“Do you recall that a while back we talked about recruiting people to a new squad? Well, someone is downstairs. I’ll be honest, I forgot she was coming. I can make an excuse if you like and rebook it, although I’d better go and explain in person.”
“Actually, a break would be good right now. I think I may now be a world expert on places to hide away in South America.” Hooley nodded and spoke into the phone.
“Give us five minutes and then bring her up, please.”
He made a cursory effort to tidy up, then decided to go and fetch some water. He cleared a space in front of his desk and placed two cups within easy reach.
At that point the woman arrived. She was slim, about mid-20s, with short brown hair, was wearing jeans and a T-shirt and had her glasses perched on the top her head. She was standing in the doorway smiling nervously.
“Come in, come in. Sit down and make yourself comfortable.”
She looked anxious but stepped inside, reached the chair and somehow got tangled up in it so that she fell forward, knocking the cups of water up in the air and straight over the DCI.
As he stood up, blinking water out of his eyes, he heard Roper say: “I like her.”
Before he could reply Roper’s phone went off. He stared at the number on display and frowned.
“Hello. Jonathan Roper here.”
He listened intently, not moving at all. The person on the other end had quite a bit to say since he remained like that for the next couple of minutes. Then he ended the call.
“That was Sam. She’s coming back early and is going to stay at my place.”
“That will be nice for you. When’s she coming?”
“She said she was at the airport now with the plane taking off in two hours. I wonder why she’s coming back now? We weren’t even due to talk for another two weeks. All she would say was that it is important and I was to be at the flat when she got there.”
Hooley kept his face as neutral as he could. He had no idea what was going on, but in his experience nothing good came out of sudden changes in plans.
Three months later
Major Tom Phillips was queuing up at the British Airways first class check-in for the Terminal 5 direct flight to Santiago, Chile. He was travelling under the name Ian Henderson, a resident of Barnes in South London. It was an identity that would remain active for no more than six weeks.
The woman checking him on to the flight was in a talkative mood and, as she handed his boarding card and passport back, she said, “Enjoy the flight today. The plane is pretty empty so, unless there’s a last-minute booking, you’ll have first class to yourself.”
He’d picked up a copy of the London Evening Standard as he came in and now he put it down on the check-in desk as he picked up the print-outs and placed them in the inside pockets of his immaculate blue blazer.
The woman glanced at the front-page headline. There was only one story, the murder in custody of the man known as the Courier, who was being held in Wandsworth Prison and had got into a fight with another prisoner.
“I don’t think anyone will be sad to see the back of him. They should give whoever killed him a medal. Am I going mad, or was there a story linking him to that retired civil servant who died in a house fire last week? I remembered it mostly because of the pictures of the house before it burned down. Beautiful place, Grade II listed, I think.”
The Major smiled at her as he began to turn away. He held up the paper. “I try not to follow the news if I can. It’s either made-up or depressing.”
She smiled back. She’d noticed he didn’t have a wedding ring. He’d be a nice catch for someone. “Well do have a nice flight. Business or pleasure?”
“You might say it’s going to be a bit of both.”
THE END
Thank you for reading the first three novels in the Jonathan Roper Investigates series.
I wanted to create a character who was a little bit different and I think Roper fits that bill. His autism and lack of social skills provide him with both insights and problems. My sense that Roper would be an interesting fit for the modern world was influenced by my autistic son. He is non-verbal but despite this it has been heart-warming to see him develop; partly down to the brilliant support of so many carers, but also because of his own determination. This determination is a trait he shares with Roper. It was always my intention that the Roper series should be regarded as series of “page turning thrillers”, each one capable of being read alone. While it offers some small insights into the autistic world, I also wanted to show some of the unexpected side of autism. There can be humour there and I hope that my portrayal of the relationship between Roper and his long-suffering boss, Brian Hooley, demonstrates that.
I am a self-published author and as I have mentioned writing a review is really helpful as the number of reviews a book accumulates on a daily basis has a direct impact on sales. So just leaving a review, no matter how short, helps make it possible for me to continue to do what I love… writing. All you have to do is click on the link below and scroll down to the bottom of the page where you will see the option to write a review - Thank you. The Long Reach ~ Review
Be the first to receive news on new Jonathan Roper and Brian Hooley adventures by visiting my website at www.michael-leese.com and become a VIP reader (I promise to only contact you with news of new launches). You can also write to me at the following email address: [email protected] – I always enjoy reading your comments and thoughts about Roper, Hooley and Mayweather, and I do my best to respond to all correspondence.
Here’s a little treat if you are having withdrawal symptoms from Jonathan and Brian…
To Kill A Critic ~ A Short Story
Successful critics make enemies. So, when the most famous critic of them all is found hanging in luxury tower, no one thinks its suicide. Jonathan Roper and Brian Hooley need to eliminate hundreds of suspects from the worlds of theatre, TV and film to find the killer.
Read To Kill A Critic
Coming very soon… Spring 2019
Just Kill Them
The British Royal Family are put on alert to flee London after a devastating series of terror attacks leave hundreds dead and injured, including a Tech Titan. But an unexpected twist means Brian Hooley has run out of time and Jonathan Roper may have to go it alone.
DON’T FORGET! Make sure you get the news of the release date… join my reader VIP list at www.michael-leese.com
Copyright © Michael Leese 2017
The right of Michael Leese to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of the publication may be reproduced, stored in or transmitted into any retrieval system, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
This is a work of fiction, Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Imprint: Independently published
(Jonathan Roper Investigates Boxset Page 66