God's Bounty Hunter (Biddy Mackay Space Detective Book 1) by T Olivant (reading in the dark .txt) 📕

“Um, yes,” the Chief replied, looking a little startled at being brought into this dispute.

“Then I’m afraid the Council of Eritree will have to wait until we have concluded our business with the suspect before they can have access to him.”

“Yes, of course,” Campbell said, regaining his composure. “And on that note, Detective Mackay, I would remind you of your duty to hand the suspect over to me.”

The Detective turned to face the man. “Are we not on the same side, Sir?  Because it seems like you are undermining my efforts to apprehend the suspect.”

Her tone was light but there was definite menace in it.  Lu Tang was starting to enjoy himself.  Perhaps the young woman was not as foolish as she seemed.

“I mean,” Mackay continued, “none of us want a nasty, corrupt little murderer to get away with it, do we?”

Nope, Lu Tang thought, she was definitely just as dumb as she seemed.

Chapter 23

Instead of answering her, Chief Campbell stared up at the sky.  Biddy kept her eyes on the older man.  She felt as though she was walking a tightrope above a ravine full of crocodiles.  And Campbell was one of them, snapping his jaws at her.

“You are Biddy Mackay of the Black Maria,” Campbell said softly.  For the first time Biddy noticed a radio link on the man’s helmet.  Someone had been feeding him information.

“Yes?”

“According to my data you are still on your probationary period with Scotclan.  A decorated probation, I’ll admit, but you are still not a full Detective.  In which case, I am unfortunately forced to invoke a supervisory clause and take the suspect into my own custody.”

“That will not be necessary.”

“I’m afraid it is.”

Biddy had had enough.  She walked towards the Chief and stood right in front of him, jutting out her chin so that she could look up into his eyes.

“It’s funny,” Biddy said without a hint of a smile, “but I did wonder if the fact that I was a probationer might become a problem on this case.  So I had my very clever tech support check into it.  It turns out that my probation period finished three months ago.”

“Ah,” Campbell let out a triumphant noise, “but it was never formally signed off.”

“No.  It needed to be signed off by a Clan member of at least Reverend level, is that right?”

“Yes, so…”

“And it hadn’t been.  Until today, when a Clan member of Very Reverend level signed off on it.  I can provide you with the documentation if necessary.”

“But who would –”

“Your Observer.  Macleod was a Very Reverend member of the Clan, was she not?”

“Hmmn,” Campbell said, and his cheeks turned pink.  Biddy resisted the urge to roar in triumph.

“Now, if we can return to the rather pressing matter at hand.  In five minutes a shuttle will arrive from my spacecraft.  I will leave on that shuttle with the suspect.  Once I have completed my investigation I will consider calls to release him to other interested parties, but not before.”

Chief Campbell cleared his throat.  There was a bead of sweat dripping down his neck. “Scotclan would clearly be first in line to receive the Augment rather than the local department.”

The woman from Eritree narrowed her eyes. “I disagree.  He should be returned to the planet from which he was abducted.  Or maybe we should let the God himself choose?”

Biddy was on the verge of screaming. “We do not normally let the murder suspect have a say in his own arrest!”

The Augment was grinning now.  It turned her stomach.  This person had killed two hundred people and the people around her didn’t seem to care.  The whole thing had turned into some sort of dreadful comedy act.

Enough was enough.

“Hastings, send down that shuttle,” she said into her radio.  She turned to face the couple from Eritree.

“Your transaction, whatever it might have been, was done with a murder suspect.  If he is found guilty then you could be forced to answer related charges.  Do I seem like the sort of person who would just let that go?”

The female miner said nothing, only stared at her with cold hatred.  Biddy took this as a reluctant acceptance.  She turned back to the Chief.

“I will, of course, keep Scotclan informed of my investigations.  I will however not countenance any further direct intervention in my case.  The last time your people tried to help me someone ended up in a medical pod.  Any further access to my suspect will be granted solely through me.  Is that clear?”

“Your career won’t be worth Martian dust after this,” Campbell said, moving towards his companions.

“I’ll take that as a yes,” Biddy said under her breath.

Campbell and his men were already disappearing into the dusty landscape.  After another glare just to prove to everyone she was a hardcase, the woman from the Council of Eritree did the same.  Biddy watched them all leave with her arms folded.  They didn’t need to know how loudly her heart was hammering in her chest.

“That was quite impressive,” a voice said beside her.

Biddy spun around to face the Augment. “Don’t think for one second this means I am on your side.  In fact, I think you’re a murdering scumbag.  But I had to protect my reputation.  And you were the means of doing that, nothing more.”

“Quite,” the creature said, his mouth curled in a half-smirk. “And I look forward to sampling your hospitality.  There is just one problem, however.”

“What is that?”

“Have you forgotten about the third ship?”

Biddy’s eyes flickered upwards.  Damnit, in all the excitement she had forgotten about the third ship.  It hovered silently above them like some sort of ominous cloud.

“Shit.” She glared at the Augment. “Something to do with you?”

“Indeed.” The man put his hand to his