Soft Target Read Online Free PDF Page B

no account is he to use his credit card.'
    'Understood, sir.'
    'Pass on the instructions to the rest of the team,' said the superintendent. 'If you want to break it up into four-hour shifts, that's fine by me. So long as he's covered round the clock, you can work it any way you want.'
    'It's all overtime,' said the sergeant. 'You won't be hearing any complaints.'
    Shepherd sat in his car and looked at the front of the house:
    a neat semi, the garden lovingly tended, the paintwork less than a year old, a TV dish over the garage. Tom and Moira Wintour had put a lot of work into their Hereford home and it showed. A year-old Lexus was parked in front of the garage, freshly waxed.
    Shepherd had driven down from Manchester in his own car, a dark green Honda CRY. He'd left the Volvo in the car park below the city-centre loft where his alter egoTony Nelson lived. Once the operation was over and he had Angie on tape, the surveillance equipment would be removed and the Volvo would go back into the police pool with new licence plates and registration details.
    On the back seat of the CRY a carrier-bag contained two PlayStation cartridges that he'd bought in a toy shop in Manchester. He'd spent the best part of an hour there but hadn't been able to think of anything else to buy his son. He climbed out, walked to the front door and rang the bell. He 29 saw a blurred figure through the frosted glass, then Moira opened the door, smiling brightly. As always, her makeup was immaculate. 'Daniel, you made it,' she said.
    Shepherd smiled back and forced himself to ignore the implied criticism. He felt bad enough that he had had to cancel his last two visits at short notice without his motherinlaw reminding him of his shortcomings.
    Moira was the only person who used his full name. She always had, ever since they'd first met. He'd asked her to call him Dan but she'd paid no attention and Daniel he had remained. Friends and colleagues alike used Dan or his army nickname, Spider.
    'Liam's in the garden,' she said.
    'How is he?'
    'Fine.'
    'He sleeping okay?'
    'Daniel, he's fine. Really. Can I get you a cup of tea?'
    Shepherd declined her offer and went through the kitchen into the garden. Liarn was kicking a football against a low brick wall. His face broke into a grin as he saw his father walking across the lawn. 'Dad!' he yelled, and rushed over,
    grabbed him round the waist and hugged him hard. 'I wasn't sure if you'd really come.'
    'I said I would, didn't I?' said Shepherd, but he felt guilty.
    He never deliberately set out to let his son down, but the nature of his work meant that he rarely knew what he'd be doing or where he'd be from one week to the next. He gave his son the carrier-bag. 'I got you these,' he said.
    Liam let out a whoop as he saw the PlayStation cartridges.
    Then his face fell. 'Gran doesn't let me play video games,'
    he said.
    'Never?'
    'An hour a day,' said Liam, grimly.
    'That sounds reasonable,' said Shepherd.
    3O 'Mum always let me play as long as I wanted.'
    'No, she didn't, and you know it,' said Shepherd. 'She said it was bad for your eyes.'
    'Can I play them now?'
    'Let's go to the park for a kickabout.'
    Liam picked up his ball and they went back into the kitchen.
    Moira was standing by the kettle, waiting for it to boil. 'I've got cake,' she said.
    'Liam and I are off to the park. We won't be long,' said Shepherd.
    For a moment she looked as if she was going to protest,
    but then she forced a smile.
    The park was a five-minute walk from the house. Liam bounced the ball as they walked.
    'So, are you okay?' asked Shepherd.
    Liam shrugged.
    'You know your gran and granddad love you, right?'
    Another shrug.
    'And the school here is okay, right?' Tom and Moira had arranged for Liam to attend the local school until Shepherd had things sorted in London.
    'It's okay.'
    'It's not for ever.'
    Liam was clutching the ball to his chest. 'Are you sure?'
    Shepherd stopped walking, put his hands on his son's shoulders,
    then knelt