Great North Road Read Online Free PDF

temperature and exposure is confirm immersion for at least an hour.”
    “He didn’t fall off the bridge.”
    “No. He didn’t fall off the bridge. Too much tidal current.”
    “Does our examiner want to go for time of death?”
    Ian’s mouth produced a thin smile. “No. That’s down to the autopsy.”
    “All right. I’ve spoken to the chief. You’re going with the examiner back to the morgue. Make sure there are no glitches, procedure to be upheld at all times, no exceptions.”
    “Aye.”
    “I’m back to Market Street. The duty network staff can lock and download all the mesh surveillance memories from along the river for tonight. I need to chase ships as well.”
    Ian pulled a dubious expression. “Nothing sailing tonight. Not in this.”
    “We can’t see more than a hundred meters, I can’t even see the Baltic Exchange on the other side. There could be a supertanker out there for all we know.”
    “We’d know that, man.”
    “Detective, we cover every possibility.”
    Ian sobered, realizing how many people—and what rank—would review tonight’s log. “Aye, you’re right.” He went over to the waiting agency constables. “Okay, guys, we have to get the body up here. Hope you cleared your medical—it weighs something.”
    Sid watched for a moment as the examiner and divers attached ropes to the stretcher so the body could be pulled up onto the promenade. He tried to work out if he’d missed anything. The basics had definitely been covered. He was sure of it. Starting the investigation properly. O’Rouke couldn’t have been clearer. In the morning, senior detectives would be moved in to assume command of the case, no doubt aided by a dozen specialist advisers Aldred North would send along from Northumberland Interstellar’s security division. By lunchtime, Sid wouldn’t have to worry about a thing.

M ONDAY, J ANUARY 14, 2143
    The alarm clock’s sharp buzz dragged Sid awake. He groaned and reached out for the snooze button.
    “Oh no you don’t.” Jacinta reached over him and caught his roaming hand.
    He gave another groan, louder and frustrated. The alarm kept going. “All right, Jesus, pet.” He swung his legs out of the bed. Only then did she agree to release his hand. He brought it down vindictively on the clock, and the wretched noise stopped. He yawned. His eyes were blurry and he felt like he’d had maybe ten minutes’ sleep. The room was cold, even with the regen aircon whirring away behind the ceiling vents.
    Jacinta was climbing out on her side of the bed. Sid picked up the clock and held it close to his face—the only way he could make out the glowing green figures.
    6:57
    “Crap.” He couldn’t stop yawning. His bodymesh had detected waking activity, and waited its preset one minute before activating displays and audio tones. The iris smartcells then unfolded a pantheon of ghosts across his sight, which was their basic icon grid.
    “What time did you get in?” Jacinta asked. She was giving him a puzzled look. He managed to give her a weak grin in return, enjoying the sight of her. Jacinta was only three years younger than him, but she aged oh-so-much better. The dark hair was shorter now than when they had met back in London, but still as lush, and always wild this time in the morning. Her figure was similar to those days, too, slimmer than anyone who’d had two children should reasonably expect. That was all down to determination in abundance. With fat expelled and muscles toned by solid, regular gymwork—gymwork that she was pointing out more and more would stop his recent upward weight-creep—she was enticingly fit. But it was her complexion that really belied her age, as she’d kept a clear skin that seemed to defy wrinkles. Fair enough, he thought, given that half her surgical nurse’s salary was spent on creams, lotions, pharmaceutical gels, and many, many other products from that section of the department store where real men fear to tread.
    Sharp green