Стюарт Макбрайд - 22 Dead Little Bodies and Other Stories

‘Gaaaah!’ Red weals cut across his cheeks, where the leather strap had been. The man coughed a couple of times, then spat. Hauled in a breath. ‘Oh God, you have to get help! Please! He’ll be back soon!’

Logan frowned down at him. Take away the beard and... ‘It’s Chris Browning, isn’t it? We’ve been looking for you for weeks .’

‘Guv? Hello?’ Stoney’s voice came through the locked door. His silhouette rippled through the patterned glass on either side. Probably trying to see into the house. ‘Hello?’ Then he knocked. ‘Guv, you there?’

Steel squatted down and levered up the letterbox flap. ‘Give me your handcuff keys.’

‘Guv? Can you unlock the door?’

‘You deaf or something, Constable Stone? Keys, now.’

He stepped back. ‘Someone’s there with you, aren’t they Guv? Are you being coerced? Stand back, I’m breaking the door down!’

Logan slammed his free hand into the glass at the side, setting it booming. ‘Just post your sodding keys through the letterbox!’

‘But—’

Steel poked her hand through the nylon brushes. ‘Give me the keys, or I’m going to reach down your throat, grab your pants, and haul them back out through your gob!’

The second ambulance pulled away from the kerb, lights spinning in the sunset. Steel pulled her e-cigarette from her pocket, clicked it on, and took a deep drag. ‘Ahhh. That’s better.’

Logan rubbed at the thick red line encircling his right wrist. ‘There you go, we just saved an influential “No” campaigner.’

She shrugged. ‘Win some, lose some.’ She sniffed, then spat into the neat front garden. ‘Anyone asks, the naked thing didn’t happen. Understand?’

Goose pimples raced up Logan’s arms, coming together at the back of his neck. ‘Ack... I’m probably going to need therapy.’

‘Official report, we were handcuffed to a radiator or something. No naked. No bed. No piddling.’

‘Agreed.’

She turned and stared up at the building. ‘So, come on then — how did you vote?’

‘None of your damned business, that’s how.’ He lifted his chin and walked toward the waiting patrol car. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m off to get very, very drunk.’

She shambled along beside him. ‘Good idea.’ Then reached out and took his hand again. ‘You’re getting the first round in, though.’

And however bad the hangover was, they’d just have to deal with it tomorrow.