Free Ugly Duckling by Malcolm Allen Page B

you get anything else let me know'
    'I'll let you know, no problem. Thanks Leon, that's actually been quite helpful'
    'Don’t sound so surprised! Ye of little faith'
    'Don't blow your own trumpet just yet; we'll see how accurate you are when we catch the bastard. Thanks again, we’ll have a drink sometime.'
    John hung up the phone and sat thinking for a while; he had that look on his face, that far away trance like look that he got when he was thinking. Ian appeared around the door,
    'Oh God, you've gone again haven’t you?'
    John sat starring,
    'Hello! Is there anyone in there?' Ian said starring into Johns eyes
    'Should I start Chanting? OMmmm'
    'Shut up you tart' John suddenly said 'We need to have a look at any unsolved knife murders or attempted, with cuts to the throat'
    'You think there’ll be others?'
    'Leon came up with it, but thinking about it, it makes sense'
    'I don’t think we have any in Dorset J.D'
    'So we have to look further a field don’t we. If you can get onto that Ian I've got to shoot, hot date tonight need to make myself beautiful.'
    'Hot date, need I ask who with?'
    'No Ian, no need to ask its Jenni.'

 
     
Chapter 16
     
    Standing outside the Laughing Pig John looked at his watch, 7:57, better wait a bit don't want to appear too eager, he thought. He'd got home from work taken a shower and had a shave. Finding some aftershave and a can of Lynx for men, he'd splashed the aftershave around his face and under his armpits and emptied the can of lynx on every other part of his body, including a quick squirt down his boxers, just in case. But now it was time to go inside and meet Jenni.
    The bar was quite empty, just the odd single person dotted around here and there nursing their drinks, John scanned around the bar, No Jenni.
    'John nice to see you again, looking all spruced up' it was Phil 'Christ, and smelling like a poofs boudoir, what have you got on?'
    'Just a bit of aftershave Phil, its nice to smell nice for a change, you should try it'
    'What can I get you?' Phil never chatted too long before the business of handing him money was approached.
    'Just a half please Phil'
    'I won’t get bloody rich with you will I?'
    Phil poured the half and put it in front of John, took the money and gave the change without saying another word to him, but looking around he spotted someone else, 'Chris! Nice to see you again, looking good tonight, what can I get you?' and Phil was off to the next customer.
    John sipped his beer and had another look around, still no Jenni, oh well, what would she see in me anyway, he thought, I'll just finish this and go home.
    Moments later he heard a familiar voice 'Hello John, you came.' it was Jenni. John felt that his heart had literally skipped a beat,
    'Jenni. Yes I was just passing, I remembered you said you might be in here tonight so just thought I'd pop in to say hello, how are you?' John held out his hand as if to shake hands.
    'Much better for seeing you' Jenni said and kissed John on each cheek Continental style. John, who wasn't used to such greetings, instantly felt another erection coming on.
    'Shall we sit' he said and hastily made his way to one of the booths, sitting down trying to disguise the bulge in the front of his trousers. Jenni followed and sat opposite with the table between them, 'good' thought John 'she won’t be able to see it from there.
    'Em John, I don’t have a drink'
    'A drink er, no, what would you like?'
    'White wine please'
    'Yes, no problem, sorry' John raised his hand to attract Phil's attention; Phil looked over and raised two fingers.
    'Think I'd better go to the bar, Phil doesn't seem to do table service, won’t be a mo.'
    John shuffled out of the booth with one hand in his trouser pocket to try to cover his embarrassment and walked in an oddly stooping way to the bar, Jenni Giggled.
    'Here you are one white wine' John said on his return and slid back onto his seat 'So how’s things?'
    'I think the term is, as well as can be