No Questions Asked by David Menon Read Free Book Online Page B

Adrian’s hand. ‘I did perhaps get a bit carried away acting like I knew my way around your kitchen. I went too far too soon. I was insensitive and Jessica reacted. It’s understandable when you look at it from her point of view’.
         ‘The perils of seeing someone who comes with baggage’
         ‘I’d be a bit worried if you didn’t come with baggage at your age’.
         You don’t know the half of it, thought Adrian. ‘My other two won’t be like that’.
         ‘Well at least that’s good to know’ said Kate. ‘And am I the first woman she’s seen here since Penny died?’
         ‘Yes’ said Adrian. ‘You are’.
         ‘Well that’s another reason why I can understand her reaction. It must be hard for her, Adrian’.
         ‘You are lovely to be so understanding’.
         ‘I just wanted to please you but she’s not at the right place to be able to understand that yet’ said Kate as she linked her fingers with Adrian’s over the table. ‘But its early days and I’ve got thick enough skin. I won’t give up that easily on the best man to have come my way in a very long time’.   
     
         Joe Alexander was taking an upbeat attitude to joining a new team even though the thought of it was making his heart sink to the depths of Hell. He’d got on well with his former boss, DCI Sara Hoyland, but since he was almost killed in the line of duty last year his centre of gravity had shifted. Those bastards last year had almost succeeded in sending him into the next world and he was frustrated that he hadn’t experienced enough of this one to be willing to move on yet.
         ‘Do you know much about this new boss, Adrian?’ Joe asked as they made their way down the corridor to the Serious Crimes Unit.
         ‘He likes to get things done his own way but then we’re used to that with Miss Hoyland, big man’ said Adrian who was still thinking of how he was going to smooth things over with his daughter Jessica. The look in her eyes had been so hateful. It wasn’t going to be easy. ‘But you know that they’re all like that at that level. Are you worried about fitting in or something?’
         ‘I couldn’t care less about fitting in, Adrian’ Joe retorted, a little sharply. ‘Sorry. I’m not particularly in the right frame of mind for making friends and influencing people this morning’.
         Adrian saw there was a small empty office coming up on the left and he pushed Joe into it when they got level. He closed the door.
         ‘What the fuck?’ Joe demanded.
         ‘Now look, Joe, I’m your mate and I’m worried about you. What happened last year happened and you’ve got to leave it there. Yes, you shouldn’t have been placed in that position, yes it was a total fuck up from beginning to end that could’ve got you killed but it didn’t. You’re here and you’ve got to get on with it. And that means showing your worth to this new shout as the bloody brilliant police officer that you are and dropping this attitude you’ve got that there’s somehow unfinished business going on. Do you get me?’
         ‘Yes’ said Joe through clenched teeth. ‘But you weren’t the one who almost died’.
         ‘No’ said Adrian. ‘But my wife died the year before. Remember? Penny was murdered because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time so don’t talk to me about demons and how they’re hard to slay every flaming day because I know, mate’.
         ‘Alright, alright, I’m sorry, mate. I’m just finding it all a bit of a struggle at the moment’.
         ‘Have you been back for counselling?’
         ‘What do you think?’
         ‘Well you need to get some form of help, Joe. Otherwise God knows where you’ll end up’.
         ‘Alright, that’s as far as I’ll let you go’ said Joe. ‘By the way, what’s put the smile on your face this morning?’
         Adrian winked.