Shot of Silence (Justice Again Book 3) by M Comley (the unexpected everything .txt) 📕

“Why would we, sir?” Charlie challenged.

“Good. You’ll have the pleasure of me being your partner for the foreseeable future, Charlie, and yes, I’m aware you have an exam to sit at the end of the week. We’ll deal with that nearer the time. So, who would like to bring me up to date on where we’re at with the investigation?”

Between them, the team filled him in.

“So the surveillance proved to be a waste of time. This cottage that Katy got out of the ex-wife, has anyone had a chance to follow up on that yet?”

“No, Katy only sent me a text last night once she’d left the hospital. That needs to be our priority, however, if I might add, sir, I don’t think we should throw much weight behind it.”

His brow furrowed. “Why?”

“Because all the murders have taken place in this area, not on the coast where the cottage is situated.”

“Makes sense. Good thinking, Charlie, that’s probably saved us a few hours of travelling down there and it proving to be a waste of time.”

“I have my uses, sir.” Charlie grinned.

“You do. Let’s try and source the address and leave it to one side for now. If he senses us getting close, he might resort to using that place in the future, agreed?”

“Agreed,” Charlie replied. Want us to get on with the tasks we were set yesterday by Inspector Foster?”

“Yes, let’s up the pace. Do we know if everything was quiet overnight, or if any other murders have taken place? I hope I’m not tempting fate by mentioning that.”

“I’ll do the necessary checks with the desk sergeant. Karen, can you check the wires for me?” Charlie asked.

Karen nodded, and her fingers flitted across the keyboard. “Nope, nothing as yet.”

Charlie breathed out a relieved sigh. She picked up a nearby phone and contacted the reception desk. The sergeant told her all had been as silent as a graveyard there as well. She reported back to Roberts.

“That’s good news. What other leads do we have that we can be working on today?”

Charlie raised her hand. “I was in the process of searching the database for any possible stolen cars in the area where Boyd’s previously acquired vehicle was found.”

“Makes sense. Get back to that, Charlie. Let’s hit the ground running and have this bastard behind bars quickly.”

He marched into Katy’s office and closed the door.

Charlie took it upon herself to buy him a coffee and delivered it a few seconds later. She knocked on the door. He yelled for her to enter.

Roberts glanced up from the brown envelopes littered across the desk. “Damn post, gets more and more each day. Is that for me?”

“It is, sir. Thought it would help you tackle this lot.”

“Are you sucking up, Simpkins?”

Charlie’s cheeks warmed. “No, sir. The thought never even crossed my mind. If you don’t want it, I’ll have it.”

“I was jesting. Thank you for being so thoughtful. Time to see what the inspector is always complaining about.” He took a sip and grimaced. “Crikey, no wonder she’s always on the cadge for a decent Colombian coffee when she visits my office.”

“It’s decent enough, sir. You get used to it after a while.”

“Depends whether your taste buds survive in the meantime, I should think. Thank you anyway. Let me know if anything comes to light out there. I’ll be a while going through this lot, I should imagine.”

“Yes, sir. Do you mind if I ask how Katy sounded when you spoke to her?”

“She seemed to be bearing up. That doesn’t mean to say that you should be pestering her. Leave her alone for a day or so. Send her a text to let her know you’re thinking about her, if you have to. It might be a good idea if you did that, let her know that you care.”

“Thanks for the advice, sir. I’ll crack on and leave you to your onerous chore.”

“Great. I can’t wait to get stuck in to someone else’s pile of crap.”

Charlie smiled and backed out of the office. She made her way back to her desk and fired off a text to Katy to let her know that she and the team were thinking about her.

Katy responded within a few minutes.

We’re fine. Be in touch soon. Thank you, and good luck with Roberts!

Charlie smiled, aware she may need to keep her spirits up with the main man sitting only a few feet away from her. Christ! Mum would be laughing her socks off now if she knew this was happening. She pondered whether she should call her mother regarding Georgie or not. It could wait until that evening when she finished her shift, providing she made it home that night.

Another half an hour flew by before she had a list of vehicles Boyd might have picked up for the next leg of his mission. There was no telling what that was likely to be, but at least they’d have a heads-up on him, for now.

Roberts came out of the office and deposited his cup in the waste bin close to the vending machine. “Best place for it, I think. I’ll try and find another supplier. Bear with me on that one, won’t you, guys?”

“Sounds good to us, sir,” Patrick shouted.

“Right, what have we got?”

Charlie was the first to speak. “I’ve made a list of all the vehicles stolen within a couple of miles of the location where he dumped the last car.”

“Good, good. Any luck tracing those vehicles through either the CCTV or ANPRs in the area?”

“Stephen and Patrick are looking into that now, sir.”

The phone on Karen’s desk rang. She answered it. Her face dropped as she glanced at Charlie. She hung up and shook her head. “Yet another shooting.”

“Where?” Roberts asked.

“In the underground car park at Zedex.”

“What? Why hasn’t that place been sealed off by now?” Roberts demanded.

“Would that have been feasible, sir?” Karen asked.

“Charlie, you and I should get over there. I take it the pathologist is at the scene?”

“Yes,