As of eight-thirty, Saturday morning, after a labour that had lasted sixteen-and-a-half-grueling hours, they became the proud parents of an eight-pound-two-ounce baby boy.
The event was beautiful beyond description. It was a magical moment that no words could ever do justice to, and the euphoria Colin had experienced on holding the fragile infant for the first time, so small and insignificant in his large hands, humbled him to the core.
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As Jack had anticipated, Kelly had been kept in overnight for observations, but she was released with a clean bill of health at midday on Saturday. Through no fault of his own, he hadn’t made it back to the hospital to see her the previous night, but he had sent his apologies via the night sister on the ward.
When she walked out of the observation ward, having been told that someone from work was coming to take her home, she looked around for her driver, wondering whether it would be Paul Evans, George Copeland or even Steve Bull.
“Taxi for Miss Flowers?” a gruff Cockney voice asked.
Kelly turned around, expecting to see an unshaven slob of a mini-cab driver waiting for her. She was a little disappointed that none of her colleagues had come, but she knew how busy they must be, and she understood that it must have been impossible for the boss to release anyone – hence the mini-cab.
When she saw Tyler leaning against the wall, her face broke into a big smile. “I wasn’t expecting you,” she admitted.
“I hope you’re not too disappointed,” he said, taking her arm in his and guiding her towards the exit.
“On the contrary,” she explained. “I’m very pleased that you came.”
“Well, I did promise you coffee,” he said, “and I always like to keep my word.”
Coffee was a good start, she thought. Coffee could easily lead to dinner, and from there? Well, who knew?
The Hunt For Chen
Exhausted from having just dealt with a series of gruesome murders in Whitechapel, DCI Jack Tyler and his team are hoping for a quiet run in to Christmas.
Things are looking promising until the London Fire Brigade are called down to a house fire in East London and discover a charred body that has been wrapped in a carpet and set alight.
Attending the scene, Tyler and his partner, DI Tony Dillon, immediately realise that they are dealing with a brutal murder.
A witness comes forward who saw the victim locked in a heated argument with an Oriental male a few minutes before the fire started, but nothing is known about this mysterious man other than he drives a white van and his name might be Chen.
Armed with this frugal information a murder investigation is launched and the hunt is on to find the unknown killer.
If you enjoyed ‘JACK'S BACK’, you’ll defiantly want to read Mark’s free Novella, ‘THE HUNT FOR CHEN.’Visit Mark’s website below to claim your copy:
markromain.com
Glossary of terms
AIDS – Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
AC – Assistant Commissioner
AMIP – Area Major Investigation Pool (Predecessor
to the Homicide Command)
ARV – Armed Response Vehicle
BIU – Borough Intelligence Unit
BPA – Blood Pattern Analysis
BTP – British Transport Police
C11 – Criminal Intelligence / surveillance
CAD – Computer Aided Dispatch
CCTV – Closed Circuit Television
CID – Criminal Investigation Department
CIPP – Crime Investigation Priority Project
CRIMINT – Criminal Intelligence
CSM – Crime Scene Manager
(The) Craft – the study of magic
CRIS – Crime Reporting Information System
DNA – Deoxyribonucleic Acid
DC – Detective Constable
DS – Detective Sergeant
DI – Detective Inspector
DCI – Detective Chief Inspector
DSU – Detective Superintendent
DCS – Detective Chief Superintendent
DPG – Diplomatic Protection Group
ESDA – Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (some
times called
an EDD or Electrostatic Detection Device)
ETA – Expected Time of Arrival
(The) Factory – Police jargon for their base.
FLO – Family Liaison Officer
Foxtrot Oscar – Police jargon for ‘fuck off’
FSS – Forensic Science Service
GP – General Practitioner
GMC – General Medical Council
HA – Arbour Square police station
HAT – Homicide Assessment Team
HEMS – Helicopter Emergency Medical Service
HIV – Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HOLMES – Home Office Large Major Enquiry System
HP – High Priority
HR – Human Resources
HT – Whitechapel borough / Whitechapel police
station
IO – Investigating Officer
Kiting checks – trying to purchase goods or obtain
cash with stolen / fraudulent checks
LAG – Lay Advisory Group
LAS – London Ambulance Service
LFB – London Fire Brigade
MIR – Major Incident Room
MPH – Miles Per Hour
MPS – Metropolitan Police Service
NHS – National Health Service
Nondy – Nondescript vehicle, typically an observa
tion van
NSY – New Scotland Yard
OM – Office manager
Old Bill – the police
P9 – MPS Level 1/P9 Surveillance Trained
PC – Police Constable
PLO – Press Liaison Officer
PM – Post Mortem
PNC – Police National Computer
POLACC – Police Accident
PTT – Press to Talk
RCS – Regional Crime Squad
Rozzers – the police
RTA – Road traffic Accident
RT car – Radio Telephone car, nowadays known as a
Pursuit Vehicle
SCG - Serious Crime Group
SIO – Senior Investigating Officer
Sheep – followers of Christ; the masses
Skipper - Sergeant
SNT – Safer Neighbourhood Team
SO19 – Met Police Firearms Unit
SOCO – Scene Of Crime Officer
SOIT – Sexual Offences Investigative Technique
SPM – Special Post Mortem
SPOC – Single Point Of Contact
TDC – Trainee Detective Constable
TIE – Trace, Interview, Eliminate
TIU – Telephone Investigation Unit
TSG – Territorial Support Group
TSU – Technical Support Unit
VODS – Vehicle On-line Descriptive Searching
Walkers – officers on foot patrol
Trumpton – the Fire Brigade
Author’s note
Let me start by thanking you for taking the time to read my debut novel. I really, really hope that you enjoyed it. If you did, can I ask you to do me a big favour by sparing a few moments to leave an honest review on Amazon. It doesn’t need to be much, just a line or two to say if you enjoyed it or would recommend it.
I can’t stress how helpful this feedback is for indie authors like me. Apart from influencing a book’s rankings, reviews help people who have not yet read my work decide whether it’s right for them.
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Unlike the stories we see unfold in our favourite TV shows, where everything falls neatly into place and all the loose ends are tied up by the time the end credits roll, things tend to
