Sorry for the delay (to the two or three people who are reading this story)
- My computer got a virus, crashed and has only just been revived, by
emergency surgery and prayer!
Hope you are enjoying this, please let me know...
CHAPTER 8
Rachel had had a trying day. She had arrived at work early, and met Bailey and George in the elevator on the way down. She studied up on some notes, and then spent most of the morning in court, giving evidence on a particularly nasty case. By the time she got back to the office, just after lunch, Bailey was in a foul mood.
"I have no idea where he is," he was yelling into the phone, when she entered his office. He hung up and Rachel sat down. "What's up now?" she asked. "John has gone A.W.O.L." Replied Bailey. "He knew I wanted to sort out this bloody mess today, and he hasn't bothered to come in. He hasn't even bothered to ring in." "He was handling those witness statements from the Handley case," said Rachel, "I need to see those, and today! Is he sick?" "I wouldn't know," replied Bailey, "But he will wish he was when I catch up with him. This is the last straw - I'm putting in an official complaint, he can answer to the disciplinary tribunal."
George knocked softly on the door, as he entered Bailey's office. "He's still not answering his phone, or his mobile - I've left messages on both - several to be exact." "Thanks George," said Bailey, shaking his head. "Leave it for now, with Carolyn on special leave, it's making us short staffed - let's concentrate on what we have on the Hanley case, and not worrying on John's monumental sulking fit! We have a killer to catch!"
It was nearly 6.00 p.m. and most of the day staff had left to go home. Rachel sat at her desk re-reading the information she had on this latest brutal murder, the eye witness reports, and the police report, her eyes were tired and she lent her head into her hand and closed them briefly.
Suddenly she gasped and sat upright, shuddering with a brief cold spasm. Her heart began to beat fast, and she could hear the blood rushing past her ears. She left her office and ran into Bailey's. "Bailey, I think .I'm not sure, but I feel as though something's happening - something is happening but I don't know what." Bailey, who had been smoking a cigar, and leaning back in his chair, sat upright and then came around his desk to her, pushing her down into a chair with concern. "Rachel, are you alright? What are you on about? Is it the case?"
She sat down and took a deep breath. "Maybe I dropped off to sleep - no I don't think so, but I feel like I've had a nightmare." She looked down into her clasped hands. "I think something's happened to John - I almost heard him call my name, - no I'm dreaming - sorry Bailey." Bailey looked at her in concern, and went to his cupboard and poured her a glass of water. "I've never seen you upset like this Rachel. Are you sure you didn't have an actual nightmare? How could you hear John call you? Is he in the office somewhere?"
Rachel took the water, and shook her head. "I'm sorry Bailey, I have such a strong feeling of fear, or shock or something. Maybe it is a dream. I'd like to go to John's place, and see if he is there." Bailey put out his cigar, and grabbed his coat. "I'll come with you - but I have no reason to believe he isn't alright."
"There's his car," said Rachel, as they pulled into the apartment complex's car park. They crossed the pavement, and entered the building, climbing to the first floor, and knocked on John's door. After a few moments, Bailey pulled out a bunch of master keys, and began trying them in the lock. The third one he tried opened the door. John's apartment was reasonably neat, a half full whisky glass sat on the coffee table, and a newspaper was strewn across the sofa. His bed was made, some clothing and a towel were thrown across the end of it, there was nothing out of the ordinary. There was no sign of John. His answering machine was flashing, and recorded 5 unanswered calls. There was one from his friend Nathan, canceling a squash game, and three from George, and one from Bailey, all demanding to know his whereabouts and why he wasn't at work. As they let themselves out, and down the stairs, the elderly lady in the apartment directly below John's came out of her door.
Bailey asked her if she had seen John that day, but she shook her head. "I saw him go out late last night, and get into a car with a blonde woman," she said. "It must have been almost midnight, her lights shone in my window and woke me up." Bailey thanked her, and he and Rachel returned to their car. "Well, there you go," said Rachel tightly, "Off with one of his 'lady' friends - no wonder we couldn't find him, he could be shacked up in any sleazy hotel. I can't believe I let myself worry about him."
They returned to the VCTF, and collected George, before going to the bar across the road for a drink. Rachel couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had, but turned her inner qualms into anger. She thought John had stopped being such a tomcat, it disgusted her.
CHAPTER 8
Rachel had had a trying day. She had arrived at work early, and met Bailey and George in the elevator on the way down. She studied up on some notes, and then spent most of the morning in court, giving evidence on a particularly nasty case. By the time she got back to the office, just after lunch, Bailey was in a foul mood.
"I have no idea where he is," he was yelling into the phone, when she entered his office. He hung up and Rachel sat down. "What's up now?" she asked. "John has gone A.W.O.L." Replied Bailey. "He knew I wanted to sort out this bloody mess today, and he hasn't bothered to come in. He hasn't even bothered to ring in." "He was handling those witness statements from the Handley case," said Rachel, "I need to see those, and today! Is he sick?" "I wouldn't know," replied Bailey, "But he will wish he was when I catch up with him. This is the last straw - I'm putting in an official complaint, he can answer to the disciplinary tribunal."
George knocked softly on the door, as he entered Bailey's office. "He's still not answering his phone, or his mobile - I've left messages on both - several to be exact." "Thanks George," said Bailey, shaking his head. "Leave it for now, with Carolyn on special leave, it's making us short staffed - let's concentrate on what we have on the Hanley case, and not worrying on John's monumental sulking fit! We have a killer to catch!"
It was nearly 6.00 p.m. and most of the day staff had left to go home. Rachel sat at her desk re-reading the information she had on this latest brutal murder, the eye witness reports, and the police report, her eyes were tired and she lent her head into her hand and closed them briefly.
Suddenly she gasped and sat upright, shuddering with a brief cold spasm. Her heart began to beat fast, and she could hear the blood rushing past her ears. She left her office and ran into Bailey's. "Bailey, I think .I'm not sure, but I feel as though something's happening - something is happening but I don't know what." Bailey, who had been smoking a cigar, and leaning back in his chair, sat upright and then came around his desk to her, pushing her down into a chair with concern. "Rachel, are you alright? What are you on about? Is it the case?"
She sat down and took a deep breath. "Maybe I dropped off to sleep - no I don't think so, but I feel like I've had a nightmare." She looked down into her clasped hands. "I think something's happened to John - I almost heard him call my name, - no I'm dreaming - sorry Bailey." Bailey looked at her in concern, and went to his cupboard and poured her a glass of water. "I've never seen you upset like this Rachel. Are you sure you didn't have an actual nightmare? How could you hear John call you? Is he in the office somewhere?"
Rachel took the water, and shook her head. "I'm sorry Bailey, I have such a strong feeling of fear, or shock or something. Maybe it is a dream. I'd like to go to John's place, and see if he is there." Bailey put out his cigar, and grabbed his coat. "I'll come with you - but I have no reason to believe he isn't alright."
"There's his car," said Rachel, as they pulled into the apartment complex's car park. They crossed the pavement, and entered the building, climbing to the first floor, and knocked on John's door. After a few moments, Bailey pulled out a bunch of master keys, and began trying them in the lock. The third one he tried opened the door. John's apartment was reasonably neat, a half full whisky glass sat on the coffee table, and a newspaper was strewn across the sofa. His bed was made, some clothing and a towel were thrown across the end of it, there was nothing out of the ordinary. There was no sign of John. His answering machine was flashing, and recorded 5 unanswered calls. There was one from his friend Nathan, canceling a squash game, and three from George, and one from Bailey, all demanding to know his whereabouts and why he wasn't at work. As they let themselves out, and down the stairs, the elderly lady in the apartment directly below John's came out of her door.
Bailey asked her if she had seen John that day, but she shook her head. "I saw him go out late last night, and get into a car with a blonde woman," she said. "It must have been almost midnight, her lights shone in my window and woke me up." Bailey thanked her, and he and Rachel returned to their car. "Well, there you go," said Rachel tightly, "Off with one of his 'lady' friends - no wonder we couldn't find him, he could be shacked up in any sleazy hotel. I can't believe I let myself worry about him."
They returned to the VCTF, and collected George, before going to the bar across the road for a drink. Rachel couldn't shake the uneasy feeling she had, but turned her inner qualms into anger. She thought John had stopped being such a tomcat, it disgusted her.