The Devil's Due: A Cooper and McCall Scottish Crime Thriller Ramsay Sinclair (ebook reader with internet browser txt) 📖

“What?” McCall slackened her grip on our static suspect.

“McCall.” I barked at her to watch out, in case Jack Harper made a dash for it. “We can’t trust him until our forensics come back.”

“Please, don’t blame Catherine,” Jack begged. “I won’t talk unless she’s safe with me,” He bargained, pleading with us desperately. He wasn’t concerned that he was suspected of murder, only that Catherine was with him.

“At the station?” I made a deal. “If we bring Catherine with you, will you tell the truth?”

Jack Harper nodded. Crying and shaking from adrenaline.

“Get her dressed, DC Taylor,” I instructed, the constable trying to protect Catherine’s modesty. “She’s coming with us.”

Catherine stayed frozen to the spot, crying. Her long, silken hair flowed like a halo behind her. She was barely dressed in normal clothes, and her dressing gown didn’t leave much to the imagination. Jack peeked back at the young girl, a glimpse of grief coming out to play. McCall bundled the now conforming Jack Harper into the car.

“What in the hell is going on here?” I questioned myself out loud in frustration, massaging my sore head. “DCI Campbell’s going to murder us,” I directed my concerns to DC Taylor, who struggled to console Catherine. His jet black hair was tousled, even more so when Catherine hugged him for solace. It wouldn’t have mattered particularly who was there for her at that moment. She would have hugged them all the same.

Either way, DC Taylor was chuffed. It wasn’t often pretty girls threw themselves at him. I watched on with an inkling of concern. Catherine’s wrapped up in Jack’s web, somehow.

16

DCI Campbell burst through into our office, smacking a desk in frustration at my actions. “DI Cooper, could you explain why I’ve walked into the station to find Jack Harper tossed up like some criminal and a scantily clad girl sobbing into DC Taylor’s shoulder?” he shouted furiously, everyone in the general office watching in hushed whispers.

“Brilliant, isn’t it?” DC Cillian Murphy joined in, about Catherine. “She refused to get dressed!” DC Cillian couldn’t believe his luck, but DCI Campbell was in no such mood. DC Cillian Murphy retreated, hanging his head low.

“You three were supposed to find Jack Harper, not arrest him! Especially not without communicating with me first. We’ve all got phones.” DCI Campbell waved his in the air, his tone furious. “I entrusted you to deal with the situation sensibly, whilst I tied up in the woods. That was a mistake.”

“Jack Harper lied to us. He found out surveillance was posted at his house and made a break for Catherine’s house,” I explained with just as much aggro.

DCI Campbell’s expression was blank.

“The girl outside. Catherine Jones,” I led him outside to the corridor, to show him exactly what I meant. I folded my arms as DC Taylor begged for help. Catherine had smothered him in tears. “There was a scalpel at Jack’s house, which we’ve sent off for forensics to take a look over.”

“I don’t get your point, Cooper.” DCI Campbell snapped, behind on our ordeal.

“Same size as Gavin’s marking, roughly. There was blood on its tip, which Jack claimed to be Catherine’s, but until forensics gets back to us, we’ve no idea whether he’s lying again.” I scratched my eyebrow, under DCI Campbell’s unforgiving glare.

“Again?” DCI Campbell snapped.

“We read his medical files,” I winced, waiting for an explosion. “He lied on his statement and to our faces. He was fired for abusing his power, all for Catherine Jones,” I loosely explained, well aware Catherine could hear. I still wasn’t sure what she had to do with everything and didn’t want her knowing our every move.

“You visited the hospital, even though I told you specifically not to?” DCI Campbell glared at me, chest puffed in anger at the fact I’d ‘defied him.’

My conscience warned me that I had to cover for McCall. I couldn’t risk her losing her career, not when she’d uncovered this information for my own sake, to prove my own stupid point.

“Yes, sir, I did,” I pretended to confess, acting seriously. DC Taylor breathed in nervously. “I had an instinct, and I followed it. I’ll take the suspension, if needs be.”

DCI Campbell didn’t take his eyes off me and stepped closer. He’d enjoy suspending me, I was sure of it. “You’re right.” What? “I should’ve been thorough, and figured this out. Jack Harper’s hiding something, he’s lied to us too many times. He’s the best bet we’ve got so far.” DCI Campbell inhaled, as though he didn’t want to admit the next part. “Well done. All three of you. Including McCall.”

“I’ll be on paperwork if anyone needs me,” DCI Campbell excused himself, retreading tiredly into his office. As he left, I heard him whisper, “I’m too old for all this.”

Catherine Jones cried delicately, and tears skimmed her unblemished skin. Makeup artists couldn’t even have made them as perfect. Her almond eyes stared unblinkingly at the floor, cat-like and pure. She can’t have been older than seventeen. I had no idea how to talk to her or engage her age group in a conversation of this nature.

All I knew was that I had plenty of burning questions to ask.

DC Taylor helped Catherine immensely. They were similar in age, and he had the correct approach, friendly, soft and gentle. He spoke to Catherine as a friend or parent would, one arm around her shoulders supportively. She settled absentmindedly in a chair, a teenager carrying the weight of the world. DC Taylor sat right next to the girl and handed her a wealth of Kleenex tissues.

I cleared my throat to grab their attention. I was the giant in the room and towered above those other two young uns. My sunglasses were still perched atop my strong nose, I realised, and quickly brought them off. Although Jack Harper was an unworthy scumbag in my humble opinion, Catherine was still a frightened young lady. She deserved some form of respect.

“You have a nice house,” I observed tactfully, a bid to get