The weight of the formal North Wales jacket was making him feel even sweatier and more unwell. And he was supposed to be taking notes on how to deal with a sexual assault or rape case. There were about a hundred probationers in the room who made up Beta group.
Jonesy, an old friend from near Dinas Padog, sat next to him and had been taking the piss for the last twenty minutes.
‘Here, have one of these,’ Jonesy said quietly, passing him a packet of strong mints. ‘Your breath is flammable.’
‘Ta. A couple of us are going for a pint at The Peel if you’re up for it?’ Nick said. The Peel was the onsite bar at the training centre and named after Sir Robert Peel, the Home Secretary who founded the British police force in 1829. Nick couldn’t wait to sink a couple of pints and feel a million times better.
‘Christ, Nick. You’re bloody hardcore, aren’t you?’ Jonesy said elbowing him in the ribs.
Nick smiled. He loved his reputation as a big drinking, rugby playing, party animal.
‘Looks like we’re done,’ Nick said, spotting everyone getting up and packing away.
As he and Jonesy made their way out of the lecture hall, they walked down the long corridor that had wooden-panelled walls and smelt like a dusty library. On the wall were old photographs of the Chief Constables of North Wales Police going back to the 1970’s. There were also photographs of those police officers who had lost their lives in the line of duty.
As they turned into the corridor that led down to The Peel, Nick’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He checked it as they walked. It was a text message from Gwen Foley. She was the mother of his ex-girlfriend Laura Foley. It was completely out of the blue, which made him worry. He hadn’t seen Laura for nearly two years but there had been rumours that she had gone off the rails in Liverpool. A few people in the local pub told him she was now a druggie but they didn’t really know much more than that.
Hello Nick. I wonder if you could give me call. Thanks Gwen.
Nick stopped and looked at Jonesy, ‘I’ll be in in a minute, mate.’
‘Pint of lager?’ Jonesy asked, miming drinking.
‘Silly question, mate,’ Nick said, but his mind was starting to race. Why had Gwen sent him a text? It had to be serious, didn’t it?
Nick moved over to the quieter area of the corridor and rang Gwen.
‘Gwen, it’s Nick. I got your text. Is everything all right?’ Nick said.
‘Oh, thank you for ringing, Nick,’ Gwen said. Her voice was croaky and he could tell she was upset. When he and Laura were going out, he and Gwen used to have a laugh together. ‘It’s Laura. She’s in a hell of a state. She really needs some help and I didn’t know who to call. Sorry. I don’t know any of her new friends,’ Gwen said, sounding teary.
‘That’s fine, Gwen. No problem. Where are you?’ Nick asked.
‘At the Royal Liverpool. Laura’s been moved up to the Beatrice Ward,’ Gwen explained.
‘I’m on my way,’ Nick said. ‘I’ll be there in an hour.’
WHEN NICK FIRST SAW Laura hooked up to drips on the far end of the Beatrice Ward, he barely recognised her. Her face was skeletal with too much make up, her hair dyed black, and she looked like she’d had collagen put in her lips.
As Laura looked up, Nick tried to hide how uncomfortable her appearance made him feel.
‘Hello, stranger. What have you been up to?’ Nick said with a kind smile.
Laura smiled but she looked a little out of it.
Gwen came round the bed and gave Nick a hug. ‘Thank you, Nick. I’m so glad you’re here.’
Laura pushed herself up on her pillow but winced with the effort. ‘Bloody hell, look at you. PC bloody Plod,’ she said very quietly.
Gwen gestured to his uniform. ‘You look so grown up, Nick.’
Sitting down on a plastic chair beside the bed, Nick looked at them both. ‘What’s going on?’
‘Do you want to tell him?’ Gwen said to Laura in a stern tone.
Laura couldn’t meet Nick’s eyes for a moment. ‘I OD’d.’
‘OD’d on what?’ Nick said calmly, but it was still a bit of a shock.
‘Smack ... Heroin,’ Laura mumbled.
‘Jesus, Laura. Heroin?’ Nick said, pulling a face. ‘I’m not naïve. I thought you might do the odd pill or a line of coke. But heroin is a different league.’
‘I just smoke it,’ Laura said.
‘Don’t be so bloody stupid, Laura. None of it is okay, is it Nick?’ Gwen said with simmering anger.
‘If you need help, there are plenty of places you can go. I can look into that for you,’ Nick said, looking at them both. His time as a police officer had already brought him into contact with lots of addicts.
‘The first thing we’re doing is getting you home and away from this bloody city,’ Gwen said.
Laura nodded and looked at Nick. ‘I’m going to move back in with Mum for a while. Get back on my feet.’
‘Maybe you can come and visit, Nick?’ Gwen said with a smile. ‘She needs a good influence on her.’
‘A good influence? Nick? You must be kidding, Mum!’ Laura joked.
They all laughed.
‘Of course. Let me know when you get home. And let me know if you need any help,’ Nick said.
‘Thanks, Nick,’ Laura said, reaching out and squeezing his hand. He could see the light return to her eyes for a second and a glimpse of the girl she had once been.
CHAPTER 4
March 2003
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL Spring day
