Fireflies by David Menon Read Free Book Online

was a right bastard’ said Rebecca as she fastened her seat-belt. Jeff was driving. ‘Men like him think nothing of being unfaithful’.
    ‘You were unprofessional, Rebecca’.
    ‘Oh I was waiting for that’.
    ‘You stamped all over that man’s grief, Becky’ said Jeff, turning on the ignition. ‘You tried to tarnish the memory of his best friend who hasn’t been dead five minutes’.
    ‘Yes, well, he said all that’.
    ‘Excuse me?’
    ‘Sorry’ said Rebecca. ‘I shouldn’t have used that tone of voice to you’.
    ‘And the last time I looked infidelity was not a crime punishable by genital mutilation and murder’ said Jeff as he indicated and pulled out into the road.
    ‘Perhaps it should be’ said Rebecca. ‘I can think of many women who’d think so’.
    ‘Well then they’d be wrong, DS Stockton’.
    ‘I thought you had respect for women, sir?’
    ‘And what have I said that’s made you doubt that?’
    ‘Well your opinion of James Clifton. I just thought you’d judge him more harshly’.
    ‘Becky, I’m not going to condemn him just because he’s a man who didn’t keep it in his trousers which is what you seem to want to do’ said Jeff. ‘And in any case, Sophie Cooper sounds like she’s a nightmare to live with’.
    ‘Oh of course it must be the woman’s fault’.
    ‘Well you’re quite prepared to throw all the blame on James Clifton. Rebecca, in all objectivity it doesn’t sound to me like Sophie Cooper behaved much like a woman. More like a spoilt little girl who couldn’t stand not to get her own way’.
    ‘He probably drove her to be that way’.
    ‘Rebecca, that statement doesn’t make any professional or even personal sense at all. What’s got into you?’
    ‘The question supposes that the problem is entirely with me like it is with Sophie Cooper according to Alan Travers’.
    Jeff took a deep breath. ‘Okay, so what have I done?’
    Becky looked at Jeff and felt such an outpouring of feelings that she just couldn’t bring herself to have this conversation with him now. This was all such a flaming mess. She just wished he’d react in some way to all the signals she gave off. Any kind of reaction would be good. At least she’d know then that he’d noticed.  
    ‘You haven’t done anything’ she said.
    ‘You’ve got a funny way of showing it’.
    ‘Look, I’ll shake myself out of the bad mood I’ve been in, Jeff’ said Rebecca. ‘I had a row with my sister yesterday and then another one with my mother this morning because she took my sister’s side like she always does. It just pissed me off but I’ll get over it’.
    ‘You were okay until Alan Travers started being critical of Sophie Cooper’.
    ‘Well maybe I’d just like to hear her side of things’ said Rebecca. ‘I’ve been on the receiving end of men who treat women badly and then wonder why they get upset’.
    ‘Men feel pain too, Becky’.
    ‘Yes, I know Jeff but men are far more likely to be unfaithful than women’.
    ‘I think that depends on the man and the woman’.
    ‘Well men are hopeless about admitting to what they’ve done. That’s why I went to Sophie Cooper’s defence because she was being got at by Alan Travers’.
    ‘Because he knows her and you don’t’ said Jeff.
    ‘Can’t you give me a day off from being perfect?’
    Jeff laughed. ‘Well, alright. But don’t take a week’s leave on it’. 
    An awkward silence fell on them that lasted for the rest of the journey back to the station leaving Jeff totally unconvinced that Becky had told him anything like the whole truth. 
    ‘Look’ said Jeff before Rebecca got out of the car. ‘Are we good, Becky?’
    ‘Yeah, yeah we’re good, Jeff’.
    ‘I hope so, Becky. I really do. You’re a good friend and a valued friend. I’d hate to lose that’.
     
    Sharon Bellfield was trying to figure out where the hell she was. She could hear her phone ringing somewhere. Why had she changed the ring tone to that irritatingly