A Shot In The Night (John Harper Series Book 2) by Edward Holmes Read Free Book Online

do is jump at
the chance, and I’m not one to draw out an investigation for monetary means but
an evening in the company of Richard Higgins was not something I really wanted
to do, “So you’re in the area?”
    “I
can be, don’t worry John, it will be fun, I’ll ring you tomorrow to sort out
times.  See you soon, John.”
    Before
I could even speak he had hung up and I was left cursing the good fortune of
knowing such a man.

Chapter Eleven
    I
found myself driving to the scene of the second shooting after getting off the
phone to Richard.  I could say that it was part of my investigation into
clearing Morrison, since there was obviously some sort of connection; however
it is much more likely it was my own morbid sense of curiosity.  Having been
involved in homicide investigations for the past couple of years, I was more
than naturally curious about such incidents.  Shootings are not as much of a
rarity as you’d think, and in areas like the one I was in, if someone isn’t
injured the likelihood is that any gunfire just won’t be reported.
    The
scene of the crime was still busy, with cordoned off areas and a plastic tent
blocking off the publics’ view.  I left my car down the road and walked towards
the small crowd.  Considering it was after lunch and that the shootings had
happened the night before I was surprised at the amount of people out.  News
vans lined the streets as I sauntered down the road with my trusty baseball cap
on, keeping my head low and watching what was going on.
    I
wanted to have a look without any distractions but after recent events in
Hollingswood, which was a Merseyside suburb, I was unfortunate enough to be
spotted by Camille Jarvis, journalist for the Liverpool Echo and blogger on the
site The Frogmarch.  She had covered the murder enquiry in the paper and then
had written what I considered conspiracy theories online under the screen name
of Richard Roe.  It had caused quite a stir and there were some things written
on it that bordered on libellous.  Lucky for me I had my resident computer
expert who found out who she was and shut the website down with a particularly
nasty virus.  That had prompted a discussion with the woman and we came to an
amicable arrangement.
    Amicable
it may have been but I didn’t really want to see her or for her to see me.  I
heard her calling my name and I did my best to avoid her in the small crowd but
she caught my arm and pulled me back, “John Harper, I thought it was you.”
    I
smiled politely, “Camille, how are you?”
    She
looked far too happy to see me and that was unfortunate for me since I have a
weakness for attractive women smiling in my general direction.  She was tall
and blonde which created another problem for me since I had history with women
with that hair colour.  I knew from our past encounters that she had a stunning
body but it was covered up today with a thick black polo neck jumper underneath
a grey trenchcoat.  With that beaming grin on her pretty face she replied, “So
much the better for seeing you.  What are you doing in my neck of the woods?”
    “Just
passing through and my morbid sense of curiosity got the better of me.  I
thought I’d come and have a look at what all the commotion is about.”
    “And
why don’t I believe you?”
    “Because
you are naturally suspicious.  I thought this sort of stuff was beneath you
now, aren’t you supposed to be covering the glitz and glamour of z-list soap
celebrities?” I couldn’t help teasing her since I knew Camille hated the
supposed promotion within the local newspaper.  She wanted to be considered a
proper journalist and going to the VIP nightclub parties of those people was
against her natural inclination for a story.  The blog was, however,
overzealous in its reporting.
    “Yeah
well, they’re all still in bed so I thought I’d do some real work.  It’s very
interesting seeing you here, have the local police asked for your