Free Judgement Call by Nick Oldham Page A

fresh, gorgeous, and instantly took his breath and heart away.
    That had been a few months ago and their relationship had deepened and was becoming long-term serious. Before meeting her Henry had played a big part in the vibrant single-cop scene in Rossendale, during which time he’d had many encounters and had often rolled into work in a morning after a night of boozing and debauchery, and could hardly keep his eyes open. Some of his dalliances had been with policewomen, but most had been with women he met on the pub/club scene in the valley, which for its size, was thriving.
    Meeting Kate had curtailed these activities, mostly, but Henry knew he couldn’t yet be trusted. Although he had done nothing to encourage the interest of WPC Jo Wade, he was pretty certain that a night away with her could easily lead to something silly.
    Whilst the old part of him wanted that, at the same time, another newer, more mature part was beating him about the head and yelling, ‘No, no, no.’
    Henry’s devil on one shoulder versus the angel on the other, a contest that would rule his entire life, although he did not know it at that moment.
    All he did know was that he was falling in love with Kate, but yet his twenty-three-year-old testosterone still demanded to be unleashed on as many consenting females as possible.
    â€˜Hi, love, it’s me,’ Henry said down the phone.
    â€˜Hi, sweetie … and even from those four words I can tell it’s bad news,’ Kate said perceptively. Henry winced.
Even now she can read me like a book
. ‘What is it?’ she asked.
    â€˜I’m going to have to cancel tonight. Sorry,’ he said feebly.
    â€˜Oh …’
    â€˜Er, something’s come up and I have to go to Dover to pick up a prisoner. It’s an overnighter. The DI says I have to. I don’t want to,’ he babbled unconvincingly, ‘but I have to.’
    â€˜It’s OK,’ she said softly. ‘I can’t say I wasn’t looking forward to tonight. It must be at least three days since we … y’know? Needless to say, you were on a promise.’
    â€˜I know, I know … I’m really sorry.’
    â€˜Who’s going with you? I presume it’ll take two of you?’
    â€˜Just … just one of the other PCs.’
    â€˜Anyone I know?’ Kate had slowly started to meet a few of his work friends and colleagues.
    â€˜Er, no … new lad,’ Henry fibbed through gritted teeth.
Why don’t I just tell her?
he berated himself.
    â€˜When are you setting off?’
    â€˜About now.’
    â€˜OK … Henry?’ Kate started cautiously. ‘Will this sort of thing happen a lot? You know, if we stay together? Like I hope we will.’
    â€˜I hope not, but it sort of goes with the job.’
    â€˜Yeah, I know.’ There was a heavy silence on the line. ‘Are we going to stay together?’ she asked.
    â€˜Don’t see why not.’
    â€˜What sort of answer is that?’
    â€˜Not a good one … I meant, yes, we will stay together. For definite.’
    He heard her sigh and he knew he should have told her there and then that he loved her. He knew it was what she wanted to hear, and what he wanted to declare … but that old devil on his shoulder was prodding him with a very fiery red trident.
    â€˜I’ll ring you when I get to Dover.’
    â€˜OK.’ She sounded wistful.
    â€˜I was wondering where you’d got to …’
    Henry spun at the voice. WPC Wade had found him and entered the room where he was making the call. He clamped his left hand down on the receiver and looked at her leaning against the door jamb, like a vamp. She had also been home to change and was now wearing tight-fitting jeans and a low-cut blouse.
    â€˜Shh,’ he mouthed silently to her, horror on his face, his head shaking frantically.
    â€˜Oops, sorry,’ she pouted.
    Henry gave her a death stare and flicked