Fire in the Blood by George McCartney Read Free Book Online

won’t be necessary, madam, we are the police. If I can take you into my confidence, we are indeed conducting surveillance of a property in this street, but it isn’t your house.’
The elderly woman remainedexcited and curious. ‘So which house is it then? I bet it’s those bloody lesbian opticians at number twenty-three, isn’t it? They keep pestering me to come over for a threesome, you know.’
Jack remained deadpan as Annie again convulsed and resorted to biting down hard on her seatbelt. ‘I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to divulge sensitive information of that kind, madam, other than to say that our investigation has a bearing on national security, but does not involve any members of the optical trade. However, I’m sure I can trust you to keep this conversation completely confidential.’
Obviously now viewing Jack in a completely new light, the local Norah Batty simpered and placed her gloved hand lightly on Jack’s arm. ‘Oh, very well young man. I’ll be up at number twenty-two waiting, you know, if you need a cup of tea or anything else.’
As the old dear flounced off down the street, she turned and gave Jack a conspiratorial wink and wave. Giggling, Annie clapped her hands and said, ‘That was so impressive Boss, I think you’ve just pulled.’
‘Yeah well, I have been told once or twice that I’m a bit of a fanny magnet. But unfortunately, it only seems to work for women of a certain age.’
‘I could be wrong here, boss, but I have a feeling that you were probably quite the laydeez man, you know, way back in the day. Just after the war.’
Impervious to Annie’s sarcasm, Jack took a brief detour down memory lane. ‘Well I had my moments, I suppose, like everyone else. But when I was young free and single, I needed a good drink in me to work up the courage to make a move on a girl. I always admired those guys who had the nerve to walk straight up to a gorgeous bit of stuff in the pub, or at a disco, and give her the chat stone cold sober. Although, I usually found that if I could make a female laugh, with me that is … not at me, I was probably halfway there.’
‘And what if she didn’t laugh?’
‘Well, fortunately I always had plan B to fall back on.’
‘What’s that?’
‘Chloroform and duct tape.’
They both laughed, before Jack continued, ‘Of course, looking back thirty odd years, that seems like a simpler, much more innocent time. I realise that it’s completelydifferent for young people now, when teenagers seem to exchange pictures of their private parts by phone, before they even get to know each other’s last name.’
Annie giggled, then said, ‘It’s not exactly like that, boss.’
‘It bloody is, I’ve read all about it in the Sunday Mail , so it must be true. All these packs of randy young women rampaging around town centres every Saturday night. Drinking like fish, with tattoos on their bums and short skirts barely covering their shaved whotsits. They all need a damn good thrashing and, if they would just form an orderly queue, I’m the man to do it. I’ll even pay.’
Annie shook her head and, not for the first time, was amazed at some of the crazy shitthat her new employer seemed to come out with on a regular basis.
The front door of the subject’s house then opened and a man on crutches appeared. Slowly, in apparent pain, he gingerly negotiated a disabled access ramp from the door to the people carrier, parked on the neat mono block driveway, and then hauled himself into the driver’s seat.

Chapter 7
Suddenly all business, Jack said, ‘That must be him Annie. Okay, let him get moving and then you follow, but not too close. So try and keep a couple of cars between us, just like you’ve seen a hundred times in the movies.’
Reasonably enough, Annie questioned the instruction. ‘Yeah, but what if there aren’t any other cars going the same way?’
‘Look, the rules for this type of thing aren’t absolutely set in stone,’ replied an exasperated Jack.