The Scarlet Web, Chapter Two (standard:Suspense, 2606 words) [2/3] show all parts
Author: Brian Cross	Added: Feb 13 2003	Views/Reads: 3108/2161	Part vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
Chapter two of my thriller, The Scarlet Web; this involves a detective, and a woman he finds himself becoming to care for. But is she the serial killer?

CHAPTER TWO 

Canning Town 

Mike Eveson opened the window to its last notch. It might not be a
decent day outside, but it was always so damned stuffy in the police 
station. 

He took a packet of cigarettes from a pocket of the jacket he habitually
hung over the back of his chair, selected one, then lit it. With a well 
practised motion he leaned towards the window, drawing on the fag then 
holding it out, letting it dangle over the ledge of the second storey 
office. He figured that by doing this he wasn't impinging the force's 
“no smoking” regulation, even though the smoke drifted obstinately back 
in. 

He took a swig of coffee from his cup, grimaced at its bitterness, then
frowned as he glanced at the latest intelligence reports on his desk. 
Two more cases of rape to contend with. He looked across to his 
sergeant, ‘These cases seem to be never-ending, Harry.' 

‘Yeah, there're on the increase, I'll say that,' Harry Stukeley bit
deeply into his sandwich and Mike cast a disapproving eye. Harry's 
waistline seemed to be expanding by the day, he just hoped they didn't 
encounter a situation that required a  chase. 

‘I'm meeting Carly Simpson at four,' Mike glanced at Harry who took a
cursory look back before devouring the remains of his sandwich. ‘You 
know, the crime reporter for the magazine “Standpoint,”' Mike 
continued, irked by Harry's lack of response. ‘I'm on a hiding to 
nothing here, Carly's a good sort but she's turning these issues into a 
one-woman campaign.' He tapped ash from his cigarette, watching it fall 
over the ledge, ‘I dare say we'll get a grilling in her column.' 

‘Yeah, but it's nothing personal Mike, it doesn't reflect on us in any
way,' Harry said, selecting a packet of crisps from his lunch box. 

Mike turned away from the window, pushing the report aside as if it
carried deadly germs. He studied Harry long and hard. Some officers had 
been in the job too long, they viewed things like this as though they 
were impartial observers, they collected their salaries, drank and 
stuffed themselves silly, they went home to their families full of 
moans and groans about pressure of work, while all they were doing was 
backing away from it. Harry was in danger of becoming like that. He was 
in serious danger. 

Not that Mike was immune from the spreading disease. Not that he even
had a family anymore, but at least he could see how the ground lay. 

‘Of course it's personal, he said, biting his lip, you've just said that
incidents of rape are on the increase, and hereabout it's above the 
national trend. That reflects on us all, but if it means we have to 
work that bit harder, put in longer hours to catch these sick creeps 
then so be it. Oh it's personal alright.' 

Harry gave him a look which suggested he thought the pressure might be
getting to him. Well that was okay, because if he was going to up his 
efforts, then so was Harry. 

Mike jumped to his feet, a wry smile on his face at the thought of that.
‘I'll leave you to hold the fort, Harry. I've this appointment with 
Carly to keep.' 

‘Alright for some,' Harry murmured, thinking his superior was out of
earshot. 

Mike heard the remark, but let it lie. * 

The meeting which followed produced little of substance as far as
Shelley was concerned, she resisted the urge to fidget, Mary didn't 
miss a thing, and she associated fidgeting with boredom. She focused 
her eyes on each speaker and managed to stifle a yawn or two. The 
trouble with these congregations was that they seemed to get bogged 
down in departmental matters, and she got fed up with people putting 
the same questions time and time again, not listening to anyone's point 


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