AllFreeNovel
Share Us
PROLOGUE
JESSICA
The dark mornings don’t help my mood and as I drag my body with a superhuman effort from the warm cosy bed, I curse Winter. My teeth chatter despite the central heating because I turned it down in a vain attempt to economise due to the rising fuel costs. Some call it a crisis. I think it’s the end of my world as I know it because to me hell is looking like a place I’m keen to book a flight to because at least it will be hot there.
Grabbing my dressing gown, I head to the shower and hope the water’s hot despite this ungodly hour.
I’m not a morning person. In fact, some people say I’m not an afternoon or evening person either, but I’m unconcerned about that. I’m not worried about anything other than striving for excellence and proving that I’m better than everyone else.
As the steam from the shower chases the chill away, I relax a little as my mind powers up and reminds me how important today is. A small tingle of excitement builds inside me as I contemplate what it will bring because, finally, against all the odds, I’m about to step away from the shadows and take on my first solo mission.
The vibration from my Apple Watch signifies the allotted two minutes is up and reluctantly I step from the shower and curse my frugality as I wrap the cold towel around my heated skin.
I should be grateful for the cool environment because it makes my regime easier to stick to and ten minutes and three notifications later, I am in my small kitchen, flicking the switch for the kettle, suited and booted as my mother would say and ready to take on the world.
The steam from the kettle is most welcome as I toss the green tea bag into the mug and reach for the jar of vegan muesli that I’ve grown a liking for. A splash of soya milk makes it edible and as I stir in some natural low-fat yoghurt, I anticipate the next notification in two minutes’ time.
Two minutes to eat and fuel my body with just enough to operate without clogging my arteries and diminishing my energy levels before I’ve even made it to the office.
The excitement that’s been building for several days now threatens to play havoc with my mind set because I have programmed myself to stay focused on the only thing that matters to me. My job.
I’ve worked my way through police training college, endured the horrors of life on the beat and scaled my way through every department to reach the one that was the reason I joined in the first place.
Detective constable Jessica Taylor. A role I have coveted ever since I became addicted to Miss Marple, and Murder She Wrote as a child.
How I longed to solve the crimes of murder most foul and I joined up as soon as I could and the rest is history.
Another vibration tells me to put down my spoon and take up my toothbrush and after a cursory glimpse at my reflection, I am as ready as I’ll ever be.
Yes, Jessica Taylor is about to make a name for herself because today I am going undercover, at least I hope I am because Detective Inspector Ranauld told me I was.
* * *
I don’t even noticethe nip of frost in the air as I stride along the frozen pavements towards the tube station. I don’t even see the homeless man cowering in the shop doorway as I pass in a euphoric haze. The fact I see several misdemeanours from a passing cyclist doesn’t even register as I consider what the job could be.
Will it be drugs? I wonder how I feel about that. Am I required to infiltrate a drug’s ring and be responsible for a haul of millions, saving the streets of London from even more misery and wasted lives? It could be a sex trafficking ring or a heist. Images of the glory I will bask in when I deliver the criminals bang to rights heats my heart as I plod through the commuters on their way to a much less worthwhile job than mine.
Sometimes I wonder if they would gaze at me in awe and nod their heads with respect if they knew who walked among them. I certainly would because I don’t do mundane. I don’t do the ordinary and my job matters. It’s life or death, well death mainly because when you work as a detective, death is just a by-product of a file that opened from nowhere, allowing us to peer inside a dark chasm of pure evil.
Feeling smug, I hang from the metal pole of the tube as it careers through the darkened tunnels, the slightly noxious smell causing me to pull my woollen scarf a little higher to cover my nose. I never make eye contact with anyone on my journey because I have no interest in making friends and actually passing the time of day with the general public. I have only one thing on my mind and that’s focusing on my career and making a difference to the cruel, miserable world we inhabit and destroy without thinking of the consequences.
My watch vibrates, and I notice I have achieved the desired number of steps to finalise my morning routine and I breathe a sigh of relief. There will be no falling behind today. Not on the most important day of my life because this is the day all my learning and patience will pay off.
As I push through the revolving door of the station, I keep my eyes lowered because making friends with my colleagues has never been an option. I have no friends, a family I rarely see and only one love in my life. Work!
“Jessica.”
Detective Inspector Ranauld greets me as I hover nervously at his office door and the weary look in his eyes tells me that the job is important. I expect he needs my help with an unsolved crime, having tried and failed with my predecessors before me.
He nods towards the seat in front of his desk, and I perch on the edge and look him steadfastly in the eye, waiting for him to deliver my assignment. Part of me hopes it involves some kind of gadget. Something that James Bond would use. A hidden microphone perhaps, or a cleverly disguised stun gun secreted in the body of a fountain pen. Could it be the keys to a super car? I could live with that.
He clears his throat and sighs wearily.
“I have an assignment for you.”
My heart starts racing as I struggle to keep my excitement from showing.
His finger taps on a sheaf of papers that I’m guessing are top secret and will test the resilience of my oath of attestation.
