The Last Big Job Read Online Free PDF Page B

concerning their
prisoner from the police car park, who had become the
responsibility of the Regional Crime Squad, despite Danny’s initial
protests. However, by the end of her shift, she could no longer be
bothered. Let them have the little prick, she thought. What she
wanted was her bed.
    As she and Rupert walked out of Blackburn police station, they
were greeted by bright sunlight. It was a fine Saturday
morning.
    Rupert touched Danny’s arm and stopped her. ‘Danny, do you
want to come back to my place for a drink?’I he said awkwardly.
‘Perhaps we could get to know each other a little
better.’
    She blinked rapidly at the proposal, amused and a little
shocked.
    ‘ I really fancy you,’ he went on, bolder now. ‘I want to make
love to you.’
    Danny burst out laughing, turned away from him and strolled
to her car. She had to stop to let a plain police car drive past.
Henry Christie was at the wheel. He gave her a quick wave and was
gone. It would be many years before Henry would even have a
conversation with her again. Henry, Danny thought wistfully at that
time, if only you’d asked me that question.

 
     
     
     
     

PART ONE

    HARD PENETRATION

Chapter One

    Twelve years later, June 1998
     
    Even as the passengers filed on board the aircraft, the cabin
crew knew exactly who was going to cause them trouble on the
four-and-a-half-hour flight ahead.
    It was a young couple, boy and girl, late teens. As they
shuffled into the plane past the Chief Stewardess, she could smell
the alcohol on their breath, see from their demeanour that they
were ill-tempered and irritable - and drunk. They careened down the
aisle, bumping into other people, not apologising, having to grip
headrests and occasionally missing their hold and falling across
passengers who were already seated.
    When they eventually found their seats, a middle-aged woman
was already sitting in one of them.
    ‘ Get out of my fucking seat, you sad old bitch,’ the young man
snarled, checking his boarding card. His first name was
Spencer.
    Having had the prudence to stalk the couple down the aisle,
the Chief Stewardess cut in quickly. ‘Excuse me, sir,’ she said,
scowling at him. She turned to the lady in the seat. ‘Could I just
check your boarding card, madam?’ she asked sweetly.
    ‘ Yes, yes.’ The woman handed it over worriedly.
    ‘ I’m afraid you are in the wrong seat,’ she explained, almost pained
in the way she spoke. The woman was sitting in the window seat.
‘Yours is actually the aisle seat. It’s an easy mistake to make.’
She offered her hand to the woman and assisted her to
move.
    ‘ Dozy cunt,’ Spencer remarked.
    The stewardess took a deep breath and actually bit her
tongue.
    Once the woman was out in the aisle, the young couple barged
across. Spencer dropped heavily into the window seat. His
girlfriend, Cheryl, sat in the middle seat. They immediately
slapped their recline buttons and forced their seats as far back as
they would go.
    With her professional patience already showing signs of
stress, the stewardess leaned across to the couple. A thin smile
was on her face. ‘Please keep your seats in the upright position
until we have taken off.’
    Reluctantly, they complied with the request. ‘And,’ she added,
‘please behave yourselves.’
    ‘ I want a drink now,’ Cheryl demanded as though she had not
heard a word.
    ‘ Drinks will not be served until we have taken off. Sorry.’
She stood aside and allowed the displaced woman passenger to take
her seat next to the couple. The stewardess looked at the woman
reassuringly, then walked back down the aisle to the front of the
plane. ‘Watch those two,’ she ordered one of her
colleagues.
    ‘ Stuck-up bitch,’ Cheryl said to Spencer of the stewardess.
She was eighteen. He was nineteen. They had both spent the last
night of their holiday raving and had come directly to the airport
from a club to catch the 7.30 a.m. flight to Manchester. They had
indulged in Ecstasy