03-Savage Moon by Chris Simms Read Free Book Online Page A

topic. I reckon we should add an appeal for help.'
    Jon shifted in his seat. 'Can you do it? I feel like a right pillock having sat there scaring everyone off. Maybe you could say you're a colleague on the case.'
    Rick's fingers hovered over the mouse. 'OK. Let's do it then.'
    He clicked on register, accepted the site's agreement terms and went through to an on screen form. 'We need a username. How about Big Jon?'
    Jon shook his head. 'No way. Let's go for Slick Rick.'
    His colleague grinned. 'Maybe we'd better keep it straight.' He typed in DS Saville. After entering a password and his email address, Rick completed the rest of the form, then clicked on submit.
    A screen popped up telling him confirmation had been sent to his email address. Rick closed down the screen, logged into his email account, clicked on the confirmation number waiting there, following the link back to the web site and entered the number in. 'OK, we're a new member. What do you want to say?'
    At five-thirty on the dot Jon turned his computer off and headed for the door. As he crossed the room he could feel a few of the other detectives watching him enviously. None looked like they were getting home early.
    He was nearly at the door when he heard a voice behind him.
    'That officer in earlier. Was he going on about gay sex?'
    Jon turned around. The detective who'd spoken was leaning back in his chair, gut straining against the buttons of his shirt. Several other men were looking over with smirks on their faces.
    'What if he was?' Jon answered.
    'What is he then? Some sort of shirt lifter himself ?' He glanced at his mates, finding approval in their eyes.
    Jon felt a surge of anger. The bunch of cowardly pricks had suddenly found the courage to start on Rick. He stepped closer to the officer. 'Why, you've got a problem with that, you fat fuck?'
    He kept eye contact until the other man looked away. 'No, I didn't think so.' He walked out of the room.
    A short while later he pushed his front door open. A delicious aroma greeted him as he stepped inside. Voices in the front room. Alice's and his mother's. Punch looked tentatively round the corner then gave a snort of delight and bounded towards him. Jon crouched down and reached both hands round his dog's head to rub behind its ears. Then he straightened up and walked into the front room. Alice was on the sofa with Holly at her breast, folds of a baggy purple jumper half covering the feeding baby.
    He looked across to his mum who was perched on the edge of an armchair. 'I've been waiting to cuddle her for twenty minutes. Even you never fed this long.'
    He smiled at the sight of her. She measured five-foot-two at the most and people always had trouble accepting that she had produced someone of Jon's size. Despite being in her mid- sixties, she was sprightly and trim with bright eyes and surprisingly smooth skin. Only her hair belied her years; the white strands that had started appearing a few years ago were now gathering in number, creating a silver sheen over the russet tones below.
    'Mary's brought us round a lamb casserole,' Alice said, looking up with a tired expression.
    'Oh, it's nothing.' His mum waved a hand, eyes still on Holly.
    'Is she finished yet?'
    Alice directed her gaze at the opposite wall for a second. 'I think so.'
    How the hell can you know? Jon thought, baffled by the mysteries of motherhood.
    Mary immediately sprang out of her seat and almost yanked Holly off Alice's breast. 'Look at you, you gorgeous little thing,' she cooed, expertly flipping the baby forwards and burping her with miraculous speed. She then positioned Holly on her shoulder. 'Don't they smell so lovely at this age?' she murmured, planting a kiss on the back of Holly's neck between each word.
    Jon felt pressure against his legs and looked down to see
    Punch eyeing him hopefully.
    'Will you take that silly dog of yours out? He's been pacing around like a prisoner,' Alice said.
    Jon glanced down at his wife. Silly dog of