“But I’m not a man.”
“You know what I mean.” Red grabbed her keys. To Pippa, “Be gentle with her, lover girl. Any whip marks on her and I’ll arrest you for assault.”
Deimante looked anxiously from Red to Pippa. “You are going to beat her? Miss Philippa, please. She did not mean any harm.”
Red grinned at Deimante. “Joking, Dei. Just joking. Pippa’s quite capable of making her point without resorting to sadistic violence.” To Pippa, with a wink. “She saves that for me. Come on. Let’s get you home.”
Red pulled open the door. “Jesus! It’s raining cats and dogs out there.”
Deimante’s features crumpled with confusion, glancing into the street. “Where?”
Red rolled her eyes. “It’s just another silly English expression, Dei.”
~
“Busy day?” Pippa slipped off her shoes, tucking her legs beneath her.
“So, so. Spent most of the day at South Ken’ with Bill going through their database.” Red flicked through channels with the remote, her eyes on the TV screen. “You?”
“Court mostly. Medusa again.”
“Ah, how is Her Honour Judge Adele?”
“Still a bitch.”
Red smiled. “You’re lucky. She likes you.”
“She doesn’t like anyone. She just hates me a little less than some others.”
Red put down the remote, leaning across the arm of her chair to plant a warm kiss on her lover’s lips. “Well, I like you, if it’s any consolation.”
Pippa eyed Red suspiciously. “So what is it you want this time?”
Red held up her hands. “Please, please, please can we get Deimante a little run-around? Something cheap and reliable. I spend more time as her bloody personal cabbie than I do as a detective.”
“We’ve already discussed this, Cass.”
“So how about a decision then?”
“To be honest, Cass, I’ve been too preoccupied to follow it up, but your arguments last time were persuasive.” Pippa smiled. “You present a valid case on this occasion, DI Rose. I find in your favour. Anything not to have my children going on that dreadful underground system. It’s just not natural, being down there. ”
Red beamed. “Just a cheap city car. It will pay for itself in next to no time.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
Chapter 49.
Red ran fingers through already dishevelled hair, sinking back into her seat, rubbing gritty eyes.
Think, goddammit, think!
She sifted the papers on her desk again, desperate for inspiration. The photo of Mrs. Tasker’s battered face stared back at her. The Burns brothers’ mug-shots taunted her. She snapped her head up at the heavy thud on the door.
“Yes?”
“Guv?”
“Come in, Barry.” Red’s heart sank at the sight of Taylor filling the doorway.
“Thought you might like to know, Guv, Jez has gone home. Family crisis. His little brother’s not well. I’m gonna knock off too, if that’s okay.”
“Sure.” Red struggled to keep the weariness from her voice. “I think we’ve all had enough for today.”
Taylor hesitated in the doorway. “Well, see you in the morning then, ma’am.”
“And don’t call me ma’am.”
“Sorry, Guv.”
Red looked up. “Is there something else, Barry?”
“Well, me and the lads,” Taylor hooked a thumb over his shoulder, “are heading for a few drinks in town. It’s Mac’s birthday? We thought maybe...”
Red slapped a palm to her forehead. “I forgot all about it.” Scraping her chair back she scooped her jacket from the stand, grabbing her keys. “Come on, first round’s on me.”
~
“Oops.” Red slopped white wine onto a table crammed with empty glasses and shredded beer mats.
“I think you’re going to have to ring for a cab, Guv,” Mackenzie said. “Wouldn’t want our DI getting pulled over now, would we.”
Red put a finger to her lips. “Shhh, don’t say anything, she might hear you.”
“Who?”
“The other half,” Red giggled. “Pip thinks I’m working the late shift.”
“Seriously, Guv, you’re wasted. There’s no way I’m letting you leave here with your car keys.” Mackenzie solemnly held his hand out.
“I have no intention of driving, Sergeant Mackenzie.” Red found herself leaning against Taylor to stop herself sliding off the bar stool. “I’ll call a cab when I’m good and ready. Not before.”
Mackenzie drained his pint, hand still held out. “Guv, keys. Please. If you so much as touch your car I’ll arrest you for being under the influence.”
“Is that a promise?”
“Guv, I’m being serious.”
Red slumped forward, sliding her keys across the bar, a lop-side smile aimed at Taylor. “Barry, you’re my witness. Sergeant Mackenzie has relieved me of my command, against my better judgment. It’s a coup d’état, I tell you.”
“Looked to me like you handed the keys over voluntarily, Guv.”
Red eased herself upright again. “Thanks, Barry. I just knew I couldn’t ever, ever rely on you.” She held out her wrists to Mackenzie, giggling like a schoolgirl. “Take me away, officer. It’s a fair cop. It was me what did it.”
Mackenzie pocketed the keys. “You’ll get those back in the morning, Guv. If you’ve sobered up enough by then. And that’s your last glass for tonight.”
Red glared. “Hey, you’ve got my effing keys. Now lay off. Barman? Another one in here, please!”
Mackenzie put up a restraining hand as the barman reached for Red’s glass. “This one’s had enough, mate.”
Red pushed Mackenzie’s arm away. “Make it a double, barman. Take no notice of him. I don’t even know him.”
The barman looked from Red to Mackenzie and back.
Mackenzie flashed his badge. “Metropolitan Police. It’s an offence to serve alcohol to anyone in an intoxicated state.”
“Go to hell, Sergeant.” Red flashed her badge back. “DI. He’s only a lowly DS. I outrank him.”
Anna brought her badge to the bar. “Two DSs. Sorry, Guv. You’ve had enough for one night. Barry?”
Taylor put his badge on the bar alongside the others. “Two DSs and a DC. A full house. I think that equals DI, Guv?”
Red waved them away. “Equals, Barry, not out ranks. Barman?”
Terri stepped forward. “Sorry, Guv. I’m with Mac on this one.” She put her badge on the bar. “Two DSs and two DCs has got to outrank a DI.”
Red forced a grin, teetering on her stool. “Et tu, Brute?”
Taylor looked at Red bewildered. “What?”
Mackenzie shook his head. “It’s Shakespeare, Barry. Don’t waste your time even thinking about it.”
Taylor glared at Mackenzie. “I knew it was Shakespeare, thank you, Mac.” He winked at Terri. “To be or not to be, that is the question. Romeo and Juliet.”
Terri stifled a laugh. “Hamlet, actually. We do learn Shakespeare back home, you know.”
“Yeah, well, that’s coz you ain’t got any good American writers.”
Mackenzie waved his hand between them. “Don’t you two start. We’ve got problems enough with the guv. Right, Guv?”
Red swayed on her stool, one hand reaching out to Taylor’s arm to steady herself. “Hey, I’m just the senior officer here. Since when does my opinion count?”
Mackenzie sighed. “You need to get home and sleep this off, Guv. We’ve got a busy day tomorrow. Can someone call a cab?”
“I’ll drop you off, Guv,” Taylor said. “It’s not too far out of my way.”
Red dropped her head onto Taylor’s shoulder, nuzzling into his neck, rubbing his rounded stomach through his shirt. “You know, you’re not so bad sometimes, Bazza.”
Taylor smirked at Anna and Terri, waving his glass under Mackenzie’s nose. “One more for the road, Mac, then I’ll see the boss-lady ho
me.”
“You’re not driving either, Barry. You can go with the Guv in a cab if you want to play the chivalrous knight. Make sure she can find her own front door.” Mackenzie slipped Red’s door key from the fob and passed it over. He held out his hand to Taylor. “Your car keys too, Barry.”
Taylor glared at him.
“That’s an order, Detective Constable.”
Red slapped Taylor playfully on the arm, staring at him through glazed eyes. “Now you know how I feel, Bazza.”
Chapter 50.
Red swayed precariously on the edge of the pavement, flanked either side by Mackenzie and Taylor, an arm each threaded through hers. They struggled to keep Red steady while trying to flag down a cab.
“Sod this.” Taylor eased Red up against Mackenzie. “I’m going to badge someone or we’ll be here all night.”
Red slumped against Mac. In a slurred voice, “Is that within the guidelines, Officer Dibble?”
Mackenzie placed a supportive arm around Red’s shoulders, “I don’t think it will hurt just this once, do you, Guv?”
Anna shook her head in disbelief. “Never seen you this far gone before, Guv. Don’t think Pippa will be best pleased.”
“Maybe we should take her to a coffee bar and let her sober up.” Terri glanced up and down the street. “There must be one open somewhe... Too late. Barry’s found a cab.”
Taylor ambled back, a triumphant smile on his smug face. “Told him it was an emergency and you were ill.” He threw Red’s arm around his shoulders, hauling her toward the waiting cab, a parting wink to Mackenzie. “See you guys tomorrow.”
“Tomorrow is cancelled,” Red giggled, slumping against the leather seats of the black cab, grateful to rest her head. She heard Taylor giving the driver her address, ending with a snide “You know, the posh part,” but was too exhausted to care.
Taylor squeezed himself next to her, the smell stale sweat and beer lingering. Red tried to move away but he wrapped a huge arm around her, drawing her closer.
“You just get comfy, Guv. I’ll sort the fare.”
Red felt her head spin, eyelids growing heavier, the noise of the cab’s radio fading in and out. The motion of the cab rocking her, Taylor warm and comfortable, the body odour tolerable. His arm slowly drifted down her side. She relaxed, eyes closing.
Taylor’s incoherent mumblings went unheard, the sound of his voice somehow soothing. Familiar. Indifferent to his hand on her thigh, his other arm around her neck, thick fingers brushing her breast. With effort she pushed his hand away. Seconds later it drifted back. The streetlights flashed by above her, a stop at the traffic lights throwing a red glow through the cab’s interior.
“You alright, Red?” Taylor asked, gently groping her breast through her jacket.
Red saw the lights flash by through the window. “Where are we going?”
“Home. Your lezzie friend will be waiting for you. Mind if I come in and watch?”
“In your dreams.”
“Worth a try,” Taylor muttered, letting his hands wander.
The taxi pulled into Red’s road. “Here’ll do, mate. Just by that gate. This one needs some fresh air before I take her in.”
Red struggled out of the cab, leaning against a lamp post while Taylor sorted the fare. She stepped forward gingerly, one foot in front of the other, trying to shake off the fog of alcohol and fatigue. As she teetered Taylor grabbed her arm, pulling towards him.
“You’re gonna be in the dog house when you get in, Guv.” Taylor put his arm around Red’s waist for support. “Best wait here a minute and get your legs steady. I don’t fancy slipping on those icy steps.”
Red had no choice but to lean on Taylor, feeling his warm breath in her ear as he slipped his other arm across her torso, holding her upright.
“Thanks, Barry.” Red felt the alcohol-induced mist slowly clearing as the cold air worked into her blood stream. “For tonight I mean.”
Taylor stopped in the shadows between two street lamps, halting Red’s progress, pulling her toward him. “We don’t have to go back just yet, Red.” His grip tightened around her waist, his stubble scratching her face as he bent into her, a hand sliding under her jacket, mauling her breast.
Red stiffened, the mind’s fog evaporating, the world suddenly coming into focus. “Get off me, Barry. It’s cold. I need to get home.”
“Come on, Red. Let me warm you up.”
Red tried to shake him off. “That will do, Barry.”
Taylor grabbed her chin, forcing her mouth to his, the other hand reaching down between her legs. “You know you want me.”
She pulled her head back. “Barry! For Christ’s sake! What are you doing?”
“Just me and you, Red. You know you want a real man.”
She tried to push him away. “Taylor! Last warning!”
Beery breath smothered her shouts as Taylor forced her against the railings, hands groping violently beneath the jacket, her blouse buttons ripping. “Relax. I’m gonna give you what that lezzer bitch of yours can never give you. Six inches of raw meat. You need to know just what you’re missing out on, darling.”
The knee came up in a reflex action. The fist was deliberate, meeting Taylor’s chin as he doubled over. Red stood over him as he dropped to his knees, her senses on high alert, twisting his arm back, smashing his head into the icy ground.
“Red, I’m sorry, I…”
She twisted his arm tight, her knee against his back, holding his face against the frost-bitten pavement. “You just made a mistake, Taylor. A huge mistake.”
Releasing his arm Red kicked him over with her foot, watching him clutch at his groin, wide eyes pleading with her. Red’s boot came down slowly on his cheek, forcing his face back onto the cold ground. “I could have your job for that, Taylor. And have you on the sex offenders’ register.”
“Red, I’m sorry,” Taylor forced out, barely able to speak with the heel on his cheek. “I had too much to drink. I was out of order.”
“The last bloke that messed with me hasn’t been seen for twelve years. Count yourself lucky. We’ll talk in the morning, Constable. My office, eight-thirty sharp.”
“I’m on late shift, Red.”
“Eight o’clock sharp, Taylor, or there won’t be a late shift. And don’t you ever let me hear you call me Red, you sad little bastard. That’s only for my friends. Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Guv.”
Red eased her foot off Taylor’s face, resisting the temptation to kick him in the groin. She walked away, leaving her DC groaning in pain on the icy floor.
Chapter 51.
Red glanced up at the door to the briefing room to see Barry Taylor walk in, head hung low. She checked her watch. “You’re late. I said eight o’clock, Detective Constable Taylor.”
Harris looked up from his morning paper, glancing from Red back to Taylor. “Thought you were on late shift, Baz?”
Taylor ignored Harris, directing his gaze in Red’s direction, unwilling to meet her eyes. “Sorry, Guv.”
Jez Harris nudged James Mackenzie. In a loud whisper, “Atmosphere or what? Something’s going down, Mac. What d’ya reckon? Bazza fancied his chances and got a knock back?”
Red shot a venomous look at her DC. “One more remark from you, Harris and you’re on report. Taylor, my office.”
Mackenzie spotted the angry graze on Taylor’s cheek. “I’d get that seen to, Baz. Might turn septic.”
Taylor used his copy of The Daily Sport to shield his face, two fingers the response as he followed Red through to her office.
“Shut the door.”
“Listen, Guv…”
Red spun on her heels, anger flashing in her eyes. “Save it, Taylor. I don’t want your half-hearted apologies. Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t suspend you and have you charged with indecent assault?”
Taylor’s gaze dropped to the floor. “I was bang out of order, Guv. Had too much to drink.”
“You know what, Taylo
r? I’ve spent my entire life dealing with men like you. Men who think it’s their God given right to use women as objects.” She folder her arms across her chest, tears stinging her eyes. “I ought to have you locked up.”
Taylor’s shoulders slumped, genuine panic registering on his face. “I’ve got a family, Guv. Two kids wanting to go to uni.”
“And this is my problem?”
“Please, Guv…”
“You’ve made my life a misery ever since I made DI, Taylor In fact, ever since we started working together. Your childish pranks, your snide remarks. Hell, I could have you on a discrimination charge faster then you can finish a bacon bap.”
Taylor nodded apologetically. “I’ve been a prick, Guv. I know I have.” He dragged his eyes up to meet hers. “I’m really sorry.”
Red inhaled deeply, holding his gaze, savouring the pause. “I need people on my team I can trust, Taylor. Coppers I can rely on.”
Taylor straightened himself, sensing a reprieve. “You can count on me, Guv. I swear.”
Red ran her hands over her face, dropping into her chair. Resting her chin on a balled fist, she turned her eyes on Taylors. “Diversity training, every week for a month. And not so much as a glance in the wrong direction.”
Taylor nodded frantically.
“And you clean your act up: You’re here on time for every shift. No questioning decisions. No sniggering in dark corners with Harris. Not so much as peep out of you, do you hear?”
“Yes, Guv, thank you.”
“And you’ll treat DC Terri Miller with respect. The utmost respect. No stupid imitation American accents. No calling her Texas Tess. No...” Red exhausted her supply of examples. “Not that Terri needs me to defend her, as you well know. Just... Just do your job. Okay, you can go.”
Taylor let out the breath he’d been holding, turning to leave.
“Yes, Guv. Thank you, Guv.”
“Oh and, Barry?”
“Yes, Guv?”
“You ever touch me again – I’ll kill you.”
Chapter 52.
Saffina Desforges' ROSE RED Crime Thriller Boxed Set Page 14