be?’
‘Just as soon as we can get things sorted out here.’
Luke stared out of the window. He could see no pigs flying. ‘Well,’ he began so slowly she thought he was ailing, ‘at the rate we’re going that will be on my next trip home.’
5
Even though Sally was the licensee of the Royal Stuart pub on the Leith side of Easter Road, it was not a hostelry that Luke had often frequented. Today as he sauntered in he pretended that his visit was to say hello to Nancy now she was well enough to be back in charge.
Nancy of course was delighted to see Luke. Having no brother of her own and having been treated by Sally as a sister, she felt it only natural to look on Luke as a younger sibling.
‘What’s your pleasure?’ Nancy asked Luke whose eyes were roving all around the salon.
‘I’m driving sooo … just a shandy.’
While Nancy was making up his concoction Luke scrutinised the customers. A smirk of satisfaction came to his face when he noticed that the two men in the corner were none other than his long-time adversaries, Drew Washington and Phil Watson. These two detectives, better known in Leith ‘D’ Division as Holmes and Watson, were the people he wished to meet up with today.
Uplifting his drink he began to walk towards the men’s table. Smiling broadly he asked, ‘Mind if I join you?’
‘Please yourself,’ Drew answered, lifting his hand to indicate the vacant seat. ‘Heard you were back. Since last week or was it the week before?’
‘Been home three, nearly four weeks already, I have,’ was Luke’s jovial reply. ‘See time,’ he winked to the men, ‘it just races in when you’re enjoying yourself.’
Drew nodded. Phil, who was only allowed to talk if given permission to by Drew, just slurped his beer. ‘They tell me,’ Drew began as he weighed Luke up, ‘you’ve signed up for another tour.’ Luke nodded before sipping from his drink. ‘Suppose it makes sense.’ He paused and blew out his lips before adding, ‘Because there’s no way you would make detective here.’
Phil cackled and playfully jabbed Drew in the ribs.
Luke just smiled. ‘You’re right there. See in Hong Kong they have parameters that you have to stay within.’
Sneering, Drew asked, ‘Like what?’
Luke leaned over towards Drew as if he was taking him into his confidence. ‘You have to have looked into every scenario and be absolutely sure you’ve got it right before you accuse and charge anyone.’
Drew sniggered. ‘And that must take up the whole working week for the likes of you. Here in Leith we have apprehended the culprit,’ he was now helpless with laughter, ‘usually before the crime is fully committed.’
‘You’re right there,’ Luke enthused. ‘See the last case I saw you work on before I left, it was a humdinger. Now what was the hapless guy’s name?’
‘Did you mean the gormless Irish guy?’ Luke nodded and sipped from his glass again. ‘That really didn’t show how brilliant I am,’ Drew scoffed. ‘Open and shut case it was. I didnae even bother to write it up as a good capture.’ Drew lifted his pint and gave a mock toast to Phil before adding, ‘Gave my pal here all the credit.’
‘Did you? That was good of you,’ Luke answered, but he was thinking the only reason that Drew, an apology for a detective, pinned the brownie points on to Phil was because there were things that didn’t quite add up! Obviously, corners had been cut. Correct procedures were not followed to the letter. This meant that if all that came to light and a miscarriage of justice was found in Irish’s favour, it wouldn’t be Drew’s career that would come to an abrupt end but Phil’s. Luke also accepted that it was amazing the lengths some officers would go to when their pensions were just about to come to fruition.
Nancy calling to Luke to come over to the bar was just what Luke required. He had discovered more in the meeting with Holmes and Watson than he had hoped. Luke hoped they
‘Just as soon as we can get things sorted out here.’
Luke stared out of the window. He could see no pigs flying. ‘Well,’ he began so slowly she thought he was ailing, ‘at the rate we’re going that will be on my next trip home.’
5
Even though Sally was the licensee of the Royal Stuart pub on the Leith side of Easter Road, it was not a hostelry that Luke had often frequented. Today as he sauntered in he pretended that his visit was to say hello to Nancy now she was well enough to be back in charge.
Nancy of course was delighted to see Luke. Having no brother of her own and having been treated by Sally as a sister, she felt it only natural to look on Luke as a younger sibling.
‘What’s your pleasure?’ Nancy asked Luke whose eyes were roving all around the salon.
‘I’m driving sooo … just a shandy.’
While Nancy was making up his concoction Luke scrutinised the customers. A smirk of satisfaction came to his face when he noticed that the two men in the corner were none other than his long-time adversaries, Drew Washington and Phil Watson. These two detectives, better known in Leith ‘D’ Division as Holmes and Watson, were the people he wished to meet up with today.
Uplifting his drink he began to walk towards the men’s table. Smiling broadly he asked, ‘Mind if I join you?’
‘Please yourself,’ Drew answered, lifting his hand to indicate the vacant seat. ‘Heard you were back. Since last week or was it the week before?’
‘Been home three, nearly four weeks already, I have,’ was Luke’s jovial reply. ‘See time,’ he winked to the men, ‘it just races in when you’re enjoying yourself.’
Drew nodded. Phil, who was only allowed to talk if given permission to by Drew, just slurped his beer. ‘They tell me,’ Drew began as he weighed Luke up, ‘you’ve signed up for another tour.’ Luke nodded before sipping from his drink. ‘Suppose it makes sense.’ He paused and blew out his lips before adding, ‘Because there’s no way you would make detective here.’
Phil cackled and playfully jabbed Drew in the ribs.
Luke just smiled. ‘You’re right there. See in Hong Kong they have parameters that you have to stay within.’
Sneering, Drew asked, ‘Like what?’
Luke leaned over towards Drew as if he was taking him into his confidence. ‘You have to have looked into every scenario and be absolutely sure you’ve got it right before you accuse and charge anyone.’
Drew sniggered. ‘And that must take up the whole working week for the likes of you. Here in Leith we have apprehended the culprit,’ he was now helpless with laughter, ‘usually before the crime is fully committed.’
‘You’re right there,’ Luke enthused. ‘See the last case I saw you work on before I left, it was a humdinger. Now what was the hapless guy’s name?’
‘Did you mean the gormless Irish guy?’ Luke nodded and sipped from his glass again. ‘That really didn’t show how brilliant I am,’ Drew scoffed. ‘Open and shut case it was. I didnae even bother to write it up as a good capture.’ Drew lifted his pint and gave a mock toast to Phil before adding, ‘Gave my pal here all the credit.’
‘Did you? That was good of you,’ Luke answered, but he was thinking the only reason that Drew, an apology for a detective, pinned the brownie points on to Phil was because there were things that didn’t quite add up! Obviously, corners had been cut. Correct procedures were not followed to the letter. This meant that if all that came to light and a miscarriage of justice was found in Irish’s favour, it wouldn’t be Drew’s career that would come to an abrupt end but Phil’s. Luke also accepted that it was amazing the lengths some officers would go to when their pensions were just about to come to fruition.
Nancy calling to Luke to come over to the bar was just what Luke required. He had discovered more in the meeting with Holmes and Watson than he had hoped. Luke hoped they
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