Declan replied. ‘And with you beside me, it’ll be easier to get Monroe on board.’

‘On board what?’ Anjli frowned. Declan rose from the wall.

‘I’m hunting a serial killer that might have killed my parents.’

Anjli went to speak, stopped, and then started again.

‘Let me go speak with HR,’ she suggested.

Monroe didn’t know why he kept coming back here; probably because he had nothing better to do. But here he was again, standing on King’s Bench Walk in Temple Inn, staring up at the building that had once been the offices of his baby. A child that had grown so tall, taken down some of the worst people possible, and might now be kept from him forever.

His phone vibrated; pulling it from his pocket, he saw it was Declan, again. Monroe groaned, staring down at it until the call went to voicemail. Not that he didn’t want to speak to Declan, it was the fact that he didn’t know what to say to him. You can’t give advice when your advice has been proven wrong.

Another call now; this time from Anjli. Sighing again, Monroe let this do the same as the first. However, as it also moved to voicemail, a message from Declan appeared on the screen.

Answer your phone you stubborn bloody idiot it’s important

As Monroe read this, the phone started vibrating again; a second call from Declan. Looking to the heavens in exasperation, Monroe connected the call, putting it to his ear.

‘Declan,’ he said, forcing a smile. He’d been told once that if you smiled when you talked, the voice would sound warmer. He didn’t know if it worked, but it was worth a try. ‘Sorry, I missed your call. I’m in the shops.’

‘Signal’s always bad in shops,’ Declan replied. ‘Which one are you in?’

‘Supermarket.’

‘Yeah, it’s the steel in the construction,’ Declan was walking as he spoke. ‘Always a problem until you get outside.’

‘If you want, I can call you when I get out,’ Monroe suggested.

‘Not a problem, Guv,’ Declan said down the phone. ‘I’ll just come to you.’

Monroe went to reply again, to lie once more, but something didn’t feel right here. Looking around, he groaned as he saw Declan and Anjli walking across the Temple Inn car park towards him.

‘In fact, I see you right now,’ Declan continued down the line. ‘In the produce section.’

Monroe silently swore as he disconnected the call, waiting for Declan and Anjli to approach.

‘How did you know?’ he asked.

‘Marcos,’ Anjli replied. ‘We called her before you, Guv.’

‘Bloody woman,’ Monroe muttered. ‘Can’t keep a secret.’

Declan looked up at the building. ‘How long until it’s operational again?’ he enquired. Monroe shrugged.

‘Week, maybe two.’

‘And will we be back inside?’ Now it was Anjli’s turn to talk. Monroe went to reply, but found he didn’t have the words.

‘I’m not sure,’ he eventually admitted. ‘I genuinely don’t know.’

Declan was watching Monroe as he spoke. ‘How bored are you? On, like a scale of one to ten? One being usual day at the office and ten being you’ll do anything to get out of this rut?’

Monroe considered this carefully.

‘Twenty seven,’ he smiled. ‘Christ, I’m going mad, laddie. Finally ready to get back on the bike and someone nicked the wheels.’

‘I might have a different bike for you to ride,’ Declan replied. ‘Putting together a team. Been given the go ahead to hunt a serial killer. Very off the books, unpaid, and possibly even uncredited. But at least it’ll give us something to work on together.’

‘Is it going to be a ball-ache of a job?’

‘Most likely.’

Monroe smiled. ‘Can we bring Rosanna too?’

Declan laughed. ‘She’s already examining the body.’

‘Aye, so there’s a body?’ Monroe slapped Declan on the arm. ‘Why the hell are we standing around here chatting, then?’

And with that, DCI Alexander Monroe gained his next case.

7

Functioning Room

They decided that nothing could be done until the next day, so Declan gave both Anjli and Monroe details of where to meet him and then took his leave, returning to Hurley before the evening rush hour traffic became too much of a problem.

Once in the village and parked up, Declan walked over to The Olde Bell pub. He was very aware that arriving at Maidenhead with a full team would turn heads, and currently that was exposure he didn’t need. And at the same time, he didn’t want to turn his house into a police unit, especially with Jess around.

Although, to be honest, she’d probably fit right in.

There