Passion Patrol 2 - a Sexy Police Romance Suspense Novel With a Touch of Humor: Hot Cops. Hot Crime. Hot Romance. (9 page)

“I can feel you thinking,” he said.

“Can you? Can you feel inside me?”

“Yes, somehow I can.”

“That’s because I’m thinking about you.”

“And....”

“And how I’m in the bed of Napoléon and Joséphine and that you did this thinking of someone like me.”

“You’re no less than Joséphine. To me you’re far more.”

“Was I very forward and wicked?”

“Yes. You’ll never try to be different, will you?”

“I might get worse.”

“I’ll do my best to keep up,” he said, moving his arm from behind her and propping himself on an elbow to look at her. He kissed her breast. Without warning she found tears on her cheeks.

“What’s the matter, Shannon?” he asked softly

“Happiness, happiness,” she replied. “It came as a shock.”

Outside in the darkness an owl screeched. She imagined tiny creatures scurrying for their lives. Many human lives were no different. Many had no power at all over their futures. The idea brought Ben into her mind.

“I believe Ben when he says he didn’t have those drugs. I want you to know that and I want him to know I believe him.”

“I want to believe him. If he was guilty I’d rather he owned up to me and just said he was sorry he’d made a mistake and take it on the chin. That would be the only way as a gentlemen. That’s what I’d expect. I don’t want to hold it against him ... but there’s been some kind of block between us ever since.”

She sensed his emotion and didn’t look at him.

“You know I’m getting the arrest file?”

“Yes. How can you be so sure you’re right?”

“Call it animal cunning or call it intuition. I can see it in his eyes. My guess is that one of the other lads knows the truth of it.”

“Then I give you my trust too. I’ll make sure Ben understands.”

She turned over on her side and he spooned into her. He kissed her shoulder. They slept as lovers as new and unstoppable as the coming dawn.

Spencer dropped her at the police house. She was showered and prepared for absolutely bloody nothing! Her mind was a blur of remembered kisses, dreams, and passion mixed into the responsibilities of her working day. She had to find a blouse and underwear and swallow some good strong tea. She could remember it was Friday. She was a police officer and a pillar of the Fleetworth-Green community. Already she was thinking of that bear of a man.

Her first job was to look at all the new police reports. Detective Superintendent Mitchell had put out a preliminary report on the girl’s body. There was little she didn’t already know. She read the last paragraph carefully:

“Since we have no identity or history of the victim our options are limited at this time. All forensic samples are currently undergoing analysis. All data sources will be searched for a dental, DNA, or fingerprint match. All missing person records are being searched against her details. The fact that she had clothing not sourced or on sale in the UK indicates she is a foreign national. Injuries suggest a fall from a moving vehicle. CCTV footage from all relevant roads, including the M25 motorway is being evaluated. There is no indication of a violent sexual or other assault. All information has been forwarded to Interpol. While we wait for the full forensic results I have scaled the inquiry back to unexplained death level.”

She had expected this. Certainly there would have been a couple of murders with clues to follow and persons to arrest since this incident. Without leads or suspects there were simply not enough detectives to leave on the case. She thought for a couple of minutes. She had made so many mistakes before. Did she want to stand out again as a maverick loner? Then she thought of that young girl’s body slid back into the dark slot in a mortuary fridge. Probably that girl had never known anything like the feelings that pulsed in her. It should have been her right. Something or someone had taken that chance from her. She picked up the phone. Tom Mitchell was in his office.

“Guv—she’d eaten fish fingers and beans,” she began without introduction. “Oh, this is Shannon from Fleetworth-Green.”

“Shannon, yes. So, she’d had a meal....”

“You wouldn’t get that sort of meal in the back of a truck. She must have been somewhere.”

“Everybody’s got to be somewhere.”

“I mean a house.”

“I’ll get a team out arresting anyone with beans or fish fingers in their possession.”

She could see his point.

“There’s villains in the area, Guv.”

“There’s too many bloody villains everywhere. Look, Shannon, I can see you mean well. Tell me where to start. What brand of beans or fish was it? We can’t steam into houses without some sort of evidence.”

“I know that Guv. I’m not trying to jump you with anything but there were dog hairs on her.”

“We don’t know it was dog hair yet. That’s a guess. Even if it’s dog, is it a British dog or foreign dog?”

“What if I found that dog, Guv’nor?”

“I’ll get you a Commissioner’s commendation.”

“I’ve got a hunch....”

“Shannon, perhaps I don’t want to know too much. Don’t get bitten.”

Shannon gave a chuckle. This guy knew what she was saying.

“I understand,” she said.

“You give me a hard lead on this and I’ll pull out all the stops. That’s my promise. Have a nice day.”

She didn’t know if Ron and Sylvie Arrowsmith had a dog. If they did, she was going to get a hair of it.

While she was planning her next move there was an urgent knocking.

“That bloody pony’s got out again and it’s trampling the allotments!” said a man in corduroy and bicycle clips as she opened the door. She immediately recognized him from the parish council meeting. All she knew about horses was her terror at being abandoned on a donkey by her mother on Margate beach when she was about four.

“Who does it belong to?” she asked

“Don’t know their name. I think he’s a stockbroker city slicker. Bought it for his daughter. Wretched thing’s wild and lives in the next field.”

At least it was a distraction from Spencer and murder inquiries. Still, she was tingling with joy. The people of Fleetworth-Green needed her as a clear-minded cop. She guessed that police actions in cases of loose horses were buried somewhere deep in the Metropolitan Police instruction book.

She fired up the police Mitsubishi. Corduroy guy wedged his ancient bicycle in the back as they set off for the allotments at the other end of the village. She had no idea what she could do when she got there. Other than her moment at Margate she remembered seeing a TV show where a woman breathed into a horse’s nose. She couldn’t recall why, but she could always give it a try. As she passed the village post office she spotted Ben on the pavement. She pulled in.

“Ben, I need a sidekick who can handle a lasso. You know, Lone Ranger, Tonto, and all that stuff. The movie’s just coming out.”

The lad blinked.

“Yeah, I saw the trailer....”

“Fantastic, you’re my man. Jump in.”

“It’s that bloody thing, Thunderbolt,” said Corduroy Man.

“Not again. He’s no problem,” said Ben.

“There’ll be nothing left if we don’t hurry,” said Corduroy Man

Shannon was tempted to hit the sirens and give the village a bit of inner city drama. Either she was getting old or she was in love. She cruised serenely to the crime scene.

On arrival the brown and white suspect was munching its way through a plot of carrots. Ben jumped out and took a length of rope which was helping to hold up some bean poles. With the ease of a clown making a balloon toy he fashioned some shape and slipped it over the animal’s head. Shannon joined him.

“Are they carnivorous?” she asked, realizing the boy didn’t know when she was joking. “Should I jump on its back calling ‘Hi-ho Silver’ and tame it?”

The lad stared at her and shook his head.

“Better just pull up a carrot and walk in front of him,” he said, pulling up the horse’s head and beginning to lead it away. “As far as I know no one’s ever ridden him.”

The animal was taken back to the field and Shannon noted the details of damage as Corduroy Guy listed them. As far as she could see, it wasn’t a police matter. She poured out sympathy and advised a course of civil action. She offered Ben a lift back to the village. He was only a kid of fifteen but she was sure he could punch above his weight.

“I’m impressed how you dealt with that. I wouldn’t have had a clue.”

The lad gave a shy smile.

“It was great to be trusted to help.”

She returned his smile.

“I don’t want to go on about it ... but tell me here and now what happened with that drug bust. I won’t tell your dad. Were you carrying it for one of the others? Was that your stuff or not? I’ll never ask you this question again so get the answer right.”

“It wasn’t mine. I’d never seen it. I didn’t even know what it was.”

“I just had to be sure. Ben, I believe you. I believed you when you first told me. I’m drawing that file and I’m gonna check it out. Promise me you’ll never ever get in any trouble for the rest of your life.”

“I suppose I can promise....”

“OK, Ben, I was winding you up a bit. Tell me how much of a problem that police record is to you.”

She could sense tears behind his voice as he answered.

“I wanted to be an officer in Father’s regiment. It’s an end to all that. I know Father thinks it was mine and that I’m not coming clean. But I won’t ever, because it wasn’t mine,” he said.

“Ben, it’s not over yet. You’ve got a cop on your side, OK. I’ve told your dad I believe you. Capisce?

“Capisco,” he said.

“Hey, kid, you watch gangster movies?”

“No, we studied Latin at Eton,” he said with a happy grin.

She drove slowly back to the village.

“You know that boy, Ashley, the one who had the skunk weed. What else do you know about him and his family?”

“I don’t know much. They live on that new development. He’s a big bully twat and steals drugs from the house. He boasts they have servant girls and you know ... he touches them....”

Shannon quickly painted a whole scenario in her head. A thrill ran up her spine. She wasn’t sure but her hair might have been standing up.

“Have they got a dog?”

“Yes, not a pet. They actually call it Lupo. Ashley claims it’s a trained attack dog. He should know because it bit him and he had twenty stitches in his arm. His mum told the doctor he’d been attacked in London so the animal didn’t get in trouble.”

“That’s a loving mother for you.”

“You don’t know Ashley. She’s right to prefer the Rottweiler.”

“How could I get hold of that dog?”

“They keep it at the back of the house. There’s a high brick wall. It backs onto the woods and you can hear it barking and snarling. Are you going to get in there?”

“You mustn’t tell anyone we’ve had this chat, OK?”

“The thing’s really dangerous!”

“I know. It’s cool. Don’t worry. Just don’t mention my interest, OK?”

Ben nodded. She didn’t want to involve him any further. He didn’t want a ride back to the Manor. She pulled in to let him get out in the village. He didn’t open the door to get out but turned to her. She met his eyes.

“Are you—you know—seeing my father?”

“Why do you ask that?”

“Something one of the staff said.”

She didn’t want to play games with him. He was Spencer’s son.

“I asked you for the truth and you gave it to me, so I’ll give it to you. He’s a wonderful man and yes, I am seeing him.”

“Wow! That’s so cool,” he said beaming.

“Cool? That your dad’s seeing a cop?”

“You’re not a cop....”

“That’s what it says on my pay slip.”

“You’re not ... normal. Not like PC Flowers. I’m not saying this right, am I?”

“I’m picking up the meaning,” she said, smiling broadly.

The lad seemed troubled for a moment before he spoke again.

“Jasmine liked PC Flowers. She said he was dim and she likes to be on top.”

“I can imagine.”

“She wants to marry Father and be a countess and then send me back to boarding school.”

“It’s not fair of me to talk about her Ben,” she began, rejoicing in the chance to get inside the loop. “She’s a long-time family friend....”

“I hate her. She’s poison and Father can’t see it. Deep down I’m OK about boarding school but if I go Father is a sitting duck and she’ll move in for the kill.”

“Well, he hasn’t married her yet has he?”

“No, because he knows I don’t want that and I’m here. She says I’m blocking his happiness.”

There were many questions to ask but it would be wrong to press the lad. Words like “evil fucking witch” flooded her thoughts.

“Ben, I can’t put you on this spot.”

“I understand. Watch out for her. Father has been so, so, different since you came. Since Mother died he’s been so serious....”

She looked at this motherless boy and longed to hug him. Such a thing would be completely unprofessional and contrary to police discipline. So, she hugged him close to her, trying to transmit her warmth and woman-soul to him.

“We’re a team, OK,” she said as he stepped out.

So far she’d resisted the urge to call him. There was only one HIM. The morning rolled on with a report of suspicious plastic window salesmen and the theft of a pair of designer jeans from a washing line overnight. According to the well-built lady victim, the item was a size ten. Shannon smiled. If that were true, it would have been many years since the lady had worn them. Human vanity never changed. In Brixton every hard man beaten in a fight had encountered at least a giant. She gave the lady a crime number for her insurance claim. It was unlikely that the insurance company would send anyone round with a tape measure. Who could verify anything? Was she herself just an entertainment while Spencer waited to marry Jasmine?

Her iPhone rang.

“I miss you,” he said.

“’Who are you? There are so many.”

“They’re wasting their time. This is the real deal.”

“Spencer, I’m missing you too my big posh bear.”

“Posh?”

“Posher than me.”

“I want to see you.”

“I’m on duty ’til four.”

“I’ll see you at five.”

“I’ll stink of hard-core Fleetworth-Green crime. I’ve got a bit of a mission—secret police work. I’ll clean up and bring you some fish and chips around six o’clock.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah, my big strong bear needs real food. I’ll cruise down to Danny’s at Coulsdon and pick ’em up. I’ll get some for Ben.”

“Shannon, are you real?”

“Nah. Cod or haddock?”

“You choose.”

“Get tea made for when I get there.”

She clicked off. Yes! Yes! Yes! He’d called her. He wanted her and she was going to see him again tonight! A banal chat about fish and chips had thrilled her. She drove back to the police house and changed into jeans and a jumper. She stuffed a thick anorak and thick police leather gloves into her bicycle pannier. She put a bandanna and forty pounds in cash under her helmet. She folded some paper forensic sample envelopes into her pockets and tugged on her Doc Marten steel toe cap riot boots.