Hunter Hunted by Jack Gatland (best value ebook reader .TXT) 📗

this statement than just well-being. He didn’t want to be at his best right now. He wanted to crawl into a hole and die right now.

Anjli indicated a group of detectives in the cemetery crossroads.

‘Because that’s who’s taking over for Monroe,’ she said.

Declan rose, sipping gingerly from the water bottle, swilling it around his mouth and spitting it into the bin as he looked across at the DCI leading the scene. He was overweight, in his fifties, and bore the attitude of a man who didn’t expect to be argued with.

He was also a man that Declan had met before.

In fact, DCI Sutcliffe had once stood on the doorstep of Declan’s house with a full contingent of SCO 19 officers and demanded a suspect who Declan had inside. If Monroe hadn’t arrived, Declan didn’t know what would have happened. But one thing Declan knew was that Sutcliffe was at the time connected to Francine Pearce, or Pearce Associates, because the man with the rimless glasses had also been there when—

The man with the rimless glasses was here.

He wasn’t next to Sutcliffe, but he was to the side and back a little, speaking into a phone. Declan hadn’t even realised that he was moving, his fists clenched into balls as he positioned himself to attack—

‘Guv,’ once again Billy had stepped in, blocking his way. ‘Not now.’

Declan looked to Billy and was about to demand that he move aside, but seeing this Sutcliffe walked over to him.

‘DI Walsh,’ he said, offering a hand. ‘We seem to meet at inopportune moments.’

Declan paused, but then took the hand, shaking it.

‘DCI Sutcliffe,’ he replied. ‘I thought you didn’t work for the Met?’

Sutcliffe forced a smile. ‘When we met, I was working with an undercover unit that was examining corruption in the police,’ he said matter-of-factly. ‘In fact, if your suspect hadn’t jumped off a roof back then, we’d still be there, gaining far more than you did.’

‘We?’ Declan was now staring at the man in the rimless glasses as he finished his call and walked over to Sutcliffe. It took every inch of self-control that Declan had to not leap at the man and attack him, to beat him like he knew he’d beaten Monroe.

‘Yes,’ Sutcliffe replied, showing the man with the rimless glasses. ‘Meet DI Frost. He was working undercover in Pearce Associates for almost six months.’

‘Apologies,’ Frost, the man with the rimless glasses said as he held out his own hand to be shaken. ‘I went a little too far undercover. I deserved the beating you gave me.’

Declan smiled as he took the hand, his expression hiding the dark fury he held. ‘Yeah, you did.’

‘Of course, I let you beat me,’ Frost continued. ‘I needed you to get up there before Shaun Donnal killed anyone.’

Declan’s smile strained a little. ‘I see,’ was all he could say before looking back to Sutcliffe. ‘I understand you’re taking over the Unit until DCI Monroe recovers?’

‘If he recovers,’ Sutcliffe replied, raising a hand to stop Declan’s immediate reply. ‘I know, he’s a fighter. But he’s still in a coma. Once he’s out, we’ll assess how he is, and whether he’ll be fit enough to return to duty.’

‘He will,’ Declan said, looking at DI Frost. ‘And when he wakes, we’ll learn who did this to him. And then we’ll do the same back.’

Declan was sure that Frost flinched, the slightest of facial movements before Sutcliffe continued.

‘We won’t be playing eye for an eye here, Detective Inspector,’ he said calmly. ‘No matter how much you like punching suspects.’

‘So what’s the plan then, sir?’ Declan asked, forcing himself to be professional.

‘You knew the victim, right?’ Sutcliffe asked, continuing before Declan gave an answer. ‘You could speak to the next of kin then, see if they knew anything about her extremist tendencies.’

‘Her what?’ Declan could hear the whooshing noise in his ears again.

‘She was a terrorist, Declan,’ Frost said, intervening again. ‘We’ve got files on her. She worked for some violent little rag-heads that wanted us all dead. Surprised you never saw it in her. Guess you’re not as shit hot a detective as people say.’

Declan didn’t mean to, it was completely instinctive; he went to swing at Frost, a vicious right hander that would have sent the glasses flying from his stupid, smug face. It didn’t connect though, as Billy grabbed the arm, holding Declan back.

‘You bastard!’ Declan cried out at Frost. ‘You piece of traitorous shite! You weren’t undercover! You’re corrupt—‘

‘Detective Inspector Walsh!’ Sutcliffe exploded. ‘I’ll let you off this time because you’re emotionally connected to the victim. But I will not have this in my squad!’

‘It’s not your squad,’ Declan muttered. ‘It’s Monroe’s.’

‘And Monroe isn’t here right now.’

Declan glared at Frost. ‘We’d love to see the files,’ he said, his voice ice cold. ‘The ones Rattlestone sent last night froze on Monroe’s computer when he was beaten.’

Again, another micro expression of surprise. Declan knew he was giving away ground here, but he didn’t care right now.

lying in bed after

Kendis smiles and lazily drapes her arm across his chest

‘I’ll ensure he’s okay, sir,’ Anjli said, bringing Declan back to the moment. Sutcliffe nodded.

‘I was actually hoping you could assist DI Frost,’ he replied. ‘He’ll need some getting to speed as he takes on the case.’

‘He’s taking the case?’ Declan was appalled.

‘You’re too close, and we need a DI in charge,’ Sutcliffe said coldly. ‘You can carry on with the Monroe investigation.’

‘I’ll assist DI Frost,’ Billy blurted. ‘If that’s okay?’

‘Going full Judas on us, are you?’ Still holding Declan, Anjli glared at Billy, who shrugged.

‘We make our own choices,’ he replied, staring directly at Anjli, as if daring her to reply.

‘Then it’s decided,’ DCI Sutcliffe looked back to the tent. ‘And someone get that bloody Doctor out of here, yeah? She’s banned from crime scenes for the next five months, so I’ve been told.’

As he walked away, DI Frost and Billy following, Anjli pulled Declan back.

‘You know more than you’re letting on,’ she said. ‘And we both know that your