Shot of Silence (Justice Again Book 3) by M Comley (best contemporary novels txt) 📗

It sucks either way. It’s a cold December evening, we should be tucked up at home in front of a roaring open fire.

“You do talk a load of shit at times. That squat is colder than the damn car. I can’t wait for all this to be over and to get back to the house. It might not be much, but at least it was comfortable.”

Fecking idiot, as if you’ll be able to go back there after what you’ve done!

“Correction, what we’ve done. You’re just as responsible as me. In fact, you’re the one who drove me to kill the others. All I wanted to do was have some fun, for them to regret their actions.”

Where would the fun have been in that? Glad to see you’ve finally grown a pair. Shame you didn’t kill Dad sooner, while we’re on the subject of growing a pair.

“He got what was coming to him in the end. I was biding my time. I needed to make it look convincing. Poisoning him was the only plausible way I could think of to get rid of the old bastard.”

It wasn’t good enough. If I’d had my way, he would have been kept in an underground storage unit and tortured to within an inch of his life every goddamn day after what he did. Sticking his dick up your arse like that. Fucking sick shit.

Boyd swallowed down the acid burning his throat. “Did you have to remind me of that? Why do you do it? Why can’t you leave things alone?”

Furthermore, you should have cut it off and forced him to eat that vile wrinkled sausage of his.

“Enough, I don’t want to think about him. He got what was due to him. Why do you have to keep raising the subject all the time?”

Because I like to poke you with a stick. Not a dick like he used to, no, a stick. You need to get rid of your softer side and start treating people the way they should be treated. The way they treat you. Disrespectfully. What your colleagues did to you was nothing more than a disgrace.

“Don’t you think I know that? Which is why I’ve set out on this reckless path. To punish those who felt it right to treat me like an idiot. To ditch me in favour of that bitch despite my success record and years of experience. Well, I showed them, didn’t I?”

Sort of. You still have these two to see to and then you can go off and live life to the fullest again. Whores and drink and debauchery, I think that should be in your future. I’m up for it anyway.

Boyd laughed. “Does anyone say debauchery these days? You’re crazy. No, I want the opposite. I’ll sell everything. If the coppers won’t allow me to do that, then I’ll leave the house and take off.”

And live on what? You clearly haven’t thought things through, as usual.

“Then I’ll rob a bank or swindle some money out of an investor. Yes, that’s what I’ll do.”

Now you’re talking!

His inner voice died down, and he rested his head back, his gaze fixed on the front door. An hour later, he saw one of the coppers reach for his mobile. Was that a signal? He snatched up his rifle and took up his position from the rear of the car park. He’d specifically chosen this spot, far enough away that the coppers wouldn’t detect him and close enough to be within range to take the shot and drive away before they had a chance to know what hit them. Excitement mixed with fear coursed through his veins. He peered through the sniper scope and placed his finger on the trigger. The coppers glanced over their shoulders, one facing the pub and the other facing the car park. There was definite movement up ahead.

The second Ben and Steve emerged, his hand shook.

Don’t you dare back down, not after you’ve come so far.

“I won’t. Shut the fuck up and let me concentrate.”

The coppers walked them back to the vehicle, one on either side of the two men. Boyd fired off two quick rounds. Ben immediately dropped to the ground. The coppers tried to shield Steve, but it was too late. Boyd took aim a second time and fired off another couple of shots. The coppers lay on the ground, their bodies flung across the two men. He started the car, purposefully kept the lights off and drove quietly out of the car park, keeping to the rear of the other parked vehicles. It wasn’t until he reached the main road that he switched on the lights and floored the accelerator.

He drove a few feet then steered the car into an alley he’d spotted earlier and, turning in his seat, he watched three patrol cars whizz past him, their sirens wailing like crazed cats and their blue lights illuminating the dense night surrounding him. He remained in the same location for the next twenty minutes and then slipped onto the main road again and headed back to the squat. A few roads away, he decided it would be best to dump the car and steal another one. Was he taking a risk doing it in his own backyard?

Boyd was past caring. He wouldn’t be sticking around here much longer anyway, now that everyone had been dealt with.

10

Charlie had just arrived home when the desk sergeant rang her. “Hi, yes, I can attend. Give me the address. Were the officers injured?”

“No, they escaped injury. Sorry my guys let you down, or should I say, the victims down.”

“He’s a determined killer, your guys were lucky not to get harmed. What were they doing in the pub?”

“The men insisted they needed a drink to calm their nerves.”

“Jesus, what is wrong with people? Okay, I’m on my way. Crap, I have a dilemma now, who should I call for assistance, DI Foster or DCI Roberts?”

“I didn’t know either, hence the reason I called you,” Mick confessed.

“Leave it